It's been a minute (or two) since the last Watches Of The Week edition dropped way back in February. But it's back and here to stay! There's a few noteworthy new releases of the past week, but Patek Philippe definitely headlined with its commemorative piece, celebrating Philippe Stern's birthday in tremendous fashion. In other news, Bremont unveiled a couple of new Supermarine additions, Omega introduced a ceramic and titanium Seamster model and Breitling opened its latest loft-inspired boutique with long-standing partners, Gregory Jewellers. Happy reading everyone, hope you have an amazing week ahead and great to be back!
Patek Philippe 1938P Minute Repeater Alarm
Patek Philippe's head-honcho has commissioned a beautiful commemorative piece to celebrate the 85th birthday of his father, the one and only Philippe Stern. The president of Patek Philippe went all-in in the design and execution of this watch for his father, with Thierry commissioning 30 pieces to honor his father's dedication and passion to not only Patek, but all aspects of watchmaking.
The Patek Philippe Minute Repeater Alarm is referenced 1938P, in honor of Philippe's birth year and features a Grand Feu enamel portrait of Philippe Stern on the dial. The movement is a novel one, made specifically and reportedly only for the Patek Philippe Minute Repeater Alarm, with the R AL 27 PS calibre featuring a minute repeater and a 12-hour alarm. This new calibre is encased in platinum, has Breguet numerals and hands in white gold and 22k gold off-centre micro-rotor hand-engraved with Philippe Stern's signature.
Brand: Patek Philippe
Model: Minute Repeater Alarm
Reference: 1938P
Case: 41mm
Case Material: Platinum
Water Resistance: -
Calibre: R AL 27 PS
Price: CHF890,000; Limited to 30 pieces
Verdict: A "must-have" for 30 very astute and very deep-pocketed Patek Philippe VVVIPs.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT "Dark Grey"
Omega re-upped its already very contemporary Planet Ocean GMT collection with its latest piece, the Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT "Dark Grey". Here we have a case made of ceramic, while the inner components of the piece are made of titanium. So, what we have is a combination of an exterior that is super scratch resistant and interior components that are very lightweight.
The use of ceramic and titanium give the piece its "Dark Grey" aesthetic, topped off by that superb sandblasted titanium dial with anthracite applied hour marks and hands. The touches of orange break up the otherwise very monochromatic look. The Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT "Dark Grey" is powered by the 8906 Ti calibre, the same movement as the other models but instead of brass, it has a main plate and bridges in sandblasted titanium.
Brand: Omega
Model: Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT "Dark Grey"
Reference: 215.92.46.22.99.002
Case: 45.5mm
Case Material: Ceramic
Water Resistance: 600m
Calibre: 8906 Ti
Price: AUD36,900
Verdict: An expensive venture into the Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT world, but with a stead-fast hard-stanced nod of approval from me. Love it.
Bremont's New Supermarine Models
Bremont unveiled two new Supermarine additions to the ever-expanding collection. The Supermarine is based on the tried-and-true notion of a world-ready proper tool watch. Durable, practical, well-made, simple and, in essence, timeless. What we have here with both new models is a fairly rudimentary, borderline conservative approach, executed in typical British fashion to supremely good effect. In other words, a real-world winner.
The model on the left is the Waterman Apex II. Made to be a high-performance dive watch, the Waterman Apex II was worn and tested by Laird Hamilton, one of the best big-wave surfers of all time. The model on the right is more typical of the collection, the Supermarine S502. Both feature a GMT function, both have a date window, and both are quintessentially Bremont.
Brand: Bremont
Model: Waterman Apex II; Supermarine S502
Reference: Waterman Apex II; Supermarine S502
Case: 43mm; 43mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel; Stainless Steel
Water Resistance: 500m; 500m
Calibre: BE-932AV; BE-932AV
Price: AUD8,450; AUD8,100
Verdict: Supremely practical, a tad thick, pricey especially for an ebauche movement but overall a lovely little bit of kit.
Breitling Opens Up Shop With Gregory Jewellers
Breitling signals its intent by expanding into Sydney's booming Inner West by opening a boutique with long-standing partners and mainstay of the Australian watch and jewellery industry, Gregory Jewellers. Located inside of Westfield Burwood Shopping Centre, the new Breitling boutique reflects the brand's signature industrial-loft concept.
From its high ceilings, striking and distinct decor, and bespoke furniture inspired by mid-twentieth-century industrial buildings, the 33 square-meter space is like a home away from home for both Breitling collectors, enthusiasts and aficionados, alike. This new retail space marks Breitling's third official Australian boutique, and will be proudly run by Gregory Jewellers.
Verdict: A must-visit for anyone even remotely curious about Breitling and Gregory Jewellers.
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