SINGAPORE (May 29): A. Lange & Söhne
When the Odysseus first made its debut in 2019, watch experts thought it was an audacious move for A. Lange & Söhne. It was a sporty watch, something that the brand is not known for. This year, the Odysseus product line clearly shows it has been accepted by the watch fraternity. This latest offering comes in a 40.5mm white gold case with a large-format date and day display in white on a grey dial. The watch runs on the L155.1 Datomatic manufacture calibre developed exclusively for the Odysseus. Everything is hand-finished and the movement is assembled twice. Many artisanal details can be seen on the sapphire crystal caseback. They include the German silver plate decorated with Glashütte ribbing, the wave pattern engraved on the balance bridge, and the screwed gold chaton above the escape wheel.
Corum
The Admiral 42 Bronze by Corum hits all the right notes when it comes to creating a timepiece that marries elements of nautical features with fine watchmaking skills. The chic and sporty watch features two new models housed in Bronze cases — a nod towards the material used to build ships. Bronze is used for the case and bezel because as time passes with constant wear, a patina will form, giving the watch a vintage look. Continuing on the nautical theme, the dial of the Admiral collection has 12 pennant-shaped hour markers. The nautical colour palette of navy blue or maritime green dial fits perfectly with the colours of the alligator straps. The watch is fitted with the Corum automatic movement visible through the sapphire case back and is water resistant to 50m.
Girard-Perregaux
The Laureato Absolute Passion celebrates its passion for sports cars through the use of the colour red, the signature colour that the brand has been using for all its chronograph watches. Another design element is the faceted 44mm case that features a black PVD treatment with touches of red adorning the entire watch. The watch is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with high-end finishings. For instance, the barrel bridge alone includes five finishings: engraving, Côtes de Genève, bevelling, mirror polishing and circular-graining. The rubber strap seamlessly integrates into the watch as if it were made of a single piece with red inlay and stitches. Only 50 pieces of this watch have been produced.
Hermès
The Arceau L’heure de la lune watch will thrill those who have an interest in the moon and how time and space can lead you on a journey. These elements are cleverly captured by its designers as they highlight the Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile counters gravitate on a lunar, Martian or Black Sahara meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusively patented module, described as a well-choreographed dance. The watch is 4.2 mm thick and has 117 polished and bead-blasted components that are incorporated within the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement.
Omega
The Speedmaster has broken several records along the way since making its debut in 1957. It can even claim to be the first watch to have gone to space. After successfully orbiting the Earth in 1962, the watch was also the first to land on the moon in 1969. Since then, the Speedmaster has seen its popularity grow along with the many iterations along the way. Meanwhile, those more interested in motor racing should take a close look at the Racing models within the Speedmaster collection. These pieces have borrowed classic features from the past, such as the distinctive racing minute track, which first appeared in 1968, and was carried through Omega’s Formula One years in the 1990s.
TAG Heuer
Through its appointment as the official sponsor and timekeeper of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, this brand continues with its association with motor racing. To mark the occasion, a limited-edition TAG Heuer Monaco timepiece has been launched. The watch features the signature red-and-white colour code that is reminiscent of eye-catching sports cars while the small silver historic car logo of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique at the one o’clock position on the crimson brushed dial links this special model to the historic race. Only 1,000 pieces of this watch has been produced, each of which has been engraved with its unique number.
Panerai
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the use of Luminor on Panerai’s timepieces. The Luminor is a trademarked substance based on tritium which has the property of self-powered luminescence. To tie in with the anniversary, Panerai has launched the Luminor Marina Carbotech — 44 mm (PAM1118). The new Luminor Marina Carbotech — 44 mm takes full advantage of its potential luminosity by emphasising its own personality with iconic elements on the Luminor case. These include the winding-crown bridge and its locking lever, the flange, the inscriptions on the dial and the stitching of the strap.
Zenith
Last year was the 50th anniversary of the El Primero. And because it was such a success, the calibre is once celebrated this year with the Chronomaster Revival Manufacture Edition. Why the name Revival? Here is the story: While going through the grenier or attic of the main historical Zenith Manufacture building last year, an unlabelled box was discovered and in it were a number of dials that watchmaker Charles Vermot had hidden during the quartz crisis in the 1970s. The well-preserved dials include the signature El Primero tri-colour dial of the A386 and another version of the tri-colour dials, using three different shades of blue. The Chronomaster Revival Manufacture Edition is the final version of the A386 available with the original “Revival” case. The watch gets its heartbeat from the same movement it would have had if it was made in 1969 — the venerable El Primero high frequency automatic chronograph with column wheel.
Urwerk
The UR-100 is a tribute to the Star Wars movie franchise. According to Martin Frei, “science fiction has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration since the creation of Urwerk. I have been a sci-fi geek since childhood. My father was an engineer and worked on incredible projects, including the Apollo Lunar Rover. He was my hero and left me his love of the cosmos and his dreams.” The timepiece is slim and features angular contours and an elongated octagon with three notched sides. The design uses subtle asymmetry, taking cues from Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon. The UR-100 is cut from a solid block of 2N yellow gold and its surface satin-finished to the same pale shine as C3P0. Topping the case is a sapphire crystal bubble dome reminiscent of the shape of the first Urwerk models.
