We're only a few days before Christmas, so we'll keep this round up short and sweet. Not much happened since last week's instalment, but this week we do have a few new watches that we know you'll enjoy, including new pieces from Richard Mille, Ulysse Nardin, Blancpain and Parmigiani Fleuier. Enjoy!
And from all of us at Haulogerie, we'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas full of love and happiness. See you next week!
Richard Mille RM 33-02 Automatic
Now this, I like. New from Richard Mille is the RM 33-02 Automatic. This is a far-cry from Richard Mille's traditional tonneau-shaped cases, but it's not so far as to say that it is anything but a Richard Mille timepiece. With materials like rose gold and carbon fiber in its 41.70mm wide by 8.80mm thick case, the RM 33-02 Automatic is a highly contemporary timepiece, embodying the forward-thinking tenets that Richard Mille is known for. The exposed calibre RMXP1 (which is based on the Vaucher 5104 calibre) automatic movement is seen through the front and back of the watch, and at only 2.60mm in thickness you now know how the RM 33-02 Automatic can be so thin. Priced at $145,000USD and limited to only 140 pieces, the RM 33-02 Automatic is made for the 1%, but there's no shame in admiring from (very) afar. Absolutely love it.
Blancpain Traditional Chinese Calendar
To celebrate the beginning of another decade, Blancpain has created the Traditional Chinese Calendar. In honor of the turn of the decade, the first animal of the Chinese zodiac is presented beautifully throughout the watch, with the rat bringing notions of luck and prosperity for the coming year. Interestingly enough, the Traditional Chinese Calendar is far more complex than a standard perpetual calendar, and reportedly took Blancpain five years of research and development to create. The reason it took such a long time is because with the Traditional Chinese Calendar, Blancpain decided to integrate the main indications of the Chinese calendar with the date-based functions of the Gregorian calendar. Since the Gregorian calendar is based on the solar day and the Chinese calendar is based on a lunar cycle, the Traditional Chinese Calendar proved to be a challenging venture. Thus, the calibre 3638 was borne and integrated into the 45mm wide platinum case, which also features a white gold oscillating weight engraved with an affectionate depiction of the rat. The Blancpain Traditional Chinese Calendar is available in a limited run of 50 pieces in platinum, while the red gold version will be made available in a standard production run. Pricing TBA.
Parmigiani Fleurier Hijri Perpetual Calendar
Utilising the cycles of the moon, as opposed to the conventional methods of the Gregorian calendar which uses the Earth's revolution around the Sun, Parmigiani Fleurier's Hijri Perpetual Calendar is the world's first calendrier watch utilising the Islamic calendar. Encased in platinum and with a slate grey dial, the Hijri Perpetual Calendar lacks any gold, a tradition of Islam where men cannot wear gold. The watch itself is really quite beautiful, and in a nod to Islam's direct, simplistic and peaceful tenets, the Hijri Perpetual Calendar's dial remains clean, legible and purposeful. There are derivatives of the Islamic calendar on the watch, too. For example the month indicated in red depicts Ramadan, the holy month where Muslims fast throughout daylight hours and rigorously perform their respective prayers. The rotor is shaped like a crescent, a symbol of Islam. And, of course, the entire depiction of the calendrier indicators in Arabic. The Hijri Perpetual Calendar is priced at $80,000USD and will be available at Parmigiani Fleurier boutiques from April 2020.
Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronograph
Ulysse Nardin has released three brand new Diver Chronographers, symbolising the brand's affinity with the ocean. There is the Diver Chronograph Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition, along with a black and titanium, and blue and rose gold variation. Each piece will measure 44mm across, with each piece featuring an inverted concave unidirectional rotating bezel. The Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition will cost $17,600AUD, with the black-titanium and blue-rose gold variants costing $17,000AUD and $56,900AUD, respectively.
Ralph Lauren Polo Bear Watches
Who said watches had to be serious? Introducing three new pieces from Ralph Lauren, the Polo Bear Watches. Cute, delightful and wholesome, the Polo Bear Watches bring a smile to my face whenever I look at them. The off-white lacquer dial features a motif of the bear, either the Tuxedo Bear, the Bedford Bear or the Denim Flag Bear, with each dial sitting in a 42mm wide stainless steel case with sleek wire lugs. The bold Arabic numerals stand out as a focal point, but the focus is obviously on the bear motif in the centre of the dial. Each piece is powered by the automatic RL200 calibre. The Tuxedo Bear is priced at $2,150USD, while the Bedford Bear and Denim Flag Bear are priced at $1,950USD. So cute.