The watch industry is undergoing a season of change and is seen through a shift in resources, material and commercialised used of industrious science. In enhancing the quality and durability of watches, brands have reached out to scientist and material researches to find the best material when it comes to designing its watches. Enjoy our selection below.
Romain Gauthier – Insight Micro-Rotor Lady
With its highly visible, intricately engineered, automatic movement featuring snow-set micro-rotor and its gently shimmering mother-of-pearl dial, Insight Micro-Rotor Lady is Romain Gauthier’s first ladies’ watch. The hour-minute subdial and small seconds are crafted from mother of pearl is made from 22k gold and decorated with spectacular diamonds of varying sizes. The sparkling micro-rotor turns fluidly and noiselessly between two bridges, each fitted with a friction-minimising, wear-resistant ruby bearing. However subtly and in whichever direction the micro-rotor swings,and when fully wound, provides a generous 80 hours of power.The golden bridges are decorated with hand-made, hand polished bevels and jewel countersinks and are fixed in place using Romain Gauthier’s signature screws with aesthetic S-slot. It is available in two 10-piece limited editions in red gold: with Tahitian black mother-of-pearl dial and anthracite strap, and with Australian extra white mother-of-pearl dial with white strap.
Vacheron Constantin – Metiers d’Art Les Aerostiers
The Metiers d’Art Les Aerostiers collection by Vacheron Constantin pays tribute to the exhilarating chapter in history when the hot-air balloons were invented through the “aerostatic experiments”, in the attempt to defy gravity. Faithfully reproducing in miniature the historical depictions of five flights undertaken in France between 1783 and 1785, thus bore the splendid hand-engraved and micro-sculpted gold hot-air balloons hovering against a translucent enamel background. While it is good to know that each hot-air balloon called for up to 3 weeks of craftsmanship, its translucent background is reminiscent of cloisonne enamelling. Transparency effects provide glimpses of the gear trains and discs of Calibre 2460 G4/1 through the enamel. The gold oscillating weight, specially engraved and domed for this new collection, evokes the rounded shape of a hot-air balloon.
Hautlence – Vortex Gamma Tron
Building on the Tron influence, Hautlence also introduced the Vortex Gamma Tron. It uses the same HLLightColor as the Magma, but it highlights a different application of the material: phosphorescence. When the lights go out, the angular watch glows an intense bright blue, similar to lume. Both Gamma Magma and Gamma Tron use a retrograde minute complication to tell the time. Every 60 minutes, one of the 12 articulated links in the hour chain adjusts to show the next hour. The dial is made from almost entirely transparent sapphire, offering a view into the HL2.0 self- winding caliber. The movement has two barrels. The second barrel, dedicated exclusively to driving the complication, is continually reset by the main barrel so that the optimal level of energy is available each time the hour changes. This double barrel system ensures the complex mechanisms are supplied independently, without affecting the ability of the watch to keep accurate time.
Romain Jerome – RJ x SPIDER-MAN
The latest addition to the “Generational Icon” collection by RJ Romain Jerome takes inspiration from yet another Marvel Comics character, certainly one of the most famous super-heroes ever created: Spider-Man. The intricacy of the model resides in the different perspectives on the dial and the elements that intertwine. The 75-piece limited edition is presented in RJ’s elegant Skylab case which follows the rule of a classic round-shaped case with 4 lugs. Enhanced with the 4 paws characteristic of the brand, the case reveals a skeleton movement offering endless transparency. RJ also designed the 3-layer movement that features straight bridges.The back of the watch follows the same style as the rest, with a metallized web on the sapphire crystal. The web is slightly visible when worn and enhances the “Spider-Man” theme pursued by the brand.
Arceau Casaque
Looking to match that dress for your princess meet prince charming ball? Let the four-decade old design of Arceau Casaque be at the rescue and lead you to more appreciation of its undying charm. Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, this Swiss made watch stands the test of time with its outlined background of the Cavale motif. The dial is crafted using champleve, lacquer and transfer techniques. Hollows are first created in the dial base, then filled with lacquer. Eager to escape the confines of its classicism, he fitted it with asymmetrical lugs in a shape inspired by stirrups. The sapphire crystal is adorned with anti-glare treatment. A matt tone-on-tone transferred chevron motif lends the final touch to this colourful composition. Its tones resembles the horse-head pawns of a classic French children’s board game. Available also in yellow, green and blue, which will you choose to lead the game?
MB&F + Sarpaneva – MoonMachine 2
The MoonMachine 2 is the brainchild of MB&F and Stepan Sarpaneva’s second collaboration – a horological creation and the world’s first projected moonphase display. Housed in the case of Horological Machine No.8, the first MB&F creation possess 2 design icons of the Horological Machine collection, of which its mechanism is also used by MoonMachine 2 to highlight the visual impact of a moon disc. Bask in the beauty of the case; its sapphire crystal pane metallised to draw attention to the brushed titanium rotor; the two Sarpaneva moon disc made of gold and finished by hand; and the Korona-framed gold plaque to commemorate the collaboration between Sarpaneva and MB&F. MoonMachine 2 is available in 3 limited editions of 12 – one in full titanium with white gold moons and a light-blue sky, one in blackened titanium with white gold moons and a dark-blue sky, and one in red gold and titanium with red gold moons and an anthracite sky. Why wait?
EZ AUSTRALIA.NEWS 