Manufacture Royale Opera

Voltaire, a French Enlightenment writer famous for his wit and advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and free trade was apparently the inspiraion behind Manufacture Royale’s “Opera”. Would he have approved? Hard to know. Its quite an extravagence, given the time in which he lived , probably only Louis XV could have afforded to buy one of these. To paraphrase Voltaire, if this watch didn’t exist would it be necesary to invent it? Well I’m sure there probably was a void for a $1.2m watch with the unique capability of creating a hollow chamber to improve the accoustics of its minute repeater..

January 2011

Urwerk 110

The UR-110 is a watch with attitude. From the base of its unusual asymmetrical case to the three arrow-shaped “torpedoes” flying in formation with the mission of indicating the time, the UR-110 has serious attitude.

Enveloped in a secure titanium case, planetary gearing keeps the three hour satellites in parallel formation as they take turns to indicate the time as they pass the 60-minute track. An “Oil Change” indicator alerts the user when it is time for a service; a “Day/Night” indicator helps keep track of changing time zones; and twin turbines on the back minimize wear in the automatic winding system.

MB&F Horological Machine No.2 – The Final Editions

First launched in 2008, Horological Machine No2 revolutionized the world of haute horlogerie with its distinctive rectangular shape, flying buttresses, dual portholes and modular construction. The crystal-clear sapphire case of HM2-SV then took the revolution even further by offering unprecedented visual access into the meticulously hand-finished, 349-component engine powering the indications on HM2’s iconic twin dials.

But all good things come to an end and, after three very successful years, Horological Machine No2 takes one last bow on center stage with two final limited editions of 18 pieces each, both featuring sapphire cases: HM2-Black SV and HM2-Red SV close the HM2 collection, thus ensuring its exclusivity.

Synthetic sapphire watchcases are extremely rare for good reason. While sapphire retains its strength at high temperatures, has zero porosity and (below 300c) does not react to acids, the very properties that make it so attractive also make it extremely difficult to mill, requiring sophisticated

2010 was a good year for admirers of unusual, unconventional or unique timepieces.
Here is a selection of some of those timepieces that break with the traditional constraints of watch design.

The amount of engineering in some cases is phenomenal, especially when you consider that essentially their end purpose is to tell you the time (or not in one case).
As watchmaker Cabestan states: “telling time is secondary to satisfying the human need for bold originality”.

The incredibly convoluted and unique ways in which these pioneers in the art of innovative timekeeping achieve their aims makes them technological wonders or even pieces of mechanical art.

Parmigiani Bugatti Tourbillon

Parmigiani teamed up with Bugatti to create a watch for their 16C Galibier car and the Bugatti Tourbillon Watch was the result. Its a convertible watch designed to be four timepieces in one.

The 16C is a four seat luxury sedan which shares the W16 8.0L engine of the Bugatti Veyron, but with two superchargers instead of four turbochargers for improved torque. Its still in prototype stage and a version proper is expected to reach the market in 2013.

Gustafsson & Sjögren

Swedish watch brand Gustafsson & Sjögren is a partnership between ‘bladesmith’ Johan Gustafsson and watchmaker Patrik Sjögren and they aim to “provide truly unique watches with inspiration from the cold north of Scandinavia.”

They use hand forged Damascus steel in several parts including the dial, crown and for the automatic watches, the rotor. This gives them a distinct look and each watch is one of a kind limited edition.

They also offer customised versions where you can choose Damascus steel patterns and colors.

Price:$6-8000
Source:Gustafsson & Sjögren

Morpheus Passagen

This watch is a collaboration between artist H.R.Giger – most famous for his designs used in the film Alien, and watchmakers Morpheus.

It has more of an industrial design look to it rather than drawing inspiration from his more familiar organic bio-mechanical work, the design seems more conservative to those designs, perhaps in order to gain a more mainstream appeal.

As implied in the models name, the watch design is based on Gigers “Passage” paintings (view a video of views of these.) The caseback is signed by H.R.Giger

Price:$2,995
Source:Link

Greubel Forsey Invention Piece No.2

The third “Invention Piece” – (Invention Piece No 3 was released prior to this one) by Greubel Forsey is another technological marvel with a movement comprised of 594 components and featuring no less than four tourbillons.

Two double tourbillons are displayed on opposite sides of the asymmetrical case and can be viewed from all angles by way of sapphire crystals at the front and rear as well as a lateral window.

Hours and minutes are indicated by a red triangle and a rotating disk on a sub-dial at 5 o’clock.

Price:CHF 700,000
Source:Greubel Forsey

Black Belt Watch

This watch is brought to you by Yvan Arpa former Managing Director of Romain Jerome and someone known for his eccentric watch ideas and noted for his creative notoriety.

Other watches he is responsible for are the Titanic DNA watch which used metal from the actual Titanic in its construction as well as a watch with a face made from fossilized dinosaur dung.

Arpa collaborated on the “Blackbelt watch” and it requires that you have a black belt in a type of martial arts and that you attach a copy of your certificate when ordering as proof.

Price:CHF 3000
Source:Black Belt Watch

Saskia Maaike Bouvier

This new watch brand named after their designer Saskia Maaike Bouvier produces Swiss watches that feature a face divided into Summer and Winter, with dials displaying the seasonally adjusted time for each.

The watch has a nice, whimsically decorated design, the movement also features decoration relating to the season such as flowers and snow flakes, the bridges have also been shaped like trees.

They are aimed at women who like larger sized watches, since they aren’t really petit at 45mm diameter.

Price:From CHF 18,000
Source:Saskia Maaike Bouvier