Leave it to the house of Bvlgari to create a chic ladies timepiece that brings back that unforgettable icon of the 1980s–the futuristic digital time display! I’m referring to the unmistakable Ipno timepiece, without question one of the most distinctive and refreshing purely feminine watches available on the market at present.

While mechanical watches, preferable those with exotic in-house movements are what generally stir my blood, I find the little Bvlgari Ipno to be absolutely delightful.  It appeals on numerous levels at once.  How so?  It is a luxurious object that reflects artistry in an exotic combination of glossy ceramic, glistening steel, and scintillating round brilliant diamonds, yet it is simultaneously a fascinating style piece that is not derivative in the slightest.  The cylindrical case sits with perfect comfort on almost any wrist, and is sure to garner comments from curious admirers who simply can’t figure out exactly what it is.  In a market rife with imitations copying other imitations, that advantage by itself is no small attribute!

While there are numerous luxury watches out there of exceptional beauty for ladies, there are few to none that have the fetching combination of sleek elegance and futuristic cool that this one does.  For that reason (among others, clearly), the Bvlgari Ipno deserves a place in the timepiece collection of any woman.

Technorati Tags: Bvlgari

A highway might seem an unlikely source of inspiration for an ultra-luxury sports watch, but when it is one as famous as the Montauk–a picturesque strip of New York asphalt which traces a path through eastern Long Island and the prestigious Hamptons–it becomes a much easier thing to do.  At least that seems to be the thinking of Audemars Piguet, which recently debuted an eye-catching new edition/addition to the immensely popular Offshore Chronograph collection.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Montauk Highway Edition is definitely not for everyone, but those who love it will surely find the attraction strong.  While not as neutral and sartorially versatile as say, the classic AP Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph “Themes”, this special edition model has plenty of tasteful flair for the well-heeled collector–especially those already possessing an Offshore watch or two in their collection.  The signature brilliant light blue tachymeter scale and Arabic hour numbers are striking without being garish, and the rich chocolate chrono subdials create a pleasant contrast against the crisp white “grand tapestry” dial.  Then of course, there’s the amazing strap in chocolate brown hornback crocodile, which is almost as luxurious as the superbly finished case itself.  This beautiful (and costly) strap works wonders on many an Offshore Chronograph variant, including the Navy and the Safari, and it’s no less effective on the Montauk Highway Edition.  It buckles to the wrist via the famous “AP” folding clasp that artfully duplicates the brand’s insignia.

It’s amazing how many attractive guises the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore design can take on.  While some watch fans tire of the never-ending parade of limited editions from Audemars Piguet, even the most jaded must admit that many of these are really handsome, while demonstrating all the craftsmanship that has made AP a two-letter synonym for the best in high luxury sports timepieces.  The Montauk Highway Edition follows in that tradition, and gives the Audemars Piguet faithful another reason to continue their love affair with the legendary Offshore chronograph.   How many will be made, you ask?  Just 300.

Technorati Tags: Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore

The recent news that Lussori would be an authorized agent for MB&F Horological Machines was pretty exciting, at least to this jaded watch nut.  For those who know and love these incredible luxury timepieces (if I can use that rather inadequate term), no explanation is required–for those who don’t…well, it’s best to spend some time at the very interesting MB&F website.  Unlike a lot of watch websites that are populated with irritating flash and redirects to everywhere but where you want to be, the MB&F site enables you to get an in-depth understanding of the creative process and technical specs behind each Horological Machine, the genesis behind the Maximilian Busser & Friends brand, and the various horologist-creatives that lend their talents to bring these wild and wonderful objects of watchmaking as three-dimensional kinetic sculpture to life.  I’d also humbly direct you to Lussori’s timepiece news section,
where you can find articles which summarize each of the three MB&F Horological Machines.

I’ve followed the Horological Machine series with great interest since I first heard about the Maximilian Busser & Friends brand back in 2005.  Considering what a legend MB&F founder Maximilian Busser is within the high luxury watch field, I knew the results from this daring new brand would surprise, provoke, and delight in equal measure.  Busser, of course, didn’t just wake up one day and decide to make crazy ultra-high end luxury watches: he was the influential Managing Director at Harry Winston Rare Timepieces during the period of years that that brand was unveiling its astonishing “Opus” watches–exclusive works of exceptional (and often avant garde)horological art involving such renowned independent masters as Francois-Paul Journe, Christophe Claret, Peter Speake-Marin, and Vianney Halter.

After he left Harry Winston, it was all but inevitable that Mr. Busser would end up doing similar projects “on his own”, and that is exactly what MB&F and its Horological Machine series is all about–extracting the utmost in creativity and design daring while applying the principles and techniques of haute de gamme mechanical watchmaking.  It’s a fantastic new frontier for collectors of high luxury timepieces!

Technorati Tags: MB&F

With the abundance of fine chronograph watches in the luxury timepiece arena, it’s quite challenging to find one that really stands out from the pack.  Happily, the house of Harry Winston has really figured out how to deliver watch aficionados something truly special and yes–unique.  Witness the Harry Winston Ocean Chronograph watch, where elapsed chronograph time is not told via the ubiquitous round counters, but by a dazzling trio of retrograde hands.

As with the entire Harry Winston watch collection, detail of the Ocean Chrono both inside and out goes far beyond the standard of “just good enough”.  At first, the case looks deceptively simple–an apparent variation on the classic round shape.  Then, you look closer, and notice the superb borders on the lugs, the perfect finishing of every nuance and those distinctive crown guards whose arched shape evokes the famous entryway to Harry Winston’s boutique.  Its not easy to do, but the Ocean case manages to bridge the gap between sport and dress.

Dials possess a similar sense of order, beauty and flare for design that really bring those leaping chronograph hands to life.  One bit of minutiae I particularly love–and I know I’m not alone here–is the unique small seconds display.  Look closely at the lower part of the Ocean Chronograph dial, directly above the “Harry Winston” signature–instead of a hand, you’ll see a little blued steel shuriken (throwing star) that rotates continually so long as the watch is running.  It’s a beautiful, mesmerizing little addition that adds charm to the Ocean Chronograph, as well as a touch of practicality.

Beyond its beautiful exterior and tastefully exotic design, the Harry Winston Ocean Chronograph watch is a substantial example of haute horlogerie excellence.  The movement inside–which you can view through the sapphire back–is based upon the exquisite Frederic Piguet 1185, a caliber which two decades after its debut, still endures as the world’s thinnest column-wheel controlled, fully integrated, automatic winding chronograph movement.  Other great chronograph movements have come onto the scene since this one made its debut two decades ago, but arguably none have surpassed its combination of innovative construction and elegant workmanship.  Harry Winston’s brilliant triple retrograde displays merely make it that much more fascinating and prestigious.  Without any exaggeration, it is pure pleasure to observe these chronograph hands as they travel through their paces–a captivating marvel of Swiss watchmaking from Harry Winston Rare Timepieces!

Technorati Tags: Harry Winston

The Piaget Polo watch collection has long been a symbol of exceptional luxury, fabled Swiss quality, and exclusivity.  However, it has not often been the first elite luxury watch a well-heeled younger buyer (say, under 40) might consider–something like an Audemars Piguet Offshore or a Hublot Big Bang would probably get that initial interest.  With the recent introduction of the fantastic Polo FortyFive watches, and the FortyFive Chronograph in particular, Piaget is making serious strides to pull those same “hip” buyers back into their corner.  Those obsessed with exceptionally fine mechanical watches–regardless of age demographic–would do well to have a very close look at this beautiful new timepiece from Piaget.  It is extremely sophisticated as an example of haute horlogerie, but it is also fresh, extremely stylish and yes–considerably larger in size than previous Polo watches.

The first thing that sets the Piaget Polo FortyFive apart from any Polo timepiece that has come before, is its bold 45mm case (if there was any curiosity over the watch’s name).  It looks great on all but the smallest wrists, and is a wonderful canvas for the exquisite brushed finish with its contrasting polished godrons.  The dial radiates superb detail that strikes an excellent balance between vintage and contemporary elements; the dauphine hands capture the essence of 1950s era watches, but the faceted, tapered hour markers and intricate framed subdials are as modern as tomorrow.  A superb custom fit is obtainable, thanks to a supple rubber strap with a three-part titanium folding clasp.

The Piaget Polo FortyFive Chronograph watch is so much more than beautiful craftsmanship and stylish design.  It is equally distinguished by an exquisite in-house Piaget movement.  The 880P is one of Piaget’s newest calibers, but it looks very promising.  Like other prestigious automatic chronograph movements such as Patek Philippe’s 28-520C or the Rolex 4130, Piaget’s 880P boasts a fully integrated non-modular mechanism, and its operations are controlled by a traditional column wheel.  The Piaget 880P is also a fine sight to see through the exhibition sapphire back, displaying circular Cotes de Geneve bridge decorations, blued screws, and PVD-finished rotor bearing the Piaget coat of arms.

Functionality is all that can be asked. The chronograph has a flyback function–a great feature that really excels over a standard chronograph which MUST be stopped between timing sequences–and if that’s not enough, you also have a date display and a 24-hour indicator for a second time zone.  This extremely useful travel complication can be instantly advanced by the push-button on the upper left side of the Polo FortyFive watch case.

Technorati Tags: Piaget Polo, Piaget Polo FortyFive

At Bell & Ross’ booth at Baselworld this year, one watch clearly stood out among the others as “the A-list star”.  That timepiece was the Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne watch, a provocative new iteration of the brand’s extremely popular BR Instrument line that combines the seemingly contradictory impressions of foreboding and whimsy.

The foreboding aspect comes from the arresting skull and crossbones design that makes up the entire case and dial of the BR 01 Airborne.  The 46mm square case is in stainless steel, with a serious-as-death black carbon powder coat.  Interestingly, Bell & Ross created a case in which the dial aperture is skull shaped, and the crossing bones are integral to the case, but raised slightly above the base surface.  This is a highly effective frame for the grinning skull face that makes up the dial itself, complete with hands that resemble skeletal digits–or curved swords.  Cut the lights, and the Superluminova coated skull glows an eerie green.  I’d call that part whimsical, in a slightly Halloweenish way.

However, this watch isn’t about cheap scares or novelty for its own sake.  It was Bell & Ross’ intent to create a timepiece that would honor the valiant work of the 101st Airborne division, an elite group of American fighters who parachuted in behind enemy lines during WWII, contributing decisively to such epic battles as the Normandy landing and Battle of the Bulge.  While their mission was to deliver silent death to their Axis foes, these warriors were often in at least as great a danger as those they descended upon, and casualties were always a looming possibility.  As a result of this duality in every mission, the skull and crossbones became an omnipresent talisman of paratrooper divisions across the Allied forces.

Because the Bell & Ross BR 01 Airborne is clearly not designed to be a conventional or traditional watch, I don’t think its fair to judge it as one.  Accept it for what it is, and the BR 01 Airborne becomes a unique and very cool timepiece that fulfills a specific niche in a sports watch collection nicely.  While it does make an individualist statement up close, the BR 01 Airborne watch is quite stealthy much of the time–just like the descents of the paratroopers who put their lives on the line to keep the world safe from tyranny more than half a century ago.

Technorati Tags: Bell & Ross

Suppose you attend formal events on an occasional basis and would like a no-compromise dress watch to match your attire, but have no desire to lay out a king’s ransom for an exquisite mechanical like a Piaget Altiplano, a Patek Philippe Calatrava, or a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony.  Well-respected Swiss brand Raymond Weil delivers the perfect alternative, in the form of extremely handsome and classical dress timepieces that are nowhere near as financially prohibitive.

Raymond Weil’s Tradition watch collection presents a number of very attractive and timelessly elegant selections.  If the dress watch is something you put on only every once in awhile (say, every month or two if you prefer to keep things casual), the battery-powered
quartz movements in the Tradition watches will prove a definite convenience.  And the nice thing here is, you don’t necessarily have to stick to the ubiquitous round shape.  Raymond Weil also offers rectangular cased Tradition models that are the essence of good taste and formal sophistication.

If you appreciate a little more action on even a dress watch dial, the more contemporary Raymond Weil Tradition Retrograde Day Date is a great option.  Boasting such refined details as blued Breguet-style hands, and stately Roman numeral hour markers, this model creates quite a bit of visual intrigue, thanks to the dynamic technical trio of a large date display, a small seconds subdial, and a retrograde indicator for days of the week.  At 42mm, the RW Retrograde Day Date is also ideal for those individuals who find the size of traditional dress watches (34mm-37mm) too diminutive.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronometer is one luxury sports watch that is really impressing me these days.   While it’s a good watch that has been around for some time, and even been equipped with the George Daniels-designed Co-Axial Escapement, the versatile Aqua Terra got a massive boost this year.  Why?  Omega’s in-house 8500 caliber, and a sharp subtle redesign to go along with this technically impressive and very promising new self-winding movement.

Let’s start with the redesign.  The case of the new Omega Aqua Terra watches–in either 38.5 or 41.5mm sizes–is very much like the old, and shares a lot in common with the legendary Speedmaster Professional chronograph.  It’s got just the right blend of polished and brushed surfaces, meaning it works extremely well regardless of your attire.  The slender polished bezel looks quite elegant, and it frames the slightly curved sapphire crystals very nicely, indeed.  However, it is the dials where you notice some entirely new beauty revealing itself–in place of the more expected glossy or matte metallic dials, you have a new “teck concept” pattern.  Modeled after the fine wooden decks in a luxurious boat, this texture looks superb, and really makes the dial pop.  The addition of beautifully beveled triangular hour markers and faceted hands in 18K gold (white gold for the stainless steel models) brings more superlative detail to the new Aqua Terra watches.  The execution of these elements is truly superb, and reflects Omega’s continued upmarket move as a luxury watch manufacturer.

Turn the new Seamaster Aqua Terra over, and you can’t help but exclaim, “Ahhh!”  A nice, large sapphire window lets you in on the aforementioned Omega 8500 caliber movement, which prior to now was only available in the beautiful–but very niche–Hour Vision watch.  While Omega’s new manufacture caliber has only been out for a couple years, it continues to earn glowing accolades from watchmakers and industry insiders alike.

Among the Omega 8500’s neat features are an hour hand that can be adjusted independently (great for crossing time zones), a system of two serially operating mainspring barrels (these give you a nice 60-hour power reserve), a full balance bridge for optimum stability (some would say a little lesson from Rolex), and a large freely-sprung balance wheel with an exclusive system of adjustment weights.  Combine the latter with Omega’s sensational Co-Axial escapement, and you have a mechanical movement capable of some stellar timekeeping performance.  Many owners of watches with this movement are gushing about near quartz-like precision; I won’t verify or dispute that, as I don’t own one, but Omega has clearly produced a movement that–top to bottom–is designed to attain the best levels of chronometer performance, function reliably under unlimited daily use, and be readily worked on by a watchmaker when service is eventually required.  The Omega 8500 is also really, really pretty to look at, with an exclusive “Cotes de Geneve en Arabesque” decorative pattern on all the external surfaces of major components.  The version inside the 18K red gold models is particularly handsome, because in these, balance bridge and rotor are both made from red gold, a material which stands out beautifully against the rhodium-plated parts.

Prices of the 8500-equipped Omega Aqua Terra models are very reasonable considering how much watch you are really getting.  They are noticeably more expensive than the older models, but that’s understandable, as the latter are equipped with excellent, but less exclusive, Omega-modified ETA calibers.  I feel it is very safe to say that the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watches with the manufacture 8500 movement are going to provide some stiff competition for the ubiquitous Rolex Datejust.

Lets face it – If my dad was a dermatologist – I would have done a lot better socially as a teen.

So you would have to expect that Chris Crawford, a dermatologist from Lubbock Texas, was going to do everything he could to help improve the aesthetics of his offspring – and boy did he ever.

His daughter Candice Crawford was Miss Missouri 2008 – and his son – is none other than Chace Crawford – today’s “It boy” and star of the hit show “Gossip Girl”.

At the tender age of 24 Chace is living the life that most people twice his age dream about. He is young, attractive, has a hit TV show, and wears an IWC Big Pilot, one of the most desirable timepieces in production..

Technorati Tags: Chace Crawford

Regardless of which brands they happen to favor most (Omega, IWC, Rolex, Panerai, or whatever) sport watch fanatics of all stripes seem to agree on one thing: there’s few things better than a boldly marked dial that lights up like a torch in the darkness and doesn’t quit after a few minutes.  (I’m not referring to some Indiglo-type system, just good ‘ol Superluminova, the luminous compound the watch industry is using on the indexes and hands of timepieces these days.)  Perhaps the most incredible luminous dial I’ve seen in some time belongs to that of the newly redesigned Aquatimer watch collection from IWC.

The dials and bezels of these timepieces, such as the IWC Aquatimer Chronograph shown here, are not just impressive because of the intensity of the glow, but the varied colors of that illumination.   The contrasting white and yellow compounds you see on the dial and the beautiful sapphire unidirectional rotating bezel produce different glowing colors in the darkness, which, aside from keeping hours and minutes clearly demarcated, simply looks amazing when the lights go out.  The single most alluring visual element of the watch is probably the gorgeous sapphire crystal bezel.  By day, its lustrous obsidian-like surface exudes the unmistakable aura of fine quality, and at night–well, there’s that phenomenal glow!  The initial 15-minute sector glows a yellowish green, while the additional 5-minute marks shine in an eerie light blue. Combine all of that goodness with the slightly beveled sapphire crystal and the semi-matte dial, and you have an IWC timepiece that can’t help but catch your eye again and again.

I know some IWC fans were disappointed with the 2009 Aquatimer watches when the new models were announced in January, thinking them too youthful looking, garish, or “Seiko-ish” in appearance.  Others felt the previous generation’s internal bezel was more of a pure IWC concept, and lamented the brand’s return to a more conventional design.  These doubts fade away when you see the 2009 Aquatimers in person–or even good macro photographs.  The fact is, IWC has really done a tremendous job with this model range.  They have all the credentials of a serious diving tool, yet demonstrate the quality and standout character that a top-notch sports luxury watch should possess.

Technorati Tags: Aquatimer, IWC