As another week draws to an end, we look back on the past seven days and revel in the latest watch releases in our regular series, Watches of the Week. In this instalment we have the latest new releases from the likes of H. Moser & Cie, Greubel Forsey, Glashutte Original as well as something very special from Jaeger-LeCoultre. Enjoy!
Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1
The romanticism of watchmaking is back with Greubel Forsey's latest creation, the Hand Made 1. Aptly named, considering that 95% of the timepiece being made using only hand-operated tools, the Hand Made 1 marries together the notions of haute horlogerie and nostalgia in a package that is unequivocally extraordinary. An estimated 6,000 hours worth of work goes into each timepiece, the level of hand-tended craftsmanship that has gone into the Hand Made 1 is mind-blowing. We're talking a hand-made balance wheel with 20 individually-cut teeth, an escape lever that takes a month and half to engineer, a balance spring rolled in a hand operated rolling mill (where only a few springs can be made at time as opposed to many hundreds and thousands being made using modern industrial techniques). A hand-made tourbillon carriage, made up of 69 components and weight less than half a gram. Half a gram! Imagine working on something that small with only hand held tools. And then, of course, you have the typical Greubel Forsey finishings: polishing, beveling, rounding, a unique "Gratte" mainplate, internal angles. This level of detailing extends to the dial as well, with hand-enameled chapter rings and flame-blued steel hands. The white gold case is also handmade, featuring satin finished sides and polished upper surfaces. Naturally and in lieu of the hallmark SWISS MADE insignia, Greubel Forsey has replaced it with the inscription HAND MADE. Expected production will be limited to only two to three pieces per year with pricing yet to be announced.
H. Moser & Cie Venturer Concept Vantablack & Diamonds
Building on the incredibly well received Vantablack is the latest H. Moser & Cie masterpiece: the Venturer Concept Vantablack & Diamonds. Featuring a 39mm wide white gold case emblazoned with 313 dazzling diamonds, the Venturer Concept Vantablack & Diamonds seems to produce the illusion of a million bright stars lighting up the night sky. Such is the depth of that Vantablack dial and its innate ability to absorb light that it truly requires one to see it in the metal to fully appreciate. The expansive blackness of the dial really lets the diamonds sparkle and gleam, where one could imagine the dial as a black-hole and the surrounding diamonds as shining celestial objects surrounding the abyss. The H. Moser & Cie Venturer Concept Vantablack & Diamonds is priced at $77,000AUD.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite
Featuring all the goodies associated with a "Gyrotourbillon" but with the added bonus of materials like fired enamel, meteorite and aventurine, Jaeger-LeCoultre's Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite is anything but conventional. With its incredible double-axis tourbillon mesmerising anyone fortunate enough to gaze upon its dial, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite continues to dazzle with the addition of the meteorite dial rimmed by an aventurine glass chapter ring at 12 o'clock. As if this wasn't enough to enthrall and appease, Jaeger-LeCoultre's craftsmen have used an aventurine dial surrounded by a white vitreous enamel ring to represent the chronograph register. All of this is encased in pink gold, with the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite also featuring additional meteorite panels in the movement bridges, too. Limited to 8 pieces and priced at a very soul-shattering $550,000USD.
Bremont H-4 Hercules
Inspired by one of the true titans of the sky, the new Bremont H-4 Hercules is a beautiful marriage of inspiration, of design and of execution. Created and made available in three metals, steel, rose gold and platinum, the H-4 Hercules has some pretty large proportions: 43mm in diameter and 14.40mm in depth. It features a GMT hand in the centre stack as well as a small-seconds indicator at 9 o'clock, along with a very useful date window at 6 o'clock. The deep pan-design of the sloping rehaut gives the H-4 Hercules' dial a lot of depth which adds to its overall measurements. But I quite like this distinctive look. The H-4 Hercules also features a rotor made from some of the wood taken from the illustrious plane's fuselage. Very cool. There will be 300 steel models, 75 rose gold models and 75 platinum models made available, each costing $16,995AUD, $31,995AUD and $44,595AUD, respectively. (We should be getting a sample to try out soon, too!)
Longines Heritage Classic 'Sector'
Perhaps the perfect way to finish off this week's round-up is with the Longines Heritage Classic 'Sector'. A beautiful rendition of a 1934 classic, the Heritage Classic 'Sector' perfectly sums up the notion of vintage inspiration. I think that Longines have absolutely hit it out of the ball park with the Heritage Classic 'Sector'. A comfortable 38.50mm steel case surrounds a stunning silver 'sector' dial, and the blued steel hands add that pop of colour. The large small-seconds register is a great addition, and I particularly like its placement over and into the outer portion of the dial. The Longines Heritage Classic 'Sector' will cost $2,150USD when released, which should be very soon.