When it comes to photography — shooting watches or otherwise — how many megapixels does a photographer really need? Sure, it’s the singular metric that’s more or less defined a veritable arms race in the photo-taking industry since the advent of the digital camera. But does it really matter? Can a 20 megapixel Nikon D500 from five years ago produce the same quality of image as Sony’s newest 64 megapixel monster? The answer is obviously as complicated as it is entirely subjective, because just about anything can be a deadly weapon in the hands of a trained assassin, right? Ultimately, the secret to creating beautiful images on either platform isn’t the size of the camera sensor, or even the lens attached to the camera, though both of those elements are certainly critical. Even still, the single most important element of photographing watches is actually quite a simple one: light.
Presented using lighting tools from our friends atProfoto , whose commitment to light shaping excellence today inspires the future of exceptional imagery tomorrow.
Why now? Well, with most of the world currently under mandatory shelter-in-place orders, we thought it was a great time to pick the conversation up around watch photography — particularly aftersurveying our Editorial team to see what new skills they were pursuing with all the extra down time. A common thread among creators during times like these is that we are left with ample time to — well, create, in hopes of broadening and sharpening our respective skill sets for when it’s time to get back out there.
Can you tell which photos throughout this story belong to each camera system below?
Unfortunately, light alone doesn’t sell new cameras, as it’s much more difficult to articulate on a spec sheet – whereas the value or power of a camera can be easily communicated in its number of megapixels. And more megapixels should mean sharper, more detailed photographs, right? Well yes – but also no. It’s hardly quite so simple, because as you can see below, no two shooters on the ABTW Editorial team are reliant on the same camera system:
ABLOGTOWATCH PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS AND THEIR CAMERA SYSTEMS:
However, one thing we can all agree on is how crucial it is to use high-quality tools for shaping light. Better light enables the shooter to use a much lower ISO setting with a much higher f-stop; a combination that yields sharper and more detailed images (no matter the camera’s megapixel count). The latter of these elements is particularly crucial when dealing with the razor-thin focal planes found in macro photography. But most important of all, better command over this light enables the photographer to shoot more creatively, ultimately producing more dramatic or compelling imagery.
Creating great light in a small corner of your home office or in a dynamic trades how environment is a bit like carrying around a box of puzzle pieces (i.e., various bits of camera gear) that have to be assembled on a complex new surface every time you take them out of the box. However, the more familiar you are with each piece, and the more often you put them together, the more comfortable you’ll be with adapting them to each new environment. And coming equipped with the right pieces in your little box enables you to bend the surrounding environment to your will, turning even your dining room table into a miniature photo studio for your favorite watches. To get you started, we’ve assembled three key steps in the process — each with its own tips and tricks that should enable you to make the most of what you’ve got and help you level-up your photo-sharing game on Instagram.
GET YOUR GEAR
To get started, all you’ll need is a cool watch, a camera (even the one on your smartphone will do), and a good light source, and you’re well on your way. This light source could be a brightly lit corner of your apartment by a window, your camera’s onboard flash (just remember to never point the flash directly at your subject), or an external flash kit like Profoto’s powerful A1 or ultra-portable A1X flashes. A remote trigger like the ultra-simple Profoto Connect for the aforementioned isn’t mandatory, but it can absolutely come in handy, enabling you to introduce light to your subject from an entirely different direction as your camera. And while nearly any good light source will help you achieve satisfactory results, such an external flash system will unlock an entire world of dramatic, studio-quality light no matter the venue — be it a desk in your home offices or a dimly lit corner of a brand’s booth at Baselworld.
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In the world of luxury watchmaking complications, the tourbillon reigns supreme. As one of the most difficult and technically impressive mechanisms in mechanical timekeeping, the tourbillon has traditionally reserved for some of the world’s most exclusive and costly timepieces, priced well out of the reach of the average consumer. New luxury startup Aventi has attacked this cost barrier full force with its first watch, the A-10, offering ultra-luxe elements including tourbillons and full sapphire cases to the public at prices far below where these high-end components are usually offered. Inspired by the aggressive angular designs of modern supercars from the likes of Lamborghini and Pagani, the A-10 also offers a truly unique and modern look in a variety of vibrant colors.
The case design of the Aventi A-10 is bold, aggressive, and ultra-modern, with a vaguely trapezoidal shape measuring in at 48.5mm by 55.5mm. In any finish it’s a striking and dramatic shape, but without a doubt the crown jewel is the Pure Sapphire Crystal version. Aventi claims this is the most complex sapphire watch case ever assembled, with 68 individual facets and 144 edges, each hand finished from a single solid block of pure sapphire crystal in a process lasting over 100 hours. Each sapphire case is then treated to five layers of anti-reflective coating for a crystal-clear look from any angle, before a thick layer of clear ceramic is applied for additional impact resistance and toughness.
The case is no less dramatic for non-sapphire models, as the distinctive Aventi form and 12 o’clock crown is highlighted by eight different finish options, ranging from subtle to wild. The sandblasted matte finish of the Raw Titanium model highlights the functional beauty of this durable metal, while other versions are finished with a thick layer of Cerakote ceramic in seven unique colors: Rosso Red, Nardo Gray, Riviera Blue, Pearl White, Modena Yellow, Nero Black, and Viola Purple. Many of these vibrant colors have never been used in watch cases before, and each of the titanium case variants are made even more dramatic with two stripes of Super-LumiNova surrounding the bezel for an otherworldly look in low light.
The dial of the Aventi A-10 is fully skeletonized, offering an unimpeded look at the mechanically beautiful movement within. Of course, the tourbillon at 3 o’clock is the natural focal point, slowly rotating in a dance of precision engineering, but the massive dual-mainspring barrels at 7:30 and 10:30 are impressive to look at in their own right. The actual dial itself is a weblike latticework of bridges connecting the movement to a multi-layer suspended ring containing the minutes track. These elements are all presented in brilliant bare metal for the Pure Sapphire Crystal model, while in the titanium versions this is rendered in a mix of black and the case color. With such a complex dial design, Aventi wisely opts for a simple modernist set of skeletonized dauphine hands, allowing the beauty of the movement to take center stage.
The engine at the heart of the Aventi A-10 is a modified skeletonized Caliber 3450 hand-wound tourbillon movement. In addition to the signature tourbillon, this movement offers a smooth 28,800 bph sweep and a hefty 72-hour power reserve thanks to its dual mainspring barrels. Each movement is thoroughly inspected and tested for the utmost quality and accuracy, while maintaining incredible value.
An avant-garde design like the Aventi A-10 deserves an equally dramatic strap, and Aventi delivers with a swiftly tapering strap in rubber with a sporty carbon-fiber inlay and case-color accents. The Pure Sapphire Crystal model adds even more spectacle with a clear rubber strap, matching the stunning clarity of the case.
As a first effort for a new brand, the Aventi A-10 is more than a stunning and distinctive tourbillon timepiece. The pricing of this watch is nothing short of revolutionary, bringing the rarefied realm of skeletonized tourbillon watches to a far wider base of collectors than ever before. The A-10 is due to debut on Indiegogo on March 31, with initial early bird pricing of $2,800 for the Pure Sapphire Crystal model and $999 for titanium-cased versions.
Sapphire-cased timepieces have become a new material frontier in high-end watchmaking over the past several years, acting as a 360 degree showcase for highly decorated or complex movements. The latest brand to throw its hat in the ring in this ongoing material arms race is Girard-Perregaux, which has taken the use of sapphire a step beyond the norm with its new limited-edition Quasar Light. The Quasar Light features some truly impressive accoutrements, including a full sapphire case made from a single disk of sapphire material, a movement that seems to float inside the case thanks to distinctive sapphire bridges, and a tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
It’s the brilliance of the 46mm all-sapphire case that gives the Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light its unorthodox name, referencing the brightest celestial objects in the known universe. The name is not without merit, as the 200 hour manufacturing process needed to create and finish the main case body from a single piece of sapphire involves three times the standard amount of material and a painstaking amount of polishing to ensure clarity and brilliance according to the brand. Even the crown is cut from its own piece of sapphire, faceted to keep the traditional coin edge in a process that must have been immensely difficult. Any real criticism of the case design here comes off as nitpicking: at 46mm-wide and 15.25 mm-thick, it’s not exactly petite on the wrist, and provides only 30 meters of water resistance. That said, who will ever try to hide this under a shirt cuff or take this anywhere near water? The points are more or less moot.
Without a dial at all, the manufacture GP09400-1128 skeleton automatic tourbillon movement is allowed to dominate the view. While a set of white gold dauphine hands along with a small seconds indicator on the tourbillon at 6 o’clock are provided, everything else is given over to an exquisitely finished movement. While a metal ring on the outside grounds the entire structure, most of the major elements from the tourbillon to the central hands float in midair, suspended by a series of sapphire bridges in Girard-Perregaux’s signature arrow shape. The finishing and artistry on display is frankly astonishing, particularly on the unique textured ruthenium barrel at 12 o’clock. This brilliant material and the massive number of facets help the Quasar Light to throw even further reflections. The GP09400-1100 is more than a pretty face, boasting a respectable 60 hour power reserve.
Girard-Perregaux matches the Quasar Light with an appropriately light-catching strap, made of a silver lame fabric. An additional black alligator leather strap is also provided for a slightly more traditional look. Both straps are mounted with a butterfly style clasp in white gold.
As a piece of pure horological artwork, it’s difficult to find fault with the Girard-Perregaux Quasar Light. The overall package, while large and undoubtedly delicate, is stunningly engineered and finished and sets itself apart form previous sapphire-cased offerings. Only 18 examples of the Quasar Light will be made, at a retail price of $294,000.
Designa Individual (DiW) is one of a series of small companies around the world that, for at least part of their business, customize Rolex timepieces. As abundant as a aftermarket Rolex watches are, the industry can’t even agree on a term for them. These watches also happen to be quite controversial, as Rolex officially condemns them and because they often cost significantly more than the retail prices of the original Rolex timepieces they began as.
Nevertheless, the world of aftermarket/customized/modified/Frankenstein/bespoke., etc., Rolex watches is popular and only growing in size as the underlying Rolex watches themselves appear to be in continued high demand. Probably the most famous of aftermarket Rolex customizers is George Bamford, who recently stopped publicly selling Rolex watches to focus on other products, such as his own watches and those from LVMH group brands (such as Zenith or TAG Heuer). Bamford and others gained notoriety first for coating Rolex watch cases in colors such as black, and then later changing dial colors and other details on the watch. That said, what Bamford and his contemporaries did was not invent the aftermarket Rolex, but rather made it a commodity. For generations, Rolex dealers and customers have been doing aftermarket gem-setting and other dial modification or case work, though most of these aftermarket Rolex watches were produced on a one-by-one basis for individual clients. None of them competed for factory Rolex timepieces.
The Internet really made the aftermarket watch a problem for Rolex in Geneva. The brand’s reason for being aggressive toward aftermarket Rolex watches is sensible and two-fold in its logic. First, they are concerned people will mistake them for actual watches that Rolex sells and that this will lead to brand intellectual property dilution effects. I agree with this sentiment, though Rolex might be over blowing the actual number of these watches that are out there. In fact, what Rolex is mostly concerned with are not brand new Rolex watches that have been modified and re-sold, but rather older Rolex watches that have been “spruced up” to bring new life into them but ended up not resembling an actual watch Rolex produced in the past. Rolex has gone to court more than a few times over this matter and cases have often settled in their favor. Rolex is serious about protecting its brand and they don’t let too much go. My understanding is that most, if not all, aftermarket Rolex dealers get a not entirely friendly letter from a Rolex attorney at some point. Whether or not they abide by the demands is an entirely different story, of course.
Rolex’s second concern about aftermarket versions of their watches is also sound, but it is hard to know the actual gravity of the concern. Rolex worries that aftermarket Rolex watches will not only look different from their stock models, but will also have an inferior level of quality. That does sound a bit pretentious but, if you know Rolex well, you also know they they indeed have the best quality in a number of areas and important details. At the least, a boutique operation like an aftermarket watch modifier is not going to have the equipment necessary to even match other high-end watch brand quality levels. Sometimes the naked eye can see these issues, sometimes they can’t. That said, Rolex is technically correct that aftermarket Rolex watches are simply not as well made (or guaranteed for durability) as what comes out of the Rolex factory.
What Rolex must admire is some of the elegant creativity and artistic flair that many aftermarket Rolex watches have. No doubt, many of these aftermarket Rolex watches can be easily considered pop art — and valuable pop-art on top of that. I have personally put on a number of aftermarket Rolex watches that looked incredibly cool, if not incredibly well made. However, I am a seasoned expert in this field and know that these are not Rolex products, but rather Rolex products that have been later modified by a company that has nothing to do with Rolex.
Rolex prefers that all Rolex watches out there represent only the designs they make and the quality they can control. They cannot, however, legally tell someone who has purchased the watch that they cannot hire a third-party company to modify that legally purchased Rolex product. This is why aftermarket dealers operated, but even though they are working with products that bear Rolex’s name, they are not (ideally) reproducing Rolex’s name. They are simply modifying a watch as a car customized might take an existing car and modify it for the car’s owner. The aftermarket car analogy is fitting on a number of levels, and I find that it is helpful to explain why there are aftermarket Rolex watches.
Aftermarketers who purchase Rolex timepieces must be careful not to breach Rolex’s intellectual property rights, such as reproducing their trademark. That means a Rolex modifier could get into trouble if they create a brand new dial for a Rolex watch and put the Rolex logo on it. All the modifier could do is somehow adapt the original dial and make sure the Rolex logo is still visible. If a modifier watches to create a new dial to put into a Rolex watch, then it can’t have a Rolex logo on it if playing fair.
Consumers interested in purchasing an aftermarket Rolex should certainly ask a lot of questions about where the watch came from. I’ve actually seen some Rolex aftermarket companies supply original parts along with the swapped out aftermarket parts. That way you get the entire original Rolex along with the aftermarket pieces. This, however, doesn’t make sense if an aftermarket Rolex watch destroys the original nature of the watch case, dial, or bracelet parts. If investing is your worry, then it is probably wise to consider any aftermarket Rolex modifications as having the effect to entirely remove the original value of the watch. If that same watch has a similar or greater valued than an aftermarket Rolex, then that is only because it has value as an entirely different classification of non-original aftermarket Rolex watch. Rolex will not service these timepieces, and their potential resale value is in their artistic appeal, subjective sense of quality, or other form of notoriety.
The main reason aftermarket Rolex watches are so expensive is because they all have to start with an authentic Rolex. I am sure that at least some aftermarket Rolex watches make use of Rolex timepieces that are either incomplete or have damaged parts. Creating a modified Rolex out of these products turns them from being mostly worthless (save for parts) into a different type of commodity.
It is not uncommon for aftermarket Rolex watches to cost double or more the original retail price of the underlying watch. As the resulting customized Rolex is not as valuable as the original, more often than not, and because they can in many instances not easily be resold, customers of aftermarket Rolex watches (especially the brand new pieces) tend to be the comfortably rich. This is a relatively small demographic these days, as even very wealthy watch buyers in today’s economic environment are mindful of a watch’s resale value. My point is that, as of now, the majority of aftermarket modified Rolex watches are playthings for people who can easily afford to spend far more than the retail price for a Rolex watch, but also do not have any qualms about getting, on par, an item of lower monetary value. There is, however, no price you can pay for having an object you love and find beautiful, or an original and exclusive item that perhaps only you will ever own.
This all leads me to a hands-on look at one aftermarket modified Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona from a company called Designa Individual that it calls the “Carbon Emerald.” This is one of many aftermarket Rolex watches I’ve handled. It is, however, the first I’ve seen with an all-carbon case. The company is very proud of the precision cut of the carbon case, which has an elegant texture and is very light compared to a metal Daytona watch. Designa Individual seemed to be going for a bit of a Richard Mille theme but in the form of a customized Daytona. It works, and the combination of 18k yellow gold, black carbon, and the green strap make for a very inspired look. Note that Designa Individual offers a small assortment of limited-edition Rolex Daytona with carbon cases and color accents (and straps) other than green. The Carbon Emerald is, however, the only model so far with the gold hands, hour markers, pushers, and crown.
For the strap Designa Individual uses a leather strap with a Velcro strap. Since it doesn’t size very well, they actually include three straps of various lengths with the kit, though there isn’t a sizing tool to help the owner (who paid quite a bit of money) properly swap out the straps.
Aesthetically, the carbon dial, case, bezel are nice looking. The Daytona is such a universally appealing watch that it would probably look good in most any material or color. There is certainly going to be at least a few people that for them the ideal color tone for the Daytona is indeed black carbon, gold, and green. And again, the key technical talking point of the Designa Individual is the Carbon Emerald’s very lightweight.
Inside the watch is Rolex’s caliber 4130 automatic chronograph movement (certainly made by Rolex). What isn’t quite clear in the Carbon Emerald is what else is made by Rolex or what it started out as. What I feel should bother consumers is if they don’t know what an aftermarket Rolex watch started life out as — there should always be a before and after picture. This is, if anything, to ensure that for the price of the product, an entirely new or at least complete Rolex was sacrificed for a bacchanalian customization ritual.
So while I know that Designa Individual created an aftermarket Daytona 40mm-wide case, bezel, and dial, I don’t know where the hands and hour markers came from. My assumption is that the watch’s sapphire crystal, hour markers, hands, and Rolex logo are carefully pulled from original Rolex watches and carefully reapplied on an aftermarket dial. The problem is that I am not sure, and Designa Individuals’ website is silent on the matter. For a price like this, I really believe consumers expect more communication and information about where an aftermarket Rolex originally came from. Perhaps not all consumers will be as concerned, but in my opinion, enough will.
Purchasing an aftermarket Rolex timepiece is not without considerable risk. Anyone getting one should know that aftermarket modified Rolex watches do not hold value like “factory Rolex watches” and, in many instances, will not be serviced by Rolex. To counter this lack of Rolex warranty, aftermarket Rolex modifiers (including Designa Individual) offer their own warranties (theirs is seven years) — so, at least there is something in place. Price for the (limited edition of five pieces) Designa Individual (DiW) Carbon Emerald aftermarket modified Rolex Daytona watch is 47,290 Euros.
Rumor had it that 2020 was going to be the year of the Luminor for Panerai, and this new Luminor Marina Carbotech ref. PAM1661 could be an early indicator confirming that notion. Most of what we saw from Panerai in 2019 seemed to center around the re-shuffling of the brand’s portfolio, particularly with a focus on tidying up existing lines while introducing new Due dress and Submersible tool/sport models. It seems only natural that Panerai turn to its signature breadwinner for the same treatment — and leading things off is a super-technical twist on an otherwise classic.
You wouldn’t be mistaken for wondering if there weren’t already a Luminor Marina rendered in ultralight Carbotech — in fact, there is: It’s PAM661, which is also a black 44mm Luminor case fitted with the same P.9010 movement. But what makes this old reference interesting isn’t its “dirty dial” (a nickname given to Panerai dials that use beige Super-LumiNova), but its somewhat rare dial configuration, which mixes applied circular indices traditionally found on Panerai’s Submersible line with the Luminor’s familiar 6-9-12 “sausage” markers. This new PAM1661 looks to be replacing the “dirty dial,” as it follows the tradition of Panerai updating older models by simply adding a “1” to the first digit in the reference number. In doing so, Panerai also seems to be ditching any potentially confusing hybrid dials and unifying the design language of its key collections — in this case, adhering to a more traditional Luminor look.
Panerai also appears to be streamlining the visual identifiers of the Carbotech models, which are all now delineated by their bright blue luminescent hour markers (or in the case of the Submersible, applied indices) for a monochromatic look that plays well with the futuristic, high-tech aesthetic of the grained carbon fiber case. This cool color scheme and the sandwich dial construction reminds me a lot of the Luminor 1950 LAB-ID from 2017, which shared a very similar dial but housed a wild movement with tantalum-based ceramic mainplates and bridges to yield a sweet, murdered-out view through its caseback. At 49mm, though, that watch was massive by even Panerai’s standards, and eye-wateringly exclusive (it was priced around $50,000 and they only made fifty of them) to boot, which dramatically limited its audience.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Brand: Panerai Model: Luminor Marina Carbotech Dimensions: 44mm Water Resistance: 300 meters Case Material: Carbotech (carbon fiber composite) Crystal/Lens: Sapphire Movement: Panerai P.9010 Power Reserve: 3 days Strap/Bracelet: Panerai Sportech kevlar composite with black DLC titanium buckle Price & Availability: $12,800
This new Luminor Marina Carbotech is still big and expensive, but considerably more approachable on both fronts by comparison, as its 44mm case houses a much more traditional movement – Panerai’s P.9010 calibre, which offers three days of power reserve and an independently adjustable hour hand, which is particularly handy for those who frequently hop between time zones. This new reference PAM1661 has a retail price of $12,800.
Nearly five years ago, I originally went hands-on with the reference GOA40042 Piaget Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton watch here. Now, in 2020, I revisit the same model Piaget tourbillon to see how it has held up — especially with regard to style, technicality, and overall impressiveness. Piaget has been relatively quiet over the last few years – especially when it comes to men’s watches. Despite the brand having a plethora of emotionally compelling horological wonders,Nearly five years ago, I originally went hands-on with the reference GOA40042 Piaget Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton watch here. Now, in 2020, I revisit the same model Piaget tourbillon to see how it has held up — especially with regard to style, technicality, and overall impressiveness. Piaget has been relatively quiet over the last few years – especially when it comes to men’s watches. Despite the brand having a plethora of emotionally compelling horological wonders, the company seems intent on relatively superficial marketing that espouses the notion that you might want to wear a Piaget watch to a black tie event. In the future, I’d like to see the brand explain why you might want to choose Piaget to a black tie event (aside from the fact that a celebrity was selected to wear one at an awards show). If Piaget can follow this advice, they will again earn the greater attention from serious aficionados and collectors that they deserve.
As a brand, Piaget currently does far better in the East than in the West. Marketing to these different parts of the world (yes, “East” and “West” are overly broad generalizations) can often involve the need for wholly different tactics as well as symbolism. For example, the figure eight infinity symbol on the dial, which frames the housing for the automatic micro-rotor and the tourbillon cage, is an aesthetic feature I don’t recall noticing back in 2015 (and I wasn’t looking for it, either). Americans don’t really seek out this symbol, but we find it very frequently in watches meant to be sold in China. Piaget has a point. If some consumers in China feel better about a product provided it has a figure eight (“8” is often synonymous with good fortune, as I understand it), and everyone else doesn’t notice — then why not put one in there for good measure? At the same time, how do consumers in the West feel if they believe a watch was designed with an entirely different consumer in mind? These might sound like entirely trivial matters, but people who spend over $200,000 on a watch are rarely without options, and so choosing one timepiece over another can really come down to considerations that might otherwise appear of marginal importance.
Despite Piaget’s hints as to what market they want this (and many other Piaget models) to appeal to, one of the things I love about the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton is that it really doesn’t seem to have a particular wearer in mind. A fun question to ask when seeing intricately ornate pieces of horological art such as this is, “Who would look best wearing it?” The focal point of the watch is the lovingly skeletonized and hand-decorated in-house Piaget caliber 1207S automatic tourbillon movement. There is no watch dial, save for what reference points your eyes might find to help you read the time on the off-centered dauphine-style hour and minute hands that sit at around 4 o’clock on the dial. The rest of the face offers a proud yet almost flamboyant “Geneva ballet” of watch parts and openworked bridges that move like streams in Escher-like directions. Is all this a better act for an audience, or is the purpose of this mechanical display for the private enjoyment of the wearer? Hard to say what Piaget was thinking.
Piaget still holds a number of “the thinnest…” records when it comes to watch movements, including that of having the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. When it comes to tourbillons, their ultra-thin efforts in some ways have been beaten by competitor Bulgari. That said, it probably isn’t a good idea to purchase a watch simply because it holds some numerical size record, as that usually doesn’t affect the greater wearing experience. Nevertheless, when spending this kind of money, you want some talking points. Piaget continues to claim that the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon is “the thinnest ultra-thin shaped automatic tourbillon skeleton in the world.” Is it just me, or does that statement include some strange-sounding qualifiers?
The 1207S movement is 5.05mm-thick and constructed of 225 parts. It is the skeletonized version of the 1207 movement that Piaget also produces. The 1207S operates at 3Hz with about 42 hours of power reserve and includes a flying tourbillon that uses a titanium cage. Note the Piaget “P” in the tourbillon itself. The movement displays just the time and is automatically wound with the solid platinum micro-rotor that is also visible on the dial. The watch is very much for both appreciating the structure and finishing of the movement and more trivial matters, such as knowing the time with precision, as a mere secondary concern.
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Beauty-wise the movement has got it down. Looks make up for a lack of a certain level of practicality… and yet, at the same time, the movement is highly straightforward, even efficient, in its function and purpose. What I really like is that, without playing any games, Piaget in– the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton — is able to satisfy the eyes of a the most seasoned timepiece movement enthusiast, as well as offer a visual beauty that lay luxury seekers can readily enjoy. Not many watches of this ilk can do that, are often either too superficial for enthusiasts or too intellectual for others. Also, do not discount the fact that the movement bridges perfectly match the 18k rose gold case, an additional feat of manufacturing complexity that is not to be taken lightly. For example, the automatic rotor is actually in platinum but colored in a rose gold tone.
In addition to this reference GOA40042 in 18k rose gold, Piaget also produces the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton in 18k white gold as the GOA40041. That version includes a tasteful black-colored rotor and matching hands. It is certainly the most traditionally black-tie of the watches, though with the warm tone of rose gold, I think this particular model is the livelier of the two. Note that Piaget has played with other versions of the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon as partially skeletonized with the caliber 1207P movement. Diamonds are certainly available on some versions.
Not that it is new, but wearing this timepiece reminds me of how much I appreciate the Piaget Emperador case. Here it is in a rather large 46.5mm-wide form, but don’t forget that it is relatively thin at just 8.85mm-thick. The Emperador case comes in a few styles, and I really like them all. This is the Emperador Cushion, and it is known as such because while the case is actually around, the dial (accordingly the sapphire crystal as well) is cushion-shaped. The thick, polished bezel contrasts with the brushed middle case that helps emphasize the cushion shape. Relatively stubby lugs help secure a classy, fitted alligator strap.
The Emperador Cushion shape is so nice that Piaget decided to use it as the base of its more recent Piaget Polo S sport-style watch collection. I still think these “black-tie” Emperador Cushion cases do it a bit better, but the round case with cushion dial look is a signature Piaget aesthetic that I think more wrists would benefit from trying out.
As a “statement watch,” I think the Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton has help us well. Piaget can still claim to produce some of the most beautiful and elegant high-complication watches out there — and no one will ever call them boring. The overall appeal is however a bit “poetic,” which, to me, means it is open for interpretation. Piaget takes a decidedly passive approach to deciding who such a watch might be best for. This allows the confident man with enough occasions to wear a formal watch — and an appreciation (as well as budget) for products that combine technical and craft excellence — to discover and select an Emperador Cushion Skeleton Automatic all by themselves. I would imagine that if two people ever ended up at the same event both wearing this Piaget watch, they could very well have little else in common.
In such ways, the Piaget Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton is the most Swiss of watches. Forget that Piaget is, indeed, located in Geneva. What I mean is that the watch both intensely focuses on offering an impressive presentation and, at the same time, serves up chilly discretion in regard to describing details about its inner personality. Call that chrono-flirting, if you will. A watch that flirts? Now that is a Swiss timepiece at its finest. Price for the Piaget Emperador Cushion Tourbillon Skeleton reference GOA40042 is $282,000 USD.
It’s just past the stroke of nine, and I’m packed into the Silver Queen — a sleek black gondola flying up Aspen Mountain into the “white room.” Inside are a half-dozen other hopefuls, all keenly anticipating making the first tracks in last night’s freshly fallen snow, which casts a dreamy contrast against the sharp blue skies of another bright Colorado morning. Skiers call this glorious type of day a “bluebird,” and short of going chest-deep on an early spring blower, this is probably about as good as it gets.
It’s been a little over a year since Hublot became the official timekeeper of Aspen Snowmass, one of North America’s longest-running, and most prestigious ski destinations. But this year, Hublot is taking its partnership with the storied mountain (whose mid-century history dates back to the Army’s legendary 10th Mountain Division) a step further, opening its first seasonal monobrand boutique in the resort’s town center. It’s a unique move, considering most of these types of retail spaces in the United States are usually relegated to metropolitan centers on either coast, but Aspen is a truly international ski destination, not unlike Courchevel 1850 in the French Alps or Zermatt in Switzerland (both of which also house a mountainside Hublot boutique), and something about a Swiss watch brand operating in this crisp high alpine air just feels right. To punctuate this opening, Hublot is also introducing a 25-piece limited Spirit of Big Bang watch with the help of Olympic gold medalist and world champion ski racer Bode Miller, who’s made his home on these steep slopes as a friend of the brand for the better part of the last decade.
Using the standard titanium Spirit of Big Bang as a blueprint, the Rockies edition is housed in a bright white ceramic case with contrasting blue subdials and a blue integrated rubber strap, which lends it a decidedly wintertime feel, albeit a cheerful one — a clear bluebird day on the mountain, with sharp contrast between snow and sky. More often than not, white ceramic watches come off as too smooth or glossy, with a “flat” aesthetic that doesn’t exactly endear itself to a high-end luxury product. But this one is different — and if you’re new to the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang, it’s one of Hublot’s signature collections; unapologetically bold and bristling with interesting lines, facets, and contrasting blasted and polished finishes. All this textured variety thankfully breaks up the surface of the watch, lending it an extremely dynamic and, ahem, “cool” presence on the wrist.
Better still, the new Rockies edition only measures 42mm across, making it wholly wearable on a wide range of wrist sizes, despite the fact that it’s obviously not for everyone (though that’s hardly the point). On Bode Miller’s massive ski-racer wrist, the flared strap is fully flush against the wrist with the clasp secured at its furthest extension. On my skinny 6.5” bike-racer wrist, though, the strap flares out a bit, leaving small gaps to the skin on both sides, though the case itself rests right where it should. I’d imagine this would make for a much more comfortable wear on one of Hublot’s leather strap options. Like much of the rest of the Spirit of Big Bang watches, the whole package is highly technical, yet sporty and playful, and maybe even a little bit defiant in the sense that it feels like an expression of counter-culture — a friendly jab at the traditional skiing establishment and an about-face on what a Swiss watch “should be.”
It’s this ethos that has also defined Miller’s storied ski racing career, one that has obsessed over craft, detail, and precision timekeeping — he credits his early interest in watches to a Casio calculator watch used to time downhill runs on the mountain — while expressing a strong understanding that the only way to be heard, and ultimately be the best in his own realm, was to go against the training and racing conventions of his peers and competitors. Interestingly, Miller’s introduction to Hublot was also one of happenstance, via his primary ski racing sponsor back in the early aughts, which was an apparel brand called Kjus (pronounced “shoos”), also headquartered in Switzerland. He immediately hit it off with Hublot’s then-CEO Jean-Claude Biver, who also relishes a similar defiance of convention, and the rest is more or less history.
Like the rest of the Spirit of Big Bang chronographs, this reference is fitted with Hublot’s in-house-produced HUB4700 calibre, a high-frequency (5Hz) automatic chronograph movement that’s a brand staple, deployed in its more premiere offerings. It’s worth noting that, though Bode Miller didn’t play a role in the design of the Aspen edition, he does already have his own signature model: a black ceramic Big Bang designed in collaboration back in 2011, with a portion of its proceeds benefiting Miller’s Turtle Ridge Foundation, a nonprofit that supports adaptive and youth sports programs.
Miller is one of ski racing’s most decorated athletes of all time (33 world cups, six Olympic medals, four World Championship gold medals, and six World Cup globes, but who’s counting?), so his palmarés fit in neatly with the rest of Hublot’s deep ambassador pool, which routinely taps thought leaders in sport, culture, art, and fashion to create a singularly interesting and diverse roster. This includes the likes of football legend Pelé, runner Usain Bolt, artists Shepard Fairey and Sang Bleu, and also once included the late Kobe Bryant.
Hublot turns 40-years-old this year, having been founded in 1980, so I think it’s safe to assume we’ll be seeing plenty more from the progenitors of “fusion” come Baselworld in April. The price of the Hublot Aspen Boutique-exclusive Spirit of Big Bang is $26,700 USD. Learn more about the Spirit of Big Bang collection at watchesaustralia
Berlin and greater Germany recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. In 1989, the reunification of East and West Germany — memorialized by the destruction of a wall that separated East and West Berlin — was also a precursor to the demise of the Soviet Union and the Cold War between Western powers and those in the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain. One of the most interesting timepieces to celebrate this piece of history is this Berlin Wall Signature limited-edition set of watches from Pramzius. Named after an obscure mythological god known by people in Baltic region of Europe, Pramzius as a watch brand is brought to you by the same people who operate the longstanding online watch retailer R2Awatches.com.
aBlogtoWatch first debuted the Pramzius Berlin Wall Signature Edition watches in early 2018 when they were part of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The limited edition of 1,989 watches came with two dial styles (one with or without the more bold graffiti-style “Berlin” statement) and with two case sizes (42 and 48mm-wide). The Berlin Wall Signature Edition watches are also available on a strap or this matching “aged-style” steel metal bracelet. Now after the watches have been produced and released, I offer a hands-on look at this pretty cool, but certainly not for everyone, timepiece.
On my wrist is the 42mm-wide version of the Berlin Wall watch with the “colored dial.” The particular “Berlin” graphic was inspired by actual graffiti from the watch (and that was used with permission by Pramzius). The face itself is bluish actual marble stone, and the dial is a decently legible mixture of applied hour markers with graffiti style 8 and 9 o’clock hour indicators that have been juxtaposed in order to create the “89” number as indicative of the year 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. Given the art on the dial, I actually think it is pretty legible, overall, and the luminant on the hands and hour markers makes for impressive darkness visibility.
If you’ve been to Berlin — especially in first two decades after the fall of the wall, you’ll immediately appreciate how the “aged, industrial” look of the watch case and bracelet fit in with the vibe of the city. While at times the case feels a bit like a hodgepodge of design elements, it results in a masculine and comfortable aesthetic that is satisfying given the current popularity of “aged-style” (otherwise brand new) timepieces. To achieve this aged effect, the 100 meters water resistant (with sapphire crystal over the dial) steel case and bracelet is given a coating for the visual effect.
On the rear of the case is an etching of the Brandenburg Gate — an important and historic landmark in Berlin and the place where United States President Ronald Reagan famously orated “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Another fun detail that is sure to help with social conversation is the crown of the watch. Inside is a small capsule that contains rocks that came from the actual Berlin Wall itself. Pramzius very much wanted to have an actual part of the Berlin Wall in the watch, and this was a clever way to do it.
Inside the watch is a Japanese Seiko Instrument NH35 automatic mechanical movement. Yes, it would have been nice for the watch to come with a Swiss movement, but at this price point and with all the details in the watch, I am not complaining. In fact, my major takeaway feeling is that Pramzius really went above and beyond in making not only a satisfying historical-themed watch, but also in making a fashion statement well beyond the history the watch is trying to tell. With all the timepiece details meant to satisfy wristwatch enthusiasts, the Pramzius Berlin Wall Signature Edition watches actually better than one might expect, compared to other watches of this ilk in their final execution.
One again, Pramzius produces four versions of the Berlin Wall Signature Edition watch depending on the case size and dial design. Each of the watches is available on either a strap or a matching metal bracelet priced at $649 USD and $699 USD, respectively.
Genus is a newer Swiss watch brand competing in the $100,000-plus price segment with a visually arresting new dial concept that is encapsulated in the GNS (not the most creative name) watch collection. aBlogtoWatch debuted Genus watches here with a discussion of the GNS 1.2 WG, which is the 18k white gold version variant of the GNS 1.1 RG, which is the same timepiece but with an 18k rose gold case and matching movement.
Genus’ GNS watches are not for everyone — nor are they trying to be. The design is a mixture of classic proportions and the ultra-modern sensibility of leaving nothing left to the imagination on the dial and displaying more of the mechanism than is necessary. Such open-worked dials of today are also imbued with the indicators needed to read (just the time in this instance) information on the dial. In the case of Genus, in addition to the open-worked movement, we are faced with a novel means of indicating the time. Without some guidance, it would be easy to misinterpret the dial information altogether. Genus wearers might take joy in that, or otherwise viewing onlookers not familiar with the Genus dial, struggling to read the time when seeing it. There is some guilty pleasure in that, I suppose.
How is time told on the Genus GNS? It has what I call a “serpentine” row of indicators, kind of like a snake is topped with a “head” that serves as the hand, followed by a train of other moving segments that are there for effect. I should say that, in some images of other Genus models, only the lead part of the serpentine hand is on the dial — so I think the full “train” of hand parts is optional for the Genus dial concept. The snake of hand segments moves around the dial in a figure-eight formation while also serving as the minute hand. Actually, the serpentine hand system is just one part of the minute indicator, offering the first digit of the minutes while a smaller dial at 3 o’clock offers the second digit of the two-digit minute indication readout. Most of the time users can rely on just the serpentine hand to gauge the current minutes, but at over $100,000, Genus wants to make sure you can read the minutes more precisely (if you so choose).
Hours are indicated in a “digital” manner with an indicator hand located at 9 o’clock on the dial with an hour marker ring that rotates around the periphery of the dial. Genus attempts to promote legibility by making the indicator hands all red, which does help. Reading the time isn’t too bad once you train your eyes where to look. The serpentine hand is mostly cosmetic for effect, but it does help promote more “dial animation,” certainly a desirable thing.
From a design perspective, it appears that Genus’ design team struggled a bit when it came to mixing traditional and modern design elements into one watch. I believe they were trying to include the “best of both worlds” into the overall design. The GNS has poise and composure, but I am not sure if it ever truly reaches a cohesive theme or design language. For example, the curved bridges and clockwork on the movement are more traditional in design, while the time indicators and case are a bit more contemporary in design. Depending on your taste, the overall GNS composition will make sense to you or feel a bit disjointed when it comes to aesthetic harmony.
The Genus GNS 1.1 RG case is 43mm-wide, 13.1mm-thick, and water resistant to 30 meters. As simple as it is, the case with its brushed finishing in gold is actually rather attractive and the fitted strap considerably helps to improve the look. The “box style” sapphire crystal over the dial is actually one of those more retro-style elements that helps to show off the modern dial quite nicely. Turn the watch over, and through the sapphire crystal caseback window, you’ll see the other side of the movement appearing — once again very traditional versus modern.
The movement inside of the watch is the Genus caliber 160, which is manually wound and comprised of 418 parts (many of those parts are likely in complex time-indication systems). The movement operates at 2.5Hz (18,000 bph) with a power reserve of 50 hours. The movement includes a base along with a module over the base for the particular time indication system. That means in the future, Genus can re-work part of the time indication system (or add to it) while keeping the same base movement architecture.
Two types of timepiece collectors tend to be interested in watches like the Genus GNS. The first group is well-funded and open-minded collectors who enjoy supporting new brands while getting to wear novel concepts on their wrist. This group likes products like the GNS because of their risk-taking and originality. The second group is similarly well-funded people who see the GNS as a bold statement piece and luxury status symbol. For them, the enjoyable dial animation (which looks its best when the user changes the time), the high price of the product, and visually bold design are why the Genus GNS has appeal. The market still has enough of these buyers to make Genus a viable concept, but the competition is still fierce, even at this price point. The Genus GNS 1.1 RG watch has a retail price of 150,000 Swiss Francs.
When it comes to Scandinavian design and aesthetics, one could easily go straight to thinking about IKEA or Fjällräven, but what about a watch brand? Simplicity, functionality, and minimalism are at the core of Scandinavian design, which tends to lend itself to watch design. Scandinavian watch companies have been slowly making their way into the microbrand segment by introducing exemplary offerings with a very high-value proposition. E.C. Andersson, or E.C.A. for short, has released its second watch, the Denise diver, and it deserves some attention, as it checks off a lot of boxes when it comes to being a solid dive watch and a tool watch with all the Scandinavian details you would expect from an independent microbrand.
E.C.A came on the microbrand scene back in 2016 with its first watch, the North Sea, followed by the North Sea II and Calypso, all in multiple case and dial color variants. For 2019, the brand has released a dive/tool watch called the Denise, named after the submarine that was carried on board Jacques Cousteau’s oceanographic vessel. They haven’t said which Denise, specifically, but I’m going to take a guess and say it’s the SP-350 Denise “Diving Saucer” since both the watch and submarine have a saucer-like profile.
When I took delivery of the Denise, the first thing that came to my mind was, ”That’s smaller than I expected,” but that’s usually a good thing coming from me. I’m partial to smaller-cased watches because I have a small wrist and because proportions tend to be more harmonious.
The Denise is just tall enough to feel solid and balanced, while at the same time short enough to fit under most shirt cuffs comfortably at 15mm. It’s not a thin watch, but it feels slimmer than its dimensions would suggest due to its rectangular 70’s-esque top and profile geometry. The lugs ends do curve slightly downward to help with fit, but the horns aren’t long enough to reach below the casebacks protrusion. The overall feel of the watch as it sits on your wrist is flat and planted, without feeling too top heavy.
Dimensions on the website are pretty true to size as a 40mm width without screw-down crown. With the screw-down crown, I found the watch to measure in at 42.6mm, and it wears just like its measurements. The crown’s shallow coin finish knurling leaves a bit to be desired, as it can be difficult to get a good grip when screwing it down. If I may make this comparison, the sizing and dimensions of this watch are very similar to a Rolex Oyster Perpetual case in that the dimensions don’t do justice to the real-life watch presence on the wrist.
The profile view of the watch is of a flattened saucer with the crystal height being just about double the caseback’s height. The flat stainless steel sandwich case looks very balanced and properly finished. The faceting and varied metal finishes cause the light to dance off each part of the watch, adding a bit of luxury and sparkle to an otherwise highly functional diver/tool watch. I also mentioned downturned lug horns, which make the broadside of the watch case look like the hull of a Viking ship when the watch is face down. I guess it could also look like an elongated viking hat with horns as well?
I was fortunate to be able to review two versions of the Denise, the black dial and the blue-to-black circular gradient dial. Both versions are appointed a unidirectional bezel with a dual-purpose countdown and compass function ceramic inserts and a sub-style bezel edge. The spring tension on the bezel is just the right amount and provides 120 positive tactile clicks without much backlash.
I frequently use the dive bezel as a countdown timer for things under 15 minutes or as a stopwatch to time the duration of various activities, Unfortunately, I have yet to test the compass function, as I’ve been fortunate enough not to get lost …yet.
The double-stick markers at 12 o’clock with single stick markers at 3-6-9 make the watch face highly legible in bright-to-low-light situations, even before the lume kicks in, and they’re very vertically pronounced on the dial. All the markers and the hands are bordered by a mirror finish and lumed, adding to the contrast and quick-glance functionality that every field and dive watch needs. Orange accents are tastefully done and the verbiage on the dial face is minimal. Another nod to Rolex is the laser-etched rehaut with the E.C.A logo mirrored and repeated.
The dial is smartly laid out, and there’s very little printed text except for the brand name, city of company origin, depth rating, and the Swedish word for “automatic” (automatisk) — all of which makes it obvious that this isn’t a Swiss brand, and if you haven’t already noticed , it doesn’t say “Swiss Made,” and that’s because the Denise is powered by the Seiko NE57, rebranded and in-house precision-certified as the ECANE01.
The movement is regulated to -1, +4 per 24 hours and is also regulated in five positions with the regulation bias set towards the crown up position. This is thought to be the usual resting position for rubber-strapped watches with deployment clasps, outside of being in a watch winder or pillowed watch case.
This Seiko movement offers a centrally located power reserve module that requires the watch to stack all four hands in the middle, giving the watch great depth. Having the power reserve centrally located adds symmetry to the dial and reduces visual clutter. I did notice, however, that the power reserve hand stopped at different points on the scale on the two separate watches when fully wound or when empty. This may have been due to the different manufacturing times of the watches where the decision of the resting position of the hands could have changed or because one of my review watches was a demo and the other a production model.
The lume quality is exceptionally bright and mostly even throughout its dial application. The color consistency is spot on from the dial to the ceramic bezel insert, which can be challenging for small-batch manufacturers. The “+” side of the power reserve is accented with orange as well but isn’t lumed. Interestingly, the “-” side of the power reserve is lumed; I suppose it’s more important to know if you’re running low on power, in the dark. The blue dialed watch is lumed slightly different with the power reserve being outlined without one side being lume filled. (The thin dashes of lume between the dial markers and bezel markers are reflections off the crystal, which is why they are inconsistent in the picture.)
Although the sapphire crystal is said to be AR-coated, there are some weird refractions and reflections happening between the dial face and the underside of the crystal. When looking at the watch from certain angles, you can actually see a ghosting effect where the reflections of the mirror-finished edges of the markers hover over the dial.
Rubber straps are pretty typical for dive watches, and the Denise is no exception. The Italian rubber is comfortable, but firm enough to keep the watch in its place and has a diamond texture on top and a flat surface on the underside. It does require you to cut it to fitment, but that’s usually par for the course. E.C.A. recently announced that they’ll be making stainless steel jubilee bracelets available starting immediately for all watches as an option. The timing wasn’t right for me to review the bracelet, but I expect it to have the same fit and finish as the watches and really add that extra bit of pop to the overall look of the watch.
The deployant clasp is designed well and its looks complement the watch head very nicely. The clasp is one of the best features of the watch, as a whole, and uses a very simple but effective mechanism that allows you to make five micro-adjustments amounting to 8.5mm of dive extension or retraction. I’ve never gone for a dive in a wetsuit, so I can’t say if the expansion is enough to fit comfortably over a wetsuit, but it definitely works when my wrists swell up in the morning. Its water resistance is rated to 200m, which, as a side, note is 200m shy of what the actual Denise submarine was capable of.
I’ll go out on a plank and say that, if Jacques Cousteau were still alive with us today, he might have worn an E.C.A. Denise. Possibly just for the novelty of having a watch that was named after one of his submarines, but also because he was thought to have worn Rolex, Blancpain, Doxa and Omega. The Denise borrows style, iconography, and function from these watch brands and produces an attractive timepiece that is functional and robust while also being of high quality.
I know you were all thinking it. “When is John going to make a viking reference?” A “viking” is someone who goes on an expedition. I think it’s fitting that a Scandinavian watch brand from Gothenberg, a city rooted in sailing, is endeavoring to create watches for tool and dive enthusiasts that are capable of these duties on a daily basis, while looking great, when all you’re doing is navigating through the daily grind.
E.C.A. produces its watches in limited batches of no more than 250 pieces. As of this writing, there are still 15 pieces left of the black-dialed version and about 30 pieces left of the blue-black gradient dial, and you can pre-order the Arctic Sport version with a white dial and white ceramic insert, each starting at €891.
