Square Mile Guides - Watches Guide - 2010

QUALITY TIMEBrand profi le: Audemars Piguet

FAIR COMMENTQP magazine’s Basel judgments

BRIT REVIVALHorology’s coming home

MOVERS& SHAKERSWe fi nd out who’s makingthe watch world tick in 2010

Watches

In association with

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The voice of The c iTysquaremile

Mark Hedley, [email protected]

© Square Up Media Limited 2010. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Square Up Media cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Square Up Media a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine. All material is sent at your own risk and although every care is taken, neither Square Up Media nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be held liable resulting for loss or damage. Square Up Media endeavours to respect the intellectual property of the owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact the office. 822

THE WATCH WORLD never ceases to amaze me.Just when I think I’ve seen everything, something even more outrageous come along.

Romain Jerome specialises in this: fi rst, with their model crafted from the rust-riddled parts of the Titanic – a tad macabre, but whatever fl oats your boat. Next up was the Moon Dust-DNA – featuring actual dust. And most recently the Eyjafjallajökull-DNA made up of ash from the Icelandic volcano. (Overseas deliveries have been presumably hampered somewhat.)

Then Van Ree launches the Personal DNA watch which contains your DNA in a special, see-through compartment in the case. Of course, a similar result can be achieved by routinely spitting on it.

Not everyone has quite the same sense of humour when it comes to watchmaking though. Take a trip to the annual Baselworld exhibition – the Mecca of the world’s horologists and horolophiles – and you’ll see that people take it very seriously indeed.

The scale of this annual watch gathering makes your average motor show look like a local village fête, as manufacturers build elaborate temples at which to worship at the altar of the next big watch thing. On p16, James Gurney takes us on a tour of this year’s highlights, while on p26, Jon Hawkins – a Baselworld fi rst-timer – takes us through his top picks for 2010.

For those of you who can’t stand to wait a year until their next watch show, fear not: this November, SalonQP showcases the latest horological marvels in London. For your tickets, visit salonqp.com – and make sure you quote SUM1716 for a 20% discount.

EDITOR Mark Hedley

ART EDITORMatthew Hasteley

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eugene Costello

JUNIOR DESIGNERKaterina Varnavides

CONTRIBUTORSJames GurneyJon Hawkins

INTERNJames Taylor

PRINTINGColourfast Europe

M E D I A

MANAGING DIRECTORTim Slee

MARKETINGClare Brind

EVENTSVicky MillerAlex Watson

ADVERTISINGMichael BerrettMark EdwardsChristian MorrowKevin RudgeTom Rutherford

AD PRODUCTIONAlan Raine

ACCOUNTSSteve ColeNatalie Jackson

EDITOR’S LETTER

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CONTACT 020 7819 9999squareupmedia.com

square mile uses paperfrom sustainable sources

6 . TICKING ALL THE BOXESAccessories for you and your watches

8 . SOME FINE VINTAGESIt’s all about the glory years: reinventing the watches of the late 1960s and early 1970s

10 . ACTION STATIONSHard to the core: from Obama’s chronoto a watch with a helium escape valve...

12 . BANDS OF HOPE & GLORYThe revival in British watch manufacturers is well underway – we exhibit four of the best

14 . UPWARDLY MOBILETAG Heuer celebrates 150 years of history with a limited-edition box of tricks

16 . GURNEY’S GUIDEQP magazine’s esteemed editor delivers his verdict on this year’s Baselworld exhibition

22 . AUDEMARS PIGUETA profi le of the oldest Swiss manufacture still in the hands of its founding families

26 . BEST OF 2010Jon Hawkins breaks his Baselworld virginity – and has plenty of press packs to prove it

32 . SAFE AS FASHION HOUSESKarl Lagerfeld’s €250k Narcissus watch safe

26

In association with

CONTENTS & EDITOR’S LETTERGUIDE

SQUAREMILE 5squaremileclub.com

It’s not just about your watch, you know? Whenit comes to horology, go the whole nine yards.

CLOCK THESE...

PICKETT TRAVEL ALARM CLOCK 1 £85 020 7493 8939; pickett.co.uk

APOLLO SOUTHERNS KIT, £712 0116 288 2500; apollosoutherns.co.uk

SMYTHSON ROTARY WATCH BOX 3 £1,290 0845 873 2435; smythson.com

BAMFORD WATCH ROLL £1,100 4 020 7881 8019; bamfordwatchdepartment.com

TATEOSSIAN WATCH CUFFLINKS 5 £165 020 7384 8300; tateossian.com

STOCKINGER FOR BENTLEY SAFE 6 £POA 0870 777 2490; bentleycollection.com

RAPPORT OPTIMA TIME7 CAPSULE WATCH WINDER £1,19502920 37 37 37; rapportlondon.com

CELSIUS X VI II LEDIX TOURBILLON 8 PHONE €250,000 celsius-x-vi-ii.com

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CHRONOGRAPH

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retro styleWatchmakers are turning back the hands of time to create some classic modern vintages

Zenith el primero 1 Foudroyante £6,995 01204 424 051; thewatchgallery.co.uk

SeiKo QuartZ aStron 2 40th anniverSary £3,570 01628 770 988; seikowatches.com

tag heuer SilverStone 3 £4,600 020 8735 4070; tagheuer.com

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guide VINtAGe

IWC. Engineered for men.

Big Ingenieur Chronograph. Ref. 3784: It’s equipped to take all the challenges a man is likely to meet in the course of his life. Because it has a rugged stainless-steel case to protect its valuable contents: a mechanical IWC-manufactured chronograph movement with a column wheel and double-pawl winding. The tachymetre scale and the watch-in-watch display are safely protected by the sapphire glass. All we can hope is that its wearer is every bit as tough himself. Mechanical IWC-manufactured chronograph movement | Flyback function | Automatic IWC double-pawl

winding system |Date display | Antireflective sapphire glass | Sapphire-glass back cover | Water-resistant 12 bar | Stainless steel

The Watch Gallery, 129 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6RT 020 7581 3239, www.thewatchgallery.co.uk

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WRIST ACTIONAll-terrain adrenaline junkie? These chunky pieces make perfect pals

SUUNTO ELEMENTUM TERRA £5991 0845 686 0610; thewatchdepartment.co.uk

JORG GRAY JG6500 BARACK OBAMA COMMEMORATIVE 2 EDITION MENS CHRONOGRAPH £2600845 686 0610; thewatchdepartment.co.uk

LINDE WERDELIN OKTOPUS MOONPHASE £14,480 3 020 7727 6577; lindewerdelin.com

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The Swiss role in watchmaking is assured, says JON HAWKINS, but the

British can hold their heads high

GET YER BRITS OUT


GUIDE

BEING BRITISH, WE’RE easily led to believe we had a hand in the invention of everything good that’s ever existed. Which, of course, is true – football, TV, the electric toaster and the internet are all testament to that – but if you need further proof look only to the example of John Harwood. In 1924, Isle of Man watch repairer Harwood was granted a Swiss patent for the fi rst self-winding (or automatic) wristwatch movement, one of the most signifi cant horological advancements of the 20th century.

Despite his innovation, Harwood’s companies were liquidated in the recession of 1931, and the world of high-end watch-making has been largely untroubled by the Brits until recently. But the industry is waking up to the impact of pioneers like Harwood.

“For me, as an inventor of mechanisms and innovative technical solutions, British watchmakers have developed the major part of the fundamentals,” says Pierre-Andre Finazzi, CEO of Ellicott, a Swiss brand that takes its name and inspiration from the Ellicott watchmaking dynasty of the 17th-19th centuries. John Ellicott II, born in 1706, was watchmaker to King George III and the reborn Ellicott’s striking Majesty (pictured left in pink gold: £24,087; ellicott.ch) pays homage to this relationship. “By reviving a historic brand of British origin like Ellicott,” says Finazzi, “one of my missions is to make the public rediscover the signifi cant contribution of British watchmakers to this industry.”

But far from being backward-looking, Finazzi makes a point of highlighting Ellicott’s use of space-age materials (the case of the Mach II Stealth Carbon, the lightest in the industry, is made from the same material as stealth aircraft) and clever mechanical quirks. The Majesty’s winding rotor, for example, is circumferential in homage to – but updating – Harwood’s 1920s design. You sense both he and the members of the Ellicott dynasty would

have approved, not only of Ellicott but of the numerous other watchmakers taking their inspiration from our fair isle.

Pioneering watchmaker George Graham was a contemporary of John Ellicotts I and II and, like his fellow Londoners, he provided the inspiration for a contemporary Swiss brand; in his case, Graham. Founded in 1995 by Eric Loth, Graham watches are big, bold and innovative – the aggressive Chronofi ghter Oversize (in rose gold: £25,000; graham-london.com), with its distinctive chrono trigger, is our pick.

Bremont, owned by brothers Nick and Giles English, is another watchmaker melding Swiss mechanicals with British spirit, and the brand’s aviation-inspired timepieces (including the U-2, pictured left: £3,000; bremont.com) have been spotted on the wrists of numerous celebrity daredevils, from Ewan McGregor to Bear Grylls.

Founded in 1789 and based in London from 1878, Backes & Strauss is the world’s oldest diamond company and, as you wwould expect, the company’s classically elegant watches – made by Frank Muller in Geneva – make extensive and impressive use of those most precious of gems (Berkeley Baguette in Rose Gold, pictured left: £130,601; backesandstrauss.com).

The watch world’s axis of power may still lie in Switzerland, but the British revival is gathering pace. ■

●●The industry is waking up to the impact of British watchmaking pioneers…


BRITISH REVIVAL

COMETH THE HEUERAct quickly to snap up this limited edition ‘Coffret’ to commemorate TAG’s anniversary

TAG HEUER IS celebrating its 150th anniversary this year – and is inviting 150 of you to pick up the ultimate party bag – or party box – in the form of this case.

The limited edition 150th Anniversary ‘Coffret’, which was inspired by a 1930s steamer trunk, contains a TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2 Chronometer mounted on a watch winder and a Meridiist mobile with 28 days of standby power. All this will set you back close to £13,700 – but they do say time is money, after all. ■0800 037 9658; tagheuer.com/meridiist


GUIDE TAG HEUER COFFRET

R I V I E R A X X L F LY B A C K C H R O N O G R A P H

The legendary Baume & Mercier Rivieracollection draws its identity from the timelessdesign of its eye-catching twelve-sided bezel.Limited series with tinted sapphire crystal dial

revealing a flyback chronograph movementhoused within a PVD-coated steel case.

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THE WHOLE WATCH

WORLD IN HIS HANDS

Seasoned pro and editor of QP magazine JAMES GURNEY delivers his verdict on this

year’s Baselworld

V16 SQUAREMILE squaremileclub.com

GUIDE

SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THAT it is concerned with jewellery and watches, Baselworld’s sheer scale is astounding. Double Earl’s Court, add Olympia twice and you get a sense of the size involved. The bigger brands occupy stands that match up to a decent Chelsea townhouse for fl oor space.

In terms of numbers of people involved in the annual Baselworld fair, which is a sort of motor show and catwalk season rolled into one, suffi ce to say that Basel’s accommodation isso swamped that people commute into the fair from Zürich and Freiburg.

Given recent events, it was only to be expected that most companies adopted a consciously cautious approach – there was much less talk about ‘brand DNA’ in the air and, to general relief, many more designs actually exhibiting this much lauded quality. It would be a fair summary to say that industry visible at Basel was looking more to put its house in order than fan the fl ames of desire.

If this sounds a little dull, that would be a mistaken impression as, if more realistic collections were easy to predict, the generally high quality of what was on show was not. I know that many went to Baselworld expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was quite as much genuine creativity in evidence as in any recent year, but with the added advantage of that energy being channelled more effectively. Of all luxury sectors watchmaking has tended to the bi-polar far too strongly over recent years.

One of the reasons I enjoy watches is to do with the limitations of the form – watches do, after all, have to be wearable and capable of giving the time. The limits are fl exible, one man’s understated Panerai being another’s unwearable behemoth, but too many watches over the last few years have pushed beyond the limits to the point

where you wonder what the point of attaching a strap was anyway.

Unsurprisingly, the brands that stood out for me were those that remembered this basic requirement and avoided the higher, stranger fl ights of fancy. Breguet and Glashütte did this well, as did Zenith in particular, with their stripped-down El Primeros. Breguet’s Tradition [pictured below] is an object lesson that you can be incredibly creative within the tradition – every element is utterly conventional in form (if not material)but it is utterly impossible to imaginethe design as a whole being even dreamt about as recently as the 1990s.

Zenith’s recent history has, it is safe to say, enraged the more traditional watch afi cionados and it is easy to use hindsight to say it could never last. What was impossible to predict, was quite how good the new El Primeros are [pictured p8]. The little technical legends (“36,000 vph” etc) on the dials won Zenith a new generation of followers and seem certain to do well with consumers (Jean-Philippe Dufour, the new CEO is a follower of Hublot’s Jean-Claude Biver – might he just eclipse his LVMH stablemate?).

For several brands the last year has apparently been a wake-up call and prodigal brands welcomed back for fi nally getting it right included Cuervo y Sobrinos [p18] whose simpler designs have a much more enticing feel, while both Eterna and Porsche Design [p20] won plaudits for returning to what they were good at. The designs that made these brands famous are still classics, but their more recent attempts failed to live up to the mark, so the two brands have ruthlessly thrown out the rubbish and gone

back to the originals – leading to one of the quintessential Basel moments when carefully feigned polite approval gives way to surprised enthusiasm. But the special prize here goes to Corum [p20] who suddenly look like the top echelon watch house they always should have been. New additions to their Admiral’s Cup line were sensible, even nice, but not over-exciting (back in real but polite enthusiasm territory). Their new versions of the famed Golden Bridge design were extraordinary, ▶

●●The annual Baselworld fair is a sort of motor show and catwalk season rolled into one

to be expected that most companies adopted a consciously cautious approach – there was much less talk about ‘brand DNA’ in the air and, to general relief, many more designs actually exhibiting this much lauded quality. It would be a fair summary to say that industry visible at Basel was looking more to put its house in order than fan the fl ames of desire.

If this sounds a little dull, that would be a mistaken impression as, if more realistic collections were easy to predict, the generally high quality of what was on show was not. I know that many went to Baselworld expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was

SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THAT concerned with jewellery and watches, Baselworld’s sheer scale is astounding. Double Earl’s Court, add Olympia twice and you get a sense of the size involved. The bigger brands occupy stands that match up to a decent Chelsea townhouse for fl oor space.



If this sounds a little dull, that would be a mistaken impression as, if more realistic collections were easy to predict, the generally high quality of what was on show was not. I know that many went to Baselworld expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was quite as much genuine creativity in evidence as in any recent year, but with the added advantage of that energy

all luxury sectors watchmaking has tended to the bi-polar far too strongly over recent years.


SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THAT concerned with jewellery and watches, Baselworld’s sheer scale is astounding. Double Earl’s Court, add Olympia twice and you get a sense of the size involved. The bigger brands occupy stands that match up to a decent Chelsea

In terms of numbers of people involved in the annual Baselworld fair, which is a sort of motor show and catwalk season rolled into one, suffi ce to say that Basel’s accommodation isso swamped that people commute into

expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was quite as much genuine creativity in evidence as in any recent year, but with the added advantage of that energy being channelled more effectively. Of all luxury sectors watchmaking has tended to the bi-polar far too strongly


to be expected that most companies adopted a consciously cautious approach – there was much less talk about ‘brand DNA’ in the air and, to general relief, many more designs actually exhibiting this much lauded quality. It would be a fair summary to say that industry visible at Basel was looking more to put its house in order than fan the fl ames of desire.

If this sounds a little dull, that would be a mistaken impression as, if more realistic collections were easy to predict, the generally high quality of what was on show was not. I know that many went to Baselworld expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all

SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THAT concerned with jewellery and watches, Baselworld’s sheer scale is astounding. Double Earl’s Court, add Olympia twice and you get a sense of the size involved. The bigger brands occupy stands that match up to a decent Chelsea townhouse for fl oor space.



If this sounds a little dull, that would be a mistaken impression as, if more realistic collections were easy to predict, the generally high quality of what was on show was not. I know that many went to Baselworld expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was quite as much genuine creativity in evidence as in any recent year, but with the added advantage of that energy

all luxury sectors watchmaking has tended to the bi-polar far too strongly over recent years.


SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THAT concerned with jewellery and watches, Baselworld’s sheer scale is astounding. Double Earl’s Court, add Olympia twice and you get a sense of the size involved. The bigger brands occupy stands that match up to a decent Chelsea

In terms of numbers of people involved in the annual Baselworld fair, which is a sort of motor show and catwalk season rolled into one, suffi ce to say that Basel’s accommodation isso swamped that people commute into

to be expected that most companies

if more realistic collections were easy

expecting to be slightly underwhelmed as the conservative impulse swept all before it. Pleasingly, though, there was quite as much genuine creativity in evidence as in any recent year, but with the added advantage of that energy being channelled more effectively. Of all luxury sectors watchmaking has tended to the bi-polar far too strongly


the added advantage of that energy being channelled more effectively. Of all luxury sectors watchmaking has




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SMALL FACES:

Breguet Tradition

Tourbillon Fusee in platinum with sili-

con balance spring, £113,800, breguet.com


BASELWORLD

followers and seem certain to do well with consumers (Jean-Philippe Dufour, the new CEO is a follower of Hublot’s Jean-Claude Biver – might he just eclipse his LVMH stablemate?).

For several brands the last year has apparently been a wake-up call and prodigal brands welcomed back for fi nally getting it right included Cuervo y Sobrinos [p18] whose simpler designs have a much more enticing feel, while both Eterna and Porsche Design [p20] won plaudits for returning to what they were good at. The designs that made these brands famous are still classics, but their more recent attempts failed to live up to the mark, so the two brands have ruthlessly thrown out the rubbish and gone

polite enthusiasm territory). Their new versions of the famed Golden Bridge design were extraordinary, ▶

SMALL FACES:

Breguet Tradition

Tourbillon Fusee in platinum with sili-

con balance spring, £113,800, breguet.com

SQUAREMILE 17

BASELWORLD VIRGIN

Those who have been to Baselworld fall into two camps: those who have been and loved it, and those for whom the mere mention causes their eyes to glaze over and vivid, technicolour visions of rotating tourbillons to wash over them as though they were experiencing a fl ashback to ‘Nam.

This being my fi rst visit, I had nothing but the hugely varied accounts of jaded Baselworld veterans to go on, so was frankly shocked when I clambered off the tram, narrowly avoided being poleaxed by another going in the opposite direction and stepped onto the main plaza. The place is vast; an entire quarter of the small and rather

pretty Swiss city of Basel is given over to cavernous hall after hall with names like ‘Hall of Inspiration’ or ‘Hall of Dreams’, each fi lled with the great, good and mediocre of the watch world.

I had naïvely booked appointments into every available slot of my three day stay, which allowed me no time to eat or recover from the inevitable crushing hangover (they drink hard and play harder in Basel) and left me looking like some kind of Beverly Hills tramp as I was loaded up with an ever growing pile of goodie bags and press packs.

I still have no idea how I made it home, and to this day when people ask me what it was like I can only tighten-up and mutter: “You weren’t there, man. You weren’t there.” – Jon Hawkins

▶ however, and went to show that proper application of brand DNA does not mean a lack of ambition or creativity. Corum has had real moments before and are on the verge again.

There was also plenty to enjoy on the purely creative side from the amazing Jean Dunand Palace [p20] and Christophe Claret’s Dual Tow [p21], through Max Busser’s irritatingly clever Thunderbolt to the latest offerings by Urwerk (including the last 203) [p20] and Linde Werdelin [p10]. Not to be missed was the rebrand stroke of genius/utter disaster that Bulgari performed/committed with Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta – once stand-alone brands owned by the Italian giant, but now reduced to sub-brands under the Bulgari name. The watches actually look rather good, but the reaction of the more serious collectors who were among Genta and Roth’s core constituency has been rather, er, mixed, to put it politely.

But the two brands that ultimately stole the show were Patek Philippe ▶

BEST IN SHOW: (from left) Cuervo y Sobrinos Historiador Pequeños Segundos in gold, £7,250, cuervoysobrinos.com; Patek Philippe’s Baselworld stand was every bit as lavish as you might expect; Chopard Engine One Tourbillon, £44,480, chopard.com


GUIDE BASELWORLD

BEST IN SHOW: (from left) Cuervo y Sobrinos Historiador Pequeños Segundos in gold, £7,250, Philippe’s Baselworld stand was every bit as lavish as you might expect; Chopard Engine One Tourbillon, £44,480,

18 SQUAREMILE

and Roth’s core constituency has been rather, er, mixed, to put it politely.

But the two brands that ultimately stole the show were Patek Philippe ▶

: (from left) Cuervo y Sobrinos Historiador cuervoysobrinos.com; Patek

Philippe’s Baselworld stand was every bit as lavish as you might expect; Chopard Engine One Tourbillon, £44,480, chopard.com

squaremileclub.com

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Automatic chronographPower reserve: 46h Water resistance: 100m / 330ft Sapphire crystal with antiglare treatmentFolding clasp with double push-security system

www.raymond-weil.com

For your nearest RAYMOND WEILstockist please telephone 01428 656822or e-mail [email protected]

200x250 Layout.indd 1 08/06/2010 09:22

▶ and Chopard. Patek [pp16, 18] know that they can only afford to develop designs slowly thanks to the demands of their audience for ever more of the same, but they still manage to innovate and for every new watch that I might have seen before, there was a new take and some fresh design – though nothing to frighten the horses. Chopard – whose anniversary collection (including the Engine One [p18]), new automatic base movement and pocket watch were all perfectly executed and just the way to mark a 150th anniversary – are the other great family company rising to new heights. Perhaps because of the necessary creative dynamic that two heirs in the same generation has produced, Chopard look good contenders for the future. ■To see the watches up close, book now forthe SalonQP watch showcase at salonqp.com– and make sure you quote SUM1716 for your unique 20% discount.

●●There was fresh designs – though nothing to frighten the horses…

ALL THE FUN OF THE WATCH FAIR: (clockwise from top) Punters ogle Corum’s latest designs at this year’s Basel watch and jewellery fair; Porsche Design P6780 Diver, £5,980, porsche-design.com; Urwerk UR-103 Tarantula Mexican Fireleg, £49,500, marcuswatches.co.uk; Jean Dunand Palace, £307,858, jeandunand.com


GUIDE BASELWORLD

has produced, Chopard look good has produced, Chopard look good contenders for the future. contenders for the future. To see the watches up close, book now forthe SalonQP watch showcase at – and make sure you quote

20 SQUAREMILE

movement and pocket watch were all perfectly executed and just the way to mark a 150th anniversary – are the other great family company rising to new heights. Perhaps because of the necessary creative dynamic that two heirs in the same generation has produced, Chopard look good contenders for the future. ■To see the watches up close, book now for

salonqp.com

contenders for the future. To see the watches up close, book now forthe SalonQP watch showcase at salonqp.com– and make sure you quote SUM1716 for your unique 20% discount.

squaremileclub.com

www.brm-manufacture.com

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HAPPY VALLEYOr La Vallée de Joux – is the cradle of horological civilisation; it’s the birthplace of legendary watchmaker Audemars Piguet. By JON HAWKINS

FOR A COMPANY founded 135 years ago, Audemars Piguet is remarkably forward-looking. Even more remarkable is the fact that it remains the oldest Swiss watch-maker still in the handsof the families that founded it. Today the company produces around 26,000 units a year, and the range is nothing if not ambitious in its sheer breadth of vision.

In 1875 Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, two talented young watchmakers from the village of Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of Swiss horology, joined forces to create beautiful high-end watches with innovative complications, andthis philosophy endures today.

The headquarters are still in Le Brassus; the opening of the Manufacture des Forges last year, a state-of-the-art premises built to minimise the brand’s environmental impact, should mean a bright future for one of haute horlogerie’s most evocative names.

Even those familiar with the name, but not necessarily its watches, will likely

have seen the company’s iconic Royal Oak. Launched in 1972, The watch took its name from a tree in which Charles II took refuge from Oliver Cromwell’s troops in 1651, and its distinctive octagonal bezel was inspired by the steel cannon-holes on a series of British battleships, subsequent models of which all bore the name HMS Royal Oak.

AP’s bold move to take sophisticated precision watch-making and re-incarnate it in the unashamedly macho body of a sports watch had its critics, but its audacity was vindicated. The Royal Oak was a colossal success anda genuine game changer, and almost four decades on, its infl uence can stillbe seen throughout the industry.

And if the Royal Oak moved the goal posts, then the Royal Oak Offshore – a bigger and bolder take on the Royal Oak theme launched in 1992 – invented a whole new set of rules. The latest incarnation of the watch, the Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix, is a frankly astonishing timepiece – every visible element of the watch from the dials, chrono pushers, crown and the louvred bezel (octagonal, of course) evokes Formula One design. It also makes extensive use of forged carbon, an incredibly light and durable

●●The Royal Oak was a game changer; four decades on its infl uence can still be seen22 SQUAREMILE squaremileclub.com

GUIDE

squaremileclub.com

material unique to AP and produced by compressing carbon fi laments at high temperature and pressure in a mould.

Alongside the Royal Oak and Offshore are more traditional classical watches with more obvious visual links to the company’s history, including the Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet lines, and the avant garde oval-shaped Millenary. The Jules Audemars pieces in particular house some of AP’s most elegant complications including the frighteningly complex Equation of Time. The dial displays the difference between legal time and true solar time, which varies throughout the year, and is also available in a Royal Oak for the fi rst time in 2010. That the company has ▶

PEDIGREES: (clockwise from middle): The Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix is packed with references to motor racing, with bezel and case constructed from AP’s ultra-light, ultra-strong forged carbon; Royal Oak Offshore; Jules Audemars with jumping hours and small seconds


AUDEMARS PIGUET

available in a Royal Oak for the fi rst time in 2010. That the company has

SQUAREMILE 23

▶ emerged from the worst of the fi nancial crisis in good shape speaks volumes, and CEO Philippe Merk, who joined the company at the start of 2009 from Maurice Lacroix, is justifi ably pleased. “We are proud to be one of the few watchmaking companies that had no lay-offs in these diffi cult economical times, while continuously investing in innovation,” he says.

In the future, according to Merk, the brand will need to expand beyond its traditional markets. “We have to focus on markets such as Brazil, China and India to gain visibility, implementing a better marketing strategy,” he explains.

And what can we expect from the products? The Royal Oak turns 40 in 2012 and it’s impossible to imagine AP will let the occasion pass without celebration. Says Merk: “I can tell you that Audemars Piguet will pursue its tradition of excellence, always pushing

the limits of watchmaking...” The world of haute horlogerie

will be waiting expectantly. ■

audemarspiguet.com

TRADITIONAL VALUES, CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY : (clockwise, from top) Audemars Piguet CEO Philippe Merck; head offi ce in Le Brassus; a craftsman at work; Royal Oak turns 40


GUIDE AUDEMARS PIGUET

SQUAREMILE

One of the UK’s leading showrooms

for Luxury Swiss Watches

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Time from Bank 10 minutes

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Le maître de l’horlogerie depuis 1875

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◀ CARTIER CALIBRE FLYING

TOURBILLON, £71,500The Calibre Flying

Tourbillon is a distinctly modern Cartier

timepiece, mating a classically-styled dial with

a manly, sporty case in pink gold. There’s an awful lot going

on visually, from the guilloche dial adorned with an oversize XII and concentric circles to the fl ying

tourbillon, but it all comes together in a perfectly coherent design. In a

neat bit of packaging, the seconds are displayed via the tourbillon’s c-shaped cage. cartier.com

2010: A FACE ODYSSEY

Our resident expertJON HAWKINS looks at

what the watch universe has to offer this year

▲ BRM TRIROTOR, £32,579The watch industry has long had deep ties to motorsport, and BRM has more than most. Each BRM watch carries strong visual and technical references to the four-wheeled world, from crowns modelled on pistons to hands drilled with weight-saving holes, and the new Trirotor is no different. brm-manufacture.com

▶ HARRY WINSTONPROJECT Z6, £29,650It’s not only in the wonderfully creative Opus series that

Harry Winston gets to fl ex its horological muscle. The

Project Z6 contains a hand-wound 24-hour alarm clock movement and a case made from aeronautical-grade Zalium. harrywinston.com

2010: A FACE

CARTIER CALIBRE FLYING

TOURBILLON, £71,500The Calibre Flying

Tourbillon is a distinctly

BRM TRIROTOR, £32,579The watch industry has long had deep ties to motorsport, and BRM has more

harrywinston.com


GUIDE

▶ IWC PORTUGUESE CHRONOGRAPH, £9,500At this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) IWC housed a grande complication in its classic Portuguese case for the fi rst time and introduced the rubber-strapped Yacht Club Chronograph; the sportiest pork & cheese since Cristiano Ronaldo. But it was the altogether more subtle addition of a slate-grey dial with red gold case and jet-black counters that arrested square mile’s attention. Proof indeed that brands don’t need to reinvent the wheel to be on a roll. iwc.com

▶ CHRISTOPHE CLARET DUALTOW NIGHTEAGLE, £381,548When you proudly announce to the offi ce that you’ve just spent the best part of £400k on something called a DualTow NightEagle, they’re more likely to think you’ve just bought a helicopter than a wristwatch. Which is appropriate, because the latest brainchild of Swiss horological genius Christophe Claret is heroically complicated; hours and minutes are displayed on rotating belts and the movement contains an incredible 574 parts. dualtow.ch

Proof indeed that brands don’t need to reinvent the wheel to be on a roll. iwc.com

DualTow NightEagle, they’re more likely to think you’ve just bought a helicopter than a wristwatch. Which is appropriate, because the latest brainchild of Swiss horological genius Christophe Claret is heroically complicated; hours and minutes are displayed on rotating belts and the

574

At this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) IWC housed

in its classic Portuguese case for the fi rst time and introduced the rubber-strapped Yacht Club Chronograph; the sportiest pork & cheese since Cristiano Ronaldo. But it was the altogether more subtle addition of a slate-grey dial with red gold case and jet-black counters

’s attention. Proof indeed that brands don’t need to Proof indeed that brands don’t need to

iwc.com

◀ AZIMUTH XTREME-1DEEP DIVER, £2,985Azimuth developed its new line of extreme sports pieces together with renowned explorer, high-altitude diver and archaeologist Fernando Alberto Lozano Andrade. The titanium Deep Diver has a helium escape valve and water resistance to a deeply impressive (pun intended) 200 bars. westportofl ondon.com

▼ CONCORD C1MECATECH, £11,995Concord’s extraordinary Quantum Gravity, launched last year, contained a bi-axial, cantilevered tourbillon and a liquid power reserve. The C1 MecaTech in PVD black steel and rose gold is relatively sober in comparison, but still looks capable of surviving a nuclear holocaust intact. concord.ch

▶ CHRISTOPHE CLARET

Azimuth developed its new line of extreme sports pieces together with renowned explorer, high-altitude diver and archaeologist Fernando Alberto Lozano Andrade. The titanium Deep Diver has a helium escape valve and water resistance to a deeply impressive (pun intended) 200


HAWKEYE’S ROUNDUP

parts. dualtow.ch

squaremileclub.com

▼ PATEK PHILIPPE 5170J, £42,850If, as Patek announced at Baselworld, 2010 is ‘the year of the chronographs’, then the achingly beautiful, 1940s-styled 5170J is the watch of the year. The manually wound calibre with double-pusher chrono, is housed in a yellow-gold case and was developed and crafted entirely in-house. patek.com

▶ H MOSER & CIE PERPETUAL MOON, £22,500H Moser & Cie’s Perpetual moon is an essential instrument for the crepuscular. The moonphase display deviates from the moon’s actual orbit by just one day every 1,000 years. Astonishing – albeita little irritating, if you happento be immortal. williamandson.com

▼ PATEK PHILIPPE 5170J, £42,850If, as Patek announced at Baselworld, 2010 is ‘the year of the chronographs’, then the achingly beautiful, 1940s-styled 5170J is the watch of the year. The manually wound calibre with double-pusher chrono, is housed in a yellow-gold case and was developed and crafted entirely in-house.

H Moser & Cie’s Perpetual moon is an essential instrument for the

▲ BREITLINGFOR BENTLEY SUPERSPORTS, £7,050You’ve got the Bentley Continental Supersports, now you need the matching watch. If you’re not lucky enough to own the car, then buy the watch anyway and run around making revving noises until the men in white coats come along and take you away. Again. breitlingforbentley.com

H MOSER & CIE PERPETUAL MOON, £22,500H Moser & Cie’s Perpetual moon is an essential instrument for the crepuscular. The moonphase display deviates from the moon’s actual orbit by just one day every 1,000 years. Astonishing – albeita little irritating, if you happento be immortal. williamandson.com

is an essential instrument for the crepuscular. The moonphase display deviates from the moon’s actual orbit by just one day every 1,000 years. Astonishing – albeita little irritating, if you happen

williamandson.com

▲ BREITLINGFOR BENTLEY SUPERSPORTS, £7,050You’ve got the Bentley Continental Supersports, now you need the matching watch. If you’re not lucky enough to own the car, then buy the watch anyway and run around making revving noises until the men in white coats come along and take you away.

▶ MAURICE LACROIX PONTOS CHRONO RECTANGULAIRE, £3,000The white superluminova dial markings are the only external parts of this ‘full black’ Pontos that haven’t crossed over to the dark side. This macho piece is far from being all bite no bark, though: the steel case has a super-tough ceramic coating. mauricelacroix.com

coats come along and take you away. coats come along and take you away.

MAURICE LACROIX PONTOS CHRONO RECTANGULAIRE,

The white superluminova dial markings are the only external parts of this ‘full black’ Pontos that haven’t crossed over to the dark side. This macho piece is far from being all bite no bark, though:


GUIDE HAWKEYE’S ROUNDUP

After close considerationit’s also a safe.

The Bel-Air No. 25 — High Security Luxury Safe.

Patented plating, hardness grade 9 out of 10.

Finest calf leather, metal fittings in chrome finish,

interior constructed from a highly polished burr

walnut. Döttling dual electronic locking system

with integrated silent alarm. Optionally with

“Touch & Move,” Döttling’s unique watch control

system. Each The Bel-Air is designed according

to your individual requirements. Starting

from 112,000 euros.

Doettling.com

doettling_ad_200x250_Square Mile.indd 1 22.04.2009 10:04:57 Uhr

200x250 Layout.indd 1 04/06/2010 15:29

◀ BLANCPAIN FIFTY FATHOMS, £14,410The fi rst Fifty Fathoms watches were produced by Blancpain in

1953, and in 1956 Jacques Cousteau wore one in his fi lm, The Silent World. This newest member of the family features

a moonphase and fl yback chronograph, but sadly no red bobble hat or aqualung.

blancpain.com

▲ DEWITT ACADEMIA TOURBILLION FORCE CONSTANTE, £187,241Featuring a fl ying tourbillon, a constant force mechanism and a miniature chain connecting the mainspring to the power reserve, the Academia is an engineering tour de force. DeWitt is obviously proud, because it’s all visible through the avant-garde dial. dewitt.ch

▶ OMEGA SPEEDMASTER

APOLLO-SOYUZ, £5,600On 15 July 1975, the US Apollo and Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked and the two crews, both wearing Speedmaster Professionals, met in the middle. This commemorative watch has an engraved caseback and a dial made from blackened meteorite so you can convince everyone else you’re a real-life astronaut, freshly returned from the moon. omegawatches.com

▶ GRAFF GRAFFSTAR GRAND DATE, £POA No prizes for spotting the diamond references in the GraffStar Grand Date’s design, but the real point of interest for watch afi cionados lies inside the DLC (diamond-like carbon) case. The Calibre 1 movement was developed and constructed exclusively for Graff. graffdiamonds.com

BLANCPAIN FIFTY FATHOMS, £14,410

GRAND DATE, £POA No prizes for spotting the diamond references in the GraffStar Grand Date’s design, but the real point

afi cionados lies inside

bobble hat or aqualung.blancpain.com

DEWITT ACADEMIA TOURBILLION FORCE CONSTANTE, £187,241Featuring a fl ying tourbillon, a constant force mechanism and a miniature chain connecting the mainspring to the power reserve, the Academia is an engineeringde forcebecause it’s all visible through the avant-garde dial.

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER

APOLLO-SOYUZ, £5,600On 15 July 1975, the US Apollo and Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked and the two crews, both wearing Speedmaster Professionals, met in the middle. This commemorative watch has an engraved caseback and a dial made from blackened meteorite so you can convince everyone else you’re a real-life astronaut, freshly returned from

DEWITT ACADEMIA ▲ DEWITT ACADEMIA


GUIDE HAWKEYE’S ROUNDUP

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Untitled-1 4/11/08, 09:191200x250 Layout.indd 1 04/06/2010 15:10

vanity caseJames Taylor introduces us to Karl

Lagerfeld and his mirrored box of tricks

Is IT vaIn to think people want to steal your stuff? Maybe, but in Karl Lagerfeld’s case, the assumption is probably true (apart from that strange medallion he insists on wearing – no one wants that). The German fashion designer has teamed up with safe specialist Döttling to create the aptly-named Narcissus: an 800kg mirrored safe for his watch and jewellery collection. Production is limited to 30 models at €250,000 each.

Just don’t look at yourself for too long, Karl… ■ doettling.com

pho

to: Self p

ortrait b

y Karl Lag

erfeld

32 Squaremile squaremileclub.com

guide Watch safe

AD_891.indd 1 27.05.10 18:29200x250 Layout.indd 1 02/06/2010 10:36

GIRARD-PERREGAUX 1966 Chronograph

Pink gold case, Girard-Perregaux automatic mechanical movement, sapphire case back. Hour, minute, column wheel chronograph, small second.

For any enquiries, please call + 44 (0) 20 7629 2544

200x250 Layout.indd 1 04/06/2010 14:46

Documents

Square Mile Guides - Watches Guide - 2010