|
Thank God for the next step, it took us to Harry Winston. HARRY WINSTON We did not have an appointment either but Mrs Pielken, the PR manager accepted to accommodate us without notice and, even though she had a busy schedule ,allowed us to monopolise both prototypes of the Opus 3 for the time it took to shoot our pictures.
 The Opus 3 is, as its name indicates, the 3rd project developed in common between Harry Winston and an independent Master Watchmaker, this year being Vianney Halter. It is a very unusual piece, definitely Halter style yet in a distinctive Harry Winston case. Allow me briefly present the watch before giving my opinion. The watch indicates, hours, minutes, seconds and date in a "jump" style. The watch consists of 6 portholes through which 10 discs rotating independently show the hours (top outer portholes), the minutes (lower outer portholes) and the date (centre top and centre lower porthole). To create "movement" on the dial (or rather in the portholes) before a change of hour or minute, the upper date aperture displays a countdown of the final four seconds of the minute!
 But that's not all! The crown is a whole new poem! The Opus 3 has a crown set horizontally with 4 different positions.
 The watch took a year and a half to develop, 98% of the watch (movement and case) has been developed from scratch and crafted specifically for this watch, the case comprises more than 50 parts and the movement more than 250.
 Opus 3 will be created in a limited series of 55 pieces in all - 25 RG, 25 Pt, 5 Pt with diamonds.. Now what do I think about this watch? Love at first sight! You wouldn't believe it but my heart started pounding the moment I saw the watch. My hands went numb and I started perspiring the moment I took it into my hands. A watch with HUGE personality and character, exciting and new. Something of the like I had never seen. Looks like a watch that science fiction writers of the 50's would have imagined on the wrists of humans in the XXIst century.
 My reaction is not of one before craftsmanship, but rather a work of art. Imagine the feeling you had when you first read "The Karamazov Brothers". Well that's how I felt before this pieces which obliterates our references to the reading of time!
 It's a watch that evokes strong feelings since the friends I was with did not quite feel the same about Opus 3 and the timepiece is still in our discussions! Let's not forget the movement, a beautifully finished form manual wind movement! This watch is a true must have for any collector: original, innovative, exquisitely made, exclusive and it looks beautiful on the wrist. And kudos to Harry Winston for having the taste and courage to give talented watchmakers such as Vianney Halter a chance to express themselves before a larger audience. I really want to share my excitement and appeal for this watch and will do a more thorough presentation soon After all this excitement it would seem that anything I would see thereon would look bland. That was what would have been the case were not Ulysse Nardin the next step. ULYSSE NARDIN Here is a brand that I was not interested in and even wanted to dislike, but each time I see their products I like them more and more. UN will we presenting mostly new dials on existing models: The Ulysse 1 was presented last year, it is IMHO a very classic and elegant watch with a beautiful case design. This year 4 new limited edition pieces (350 pieces each) will be produced in rose gold and platinum with guilloche dials. The platinum with the grey dial is stunning.
 The Marine model is put in a bigger case with new lugs and now has applied markers. It looks good but I still don't understand why they put a date aperture that spoils the equilibrium of the dial.
 The old and new models:
 To remain in the sea and marine universe, UN will be introducing a beautiful enamel dial watch representing the Lightning, a ship which in 1854 set a record by sailing from Boston to Liverpool in 13 days an 19 hours. Contrary to the past enamel dial models which came in the San Marco case this watch comes in the very elegant case used in the Hour Striker model. It will be limited to 30 pieces in rose gold and platinum.
 The highlight of the presentation was however the Sonata: 
(photo by Marcus Hanke)It is a watch that combines a novel alarm setting with a countdown indicator and a dual time zone. The watch is very well made and innovative. The alarm is constructed like a minute repeater, a hammer hits a gong creating a crystalline sound
 A very exciting piece and, for me, the most interesting of the fair along with the Opus 3. Our last presentation of the day was Blancpain. BLANCPAIN Unfortunately Blancpain is not a brand that I am attracted to, due mainly to their whole marketing about being the oldest watch manufacture, the no quartz nonsense etc.. However we did see some nice watches. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of its "rebirth" Blancpain has introduced a very attractive triple date moonphase in the Villeret case, the movement features a very interesting rotor in the form of a moon. This watch will be produced in 100 pieces in platinum and 300 in rose gold.
 This year seemed to be the year for alarm watches and Blancpain introduced their new model GMT alarm with a movement developed in collaboration with Breguet. Unfortunately, after having heard the Sonata, the sound of the alarm of the BP (same principle as the Sonata, a hammer hitting a gong) just didn't "sound" (pun intended) right.
 The Brassus Flyback split seconds:
 Another split seconds chronograph with power reserve indicator:
 Two time zone Villeret with day/night indicator. However the piece showed to us was a prototype and the day/night indicator will be modified.
 Minute repeater with "state of the repetition mechanism":
 The best piece was in my opinion the minute repeater with automatons engaged in erotic activities. Very nice understated case and dial, the watch sounded great and the automatons were finely engraved and enamelled.
 (click here to see the back with erotic automatons) That ended our 2nd day at the Basel fair. We were exhausted and headed off to our hotel to get a good night's sleep. We were meeting up with Daniel Roth then Breguet early the next morning before heading for Geneva. Click here to continue - page 6
WatchRap general discussion forum | ThePuristS Homepage
Copyright April 2003 - Alex G and ThePuristS.com - all rights reserved |