Latest news with #Girard-Perregaux
Man of Many
a day ago
- Business
- Man of Many
The Wind Up – Watch News #325
By Mr Dimitri Tsilioris - News Published: 20 May 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 7 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Welcome back to The Wind Up, our weekly series highlighting the newest watches of the past seven days. With Watches & Wonders 2025 now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to set our sights on the future. The world's biggest brands are back on the design block, unveiling a string of incredible haute horology pieces, daily drivers and unique novelties. From dive watches and sports timepieces to the latest in classy dress watches and grand complications, the last few weeks have offered no shortage of stand-out announcements. What's more, it isn't over yet. This week, the world's biggest watchmakers—and a few budding independents—kept the good vibes rolling. In this latest instalment, we'll be featuring some of the coolest new watches, including releases from the likes of Vacheron Constantin, Girard-Perregaux and Daniel Roth. Happy reading, fellas, and I hope you have a great week ahead. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication Openface | Image: Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication Openface Brand: Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin Model: Overseas Grand Complication Openface Overseas Grand Complication Openface Reference: Ref. 6510V/110T-128C Ref. 6510V/110T-128C Diameter: 44.50mm 44.50mm Thickness: 7.70mm 7.70mm Material : Titanium : Titanium Water Resistance: 30 metres 30 metres Movement : Calibre 2755 QP : Calibre 2755 QP Power Reserve: 58 hours 58 hours Price: Price on request Never one to rest on its laurels, luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin went all out with its latest drop, and it comes as somewhat of a surprise. The brand only recently debuted the record-breaking Les Cabinotiers 'Solaria Ultra Grand Complication' release (amongst others) at the recent Watches and Wonders 2025 event, which heralded a new era of high-complication wristwatches. With that announcement taking the internet by storm, no one would have blamed Vacheron Constantin for lying low and basking in the glory for a few more weeks, but alas, the brand did no such thing. This week, the iconic watchmaker unveiled a first look at the latest Overseas Grand Complication Openface, which can only be described as a triumph of watchmaking. Boasting a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater and a tourbillon, all encased in titanium and visible through an openworked dial, the timepiece is every bit a modern marvel. Often with an openworked dial, legibility is at a bare minimum, but Vacheron went above and beyond with the Overseas Grand Complication Openface, ensuring an easy read of data. Add to that the magnificent Maltese Cross tourbillon carriage, and what you have is a true haute horlogerie piece of the highest magnitude, but it didn't come easily. As Christian Selmoni, director of style and patrimony at Vacheron Constantin, explained, the kinetic elements of the movement presented a multitude of challenges for designers. 'When we create complex movements such as Calibre 2755 QP, it is only natural to want to reveal their full beauty, not just through a sapphire caseback, as is usual, but also by opening up the dial,' Selmoni said. 'This aesthetic, which is considered avant-garde because of its kinetic aspect, imposes its own demands. When the dial is openworked the calibre is visible from the front, so we need to apply galvanic or PVD (physical vapour deposition) surface treatments to the movement components to give them colours that fully respect the avant-garde spirit.' At 44.5mm in diameter and with a thickness of 13.1mm, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication Openface is by no means a small piece, but a watch like this demands attention. The new release is available now, but with pricing only available on request, your chances of snagging are slim to none. Nevertheless, we can dream. Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition | Image: Girard-Perregaux Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition Brand: Girard-Perregaux Girard-Perregaux Model: Deep Diver Legacy Edition Deep Diver Legacy Edition Reference: Ref.39500-21-3266-6CX Ref.39500-21-3266-6CX Diameter: 40.39mm 40.39mm Thickness: 38mm 38mm Material : Titanium : Titanium Water Resistance: 200 metres 200 metres Movement: Calibre GP03300-2476 Calibre GP03300-2476 Power Reserve: 46 hours 46 hours Price: CHF14,500 (Limited to 350 pieces) In the realm of heritage timepieces, Girard-Perregaux rarely gets the credit it deserves, but that may be about to change. The maison has just dropped a first look at the Deep Diver Legacy Edition, a new timepiece that takes direct inspiration from the 1969 Deep Diver reference 9108. That original timepiece, while not as celebrated as the Laureato or Bridges, was critical to cementing the brand's dive watch credentials in the wider market; however, it was only produced for a short period of time. Now, it is finally returning, albeit with a little help from the team at Bamford. Sporting the same cushion case as the original, the new Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition features a rather funky orange, blue and white coloured dial which pairs well with its overall aesthetic. This time around, however, Girard-Perregaux has opted for a full titanium case to reduce weight and improve durability, while also incorporating a sunray-brushed front and polished bezel into the design. At 40.3mm in diameter, the vintage-inspired piece is suitable for contemporary wear, especially given the cushion-shaped case's extremely short lugs. On the caseback, you'll find a metallised Deep Diver trident logo in blue at its centre, which covers the GP03300 automatic movement. While the Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition's rather obscure look may not appeal to everyone, you can't deny just how cool it looks. Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription | Image: Daniel Roth Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription Brand: Daniel Roth Daniel Roth Model: Extra Plat Souscription Extra Plat Souscription Reference: Ref. DBBD01A1 Ref. DBBD01A1 Diameter: 38.60mm 38.60mm Thickness: 7.70mm 7.70mm Material : Rose gold : Rose gold Movement: Calibre DR002 Calibre DR002 Power Reserve: 65 hours 65 hours Water Resistance: 30 metres 30 metres Price: CHF49,000 After a lengthy wait for eagle-eyed fans, Daniel Roth unveiled its second production model, the Extra Plat Souscription in rose gold. This exquisite, delicate, and very beautiful timepiece is exceptionally finished and is very much reminiscent of a period of watchmaking thought lost. This is best exemplified by the relatively clean dial, which has been paired with superb case architecture for a final product that is supremely interesting. The Extra Plat Souscription follows a familiar design architecture, with the 38.6mm x 35.5mm proportions matching those seen on the previously released time-only model. This time around, Daniel Roth has slimmed the case slightly to 7.7mm, which is perhaps the only significant ergonomic change rolled out in this edition. Interestingly, the timepiece's DR002 extra-thin movement is manually wound as opposed to the offset rotor movement of the previous Extra Plat models. While you could argue that this is a throwback to the traditional design language that invariably flows through the timepiece, it's a noteworthy choice nonetheless. Limited to just 20 pieces worldwide, the Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription is an exemplary piece from Daniel Roth, with dial and movement sides of the highest order. Simplistic in its design yet wonderfully complicated in its execution, it is a brilliant reminder of what lies beyond the conventions of normality in the watchmaking world. Ming 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer | Image: Ming Watches Ming 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer Brand: Ming Ming Model: 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer Reference: Ref. 29.01 Ref. 29.01 Diameter: 40mm 40mm Thickness: 11.90mm 11.90mm Material : Titanium : Titanium Water Resistance: 50 metres 50 metres Movement : Calibre ASE 222 : Calibre ASE 222 Power Reserve: 86 hours 86 hours Price: CHF22,000 (Limited to 25 pieces) Ming unveiled its latest and greatest in the new 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer. Clad in DLC-coated titanium with a domed sapphire crystal, the 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer pairs a rather contemporary aesthetic with a very practical complication in a world timer. What makes this timepiece so unique is the use of Ming´s signature openworked 'flying blade' lugs. 'At 40mm, the 29.01 Midnight is one of our larger cases and has the visual presence to match without sacrificing anything with regards to wearability and versatility,' the brand wrote on Instagram. 'The bezel-free construction, deep box sapphire crystal and openworked flying blade lugs make the case dynamic, sculpted and seamless in a manner that is impossible to convey in images (doesn't stop us from trying though).' The 29.01 Midnight Worldtimer is quintessentially Ming, with visual details throughout very much aligned with the brand's unique aesthetic. Turn the watch over and you're confronted by a movement that is, in a word, exquisite. While it might lack the finest of details, the ASE 222 is just a wonder to look at. Stunning piece.
Stuff.tv
15-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Stuff.tv
The retro Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver is a must-have summer watch
Girard-Perregaux is bringing back a legend. Originally released in 1969, the Deep Diver stood out with its bold design and the innovative Gyromatic system. Now it returns – with a modern twist – thanks to a collaboration with Bamford Watch Department. Limited to just 350 pieces, this reissue is part of the brand's Legacy Editions, and it's already shaping up to be one of the best watches of the summer. Like the original, the new Deep Diver keeps its cushion-shaped case and vintage aesthetic. But it's more than a nostalgia trip. Made from lightweight Grade 5 titanium and measuring a wearable 40.3mm by 38mm, it promises to feel as good as it looks. The poppy dial comes in rich shades of blue, orange and white, with a 1970s-inspired font and bright blue lume. A rotating inner bezel and quick-release rubber strap – blue or orange, your choice – give it weekend versatility and beach-day credentials. The design isn't just for show. At its heart is the in-house GP03300 calibre, a slim (3.36mm) automatic movement offering 46 hours of power reserve. It's beautifully finished, with Geneva stripes, polished bevels, and a trident-shaped rotor – a nod to its deep-sea roots. The caseback is sapphire, of course, and subtly tinted blue. This isn't the first time Girard-Perregaux has raided its archives. The Deep Diver follows the cult 1970s Casquette in the brand's Legacy Editions line – a series of limited reimaginings done with care, not cut-and-paste. Every detail has been considered, from the date window at 4 o'clock to the super subtle Bamford branding. It's a collector's piece you'll actually want to wear. At £12,900 (around $17,000 in the US), it's priced for the serious watch fan, but it earns its place, fusing heritage cool with modern materials and real mechanical clout. Whether you're diving into the Med or just your local lido, this is a proper summer statement. Liked this? The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication is the brand's first sporty minute repeater
New York Times
31-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Her Enamel Creations Are Rarely More Than 2 Inches Wide
Vanessa Lecci has had many jobs throughout her working life: art conservator, professional volleyball player, gem setter, engraver, metal worker, fresco restorer, theatrical set designer, teacher, clock decorator, art framer and coach. But in the world of watches, she is known best as a master enameler. 'Enameling is not just a technique,' said Ms. Lecci, 52. 'It's a world. It is not boring, it's not monotone. I fell in love with it.' Ms. Lecci always liked working with her hands. She grew up in Salve, a small town in southeastern Italy, where, she said, 'my mother was a sculptor, working in stone, wood, marble and alabaster.' 'I was always in her studio, helping her do the polishing and finishing,' she continued. She also had a great-uncle who owned a forge: 'In his atelier I saw how fire transforms metal.' At 14, she entered the metal and jewelry division of an art institute in the nearby town of Parabita, where she studied skills such as enameling and gem setting. And after graduation, she enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lecce, Italy, to earn a degree in art history. But then she became a professional volleyball player, a sport she had started playing as a teenager. 'What I loved about volleyball was above all the team spirit,' she said, 'this synergy where each player brings their touch to create something great.' And playing for various teams provided an unexpected gift: 'My sports career brought me by chance to Switzerland,' where she coached the sport in Neuchâtel before turning to the local watch industry for employment. Time to Be Independent Ms. Lecci's first enameling job, in 2003, was to create Cartier's in-house atelier. 'At that time the enamelers were very rare and all independent, and Cartier was the first maison to internalize the business,' she said. Three years later, she said, a colleague 'went to Girard-Perregaux as director and I went with him and I set up the enamel and setting atelier.' She moved to Patek Philippe in 2011, 'but I was not at peace with myself,' she said. 'I think it was time to be independent. I left Patek and in 2013 I started my own atelier.' She has worked on a variety of projects for many watch houses, from Louis Vuitton to small makers such as T3 Special Watches. One she recalled warmly was a 2016 commission for Vacheron Constantin, the Ciel de Corée, or Korean Sky. 'The main challenge was the use of a new technique in watchmaking, from Asia: invisible cloisonné,' she said, a project she undertook with Jiyoun Han. 'A real four-handed work, with 1,500 stars arranged on different layers of enamel and the Milky Way made in invisible cloisonné. This project took a month and a half of work.' Ms. Lecci now has two studios at her home in Neuchâtel, where, she said, 'it is quiet, calm, and I can work without interruptions.' One is an enameling workshop and, the other, a studio where she paints decorations on traditional Neuchâteloise pendulum clocks. She also has a second enameling workshop in a building on a hillside overlooking the city center; tours of that space may be arranged through Homo Faber, a cultural organization with a website that lists artisans around the world who open their ateliers to visitors. She also has conducted workshops on enameling, including at the Musée International d'Horlogerie (M.I.H.) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. 'She has participated on numerous occasions at the M.I.H. to promote the expertise and mastery of enameling, a craft she practices with remarkable dedication and enthusiasm, one that she conveys beautifully to a wide audience,' Nathalie Marielloni, the museum's vice curator, wrote in an email. 'Her contributions to the field are widely recognized and greatly valued.' Nearly 400 Colors Ms. Lecci's enameling process starts with designing a minute and often intricate pattern in a rainbow of colors for a space that is rarely more than 48 millimeters (1.9 inches) in diameter. 'I have a mortar and pestle to grind the pigments, refine the powders and prepare the enamel shades with a perfect texture for application,' she said. 'I hand-grind all my powders to decide different particle sizes for each color.' As for colors, 'I have nearly 400 enamel colors,' she wrote in a follow-up email, adding that they are made of metal oxides, with other oxides to provide color. The enamels are toxic, Ms. Lecci said, so 'I carefully store them in small glass and plastic containers, according to their sensitivity to humidity. To protect myself, I wear a respiratory mask with a filter and I sometimes wear gloves and protective clothing.' She applies enamels with brushes barely thicker than a human hair, then fires the results in a kiln at 800 degrees Celsius (1,472 degrees Fahrenheit), a temperature that earned the process the French label of grand feu, or grand fire. 'My kiln is medium sized,' she said, 'large enough to fire one piece at a time, but not too large, so I can ensure precise temperature control.' The firing is done in stages, one color at a time. It is an inexact art, bordering on science, knowing which colors to use, and how each color will actually look after the firing, and if the firing will crack the item. Multiple Techniques There are various types of enameling technique and Ms. Lecci prefers two: cloisonné, which deposits enamel in pockets outlined with thin wire, and cabochon champlevé, which deposits enamel in cavities engraved into the base metal. But not content with the two techniques, Ms. Lecci invented a new one. In 2009, the founder of Parmigiani Fleurier, Michel Parmigiani, turned to her for enamel work for its 46.7-millimeter Toric Tecnica Carpe watch, a one-of-a-kind piece in 18-karat gold. 'It brought together multiple enameling techniques rarely combined,' she wrote in an email. 'I introduced a technique I had developed myself, which I call 'convex and concave' — a variation of cabochon enameling, where the material rises and recedes in relief, capturing light in a completely new way. I wanted to bring movement to the enamels, to step away from the traditional way they had been used, and create a more fluid, organic dynamic.' Ms. Lecci said the experience was a defining one for her and led to a continuing collaboration with the Parmigiani brand. Every year, Parmigiani Fleurier introduces a watch on Dec. 2, Michel Parmigiani's birthday. Last year, it unveiled L'Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse, a 41.6-millimeter timepiece with a concealed dial in polished jade, issued in a five-piece limited edition. As the watch has a so-called cathedral gong system, 'the time is revealed through sound,' Guido Terreni, the brand's chief executive, wrote in an email, 'allowing the entire surface of the front to be dedicated to artistic craftsmanship — a pastel green translucent enamel guilloché pattern created by Ms. Lecci.'
