Archive for November, 2009

New Breitling Chrono-Matic Watches

November 19th, 2009

To mark 40th anniversary of the first automatic chronograph movement’s release, the famous horological company Breitling is proud to unveil two limited editions of its Chrono-Matic watch. Encouraged by the 1969 original in terms of its exterior, the new models incorporate sophisticated horological complications, offering the functions of leap-year or perpetual calendars.

A remarkable year for the aviation, 1969 saw the first flight of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet and that of the supersonic Concorde: two legendary achievements the aeronautical history is notable for. Just as well, 1969 happened to be a significant year for the watch-making industry: the watch-making house Breitling introduced its first automatic chronograph movement.

New Breitling Chrono-Matic watch

The launch of the latter resulted in creating of the entire spectrum of Chrono-Matic chronographs. The newest Chrono-Matic models, measuring 49 mm in diameter, pay homage to the predecessor of oversized timepieces.

Issued as a limited series of 2,000 pieces, the first chronograph model is sculptured in steel and equipped with a calendar mechanism. As its name suggests, the Chrono-Matic 1461 watch offers a “memory” of 1.461 days, meaning that the aforementioned mechanism needs to be adjusted once every leap-year.

The straight hands, presented on the counters, emphasize the watch panel look and serve to indicate the date, day and month. The optional woven steel Aero Classic bracelet definitely adds a retro feel to the model.

New Breitling Chrono-Matic watch

The second Breitling watch – the Chrono-Matic QP – is available with an avant-garde case, rendered solely in red gold and launched in a limited edition of 125 units. It incorporates a chronograph function, along with an extremely-advanced perpetual calendar system, which represents a clever combination of up-to-date and conventional elements.

Diminutive, yet impressive, the mechanism of the Breitling Chrono-Matic QP watch is a true miracle, which comprises almost 500 individual parts. It is engineered to display the date, day, week, month, season, as well as the moon phases with consideration for leap-year variations.

Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph watch

November 3rd, 2009

Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel ChronographBreitling has enlarged its Super Avenger collection with a dynamic version of the impressive Super Avenger chronograph.

The 48mm stainless steel case of the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel is distinguished by the stealthy black surface achieved due to a highly durable carbon nitride treatment.

The dial of the new Breitling watch creates a nice contrast with the case treatment. It reveals satin black surface with white hands and hour markers, and sub-dials, with vertically striated motifs. The dial features the distinctive red accents on the hands, 30-minute chronograph counter, and the tachymeter scale.

The unidirectional rotating bezel completed with a luminous dot is developed to provide utmost security and safety when the watch’s owner has to keep track of the critical diving intervals.

The case construction of the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph incorporates a domed sapphire crystal, oversized screw-down crown and massive screw-locked case back. The timepiece boasts 300-meter water-resistance.

The Breitling watch accommodates the self-winding Breitling Caliber 13 movement, based upon the legendary Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber. Besides the chronograph function, the movement provides a date display and subsidiary seconds.

The remarkable precision of the Breitling Caliber 13 is guaranteed by the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (COSC) certification (as attested by the inscription on the dial). The mechanism, beating at 28, 800 vibrations per hour, gives an advantage of a 42-hour power-reserve.

The Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph will be available in a limited edition of 3,000 pieces.

The Breitling watch goes on a rubber strap fitted with a tang buckle with black carbon nitride treatment.

Oris Aviation new model

November 3rd, 2009

Oris Aviation new modelTo commemorate the life of the legendary Hawker Hunter jet, top Swiss pilot’s watchmaker Oris, introduces the latest model in its aviation collection.

The awesome Hunter took the world by storm when it first flew in the UK in 1951.Seven years later it came to Switzerland and became a linchpin of the Swiss Air Force. Although the Hunter has since been retired in Switzerland it continues to fly thanks to the Swiss Hunter Team of the ‘Fliegermuseum Altenrhein’, a unique group of former Swiss Air Force pilots who were inspired to fly by the Hunter.

 The Oris Swiss Hunter Team Limited Edition reflects both the strength of the jet and the quality of its design.

The 46mm anthracite PVD coated case projects an elegant silhouette with its gentle curves, bevelled top ring and oversized screw down crown. The dial is presented in the unmistakable Oris style of a cockpit flight instrument. The tiny Hunter jet on the pointer calendar hand is another nod to the inspiration for this limited edition pilot’s watch.

Oris movement 644 is the quality engine at the heart of this mighty craft, and it is clearly visible through the glass case back. Marked with the logo of the Swiss Hunter Team the case back also shows Oris’ support for the men who continue to keep the magnificent Hunter flying.

The Oris Swiss Hunter Team Limited Edition is presented in a magnificent box set, which includes an original Hunter ejection seat safety splint key ring. Marked with the same limited edition number as the watch it accompanies from 0001/1958 to 1958/1958 (the year the Hunter first came to Switzerland) it helps to make the set an essential collector’s item for all aviation enthusiasts.

Oris Swiss Hunter Team Limited Edition

Case Diameter: 46.00 mm

Ref: 644 7635 42 84 LS

Automatic mechanical movement with pointer calendar function. Centralised hour and minute displays.Small second at 9 o’clock.

Multi-piece stainless steel case anthracite PVD coated. Screwed see through glass case back. Sapphire glass domed on both sides with inner anti-reflective coating.

Limited edition number engraved on the case side at 9 o’clock.

Two-piece black dial with printed Superluminova numerals and indices. Nickel hands with luminous inlay.

Grey PVD coated screw down crown.

Dark brown shrunk leather strap with grey PVD coated buckle Water resistant to 10 bar/100 metres.

Set includes limited edition Hunter ejection seat key ring.

Watch Bezels

November 2nd, 2009

A watch bezel is the ring that surrounds the face of the watch and holds the crystal in place. The bezel can be used for decorative or functional purposes. When it comes to ladies watches, it is fairly common to see diamonds, rubies, sapphires, or emeralds on the bezels of these watches. There are even a lot of watch manufacturers that produce mens watches with bezels that have diamonds on them. Girard-Perregaux and DeWitt are such manufacturers that do so. The Girard-Perregaux Opera One and The DeWitt Tourbillon Mysterieux are good examples of jeweled mens watch bezels. Most of the time bezels are more functional then fashion. Here are a few ways that bezels are functional on some watches:

Time Measurement

Watches such as the Omega Seamaster 300 M Chrono Diver have a either a uni-direction or bi-directional rotation bezel. The bezel itself is numbered 0-60 minutes with an arrow marker at 0, some count down and some count up. If it is a count down bezel and you are going scuba diving and you have a total of 25 minutes of air in your tank, it’s pretty important that you know when you should start swimming to the surface. Lets say that it is 10:15am. To measure time with your bezel, simply turn the bezel so the 25 minute marker lines up with the minute hand on the watch dial. When the minute hand reaches zero on the bezel, your time is up. Or you may turn the bezel so that the zero marker is pointing to 10:40 (25 minutes later). Either way this is the same setting. If it is a count up bezel, rotate the bezel so the zero marker lines up with the minute hand and count off the minutes as time passes. When the minute hand reached 25 minutes on the bezel, your time is up.

Speed Measurement

On other watches such as Omega Speedmaster Professional you can use the bezel to help you compute speed based on travel time. To do so, start the chronograph function of the watch at a mile indicator. At the next mile indicator, the point on the scale that is adjacent to the second hand is your MPH speed. It is not limited to just MPH. If the distance traveled is 1 Kilometer, then it determines Kilometers per hour. The tachymeter simply projects units traveled per hour. May it be miles, kilometers, or even football fields. I hope this quick explanation has given you a better understanding of functional bezels. Once you get used to using these functions, they become second nature, so if you have a functional bezel, go play with it. I am sure once you get used to using it, you will use much more often.

Emporio Armani has launched its Fall Winter 2009 watch collections

November 2nd, 2009

Emporio ArmaniEmporio Armani, the undisputed king of fashion and a name synonymous with luxury has launched its Fall Winter 2009 watch collection in India. An effervescence mix of elegance & the latest in styles these timepieces focus on the look and feel of crocodile skin.

Women’s collection:

The women’s collection is audacious and graphic, elegant yet playful with a vast range of colored calf leather right from the classic black to taupe. The dials are either oval or rectangle and fitted into a stainless steel case with textured finish. The collection varies from bold and striking to soft and feminine.

Classic Collection:

The classic Emporio Armani styling and design details have new additions to the collection of classic watches, which epitomize nostalgic design balanced with modern styling. Calf leather straps in brown, black and amber, coloured crystals and the traditional “tonneau” case-shape are the highlights of this array of watches. To add to the zing, these watches have silver, black and champagne-coloured dials. The stainless steel bracelets in this collection come in both chronograph and non-chronograph versions.

Sport Collection:

The Emporio Armani FW0910 sport watch collection focuses on black ion-plated finishes and black rubber straps. Quasi-futuristic in its design, the dials have silver hour markers covered in superluminova which make them glow in the dark. The exquisite detailing in this range creates a strong, graphic appeal while the textured finish on the case lends a ruggedly masculine touch.

Meccanico Collection:

A treat for all the gadget lovers, Emporio Armani’s range of automatic watches continues to focus on skeleton movements – a design feature that allows a full view to the inner workings of the watch. The watches from this collection features a standard 3-hand movement that is fully visible both through the coloured crystals and clear dial on the face of the watch as well as through the clear crystal case back. A key design distinction is the stylized roman-numeral hour markings applied to the skeleton dial. This also includes the original best selling rectangular case shape in stainless steel and features a highly decorative and graphic dial with brushed “cotes de Geneve” finishes.

With calf-leather straps embossed to resemble crocodile skin and the amber-coloured crystals, these watches are signature Emporio Armani.