Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i CROWN Malaysia

With no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic that has the world in its grip, most major watch exhibitions and launches have been put on hold indefinitely. But as the saying goes, if there’s a will, there’s a way. In August, for example, we saw Geneva Watch Days 2020 go off without a hitch, albeit on a much smaller scale and only with select media from Europe. For the issue that you now hold in your hands, we have still managed to curate the very best of the year’s novelties. For starters, Rolex made us sit up and take notice with its showstopping coloured dials for the new Oyster Perpetual models. The Submariner with its black dial and bezel is also one that you’ll want for your daily rotation.…

Is time eternal? Does it have a beginning and an end? Will it exist outside of science and human perception? While we do not have the answers, we certainly try to grasp and enshrine these thoughts whenever we can. The mineral dial on the Jaquet Droz Loving Butterfly Automaton wristwatch – ‘Chinchilla Red’, it is called – is cut from a piece of petrified wood that is said to be almost 150 million years old. A product forged of fir trees aged in volcanic ash and by the passing of many, many wars, evolutions and seasons, this tiny slice of earth’s history is now preserved in a wristwatch that celebrates centuries-old horology, at a moment where time is told on technologically advanced mobile phones. Certainly, the hues and grains on…

1954 The pursuit of waterproof technology continues, as Rolex increases the Submariner’s waterproofness to 200m. 1953 Rolex launches the Submariner, the first professional divers’ wristwatch that is waterproof to a depth of 100m. 1969 Rolex introduces the first-ever Submariner Date. 1984 The Submariner Date’s evolution continues with significant enhancements over the years with the introduction of the Triplock winding crown (1977), sapphire crystal (1979), increased waterproofness to 300m (1979), and applique hour markers (1984). 2010 Rolex launches the Submariner Date in Oystersteel with a black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert. 2020 The Submariner and Submariner Date come with redesigned cases and lugs, as well as new generation movements at the forefront of watchmaking technology.…

One of the oldest names in the world of horology, Jaquet Droz was established in 1738 by Pierre Jaquet-Droz, a Swiss watchmaker with a great passion for clocks and automatons. But it wasn’t until 1784 that the timepiece upon which the company would build its reputation, the Grande Seconde, made its first appearance. Instantly recognisable with two interlacing sub-dials forming the figure ‘8’, the smaller of the two displays depicts the hours and minutes, while the larger, lower one indicates the all-vital seconds. This style proved popular and established Jaquet Droz as one of the most sought-after watchmakers of its era. Sadly, the company was forced to cease operations following the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars and demise of both Pierre and his son, Henri-Louis, within a year of each…

There are a few words that come to mind when one thinks of the Maison Cartier. ‘Luxurious’, ‘glamorous’ and ‘artistic’ are certainly some of them, but the alluring thing about Cartier—what seduces you into that beguiling world of the Maison—is that it is as much a rebel as it is a star. And who doesn’t love a wild child? From the Crash watch, said to be inspired by a deformed Baignoire Allongée damaged in a car crash (hence the moniker), to 2020’s new-and-improved Pasha featuring its iconic square within a circle design, Cartier delights in breaking the rules. In fact, it is this unencumbered creativity that has helped conceive some of Cartier’s most inspired timepieces. Gentleman’s Club The same approach drives Cartier’s revived Privé collection. Introduced in 1998 as a…

ALVIN WONG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROLEX Oyster Perpetual 41 Having long touted Rolex as a ‘first serious watch’ recommendation to anyone within earshot, yours truly is smacked with one of its best first-watch options yet. At below S$8,000, the new Oyster Perpetual 41 is among the brand’s most accessibly priced offerings. Housed in a new 41mm case with a brand new automatic movement, the watch is all finesse and understated charm. Everyone’s going crazy over the vividly coloured dial variants. While I’m not immune to that, my heart beats hardest for this silver dial version with gold trim on the hands and indices, which encapsulates the simple sophistication of this evergreen collection. CARTIER Tank Asymétrique Every time I look at the new Tank Asymétrique, I get reminded of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul…

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is widely credited as the first modern diver’s watch, defining the genre since its launch in 1953. It was joined shortly thereafter by an offshoot range, the Bathyscaphe, which quickly became a must-have among enthusiasts sold on its performance, robustness and wearable size. Reissued in 2013, on the occasion of the Fifty Fathoms’ 60th anniversary, the Bathyscaphe has assumed many guises since, but always with its core DNA intact. 2020 saw the debut of four renditions in appealing colourways that express Blancpain’s concern for the world’s oceans and its support of the communities dedicated to their exploration and preservation. Get ready to be wowed. Blue Valentine One of the newest Bathyscaphes (opposite page) on the block combines an inky-blue sunburst dial and unidirectional rotating bezel with…

The brazenly regal and virile sports watch is well and alive. As maligned as it was at its birth in the late-1970s, when Audemars Piguet debuted the Royal Oak and drew flak for a steel watch that was too expensive and loud, the luxury sports watch has since gotten flashier, larger, more complex and more popular. In some instances, the modern luxury sports watch even seemed like a distant cousin of its pioneering models. Lately, however, a retro-inspired revival appeared to be underway with a proliferation of timepieces bearing designs that hark back to the heydays of the late-1970s and 1980s, of which Chopard’s Alpine Eagle is an enthusiastic proponent. The latest addition to Chopard’s watch line-up, the Alpine Eagle, released in 2019, rocks the throwback sports-luxe demeanour well, brandishing…

If you are a regular reader of CROWN, you will be familiar with Bell & Ross’ origin story: how the French-Swiss watchmaker started off as a passion project by two lifelong friends in 1992, rooted in a childhood obsession with all things military, where onboard navigation instruments served as their initial guiding force. After the resounding success of the now-iconic, gamechanging BR 01 watch and its dial design inspired by aircraft cockpit clocks, it was inevitable that Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo would venture away from runways, radars and fighter jets to explore other related universes, such as military symbols. Only The Brave Since time immemorial, warriors have sported skulls as a menacing motif, both to intimidate their adversaries and to ward off bad fortune. Arguably, the most famous…

In ancient Greek mythology, the serpent was usually depicted as curled into a circle, with its tail in its mouth, continually devouring itself and being reborn from itself. This imagery, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, came to be known as the ‘ouroboros’. It served as an expression of the unity of all things, both material and spiritual, which never disappear, but perpetually change form in an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation. It is perhaps fitting then that Bulgari, one of the world’s pre-eminent jewellery houses, in a nod to its Greco-Roman heritage, decided to immortalise this Hellenic symbol in a collection that revived a method pioneered by the jewellery makers of ancient Rome. THE CALIBRE BVL150 IS TOUTED AS THE SMALLEST TOURBILLON MOVEMENT CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION. How It Started…

It’s hard to imagine a red-carpet event without the glittering presence of Harry Winston jewels and timepieces, liberally adorning the outfits of celebrities and other guests alike. After all, the eponymous founder himself was known as the ‘King of Diamonds’ and ‘Jeweller to the Stars’—no mean feat, considering the stiff competition in the market. But it’s thanks to Winston’s inventive design philosophy and stringent requirements for using only the best jewels, that we get to enjoy the most stunning gem-set timepieces, accompanied by some of the finest metiers d’art creations in the industry. And what better collection to showcase Harry Winston’s expertise in this area than the OG watch collection of the House? First Among Equals Launched in 1989, the Premier range was Harry Winston’s first watch collection, since it…

Of the non-traditional materials that infiltrated contemporary watchmaking, carbon composite has proven the most effective in firing up the imagination of watchmakers and collectors. Unlike, say, bronze, with a patina-changing quality that is aesthetically intriguing but not particularly functional, or silicon, a synthetic material that revolutionised movement production but still remains very a niche interest for technical watch buffs, carbon composite is capable of being both sexy and substantial. Carbon composite entered public consciousness in the 1980s, with the use of carbon fibre sheets on the chassis and components of Formula One cars. Sporting glossy black, weave-like patterns, the material accented the race cars with a futuristic, sporty look. More importantly, though, it endowed the racers with unparalleled rigidity and lightness. The material’s high strength-to-weight ratio - carbon composite is…

K-drama fans will be thrilled with South Korean star Hyun Bin’s recent appointment as Omega’s global ambassador. The timing couldn’t be better, of course, as it comes on the heels of his stellar performance as Captain Ri in romantic drama Crash Landing On You, one of the most-watched TV series worldwide in 2020. The charismatic 38-year-old has demonstrated his versatility as an actor in movies such as The Fatal Encounter, Confidential Assignment, Rampant and the critically acclaimed Late Autumn, which was screened at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. For Omega, Hyun Bin’s appeal lies in his strong yet quiet demeanour that personifies a gentleman with an adventurous streak. He joins Hollywood luminaries such as George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Eddie Redmayne in the brand’s family of ambassadors.…

Ratified by professionals, paraded by celebrities and coveted by watch lovers all over the world, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner occupies a special place in the canon of modern watchmaking as an icon that is as much a symbol of prestige, as it is a no-nonsense tool watch. Making a splash when it was unveiled to the world in 1953, the watch’s expressions of luxury and performance continue to be exemplary decades on, demonstrated by the new Oyster Perpetual Submariner and Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date models. This year, we are treated to a full-fledged repertoire of the legendary collection, spanning different case and dial executions, as well as upgrades from the inside-out. The 2020 line-up comprises an Oyster Perpetual Submariner in Oystersteel with a black Cerachrom bezel insert and black…

Amongst Abraham-Louis Breguet’s many game-changing creations, the tourbillon is probably his most technically erudite. Breguet originally invented the tourbillon to counter the effects of gravity on regulating mechanisms inside pocket watches. However, the complication has taken on a life of its own in modern watchmaking, its purpose and influence extending far beyond just improving timekeeping. The technical skills and experience required to construct a tourbillon, as well as the mechanical poetry it invokes, has elevated the tourbillon into something more akin to a badge of honour, one that's coveted in equal measure by watchmakers and watch collectors. Given so, it is only appropriate that the name Breguet is synonymous with the tourbillon. But even more signficantly, it is befitting that the brand that invented the mechanism has stayed renowned today…

Ever since its debut in 2014, the Aikon line has been a runaway hit for Maurice Lacroix, accounting for half of the brand’s total sales. An inherent versatility coupled with accessible prices means there’s been something for everyone within this ever-expanding universe. From no-nonsense quartz and fuss-free automatic models to artful Masterpiece-style complications, the Aikon has flirted with them all. This year, Maurice Lacroix welcomes a new model into the fold. Make no mistake, the Aikon Chronograph Skeleton has everything going for it. It shines a spotlight on the brand’s state-of-the-art workshops in Saignelégier by merging its watchmakers’ strengths in terms of design and complications, with the heritage of the Masterpiece and the power of the Aikon. I Spy The first thing you’ll notice when you clap eyes on the…

Some of the most fervent watch fans that we’ve had the pleasure of encountering are Paneristis – a globally connected, self-christened fan base that is utterly and genuinely devoted to Panerai. A Singaporean Paneristi who was a guest on this magazine’s ‘live’ chat session on Facebook couldn’t help himself plugging the brand. Years ago, we interviewed Alan ‘Hammer’ Bloore, an Australian Paneristi who said that Panerai saved his life, after he snapped his spinal cord in a jet-ski accident and had to endure the pain and multiple surgeries. “Doctors call it diversion therapy,” he said. “The brand and the watches bring me to a beautiful place that transcended physical pain.” So what it is about Panerai that draws these people? Well, some are enamoured by the 160-year-old brand’s roots as…

A. Lange & Sohne • Lot G34, Ground Floor Suria KLCC Tel: 603 2166 2181 • Lot 2.01.07, Level 2 Pavilion, KL Tel: 603 2141 8418 Audemars Piguet • UG29, Adorn Floor, Starhill Gallery, KL Tel: 603 2144 8639 Bedat & Co • UG32, Adorn Floor, Starhill Gallery, KL Tel: 603 2141 7881 Bell & Ross • Lot 3.46.00 Level 3 Pavilion KL 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603 9212 4456 • Lot 170-G-26,Ground Floor, Gurney Plaza, Persiaran Gurney, 10250 Penang, Malaysia. Tel: 604 202 2676 • Lot F-230A, First Floor The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59000 Kuala Lumpur Blancpain • Lot G38, Ground Floor Suria KLCC 50088 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603 2391 9821 Breitling • Lot 2.03.00, Level 2, Pavilion, KL Tel:…