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Ulysse Nardin Upgrades its Dual Time Collection
Sometimes during Baselworld, the luxury watch industry’s annual fair, manufacturers show brand new designs and sometimes they will upgrade an already successful collection. This is what Ulysse Nardin did during the 2009 Baselworld.
Ceramic is one of the hottest new materials to work with for producing luxury watches. It is strong, sleek and requires the same type of craftsmanship that installing precious gems and stones does.
Ulysse Nardin took its popular Dual Time collection and upgraded it with ceramic, giving it a new, and more modern and exclusive look. Ceramic is now the main focus of the large 43mm Executive Dual Time watch. Both the dial and the bezel are made from black ceramic which looks great against either the stainless steel or 18K rose gold oversized Roman numeral hands, crown and case. Ceramic also comes into play on the two push pieces on the side of the case that can adjust the hour hand to a different time zone while the 24 hour indicator continues rotating in a window at the 9 o’clock position.
This watch also features an oversized 60-seconds counter at 6 o’clock and the two-window date display at 2 o’clock, plus the U.N. name and logo (an anchor) both available in either stainless steel or 18k rose gold. Both watches come with either leather or rubber straps.
The Executive Dual Time is a perfect example of how to take a good thing and make it better. It’s also a smart move for watch companies because by upgrading an already popular watch, they invest less time and money into developing new designs and technologies.
Moni Ducci Watches
It’s a fact that certain products are created for certain groups of people, niche audiences, as they’re known. When it comes to luxury goods, the audience brands want are people with money, enough money that they barely have to look at or analyze a price tag before deciding whether or not to purchase the item.
Well, Moni Ducci watches targets a very specific group; those with money that travel frequently via airplanes. The brand Moni Ducci was created with travel retail being its main target. Items include men’s and women’s accessories, watches, eyewear, leather goods and clothes.
The duty free industry is a bustling one as there are duty free shopping zones and magazines in all airports and planes all over the world; and even those with lots of moolah like to not to have to pay taxes (the incentive behind duty free shopping).
Moni Ducci was launched in May of 2008 in perhaps what is the top duty free shopping zone ever: Dubai. Three months after the launch, Moni Ducci watches were listed in onboard magazines for Etihad Airlines, Eva Airways and Qatar Airways.
Niveen Ibrahim , the Travel Retail GM for Moni Ducci said that the brand is releasing a new collection of luxury men’s and women’s watches that will range in price from $500 – $1,180 dollars, quite a deal actually.
He goes on to explain that “travelers are well aware of the brands and are exposed to luxury on a daily basis. The most important thing for a new emerging brand is to be innovative and different. Obviously, there is no compromise on quality.”
Moni Ducci watches are made for those that have an eye for fashion and like wearing something that not everyone else does. Their women’s luxury watches are particularly colorful, with engravings of birds, butterflies, plants and flowers found on the dials.
The BR-03 Phantom by Bell & Ross
As we gear up for Halloween, all-black watches come to mind. Last year Bell & Ross came out with the BR-03 Phantom as a follow up to its popular BR-01 Phantom. Both models were released in limited editions of 500 pieces each year and sold out very quickly.
One may think that an all black watch would be hard to read, but that’s not the case here and it has something to do with the large 42 mm sized case. Some people find this large, rectangular shaped case uncomfortable on the wrist, but considering that this watch is near impossible to find, it’s not a big enough of a drawback to warrant much more mention. The case is made from carbon-blackened stainless steel.
The numbers, like the dial, themselves are large, giving them visibility. They are raised off the surface and coated in black photo-luminescent paint, allowing you to see what time it is even in the dark. To get this glow in the dark, the watch needs to be charged in the light, sometimes for longer than 5 minutes. The BR-03 Phantom emanates a powerful green glow after just absorbing natural daylight.
Although the case is large, 42mm, it’s not as large as some other BR watches that have 46mm, and at 10mm thickness they are relatively thin, making them not too bulky. The lugs curve to allow for a snug fit.
Like many other Bell & Ross watches, the BR-03 Phantom adheres to military specifications, making it a highly reliable watch.
This watch also comes in all white, all green (military color), all black with bright luminescent blue indications, all black with a stainless steel case and a few other options. Some come with black synthetic or rubber straps.
Although not terribly expensive, prices range from $3,000 – $5,000 these are hard to come by. If you spot one, grab it. Maybe even make an offer to someone who you see wearing it on the street.
Black will always be in and with so few all-black watches to choose from (Rolex does something similar but at a much higher price point) the BR-03 will always be a hit.
Trick or treat?
The 2009 Conquistador Grand Prix of Singapore by Franck Muller
What a name: The 2009 Conquistador Grand Prix of Singapore, for quite a watch. The world premiere of this luxury watch by Franck Muller has quite a unique style.
The case is made from titanium and ergal (performance enhanced high-tech aluminum alloy), from titanium and 18K rose gold and from pink gold with a blackened titanium bezel. The use of ergal merits special mention because due to its being ultra-light and highly robust, it is commonly used in the Formula 1 racing industry as well as the aerospace industry. So the fact that Frank Muller incorporated in into his watch is innovative and really ties the timepiece to the event for which it was created.
Franck Muller produced a series of these 2009 Singapore Grand Prix chronographs, 80 of which are made from titanium (as shown in the first picture), 80 in rose gold and titanium (second image) and six very exclusive pieces made from pink gold with blackened titanium bezel (last picture). The watches measure 48mm wide by 62mm in length and 14 mm in thickness. The crystal is sapphire and the caseback has an engraving of the logo of the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix on it.
At first glance you can tell there is no other watch that this one can be compared to. The black and red contrast (including the strap) and the large numbers on the dial, give this watch a serious, dark, but glamorous look. The idea behind this look no doubt comes from the event that this watch, along with others, commemorates.
The Singapore Grand Prix is the only race within the FIA Formula 1 World Championship that takes place at nighttime. Therefore, this Franck Muller watch (of which there are three styles) illustrates the concept of “dark speed.”
Although the race has already taken place, it was held from September 25 – 27, the watch lives on. As with many race car driving events, the Singapore Grand Prix drew in large numbers of people; an estimated 100,000 live spectators and about 110 million that watched it on TV.
A Luxury Watch for Women
Watches made by the German luxury brand A Lange & Sohne are definitely luxurious and definitely exclusive. All Sohne watches are made from gold or platinum, none from steel. Due to their exclusivity and price range, these watches command attention, especially their women’s luxury watches.
The new Cabaret Soirée women’s timepieces are a perfect example of what Sohne is capable of. They are delicate, measuring 26.5mm wide by 36.3mm tall, and come in 18k white gold cases with 70 diamonds (.9 carats) surrounding the bezel. The dials are lined with solid silver and come with gold coated hands.
There are two versions of this watch, each limited to only ten pieces each. One comes with a baby blue mother of pearl dial and matching light blue crocodile strap and the other comes with a pink, “rose colored” dial and matching band.
Aside from total luxury, another feature that A. Lange & Sohne applies to all its watches is that they all have in-house movements, something not common among watch manufacturers anymore. These new additions to the Cabaret Soirée line, come with the Calibre L931.4, a manually wound mechanical movement that has 237 parts and a power reserve of 42 hours.
Sometimes when a watch brand seeks to create women’s luxury watches, the actual function of the watch comes second to the aesthetic, but Sohne is careful not to do this. After all, commanding the prices that they do, the wearer must be able to easily tell the time and look glamorous.
Due to the diamonds and mother of pearl dials, these watches are most definitely jewelry watches as well and in this case, due to the softer colors, are most definitely made exclusively for women.
Seiko Unveils Luxury Watch Collection Abroad
Up until now, in the U.S. Seiko has been known as a manufacturer of sporty, high tech watches. But that image is about to change, since for the first time, their Elite Collection will be brought to the U.S. as well as be available internationally.
Seiko watches are built using four technologies: Spring Drive, Kinetic (quartz watch powered by human movement), Mechanical and Quartz.
Seiko has achieved many “world firsts” in its time, these being some of them: world’s first LCD quartz watch with six-digit digital display, world’s first multi function digital watch, world’s first TV watch, world’s first watch with computer functions, and Seiko Thermic, world’s first watch driven by body heat, among others.
The Elite Collection are all mechanical watches, representing another “first” for the brand and asserts them in a competitive place with other watch brands. The Elite Collection brings with it three calibers, two of which are brand new developments by Seiko. Each watch within this collection uses Seiko’s SPRON 510 alloy, and classifies these watches as the “only luxury chronograph (that can) measure elapsed time in a unique, glide motion and not to the nearest tick, like its competitors.” The design of both the case and the dial is reminiscent of Katana, the ancient art of sword-making first developed over 800 years ago.
Seiko has received many awards over the years for its innovation. You can be sure they are standing by to see how this new collection will be received by the global watch market.
Ulysse Nardin Minute Repeater Sells for High Price
Auctions seem to be the one slice of the luxury watch market where watches are still selling for high prices. These are select watches, which are usually rare collectibles and that helps set the high price tag, but it’s another thing when they are actually purchased.
At recent auction in Las Vegas hosted by a rare 18K gold Ulysse Nardin minute repeater watch sold for a whopping $45,750, selling for over $10,000 than was expected and for more than any other men’s watch or women’s watch went for. This UN watch comes from the Clavius collection and is a special minute repeater that also features an automaton complication, which works like this: once the minute repeater lever is released, the small figurine’s arm with hammer strikes the bell as the watch gives off sound from the internal hammer that read out the time.
The dial of this 18K gold Ulysse Nardin watch is a beautiful blue lapis color watch and includes Arabic numeral hour indicators which are made from gold. This watch also features rare automatic winding minute repeater movements made by UN which alone can sell for around $100,000. There is also a power reserve indicator located on the dial.
At other recent auctions in New York City three rare Patek Philippe men’s watches sold for double what the Ulysse Nardin did. One of the Patek Philippe watches was a yellow gold model that went for $204,000, while two other gold watches sold for $162,000 and $156,000 respectively.
Stay tuned for an auction set to take place in October of this year where a very, very rare Patek Philippe watch, known as the 18K gold Sky Moon, is expected to go for between $1.1 million and $1.3 million dollars.
Limited Edition Moonstruck Watch by Ulysse Nardin
Ulysse Nardin founded his watch company in 1846 and became well known for manufacturing marine chronometers which merchant and military ships relied upon for accuracy when navigating the seas. Over time the company also began to produce complicated mechanical watches and set a world record in 1986 for making the world’s most complicated wristwatch. Called the Astrolabium, this watch was named after the device used by astronomer Galileo. The watch displays both local and solar time, the orbits and eclipses of the sun and the moon as well as the positions of certain stars.
Since then Ulysse Nardin has produced many watches that feature astrology, hence its new Moonstruck model. This limited edition Moonstruck watch imitates the rotation of the moon around the earth by using two discs to revolve around the map of the earth that is located in the center of the watch. The moon itself also makes revolutions that present the different phases of the moon.
Following suit with large watches being all the rage, the Moonstruck model weighs in at 46mm and 16.3mm thick, allowing ample space for the complexity of the movement. This watch also features a GMT hand, which allows the wearer to track a second time zone. Even though it’s made from either gold or platinum, it’s not fragile and is water resistant up to 100 meters. The 18k red gold edition comes in 500 pieces as does the platinum version.
Other outrageous Ulysse Nardin watch designs include the Genghis Khan Haute Joaillerie model and the San Marco Cloisonné watch. While most Ulysse Nardin watches are men’s watches, there is a substantial collection of women’s watches as well which include the Lady Diver Starry Night, the Golden Dream, the Michelangelo Lady and the Dual Time Ladies among many other gorgeous and unique selections.
New Eco-Drive Watches by Citizen
Citizen watches are “unstoppable”. They are fueled by light and therefore never need a battery. The Citizen Watch Company was founded in 1918 and the name was purposely selected to be “Close to the Hearts of People Everywhere”.
Citizen has become the world’s largest watch maker and created many new technologies, including the world’s thinnest LCD watch, the first voice recognition watch and the first professional diver’s watch with an electronic depth sensor. Wow.
No wonder when Citizen comes out with a new watch, the watch world pays attention. It’s Eco-Drive collection is “ecologically friendly.” What does this mean exactly one may ask.
Based on the “no battery” philosophy these Eco-Drive watches run on light, whether it comes from an artificial or natural source and they last a lifetime. The Eco-Drive technology uses a solar conversion panel and energy cell as power providers for the watch’s quartz movement. Through these watches, Citizen has changed the way time is told. The Eco-Drive collection comes in men’s and women’s watches.
At the 2010 Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show, which is to take place in March in Basel, Switzerland, Citizen Watch Company will again be showing off its innovative Eco-Drive technology in a collection featuring both men’s watches and women’s watches, called the Citizen Ec-Drive Chrono Time A•T. Available in five different styles, these watches include world time in 26 cities with atomic timekeeping with radio-controlled accuracy.
The brown crocodile strap of the men’s version plays off the stainless steel rose gold-toned case, adding a real element of luxury to overall look. With a limited edition of only 2,500 pieces, men around the world will be actively looking to add this Eco-Drive watch to their personal collections. Another style option of the Chrono-Time is stainless steel with a black or blue dial, two-tone rose gold stainless steel.
Ralph Lauren Releases Luxury Watches
The all-American retailer Ralph Lauren has released three new collections of luxury watches. The Stirrup, Sporting and Slim Classique collections are the first examples of the designer’s watches since the company entered into an exclusive partnership with the Richemont Group in 2007 to form the Polo Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewellery Company.
The Richemont Group owns many luxury watch brands, such as Cartier, Panerai, Baume & Mercier and Jaeger-LeCoultre among many others.
Each of the three collections evoke the “Ralph Lauren” story, that being one of all things American, especially taking influence from the equestrian world. The Stirrup collection perhaps best reflects this lifestyle. The name comes from the fact that the watch face is shaped like a horse stirrup. Each is crafted from 18K gold and platinum. Lacquered white dials with Roman numeral hour markers add a classic feel. The movements for these watches were made for Ralph Lauren by Jaeger-LeCoultre. A limited platinum edition of 67 pieces of the Stirrup Chronograph is offered to commemorate the 1967 founding of Polo Ralph Lauren.
The Ralph Lauren Sporting watches are more casual in design than the Stirrup watches. The cases are made from polished stainless steel or 18-karat gold; feature a signature bezel with six round screws and classical dials with Roman numeral hour figures. Three models are offered: a chronograph with date, a hand-wound watch with small seconds, and a dual-time model with a a day / night indicator, and a power reserve complication.
The Ralph Lauren Slim Classique watch collection is the most elegant of the three. Although large in size (42 mm), the cases are slender and made from platinum or 18-karat gold. The elegant engravings on the bezel are complimented by guilloched opaline dials with black-oxidized or blued steel “Breguet” hands. The manual movement inside comes from Piaget. The Slim Classique watches come with alligator straps and an ardillon buckle in gold or platinum.
These new collections of luxury watches by Ralph Lauren will be available at the Ralph Lauren flagship boutique at 867 Madison Avenue in New York City.
