Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 3 2023 i CROWN Malaysia

Omega’s association with aquatics began in 1932, when, for the first time, a single company was entrusted with the official timekeeping for all disciplines at the Olympic Games—including swimming. Since then, the brand has partnered with swimming’s top stars, such as Michael Phelps, Caeleb Dressel, and Federica Pellegrini. This tradition continues with rising stars of the pool, Léon Marchand and David Popovici. Marchand, who hails from France, made headlines with his impressive performance at the 2022 World Aquatic Championships in Budapest. At the event, he won two gold medals in the 200m and 400m Individual Medley events and a silver in the 200m butterfly. He also set a new long course European Record in the 400m Individual Medley with a time of 4:04.28. Romanian swimmer Popovici, on the other hand,…

How can boutique or niche watchmakers stand out in an era when Instagram-friendly pieces seem to drown everything else out? Jaquet Droz believes it’s in the application of new technologies and materials with its mastery of artistry on the dial. To that end, it’s introduced one of the most surprising and imaginative designs on a highly modern piece – the Tourbillon Skelet Ceramic, its skeletonised tourbillon movement watch housed in ceramic. But instead of presenting all the elements of the movement, Jaquet Droz reveals just the brain of the entire operation – the tourbillon – in an aperture on a gold microsculpture of a skull and crossbones, the bones acting partially as the anchoring points to adjoin the engraving to the watch case and movement bridges. The symbolism of the…

In the 1950s, the French Air Force announced that it wanted to equip its pilots with a chronograph wristwatch that met specific technical specifications. It had to have a black dial with luminescent numerals and hands, a high-quality movement resistant to changes in pressure and acceleration, a rotating bezel, and a flyback function. France’s Air Ministry then gave the future product the enigmatic name of “Type XX”. Several companies competed for the contract and won. This meant that several brands would produce Type XXs for the military, while, on the other hand, those selected for public contracts could also sell the same product to private customers. Hence, the production of military Type XXs and civilian Type XXs. Breguet was among those given this right. Super Fly For 2023, the Swiss…

In 2002, Louis Vuitton unveiled its second timepiece, the Tambour, which is French for ‘drum’. It not only signalled the start of the revered fashion house’s first foray into horology, but also coincided with the moment when the whole world was awakened by the drumbeat of the mechanical watch revival. Initially, the Tambour caused quite a stir, mainly because it was a highly crafted mechanical watch by a fashion brand, and the feelings were mixed. Regardless, it has quietly gained iconic status over the decades, as the uber-talented team at Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking atelier, La Fabrique du Temps, have bestowed the Tambour with a variety of brilliant complications and memorable movements. Jazzed Up Twenty-one years on, and the Tambour is all grown up. Its original drum-like silhouette remains firmly in…

There’s a sense of excitement that steadily brews in my heart as our contingent of journalists from across Southeast Asia begins to approach Patek Philippe’s latest Manufacture building. You might liken it to an oxtail stew that’s just bubbling over the pot or an expertly poured pint, with the head just about to overflow but not quite as the bartender straightens the glass and pulls it off the tap. Or perhaps it’s euphoria from the fresh air that early summer has brought to the Plan-les-Ouates area just outside of Geneva, where some of the finest watchmakers in Switzerland are based. At nearly 190m long and 67m across, the PP6 Manufacture, as it’s fondly monikered by Patek Philippe and everyone else in the industry, is, in a word, imposing. It’s also…

Ulysse Nardin’s strong ties to the maritime world date back to 1846. From its first marine chronometer inspired by exploration to the nautical influences of its modern creations, the Manufacture has always maintained a close relationship with the ocean. That commitment continues with the announcement that Ulysse Nardin is now the official timekeeper of The Ocean Race, as well as its Time to Act partner, which means it has pledged to deliver positive ecological results by 2030. The Swiss luxury watchmaker is also sponsoring one of the race’s most eco-focused competitors: the 11th Hour Racing Team. And what would a new tie-up be without a watch to commemorate the occasion? The limited-edition Ocean Race Diver Chronograph is the race’s official watch that also celebrates its 50th anniversary. But more importantly,…

When Sincere Haute Horlogerie opened last year at The Shoppes, Marina Bay Sands, the idea was that this concept boutique would serve as a meeting point for watch lovers and a destination for aficionados to expand their collections. To that end, Sincere Fine Watches has been tapping into its relationships with watchmakers for exclusive editions, the latest of which are from H. Moser & Cie., Montblanc, Parmigiani Fleurier, and Arnold & Son. Each of these watches will give you ample reason to step into the experiential retail store. In the metal, they are even more bewitching. Arnold & Son Arnold & Son has made moonphase watches a speciality with its oversized moon discs and large dial apertures. The Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum “Celestial Blue” features the largest of them all.…

We’re in the thick of what looks to be the hottest summer ever. Still, TAG Heuer is looking to lift our spirits with a new Monaco chronograph that pays tribute to the emblematic French Racing Blue. The watch is a timely reminder of the brand’s decades-long history in sports timing, especially in motor racing. Launched in 1969, the Monaco was a game-changer in its own right as it was the world’s first square-cased water-resistant chronograph. This was right at the time Heuer, Buren, Breitling, and Dubois-Dépraz were racing to develop the world’s first automatic chronograph. Jack Heuer wanted to design an “avant-garde” watch around the Calibre 11 and decided on Erwin Piquerez’s newly patented square monocoque watch case with guaranteed water-resistance. It seemed apt that the new Monaco watch case…

When it comes to design, there are few watchmakers that are as unconventional as Cartier. From the Tank to the Crash, the French jeweller-watchmaker has often found success in their watch designs where others have had lackluster results. It is a testament of their ability to ignite emotion through refined designs inspired by everything from nature to architecture and the Surrealist movement at times. The Tank Américaine is another modern take on Cartier’s most iconic model and in some ways, a refresh of the rarely seen Cintrée. The Cintrée was birthed in 1921 and the very first variant of the Tank watch designed for John Pershing in 1917. A curved and narrower version of the Tank watch, the double curved case and glass, wider at the centre and narrower toward…

Double Balancier Convexe The Double Balancier Convexe takes integration to new levels, the dial reminding us of a cliff edge and the partially exposed movement underneath it the rocks naturally hewn by waves smashing against them over and over. Except in this case, the waves are two angled oscillators connected by a spherical differential that averages out the performance of the escapements in four-minute sequences to ensure timekeeping is highly precise. But what impresses us the most Greubel Forsey’s use of a titanium baseplate which is far harder to grind and machine compared with brass, not only for style but also durability. And finally, fast-rotating twin barrels with a cover that’s styled to match the movement plate delivering a power reserve of up to three days. It tells just the…

Spanning over 100 square metres, the refined design aesthetic embodied by Vacheron Constantin for more than 267 years served as inspiration for the Geneva-based Maison’s first boutique in Malaysia. The unique façade is a nod to Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese cross emblem, while the interior, with its marble floors, timber partitions and inviting red leather chairs, exudes a sense of warmth and intimacy to all who step through its doors. This is the perfect place to view the Maison’s exquisite watches, as its complete collection—from simple models to high complications and boutique exclusives—resides here. There will also be an annual rotation of Les Collectionneurs and Les Cabinotiers pieces. Heralding this new chapter for the brand in Malaysia, Gael Porte, Managing Director of Vacheron Constantin Southeast Asia and Australia, says, “We are…

Always stay unpredictable. That was the message we received when Rolex announced it was releasing a very special edition to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. After all, the watchmaker had just announced a slew of new releases at the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, which included an overhaul of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. This brand new and very unique chronograph pays tribute to the history of the famed race and one of its biggest stars. Motorsport is a truly relatable activity that many of us can relate to, perhaps because the majority of the adult population possess a driving license. Imagining ourselves behind the wheel of a high-tech car whizzing around tracks in a sanctioned high-speed, high-octane race is a plausible…

Eleven years after Urwerk’s UR-110 won the GPHG’s Design Watch Prize, Martin Frei decided that it was time to re-explore the concept to develop a slimmer version of the watch with an elegant interface. The UR-110 was the first Urwerk timepiece featuring a horizontal display of time (apart from the Harry Winston Opus 5). To achieve this, they split each satellite hour into two parts that come apart at each hour change and rotate before re-combining into the upcoming hour. In Frei’s view, this gave the UR-120 an “unprecedented fluidity”. The splitting and re-joining of the hours does have a ballet-like quality to it. But for Urwerk, this motion reminded it of the ‘live long and prosper’ Vulcan salute that Spock has iconised in entertainment history. The benefit of the…

In an era where its peers were mostly made of steel or precious metal, the Rado DiaStar revolutionised the watch industry when it debuted in 1962. Looking like it had stepped straight out of a sci-fi novel, its unique shield-like tonneau case in highly resistant tungsten-carbide, together with its ‘square-effect’ sapphire crystal glass, made it seem indestructible. And just like that, Rado’s direction and fate as the ‘Master of Materials’ was set. Tough Stuff Rado isn’t done with its pioneering work and, this year, it breaks new ground with a skeletonised DiaStar. The model’s open structure, together with the R808 skeleton movement, lends a sense of airiness to the refreshed case, now made of another hard-wearing proprietary ceramic-and-metal alloy called Ceramos. Naturally, the prominent bezel, also in Ceramos, has been…

Around a decade ago, Grand Seiko’s engineering team were given a challenge to develop a slim, compact, and highly precise mechanical movement that would be suited to smaller-sized timepieces. The women’s watch market was already on an upward trend and mechanical movements were increasingly of interest to female watch buyers and collectors. While Grand Seiko had watches for ladies, they were all quartz-powered models. This was unusual given that its first wristwatch, the Laurel, in fact featured dedicated models styled as bracelets for women. The watchmaker had developed unisex models with beautifully decorated or elegant dials that were powered by its electromechanical Spring Drive calibres. But there were no dedicated mechanical watches for women. To reach them, it had to start from the basics of crafting an original movement that…