Vacheron Constantin Opens New Boutique at South Coast Plaza in Orange County

 

Vacheron Constantin, the world's oldest Haute Horlogerie manufacturer with more than 250 years of uninterrupted history, announces the opening of its newest boutique at South Coast Plaza in Orange County, California.

South Coast Plaza offers an unparalleled luxury shopping experience, in keeping with Vacheron Constantin's high level of sophistication and commitment to exceptional customer service. The exclusive new boutique is the brand's third in the United States, with others open in New York City (September 2011) and Las Vegas (August 2012), and marks the brand's 32nd boutique worldwide.  

The new boutique welcomes watch collectors and enthusiasts to view its fine timepieces in more than 750 square feet of floor space. The boutique is rich in elegant architectural and decorative details, which incorporate contemporary elements into the traditional design that reveals the brand's constant search for excellence and aesthetic perfection. A custom-made Murano crystal chandelier graces the center of the boutique, and is complimented by sleek showcases and walls finished in fine Venetian plaster. The Venetian glass decorations create an environment of refined elegance and invite customers to appreciate the culture, history, and tradition of excellence that defines Vacheron Constantin. 

Known for its technical and aesthetic excellence, and the high level of finishing of its timepieces, Vacheron Constantin displays a very sophisticated level of refinement as well as a strong attachment to its heritage, the transmission of know-how and high quality craftsmanship. The boutique will offer the entire range of collections from the Geneva-based manufacture, as well as exclusive boutique models including the new Métiers d'Art Les Univers Infinis collection. The boutique will offer the Ateliers Cabinotiers service, a highly exclusive service which allows the client to entirely customize his or her timepiece through a collaboration with the Maison. An attentive after-sales service is also offered.

"We are delighted to open our third U.S. boutique at South Coast Plaza," said Hugues de Pins, president of Vacheron Constantin North America. "We are very proud that our first California boutique is situated within the Orange County community, marking an important step in the brand's expansion in America. This new boutique will provide an exceptional experience that will enhance customer understanding of the brand, its heritage, and its commitment to excellence in high watchmaking." 

In keeping with the brand's strong commitment to supporting Arts and Culture around the world, Vacheron Constantin has committed to supporting the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2012-2013 Season as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2012 Candlelight Gala. The annual event, which supports the Center and its programs, took place on Friday, December 7th.

Lawrence M. Higby, chairman of the Center, said, "We are very honored that Vacheron Constantin watches selected Segerstrom Center for its first philanthropic partnership in Orange County. I know that commitment to community and to supporting the arts, in particular, is part of the Vacheron Constantin heritage and tradition. We applaud them for this and welcome them to our Center family.

Richard Mille Opens Boutique in Singapore

The new Richard Mille Singapore boutique was inaugurated on December 14th in the prestigious setting of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Orchard Road, one of the great bastions of luxury in the Garden City.

The Singapore boutique is one of the brand's largest showrooms covering 200 square meters featuring a new showroom concept enhanced by very subtle lighting. All forthcoming boutiques of the brand will be inspired by this new design concept encapsulating a unique and enlightened atmosphere.

A range of new areas, including a "watchmakers workshop" and a lounge bar, also characterise this boutique. The bar's warm and friendly atmosphere encourages visitors to spend some time in this temple devoted to very fine watchmaking.

At the heart of the boutique, 24 display cases present and showcase the collection's most exceptional creations. Curved display cases fixed to an all-glass facade recall the tonneau shape of Richard Mille timepieces and enable collectors and enthusiasts to admire these watches from all angles. Two distinctive sculptures - one located on the outer facade and the other on the inner facade - represent the spectacular mechanisms used in Richard Mille watches.

The inauguration of the boutique began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the presence of Richard Mille and Dave Tan, CEO of Richard Mille Asia, joined by a prestigious brand partner and friend, Michelle Yeoh, who wished to be at Richard Mille's side for this momentous occasion. After the ceremony, the new boutique was unveiled in spectacular fashion, and the 300 guests enjoyed an exclusive opportunity to discover the new RM universe. To welcome the guests, the evening's waiting staff were dressed in various sporting outfits (tennis, golf, motorsports, etc.) typically worn by some of the brand's partners, providing a glimpse of the world Richard Mille is truly passionate about!

After the cocktail reception, the evening continued in one of the Grand Hyatt Singapore's luxury Salons, renamed the "RM Club" for the occasion. A fabulous programme was concocted and music took centre stage, with a performance from the famous DJ ed (Leo Lanvin) to start the show, followed by the South Korean girl group MISS A, who gave guests an exceptional concert to round off an exceptional evening. 

More Richard Mille watches at theluxurywatchblog.com

Jaeger-LeCoultre: 180 Years Dedicated to the Quest for Excellence

Since 1833, creations by Jaeger-LeCoultre have been laying milestones in the history of Fine Watchmaking. It is from this longstanding experience that the men and women of Jaeger-LeCoultre now draw their inventive capacity.

A watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre crystallises high standards, a classicism that remains profoundly attached to the past and concerned with authenticity, while also driven by a conquering spirit and a perpetual quest for the finest horological inventions. The current creations are a natural extension of the historical models and represent the culmination of the same research endeavours in both technical and esthetic fields.

Until January 21, 2013, Jaeger-LeCoultre invites you to revisit the "Hybris Mechanica" collection, the quintessence of the horological passion which unites and drives the men and women of the Manufacture. 

Compare watches for men at menswatchshop.co.uk

Omega Announces The First Truly Anti-Magnetic Watch Movement

Omega has announced the creation of a watch that is resistant to magnetic fields greater than 1.5 tesla (15,000 gauss), far exceeding the levels of magnetic resistance achieved by any previous watch and solving a problem that has challenged watchmakers for centuries. 

The movement was introduced at a press conference at the Cité du Temps in Geneva on January 17th by Raynald Aeschlimann, OMEGA Vice President and member of Swatch Group's Extended Group Management Board.  

Mr Aeschlimann opened the press conference, welcoming the media and introducing Jean-Claude Monachon, OMEGA Vice President and Head of Product Development, Michel Willemin, CEO of ASULAB, Thierry Conus, the Director of Research & Development at ETA and Mathieu Oulevey, a Tribology and Materials engineer at ETA. 

In his opening remarks at the press conference, Mr Aeschlimann gave credit to Swatch Group's unique ability to benefit from the contributions of the best engineers and researchers from all of its brand and companies. He added, "All of the heroes are here not only my colleagues from OMEGA but from ASULAB and ETA. It was only through their shared creativity and enthusiasm that we could introduce this important innovation to you."

The technology developed by the team led to the first prototype of the movement, which has been fitted in an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra. Unlike other efforts to combat the effects of magnetism, the OMEGA movement does not rely on a protective container inside the watchcase but on the use of selected non-ferrous materials in the movement itself. Several patents are pending for the new movement.

Jean-Claude Monachon reminded the attendees at the press conference of OMEGA's long history of technological innovation, showing slides of highlights going back to 1894. He went on to point out that magnetism has always been an issue for watchmakers, adding that magnets are now more present in our daily lives than they have ever been before. Watchmakers have to deal regularly with the issue of magnetism, as it is necessary for them to demagnetize mechanical watches whose performance has been compromised by exposure to magnetic fields, a problem that will be solved with the new movement.

He explained that G. N. Hayek, the CEO of Swatch Group, challenged Omega to create a totally non-magnetic watch and announced that OMEGA, with engineers, scientists and metallurgists from its sister companies had met the challenge.   

Michel Willemin's presentation focused on issues of magnetism in daily life. He gave members of the press a brief primer on magnets and magnetism and pointed out that the evolution of the strength of permanent magnets was a key motivation behind the development of the movement.

Thierry Conus explained how magnetism had been dealt with previously, including inner cases designed to limit the effect of magnetism. He pointed out the limitations of the approach including the facts they couldn't handle the challenge of the increased strength of permanent magnets and that, from an aesthetic standpoint, they block the view of the movement. He then showed a short film showing how a conventional mechanical watch exposed to high levels of magnetism stopped immediately and dramatically lost its accuracy. The OMEGA prototype was subjected to even higher levels of magnetism (15,000 gauss) and continued to perform. Testing showed that the watch was as accurate after its magnetic exposure as it had been before.

A live demonstration was then made that offered compelling and conclusive evidence that OMEGA's new >15,000 Gauss movement is a landmark development in watchmaking.

OMEGA expects to present the technology at the Baselworld trade fair in April. The new movement, the OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 8508, should be introduced to the market in 2013. 

You can compare Omega mens watches only from official retailers at menswatchshop.co.uk





 

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra "Captain's Watch”

Omega has created the Seamaster Aqua Terra “Captain’s Watch” in celebration of this year’s Ryder Cup. 

This special edition timepiece will be worn by American Ryder Cup team captain and Omega brand ambassador Davis Love III. Love, whose twenty PGA Tour victories include the PGA Championship in 1997, has been a part of six U.S. Ryder Cup teams, winning the cup in 1993 and 1999.

Omega will be serving as Official Timekeeper of the Ryder Cup for the first time in September within the scope of its partnership with The PGA of America. The tournament, which is one of the most popular and hotly anticipated events on the golfing calendar, is a competition between teams from Europe and the United States contested every two years, alternating between American and European courses. There is no prize money involved – the best golfers in the world compete purely for the victory.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra “Captain’s Watch” has a 41.50 mm brushed and polished stainless steel case with a polished bezel. Its polished screw-in caseback has a sapphire crystal that allows a clear view of the watch’s movement.

Powering the “Captain’s Watch” is Omega’s exclusive Co-Axial caliber 8500 with a Si14 silicon balance spring. The combination offers such outstanding reliability and performance that the watch is delivered with a four-year warranty.

The silver dial has the vertical “teak-pattern” lines that characterize the watches in the Aqua Terra collection. Brushed and polished 18 Ct white gold indexes mark eleven of the hours; there is a date window at 3 o’clock. The watch has distinctive facetted blue hands that are coated with Super-LumiNova, making them legible in all lighting conditions; the central seconds hand has a yellow tip.

The Omega watch logo on the dial and the words “CO-AXIAL CHRONOMETER” are red as are the non-numeral markers on the minute track. “Seamaster”, “150m/500ft” and the numerals on the minute track are blue. These colors against the silver background of the dial subtly recall Davis Love III’s national flag.
The stainless steel screw-and-pin bracelet has brushed outer links and polished center links.

The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra “Captain’s Watch” is water resistant to 15 bar / 150 metres / 500 feet.

Swatch Group invests in Biel

The Swatch Group is planning new buildings for Swatch and Omega and a renovation and redesign of existing buildings at its premises on Rue Jakob Stämpfli in Biel / Bienne. Under the project lead of Hayek Engineering construction is set to begin in November of 2012.

Two of Switzerland’s most important brands are planning to construct new buildings allowing them to expand their headquarters in Biel / Bienne. The surrounding area was purchased specifically for the project. The plans include three additional buildings that are being constructed according to the latest environmental and energy-efficiency criteria. They are being planned to respect the existing architectural and urban design already in the area.

An architectural competition was held in 2010 to select a suitable building concept. The jury’s choice was the proposal by the world-famous Japanese architect Shigeru Ban (Mr. Ban had already designed the Nicolas G. Hayek Center with the «Climbing Garden» in Tokyo, Japan). His proposal was particularly convincing with its pragmatic and brand-specific designs for each building. In addition, it takes the existing landscape into account and thoughtfully integrates Omega’s listed buildings from the early days of industrialization.

A new central building along the Gottstattstrasse will combine functional areas for the two brands under one roof and accommodate other Swatch Watches Group units. The building, which is slightly elevated on pillars, will also serve as a meeting area for visitors and pedestrians. Independent museum spaces for Swatch, Omega, and Swatchmobile, equipped with the latest interactive technologies, offer their guests an opportunity to explore the worlds of watchmaking and the pioneering days of the battery-operated Swatchmobile.

In the landscaping of the business areas, the existing, protected groups of trees are being considered and supplemented with new plantings of trees and greenery. At the southern edge of the site a hiking trail will be located along the river bank, adding to the recreation area of this part of the city.

Nestled between Omega’s historic buildings and the new central building elevated on pillars, a visitors’ entrance is being created in the form of a square to be called the «Omega Plaza». From Rue Jakob Stämpfli there will be access to the interior of the business area and the entrances to the museums via a ring road.
The new Swatch buildings feature curved wooden construction that runs from the north-east towards the city centre along Rue Jakob Stämpfli and cross above Gottstattstrasse where they are connected to the new central building. At the contact point between the two buildings is a public meeting area, the «Hayek Plaza.» This section of Gottstattstrasse will be a pedestrian zone with a speed limit, according to the new zoning map of the city of Biel / Bienne.

The central building, which is being created in timber frame construction, will have administrative offices and shared conference rooms in addition to the museums for Swatch, Omega and Swatchmobile. The central building will be connected to the Swatch Building on the opposite side of the road by a bridge over the Gottstattstrasse.

On the western Omega area will be the brand’s Production and Logistics Building, also in timber frame construction. It is to house the various production departments, training and exhibition spaces and offices. An educational pathway will allow visitors a view of some of the brand’s production activities inside the building.
The elongated Swatch Building, with its modern, semi-circular timber frame structure, will be the brand’s new Headquarters. The front-most part of the building, which is connected to the Central building, has space dedicated to all areas with direct customer contact, including showrooms, customer service and a Swatch store. In the central part of the building are the offices of the management, administration, marketing and sales. The rear of the building opens onto Rue Jakob Stämpfli. Delivery and collection area as well as storage rooms are located there.

It is anticipated that the buildings will be ready for occupancy in the summer of 2015.

Breitling - The Transocean Chronograph Unitime

Breitling reasserts its horological mastery by launching a “world time” chronograph equipped with a new caliber entirely developed and produced in-house. Thanks to its double disk, the Transocean Chronograph Unitime simultaneously and constantly indicates the time in all 24 timezones. 

 

BRINGING THE WORLD TO THE WRIST

 

An innovative system based on a patented mechanism enables the user, when changing timezone, to adjust all the indications in one smooth and easy move by simply turning the crown. An exceptional new instrument makes its grand entry into the world of exclusive fine mechanisms.

TIME FOR TRAVEL

While the chronograph and instruments for professionals have established themselves since 1884 as Breitling’s domain of excellence, travel watches have also played an important role in the history of the brand with the winged B. In sharing the finest hours in the conquest of the skies, Breitling accompanied the boom in air transport and long-distance travel. During the 1950s and 60s, the brand distinguished itself by introducing a sophisticated model named Unitime, a selfwinding “world time” watch that has since become a much sought-after collector’s item. Today, Breitling watches is further extending its invitation to enjoy travel and performances by combining universal time and the chronograph function within a new model in the Transocean range – a collection reflecting all the refinement  and prestige of luxury long-distance journeys. Associating innovative technology with stylish aesthetics, the Transocean Chronograph Unitime is distinguished by its modern, pure lines and the infinite care lavished on the smallest details – such as its dial bearing a globe pattern. It comes in steel or red gold versions with the city bezel available in several languages. That unmistakable first-class feeling on the wrist.

PERFORMANCE AND COMFORT

In creating Caliber 01, the Breitling engineers devised the world’s best chronograph movement. In developing the new Caliber 05, based on the same high-performance architecture, they have also reinvented the world time mechanism by equipping it with an adjustment system boasting unprecedented user friendliness. The Transocean Chronograph Unitime features two mobile disks: a 24-hour disk and a disk bearing the names of 24 cities representing the world’s 24 timezones. The time shown by the central hands corresponds to that of the timezone displayed at 12 o’clock. The city disk also bears indications serving to take account of “summer” or daylight saving time (DST).
When the user changes timezone, he need only pull out the crown and turn it forwards or backwards in one-hour increments in order to correct the hours, the city disk and the 24-hour disk in one smooth move. Meanwhile, the calendar is easily adjusted in both directions to the date corresponding to local time. During these maneuvers, the minute and seconds hands continue turning normally without any loss of precision, and without perturbing any chronograph timing operations in progress.

PARIS, 2:15

In the example shown above, it is 2.15 am in Paris, on the 19th of the month French time. The dial simultaneously shows that it is 8.15 pm in New York, 11.15 am in Sydney, etc.
NEW YORK, 20:15

Upon arriving in New York, the user rotates the crown six notches backwards until the name New York (on the city disk) is facing 12 o’clock. This operation simultaneously corrects:
- the central hour hand, which now displays 8.15 pm;
- the 24-hour disk serving to read the time in all timezones (2.15 am in Paris, 11.15 am in Sydney, etc.);
- the date, which changes from the 19th to the 18th, since we have returned to the previous day

MOVEMENT

Manufacture Breitling Caliber 05, officially chronometer-certified by the COSC, selfwinding, high-frequency (28,000 vibrations), 56 jewels. Over 70-hour power reserve. 1/4th second chronograph, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers. World time. Calendar.

CASE

Steel or 18K red gold. Water-resistant to 100 m/10 bars. Convex sapphire crystal, glareproofed on both sides. Diameter: 46 mm

DIALS

Black or Polar white.

STRAPS/BRACELET

Barenia leather, crocodile leather/Ocean Classic (steel mesh, steel version only).