Latest news with #horology
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How modern ceramic techniques are revolutionising high horology: Watches and Wonders 2025 showcased hardy new pieces from Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Chanel and IWC Schaffhausen
Scratch resistant, heat-resistant, non-corrosive – what's not to love about ceramics? Used by humankind for some 25,000 years – and by the watch industry since the 1970s – the material is now becoming a ubiquitous material for high horology, appearing on timepieces in a wide variety of textures, colours and finishes. Audemars Piguet and Chanel are among the brands releasing new-school ceramic pieces. An example from the latter is the J12 Bleu collection of nine watches in a deep blue, nearly black, hue. At Watches and Wonders 2025 , Zenith also jumped on the blue train for its 160th anniversary, releasing new versions of the Chronomaster Sport, Defy Skyline and Pilot Big Date Flyback in a striking bright blue ceramic. Advertisement Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Offshore Blue Nuit Nuage 50. Photo: Handout 'The properties of ceramics are very interesting, and you can play a lot with colours. I think clients are searching for this,' says Zenith chief products officer Romain Marietta, adding that the brand's uniquely developed hue allowed for a consistent shade over the whole watch. Zirconium oxide is the chemical name of the ceramic commonly used in the watch industry. Previously, its application was either dull or extremely shiny, but newer tools for processing the material have created more possibilities. 'Our suppliers now have more experience in mastering the material itself,' says Marietta, adding that one complexity is that the material shrinks by 30 per cent during the sintering process involved in its manufacture. 'Now, with better precision tools and better understanding, ceramic bracelets are tighter as they can be machined with smaller tolerances.' Zenith's releases this year also proved the brand could reproduce the types of finishes normally seen on other materials with ceramic. 'Polished, satin, microblasted and sandblasted [finishes are now more possible]. This [hi-tech] material is also relatively accessible, so we can create great-looking watches at a very interesting price point,' Marietta continues. He adds that much of the work is done by hand, and suppliers have become better at hand finishing. Zenith Defy Skyline 160th Blue Ceramic. Photo: Handout It's important to note that while brands work with ceramics in their watches, no brand has its own in-house ceramic case making and bracelet facility. Five major suppliers are Bangerter, Ceramaret, Comadur, Dexel and Formatech. As befitting a brand seeking the latest technologies and innovations, Marietta is excited about the future of ceramics. 'We feel the appetite of clients for something different, something surprising. We are also working on other components that have never before been made in ceramic. In the end it is not simple to sell a ceramic watch, because a lot of people prefer traditional materials. But if you appreciate colour, technique and things that are different, ceramic is a very cool material.'
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Former Tag Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver on starting his eponymous luxury watch brand JC Biver, taking aesthetic pointers from the younger generation, and adding a personal touch to horology
'I have no pressure,' says Jean-Claude Biver , 'except the pressure of time [and] the need to be successful. That's already a lot of pressure, but it's a positive pressure.' It is hard to imagine that many pressures – including the pressure to succeed – remain for someone like Biver, who almost requires no introduction. In a career spanning half a century, Biver is known for deftly resuscitating several brands you may have heard of. In the wake of the quartz crisis, he bought and revitalised dive-watch icon Blancpain before selling it to Swatch Group. After joining the conglomerate, he connected James Bond with Omega to create one of the most enduring modern collaborations in horology. More recently, Biver modernised LVMH brands Hublot and Tag Heuer into two of the most visible brands in the sports of football and Formula One respectively, before exiting the industry in 2018. Advertisement Jean-Claude Biver founded his eponymous watch brand JC Biver in 2023. Photo: Handout 'Now, after 50 years in the business,' Biver ponders, 'I told myself I must find a place where my family [can be], where my son can come, where my wife can be, where other people can join. So I want a very small brand with very much individuality, where [each watchmaker] can make the whole watch themself.' Biver is, of course, referring to his eponymous brand, JC Biver, which – when it was announced in 2023 – made waves in the industry. It not only meant that a titan was set to return, but that he would be taking his son, Pierre Biver, with him. By operating the brand together, father and son put themselves in a unique position to learn from each other. Jean-Claude Biver with his son, Pierre Biver. Photo: Handout 'I learned from him to be quick, to be dynamic,' the elder Biver says. 'And he learns from me to think three times, to not be too quick. So it's a nice equilibrium. I also learned from him some aesthetic points. He was the first to get me to reduce the size of the watches. I was a little afraid to reduce [the size] because I got the feeling that [a smaller] watch looks a bit feminine. And he said, 'No, people now will tend to want smaller watches.' So the exchange between the two of us is quite good.' Biver cites discussions he's had with Pierre about the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak models in his collection as an example. 'He took the Royal Oak [from] 1972 and said to me, 'Look, that's the size.' The 1972 Royal Oak looked small to me, yet in 1972 it was considered a big watch. Once you have been used to a large watch, it's difficult to wear a smaller one because the small one seems to look too small. So you have to readapt, but once the eyes have readapted, then it's OK.' The Biver Automatique, in a 39mm case. Photo: Handout
Khaleej Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Breguet marks 250th year with the single hand Classique Souscription 2025
Two-and-a-half centuries ago, Frenchman Abraham-Louis Breguet, considered one of the greatest watchmakers of all time, etched his name into the annals of horology with a series of technical triumphs that forever altered timekeeping. The tourbillon, the gong spring, the pare-chute shock protector, even the world's first wristwatch — Breguet's inventions were as poetic as they were revolutionary. More than just an inventor, Breguet was an artist and philosopher of time, wielding restraint and elegance in an era known for baroque excess. As Breguet's eponymous house readies itself for its 250th anniversary, it pays homage not with pomp or mechanical fireworks, but with a watch so pure, so quietly audacious, it could only have been conceived by the master himself. Enter the Classique Souscription 2025, a single-hand wristwatch that harks back to the original Souscription timepieces of the late 18th century. It is both a resurrection and a revelation. The original Souscription watch was born of necessity and genius. Returning to post-Revolution Paris in 1795, Breguet needed a way to rebuild. He conceived a subscription model: pay a quarter of the price upfront, and a simplified, robust timepiece would be made to order. Not only was it an early example of direct-to-consumer marketing, but it was also the democratisation of haute horlogerie. Large in diameter, legible in enamel, and novel in having a single hand, these watches became a touchstone for the collectors and the curious. The 2025 reinterpretation channels this legacy with finesse. The grand feu enamel dial is an ode to purity — crisp, radiant, and graced by a solitary, flame-blue Breguet hand, inarguably one of the most recognisable of watch hands. The Arabic numerals, inclined ever so slightly, whisper of another era, while the chemin de fer chapter ring brings structure to the minimalism. In this unconventional layout, time is measured not with to-the-second precision, but with elegant approximation: the hand sweeps across the dial in 12 hours, with five-minute intervals marked between the hours. Reading the time becomes an act of intuition rather than obsession, a quiet ritual for those who embrace time as a fluid presence, not a constraint. This is not a watch for the hyper-scheduled. It is for those who move to a slower rhythm, who understand that sometimes, not knowing the exact minute is a luxury unto itself. It is for the poets and the philosophers, the aesthetes and the artisans — for those who savour time, not chase it. The 40mm case is fashioned from a proprietary 18K 'Breguet gold', a warm, blush alloy that melds gold, silver, copper, and palladium — a modern interpretation of 18th-century metallurgy. Gone is the familiar fluting; in its place, there are a satin-brushed middle and gracefully curved lugs, lending the watch an intimacy with the wrist that's rare for something this steeped in tradition. And then there are the secrets on the dial — the almost invisible 'Souscription' and serial number engraved in enamel using a diamond-point pantograph, a nod to the brand's historic war against counterfeiting. As Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling aptly puts it, this watch bridges the history the brand wants to share with the future it desires to shape. And for Breguet, whose 'pomme' hands have become icons in the watch world, it is a statement that one hand is — and always has been — enough.
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
How To Wear The Rolex Land-Dweller Like A Fashion Editor
Rolex has launched its first totally new timepiece since 2012, and it's going to shake up your wrist stack with new bracelet energy Starting with a blank slate can be one of the hardest things to do in life. Especially once you're old enough to know yourself properly—your likes, your dislikes, your deal breakers, and which bits make you, you. Rolex started making watches in 1905, and it's safe to say that its iconic timepieces have clearly-defined, signature design codes. Any luxury enthusiast can spot a Rolex Day-Date, Daytona or Datejust from a table away. Now, however, there's a new kid in town—Rolex just launched its first totally new timepiece since 2012, unveiled at this year's Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, and it is making luxury lovers do a double take. Why is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller such a big deal? Because it's the first time that the maison has built a watch and a movement entirely from scratch in 13 years. Now bear with me (because we all know that watch chat can get a little technical) the biggest news in industry circles is the Land-Dweller's calibre 7135 Dynapulse escapement. To you and me, this means that the watch is more efficient, more accurate, and requires less servicing over time; the Land-Dweller is, in fact, the most accurate mechanical Rolex ever made. For those who appreciate a timepiece for its beauty as well as its brains, the biggest headline is the bracelet. The Land-Dweller's Flat Jubilee bracelet is the first integrated bracelet from the maison since the 1970s, referencing its vintage Oysterquartz models, and it launches the maison full throttle back into the world of sports watches with seamlessly-connected bracelets. The Flat Jubilee design has faceted links and polished edges that flow straight into the case, giving that oversized, just borrowed-from-your boyfriend feel. Measuring in at either 36mm or 40mm—perhaps depending on how big you like your boyfriend— the Land-Dweller also comes in three different metal models: white Rolesor steel, Everose gold, and platinum. The watch face also flaunts a whole new look, bearing a subtle but distinctive honeycomb pattern that echoes the bracelet's links—especially elegant in the new shade of ice blue. When it comes to how to style the Land-Dweller, it shares one obvious common denominator with predecessors in Rolex's repertoire: you can wear it with anything. The ultimate chameleons of the watch world, Rolex timepieces can melt seamlessly into a dressed-down ensemble of tank top, denim, and understated accessories, or they can be stacked with a dazzling tennis bracelet or two and a killer cocktail dress for a wrist stack that makes maximum. The Land-Dweller may just be maison's most versatile watch yet. To prove it? We've styled up the ultimate glam-casj look. Take Dries Van Noten's butter-smooth leather flight jacket and dress it down with Maison Margiela's signature printed T-shirt, then pair with Acne's snake-print trousers, and witness the royal blue gleam of Alaia's heels echo the watch's platinum polish. For a final flourish, turn to major jewellery maisons for impossibly elevated accessories—your neckerchief should be Tiffany blue, and your aviators should be à la Cartier. Then? Just let the Land-Dweller do it's thing. From Harper's Bazaar Arabia May 2025 Issue.
CNA
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Better together: Why these watch collaborations stand out
Fine watchmaking has a reputation for being a little aloof. Blame the eye-watering price tags, the never-ending heritage flexing, and the kind of technical jargon that makes you wish you'd paid more attention in physics class. But horology also has a friendly side; there are brands that delight in collaboration – both within and beyond the watch world – and while the results can be unexpected, they are always a great deal of fun. ZENITH X PORTER Leaving the country is, ironically, something of a national pastime, and you'll want this Zenith and Porter collaboration for your next weekend escape. Porter is the cult Japanese label under Yoshida & Co, known for its well-crafted, functional bags, and this partnership yields two models in Zenith's longest-running collection: The Pilot Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter, both clad in a ceramic case of olive green – or 'khaki', as Porter devotees would recognise. The time-and-date model comes in at 40mm and is powered by the El Primero 3620, while its complicated cousin measures 42.5mm and runs on the El Primero 3652. Both feature grooved dials co-signed by Zenith and Porter, with bright orange hands – a nod to the cheery linings of Porter bags, which themselves are inspired by high-visibility interiors of aviation jackets. Each watch comes with two straps: One in military-leaning nylon (complete with orange Velcro accents and Porter's stitched logo), the other a Cordura-effect rubber strap with a black PVD steel folding buckle, and these can be switched easily thanks to a quick-release system. Naturally, the packaging is part of the experience: The watch box nestles inside a Porter messenger bag, khaki on the outside and Zenith blue within. Each model is limited to 500 pieces. ULYSSE NARDIN X AMOUREUXPEINTRE Kyrgyzstan-born designer Vsevolod Sever Cherepanov – a name as layered as his resume – has done the rounds in fashion and interiors, collaborating with the likes of Nike and Alyx, launching his own brands Sever and Genesis, and overseeing his own creative studios Home 2.0 and Solutions 2.0. His aesthetic? Stark minimalism, monochrome moods, and a deep commitment to upcycling. Now he's taken his pared-back philosophy to the world of horology with the Ulysse Nardin Blast [Amoureuxpeintre], a limited edition of just 29 pieces. The 42mm case and bezel are rendered in sandblasted titanium, and the sapphire crystal is frosted front and back using a precision laser technique, with a smoky fume effect achieved through delicate metallisation. It took two years of development to get the effect just right, and the result is a kind of intentional blur, like a half-remembered dream. Beneath the veil is the skeletonised Calibre UN-371, though you'll probably have to squint to see it. MB&F X BVLGARI When MB&F and Bvlgari first teamed up in 2021 for the LM FlyingT Allegra, it was a feminine fever dream of flying tourbillons and rainbow jewels. But don't expect a sparkling sequel – their second collaboration, though inspired by the jewellery brand's Serpenti, is a far more technical looking piece. The case resembles a streamlined automobile – no accident, given that both MB&F founder Maximilian Busser and Bvlgari's watchmaking chief Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani are self-confessed petrol heads. Curved sapphire crystal 'windows' offer clear views of the movement inside, which is based on MB&F's HM10 calibre. The serpent's 'eyes' double as domed hour and minute displays, machined from aluminium to keep things light, while its 'brain' is the oversized 14mm flying balance wheel, held in place by a balance bridge engraved with both brands' names. The movement has also been decorated with the Serpenti's hexagonal scales, giving the impression of a car grille. At the rear lugs, two crowns styled like car wheels let you set the time and wind the movement respectively. Three versions are available, each limited to 33 pieces: One in titanium with blue eye domes, another in 18k rose gold with green, and a third in black PVD-coated stainless steel with red accents. LOUIS VUITTON X KARI VOUTILAINEN Louis Vuitton may be a fashion juggernaut, but when it comes to watchmaking, it has a soft spot for the little guys. In 2023, the maison launched the Louis Vuitton Prize for Independent Creatives, a biennial award complete with a cash grant and a one-year mentorship at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. That same year, it kicked off a new series of high-profile collaborations, debuting with Rexhep Rexhepi and a wildly complicated double-faced chiming chronograph. For round two, Louis Vuitton reached out to Kari Voutilainen, another horological maverick and a jury member of said prize, making this collaboration feel a little like a 'here's how it's done, kids' demo. The watch is the LVKV-02 GMR 6, a globe-trotting GMT with roots in last year's Louis Vuitton Escale watches and all the visual opulence one can expect when Vuitton and Voutilainen shake hands. While mechanically not in the same league as Rexhepi's monster of a movement, the LVKV-02 GMR 6 is a visual show-stopper. The dial alone is a four-part masterclass in craft. The outer hour ring features 28 colours and took 32 hours of painting and another eight hours of kiln time to achieve its stained-glass glow – all courtesy of Louis Vuitton's metiers d'art workshop. The centre dial bears Voutilainen's signature guilloche, riffing on LV's iconic Damier pattern and executed using 18th-century machinery. Voutilainen's team was also responsible for the hand-engraved sun and moon of the day/night indicator, as well as the design, assembly, and finishing of the movement, though Louis Vuitton contributed a final psychedelic flourish with the hand-painted mainspring barrel. Only five pieces will be made, and yes, each one will arrive in a custom Louis Vuitton travel trunk, hand-painted to match the dial and cheerfully signed off with: 'Louis cruises with Kari.' SARPANEVA X MOOMIN Five years ago, Finland's most poetic watchmaker paid tribute to Finland's most beloved fictional family. To mark the 75th anniversary of the Moomins, Stepan Sarpaneva created a charming homage under his more accessible SUF Helsinki label to sell-out success. So he turned up the horological volume the next year, releasing a higher-end version under the Sarpaneva name, complete with layered, hand-painted dials and his signature scalloped case. Now, with the Moomins turning 80, Sarpaneva returns with yet another endearing edition, available in two variants: A monochrome dial or a multi-coloured version. Both feature a three-part dial depicting a scene from Comet in Moominland (1946), an odd choice for an anniversary tribute given its slightly apocalyptic plot, but is charming nonetheless. Especially since the model adds a 'shooting star' aperture between 11 and 1 o'clock that houses a dragging hours display that sweeps the heavens in slow motion. The fairy tale feel intensifies as night falls. Thanks to 10 different shades of Super-LumiNova hidden throughout the scene, both versions transform after dark into miniature, glowing dreamscapes. Each version is limited to just 30 pieces. LOUIS ERARD X SYLVIE FLEURY It's practically de rigueur for an artist to subvert everyday notions of everyday things. For Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury, she's directed that irreverent spirit into contemporary sculptures featuring everything from makeup to shopping bags. As it turns out, makeup palettes also make excellent watch dials. Especially when paired with the clean, vertical 'three in line' layout of Louis Erard's Le Regulateur. In the Le Regulateur Palette of Shadows, the glossy black dial serves as a dramatic backdrop for two recessed subdials: In coral for the hours and magenta for the seconds. Each subdial features a matching hand, while the central minute hand stays black. The case is 39mm in black PVD-coated steel, paired with black calf leather strap. Limited to 178 pieces, and not for the beige-of-heart. RADO X TEJ CHAUHAN When Rado launched the DiaStar in 1961, it looked like it had been teleported from the future. We're now in that future – and it still looks like something from another timeline. That's part of the charm: It has never quite fit in, and doesn't plan to start now. For this new limited edition, British industrial designer Tej Chauhan brings his signature retro-futurist flair to the DiaStar, dialling up the fun without sacrificing its oddball appeal. It's the perfect sequel to bright yellow Rado True Square he reimagined in 2020, which had a radar-patterned dial and plenty of popping colour. Now, the DiaStar gets a yellow gold-coloured PVD-coated steel case, a Ceramos bezel, and a pillowy light grey rubber strap. Between 9 and 12 o'clock, the scale is highlighted in bright cyan – Chauhan's creative peak (or, depending on your lifestyle, peak party hours). The day-date display at 3 o'clock is wonderfully eccentric: Each day of the week appears in a different custom font and colour, while the date glows in neon red. Flip it over and you'll find Chauhan's logo on the caseback, along with a peekaboo sapphire window showing the R764 automatic movement.
