Officine Panerai L'Astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Equation of Time PAM00365

Grand complications? This is one of the most interesting complication watches that we have seen in a long time, simply because it has features we do not find in other mechanical complication watches. The Officine Panerai L'Astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Equation of Time, or PAM 365, is a dual time watch with a tourbillon movement. That alone would put in the watch in the elite category of watches, but it is the "Equation of Time" complication which makes the watch different.

We will not spend time discussing in this article the tourbillon movement or Panerai's distinctive way of displaying a second time zone using the combination of second 12-hour hand and a day night indicator. Covering everything this watch has would make this article too long. For those interested in these aspect of this watch, it is functionally identical to the The Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT PAM00306 and an extensively discussion of tourbillon movement and GMT function can be found in that article. In fact the PAM 336 runs on a variant of the same Panerai Calibre 2005 movement that powers the PAM 306.

Equation of Time. One the inner walls of the bezel of this watch you will find between the 7 to 9 o'clock positions, you will find the numbers 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 with a small pointer indicator beside the word sunrise. This will tell you what time the sun is expected to rise. You will find the same thing on other side of the inner bezel between the 3 to 5 o'clock positions, time beside the word sunset. This will tell you what time the sun is expect to set. This function is linked to the month indicator found in the sub-dial at the 3 o'clock position of the watch. As the months move on, the expected times for the sun to rise and set adjust accordingly.

Sunrise and sunset times depend on the latitude. So when you buy the watch you will be asked what City you want the watch to be set for. The name of this City will be engraved into the back plate of the watch. The latitude value appropriate for the selected city is than set by Panerai technicians. It will have to be adjusted by a Panerai technician if it is desired to display the correct sunrise and sunset times for a different latitude.

Above the six o'clock position you will find a slider indicator which will indicate a figure between +15 to -15 minutes, this is the "Equation of Time" feature. Equation of time is the difference between our common understanding of time and solar time. Solar time varies every day due to the eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit and the inclination of its axis. The difference between our common understanding of time and real or solar time differs by up to 15 minutes, either faster or slower.

Astronomo. At the back of the watch is a rotating map of the sky on the lower part of the mechanism. This rotating disc rotates clockwise or counterclockwise in one direction or the other, depending on the hemisphere chosen, thus constantly updating the night sky depending on whether the watch is set to display the night sky over the northern or southern hemisphere.

The watch itself. Those of you who like big watches will like this one, it is all of 50mm in diameter. Despite it large size, the weight is kept down by manufacturing the case in titanium. A pink gold case is however, available on request. The Panerai Caliber P. 2005/G movement which produces the expected 28,800 vibrations per hour expected of a premium watch, and the watch has a four day power reserve.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

2010 Officine Panerai Radiomir 42mm

Much ado about the smaller Panerai's. At SIHH 2010, Panerai released several 42mm Radiomir watches. A lot has been written about this, as if it heralded a change the Panerai inspired trend to bigger watches. I would not put too much in this. Panerai has, in the past released Luminor's in the 40mm case size, and has also released several versions of the Radiomir in the 42mm case size. I do not see any change in direction for the company. Offering more sizes simply broadens its market appeal. The availability of more options for smaller cased Panerai's is certainly welcome in the Asian market.

The built-by-Panerai Calibre P.999/1 movement

Not smaller but slimmer. What is interesting about the new 42mm Panerai Radiomir's, the PAM00336, PAM00337 and PAM00338, is not the 42mm case, but the new hand-wound mechanical, built-by-Panerai Calibre P.999/1 movement. This movement is only 3.4mm thick which will allow Panerai's to create slimmer watches. While we do not have specifications of the height of the new PAM 336, 337 and 338 they do seem to be significantly slimmer than previous 42mm Panerai's.

The PAM 338's slimmer case

I see the Panerai Calibre P.999/1, or a variant thereof, as slowly fining its way into other no-date and base model Panerai's. The P.999/1 movement is a basic hour, minutes and seconds movement which produces 21,600 vibrations per hour. It has a 60 hour power reserve. Other than the fact that it is slim (made easier by the fact that is is wide), this is actually a "low-end" Panerai manufactured movement. This is significant because this movement is a sign that in two or three years, and I expect all Panerai's (except maybe chronographs) will have in-house movements. I would not be surprised to find a similar movement in updated versions of such classic Panerai as the PAM 005, 111, 113 and 117 in the near future.

Each watch has a sapphire crystal case back so can admire the fine movement

Back to the watches. The new PAM 336, 337 and 338 are nearly identical. The difference simply lies in the material used for the case, and the color of the dial and hands. The PAM 336 has a pink gold case, a brown dial and gold hands. The PAM 337 comes in the more traditional steel case and black dial. The PAM 338 comes in titanium with a black dial.

PAM 337 in stainless steel

PAM 338 in titanium

PAM 336 in pink gold

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater

Revamping the Portuquese line-up. In 2009, IWC revamped their Aquatimer series of watches. 2010 is the year of the maritime inspired Portuguese. The revamped watches include a chronograph, a perpetual calendar, a grand complication, a Tourbillon and a minute repeater.

What is a minute repeater? A repeater is a complication in a mechanical watch that audibly chimes the hours and minutes at the press of a button. This complication originated to allow the time to be determined in the dark, and were also used by the visually impaired. The minute repeater chimes the time down to the minute, using separate tones for hours, quarter hours, and minutes, usually with low tones for the hours, a sequence of two tones for the quarter hour and high tones for minutes.

IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater. The original IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater was first released in 1995. (Reference No. IW5420). The new IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater new (Reference Nos. IW544901 and IW544905) is not all that different from the watch released in 1995. The new IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater has grown 2mm, now with a 44mm case. The small seconds sub-dials moved from a odd Panerai like location at the 9 o'clock, to a more conventional position at 6 o'clock.

Inside, instead of the Calibre 95290 movement, you have the newer Calibre 98950 movement. But even there, there seems to be little difference. Both the Calibre 95290 and 98950 movements are hand wound slow beat movements that produce 18,000 vibrations per hour.

This is an expensive watch, as are all mechanical minute repeaters. Appropriately, it available only in precious metals, Red Gold and Platinum, with a limited run of 500 pieces each. It may seem we are a bit down on this watch, but that is not the case. There was nothing really wrong with the old IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater, so a minor facelift on the newer watch is fine.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

Officine Panerai Lo Scienziato Radiomir Tourbillon GMT PAM 00348

From a military watch to a grand complication. It was bound to happen. As Panerai expanded it line-up of watches, the focus on the functional moves into another realm, more akin to what might be produced by watchmakers Breguet, Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin.

After having introduced Tourbillon movements two years ago, at SIHH 2010, Panerai continued in the same direction and released a skeleton watch, with a Tourbillon movement. There is no better way to appreciate such an intricate mechanism of a watch movement other than doing away with the dial. So in 2010 Officine Paneria presents the Lo Scienziato Radiomir Tourbillon GMT PAM00348.

I have a feeling that many a Panerai purist will not appreciate this type of watch. I do not want to get into a discussion of the direction Panerai should be taking. Instead, I will simply to take this watch at face value. It is an impressive piece of watchmaking.

Panerai Lo Scienziato Radiomir Tourbillon GMT PAM 348. The case is a large 48mm black ceramic Radiomir case. I am not sure if the process used in this watch is the one used in making the Panerai Radiomir "Black Seal" PAM00292 or the ceramization process used in constructing the case for the Panerai Radiomir Composite Marina Militare P2002 47mm PAM 00339, but I believe it is the former. Either way, either process is distinctly Panerai.

Inside the case is the hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.2005/S calibre, built in-house by Panerai. This movement produces the expected 28,800 vibration per hour of a watch of this caliber and has a long six day power reserve. Aside from proving the usual hours, minutes, small seconds the watch as a GMT function with an additional hand for a second time zone.

Instead of the additional hand rotating once every 24 hours live in most GMT watches, Panerai use a 12 hour hand with a day/night indicator for the second time zone.

To go along with the long power reserve, there is a power reserve indicator. The watch does not have a date function. A date wheel would block most of the view of the movement from the front.

And of course, there is the tourbillon.

What is a tourbillon? The tourbillon was invented in 1795 by Abraham-Louis Breguet. Mechanical timepieces are affected by gravity. In order to counter the effects of gravity, Abraham-Louis Breguet built a watch that counteracted gravity by rotating the balance wheel of a watch or clock through 360 degrees. This is called a tourbillon.

This is accomplished by mounting the escapement in a rotating frame, called a "carriage" which turns at regular intervals, usually once a minute. This rotation reduces the positional errors of the movement.

At that time almost Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the tourbillon almost all watches were pocket watches which stayed in one position most of the time. The only time a pocket watch changes position is when it's taken out by the owner to check the time.

The effect of gravity on a watch or clock kept in one position all the time, like a pocket watch, is particularly noticeable on the escapement, especially the balance which rocks back and forth. This can lead to inaccuracies. Breuget's solution was the tourbillon.

Today, most tourbillons are found in wristwatches. People tend to move their arm as they go about their day, which provides the changes in position required to offset the effects of gravity on the watch movement. This negates the need for one a tourbillon. Today tourbillon watches are valued as a display of watchmaking prowess, in the same way complication watches are desirable.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph

IWC revives and old name. The IWC Yatchclub was a mechanical watch with a date function, sold by IWC in the 60's and the 70's. For 2010, IWC has revived the Yatchclub name in a decidedly more interesting watch.

IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph. The new IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph is a flyback chronograph watch. For those not familiar with the flyback function, basically in a conventional chronograph, a button is depressed to start the counter, a second press of the same button is required to stop it, and another button is depressed to reset the chronograph seconds hand back to zero. Restarting the counter would require three button presses: Stop-Reset-Start. The flyback function allows a quick restart of the chronograph from zero with a single button press.

The flyback feature is not the only feature that makes this watch impressive. Most chronographs use two subdials in conjunction with the large minute hand in conjunction with the chronograph function. The large hand displays seconds, one sub-dial displays minutes and the another sub-dial displays hours. In the IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph, a single sub-dials with two hands is used to display both the minutes and the hours, resulting in a cleaner looking, and in our opinion, more interesting looking dial. The watch also displays the date on the dial.

The watch is powered by the self-winding IWC Cal. 89360 movement, which produces 28,800 vibrations per hour and has an impressive 68 hour power reserve. The movement is visible through a sapphire crystal caseback. The case of the watch is 45.5mm in diameter and the watch can be had in stainless steel or red gold.

A new direction? Watches in IWC's line of Portuguese watches have been designed to be more classical in their appearance. Paired with leather straps and without any luminescence on the dial, they have always carried a very elegant look. Despite the history of Portuguese as a maritime watch, the watches were more elegant than sporty. The IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph eschews all this with luminated hands and a rubber strap. The only thing detracting from the action oriented nature of the watch is the 60 meter water resistance rating.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 44mm Titanium PAM 00351

SIHH 2010. Like the release of the PAM 00359, the Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 44mm Titanium PAM00351 is another watch with a built-by-Panerai which looks to be aimed at move to offer lower cost Panerai's with in-house movements. In 2009, Panerai offered their first watches with a in-house movement for below 10K. At an estimated price of approximately US$8,000 this another sub-10K a Panerai with a in-house movement.

One thing we noted, this titanium watch has a polished bezel

Ti. This watch is similar in design of the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 240 as both watches have titanium cases. Titanium is a metallic element which is recognized for its high strength to weight ratio. It was discovered in 1791, by William Gregor. On the Periodic Table, Titanium is symbolized by Ti. Compared, to the most common material used in building watch casings, which is 316L grade stainless steel, commercial grade Titanium alloy has a higher tensile strength, is lighter more and more resistant to corrosion.

Titanium strong resistance to corrossion is due to its self healing properties which is explained by TIMET as follows:

Titanium metal's corrosion resistance is due to a stable, protective, strongly adherent oxide film. This film forms instantly when a fresh surface is exposed to air or moisture. The oxide film formed on titanium at room temperature immediately after a clean surface is exposed to air is 12-16 Angstroms thick. After 70 days it is about 50 Angstroms. It continues to grow slowly reaching a thickness of 80-90 Angstroms in 545 days and 250 Angstroms in four years. The film growth is accelerated under strongly oxidizing conditions, such as heating in air, anodic polarization in an electrolyte or exposure to oxidizing agents such as HNO3, C(R)O3, etc.

The composition of this film varies from TiO2 at the surface to Ti2O3, to TiO at the metal interface. Oxidizing conditions promote the formation of TiO2 so that in such environments the film is primarily TiO2. This film is transparent in its normal thin configuration and not detectable by visual means.

A study of the corrosion resistance of titanium is basically a study of the properties of the oxide film. The oxide film on titanium is very stable and is only attacked by a few substances, most notably, hydrofluoric acid. Titanium is capable of healing this film almost instantly in any environment where a trace of moisture or oxygen is present because of its strong affinity for oxygen.

Titanium has roughly the same weight as aluminum and is 100% hypo allergic. About the only drawback we can find for a Titanium watch case is that it has a dull gun metal finish, unlike stainless steel that can be either brushed or polished to different degrees. So either you like the look or not. A Titanium watch will also cost you a bit more than an identical one with a stainless steel case.

Manifaturra heritage. While the PAM 351 reminds of the PAM 240, the manifaturra heritage of the PAM 351 is clear to those with a sharp eye even from the outside. The use of the sleeker 1950 case, the pancake dial and the absence of a magnifying glass on the date display are standard features on the design of Panerai's falling under the manifaturra line.

Inside is the Panerai P.9000 calibre movement, built entirely by Panerai it produces 28,800 vibrations per hour, and despite this feature not being included in its name unlike other Panerai's with the same feature, it has a three day power reserve.

The case itself is the standard 44 mm diameter for Luminor Marina's, and the watch has a water resistance rating of 300 meters. It comes with a brown alligator strap and supplied with a second interchangeable strap (usually a balck rubber one).

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW5021 & IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater Ref. IW5449

SIHH 2010. This year at SIHH 2010, IWC launched a very ambitious grand complication a Portuguese case, the IWC Portuguese Grand Complication. This watch combines a perpetual calendar, minute repeater and chronograph watch all in one. IWC also launched new Portuguese watches offering these complications separately.

IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW5021. The IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar is very similar in design to its sibling, the IWC Portuguese Grand Complication. With a case diameter of 44.2mm and a height of 15.5mm, the Perpetual Calendar is marginally smaller than the Grand Complication. The Perpetual Calendar displays the day, date, month and year using three sub-dials in the same way Grand Complication and has a moonphase display. For the Perpetual Calendar function, the date is displayed at the 3 o'clock, the month at the 6 o'clock and the day at the 9 o'clock positions. The year is displayed in a aperture at the 8 o'clock position.

But the IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar is not just the little brother of the Grand Complication. In some ways, it is superior. The Grand Complication has a typical 2 day power reserve, while Perpetual Calendar has 7 day power reserve, with a power reserved indicator at integrated into the sub-dial at the 3 o'clock position. The moonphase in the display on the Perpetual Calendar display both the phases of the moon for both the northern and southern hemispheres. It also comes in one more variation, being offered in white gold in addition to red gold.

Note: IWC also released a IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW5022, which is virtually identical to the Ref. IW5021, except for a difference in the moonphase display.


IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater Ref. IW5449. For those who just want a minute repeater, IWC offers the Portuguese Minute Repeater. A repeater is a complication in a mechanical watch that audibly chimes the hours and minutes at the press of a button. This complication originated to allow the time to be determined in the dark, and were also used by the visually impaired. The minute repeater chimes the time down to the minute, using separate tones for hours, quarter hours, and minutes, usually with low tones for the hours, a sequence of two tones for the quarter hour and high tones for minutes.

IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater watch has a 44mm diameter case, which is available in platinum and red gold. Production of the watch is limited to 500 pieces for each version.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic PAM 00359

Deja vu. Panerai formally launched at the 2010 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie it new line-up of watches. One of this watches is the new Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic (PAM 00359)... I distinctly remember writing about this watch last year.

The reason that the new Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic, with reference code PAM 359 seems very familiar is that is almost identical to the PAM 312 released in 2009. Both watches have the built-by-Panerai Panerai P. 9000 calibre self-winding movement with a longer than usual three day power reserve which produces 28,800 vibrations per hour. Both watches use a 44mm diameter case using the 1950 case design. Both have a divers watch rating of 300 meters water resistant.
The difference is in the dial. Instead on a combination of arabic numbers and baton markers found in the PAM 312, the PAM 359 dial is adorned by arabic numerals only. The other big difference is the price. The PAM 359 expected at a US$7,400 retail price.

Watch collectors, value a watch more when the movement inside is built by the same company that build a watch. Panerai used to charge a premium for watches with built by Panerai movements. With the release of the PAM 312 in 2009, followed by the PAM 359 in 2010, I think we are seeing a migration to a point in time when all Panerai's will have built-by-Panerai.

About Panerai. Officine Panerai was founded in 1860 in Florence, Italy by Giovani Panerai. Panerai was acquired over by Swiss watchmaker Richemont S. A. in 1997.

IWC Portuguese Grand Complication Ref. IW3774

SIHH 2010. Last year, IWC revamped their Aquatimer line-up. I was never really fond of their older Aquatimers, but at least they were distinct. From my standpoint IWC's new for 2009 offerings were a bit less than interesting. A new year, a new SIHH and new watches. This year IWC expands it Portuguese line-up of watches and added a new model to their Da Vinci collection, and the new offerings are more to our liking. Picking the best new IWC offering is going to be difficult.

IWC Portuguese Grand Complication Ref. IW3774. IWC is no stranger to making watches with mechanical movements a cut above the rest. IWC is one of the few companies to successfully market lower cost luxury watches, together with creations that look comfortable beside the very best watches, created by companies like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Bregeut. One such watch is the IWC Portuguese Grand Complication Ref. IW3774.

IWC chose to release the latest grand complication a Portuguese case. Housed in a large 45mm red gold case, the watch merges modern trends with old world watchmaking. Inside the case is the 79091 caliber automatic movement the merges a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, a perpetual moon phase display and a chronograph. The case is water resistant to 30 meters. The movement has a 44 hour power reserve.

The case back was features the engraving of a sextant, giving a nod to the maritime history of the Portuguese series of watches.

Four sub-dials adorn the face of this watch, at the 3-6-9-12 o'clock positions. Three of the four sub-dials serves a dual purpose function.

Perpetual Calendar. Of all complications, the one I find most desirable is the perpetual calendar. A complication that will display the correct day, date, month and year without having to be adjusted to account for the different numbers of days of the month or even leap years. IWC Portuguese Grand Complication. For the Perpetual Calendar the date is displayed at the 3 o'clock, the month at the 6 o'clock and the day at the 9 o'clock positions. The year is displayed in a aperture at the 8 o'clock position.

Minute repeater. A repeater is a complication in a mechanical watch that audibly chimes the hours and minutes at the press of a button. This complication originated to allow the time to be determined in the dark, and were also used by the visually impaired. The minute repeater chimes the time down to the minute, using separate tones for hours, quarter hours, and minutes, usually with low tones for the hours, a sequence of two tones for the quarter hour and high tones for minutes.

Moonphase and chronograph. As if the perpetual calendar function and the minute repeater were not impressive enough, the watch also displays the phases of the moon at the sub-dial at the 12 o'clock position. The same sub-dial is also used in conjunction with the chronograph function of the IWC Portuguese Grand Complication which measures intervals of time of up to 30 minutes. The sub-dial at the 6 o'clock which display the month also displays measures intervals of time of up to 12 hours.

We have no word on pricing, but IWC tends to produce things like this at "reasonable" prices. Only 50 watches a year of this type are going to be produced, so expect a long wait to get one.

About IWC. IWC or the the "International Watch Co. Schaffhausen" was founded by an American engineer from Boston, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in the year 1868. IWC Schaffhausen is notable for being the only major Swiss watch factory located in eastern Switzerland, as the majority of the well-known Swiss watch manufacturers are located in western Switzerland.

The Vacheron Constantin Historique Ultra Fine 1955 and 1968 watches

Historique. Watchmakers used to strive to manufacture with the slimmest mechanical movements which they would encase in an equally slim and finely made case. Excellence in watchmaking was measured in millimeters. Today, things are different. The more than decade old trend, which shows no sign of abating is for larger and larger watches. Thirty-four and thirty-six millimeter cases have gone from being masculine to feminine. Even fine mens dress watches have inched up to 38mm and larger.

Bucking this trend, Vacheron Constantin is launching, at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010 two of the slimmest watches this elite brand has ever manufactured: The Vacheron Constantin Historique Ultra Fine 1955 and 1968 watches. The Vacheron Constantin Historique 1955 is ultra-thin round case watch. The Vacheron Constantin Historique 1968 is ultra-thin rectangular case watch.


Vacheron Constantin Historique 1955. The Vacheron Constantin Historique 1955 is one of the thinnest mechanical watches in the world. This is achieved by the use of the manual winding caliber 1003 movement, which is only only 1.64 mm thick, giving the watch and overall thickness of of just 4.1 mm.

The round 18k gold case has a 36mm diameter, and amazing enough manages to incorporate a sapphire crystal case back despite its 4.1mm girth.

Vacheron Constantin Historique 1968. The Vacheron Constantin Historique 1968 timepiece is more the 1mm thinner than its historical predecessor at 5.5 mm. Unlike the manual winding movement of the 1955, the 1968 has a self winding movement, the calibre 1120, which is the reason it is 1.4mm thicker than the 1955. The 5.5 mm thickness makes this watch one of the thinnest self winding watches in the world. The 18k gold case measures just 35.2 mm along the long sides.

The appeal of these type of watches is small, but there is still a market which appreciates finely crafted watches. While, larger watches and movements are not necessarily manufactured less finely or with lesser quality, watches like the 1955 and 1968 are truly horological wonders.

About Vacheron Constantin. Vacheron Constantin was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron. This makes it the oldest watch manufacturer in the world with an uninterrupted history.

SIHH 2010: IWC & Panerai

SIHH 2010. On January 18, 2010 watch makers belonging to the Richmont Group, including A.Lange & Söhne, Alfred Dunhill, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, JeanRichard, Girard Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, and Van Cleef & Arpels; and several independent watchmakers, will be showing their latest releases at the the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010.

Two of the watch companies we follow closely in this blog are IWC and Penerai. In 2009, IWC revamped its Aquatimer series of diving watches and Panerai several new watches, with its main focus on expanding its manifaturra line-up the PAM 305, PAM 312, PAM 319 and the PAM 320.

For 2010, IWC has already announced that it is expanding its line-up of Portuguese by adding at least two watches to its line-up, a new chronograph and a tourbillon watch with a retrograde complication. Given that IWC revamped its entire Aquatimer line-up last year, is this a sign that it will do the same to its Portuguese? Maybe, but we do not think so.

We still have no inkling what Panerai will be coming up with in 2010, but we suspect that they will continue to expand their manifaturra line-up in the same direction they did last year --- meaning coming up with lower priced manifattura watches and expand their line of watches under US Dollar 10,000. Manifaturra basically means in-house movements, and as the Panerai brand continuous its strategy of marketing as exclusive watch brand with limited production, migrating even current designs to in-house movements makes sense.

Will find out for sure in 10 days.

In 2009 Panerai released the PAM 00312,
which gives you an in-house movement at below 10K.

2010, SIHH, Basel and Silverstone

We are approaching a new year, but from a horology standpoint, the new year does not start in January 1, 2010, but on January 18, 2010 which is the start date for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010 where A.Lange & Söhne, Alfred Dunhill, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, JeanRichard, Girard Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin, and Van Cleef & Arpels will be showing their latest releases.

For other watchmakers, including heavyweights Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega and smaller independents like Oris, the new year starts on March 18, 2010 which is the start date for the BASELWORLD 2010 Watch and Jewelry Show. Needless to say the next few months will be interesting.

But one company is starting the celebration early, December 2009 is Tag Heuer's 150th year Anniversary. To commemorate this, Tag Heuer is re-issuing in limited numbers the Silverstone, a classic chronograph watch. A nice Christmas present to what is usually a boring time in the horology calendar.


Enjoy the Christmas, but the the Horology new years will definitely more interesting.

Press release from Tag Heuer:

SPRINGFIELD, N.J., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Heralded by watch enthusiasts as one of the most coveted collector's pieces from the TAG Heuer archives, the brand's Silverstone Chronograph will be re-issued in February 2010 as a limited-edition timepiece. The release corresponds with TAG Heuer's year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary.

Originally introduced in 1974, the Silverstone chronograph's hallmark feature is its cushion cut-shaped case. This beautiful blend of square and round emulates the curvature of the Silverstone Circuit, a famous English racing track for which the timepiece is named. The chronograph's design also was inspired by the distinctive square case of its predecessor, the Monaco. Prior to the Monaco's debut, watchmakers had been unable to create perfect water-resistant square or barrel-type cases, forcing them to produce only circular dials. TAG Heuer's patented water-proofing system allowed for a break from convention, and the creation of the Monaco's clean, geometric shape.

For the Silverstone, TAG Heuer's design team softened the bold angles of the Monaco, while retaining its technological legacy. Both the original Monaco and Silverstone housed the Chronomatic Calibre 11, the first-ever self-winding automatic chronograph with micro rotor. This revolutionary movement provided wearers with precision timing comparable to the standards of professional chronometer instruments. Before the Calibre 11, chronographs had to be constantly hand-wound to keep accurate time, and watchmakers placed the crown at 3 o'clock for easy accessibility. Because the development of the Calibre 11 freed TAG Heuer's designers from this constraint, Jack Heuer decided to place the crown of the Monaco and Silverstone at 9 o'clock.

The re-issue of the Silverstone is powered by an updated version of the Calibre 11 with Dubois-Depraz module.

The latest iteration of the Silverstone also celebrates TAG Heuer's history by featuring the brand's original Heuer logo, which is flanked on the dial by two silver counters at 3 and 9 o'clock. Stainless steel pushbuttons at 2 and 4 o'clock, a hand-applied date window at 6 o'clock and curved, sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment complete the watch's look.

Available with a rich blue or brown dial on a matching, perforated alligator strap, the Silverstone is available in a limited worldwide quantity of 1,500 pieces per color. It will retail for about $6,500.

TAG Heuer Celebrates 150 Years of Watchmaking Innovation
The year 2010 marks TAG Heuer's 150th anniversary - a milestone that celebrates the brand's evolution from a small workshop in the Swiss Jura Mountains to its status today as a leader in the luxury watch market. Since its inception, TAG Heuer has demonstrated a passion for accurately measuring even the smallest increment of time. It is the only watchmaker to develop a mechanical automatic chronograph movement that displays 1/10th and 1/100th of a second, as well as the only brand to capture 1/10,000th of a second. The brand's 150-year legacy is peppered with displays of engineering prowess, including the world's first oscillating pinion, patented in 1887, and the recently launched Monaco V4, which features a double-patented belt-driven movement that shatters the basic tenets of how a watch keeps time. Through a constant pursuit of excellence and innovation, TAG Heuer creates timepieces that are a defining symbol of state-of-the-art originality.

The History of Silverstone Circuit
Originally used as a World War II bomber base, the Silverstone Circuit is a world-renowned racing track located in the English village of the same name. The circuit is best known as the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted in 1948. Two years later, on May 13, the opening race of the first-ever FIA Formula One World Championship started at Silverstone. Today, Silverstone remains one of the most historic and challenging tracks.

TAG Heuer's relationship with Silverstone is deeply rooted in the brand's motor racing heritage. In 1949, TAG Heuer's first-ever ambassador, Baron Emmanuel de Graffenreid, won at Silverstone. Over the last three decades, several other brand ambassadors and F1 team partners, including Jo Siffert, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton, have raced to career-making victories on the track. In 1974, Jack Heuer paid homage to this impressive lineage with the introduction of the Silverstone series of chronographs.

About TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer, the leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860, is one of the largest and fastest growing luxury Swiss watch Brands. The Swiss watch making legend draws upon its active engagement in the world of sports to create the most accurate measuring instruments and sports watches in the world. TAG Heuer is today the first watchmaker ever to master luxurious Chronographs with an unsurpassed precision of 1/10th, 1/100th and 1/1,000th of a second. From the Olympic Games in the 1920s to its role as official timekeeper to within 1/10,000th of a second for the legendary Indy 500, TAG Heuer, in a constant quest for innovation, excellence, performance and prestige, continues to aim ever higher, as reflected in its partnerships with Team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in Formula 1 and its two aces: Fernando Alonso, youngest ever and already two times Formula 1 world champion and Lewis Hamilton, GP2 world Champion in 2006. With two times Formula 1 world vice-champion and Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen, with world number 1 golfer Tiger Woods and WTA number 1 tennis player Maria Sharapova, Champcar four-time world champion Sebastien Bourdais, promising talent Bruno Senna as well as Hollywood and Bollywood icons Leonardo DiCaprio and Shah Rukh Khan, TAG Heuer more than ever epitomizes Sport and Glamour!