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To be honest, Fratellowatches rarely takes the time to explain mechanical watches in a way that even newbies understand why they are so expensive. We discuss timepieces of watch manufacturers like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex watches like it is our primary necessity of life. It is sheer luxury of course.

Over at Tested.com they understood the need for a crash course in (mechanical) watches and did a very cool explanation about high-end timepieces and what justifies their prices (and collecting them). We are honored to get mentioned in the article, together with our colleagues of Hodinkee and aBlogtoRead.

So, if you are new to watches and want to learn more about the technology used, the most sought-after brands and the watch collecting culture, make sure to read this article over at Tested.com. They have lots of cool other topics as well! A big thanks to Wesley Fenlon for the mention.

From:FratelloWatches RSS

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Invicta Reserve Specialty Limited Edition 1574 Watch

 Invicta Watch Group reached a landmark in its watchmaking history in December 2011 with the launch of the Reserve Specialty Limited Edition Mechanical Tourbillon Watches. This line signified Invicta’s foray into their first mechanical models in combination with the tourbillon movement. Consisting of three timepieces of different colors, this collection is truly limited edition as each color comes in only 200 pieces.

This limited edition line is part of the Reserve collection, a completely hand-made series that tends to exhibit a pattern of round and chunky steel watches with the chronograph feature.  The Reserve collection also tends to include bigger watches, and takes the title of the Invicta collection with most watches measuring 50 mm or larger in diameter. The Specialty Mechanical Tourbillon Watch follows this formula quite faithfully, with a casing of 52 mm diameter and 21 mm thickness. These types of large watches tend to aim towards the male audience, although the Reserve collection also has oversized watches for women.

The Seagull TY800 is a mechanical, Chinese-made automatic movement that powers the tourbillon, set in the case of the watch with 27 jewels. With a power reserve of about 40 hours, the mechanisms gleams with 27 jewels as it runs on 21,600 vibrations per hour. A Cote de Genève motif peeks out through the case back to adorn the Seagull TY800. These “Geneva Stripes” or Fausses Côtes are created by a special type of geometric lathe to achieve a result similar to a spirograph engraving.

Sophistication and innovation come together in the design of the Specialty Mechanical Tourbillon Watch, with a beautiful case made up of more than 48 parts. A screw-down crown and a fixed bezel emphasize the hard work put into the model’s construction, and the trademark Invicta flame-fusion crystal grips the dial of the piece. A spider-shaped decoration lies in the background, with the tourbillon cage representing its body and the metal detailing depicting its legs. The tourbillon mechanism rotates once a minute and functions as a display of seconds.

Sold at $ 2,715 for each lustrously colored model, the only difference between the pieces lie within the dial hue. The 1574 model shines with red gold, as does gun metal for model 1573, and blue achieves a cooler effect in model 1684. The tips of the hands for both hours and minutes gleam to ensure maximum legibility. The carefully built watch can withstand up to 500 meters of water pressure and is enclosed in a stainless steel, 31 mm wide bracelet.

Invicta Reserve Specialty Limited Edition 1684 Watch Case Back

From:Luxury Watches That Impress Review Blog

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Seiko recently announced a new model in the SAR line of mid-range dress watches. The new SARX range is powered by the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement and comes with a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display case back. The 6R15 is Seiko’s answer to the ETA 2824 and offers the hacking and hand winding ability not seen in their 7Sxx models. Measuring 40 mm across and 13 mm thick, the SARX series should suit any wrist but its styling may prove to be polarizing.

Precursor SAR lines features reserved styling and subtle details while the new SARX  features massive markers and roman numerals at twelve and six. These new SARX models are nice looking watches, but we wonder how much more elegant the design might have been if the markers were 50% smaller. Available with your choice of a white (SARX001), black (SARX003) or blue dial (SARX005), this new range from Seiko appears to be available only in Japan with a list price of 68250 JPy (~$ 890 at time of publication) but grey market dealers will ship worldwide and their pricing is closer to $ 680 USD. This new design adds a considerable amount of depth and texture to the dial but the over sized markers may prove to be too flashy for an otherwise conservative design. Additional models after the jump.

From:WatchReport.com

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Does it get any better than the Cartier tank? No, it simply does not.  I mean, the watch is as iconic as they come, and has been worn by everyone from General Pershing in 1918 to Clark Gable in 1948 to Muhammed Ali for many years.  And this year, not only did Cartier introduce an entirely new case design for the Tank (which we’ll show you in the coming days), they also brought in a new model within the Louis Cartier family, the Louis Cartier Tank XL Slimline.

The original Louis Cartier Tank (or “Tank L.C.”) line was introduced in 1922 as “the ultimate watchmaker’s manifesto of elegance and timelessness.”  This year, the Louis Cartier Tank XL gets a sleek profile, which Cartier is calling slimline, and a wonderful ultra-thin hand-wound movement.  The movement is in fact Piaget’s fantastic 430. 

The Tank Louis Cartlier XL Slimline is available in pink gold on a brown alligator strap and is in fact the slimmest watch in the Cartier collection.  The watch is supremely elegant, and perfectly executed.  This is the watch many of us have been waiting for – a handsome, traditional tank from Cartier with a mechanical movement.  Price is set to be $ 14,200.

Click below for live photographs of the new Tank Louis Cartier XL Slimline watch.

From:HODINKEE

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While Watch Report has covered a series of Victorinox watches we have yet to review any of their mechanical chronographs and this is an omission we were excited to remedy when Victorinox announced new additions to the Infantry Vintage line. Fortunately, Victorinox was willing to loan us one of their newest models, the Infantry Vintage Mechanical Chronograph. With the exception of a date function, the chronograph is likely one of the most popular complications and after spending some time with the Infantry Vintage, we can certainly understand why. Chronographs are both fun and functional, part mechanical marvel, part practical tool. Has Victorinox succeeded in porting that analog enjoyment directly to our wrists with this new addition to the Infantry Vintage line? In a word, yes.

The Infantry Vintage wears a bit larger than its dimensions would let on but its smooth and nicely finished case is comfortable and carries an appropriate weight for its aesthetic. The stainless steel case has been done in a grey/brown gun-metal finish that matches well with the dial and makes for a rather unique look where many manufacturers would opt for bare stainless steel or PVD. Paired with the soft and comfy suede finished grey leather strap, the Infantry Vintage Chronograph has a quality feel and its very wearable on wrist thanks to its easily wield-able 15mm height (slim for a sporty auto chronograph).

The Infantry Vintage Chronograph is fitted with a triple coated sapphire crystal that does a good job of minimizing reflections without showing too much of the “blue haze” associated with such coatings (see included video). The 100m water resistant case is also fitted with a display back to allow the owner a view of the ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movement that powers this watch.

The dial is a dark copper tone that is incredibly detailed without sacrificing efficient viewing of the time or the chronograph measure. The chronograph uses the main (large) second hand and the two similar sub dials at twelve and six o’clock on the dial. The top sub dial offers a maximum read of 30 minutes with a resolution of 1 minute. As that register reaches its maximum value and resets to 0 the lower registers has recorded the 30 minutes to its measure and will do so to a maximum of 12 hours. The division of thirty minutes and total hours on separate dials makes the Infantry Vintage Chronograph simple to use, even when timing the most mundane aspects of one’s existence.

The running seconds are measured at nine o’clock and the entire scale is not present due to the placement of the “9″ numeral. Reading the seconds can be difficult at first as the running second hand is two sided so the seconds can be read by using the back side of the hand if the long end (front side) is pointing at an area without a scale. For example, at 40 seconds the long end of the seconds hand will be pointing into blank space. The short side (back side) of the running seconds will be pointing at 10 seconds. The user must just add 30 seconds to the reading on the back side of the hand to get the current accurate measure. Complex and a little annoying but this design preserves balance in the dial and keeps the running seconds display available but more subtle than the other sub-dials.

The dial detail is excellent with great attention to fine elements like font used in the scale of the chapter ring, the well-proportioned hands, and use of fine lines to add an additional depth and texture to the dial. The Infantry Vintage Chronograph exhibits the minute details and excellent legibility expected at this price point and much higher.

The main hands and numerals are treated with a luminous paint and glow quite brightly as their large size allows for more paint. I found the lume on the Infantry Vintage to be strong and fairly long lasting, much brighter than I expected for a non-diver. The included animation shows that the fall off is definitely noticeable but the overall performance is still very useable and, providing your eyes have acclimated to darkness, can still be used in the wee hours of the morning.

In the event you’ve never had the chance to operate an ETA 7750 powered chronograph, be assured it is quite simple. The top pusher will start the chronograph (similar to a stop watch) and if you press the top pusher again the measure will pause (so you can take a reading). From the paused postition, pressing the lower pusher will reset all registers to zero. That is all there is to it, simple, reliable and pleasingly mechanical. The Infantry Vintage Chronograph comes fitted with a display back that allows you to view the Swiss movement within.

The Victorinox Infantry Vintage Mechanical Chronograph retails for $ 1795.00 USD which is a fairly competitive price for a well made automatic chronograph from a known brand. Furthermore, the movement used in this watch is not only seen in its base 7750 form but also as the building block of most automatic chronographs on the market. Very few brands have their own in-house automatic chronograph movements, instead many rely on the 7750 as their base and can modify or add to it depending on their needs. The $ 1750 asking price places the Infantry Vintage Mechanical Chronograph somewhere between the entry price from some indie brands and more expensive options from Breitling, Tag Heuer, and Bremont.

The Infantry Vintage Chronograph Mechanical is a yet another example of why Victorinox is a value leader in the sport watch market. The pricing accurately reflects the level of detail, care and quality evident in this watch while still offering an entry point backed by a three year warranty. The technology is of known quality with the ETA 7750 being used in many other brands and models since its inception in the early 70′s as the Valjoux 7750. If the gun metal finish and dark coppery dial is to your liking, be sure to take a closer look at the Infantry Vintage Mechanical Chronograph the next time you happen by a Victorinox retailer.

From:WatchReport.com

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Allow me to officially debut liquid timekeeping to you. I teased the HYT H1 watch here recently by showing off the movement and the teaser video (more images there too). Now I can show you the full watch and discuss all that it is. In short, the HYT (Hydro Mechanical Horologists) brand will be dedicated to producing watches with liquid in them. The debut model is called the H1.

HYT CEO Vincent Perriard called the first “new” Concord watch the C1 when he was the CEO there a few years ago. There is a lot of similarity here in terms of the modernist conceptualization and presentation of the concept. Though the H1 is something altogether new. The watch uses a liquid filled chamber to display the hours using luminescent green goo in a circular tube. Two bellows are used to push and pull the liquid to show the time on the scale. These bellows are operated by the movement. The minutes are displayed in the center of the face with a dedicated dial, and there is a water turbine style subsidiary seconds hand to the left of it. On the right is a power reserve indicator for the mechanical movement.

Nothing like this has been done before. HYT claims that there are seven pending patents for this watch alone. The brand worked with a number of consultants to produce the movement. They have fancy names like Preciflex and Chronode – and are among the elite group of horological engineers in Switzerland that are able to make stuff like this a reality. This is probably one of the most interesting watches to view while adjusting the time.

Pistons in the movement move the bellows. As one expands the other one compresses which moves the liquid. The green colors comes from “fluorescein” which I am going to venture to say is not safe to drink. According to HYT the watch is designed with as much shock protection as possible to ensure the systems are kept safe and that you can wear the watch as normal.

The HYT H1 is a pretty sizable watch. Wear this and you’ll get noticed for sure. Especially by the TSA while traveling in the airport. Anyone other than an elite group of watch lovers around the world are going to be mesmerized by this mechanonaut on your wrist.

Coming in three case styles the H1 will be available in titanium, DLC black coated titanium, and 18k red gold. The case will be 48.8mm wide and a pretty massive 17.9mm thick. Actually that is small considering it has bellows in it. Design wise the case reminds me a lot of the Clerc Hydroscaph. It isn’t a 1:1 clone by any means, but if you compare the two you will see obvious design influences. Then there is the rubber-coated crown and the crown protector. It looks a lot like the crown and crown protector layout on the Bremont Supermarine watch. Nothing wrong with that, it is just interesting to see where the HYT team gathered influence to make this otherwise very unique creation.

The movement has a power reserve of 65 hours and is visible through the rear of the watch. I think it looks very nice and the functions are acceptable given the complexity of the liquid system as well as the price of the watch. This is going to be a cool watch to get some hands-on time with at Baselworld 2012. Price was surprisingly not uber-crazy. The HYT H1 in titanium will be priced at $ 45,000. No word yet on the price in 18k red gold.

Technical data from HYT:

Movement:           mechanical hand-wound, exclusive HYT calibre, 28,800 vph, 4 Hz, 35 jewels, bridges hand-chamfered and adorned with Côtes de Genève, rhodiumed bellows, 65-hour power reserve

Functions               retrograde fluid hours, minutes, seconds

Case:                     titanium; diameter: 48.8 mm, thickness: 17.9 mm brushed, bead-blasted and satin-brushed finish

rubber-clad screw-lock crown

titanium crown guard

screw-locked added lugs

metal dome at 06:00

cambered sapphire crystal with glareproofed interior

screw-down sapphire back

Dial:                       unstructured, silver-toned opaline

fluid hours, luminescent hands and hour-markers regulator at 12:00

small seconds wheel at 09:30

power-reserve indicator at 02:30

Strap:                     hand-sewn leather-lined canvas, pin buckle

Other versions:      black DLC-coated titanium case, black subdial

5N 18K red gold case, black subdial

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Related posts:

1. HYT Watch Teaser – Who Are The Hydro Mechanical Horologists? …
2. CX Swiss Military 20,000 Feet Diver: Deepest Diving Mechanical Watch Ever …
3. Piaget Creates Rare Beautiful Skeletonized Thin Mechanical Watch In The Altiplano Squelette …
4. Swiss Army Victorinox Dive Master 500 Mechanical Watch Review …
5. Seiko Moving Design Discus Watch Is Beautiful, Basic, And Mechanical …

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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Mechanical, Chronograph watches are designed to provide a lifetime of accurate and reliable service. For maximum efficiency and to prevent damage, a mechanical watch needs to be serviced every three or four years. Many steps have to be performed to service a watch. First, the watch is opened and the movement is removed. It is taken apart, down to the very last screw. Then the parts are checked for wear and tear. The old parts are replaced when necessary. Then all the parts are cleaned, reassemble and lubricated. After those steps, then the movement is regulated, so the watch will run accordingly. Polishing the case and the bracelet. If the watch is water resistant, the water tightness is checked. After performing all this steps, will get almost a brand new watch.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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New high-end watch brand HYT is coming in 2012. I don’t much except that the watch(es) will somehow incorporate liquid – green, possibly luminescent, liquid. One of the brand’s principles is Vincent Perriard. Formerly CEO of Concord and then TechnoMarine. Perriard has been working quietly on HYT for a while now. In my opinion Perriard thrives when two things are in order. First, that he has a lot of creative freedom (I still think that TechnoMarine should have run his “Ocean Addict” ad campaign), and second, when he is able to work on a product that isn’t limited by too many budget constraints.

So who or what are the Hydro Mechanical Horologists? The world will find out soon, and I will keep you updated. For the time being enjoy the fun teaser video.

From:aBlogtoRead.com

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Maurice Sandoz was the original collector of mechanical art.  His collection of pocketwatches, automata, and other mechanical pieces of wonder remains one of, if not the preeminent in the world.  Fifty pieces of the amazing Sandoz Collection is currently on display in New York thanks to Parmigiani Fleurier. 

On public exhibit at the historic La Vieille Russie (on the NE corner of 59th and 5th ave) are quite simply stunning works of art. We got a sneak peek last week and what we saw were some amazing pocket watches, like the one on which Parmigiani’s new Toric Oval with telescoping hands and this exceptional piece.  We also saw a few automatons that we recognized, like the Ethiopian Caterpillar that we featured here. 

But, perhaps the biggest surprise was that we saw one of the most valuable items we’ve ever covered on HODINKEE, the a singing bird pistol just like those that sold at Christies last year for just shy of $ 6 million.

You can see more picture of the amazing Sandoz Collection of Mechanical Wonders here.

Go See It: The Sandoz Collection is on view in NYC at La Vieille Russie (NE corner of 59th and 5th ave) now through November 26th.  For any fan of mechanical art, this is a must see.

Click through for more live pics.

From:HODINKEE

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Instead of discussing another Omega, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe or whatever, we have picked a Guy David watch to review. A watch of the price that some of us normally would spend on a leather strap for one of the watches just mentioned. Guy David is one of Gassan’s own label watches and we have briefly mentioned it before here on Fratellowatches.

At first sight, this diver holds somewhere in between fashion and real horology. The first thing noticed is the finish of the impressive 47mm watch case. The sides are nicely satin-brushed and the top of the lugs have this Omega Seamaster 300M polish on them. I am not sure whether the designer’s were inspired by watches like the Seamaster or Submariner, but these watches represent the classic design of a diver’s watch.

The bezel clicks twice per minute and feels more solid than on some of the more expensive ‘low cost’ divers I’ve handled before. The numerals on the uni-directional bezel are large, perhaps even loud, but at least very readable.

Guy David’s diver watch also has this cyclops for the date window, which of course reminds us of the Rolex sports models such as the Submariner. The magnification is a bit too little, certainly not the 2.5x we are used from the Submariner. Design wise, it fits the watch though.

The picture above shows the watch from the side, giving you a pretty good idea about the finish on the case. A large (unsigned) crown and big octagonal bolts emphasizes the size and ‘tool’-aspect of the watch. Attached is a comfortable rubber strap which feels soft as silicone and locks with a tang buckle engraved with Guy David logo. The stainless steel buckle also has this neat satin-brushed finish.

This photo from the side shows the domed crystal, which is a mineral crystal. A sapphire crystal alone would probably cost 200 euro for any other brand, so it would definitely increase the price of the watch a lot. You can also see that the bezel is fairly high which makes it easy to grab for operation.

On the back side, the polished case back shows all information necessary. Guy David guarantees a water resistance of 200 meters (20ATM) and notes that there is a Japanese movement ticking inside. I would have loved a satin-brushed case back, as the polished surface is quite large and contrasts to a certain extend with the rest of the watch case. Just like the winding crown and helium escape valve, the case back is screw-down as well, securing the watch for its 200 meter of water resistance.

I took the liberty of opening the case and found this Japanese mechanical automatic Miyota movement inside. A pretty straight-forward automatic movement mounted unpretentious inside the Guy David watch case. The movement is held in place by a nylon spacer, making it unattractive for a transparent case back but probably keeps the selling price interesting.

For 199 Euro, you get a mechanical diving watch with 2 years of warranty. A watch that can’t be compared to some of the watches that have been used for inspiration of the design, but doesn’t pretend it could either. You can ask yourself who’s nuts, people spending over 200 euro for a leather strap or people who buy themselves a fashionable working mechanical diver’s watch for 199 euro. Watches like these put this crazy hobby or passion all into perspective. You don’t have to spend thousands of euros/dollars to buy yourself a nice mechanical (first) watch if you don’t want to, or simply can’t.

I see this watch as an interesting acquaintance with the world of mechanical timepieces and hope that it makes the owner enthusiastic enough to keep studying watches and eventually step into the world of haute horlogerie. If not, that’s fine too, at least you have a timepiece that carries a bit of that mechanical ‘soul’ inside.

More information at ACWatch.co, selling the Guy David Diver on-line for 199 Euro.

From:FratelloWatches RSS

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