Latest news with #VacheronConstantin
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Kumar Mangalam Birla cuddles with daughter Ananya in sweet pic; but it's his luxurious watch that has our attention
On May 24, Ananya Birla shared a photo dump on Instagram with the caption, 'Hiiii okay bye." One photo that caught our eye was a sweet click of the entrepreneur and artist cuddling with her father, the Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla, on the couch. However, it was his watch that caught the eye of many horologists online. Scroll down to know its price. Also Read | Deepika Padukone looks 'superior' in a red gown with robe and luxe diamond necklace at Cartier event in Stockholm: Pics According to an Instagram page, TheIndianHorology, known for tracking celebrity watch collections, in the photo, Kumar Mangalam Birla is seen wearing a luxury watch from Vacheron Constantin. Per the page, the businessman is wearing the Historiques American 1921 timepiece. It features an 18-carat rose gold case with a brown alligator leather strap, and is a reinterpretation of a model launched in 1921. Check out his watch below: A post shared by THEINDIANHOROLOGY (@theindianhorology) Per the Instagram page, the watch is worth ₹43,59,000, which is approximately 44,900 Euros. Per the luxury brand's official website, too, the watch comes at the price mentioned below. Meanwhile, apart from Kumar Birla, the luxurious Vacheron Constantin has also been spotted on several other celebrities. Brad Pitt wore a vintage Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 at Wimbledon this year in January. Kumar Mangalam Birla is the Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. He is a chartered accountant and holds an MBA degree from the London Business School. He is married to Neerja Birla, a philanthropist and educationist. The couple has three kids: Advaitesha Birla, Ananya Birla, and Aryaman Birla. Ananya, a singer-songwriter and Indian businesswoman, is one of the directors of Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Ltd (ABMCPL), along with her brother Aryaman Birla. She is a graduate in economics and management from Oxford University.
Hype Malaysia
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
2 Exquisite New Drops From Kurono Tokyo & Vacheron Constantin Are For The Gods!
Very rarely does a timepiece evoke utter awe. That's why it's such a treat when not one, but TWO, exquisite watches emerge at the same time to dazzle one and all. From a chronograph commemorating a legend, to a sensationally-complicated first-rate creation – here are two new timepieces we're simping over. Kurono Tokyo's Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai' The beloved Japanese watchmaking brand Kurono Tokyo is back, along with the iconic 'SENSU NOS' watch, but in a brand new design! In honour of its founder, Hajime Asaoka, who is celebrating his 60th birthday, the new Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai,' a distinctive anniversary watch, will be unveiled later this month. 'Shiraai' is represented by the Japanese characters '白藍,' which denotes a whitish blue hue that appropriately reflects onto the dial in the form of an icy, metallic finish. Since the watchmaker started using a similar colour on his designs, it has been white; the last instance of this was on 'Seiji' in 2021. Additionally, a chrysanthemum-wave-like pattern has been used in place of the traditional guilloché found in the earlier 'SENSU NOS' models. The radiant colour of the dial is elegantly intertwined with the guilloché's radial-like effect. The recognisable 'SENSU' power-reserve indicator completes this, and highly polished steel domes serve as accents. To complete this distinctive dial design, black Kanji script is painted at each hour marker. The CaI.9133PWT, a movement that has been specially modified in-house at Asaoka's modest Tokyo workshop, powers this exquisite watch. Only a small number of the original movement have been supplied to Kurono Tokyo for this release, and it is already out of production. To reduce the number of indicators on the dial, Asaoka eliminated the caliber's original date function, just like they did with the 'SENSU NOS' watches from the previous year. The limited-edition Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai' anniversary watch is set for release later this month, but you can pre-order your unit as early as 21st May for US$2,230 (~RM9,544). For more details, visit Kurono Tokyo's official website. Vacheron Constantin's Overseas Grand Complication Openface Watch The Overseas Grand Complication Openface watch, the first minute repeater in the Overseas collection, has been unveiled by Vacheron Constantin – and watch aficionados are suitably impressed. It's the result of a major effort to incorporate a grand complication mechanism into a sophisticated case. The watch has a titanium construction, a sapphire crystal dial, and a case diameter of 44.5 mm. The dial features an openworked design with hands and indices made of 18k white gold. A splash of colour is added to the watch face by the chapter ring and the sophisticated blue day, date, and month counters. The 2755 QP movement, which has a power reserve of about 58 hours, is visible through the watch's open caseback. The movement has multiple intricate complications despite its thin 7.9 mm thickness. These consist of a tourbillon, a power reserve indicator, a perpetual calendar, and a minute repeater. Vacheron Constantin also gave special consideration to the centripetal regulator's appearance, which is a gold arc-shaped bar that holds the regulator in place. The initials of Jean-Marc Vacheron, who founded the Maison in 1755, are engraved on the circular-grained inertia weights beneath it. Because the minute repeater is activated by a sliding mechanism, water resistance usually poses a problem for watches with this feature. Vacheron Constantin made sure the Overseas case is water resistant for this particular model. This was accomplished by modifying the case design to fit the calibre. 18 months of research and development went into this process, which included completely redesigning the caseback to fit the minute repeater mechanism while maintaining the series' distinctively thin curves. The Overseas Grand Complication Openface is a limited edition and will be a sought-after piece in any collection. If you'd like to enquire about it, visit Vacheron Constantin's official website.
Stuff.tv
14-05-2025
- General
- Stuff.tv
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication is the brand's first sporty minute repeater
Vacheron Constantin has just done something it's never done before: slipped a minute repeater into its sporty Overseas collection. Say hello to the Overseas Grand Complication Openface – an unapologetically complex, technically brilliant watch that doesn't mind getting its lugs wet. Housed in a 44.5mm grade 5 titanium case, this is the first Overseas to feature a minute repeater. That alone is big news. But Vacheron didn't stop there – they also packed in a perpetual calendar, a tourbillon, and a power reserve indicator. All this mechanical magic runs on Calibre 2755 QP, a hand-wound movement just 7.9mm thick. The design is just as clever. A transparent sapphire dial shows off the beautiful movement – bridges with NAC treatment in grey, rhodium-plated wheels in silver, and floating white gold hour markers suspended above blue metallised counters. Pulling off a water-resistant minute repeater is no small feat. The sliding mechanism needed to chime the hours, quarters, and minutes usually leaves cases vulnerable. Vacheron solved it with a year and a half of R&D, reworking the caseback to keep the Overseas' sleek lines while protecting the mechanism inside. The result is a 13.1mm thick case that's water-resistant to 30 metres. Not best dive watch territory, but a notable achievement for such a delicate movement. The minute repeater itself is governed by a proprietary centripetal regulator – silent, precise, and visually striking. Even the repeater hammers are mirror-polished. Peek through the caseback and you'll spot an engraved tribute to Jean-Marc Vacheron, who founded the brand in 1755. Like all Overseas models, it's designed for versatility. The titanium bracelet has a comfort adjustment system and quick-release function. Two extra straps – blue alligator and blue rubber – come in the box. The 'Openface' dial style taps into a long Vacheron tradition that dates back to the 1920s. But the execution here is ultra-modern, blending transparency, floating elements, and contrasting textures. The result is more than complex watchmaking – it's mechanical artwork. The price of the Overseas Grand Complication Openface is available on application, and production is strictly limited. For more information, head to Vacheron Constantin's website. Liked this? The Swatch Scubaqua dive watch is water resistant and ready for summer
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Janelle Monáe Creates Optical Illusion at Met Gala 2025 in Thom Browne x Paul Tazewell Collaboration
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Janelle Monáe's Met Gala 2025 outfit was a custom Thom Browne look created in collaboration with costume designer Paul Tazewell, who is known for creating costumes on Broadway for 'Hamilton,' 'In the Heights' and 'The Color Purple.' Her avant-garde look featured bold black with white pinstripes on one side, while the other was red with white geometric lines and patterns. The exaggerated shoulders and rectangular silhouette created a surreal, cartoonish effect. Janelle Monáe 'From the very beginning of the design process — exploring the beautiful and important theme of the Black dandy — it was essential that tailoring be front and center. With Janelle's expansive imagination and Thom Browne's meticulous attention to every detail, this collaboration is just the beginning,' Tazewell wrote on Instagram, celebrating Monáe's look. More from WWD Monáe also wore a Vacheron Constantin luxury watch and jewelry by Selim Mouzannar. Janelle Monáe Monáe was styled by Alexandra Mandelkorn, who also dressed Rachel Brosnahan for the event. Mandelkorn searched for inspiration in Black culture and fashion for the occasion, embracing the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.' 'Dandyism is one of the many vibrant ways the Black community has created to channel self-expression and culture. A way to be loud and proud of who they are, and showcase the immense creativity they possess, even in the face of a society that has continuously oppressed them,' stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn told WWD via email. 'My goal was to make sure both of my clients felt like their own personal fashion sensibilities were being showcased, while also centering the Black creatives we are working with.' Janelle Monáe Mandelkorn worked to honor Black creatives at the event, including Tazewell. 'They are all tailoring experts and are currently making Black history!' 'The Met Gala is our one chance a year to really dream our biggest fashion dreams. There are things you can do on the Met Gala carpet that would never read on another big red carpet, but at the Met, it's celebrated. We help our clients synthesize their visions, emotions, current fashion goals and strategies and make sure we are making the most of Fashion's Biggest Night,' Mandelkorn said. Janelle Monáe The 2025 Met Gala, held Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.' The event highlights Black dandyism and menswear, with a 'Tailored for You' dress code. Cochairs include Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
CNA
05-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Turning points in time: The watch brands celebrating major milestones in 2025
Congratulations. If you're reading this, it means you've survived the first quarter of the current millennium. And so have a number of watch brands – not just clinging on, but thriving across decades and even centuries. While anniversaries might seem like a convenient excuse to lob dozens of limited editions at frenzied collectors, they're also a celebration of what it takes to endure: a tireless pursuit of excellence, a spirit of innovation, a sharp instinct for what people want – and the occasional nerve to ignore it completely. In a time of deepening uncertainty, there is something reassuring about horological milestones. They're reminders of the human capacity for perseverance – measured, quite literally, in hours, minutes, and seconds. VACHERON CONSTANTIN – 270 YEARS When you've been around for nearly three centuries, you don't really have an excuse not to have mastered every complication known to man. And Vacheron Constantin frequently likes to remind us that it just about has. As recently as last year, it unveiled the Berkley Grand Complication pocket watch with a record 63 complications, and this April, followed up with the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, now the most complicated wristwatch in the world with 41 complications. No stranger to world records, the maison's technical contributions have been numerous. It created the first retrograde date in the 1940 Don Pancho, the first Hebraic perpetual calendar in 2015's Ref 57260, and the first Chinese perpetual calendar in the Berkley pocket watch. Its Calibre 3160 QP still holds the record for the longest power reserve in a perpetual calendar at 65 days. While it pushes mechanical boundaries, Vacheron Constantin remains a steadfast guardian of traditional handcrafts. In addition to the Solaria, the brand released a trio of one-off creations celebrating Geneva, showcasing techniques like grand feu miniature enamel, guilloche, and engraving – all executed in-house. For those who'd rather not wear a museum's ransom on their wrist, there are also eight limited-edition watches in the Patrimony and Traditionnelle lines, featuring dials etched with a subtle motif drawn from the maison's Maltese cross. For something with a bit more stylistic and technical bite, there are three Traditionnelle Openface models, each flaunting one of Vacheron Constantin's favourite complications: a perpetual calendar with retrograde date, a tourbillon with retrograde date, and a complete calendar. The brand has also somehow found the time to introduce a totally new movement: the ultra-thin Calibre 2162 QP/270, which finds its first home in the Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar and limited to 127 pieces. The only anniversary model that isn't limited is the Historiques 222 in stainless steel. The yellow gold reissue from 2022 made waves, but this steel version has been hotly anticipated – assuming, of course, you're not completely fatigued by the integrated bracelet trend. BREGUET – 250 YEARS Modern watchmaking would look very different without Abraham-Louis Breguet's many contributions to horology. Yet the commemorative piece marking the brand's 250th anniversary doesn't spotlight his most famous invention, the tourbillon – or any complication at all. Instead, it pays tribute to another of his innovations: the subscription model. Breguet's first "Souscription" pocket watches were created in response to the social and economic shifts following the French Revolution. Simpler and more affordable than his typically lavish timepieces, they required a 25 per cent deposit to pre-order – a practice advertised through pamphlets now considered the first examples of watch marketing. This system allowed his workshop to secure the materials needed for serial production, ultimately yielding around 700 watches over more than three decades. The anniversary model reinterprets the original pocket watch as a wristwatch, complete with a flawless white Grand Feu enamel dial, a single blued Breguet hand, Breguet numerals, and a railroad minute track. There's even a new material to add to the list of things bearing Breguet's name: Breguet Gold, a proprietary alloy blending 75 per cent gold with silver, copper, and palladium, designed to resist the indignities of discolouration. Inside the 40mm case beats the manually wound Calibre VSOO in gilded brass, with a ratchet wheel engraved with an inscription drawn from those historic pamphlets. The caseback's outer edge is adorned with a new guilloche pattern, Quai de l'Horloge, inspired by the curves of the Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint-Louis. Overall, a fitting reminder that simplicity can be a revolutionary act. ZENITH – 160 YEARS Believe it or not, the El Primero isn't Zenith's only famous movement. Long before that icon came to life, there was the Calibre 135 – a movement produced from 1949 to 1962, with the 135-O variant sweeping up an astonishing 235 chronometry prizes. Between 1950 and 1954, it became the first to win five consecutive first prizes in the wristwatch category at the Neuchatel Observatory. Such was the Calibre 135's significance that in 2022, Zenith partnered with Kari Voutilainen and Phillips to resurrect it in spectacular fashion. Ten of those competition-winning movements were restored and hand-decorated by Voutilainen and sold exclusively through Phillips for CHF 123,900 (S$199,600; US$150,179) each – a steep ask, but catnip for vintage collectors. Now, for its 160th anniversary, Zenith is bringing the legendary calibre back – this time not as a limited-edition tribute, but as a newly re-engineered movement in a model known simply as the 'G.F.J.', named after founder Georges Favre-Jacot. While its overall architecture stays true to the original, the movement now boasts a 72-hour power reserve, refined gear train tooth geometry, and a stop-seconds mechanism. A guilloche pattern echoing the brick walls of Zenith's manufacture decorates the movement bridges. The case and dial design have also been revitalised, with the brick motif continuing along the minute track in deep blue, harmonising with a lapis lazuli dial centre and blue mother-of-pearl subdial. This colour theme carries into Zenith's anniversary trilogy: Three El Primero-powered chronographs – the Chronomaster Sport, Defy Skyline Chronograph, and Pilot Chronograph – now clad in striking blue ceramic cases and matching dials. Each is limited to 160 pieces, though you can collect all three in a special anniversary box set. AUDEMARS PIGUET – 150 YEARS Famous, of course, for the Royal Oak – a watch still so coveted it's basically shorthand for luxury steel sportiness – Audemars Piguet also happens to have serious horological chops. In more recent years, its technical finesse has been highlighted in the RD (Research and Development) series. From the acoustically stunning RD#1 Supersonnerie to the jaw-dropping RD#4 ultra-complication (with 40 functions including 23 complications), each truly is a masterful blend of technical innovation and timeless design. The biggest anniversary release is undoubtedly the new Calibre 7138. This perpetual calendar is fully adjustable via the crown – no fiddly pushers, no tools, no exasperation if you accidentally advance past the correct date. The result of five years of development and five new patents, the movement's four-position crown allows for both forward and backward adjustments, a rare feat in perpetual calendars. Only a handful of brands – think Ateliers deMonaco, H Moser, and IWC – have attempted user-friendly perpetual calendars, and this one may well be the slickest yet. The Calibre 7138 debuts in three models: Two in the Royal Oak collection (in stainless steel and sand gold), and one in the Code 11.59. The movement is just 4.1mm thick, in line with AP's legacy of ultra-thin watchmaking. The celebrations don't stop there. The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar '150th Anniversary' Openworked marks the final appearance of the iconic Calibre 2120, its blue-accented dial a tribute to a 1992 Royal Oak pocket watch. There are also three new Royal Oak models in a brand-new ceramic shade inspired by the original 'Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50' dial tone from 1972. And in the Code 11.59 collection, there's a new Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 18k sand gold – notably, the first time AP has put a tourbillon in a 38mm case. GERALD CHARLES – 25 YEARS Gerald Genta hardly needs an introduction. His wrist-borne resume reads like a who's who of iconography: Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak, Patek Philippe's Nautilus, Omega's Constellation, IWC's Ingenieur, Cartier's Pasha – the list goes on. Yet for a pure taste of Genta's own vision, look to Gerald Charles, his final personal project, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. From the very beginning, Gerald Charles married Italian flair with Swiss precision in largely bespoke creations, all under Genta's direction until his passing in 2011. Today, under the stewardship of the Ziviani family and led by former Audemars Piguet artistic chief Octavio Garcia, Gerald Charles still channels that inimitable design DNA. To mark a quarter-century, there are two standout anniversary editions: the Maestro 2.0 Ultra‑Thin Lapis Lazuli, its dial carved from Genta's favourite stone, and the Maestro 9.0 Roman Tourbillon, featuring a hand‑hammered white‑gold dial. HUBLOT BIG BANG – 20 YEARS Hublot's "Art of Fusion" philosophy – which wed precious metals with rubber, carbon, and other materials watchmakers once considered sacrilegious – began with the Big Bang 20 years ago, and was a masterclass in marketing sorcery by then-CEO Jean-Claude Biver. It was big, it was loud, and it set the tone for everything Hublot has done since. The collection quickly became both laboratory and catwalk – a testing ground for material innovations like technicolor ceramic and sapphire crystal, and a magnetic platform for collaborations with artistic luminaries like Takashi Murakami and tattoo collective Sang Bleu, not to mention sports figures from Novak Djokovic to the entire Argentinean Football Association. The anniversary celebrations come in three appropriately extravagant acts: First, five chronographs flaunting carbon-fibre motifs; second, the "Master of Sapphire" collection featuring five watches in candy-colored sapphire crystal or SAXEM; and finally, "Materials and High Complications' – five unique pieces flexing Hublot's technical muscles. This set includes two tourbillons in sapphire and Red Magic ceramic respectively, a tourbillon chronograph in Water Blue sapphire, a cathedral minute repeater in blue texalium (a fibreglass and aluminium composite), and the crown jewel that combines all three complications in a frosted carbon case. Unsurprisingly, this box set will set you back a cool CHF 1 million (S$1.59 million; US$1.21 million). BELL & ROSS BR-01 – 20 YEARS The very first Bell & Ross BR-01 swaggered onto the scene looking like an instrument stolen right out of an aircraft cockpit in 2005. Its colossal 46mm square case, four exposed screws, and pronounced hands and hour markers not only demanded attention (and got it), but established a distinct design language that would become instantly recognisable in the watchmaking world. A year later, the brand mercifully shrank it to a 'mere' 42mm, which we now know as the more wearable BR-03 collection. Since then, Bell & Ross has toyed with its iconic circle-in-a-square design, experimenting with various colours, materials, complications, and dial designs. Now they're kicking off the year with three fresh models: One in black ceramic with a smoked sapphire crystal, one in brushed and polished stainless steel, and one in black ceramic with a car grille-like dial pattern generously filled with Super-LumiNova C3. All are powered by the time-only skeletonised BR-CAL.328. FP JOURNE CHRONOMETRE SOUVERAIN – 20 YEARS Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the goings-on in watch auctions and the secondary market will know that the words 'accessible' and 'FP Journe' are laughably oxymoronic. But most will admit the Chronometre Souverain comes as close to entry-level as it gets. Despite a five‑figure price tag and a straightforward display of hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve, its real appeal lies in the engineering. Journe boldly placed the power‑reserve indicator at 3 o'clock – a spot that normally collides with the winding and setting gears – and slimmed the mechanism to just 0.5 mm by incorporating ceramic ball bearings. That patented trick, now standard across every FP Journe calibre, keeps the entire movement a wafer‑thin 4 mm. Though not officially COSC-certified, the brand (and its legion of fans) has confirmed that it performs consistently within chronometer standards. So it's hardly shocking that the Chronometre Souverain won the 'Favourite Men's Watch' prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) the year it was released.
