Setting the Record Straight on Tissot's Powermatic 80

Watchmaking brands typically do not require anyone to stand up for them. In the old days, and right up until the 1990s probably, this was obvious and did not need to be spelled out. Even in other segments, this writer assumes that various published defences of Tesla, for example, are more statements of support for Elon Musk than they are for the EV firm. In this specific kind of case, said defences are no doubt useful to The NeXt Martian.

On that perhaps relevant note, social media being the charmingly vile cesspool of bad behaviour that it is, one is sometimes tempted to intervene. This is almost always a bad idea – only governments typically attempt to police the Internet and that goes about as well as hugging a hippopotamus might. In a niche area such as watch collecting, there is relatively less of a need to set the record straight – watch brands themselves are hardly able to keep things straight. Less is not zero though which is why I find myself inclined to ride to Tissot’s defence with regards to several spurious charges laid against it. These have been disappointing, although some issues are more understandable than others.

I will begin with the most egregious nothing-burger about something Tissot-related, and that has to do with the Powermatic 80 variant used in the hugely successful PRX. The claim here is that fine adjustment by an independent watchmaker or by an intrepid enthusiast is not possible. The claim goes even further to note that adjustment is all but impossible so if you send your watch for a repair and the issue is the regulating organ, it might be swapped out for a new one because that is just how it is built. These are the claims. The short response is already in the press materials for the movement, which specifically spell out that the balance is free-sprung.

The tl;dr here is that traditional regulating organs will have a couple of levers on the balance cock. Manipulating these is how you adjust the rate, with the most obvious lever being the one that has the + and – indicators. In newer movement architecture, these might be entirely absent because the hairspring is never to be directly meddled with. Instead, one adjusts the rate based on the large screws on the balance wheel. The advantage of this second system is that the manufacturer can better set the watch up to be as accurate as possible. In the simplest terms possible, and this is already very simplified, being able to adjust the rate without touching the hairspring is ideal. Adjustments are possible, just not by the average hobbyist. Perhaps the PRX is not the sort of watch you buy so you can tinker with it. If you do not like free-sprung balances, then there will be many watches that are not for you.

This leads directly into the next couple of points, which relate to price. The PRX is a relatively inexpensive watch, the operative word there being "relatively". If you enjoy the look of the watch and feel it sits comfortably with your Royal Oak and Nautilus tickers, then it is indeed an accessibly priced watch. On the other hand, if shelling out for a four-figure watch gives you pause, then it is not that accessible. When it comes to taking a watch apart on your watchmaking bench, it is probably best to work with the most standard-issue models, with standard-issue parts. This would be the sort of watch where the cost to service it might well exceed what you paid for it at retail; this is not the PRX.

Somewhat hidden in the above passages is the concern about price, and it will be referenced again when we look at the matter of plastic parts in the movement. Before we get to the substance there, we should note again that price is relative and it goes a lot further than whether you should tinker with the watch or not. I think the PRX is aspirational for some, perhaps even independent of what that watch might reference. That is perfectly fine and really does not require the caveats I just deployed. If the watch makes you feel good and you feel good about it, keep on keeping on then. However, if this is you, the news about plastic parts might be a shock.

This brings us to the kicker, which is the use of a poorly perceived material that literally does not shine in a traditional movement. Tissot is one of very few brands that can claim legitimacy in the use of some kind of polymer in any form because it was the first watchmaker to build a movement out of plastic in 1971. From "Tissot: 150 Years of History," we know Tissot was actively trying to build a movement out of plastic from the 1950s – we can say that this endeavour culminated in the Tissot Astrolon of 1971, but it actually continued outside the brand and found expression in the Swatch System 51. This might actually be part of the problem for Tissot, but Swatch Group has not asserted that the Powermatic 80 movement cannot be repaired (as it has with System 51).

At issue are the escape wheel and pallet fork, which are made of a high-tech polymer, although details are unavailable and thus we will call this plastic. Anonymous experts agree that the plastic in use has advantages in being low-friction and thus, potentially able to outlast the same components in metal. With the advent of 3D printing, said parts can probably be produced relatively easily. Those who object to the idea of replacing parts are barking up the wrong tree. If that is a concern for you, then the PRX (or any watch using similar materials) is not for you.

The short of it is this: buying a mechanical watch is not an impulse decision, no matter the price. You should always consider very carefully what you are getting into because waiting to get it right will save you tears down the line.

This article was first published in WOW’s 2024 Spring Issue

For more on the latest, click here.

Probus Scafusia: Behind the Doors of IWC Schaffhausen's Swiss Watchmaking Facility

As most readers will know, the bulk of Swiss watchmaking happens in the French-speaking part of the country. Those less familiar with Switzerland than Swiss-made timepieces might even think the whole place is French-speaking, or at least the majority. Such is the dominance of the Romandy that the casual watch lover might think Schaffhausen is a town in Germany. It most assuredly is not, and IWC is as Swiss as they come. Since the manufacture is quite a ways off the beaten path, plenty of watch journalists actually miss out on visiting - getting here from Geneva is more challenging than getting to the La Chaux-de-Fonds, for example. Thus, when asked if we wanted to visit in the middle of summer, we jumped at the chance.

By we, I mean Ruckdee Chotjinda and I, along with our IWC watches. This was actually only the second time I could bring a watch I bought back home for a visit. It so happens that Ruckdee also brought his own IWC, the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar in red gold. Regular readers might realise that this is the trip that we spoke with IWC Manufacture Director Walter Volpers, since I made a point of citing the moment he recognised our watches when we spoke.

Traditionally, manufacture buildings evolved over time, sprawling beyond the confines of whatever space they began in. We will demonstrate this in other stories this issue, and if you are reading in order, you have already seen some. IWC Schaffhausen, which we will simply call IWC to make it simpler to distinguish between the brand and the town, has been in the old town for a little while now. This is where the brand maintains offices, including for the communications team, and also CEO Christoph Herr-Granger, and a nifty little museum. It is also where a pivotal scene in this story will take place, starring Ruckdee’s watch. You will have to wait till the end for that because we have quite some ground to cover, as a Swiss German-speaking person might put it, in English.

Imposing Presence

The new facility that we visited opened at an auspicious time, in 2018, in the sense that it was the 150th anniversary of the brand. It gives IWC options in terms of how it decides to handle the production challenges of the present and future, just as founder Florentine Ariosto Jones was looking to do back in the day. The manufakturzentrum also happens to be an excellent workplace to visit, without much of the upstairs-then- downstairs-just-to-go-up-different-stairs hikes that are typical of many Swiss manufacturers. For a sense of that old reality, the existing office in town is exactly like that. The thoroughly new building has some 13,500 sqm of space, which is amply hinted at in the expansive entry area with its meters high ceiling, arranged on two levels (one above ground as shown and one below).

Everything is welcoming and warm; everything is also easy to follow, with a path laid out for where you can walk. In the images here, the grey area is where visitors walk, while the white areas are where the technicians, engineers, watchmakers and craftspeople ply their trade. This is a nice way to see everything and not feel guilty about invading people’s workspaces. The flip side of this is that you will not be able to peer over someone’s shoulder as he or she affixes a hairspring to a balance wheel. But we are getting ahead of ourselves here.

As it happens, we began with CNC machines, which is only natural because this is how all components are manufactured. A brand that makes a watch collection called Ingenieur has to make certain it projects a certain professionalism and we think you will agree that IWC has succeeded here, just from the pictures. Again, the downside is that the sense of homey craftsmanship is missing – production lines are production lines after all. As the editor of Robb Report Singapore notes in one of his manufacture visit stories, the smell of oils yet manages to fill the air of contemporary manufacturers, and the manufakturzentrum is no exception, spic and span as it is. In other words, the industrial vibe has a certain appeal to it.

Maximum Punishment

Before we speed into the proper activities here, including two of our favourite parts of any manufacture tour, we will spare a few words for a key takeaway here. Unusually, for this particular tour, we managed to get into the quality control area, where there are all sorts of torture tools designed to inflict maximum punishment on finished watches. This kind of activity happens at most reputable watchmaking firms but one rarely gets to see it. As noted in the Conversation story in the Autumn issue, we loved watching the team here send watches flying into a net, courtesy of a good hard whack from a hammer (the watches are subsequently tested for rate and amplitude variations, which can happen when the balance is disturbed by sudden shocks).

Beyond the perverse pleasure of applying some pain to very expensive objects, the idea in quality control, or more appropriately, quality assurance, is to prove that the watches are tough enough to withstand much more than the hard knocks you will subject them to. IWC watches are nothing if not tough, as we can attest. While not every IWC watch is tested or subjected to the same array of tests, samples of various production batches are. We can report that the smiling technical specialists here are very thorough and are positively pumped about what they do.

Moving back into the order of the tour proper, IWC takes pains to showcase its materials section, where there is that satisfying moment of holding rods of raw material in one’s hands. This is hardly incidental though because there is a slew of bar-turning and milling operations that take place in the manufakturzentrum, which all involve bars. IWC tells us that approximately 1,500 different components are made in the movement-component workshop itself. This reportedly involves all parts for the calibre families 52 and 82 (automatic), 59 (manual-winding with eight days of power reserve) and 69 (automatic chronograph). Also included are movement components for something like the Portugieser Grande Complication, and its case (which is made here, in the basement with all the other IWC cases, although the component count mentioned does not include what goes into cases).

Things do tend towards clean room settings at IWC, with watchmaking demonstrations for guests taking place at dedicated stations outside the main work area.

Some Assembly Required

As expected, it is all industrial action for something like the calibre 52 family, where an articulated robot feeds the aforementioned raw materials into a CNC machine that produces completed components. We did not see the production of components for complicated watches, nor the assembly of movements, but that also takes place in the manufakturzentrum. While robots are indeed involved in the making of components, movement assembly is where the watchmakers take over from machine operators. IWC notes that the production lines for each calibre family are entirely in the spirit that founder Jones envisioned back in his day. We dare say that no one in the 19th century could imagine 21st century engineering processes! In terms of cases, though we are not focussing on that here, a single metre-long bar of material can produce between 30 and 50 cases (depending on material and type of case, according to Time and Tide Watches).

Our tour returned to the roots of watchmaking for its final stage, with the disassembly and assembly of a generic pocket watch movement. While this was a staple of manufacture tours once upon a time, the IWC session was the only one we had in all the visits covered in this section. As always, it is an eye-opening experience that lets one come to grips with the delicate and precise craft of assembling tiny machines out of tiny parts. We recommend that all manufactures restore this practice, for the sake of context if nothing else.

For all the calibres produced in-house here, the activity is carried out in clean room settings, and that is true of typical contemporary manufactures. This limits the ability of guests and journalists to get close to the action, hence the importance of the watch assembly activity, in our considered opinion. It should be noted that what manufactures have in terms of clean room atmospheres is not the same as what one encounters in silicon wafer manufacturing, for example, but it is something close.

Personal Touch

We reserve our final thoughts for the manufakturzentrum itself, which is a stunning structure that is surely meant to reflect the character of IWC itself. With massive windows, it offers a surfeit of natural light for the movement assembly watchmakers. The entire structure feels a little too big and that is by design because it can accommodate 400 staff (currently, some 230 people work here) so it was literally built for the future. While the manufakturzentrum was designed by Zurich architects ATP, CEO Herr-Granger is an architect by training and also personally participated in the design process.

The manufakturzentrum is also a paragon of sustainable practices too, with solar panels installed on the roof, and water for cooling and heating drawn from groundwater sources. This too is in line with the history of IWC, what with founder FA Jones choosing Schaffhausen partly because of the hydroelectric power offered by the nearby Rhine river.

On that note, it is time to return to Ruckdee’s watch, which had a bit of an issue – residue of oil leftover from servicing, on the hands. Upon taking a look at the watch, an IWC watchmaker simply asked Ruckdee to leave the watch in his hands while we went about our tour, and collect it later. True enough, it was all done with no fuss whatsoever, and we can report the Ruckdee is rather pleased with himself. If nothing else, this serves to illustrate that no matter the technology behind the watches, it is the human element that makes the difference.

This article was first published on WOW's 2024 Legacy Issue

For more on the latest, click here.

Sadry Keiser, Chief Marketing Officer of Roger Dubuis, Speaks on The Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph

Sadry Keiser has one of the most unusually authored biographies of any watch industry executive. To be fair, the Chief Marketing Officer of Roger Dubuis probably shares this feature with some of his colleagues because it is so very Roger Dubuis. The company calls itself the “bad boy of the Geneva watch industry,” and it is not difficult to see why. Just look at the watches, and Keiser’s official portrait. In Keiser’s own official biography, which goes out to anyone who interviews him, Roger Dubuis is also described as the Richemont Group’s “maverick” while Keiser is described as a man with an “unexplained attraction to watchmaking.” Keiser himself described Roger Dubuis as the “wild child” of Richemont in an interview with the retailer Watches of Switzerland in the UK. Well, the watches certainly raise the decibel level, sometimes quite literally.

If your first encounter with Roger Dubuis is at a watch fair, such as Watches and Wonders Geneva, you might actually discover the brand when you hear a racket of some sort somewhere around the Van Cleef & Arpels and IWC booths. Or you might be having a meeting over at A. Lange & Söhne only to find yourself talking over a cacophony of what absolutely cannot be anything related to Swiss watchmaking. Except of course that is, and it is all done on purpose. Keiser tells us, not at all sheepishly, that Roger Dubuis creates a spectacle at the fair to draw a crowd; “I can tell you that 80 percent of the people we see...in our boutiques are not only new to Roger Dubuis, they are new to watchmaking!” Keiser met with us at the Singapore ION boutique late last year (2023) to engage in a free-ranging conversation about the novelties of 2023; Roger Dubuis also inaugurated a new store at Marina Bay Sands late last year but that is a story for another time.

The youthful Keiser – his official information does not list his age but that is as expected of Roger Dubuis because age is nothing but a number here – likes to think of himself as a bridge between the technical side of the story and the design team. In his role as Chief Marketing Officer, he is also a bridge between the brand and the media, and by extension, the public. Keiser cut his teeth in the technical arena of watchmaking at TAG Heuer’s manufacturing end, and that brand’s research and development department. This experience would prove beneficial to his later stint as Head of Product Marketing at Roger Dubuis where he was “overcome by a wild desire to return to marketing – and inject it with his own inflammatory watchmaking passion...”

It was this promise of inflammatory rhetoric that drew our interest to engaging in a lengthy chat with Keiser, who was in town to introduce the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in particular. Happily, neither he nor the watch disappointed us!

Before we get into things properly, tell us if the Spider Flyback Chronograph is the first production chronograph since the Sympathy collection?

No, there was a chronograph with a plain dial around 2011 or 2012, and it was the piece celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Poincon de Geneve <this was a limited edition of eight – Ed>. It is less characteristic than (our now signature style) with contemporary skeletonizing (although it did have a tourbillon). The team at that time thought it was good to master the various complications but recognised that there are also other players doing the same, maybe better than us or more known than us. So, we needed to bring additional value...we focused on the tourbillon for simple reasons: there are fewer components so there is more space to have transparency and to explore different styles. Then we went with automatics, then double tourbillons, and so on. It took time to get back on track with chronograph complications, and to return to the roots of Roger Dubuis <in relation to the famous Sympathy case chronographs that the founder created – Ed>. It is a different kind of game playing with a skeletonized approach on the chronograph complication. There was no doubt for us on bringing back that complication but just a question of finding the right way to do it. Now is the right time to launch the Flyback Chronograph, because you have never seen this kind of watch before!

No, of course not, so let's dive right into it!

For me, the Flyback Chronograph is an interesting approach because I think we keep the philosophy of the company – putting the mechanics first (and completely visible). Needless to say, having an integrated calibre for us, that was absolutely mandatory. Also, playing with the architecture of the calibre, keeping the freedom of aesthetics that we like, while being respectful of tradition...and keeping the Poincon de Geneve in play.

What I mean by playing with the architecture while keeping elements of tradition is that the column wheel (must be present) for sure, but we put this on the front of the calibre <this distinctive element is normally bridge-side – Ed>. So, once again reengineering the architecture of the calibre to bring (and deliver) specific signatures on the way that people are seeing it.

And last but not least, we talk about the vertical clutch, of course, because once again, it is following the beauty of, and respect for, tradition. But at the end of the day, within the very (contemporary) kind of design that follows the spirit of the Excalibur Spider, there is also an obvious to link to motorsport activities, paying tribute to our Italian friends (that is to say Lamborghini, a long- term partner to Roger Dubuis – Ed).

Why wait till later in the year to debut the Flyback Chronograph when you had the chance to pair it with the Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph at Watches and Wonders?

Part of my answer will have to do with the Monovortex... (because) it speaks to the philosophy of the company: to showcase the expertise of the watchmaking industry and to incubate a fraction of our innovations in one single piece. But when you put everything in one single watch – I am talking about a new regulator a new winding system, alongside a new display system as well...and then a split-second chronograph complication (a high complication that is arguably more complex than the tourbillon – Ed) – the bar is set pretty high. To be frank with you, we needed to go to the real and tangible world, to see if everything works as it should. But at least at that time (during the show in Geneva), we got to demonstrate to the world and certainly to the connoisseur, because every single person attending Watches and Wonders is sensitive to fine watchmaking, who Roger Dubuis is and what we are about. You can see that Roger Dubuis is a serious player.

Then again, Roger Dubuis is not a foundation so we all expected a commercial offering at some point...

That is right! And we decided that the Goodwood Festival of Speed was a good philosophical fit with the Spider Flyback Chronograph; motorsports in general are a good fit for the chronograph. We also did not want to fire all our (marketing) bullets at one time...instead we wanted to create a conversation with the community that helped everyone understand the sequence that we have in mind, from concept to commercially available piece. Because (both the Monovortex and the Flyback Chronograph) are new concepts, in a way. You can see from the Flyback Chronograph if we have captured well that reality behind (some of) the concepts in the Monovortex.

How do you approach Watches and Wonders, or any fair really, from the perspective of introducing watches to the public, or introducing it to partners? Is it sales first? Presentation first?

It is a very good question. I think these shows are moving, let us say from business to business to consumer to become more business to consumer. For a couple of years now, we see the content of such shows moving in this direction as well. As one of the operators at Watches and Wonders, we are also following this trend to (orientate) more towards being business to consumer. You know, we are in that position where we need to be seen by a large audience, but talk only to a few, if you know what I mean. From a marketing perspective, (the question is) how I can be sure to reach a larger audience, where that larger audience can understand the reason why Roger Dubuis exists. What is our unique proposition and does my audience get it? You know, if everyone understands that we are a pure player doing contemporary skeletonised complications with Poincon de Geneve, then I am in heaven!

On the other hand, there are a few people where we need to go a bit further and dig into our own worlds and bring additional stuff to the table. This means explanations on the watches in a way that we can be sure that we nourish and we cultivate the phenomenal experience (of Roger Dubuis). We know that we are not the first brand within the collections of those people...and yet there are those newcomers who are very curious, not only about Roger Dubuis but about watchmaking.

This is a reference to what we spoke about: the people you draw with spectacle, like the robot dog that was the highlight of Watches and Wonders? How do you communicate the values of the brand properly because these people may know what a skeletonised movement is, because they can see it, but they certainly will not know what the Poincon de Geneve is...

Once again, another good question! To be transparent with you, I think half is structure (the communications strategy including all means from advertising to partnerships) and the other half is much more spontaneous. There is a way to communicate the fact that we are a fantastic alternative to the classical operators. At Roger Dubuis, we are a bit schizophrenic. A fraction of what we are doing is, let us say, very Swiss; the other part is ultra-contemporary (and this is where conversations like this one come in). From my perspective, this is the beauty of a brand of our size: we have the luxury of having the time to converse with our clients and friends. We are not always in pushing mode in a marketplace where we are talking about line extensions and everything is transactional. As we discussed, Roger Dubuis is not a foundation but we still need to build (individual) conversations to start relationships!

This article first appeared on WOW’s Festive 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Talks Brand Elevation

This is a story that was a long time coming... In fact, it comes all the way from TAG Heuer maybe 10 years ago. While various titles in the group have indeed scored interviews with Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin since 2013, WOW has not got one since at least 2016 (at least not in the era of this editor, who never had one in any of his previous roles and companies - Ed). Given that WOW has recently managed to interview the CEO of every LVMH watchmaking brand (from Hublot to TAG Heuer), it was particularly galling that Babin eluded us. Well, no more because we finally did it and thus achieved the LVMH Grand Slam of CEO interviews.

Seriously though, Babin represents one of the last of the old-school watch and jewellery bosses, yet is not at all married to tradition. Indeed, he often zigs when you think he will zag, as they say. We, and no doubt you too, recall very well when Babin announced Bulgari’s ultra-thin watch challenge in BaselWorld, probably in 2013 or 2014. It was a deeply astonishing move from a man who had only just moved over from TAG Heuer, where he had been CEO since 2000. The seeds for this had already been laid at the brand he would lead from then right up to the present because the Octo Finissimo had debuted in 2012 and the Serpenti was already successful. On the boldest frontier yet, Bulgari had already jumped into home furnishing and the hospitality business by Babin’s era.

Born in France but described consistently (by his own team and himself) as Italian at heart, Babin differs from his peers in that he never inserts himself into the conversation. That is true from the design language down to communication about the brand’s identity; Babin is pretty clear about what he wants for Bulgari (one consistent identity across all the areas it operates in) and he knows he has the right team to deliver. In fact, the team he built at Bulgari is what he cites first when asked about his legacy – he singles out Vice President for Marketing and Communications Laura Burdese in particular because she helps him with what Bulgari calls One-Brand Elevation, which is that aforementioned strategy of keeping the brand consistent in all areas.

As a veteran of the trade, Babin does speak his mind – unlike many Swiss brand executives, he can and does regularly mention his competition by name, right down to the product level. All of this is on the record, of course, as you will see. Babin is also unafraid to make bold claims – boldness is central to the Italian identity of Bulgari after all. When he initially lauded the ultra-thin achievements of Bulgari in watchmaking, he was taking the fight to some pretty big players and Bulgari had no experience in this arena. The results speak for themselves there, although Babin is adamant that the idea was not really to have a go at world records or grab headlines.

With that, we will let Babin take it away, with a salvo fired almost from the start...

Creating the Serpenti Misteriosi, which is one version of the most wearble and popular Bulgari collections, The Serpenti

How was Geneva Watch Days for you?

As you know, this is the fourth Geneva Watch Days in a row. We started during (the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown) because we felt the need for a show to replace BaselWorld (now defunct) and SIHH (now Watches and Wonders, and transformed that year into a digital-only event). Geneva Watch Days was the first physical event for the watch and jewellery trade that year (although the larger component was likely still the digital version because people still could not travel).

And this year, it is bigger than ever with 40 brands; this is a large number of brands for a new show! Not only do we have the support of Geneva (the city and the Canton), but we now have the full support of the FHH on the ground the FHH is the organiser of Watches and Wonders – Ed. So more than ever, we are the official Geneva watch fair! And it is not even just a watch fair any longer; it has become a watch forum. By that, I mean that part of the entire fair is dedicated by the brands to forums and symposiums. Yes, the brands are here to introduce novelties but a huge amount of time is also (invested) in communicating (in the format of a forum, panel discussion and so on). Bulgari had a great symposium with Wei Koh (of Revolution) on the topic of brand builders. I participated in another one with Georges Kern (of Breitling) and Max Busser (of MB&F) on the future of retail. So, there are a lot of activities at Geneva Watch Days, not forgetting also an auction to benefit the Geneva watchmaking school.

I mentioned 40 brands earlier but really there are many more taking advantage of this big gathering (of ours) to organise their own events. There are probably another 20 to 25 (non-exhibitors) organising such events (during Geneva Watch Days), and this makes it one of the most important watch fairs on the global calendar.

So Geneva Watch Days is here to stay then...

Well, you know, I was at BaselWorld for many, many years – first with TAG Heuer and then with Bulgari. I visited the SIHH in Geneva virtually every year too, driven by curiosity. At the end of the day, even before things came to a head, I was very skeptical of the formats and concepts of those fairs but not because I do not like or believe in watch fairs (per se). So, 30 to 40 years ago, the approach was very clear and logical. With advancing technology; evolving consumptions habits; new clients (of different markets and types); and digital media consumption, it was all getting a bit old fashioned... not to mention prohibitively expensive.

So I was planning to withdraw from BaselWorld anyway and then came COVID-19, which accelerated things; since I did not like the historical format of the fairs, some friends and I who shared the same vision decided to start something new. Without COVID, we would have started this anyway, maybe in 2021 or 2022, but (like I said, things got accelerated). It was the worst possible time...there were lockdowns...we had to move the date three times... But in the end, in August of 2020, we made it (even though the world was far from back to normal).

It was a success, confirming that our philosophy and the pillars of our new concept were much more in tune with time than (the old fairs), and this is why Watches and Wonders does not like us so much... Obviously it is always painful to see a small group of medium sized brands organizing a fair quite easily for very little cost while getting the support of authorities who never gave their support to the bigger conventional fairs that are very costly...

Babin with his watchmaking executive team, Fabrizio Buonamassa, Product Creation Executive Director, and Antoine Pin, Managing Director

Things have changed a lot in watchmaking over the course of your career. How have things changed for you personally, from your time at TAG Heuer to your present role in Bulgari?

First of all, Bulgari is like a group, you know, because we are operating in many different areas. Bulgari is a small luxury group compared with LVMH, of course, to which we belong, but we are operating in jewelry, in watches, in hospitality, in fragrances, in accessories, in bags... TAG Heuer is primarily a watchmaker, although it was obviously successful in eyewear too. We made some inroads into luxury mobile phones but TAG Heuer was and is a watchmaker. Forever.

So, the first difference is that I have to be much more agile, mentally, to switch from one category to another. This is because Bulgari is competing against different brands in different categories. This competition is driven by different factors; client expectations are different from category to category and therefore I need the agility to jump from the one to the other while keeping a very strict frame (of reference encompassing all aspects) so that eventually for the client, there is one brand only, even though it is in multiple categories. To achieve this, I have defined – in a very explicit way – that Bulgari is primarily a magnificent Roman jeweller, and that everything else we would do would be connected to being Roman and being a jeweller.

This means that we are the Roman jeweler of time; the Roman jeweller of precious skins; of olfactive emotions (for fragrances); and of hospitality for the hotels (and so on). So everything is done with the same obsessive attention for perfection, for beauty, for detail, for excellence of ideals. This is the thread (connecting all the categories) that I'm responsible for because I don't have an artistic director responsible for overall brand consistency and creativity. I am the one making sure all the businesses converge with the mission. Together with my Marketing Vice President Laura (Burdese), we ensure that out of our diversity, the consumer and client perception is that there is one brand only. Ideally, it is the most desirable experience in luxury you can get worldwide (in watchmaking, to cite the novelties of Geneva Watch Days, this is much like the rose gold bridges paired with platinum micro-rotors marking the calibres BVL138 and BVL305 that power the Octo Finissimo CarbonGold Automatic and the Perpetual Calendar). So, we are on our way. It is not yet achieved because, you know, it is a very ambitious goal. But this is the vision, and this vision drives us.

Given the amazing reputation Bulgari has as a jeweller– reports on LVMH consistently opine that Bulgari’s jewellery business is bigger than all of LVMH’s watch business, but correct me if I am mistaken-

No, no, I won’t correct you!

Two executives of the Serpenti Misteriosi high jewellery watches, both powered by the manufacture micro-calibre Piccolissimo that debuted at Geneva Watch Days 2023

Ok! So why focus on all these other areas? Why put all this effort into making Octo Finissimo the thinnest watch in the world, over 10 years and across complications?

Well, first, you know, the watch market is quite a big one and we have a relatively small share. We are an important player, but no brand has a commanding share, except Rolex.

Obviously, when the market is fragmented, it is often easier to get market share, provided you are creative and consistent, with a qualitative approach. We spent a lot of effort on micro mechanical engineering with the Finissimo, yes, but also in the Piccolissimo for ladies (which later resulted in some powerful models in the Serpenti range, which is Bulgari's biggest-selling line)... This is to say that making ultra-thin watches was never for the sake of beating world records. It was to execute our vision of style for men; the vision was the ultimate masculine contemporary elegance.

In ready-to-wear, we call it slim fit. And so, as gentlemen indulged in slim fit, they needed a slim watch because otherwise there is a mismatch. This was the genesis of the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo! The slim fit style obliged us to reinvent the mechanical movement in order to make it compatible with the aesthetic vision. And we have been so successful in this that we have the ultra-thin record in every category...you name it, we have it!

This article first appeared on WOW’s Festive 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Going Behind the Scenes of A. Lange & Söhne's Watchmaking Facility

The Lange I building after the renovation (Image taken in 2013)

For our first visit outside Switzerland this issue, and the first one in Legacy overall, we will take a moment to address some behind-the-scenes work. In an issue like this one, where a multitude of manufacturer visits are arrayed before you, dear reader, our goal is to make it all as engaging as possible. Normally, we do not worry about how one story follows the next, as long as there is a standard. For example, the simplest thing is to go with alphabetical order. If you have gotten this far, then you already know we have not done this. What we have done is separated the Swiss brands from the others, although in practice there is nothing to set them apart in terms of quality. Of course, this is not to say that Grand Seiko and A. Lange & Söhne are at all the same, any more than all manufactures are the same. For this reason, this seems as good a place to pause and take stock as any.

To begin with, it will not have escaped your attention that all but one of these stories is written by me. In itself, that elevates the risk that each manufacture story would suffer from a certain sense of ‘sameness,’ and this is not what we want for Time Stamps. As noted previously, we abandoned any idea of standardising this series of articles, just as a practical matter. Far better that each story stand out for its own virtues, whatever the deficiencies of the writer. In that sense, the biggest takeaway from the Glashütte manufacture of A. Lange & Söhne is that it embodies the spirit of an entire watchmaking region and philosophy.

Double-assembly at the Lange 1 station, with components and movements laid out for inspection

Watchmakers here probably studied at least part of their craft here, if not all of it. Unlike the Swiss, German and Japanese brands have to train their own people, without the benefit of an entire ecosystem. Production Director Tino Bobe never fails to remind us that A. Lange & Söhne requires skill levels that are simply impossible to find, outside Switzerland, and thus is obliged to run extensive apprenticeship programmes. On this particular visit, we got to meet many of the young people who make up the core of the watchmaking team here, besides the usual familiar faces, including Arnd Einhorn, Head of Global Corporate Communication.

From Scratch

Even a well-visited and documented site can reveal new things as we discovered at the one manufacture where we did not see CNC machines. They very much did exist, in the basement, but there are a few watchmaking firms where no one expects to see such contemporary machinery. They are just as important here as anywhere, given that A. Lange & Söhne typically produces new calibres for every new case and certainly for every new family. The manufacture has delivered no less than 71 calibres since it was reestablished in 1990, and this level of creation, shall we say, requires precision engineering for quality assurance. Remember once again that every one of these calibres, especially unique watch families such as the Zeitwerk, has to be built-up from scratch, and that includes developing the skills to make them. Impressively, this covers both the skills and know-how needed to make hairsprings in-house.

Tony de Haas with the Odysseus Chronograph

In a lot of ways, this was the definitive manufacture that helped shape the structure of every story in Time Stamps, as well as the Conversation on the very subject of manufactures. This tour, rather different in form than those organized in the Before Times, takes us all through double assembly (the Lange 1); complications (Datograph Up/Down); and Zeitwerk (time-only). While previous tours have included sessions on grand complications and engraving, this time we have a hands-on session with an attempt at engraving a balance cock. While we did not see or hear about the Odysseus this time, we did learn that the team that works on the base Odysseus also works on the Lange 1. Product Development Director Anthony de Haas notes that to make more Odysseus watches, A. Lange & Söhne would have to make fewer Lange 1 pieces. He is adamant that one collection will not suffer for the sake of another. In no small measure, de Haas and the watchmakers here, with their cheerful yet sometimes cheeky takes on their work, convinced this writer that every manufacture story in this issue had to be different.

Despite this commitment to variation, we note for the record that the Glashütte manufacture is still in much the same state as it was in 2019, which is to say that no new buildings have been added. There are still two wings – the former home of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange and his original production building, and then a much newer facility just a short walk away. The historical building houses offices, welcomes guests, and is also where the new watchmakers train – each annual batch of aspiring watchmakers numbers roughly 20.

German Silver

Most of the watchmaking action takes place in the contemporary building that was opened in 2015, and this is also where we spent most of our time. It is a multi-winged facility that covers roughly 5,400 sqm, which we have covered previously when it first opened and in our stories on sustainability in watchmaking because the entire production facility is carbon-neutral. This is largely thanks to geothermal energy, and demonstrates remarkable foresight on the part of the brand and its owner, Richemont.

Discovering the inner workings of the constant force mechanism at the Zeitwerk station

Foresight was also important in the decision to use double-assembly at A. Lange & Söhne. The Glashütte watchmaker is perhaps most famous for this process, with even its advertising leaning into it. Of course, de Haas is sanguine about the realities of double-assembly, telling us that A. Lange & Söhne is certainly not the only brand to use this process and that using it is a matter of practicality rather than of storytelling. “We tried doing single assembly and it was a disaster,” said de Haas. “In fact, it made us slower rather than faster.” This comes down to A. Lange & Söhne’s decision to use German silver for its plates and bridges. This material is notoriously prone to oxidation and thus must be handled carefully. At the Lange 1 second assembly demonstration, we learned that some components, such as the screws, are actually replaced at this stage; the second assembly is where the blued steel screws go in, with the temporary screws used in the first stage recycled.

Finishing is a deeply important part of the A. Lange & Söhne experience and it might surprise you to learn that some decorative steps are left till until the second assembly after the calibre is disassembled and all parts are cleaned (in an ultrasonic bath). The signature three-quarter plate of the Lange 1 – a Glashütte signature that one finds in virtually all the calibres at A. Lange & Söhne – get the Glashütte stripes applied only at the second assembly stage. Again, this is necessitated by the brand’s use of German silver, which de Haas, Bobe, and others will never ditch because of its luster and character.

Neue Manufaktur - The newer facilities of the manufacture

Visceral Experience

The watchmaking lessons continued with demonstrations and explanations of complications, where we saw the relatively simple Datograph Up/ Down. Nevertheless, the information on the inner workings of the chronograph all made their way into our giant (and ongoing) chronograph explainer series. If there is one chronograph that we would have liked to get under the microscope here (literally, as you can see) it would have to be the Odysseus Chronograph, simply because we get a lot of questions about this watch. It was not to be on this occasion but seeing the workings of a lateral clutch chronograph up close, with just the movement, is revelation enough.

Space is a premium in these stories, and every word now is taking away from the images we got on this tour. A. Lange & Söhne was one of three manufacturers that had a photographer accompany us, hence you see me and Ruckdee in some of these shots, but I digress. Our last theoretical lesson was with the Zeitwerk department, where we have learned some impressive information – some of which we are unable to share. Nevertheless, if you do have a chance to visit the manufacturer, do listen to what the production people themselves have to say. It is both revelatory and also heartening, which might surprise some of you, dear readers.

As usual, the Zeitwerk workshop featured more explanations and a visceral experience too since visitors are given the chance to feel the now-legendary mainspring of the movement. For the record, this is the most powerful mainspring in the A. Lange & Söhne assortment – yes the Lange 31 has the longest power reserve but it is also the longest spring. For the Zeitwerk, the spring is the strongest of all. A manufacture visit is probably the only time you will ever see the springs in this state, including the regulating organs of the constant force system.

Hands-On

Of course, it would not be a manufacturing visit at A. Lange & Söhne without something hands-on, which is what we got with an afternoon with the engravers. This is not my favourite activity, which is a necessary fourth-wall break here, as I have done this a number of times and have not improved; movement assembly though, I have noticed an improvement. Here is what I can tell you about this craft: it takes a steady hand that can apply a degree of consistent force. The engraver’s tools look pretty much alike, with a wicked-looking steel tip attached to a bulbous wooden handle that is meant to sit in the palm of your hand. You apply force with your hand and provide a measure of stability with your thumb and finger. You can just about make this out in the image here.

Actual engraving work on real balance cocks

While such activities are not really meant to teach much of anything, they do offer a sense of the skill of the craftsperson. Obviously, the young chap who was leading us was both serious about his work, yet quite carefree – there was no stress tension anywhere on his person, except perhaps when addressing a room filled with grumpy amateurs. Importantly, the engraving session reflects how a balance cock would really be engraved. It is done by hand, with the part secured in a clamp, just as you see. Imagine what happens when you etch away too much material and this will lend some additional heft to the task.

Watchmaking is indeed weighty, as A. Lange & Söhne demonstrates with each of its watches, not only to those who have seen the work up close. While human beings are not cutting out the balance cocks from blocks of metal (a task better left to precision instruments) but only humans can add beauty to a piece of metal. We continue to hope that watch enthusiasts will never lose sight of the fact that such efforts are made for all of us. We are the only ones who care enough to notice.

This article first appeared on WOW’s Legacy 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Why Size Matters at Bell & Ross

When one thinks of Bell & Ross, two names immediately come to mind: Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo, who are of course the Bell and Ross of the brand name. Of course, you are much more likely to meet Rosillo than you are to meet Belamich, for example, and there are plenty of watchmaking brands where only a handful of people ever speak with the media. One even. Bell & Ross is not that kind of watchmaker, as Managing Director Fabien Nonancourt reminds us merely with his presence!

Appointed Head of Sales in 2010, Nonancourt is no stranger to the press, retailers, and collectors in this and other regions. However, it was likely when he took on the General Manager (a term apparently used interchangeably with Managing Director) portfolio in 2017 that his public profile began to grow. While Rosillo is the CEO of Bell & Ross and Belamich is the Creative Director, Nonancourt's influence is perhaps most strongly felt on the front end of the brand experience. He has been heavily involved in what the brand calls the "optimisation," of its 600 points of sale worldwide and has most recently been engaged in developing the brand’s network of boutiques in Asia and Australia. As a member of the senior management team, Nonancourt is certainly in the mix as far as product development is concerned (he is part of the weekly product development meetings in Paris), as he is likely to be one of the first people to learn what people think of the watches and, crucially, to receive feedback from the sales floor.

On a recent visit to this region, Nonancourt went through the most recent update to what is arguably Bell & Ross’ most popular line, the BR 03. Literally a small change, we could not figure out exactly how a one mm difference could be a big deal – no pun intended. Nonancourt was only too happy to tell us how much of a difference it makes.

We are meeting on the occasion of a major change in size for Bell & Ross watches, specifically in the BR 03 so let us begin there.

We felt the demand from the market for smaller watches so we had to find basically the best compromise by reducing slightly the size but not giving up on the strong DNA of the BR 03, which is an instrument with a (strong) shape. We are debuting eight models, six of which already exist, in 41mm (42mm was standard for the BR 03 – Ed>. So this means we have two new designs and we think we have achieved the perfect compromise in delivering the new size. By the way, it is not just the size that has changed; we have made the watches more sophisticated and more refined. We have rounded the corners slightly and the lugs are a little bit smaller, as you noticed. So a lot of little changes make a big difference at the end of the day.

A change in size is certainly a big deal for something like the BR 03. Tell us more about the challenges.

I mean, you can really say size matters, even if just 1mm or 1/2mm millimeter; you can clearly see the difference <and feel it too – Ed>. And I can tell you, Bruno Belamich did so many prototypes with the different sizes of lugs and trying to have different (proportions) also of the rounded corners to find the perfect shape. The straps are also different (a result of the lug-width change) and the buckle is smaller too. This (evolution) has been the result of intense studies and difficult choices because (as mentioned), these are very small differences that make a big impression. Remember that way back when, some people would tell us that they love the BR 03 (and the BR 01 too) but that it was too big, too instrument-like, and too difficult to wear. So that is why we have created in 2019, the BR 05, which is another interpretation of the flight instrument, but in a more urban way that is suitable for any occasion.

So, the BR 05 was partly an answer to those clients, who are from everywhere...it is not the case that it was clients in Asia who wanted a smaller size. The smaller watch trend is everywhere, even in the US where they historically have liked small watches (including Bell & Ross models now out of production). In the watch industry, there are always trends with regard to size. Before, it was for larger watches, now it is for smaller watches. I think maybe people now want to be a little bit less ostentatious with their watches. It’s a little bit strange because at the same time, maybe people are willing to spend more and more money on watches! The BR 05 (for example) is a luxury sports watch.

Help us understand how and why you arrived at this smaller version of the BR 03. Did you want to surprise enthusiasts?

First of all, there was the choice of the size and that was the first decision (with regards to the BR 03). There was part of the team that was scared to change this historical model because Bell & Ross was known for the 42mm size. I think the strength of this product is to have a bigger size; I mean we had also the BRS collection that was 39mm and that was not so successful. So the (new size for the BR 03) was a big, big decision. And when we compared the 40mm prototype to the 41mm one, we felt better with the 41mm one.

Even though it was smaller (than the 42mm original), but you can still feel the strength of the instrument design aesthetic immediately. Also, a 2mm change is quite big on the square watch form <referring to why the 40mm prototype was not chosen>; we did show the 41mm prototype to (selected collectors and retailers) who said the 42mm BR 03 was too big and they liked it. (As I said), a 1mm change makes a huge difference in perception (with the specific Bell & Ross instrument style of watch).

We don't want to surprise people too much or to make a revolution. It is like, you know, the Porsche 911 – it should always be the 911; Porsche is not going to make revolutionary changes to the car. The BR 03 has been a bestseller for us since the beginning, and these watches will continue to be the bestsellers. People do not expect to see a totally new BR 03. They expect to see the product that they know but with some improvements, like we are now using the latest movement so we have a 54-hour power reserve.

As far as a surprise goes, we have the BR 03- 94 Blacktrack chronograph (co-created with designer Sacha Lakic) which is in the motorsports arena <see Highlights this issue – Ed>.

And a new BR X5...

This is how we work with Kenissi, which makes a tough and reliable movement for us in the BR-CAL.323. Our main priority in pursuing the manufacture movement was to be more present, let's say, with those brands going with in-house or manufacture movements. I think here there is a demand from the market for manufacture movements...I don’t think that collectors are strictly looking for manufacture movements (per se). They're looking for the benefit of the manufacture movement. Bell & Ross is a strong name (in watchmaking) known for its design (expertise) and we wanted to offer something with a manufacture movement...but not at crazy prices. Yes, the BR-X5 is more expensive than the 03 and 05 collections but not by (too large an amount) for an improvement in power reserve to approximately 70 hours. There are also other benefits, like extended warranties, that add value to the final watch (as far as benefits that manufacture movements offer).

So (the manufacture movement for the X5) was our first move and it has been very, very successful. We will continue to extend the collection to be part of the manufacture movement world (as Rosillo and Belamich have spoken about). I mean, this is not for tomorrow but it is part of the plan (for the future). (But the manufacture movement) will not be limited to just this collection...we plan to eventually bring the manufacture movement to the BR 03.

Bell & Ross Managing Director Fabien Nonancourt

For now, Bell & Ross also debuted the BR-X5 Green Lum in 2023, which uses the same calibre that debuted in 2022, but now cased up in a very special material that glows in the dark. Taking advantage of the BR-X5’s multipart complex case structure, Bell & Ross have used a special material called Lum. Interestingly, this material was used for the first time by Bell & Ross in a 2017 BR 03 model, the BR 03-92 Horolum; this magazine continues to hold a special place in its heart for the 2020 model, the BR 03-92 Diver Full Lum, which you might also recall, given its popularity. – Ed

Leaving the world of bold contemporary styles aside, Bell & Ross also has a vintage side that we are curious about. Tell us more.

You know, when we launched, I was not working for Bell & Ross at that time (the company was founded in 1992 – Ed). Bell & Ross launched its first vintage collection in 1997, and it was probably the first brand in the entire watch industry to launch a product called “Vintage.” Today, everyone is doing something vintage, but to launch in 1997 a brand new model that is called Vintage, not to have reissues of vintage watches, we were really ahead of the trend. I mean it was Bruno's inspiration and his feeling of the market that led him to think that maybe we should do a revival of the designs from the 1940s and the 1950s. Bell & Ross was alone at that time to do this. In fact, the name “Vintage” officially belongs to us...Bell & Ross has a trademark on the “Vintage” name; others are now doing reissues from their own back catalogues but no one can name these watches “Vintage.” Initially, this really helped us stand out but today, now that everyone is doing it, there is not such an advantage anymore.

This article first appeared on WOW’s Festive 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Sees Boats Fly

Image Courtesy of Panerai and Luna Rossa

When you are racing across the open water at speeds closing in on 50 knots (just under 100kmh), you feel the crest of every wave as your vessel tries to cut through them. The sea responds to such aggressive moves by trying to shake you off, literally. By you, we mean to say anyone aboard the offending speedboat; if you are not strapped into a seat or holding on for dear life, you will be lifted off your feet and dumped overboard. Holding on is exactly what I am doing as the Luna Rossa speedboat we are aboard attempts to demonstrate the speeds that the Luna Rossa foiling monohull achieves.

Of course, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team tells us that experiencing stomach-churning speeds on a powered vessel cannot really compare with what it feels like to sail aboard a foiling monohull. For one thing, even at the speeds we manage here off the coast of Cagliari, Italy, we would still be trailing behind the AC75 racing yacht that Luna Rossa will be fielding in the 37th America’s Cup 2024. Yes, speedboats can be outpaced by five-tonne sailing yachts, and – for some context – that is like saying a mechanical watch could be more precise than a quartz watch. This, of course, is a segue because we are here at the Luna Rossa Base in Sardinia at the invitation of Panerai; the Swiss-made Italian watch brand is an official Luna Rossa sponsor.

Now, before you go accusing us of having had too much Franciacorta – not to mince words about it – besides having our brains baked by the Sardinian sun, you should know that the AC75 monohulls have been known to achieve speeds in excess of 50 knots. Google it. In any case, the America’s Cup represents peak sailing, both from the perspective of sailing the monohulls and engineering them. The legendary regatta is the Formula 1 of the sailing world and has been since before the motorcar was even a gleam in Karl Benz’s eye. Like the development of the automobile, the America’s Cup has quite a rich narrative and so we give it its own section. While the contemporary reality of sailing is far removed from its roots, some context is still useful. Just so you know, the America’s Cup is the world’s oldest sporting competition of any kind, with the first having taken place in 1851.

Above The Waves

If you are in the mood to have your mind boggled by some sailing yacht facts, here is the low-down on the standard monohull hydrofoil that will be used in the coming America’s Cup. The AC75 (or America’s Cup 75 footer) is also the basis of the prototype that Luna Rossa is using, but more on that in due course. It helps to first know what in the world a hydrofoil monohull sailing yacht is, and how it manages to just glide above the waves. The simple answer is that there are wings called hydrofoils attached to the hull, left and right, and these do what wings normally do. The tips or ends of these two wings and a rudder are the only elements that are in contact with the water when the yacht is at speed, making it look for all the world like it is flying across the waves. Such a vessel should easily move at twice the prevailing wind speed, and might even go faster. This is difficult to grasp because the yacht is wind-powered after all, but it is what happens. Here is what we have been able to glean from official sources on the technical details: the aforementioned wings are canting ballasted T-wing hydrofoils mounted on the port and starboard topside longitudinal drums; there is a centerline T-wing rudder, and no keel (source: Wikipedia).

All of the above is certainly standard but the America’s Cup race did not start using the hydrofoil design until 2017, and the monohull variant dates from just two years ago (2021). Team Luna Rossa itself is working on a prototype, LEQ 12, with the following publicly declared specifications:

Hull Length <12m
Mast Height +/- 18 m
Weight (Unscrewed) 2.1 tonnes
Crew 4+2
Top Speed 45+ knots

This puts the LEQ 12 at an apparent disadvantage as far as top speeds go because the AC75 has been clocked at speeds beyond 50 knots. Of course, that is straight line speed and the thing about sailing boats is how they turn. Again, perhaps counterintuitively, sailing vessels can and do sail into the wind, and have been doing so since some clever sailor somewhere figured out how to angle the sails just right. On that note, consider that the Luna Rossa team considers itself pretty clever too since it opted to create its own boat from scratch to challenge team New Zealand, the defender of the America’s Cup. The 10,000 sqm Cagliari base camp is where Luna Rossa is doing most of its development work, which is not inconsiderable; there is also a 4,000 sqm site in Barcelona, Spain, which is where the AC75 Challenger Selection Series begins next year. In fact, Luna Rossa was one of the teams that developed the aforementioned AC75 foiling monohull standard.

Image courtesy of Panerai and Luna Rossa

America's Cup History

Auld Mug

Given that it predates the first Olympic Games by 45 years, the America’s Cup is really the world’s oldest international sporting event; the first race was held in 1851 while the Summer Olympics began in 1896. It was originally a showdown between two yacht clubs or organisations in Great Britain and the United States, and what we call the America’s Cup today is named for the schooner that won the first race in 1851, the America.

The first defence of the America’s Cup only took place in 1870, by which time the New York Yacht Club, which was the steward of the Cup, was already under one of the most famous of the competition’s rules: the holder of the America’s Cup is obliged to defend its right to steward Auld Mug (as it was originally called) should any qualifying club issue a challenge. This remains the case to this day, which is why the America’s Cup champion is called the Defender, while its rival is called the Challenger of Record. Until 1967, there was only one Challenger but from 1970, multiple clubs issued qualifying challenges. This was the beginning of the Challenger Selection Series, where all America’s Cup challengers competed until one victor emerged as the Challenger of Record to take on the Defender.

The race between the Challenger and Defender has evolved over time too, but the affair is still relatively stately, with the Defender and Challenger agreeing to terms prior to every challenge.

Panerai Luna Rossa

Riding The Wind

Although watch collectors will be much more familiar with Panerai as the military secret that equipped Italian navy divers with precision instruments than anything else, the contemporary Panerai watchmaking brand has been associated with all manner of marine activities for the better part of this century. Since 2017, Panerai has created wristwatches with the sorts of materials that America’s Cup teams were experimenting with. One might even say that Panerai’s penchant for material innovation makes it an ideal partner for a racing team such as Luna Rossa, which is precisely how team Luna Rossa describes the watchmaker.

Of course, Panerai recognises its own virtues in exploring new frontiers in watchmaking, as Ficarelli told us, citing just the example of PAM01039. The brand knows to maximise on the emotional qualities of being innovative, which points to a certain spirit of boldness. Here, we enter the realm of character, as Panerai connects the dots between past and present, and thus hopes to build bridges with community of watch lovers. “Storytelling is pivotal in cementing Panerai’s legitimacy, intertwining its deep-seated maritime roots with its modern identity,” said Ficarelli. “By chronicling its journey from creating robust instruments for the Italian Navy to embracing the adrenaline of performance boating, Panerai underscores its heritage and authenticity. Each watch, steeped in historical value and innovative prowess, symbolises a continuity of tradition and a forward-looking vision, fortifying the brand’s connection with enthusiasts who value both the legacy and the ongoing maritime saga.”

Panerai had a dedicated Luna Rossa series of watches than spans a number of ranges, including the Submersible (although the 1309 is currently unavailable). Panerai watches are typically in-demand so availability of Luna Rossa watches should be monitored closely. Currently, our pick includes the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono Carbotech PAM01519 and the Luminor Luna Rossa Quaranta BiTempo PAM01404. The impressively named latter watch is especially notable for its automatic P.900 GMT calibre, which has a three- day power reserve. The chronograph is powered by calibre P.9200 and is currently the only available Luna Rossa watch cases in Carbotech. This is important for this watch because it is a 44mm whopper. The GMT model is a more reasonable 40mm watch in steel. There are also two Luminor Due references worth taking note of: PAM 01378 and PAM 01381.

Just as Formula 1 is an expensive sport, so too is the business of the America’s Cup, with estimates on operating the teams running up to US$200 million for each competitive run. This is evident in the Luna Rossa base camp, where there are at least two simulators, two prototypes (a slightly scaled-down model that we saw and another full-size model that takes to the waves), in-house manufacturing capabilities, and engineers and technicians of many stripes all working together to develop the LEQ 12 that will eventually be the Luna Rossa racing yacht. In total, there are approximately 118 people on the distinctly Italian team, including Skipper and Team Director Max Sirena and Circolo Della Vela Sicilia President Patrizio Bertelli. It breaks down as follows:

Sailing Team 24
Shore Team 34
Communications / Public Relations 5
Services / Administration 17
Design Team 34

One quick way to understand team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is to look at the tale in terms of figures. Here is what the fact sheet says about the team:

America’s Cup Participation (Including The Coming Season) 6
(2000, 2003, 2007, 2013, 2021, 2024)
Appearances At Challenger Selection Series Finals 4
(2000, 2007, 2013, 2021)
Challenger Selection Series Won 2
(2000 Louis Vuitton Cup; 2021 Prada Cup)
Challenger Of Record Success 2 (2003, 2021)
Overall America’s Cup Yachts Built Since 1997 9

If there is one Panerai watch that embodies the story here, it must be the Submersible Luna Rossa PAM01039. Panerai Chief Marketing Officer Alessandro Ficarelli explains: “(The watch) stands out due to its use of innovative materials like Carbotech (a specially developed material used by the brand), representing the brand’s adventurous spirit and its watchmaking expertise. Moreover, its aesthetic intertwines sporty resilience with elegance, including details like the incorporation of actual sail material, which symbolises a forward-thinking vision that aligns with Panerai’s maritime legacy and its future aspirations."

Those aspirations are on show on this visit to Sardinia, which was actually part of Panerai’s now-famous experiences. The Luna Rossa vessel itself might be a very expensive closely-held secret that amateurs have no business messing with, but there are all manner of maritime activities that can be associated with the competitive team’s preparations. Popular on this particular occasion was water-skiing but Panerai also went the distance with a surfing experience with the brand’s ambassador, surfing champion Leonardo Fioravanti. Of course, everything will pay off nicely for Panerai should Luna Rossa be on top form during the America’s Cup. First though, whether the Luna Rossa team will become the Challenger of Record in 2024 will be determined when the season begins in Barcelona.

This article first appeared on WOW’s Festive 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Why Buying Luxury Watches is a Waiting Game

Arguably, buying a watch has always been a journey of discovery, but when it comes to exploring an entirely new brand, it becomes a literal opening up of an undiscovered country. If you are a Joy Division fan, you might even think of Unknown Pleasures realised. Even if one is not so poetically inclined, getting into a new name in watchmaking is equal parts trepidation and transcendence. This is where I find myself now, with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto, a watch I failed to buy on its launch last year.

Those of you who may have read this very section last year might recall the heavy presence of this watch, which came to represent all my failed attempts to buy a variety of popular watch models, from mainstream brands to independents. Trust me when I say there have been many, only the most famous of which graces the opening section of this recurring missive. It is no exaggeration though to say that Christopher Ward changed everything and not just for me. It did so in a way that put enthusiasts and collectors first, and I believe is what makes it particularly worthy of the Petite Aiguille at the GPHG in 2023. It is for this reason, aside from the purchase decision of course, that I decided to push out this story.

To get things off on the right foot though, I must note that I took possession of my Bel Canto, when this issue was being sent to the printer, and this sentence was part of a running change. It was meant to arrive in November, which would have given me just enough wiggle room to shoot the actual piece. That date turned into December and, well, you know the rest. However, while I continue to be against the practice of making people wait for an indeterminate period of time for a choice timekeeper, I do understand that some waiting is necessary. If nothing else, waiting gives you the chance to change your mind and – to be completely honest – you should definitely do that if your doubts cast too large a shadow. There are few things worse than buyer’s remorse over what amounts to a discretionary purchase of an object that is meant to make you feel good about yourself.

Brand Equity

So, before even getting to the watch in question, the brand must be addressed. Swiss Made is absolutely necessary for some, and that is perfectly fine. Despite being British, Christopher Ward fulfils this; the watches are certainly conceived and designed in the UK though. A. Lange & Söhne and Seiko probably have something to say about this sort of thing, and with good reason. Reasons even but then again, even Glashütte brands do use Swiss suppliers, and the Swiss themselves have suppliers outside the EU. I am of the Tony de Haas school of thought here, in the sense that I do not care a whit about who made the screws.

Despite being a recent arrival in watchmaking, Christopher Ward has fulfilled what I consider to be a reasonable grace period, from its inception in 2004, to be taken seriously. It now fits properly into the constellation of brands I regularly look at when considering a new watch. Of course, the price and nature of the Bel Canto ultimately convinced me to push Christopher Ward ahead of many brands whose watches I have wanted for decades, in some cases (see the second the watch on the list for an idea of why that might be). Although I am about to spend a little time extolling the virtues of the brand, I have only been properly aware of it (beyond a vague notion that it exists) since 2017, to my great shame.

Now, this story does not get into specifics about the C1 Bel Canto – that will have to wait for another time, preferably when the watch is actually here and I have images of it as well as a report of the wearing experience. Instead, I want to focus on the (ongoing) acquisition itself. Christopher Ward discovered it had a hit of unparalleled proportions with this watch, although whether that was before or after Watchfinder & Co and Swiss Watch Gang talked up the model is uncertain. Brand representatives have said that they would have had second thoughts had they known how challenging such a watch would have been, and how much demand they had to satisfy. Honestly, though, what did Christopher Ward expect would happen when it offered a chiming watch for approximately USD 5,000? It is certainly the most handsome hour-striker at its price point, and arguably superior to many other more expensive tickers.

No Issue Reissue

What made a consequential difference to me here was how Christopher Ward handled the mad scramble for the original C1 Bel Canto. It would have been all too easy for the watchmakers to have patted themselves on the back for a job well done with the watch, thanked everyone who bought the watch and expressed consternation that so many had been disappointed. That could have been all there was to it, but not for Christopher Ward.

With orders closed for that now-famous watch, the brand bothered to go through the list of people who tried and failed to buy it. It then came up with a process for all of us to find a little satisfaction – the second run of the C1 Bel Canto in the colours you can see on the brand’s website. Crucially, this was far in advance of any news of a renewed run for the Bel Canto, and all the failed buyers of the original watch were taken through a process to confirm our interest, and subsequently to order the version we wanted. This was not a wait-list, strictly speaking, because everyone paid a deposit; this process is now precisely how orders for all future Bel Canto watches are handled on the website.

That Christopher Ward reached out to me, I found deeply impressive. Of the many pieces I expressed an interest in, the attention of both brands and dealers have been, shall we say, tenuous. When demand is plentiful, this is unsurprising but I must dutifully report to those of you knew to this hobby that it was like this even 10 years ago (with some caveats, as noted below). Receiving an email, automated though it appeared to be, from Christopher Ward noting my interest in the Bel Canto and then moving from there in a clear and structured manner was very notable. Just knowing that they wanted to keep the connection going was refreshing and reminiscent of how authorised dealers used to treat people.

Online First

A pioneer in the online space back in 2005, Christopher Ward knows a thing or two about how to keep people interested in its story – without the luxury of physical contact. In the case of the Bel Canto, this took the form of a series of six staggered emails that explained a variety of production details relating to how the watch is made. Aside from being extremely informative, especially if you like to nerd out as I obviously do, these emails served as tactical instruments. The last one was meant to mark the imminent arrival of the watch, and now I shall see how closely the watch tracks, especially since I know that the new watches have made their way to collectors in a variety of countries. On a final note on buying watches online, the C1 Bel Canto is my first significant online watch purchase (believe it or not) and paying for this – even if it was only a deposit – then just twiddling my thumbs while waiting indefinitely could have been anxiety-inducing. The consistent updates and production updates besides went a long way towards avoiding this...well, until now that is.

As some of you no doubt are curious about, the C1 Bel Canto does pop up occasionally, and very unreliably, on resale platforms. If you believe the listings, if you want to skip the wait then you will have to pay an unhealthy premium. For a watch still in production and available via the brand at a standard price, this is egregious – it might just be trolls and scammers because however amazing the unrivalled Bel Canto might be, it cannot compete with major brand offerings.

Now, by dint of some luck, I do know at least one other person who is waiting for his Bel Canto watch. I had no idea that he too had tried to buy the original and had fallen short but we did compare notes once he saw the story in last year’s Many More Hands story. No doubt you will see the photographic evidence on Instagram when we both receive our watches. Strangely enough, I apparently know yet another person who is also on standby while he awaits his watch. If nothing else, the fact that Christopher Ward has managed what amounts to a reissue so effectively is amazing. For me, all that remains is managing the waiting game.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas 41mm

Unlike the C1 Bel Canto, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas has been a constant companion in my dreams for years. I trust I need not repeat any refrains about Vacheron Constantin’s long and storied past to explain this but the choice of the Overseas itself is a bit of a personal idiosyncrasy. Amidst the madness surrounding luxury sports watches in recent years, I had to strongly consider how to proceed. In other words, I needed to decide if I wanted in on the action. As I have explained over the years in the pages of this magazine, I feel the ascendance of the sports watch is about as irreversible as the big watch trend. Thus, if you want one of the big standard bearers, you need to already be in good standing...and be willing to compete with speculators. As far as the Overseas goes, I might selfishly suggest to the alternative asset guys and flippers that they are barking up the wrong tree. Properly speaking, this is because the Overseas is really in its own odd little space.

While I would argue that the love for Gerald Genta-designed watches is properly separate from an appreciation of the luxury sports watch, there are overlaps. The Overseas is not one of them, with this watch having a rather interesting history that I do not have space to get into. Suffice it so say though that the Overseas is a sports watch, its history begins in the 1990s, and continued to evolve up to the early Aughts. The last revision to the collection happened in 2016, which was relatively minor. Even Vacheron Constantin does not make the case that the Overseas was meant to be the successor to the 222 in 1979, which was the brand’s proper contribution to the design language pioneered by Genta (though he did not design the 222 or the Overseas, just to be clear). It will not surprise you that this was when I discovered the Overseas because I was learning and writing about watches around about this time (especially the 2000s), when I first discovered the magic of mechanical watches in the 1990s. The watch today is quite different than it was at the start but it still says something about the era of its birth.

For the longest time, prior to the launch of the Fiftysix collection, the Overseas family served as the gateway to Vacheron Constantin. I feel positive about the change, although it did not influence my decision as far as reference 4520V/210A-B128 goes. Vacheron Constantin just wised up to the fact that a legend of fine watchmaking cannot use a design-forward luxury sports watch as an introduction to the brand. Now, this does open up pricing options for the brand, which admittedly might be very bad for me and for anyone hoping for a bargain here – the Overseas can be had for $16,500, although that is for the quartz model. Prices have been trending upwards with this collection for years, although resale prospects here were never in outlandish territory.

Something to note about this model here is that it is a boutique exclusive, at least in Singapore. That means buying it is a matter of when you expressed interest in it. Now, I have been on this list for a number of years now and I have not tired of waiting yet. This is one of the upsides to waiting for more than a minute (to put it mildly) to commit to a watch because neither the brand nor market conditions are responsible. Just me and my wallet. I will close with a brief note on why I decided to finally buy the watch. In a word, it was fear, just as it was with the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss in 2021.

Inflationary pressures aside, all brands continue to aggressively push their prices skywards and, as mentioned, the introduction of the Fiftysix signals as much to me. The Overseas is, in my view, no competitor to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or the Patek Philippe Nautilus, even if it plays in their arena. Like those watches, it tested the boundaries of watch design (by channelling the brand’s Maltese cross logo) to the breaking point. It may have passed that post and then waited for the market to catch up to it, which is a decision I continue to salute Vacheron Constantin for. Happily, the Overseas has not only finally found the audience it deserves but it also no longer needs to languish in the shadow of giants, thanks to Vacheron Constantin introducing the Historiques 222.

This article first appeared on WOW’s Legacy 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.