Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2023 i REVOLUTION WATCH

Troy Barmore Troy Barmore is a watch, luxury and heritage goods specialist and writer based in New York City. Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, Troy has had a passion for subtlety and detail since childhood. Whether it be denim, leather, eyewear or watches, he has made the study of quality goods a lifelong focus. Cheryl Chia Cheryl Chia is a watch writer with a deep interest in independent watchmaking, movement engineering and decoration. Contrary to popular sentiment, she believes that watches can be assessed objectively in terms of complexity, quality and finishing. Constant Kwong Formerly a vintage watch dealer, Constant Kwong is deeply passionate about rare timepieces and specializes in vintage Rolex. He is the co-founder of The Octo Club, which celebrates the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo series, and…

The new releases by Rolex this year have been nothing short of show-stopping. From the highly anticipated anniversary update of the Daytona and the “Platona” to a pair of playful Oyster Perpetual models — one splashed with lively bubbles and the Day-Date sporting a jaunty jigsaw pattern — to the entirely new and exquisitely elegant Perpetual 1908, these watches were the talk of the town. Somewhat less discussed were the new GMT-Master II models, executed in yellow gold and Rolesor on Jubilee bracelets with a new captivating bi-colour bezel. There is perhaps no other modern travel watch that holds as much iconic status as the Rolex GMT-Master II. With a legacy spanning back to the 1950s, its design has profoundly influenced numerous timepieces in the GMT sports watch category. Yellow…

Fans of both cars and watches would certainly appreciate the IWC clocks incorporated into Mercedes AMG models, a result of a collaboration between these two industry giants that commenced in 2004 and has now spanned nearly two decades. Notably, in 2013, IWC elevated its involvement by becoming the engineering partner for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team. In the current year, this partnership marks its 10th anniversary. Over the past couple of years, we've witnessed interesting developments in limited edition timepieces arising from this partnership. One notable example is the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph ref. IW388108, which served as the team’s official watch last year. It features an unconventional dial and a strap adorned with generous splashes of bright green. This year, perfectly timed with the Las Vegas Formula One Grand…

Three years after the unveiling of the HM10 Bulldog, independent watchmaker MB&F has finally revealed its latest creation, the HM11 Architect. True to the brand’s signature style of playful ingenuity, the HM11 features an architecturally inspired case with a central flying tourbillon and four arms, each bearing a vertical display or crown. A HOUSE MADE OF MACHINES Sixteen years after the launch of the first Horological Machine, MB&F still manages to keep everything fresh, creating watches that marry design and technical innovation. Cool and fun cases meet clever movements designed to transform simple watch functions into captivating displays. This is especially evident in the HM11 Architect, as it boasts an impressive case and time display that once again show how watches can be incredibly creative like a futuristic machine. The…

As a watchmaker, I often start my assessment of a watch with it face down. Although my habits as a collector, perhaps surprisingly, are more aesthetically grounded than they are technical, and any appraisal of where a watch sits within the context of modern watchmaking must begin with its beating heart. What I saw through the sapphire display case back of the Leica Monochrom ZM 1 and ZM 2 shocked me. This was not, as I had erroneously (and unfairly) expected, an off-the-shelf tractor caliber, dressed up with fancy finishing. Furthermore, its functionality was not module-based. It was integrated. That immediately signaled that Leica, to the brand’s immense credit, had not chosen the path of least resistance. The brand had chosen the pain and suffering of developing a movement from…

Our first collaboration with Italian brand Unimatic resulted in the all-white Unimatic U1 GMT “Arctic Fox,” a tribute to the winter camouflage adopted by both the animal which changes the color of its fur to pure white during winter, and the “snow camo” smocks worn by soldiers such as legendary Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä. Armed with nothing more than his rifle and his all-white stormtrooper-like livery, Häyhä famously dispatched 500 Russian soldiers in 100 days, earning himself the evocative sobriquet, “The White Death.” But when it came time for our second collaboration, Unimatic co-founders Giovanni Moro and Simone Nunziato wanted to focus on blue, a color that reminds them of the oceans which occupy more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, and the history of exploration and conservation of…

The simple definition for success is the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose. What unites all of the brands, families, groups and individuals featured in these pages is that they have had the audacity to dream big and the temerity, resilience, courage and capability to execute their goals. One example is Jean Arnault who just two years ago had set out to completely change the world’s perception of Louis Vuitton watches and, through his bold relaunch of the Tambour and championing of independent watchmaking, has completely transformed the way we see Louis Vuitton today. As another example, it would be fair to say that this is the year we truly see the brilliance of Jean-Frédéric Dufour’s leadership at Rolex: first with the acquisition of Bucherer and Rolex’s first entry…

By the time you read this, November 5 will have come and gone. The significance of this date is that it should have coincided with Only Watch 2023. This is normally an incredible moment for the watch industry, where a supercharged crucible of mega-collectors bid for one-of-a-kind timepieces created by the industry’s most mythical brands, technical geniuses and extraordinary artisans. For me, Only Watch was special because it was a moment of celebration for the entire watch community to benefit a great cause. It was an expression of love for humanity and, to some degree, a wonderfully good-natured competition to see who could create the most ambitious horological masterpieces and garner the greatest financial results. But as you are probably aware, this charity auction benefiting Duchenne muscular dystrophy has been…

The Oris Divers Sixty-Five is a much-beloved watch, a versatile and nostalgic throwback to the golden era of 1960s dive watches. This heritageinspired design has also proven to be as versatile as it is highly popular, and now, Oris stands with Collective Horology to propose a hot new take on this classic, the Oris Divers “Seventy-Five”. The question asked by Oris and Collective Horology is this: "What would an Oris dive watch from the mid-’70s look like?" Collective Horology has taken inspiration from 1970s Californian graphic design, and applied it to the original version of the Divers Sixty-Five, including the distinctive Arabic dial layout, realized in a burnt orange color scheme. Here, the dial printing looks like it’s been lifted straight off Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine. Of course, the bezel…

There is little doubt that Hublot remains one of the watch industry’s most dynamic brands. Able to sire scintillating discussions and deep debate with the mere mention of its name, the Swiss brand enjoys its position as a tireless disruptor of opinions and perception. In many ways, it is the perfect case study of exactly what a watch brand could and perhaps should be. When it was founded in 1980 by the since-departed Carlo Crocco, it turned the very definition of luxury on its head. By fusing traditional materials with rubber — back then a revolutionary material — it challenged a market that was even more conservative than it is today, to reexamine itself and to move with the times. As one of the leading brands of the modern era,…

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Translated from Mandarin, Càn (粲), means “brightness and splendor, and indeed our second collaboration with Atelier Wen, the independent brand that is tapping on the very best artisanal and watchmaking capabilities of China, is all that. Similar to our sold-out first collab, Atelier Wen x Revolution Perception ‘Càn’ is based on the brand’s wonderful integrated bracelet, sports chic, 100-meter water resistant watch named Perception, now made even more desirable with two key improvements. Our latest version features a matte brushed and high polished grade 5 titanium case and bracelet with polished inner angles on all the links for a shimmering statement. In place of the striking red dial of its predecessor, Càn features a radiant champagne-coloured sunray flinqué guilloché à main dial individually crafted by Master Cheng Yucai. As a…

OK, before we get to the watch, which is a great watch, I want to take this opportunity to talk about Marc A. Hayek. It was made clear to the journalists, retailers and collectors present a month ago in Cannes, during the press conference celebrating 10 Years of Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment initiative, that Hayek is an anomaly in the luxury watch world. Instead of climbing to the top of a proverbial Mount Olympus to hurl marketing messages like lightning bolts at consumers worldwide, he harks back to an old-school paradigm — a man who prefers to let his actions speak for him. And over the last decade, he has consistently and militantly supported raising awareness of the need to preserve the oceans, because mankind has, in its avarice, screwed the…

BRAND OF THE YEAR WATCH OF THE YEAR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CEO OF THE YEAR REVOLUTIONARY OF THE YEAR TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RISING STAR BEST DESIGN BEST CONCEPT BEST COLLABORATION BEST REINVENTION BEST WORLD TIMER BEST MEN’S WATCH BEST WOMEN’S WATCH BEST JEWELRY WATCH BEST SPORTS CHIC WATCH BEST SPORTS WATCH BEST TOURBILLON BEST CHRONOGRAPH BEST DIVE WATCH BEST ASTRONOMICAL COMPLICATION BEST GRAND COMPLICATION BRAND OF THE YEAR ROLEX No matter if you love artisanal independent watchmaking, or you’re a fan of the loftiest high complications, you have to agree with the following irrefutable truth: The entire Swiss watch industry owes its existence to Rolex. Bold statement? Perhaps. But one that rings with the clear and distinct peal of unwavering truth. Because without Rolex to connect the world’s population with…

Can someone who is not passionate about watches really work in the luxury watch industry? This was one of the many questions asked by Revolution founder Wei Koh at the 2023 Revolution Horological Symposiums during Geneva Watch Days. And this was the question that made me really pause, and think, and look all around. Of course, anyone can basically work anywhere. Passion can easily be derived from so many other aspects of life. But I think that the luxury watch industry is a little different than others, such that to enter this space and not only survive but also thrive, there needs to be an emotional connection with horology, a curiosity and genuine respect for the people who contribute to the craft — and the business — in every way…

By now, you’d pretty much have to be a watch enthusiast living under a rock, in a very far-flung part of the world, to not have had Norqain pop up on your radar. Indeed, even if you have spent the past year on safari, the young Swiss brand would have likely crossed your path. Having only been established in 2018, the meteoric rise in visibility, partnership, and product offerings that Norqain has been able to garner has been nothing short of astounding. In particular, their Wild One family of adventurous luxury timepieces has continued to distinguish itself from other timepieces with its combinations of hightech materials, colors, and textures. That continues today with the release of the Wild One All Black. Featuring the same cage-style construction as the other Wild…

Fine watchmaking tends to pride itself on artful execution rather than radical advancements. Chronographs, tourbillons, and chiming watches have all undeniably witnessed significant technological advancements in recent decades. However, all too often, when incorporating modern materials or pursuing novel visual effects, they tend to diverge from tradition rather than honor it. In contrast, the LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie achieves an admirable feat by bringing something new to the table in a manner that solidifies its place within the rich legacy of horology. A collaborative creation between the world’s leading luxury brand Louis Vuitton and Geneva-based independent watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi, the LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie combines a chronograph with a chiming mechanism that sounds each elapsed minute in passing while the chronograph is running, along with a five-minute tourbillon. It marks…

It gives me great pleasure to introduce our new limited edition collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier, a stunning Tonda PF nicknamed “Purple Reign.” This timepiece features a dial that shifts chameleon-like in color according to the light, from a gray-inflected claret to a deep ruby hue, expressing brand CEO Guido Terreni’s mastery of chromatic expression. In the mere two years since the Tonda PF was launched in 2021, it has perfectly tapped into the zeitgeist of the global collectors’ collective consciousness, engendering a true cult following. Every person that tries on a Tonda PF becomes a devotee, because it is, to my mind, the most perfectly proportioned, ergonomic and subtle, yet resplendently detailed integrated bracelet watch in existence today. There is something you can do with a Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF…