Written by Evan Gabriel

The 2013 Geneva Fair was held on January 21st at the Kempiski Hotel in Geneva and saw a remarkable release from a Hublot. As a top-dog manufacturer in the watch industry, the Swiss company collaborated with Ferrari to produce three new watches in the Big Bang Ferrari collection.

Although the partnership between these two super powers actually started in November of 2011 and first Big Bang series dropped at Baselworld 2012, this year’s release has led to improvements that timepiece aficionados all over the world will appreciate.

For starters, there is the choice of innovative materials including ceramic, carbon fiber, and of course, gold.

Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman of Hublot and Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot welcomed the additions to the Big Bang Ferrari collection. Each model is limited edition.

The Red Magic Carbon has red tinted sapphire crystal glass and a black carbon case. Only 1,000 models of this watch have been made.

Encompassing 330 components, the Red Magic Carbon has a power reserve is an impressive 72 hours.

The King Gold Carbon has a 45mm case and a carbon fiber bezel. A limited 500 models of this watch have been produced.

With only 1,000 models being released, the All Black Ceramic has a 45mm ceramic case and looks sleek with either red or black Schedoni leather—which by the way is the Italian company that makes leather for the interiors of Ferrari road cars.

Because all three models come equipped with UNICO movement, Hublot has developed these watches to resemble the power and excellence that its collaboration partner, Ferrari, strives for in the production of autos.

The three additions to the Big Bang clan all have impressively complex dials—not to mention Ferrari’s distinct horse logo climbing upwards past nine o’clock.

To learn more about Hublot and new collections, please visit:http://www.hublot.com/en_US/

To learn more about Ferrari, please visit:http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Home.aspx

Explore the history behind the Arnold & Son Instrument Collection with the navigational allure of the line’s first watch, the TBR.

The watchmakers at Arnold & Son have long sought towards a higher goal than just luxury watch creation.  The founders’ love of the craft drove them to dedicate themselves to achieving absolute precision and the ability to do more with a watch.  That same passion drives the craftsmen today and yields some of the finest timepieces available.

The Instrument Collection is the proud result of that quest for quality and depth, reflecting the reality that during the time of John Arnold and his son John Roger, timepieces were essential to nautical navigation.  Under the influence of the British Royal Navy as rulers of the seas, Arnold and his son made watches that were rugged and reliable as possible, both functional and attractive.  Not just accessories and useful jewelry, watches were technical instruments upon which depended life and death.  These pieces incorporated chronometric dials with hours and minutes in a balanced design.  Mimicking this arrangement, the Instrument Collection presents watches that proudly herald the time of the brand’s inception and the beauty of where it all began.

The TBR is the first member of this line, and with a name representing the hallmark of the watch’s two complications, True Beat and Retrograde, it represents elegance in simplicity.  The True Beat refers to a highly precise complication which allows careful measurement of the seconds.  The date dial which counts out the days of the month and automatically reverts to the 1 on the first of the month, is a little used complication called Retrograde.

In this twist, the seconds complication is the entirety of the face, as the hours lay slightly to the side.  This focus on the smaller units of time hearkens again to the mariner navigators, who required down-to-the-second knowledge of time in order to determine longitude.  And on the high seas, it is enough to know the day of the month–as long as you can recall which month you are currently in.

Not only were the complicated calculations of the long ago Navy eased in this design, stylistically for today there is a pleasant aesthetic quality to this ancient layout.  And for the history buffs, it is a conversation piece, to discuss the use of a watch once on the high waves of Britain, now proudly on your own fashion wise wrist.

Written by Lindsey K. Cook

At first glance the Panerai Pocket Watch Pam 446 is indeed a gadget to match all gadgets.  The intricate workings are clearly visible as they dangle from a sturdy chain present a feeling of confidence in the machine while at the same time still mesmerizing one back into the days when ticking clocks stood as the one true mechanism.   Amidst this duality of style lies one of the deepest beating hearts come from the craft of watchmaking, still to be seen in this modern world.

Unafraid of change, Panerai instead accepted the challenge of creating a modern wonder with all the quality and modernity necessary.  The 59mm black ceramic case and chain allow freedom of movement without sacrifice of class.  The skeletonized Panerai P.2005/S caliber is hand wound and holds a power reserve for up to 6 days.  277 carefully chosen parts piece together in an elaborate puzzle, the completion of which creates a grander design than any but Officine Panerai could imagine.

Clearly a work of art, it is yet sturdy enough for the boldest adventurer to take on the world in high style.  And perhaps this is the perfect recipient of this proud emblem of Officine Panerai’s quest for the contemporary while still holding true to the origins of watchmaking.  The modern day explorer who also craves the ultimate in class.  This remarkable piece celebrates both the old and the new in a glorious–and pricey at 165,000 Euros–pocketful.

As only 50 pieces are to be made, this is not only a marvelous achievement in epic watchmaking, it is also an expression of the demands of the modern world and its technologies.  Rare as this watch is, there is also a pure fineness yet sturdiness to it that seems to pull it from the crowd and declare it something special.

In this pocket watch, Officine Panerai has crafted what they deem, “the ultimate expression of a brand devoted to innovation as well as tradition”.  If such gems as these are to come from the newly attractive blend of old and new, then please, carry on and good luck!

Written by Lindsey K. Cook

Written by Sarah Peel

We have all know smartphones have taken over the world, but what about smartwaches? The Pebble is the first ever smartwatch that allows users to connect to your smartphones, with support for iPhone and Android both.

The $150 watch comes with a special OS that allows users to connect their smartphones to the device wirelessly (minus making actual phone calls via it). It allows users to find out who sent text messages, phones calls, music and pretty much anything that the phone does the watch can tell you about it. However, don’t get tricked and think that the watch does not act like a normal one, it also tells time and supports more than one “face” style. It also features four buttons, which is rare for a regular watch, but could be normal for the new smartwatches in the works.

 

Written by Evan Gabriel

Two men calmly entered a Manhattan Four Season hotel on East 57th Street just before 2 a.m. on Saturday, February 16, and broke into a display case. According to police reports, $166,950 worth of jewelry was heisted.

The theft included a diamond chain and pendant along with two wristwatches from designer Jacob & Company, which were on display in the Four Seasons lobby along with jewelry by designers such as Aaron Basha and Rolex.

Using a sledgehammer, one of the suspects partially shattered one of the 18 display cases located in the hotel lobby while the other man spoke with a staff member, according to Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman.

A suspect was able to break a small hole into the Jacob & Co. case. Yet he successfully made off with only two watches after dropping one.

One official reported that detectives were able to extract a swab of evidence from the timepiece. Along with one of the watches, the suspect dropped the sledgehammer.

An official reported that while the man who smashed the case with a sledgehammer was wearing gloves, the other man was not and left behind fingerprints after opening a glass door during the incident. Detectives lifted three fingerprints from the door.

According to Hotel Spokeswoman Tiffani Cailor, the Four Seasons staff was surprised by the theft and is taking the incident very seriously.

Cailor assured guests and employees that the investigation will continue between NYPD and Jacob & Co, and called security measures “rigorous,” in an interview with CNN.

Police are still working with footage from a security camera at Avakian Boutique, a nearby shop, which shows the two male suspects exiting the hotel and getting into a car.

Owner of Jacob & Co. Jacob Arabov, better known by his nickname, “Jacob the Jeweler,” bestowed upon him in countless hip-hop references, was shocked by the Four Season’s faulty security job.

“How could someone come in there and do that? That’s just ridiculous,” Arabov said.

The final countdown of top watches under a $1000 is a presentation of watchmakers whose designs reach new heights conceptually while innovatively evolving traditional watch making methods to manufacture timepieces made for all lifestyles.

#17 – Timex

Timex, a brand whose origin is none other than the good ole USA, is known for its brand slogan “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking,” as well as the one dollar Ingersoll Yankee pocket watch. Timex continues it legacy of versatile watches made with evolving technologies fit for every lifestyle.

Timex Chronograph Quartz Men’s watch is a stunning timepiece for the guy that’s on the go. This masculine chronograph flexes its appeal with a 44 mm stainless steel case and bracelet complimented by a black dial. The dial showcases stainless steel hour/minute hands with a red seconds hands, three sub-dials outlined in red indicator hand and white Arabic numbers. The movement is quartz which is protected by a mineral crystal. This watch is for the man that is on the go and easily transitions from day to evening attire. (Model 2N159) it is available on watcheshq.com

#18 – Fortis

Fortis is a Swiss brand watch manufacture that carries the winning baton for manufacturing the world’s first automatic wrist watch in 1926, its legendary Harwood series. Fortis continues its tradition of manufacturing Swiss automatic and mechanical watches reaching towards the moon.

B-47 Mysterious Planets is an automatic specialty watch created with a jumping hour. Professor Karsten Krebs, an architect and designer, collaborated with the Fortis team to design this timepiece collection. This is a limited edition watch in which the hour numerals jump up unexpectedly in one of five orbits dial windows, symbolized by orbits of planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter around the Sun. The watch has a 47 mm stainless steel case with a choice of rubber, leather or stainless steel bracelet. It features and automatic caliber F-2024 movement which is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal on the case back as well. It is of course Swiss made being a limited edition of 500 pieces each (4 model choices) all of which are individually numbered. (Reference 677.20.31 – design blue; Reference 677.20.35 – design black)

#19 – Orient

Orient Watch Co. is a Japanese watch manufacture that continues its 60 year manufacture of automatic and mechanical watches for customers in over 70 countries. The company’s watches are designed to fit the lifestyles of their customers.

Happy Stream Collection – Model DB0100BW is a beautiful women’s watch presenting a gold tone 37 mm stainless steel case with a white dial that exhibits an open crescent moon and star. The dial also features scattered stars (some with diamonds) and a Roman numeral at 12 o’clock. It has ORIENT caliber 46A40 mechanical movement made in Japan. It also has a see-through heart shape case back. This is an elegant watch that is absolutely divine.

#20 – Mido

Mido is a Swiss brand whose philosophy is to combine timeless design with functionality rather than following fashion trends, as it is their belief that true design outlives all fashion trends. Each of Mido timepieces reflects this philosophy and has established the brand’s mark of distinction within the horology community.

Bellaluna Lady features a beautiful round brushed 316L stainless case with contrasting gold tone bezel ring and inner links within the watch bracelet. The dial features gold tone hour marker accented with diamonds. The dial also features day and date cutouts. Bellaluna Lady has an automatic movement and a transparent case back both of which are protected by sapphire crystals. Bellaluna Lady is available in several models with each just as elegant and beautiful. (Model M001.230.22.116.00)

Written by Chaz Nash