While last week was full of new releases and special editions, this week is a touch more timid. Nevertheless, we've still got all the latest watch releases in our next Watches of the Week column, including new pieces from Richard Mille, Urwerk and Hublot. Enjoy!
Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic
Encased in red ceramic and featuring a 14-day movement from its seven barrels, Hublot's Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic is really quite awesome. The polish red ceramic case gleams in the light, the semi-openworked movement is well finished, and at 45mm in diameter the Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic will be sure to draw some eyes. Hublot has stated that the Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic will made in a limited run of only 100 pieces with a retail cost of $86,000USD.
Richard Mille Yohan Blake RM 61-01 Ultimate Edition
To celebrate the finale of the model line's 6th year of production, Richard Mille have created the Yohan Blake RM 61-01 Ultimate Edition. Featuring a Quartz TPT case and Carbon TPT bezel produced by over 600 layers of intertwining Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT (each layer measures 45 microns thick!), the Yohan Blake RM 61-01 Ultimate Edition has Richard Mille's innovative signature written all over it. Its skeletonised movement, which is made from PVD-treated titanium, has been tested to withstand forces up to 5,000 g's. Not bad, considering astronauts typically "only" have to withstand forces up to 3 g's. The Richard Millle Yohan Blake RM 61-01 Ultimate Edition is limited to only 150 pieces with pricing yet to be confirmed.
'Watch & Act!' - World Watch Auction for the Australian Bushfires by Time+Tide
Our friends from down south have organised an incredible charity event in aid of the Australian bushfire crisis. These bushfires have been some of the worst Australia has ever endured. An estimated 29 people have died, over half a billion animals have perished and over seven million hectares of land has been burnt (that is six times that size of the 2019 Amazon fires). Partnering with Invaluable.com, the world's premier auction platform used by Sotheby's and Philips, Time+Tide has organised a charitable auction where 16 watches from 14 brands will be listed for 10 days and sold on Friday, the 31st of January at 9 am AEST to the highest bidder. There are two unique pieces made by Zenith and Hublot especially for the auction, too. It was only through the initiative of Time+Tide, Invaluable.com and all of those generous watchmakers that enabled the organisers to donate 100% of the auction's proceedings to charity. It's not too late to check them out and put a bid on!
Hermès Arceau Squelette
Featuring a beautiful smoked dial, the new Hermès Arceau Squelette is quite the spectacle. From its 40mm wide stainless steel polished case to its odd lug configuration, the Hermès Arceau Squelette does indeed have the pizazz of being arty, different yet wholesome. The ornate crown is a wonderful addition, but the eyes shift towards the focal point of the watch, that being the openworked movement depicted through the smokey dial. Pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Urwerk UR-100 GunMetal
As unique as they come, Urwerk produces some of the world's most whacky and most complex watches. We're talking satellites, cams, telescopic hands, retrogrades and wandering hours. This particular model features a titanium and stainless steel case construct with a GunMetal PVD finish. Its movement is quite spectacular, as well, and incorporates indicators that display the distance travelled on Earth's equator in 20 minutes, the distance Earth travels around the Sun in 20 minutes, along with an orbital hours indicator. The Urwerk UR-100 GunMetal is limited to only 25 pieces and is priced at 48,000CHF.
Ball Watch Engineer III for Australian Watch Forum
Based on Engineer III, Ball Watch has partnered with the Australian Watch Forum to create this stunning rendition with a vivid and deep green dial. The Engineer III for Australian Watch Forum's stainless steel case measures 40mm across, features a shock resistance of 5,000Gs. The Ball Watch Engineer III for Australian Watch Forum is limited to only 50 pieces, is priced at $2,800AUD (with special member pricing at a significant discount), and will be made available exclusively to Australian Watch Forum members.