Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 32 i REVOLUTION WATCH

BIG SEAN IN THE “BEZERK” MUSIC VIDEO Big Sean dropped his trippy music video for “Bezerk” featuring A$AP Ferg, Hit-Boy and a giant Jacob & Co. Five Time Zone reimagined as a clock tower. One of the maison’s iconic and heritage pieces, the watch is powered by a Swiss quartz ETA with four subdials showing four other timezones. POST MALONE IN HIS “ST. TROPEZ” MUSIC VIDEO Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend, as seen here with Post Malone in his “St. Tropez” music video sporting his personal 18K white-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus with factory-set diamonds. A favourite among rappers, including Drake and 21 Savage, the dial alone is fully set with 255 diamonds and three baguette diamond hour markers on an 18K gold dial plate. It might be flashy…

On the 10th of November, Swiss watchmaker Zenith set a milestone in its history when it auctioned off a one-off special creation Zenith A386 reference in platinum, designed by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo to commemorate the jubilee of this notable historical creation. At the gala event held on the eve of Phillip’s Geneva Watch Auction X, 300 guests came together to recall the significant moments of 1969, the year when Zenith developed the world’s first automatic chronograph and set a precedent for the entire watch industry. The auction itself was a thrilling one, setting the price of CHF 250,000 for the watch. Proceeds for the sale goes to Zoe4Life, a Swiss non-profit that is part of the Childhood Cancer International network.…

Since human prehistory, we’ve been fascinated as a species with the night sky. I’m curious as to how our earliest predecessors must have reacted to the myriad of transformations in the heavens, but it’s easy to forget how these celestial movements helped develop a formula for timekeeping and a sense of the measurement of time. In a recent book, Time Tamed by Nick Foulkes, he discusses the process by which Mankind has attempted to measure time across the ages, from towering water clocks to simple but effective sundials up into the modern age. But it is in astronomy that the greatest developments and influences in watchmaking have emerged, and through them, a system of precision in understanding the movement of celestial objects are translated by many watchmakers in modern wristwatches.…

Nomos first started to retail with The Hour Glass in Singapore, back in 2015. Prior to that, anyone in the region looking to get their hands-on a timepiece from the German watchmaker would’ve had to resort to Nomos’ online shop. So welcomed and successful was Nomos’ arrival to these shores in such a manner that just two years in, the German watchmaker created its first collaborative timepiece with The Hour Glass. This watch was the Red Dot variation of the Nomos Zürich Weltzeit. As a world time type, the watch naturally had Singapore incorporated into its city ring as the city of reference for GMT +8 — a simple nod to The Hour Glass’ home state. But the watch also managed to make a more significant nod to the island…

The rendition of the Monaco created for The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary is a 50-piece limited edition in a black PVD case. What really sets the watch off is its cream-coloured dial — with an appropriately colour-matched cream-coloured date wheel — against the watch’s black case. And then you have the red baton hour markers, the red chronograph seconds hand and sub-dial hands that make for great contrast against the cream dial. Powering the watch is the modern version of the Calibre 11 that provide for hours, minutes and a small running second at 3 o’clock, including the central chronograph seconds hand and a minute-totaliser at 9 o’clock. The watch will go on sale at various The Hour Glass locations, including Ngee Ann City, Tang Plaza, Millenia Walk, Malmaison, Parkway…

In the early 2000s, group managing director of The Hour Glass Michael Tay encountered two creative talents of the industry, Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner, who had just set up URWERK. The avant-garde designer and watchmaker duo had devised a new way of displaying the traditional sector time or “wandering hours” indicator, with a three-dimensional satellite display and arced minutes counter. The result was a hypnotic display of time that both honored a classic watchmaking design and interpreted it for a 21st century audience. This year, URWERK is commemorating The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary with a special variation of one of their timepieces that will be produced in run of three exclusive pieces. Based off its UR-105, while taking reference from the first URWERK watch retailed by The Hour Glass,…

25 years on from the launch of the four references that marked a new life for A. Lange & Söhne, guided by the hands of industry legends Günter Blümlein and Walter Lange, the Saxon watchmaker is now primed to introduce a fresh collection into its family watches. The collections that are already established, include the 1815, the Lange 1, Richard Lange, Saxonia and Zeitwerk. The sixth and all new collection being introduced today is the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus, ref. 363.179. Lange’s watchmaking identity to the collector circle is one of an extremely elevated level of high fine watchmaking. With the Odysseus, however, Lange is looking to fulfil the desires of their customers who have been hoping to see a sportier take on the Lange approach to watchmaking. IN…

“People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective point of view it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey… stuff,” said David Tennant’s Doctor in an episode of Doctor Who. While this may seem an odd and oddly geeky reference, when it comes to watchmaking most brands think of timepieces in a rather functional manner, adding aesthetics to the dial only when it doesn’t affect the legibility of a timepiece. With Hermès’s watchmaking, the beauty of a watch comes first. It’s an ethos that the brand has embraced with its earliest watches and with Le Temps Suspendu, emphasised further. This year, however, the brand’s exceptional creations have welcomed both the new and old, with stunning crafts that…

If Japanese penmakers can create whole collections of delightful inks inspired by the colors of seasons and scenery in Japan, it is no surprise that Grand Seiko should produce limited editions of watches with special dials that evoke the memory and character of its beautiful home country. This is no accident. When the Swiss and Germans also make great watches, the point of distinction could finally boil down to the uniqueness of one’s roots. Nations matter, and from its birth, Grand Seiko had seen itself as the Japanese challenge to a much more globally dominant watchmaking force. Its history attests to its success: Grand Seiko is simply the very best quality world-class watches for everyday wear, made in Japan. Much of this rests on Japan, where the quality of being…

Our founder Wei Koh often likes to joke that after God created the personne unique that is Mr Richard Mille, he broke the mould on that development. Every so often and in each generation, we’ve discovered leaders and unconventional thinkers in each industry who have transformed how we perceive watchmaking. The pre- and post-Quartz Revolution leaders were Messrs Nicolas Hayek Sr., Rolf Schnyder and Luigi Macaluso. Their efforts were continued by Jean-Claude Biver and other luminaries in the field. But the one who’s radically changed the context in which we look at watches today is Richard Mille. During the early days of Mille’s brand, he would be seen at the halls of Baselworld demonstrating the resilience of his watches by tossing them on the hard floor, regularly eliciting shocked gasps…

While Rolex’s support of exploration and its development of the Perpetual Planet campaign has persisted, it’s gone further by further sponsoring and supporting entrepreneurs with great solutions for the future. Through the Rolex Awards for Enterprise programme, it’s sought to support exceptional individuals who have the courage and conviction to take on major challenges; men and women who have a spirit of enterprise, initiating extraordinary projects that make the world a better place. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise were first established in 1976, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Rolex Oyster wristwatch. The aim was to support pioneers whose work had potential and exceptional promise, but who were unable or unlikely to find funding from traditional platforms, and whose work would aid human advancement or well-being through an innovative…

The passage of time is a concept that has captivated the attention of Mankind since the Stone Age. Throughout history, our attempts to measure and define the time of day has constantly and repeatedly collided with the powerful influences of art and culture, in the process creating a magnificent spread of inventive timekeeping formats from the sundial to the modern wristwatch. What’s equally fascinating is how culture and styles of timekeeping across vast continents and empires, many of which would never have even known of each other, wound up (pun intended) developing timekeeping simultaneously, with a similar use of techniques. In Time Tamed, the latest in a long line of excellent volumes by the illustrious Nick Foulkes, whose pen has on occasion graced the pages of Revolution, he examines how…

“SIHH Is No More!” So screamed the headlines in one of the watch industry trade sites, heralding the change of the watch fair’s name to Watches & Wonders, signifying a hook-up with the existing, open-to-the-public horological road show held in Miami and Hong Kong. Already the paranoia, the kvetching and the doom-saying have started. Gimme a break: it’s a watch fair, not a heart bypass.. What does this mean for both the existing trade visitors and the watch-loving public, long itching to pass through those hallowed portals at Palexpo? The 30th anniversary of the event will no doubt present a challenge to retailers, distributors and journalists, used to three decades of tightly organized, planned-to-the-minute exclusivity and pampering, but even that wasn’t sacrosanct. For a few years now, the original 15…

In 1896 Henri Mazel applied the term la synergie sociale in his argument against Darwin’s theory of evolution, which he felt did not take into consideration “social love,” or the capacity for two human beings to, together become greater than the sum of their individuality. Anyone seeking proof of Mazel’s definition for social synergy need only look at the relationship between Wilhelm Schmid the CEO of A. Lange & Söhne and his wife Yvonne. Because it is not every spouse that shares your passion for vintage automobiles so sincerely that she will accompany you in an open-top AC Bristol, navigating flawlessly in the middle of the bone chilling British rain. Yvonne Schmid laughs about this as she recalls the rally besieged by rain and cold, in the days leading up…

Swiss watchmaker Blancpain has long championed the seas, but less known is its celebration of haute cuisine with notable chefs such as Gérald Passedat and Joël Robuchon. Across the world it’s developed a language and conversation with high watchmaking and fine dining lovers, highlighting the commonalities that both share: Unique experiences, quality craftsmanship and a delicate balance of aesthetics, both visually and through the other senses. In Singapore, it’s most recently announced as its newest local ambassador, French-born chef Julien Royer, organising a media and VIP series of dining experiences with the owner of Odette at his restaurant, located at National Gallery. Royer recently earned his third Michelin star for Odette in this year’s edition of the book, the guide’s highest honour for fine dining. Odette, which was named for…

The gentle rain splashed lightly on the cobblestones in front of the Hotel Lutetia, causing the guests, decked out in tuxes and evening gowns, to squirm slightly as they attempted to avoid getting wet. Outside the hotel, a platoon of executive cars and an army of staff, dressed in black suits and each clutching a brolly, attempted their best to shield the guests from the uninviting Parisian weather. We’d been warned that there would be quite a bit of poor weather ahead of us, but I had confidence that the sheer force of my presence would bring the sun to the City of Love. Turns out, I was wrong. This was the first formal watch event that Van Cleef & Arpels had organised outside of the Geneva fair since they…

The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary watch announcements continue today courtesy of Geneva-based jeweller and watchmaker, Chopard. Contributing to the lineup now, Chopard has created one for the fairer gender: a special rendition of their well-known Happy Sport timepiece. Introduced first in 1993, the Happy Sport is a creation that captures the imagination with miniature gems that seem to toss about precariously over the watch dial. Of course, the reason why these gems don’t ever actually fall onto the hour and minute hands and hinder the progression of time is because the trick is that Chopard sandwiches these between two clear sapphire discs. One of the discs then forms the top crystal of the watch and the other sits between the watch hands and the gems. The special Happy Sport created…

Aviation tugs at our heartstrings on several levels, not least the freedom promised by open skies, the romance of adventure and also the heart-stopping pace with which this field of endeavour has blitz from balloons and dirigibles of bygone eras to jets and rockets that have extended our reach to the stars. Running parallel to the changing nature and capabilities of aviation are pilot’s watches, engineered to serve the evolving demands of aviation practice through its rapid evolution. What hasn’t changed is the need for accurate timekeeping, high reliability, and intuitive reading of timing information. It is for these reasons that pilot’s watches are esteemed on a technical level along with its emotional impact. One of the most distinctive pilot’s watches that have been created over the span of a…

Since the ingenious inventor that’s Maximilian Büsser established MB&F, he’s found a reliable and notable retail partner in The Hour Glass, so naturally the 40th anniversary celebrations finds Büsser in the works. As he says, “the early days of MB&F were a personal and professional challenge the likes of which I had never faced before. If not for Michael Tay of The Hour Glass and his belief in this crazy dream of mine, it’s possible that Horological Machine No. 1 might never have existed.” But he’s not just created another limited edition from existing work. Instead, he’s chosen to debut a brand new timepiece and given The Hour Glass first dibs at a special edition. We’re delighted to introduce the MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome The Hour Glass Commemorative Edition, a…

Before I begin this piece, I have to offer a confession: I’ve always had a very soft spot for Breguet’s watches, because it was one of the first high watchmaking brands I encountered as a young man writing about watches around 14 years ago. It’s difficult to put a value on an impression (as digital agencies will know), but the impact the brand had on my opinions of what constituted artistic and high watchmaking was immeasurable. Today, Breguet is a different company, with the same values as it possessed over a dozen years ago, but communicating in vastly different ways as it did before. As the media scene has evolved and transformed, the social space and presence Breguet now possesses have encouraged it to modernise in ways we’ve never seen.…

The Moon has always had a dramatic flair in watchmaking, in part because of its historical association with timekeeping, but also because of its depiction in tales. Lately, our obsession with moon phase watches has ranged from focusing on precision to magnification. This started with Piaget from seven years ago, till more recently when everyone from Hermès to Le Rhöne is focused on magnifying its presence on the dial. Le Rhöne’s MOÖN series of watches is one of these watches, with a Grand Phase de Lune complications that fully adorns the dial with a great moon phase display on the dial with an in-house movement. The brand’s two founders, Loïc Florentin and Timo Rajakoski, take a different view of developing watchmaking, focusing on developing a simultaneous customisation program in their…

Revolutionary Watch of the Year VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRADITIONELLE TWIN BEAT PERPETUAL CALENDAR One pivotal question we ask ourselves when choosing the Revolutionary Watch of the Year is not only whether the nominated watch is an incredible feat of watchmaking. It also needs to represent a real breakthrough in the world of horology. The Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar ticked all the boxes. Vacheron Constantin set out to solve a problem when they developed the watch. The perpetual calendar is possibly one of the most useful complications in mechanical watchmaking, but it has one major flaw. If the watch stops, it became a nightmare to reset its many indications. Finding the perfect oscillator was a problem. A bigger, high-frequency oscillator can have a longer power reserve but results in…

“I like jogging and growing organic vegetables.” Oddly mild words coming from an individual who is today known to have created one of the most rugged wristwatches the world has ever known. But this was how the man — now the research and development chief engineer of Casio Japan — chose to describe himself when a curious enquirer asked about his interests outside of his profession during an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit back in July 2013. The person in question is Kikuo Ibe, better known to us as the creator of Casio’s G-SHOCK. The story goes that years ago, while on his way to work, the watch that Ibe-san had on his wrist dropped to the ground and was completely destroyed. That watch happened to have been a…

I met Alessandro few years ago and I discovered we shared the same passions regarding vintage watches and vintage clothing. Over the years, he’s amassed a great quantity of very interesting watches, to name a few: Omega Speedmasters and Seamasters, military timepieces, Patek Philippe Nautiluses and Rolex sports watches. His approach to collecting has grown and matured into collecting “Tool Watches” with a story to tell. Alessandro is also a keen purveyor of wristwatches from small, cult and boutique brands because he’s fascinated by the unusual design of these watches. After all, when the design is strong and the timepiece is of a great quality, it’s timeless. In the end, does it matter who the watchmaker is? Last spring, we decided to collaborate on a book about his watch collection…

Last month saw numerous collectors, brands and auction representatives convening at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues Geneva for the eighth edition of the Only Watch Auction and its most successful yet. The biannual event, organised in benefit of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and under the patronage of HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, reached soaring heights as collectors raced to outbid each other for one of 50 pièces uniques under the careful eye of auctioneer Luc Pettavino (pictured above right), the founder of Only Watch and president of the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies. Pettavino, who was honoured earlier in the month at the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève with a Special Jury prize, and certainly the hostus with the mostus, led the entire room through a two hour fury…

The origins of Panerai need no further introduction, but in the last year, it’s emphasised the need to develop a more experiential discovery of watchmaking, through working with adventurers who are exploring the natural world. Some of its notable partners are ocean explorer and conservationist Mike Horn, who crossed the Arctic and Antarctic single-handedly under his own power; as well as Guillaume Néry, the free-diving world champion who not only holds a number of world records, but has also fought to highlight the transforming world through his work. The latest member to join its exploration ranks is mountaineer and director Jimmy Chin. A filmmaker and photographer as well as expert mountaineer who has taken part in numerous expeditions across all seven continents, Chin recently won an Academy award for Best…

ELECTRIC SPEEDSTER German automobile maker Porsche has been exploring electric drivetrains for some time now, and the concept Mission E that was first shown to the public in 2017 was finally realised and announced as the upcoming Taycan. More recently, it’s announced the Turbo S, a super speedy Taycan with a fast-charging 93.4kWh battery, going from zero to 60 in a brief 2.6 seconds and gets up to 260kmh. It is in fact one of the fastest Porsches around, even beating the Cayman GT4 on the race track. Add in adaptive dampers and standard air springs and one hell of sharp handling on the roads, and this feels like a vehicle you can breeze around in. WATER WORLD SOLUTION Climatologists estimate that the world will probably end up with a…

SPECIAL THANKS TO ACTION FOR SINGAPORE DOGS FOR THE LOAN OF OSTIN, YOSHI, PIXIE, GABY AND LOBO. THESE DOGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. VISIT ASDSINGAPORE.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.…

Sinn marks The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary with the 356 Pilot The Hour Glass Commemorative Edition, limited to 100 pieces. Continuing on with the limited editions created to mark The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary, Sinn presents today a special execution of their popular 356 Pilot. The 356 is a classic staple from the German watchmaker, which is a present day evolution of their 256 pilot’s chronograph that was initially made for the Japanese market in 1996. From there, it didn’t take Sinn long to produce the 356, which takes on a great deal of refinement compared to its predecessor. The success of the simplicity and utility of the 356, thereafter, is clearly evident in the well over two decades that the watch as been listed in Sinn’s catalogues. The edition…

The Hour Glass has long been a champion of independent watchmakers. One such brand is De Bethune, a highly revered name in the realm. To speak of just some of their achievements and original contributions to the knowledge set of watchmaking, we can start as early 2003, when De Bethune designed an all-new regulator that was 20 percent more effective than the balance wheels commonly used in the industry. In 2006, De Bethune created a completely in-house vertical clutch, 30-second chronograph that broke ahead of the crowd of standard chronograph ébauche movements and modules in the industry. The brand created a “triple pare-chute” system that isolates the balance wheel from shocks, and developed the world’s first sports watch movement where the winding rate of the rotor could be altered with…

Métiers d’art are the delectable darlings amidst elaborate horological mechanisms, but don’t let that fool you. The tradition of decorative crafts is an important part of a watchmaker’s legacy, the savoir faire that elevates watchmaking to its pinnacle (by beautifying it, of course). Like true works of art, métiers d’art timepieces demand extensive effort and arcane know-how — we’re talking handcrafting spectacles to launch the proverbial fleet of a thousand here — making them essentially anti-industrial and therefore the ultimate luxury. Blancpain fosters its precious métiers d’art through an award-winning in-house studio on a refurbished farmhouse in Le Brassus. Surrounded by the idyll of the Vallée de Joux, master artisans toil to preserve and perpetuate an array of artistic disciplines passed down through generations, from classical techniques like enamelling and…

Chanel is known for its ability to turn what are perceived as gender-specific products into objects that the other gender covets. It really started with the late Mr. Lagerfeld and his penchant for putting male models in Chanel tweed suits, but with androgyny becoming an increasingly popular style of dressing in high fashion, it’s not uncommon to see both men and women bearing a Chanel bag (okay, maybe not a 2.55, but any man or woman could easily pull off a tote bag) today. That was the case (pun fully intended) with the original Chanel watches, which were developed for the female in mind but have since gained a healthy traction among men. The original J12 developed in 1999 was crafted by Jacques Helleu, then artistic director of Chanel who…

If it were merely for the launch of the polarising, yet wonderfully daring Lange Odysseus (the word, a sobriquet bestowed upon the watch by none other than Johann Rupert) — a watch whose penchant for striking into unknown territory, rivals only the eponymous Greek mythological hero —you could make a strong case for Wilhelm Schmid, the CEO of A. Lange & Söhne as 2019’s Revolutionary of the Year. The fact that he did it on top of an already impressive year-long 25th anniversary celebration of the Lange 1, with a seemingly ceaseless series of spectacular events including the Concours d’Elegance at Hampton Court, where he launched the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase, makes him a clear winner. OK, before we go into the anniversary celebrations and their associated timepieces, let’s…

Who doesn’t know Seiko in this part of the world? The brand was a part of my life and childhood growing up, from the wall clocks I had at home growing up to the earliest watches I owned. Yes, my collecting days started early, with a selection of Flik-Flaks, Casios, Swatches, Seikos that I’d pick from each day I went to school. I had a Seiko 5 when I entered my teens, one that I saved up for, and had until quite recently. But though Seiko is ubiquitous in the Far East, its secrets are in the upper echelons of the company, from the prestigious and specialised Credor collection that’s dedicated to ultra-fine and high complications, to the pragmatic yet highly sophisticated Grand Seiko. The latter demonstrated that particular quality…

For a while now, certain people have been sharing pictures on social media of Rolex sports models that would look more at home of the wrist of Liberace, driving a gold Rolls-Royce through the streets of Saint Tropez than they would on the wrist of a commercial diver or a racing driver. For many years, the majority of taste-makers and market-shakers resolutely paraded steel dive watches, manual-wind Daytonas and the occasional platinum or yellow-gold Day-Date. Of late, precious metal Rolex sports watches are hotting up quicker than an alpine fondue pot and the once-derogatory moniker “bling” is actually an affectionate and positive adjective for some of Wilsdorf’s wonders. Where traditionally the gems and stones were mainly applied to Daytonas and Day-Dates, even the Submariner and GMT-Master are game for dressing…