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Franck Muller Genè “Master Jumper”

Pursuing its quest for original creations, Franck Muller is offering a world premiere to collectors with a new emblematic timepiece:

the “Master Jumper”, housing a 100% manufacture movement. An exceptional timepiece with an incredible jumping hours, minutes and date complication, featuring three apertures for a new reading of time, on an exceptional dial.


Faithful to its origins in the design of avant-garde timepieces, Franck Muller is once again asserting with this exceptional collection its desire to create a watchmaking style that respects its past, while offering a new way of reading time.


Since its creation in 1992, Franck Muller has combined boldness and creativity with exceptional expertise in fine watchmaking. The Master of Complications cares to introduce new functions and unconventional time readings, which each year gives rise to world premieres and the registration of new patents.


Today, Franck Muller is proud to present its new Master Jumper collection, in which the hands have been replaced by five discs featuring hour, minute and date numerals. At each hour change, the gear train leads the disc to jump one step, changing the time in the first aperture at the top of the dial. The minutes, placed at the centre of the dial, have two discs for the units and tens, giving this mechanical watch a numeric reading of time.

A world premiere, the jumping hours and minutes are complemented by a third aperture featuring a jumping Grande Date. Two discs enable the date to be changed by jumping, a technical difficulty that requires extreme precision. This timepiece offers an incredible spectacle with the hours, minutes and date changing in a hypnotic jump. This work without hands is a genuine horological feat, requiring perfect indexing of all the displays and exceptional watchmaking expertise.
©2023 Franck Muller Genève

The three apertures have been placed vertically and equidistantly on the dial to highlight the perfect success of the symmetrical and minimalist positioning of the triptych.

Combining the three jumping functions of hour, minute and date on a single dial, this exceptional timepiece once again demonstrates Franck Muller’s great mastery of complications, earning him the title of “Master of Complications”.


Franck Muller presents this new complication in the latest interpretation of its unique tonneau shape: the Cuvex CX. Created to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary, this redesigned case features a sapphire crystal that extends from noon to 6 o’clock, right down to the bracelet, offering a magnificent view of the dial. A bold design that fully highlights the watch’s curves with a full perspective on the dial and its new guilloché inspired by a twisted “Clous de Paris” to an impression of movement on the dial and rich reflections thanks to the different facets. It has been worked here in two distinct circles to highlight the complications. This finishing touch gives the timepiece a unique style that combines tradition and modernity. This collection offers classic and elegant finish with a thin bezel beneath the sapphire crystal that highlights the triple jumping complication.


With this new collection, Franck Muller continues its great lineage of Master Square, Master Banker and Master Calendar.


Backed by a solid partnership spanning more than twenty years and a genuine friendship, Franck Muller has decided to launch its new Master Jumper with Dubail Paris, through a special series that is presented as a world preview in the Dubail boutiques in Paris, on Place Vendôme and the Champs Elysées. The Dubail family’s boutiques in Paris are the perfect setting for the launch of this new collection.

Through this exceptional work, which offers a new interpretation of the passage of time that is both technical and aesthetic, Franck Muller and Dubail Paris are together writing the next chapter in the history of Haute Horlogerie.

Allrights reserved GFM Watchland SA www.franckmuller.com

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Watches and Wonders Geneva announces its dates for 2024

The Salon has revealed its dates, confirming that it will be opening to the general public with a two-part program.
The next edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva will be held from 9 to 15 April 2024 in Geneva’s Halles de Palexpo. New for next year, the general public will be able to attend the event over a long 3-day weekend, from Saturday to Monday inclusive. Press and trade visitors will have access to the Salon throughout the week.

The 2024 edition intends to build on the success of 2023, further raising Geneva’s profile as an international watchmaking destination. The program will again unfold in two parts – at Palexpo and In the City – with an evening event on Thursday 11 April in the heart of town. The aim is to get the people of Geneva and local players even more involved in this major watchmaking event.

All the brands taking part in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 will be announced at a later date, along with the full program.

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4997/200R - CALATRAVA
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Patek Philippe presents luxury timepieces in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023

Patek Philippe presents luxury timepieces in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023

 

Patek Philippe presents 17 new watch models with innovative technical and aesthetic features, enriching its vast range of collections

On the occasion of Watches and Wonders 2023, the Geneva-based manufacture is unveiling a wide selection of new models, ranging from a Calatrava with an original 24-hour display and a Travel Time function for the display of a second time zone, to a new haute joaillerie version of the Grandmaster Chime, and the first Annual Calendar to enter the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce collection, renowned for its modern casual chic. A new vintage celebrating technical mastery and creativity.

“Why does Patek Philippe offer so many different collections? Because each of them has its own character and its own way of enabling us to innovate and express ourselves.” That was the message from Thierry Stern, president of the family-owned manufacture, in a recent communications campaign centering on the company’s brand philosophy. From the Grand Complications to the elegant sports models and others that have become icons of horological design, Patek Philippe maintains a vast choice of watches for men and women in every market segment. As time passes, the manufacture takes great care to ensure a balanced evolution of the approximately 150 references, which are crafted in small series, ranging from about ten pieces to a few hundred. The 17 new introductions presented at the Watches and Wonders 2023 salon are the perfect illustration.

Five refined new looks for the striking watches –Grand Complications emblematic of Patek Philippe

Since the manufacture’s foundation in 1839, Patek Philippe has made its mark as one of the greatest specialists in striking watches. Its supreme mastery was confirmed in 2014 by the launch, as a limited edition, of the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime – the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch, with 20 complications. This timepiece, which joined the current collection in 2016, is particularly notable for its five chiming modes, including an alarm striking the pre-selected time, and a date repeater striking the date on demand.

The manufacture is reinterpreting the design of the double-face reversible case, endowed with a patented rotation mechanism, by presenting it for the first time in a bicolor version combining white gold and rose gold. This new Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300GR-001 also stands out by its two brown opaline dials, with a hand-guilloched Clous de Paris or hobnail pattern on the side displaying the time of day, and its two-tone chestnut brown patinated alligator strap and bicolor folding buckle.

In 2022, Patek Philippe highlighted the mechanical perfection of the Grandmaster Chime with two gem- set versions, one with baguette-cut diamonds (Reference 6300/400G-001) the other with baguette-cut diamonds and baguette-cut blue sapphires (Reference 6300/401G-001). Now, the manufacture is presenting a new alliance between haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie with the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Haute Joaillerie Reference 6300/403G-001 shimmering with 118 baguette-cut emeralds (7.87 ct) and 291 baguette-cut diamonds (20.54 ct) in a superb example of the “baguette” and “invisible” setting techniques. This timepiece is endowed with two dials in ebony-black opaline, with a hand-guilloched Clous de Paris or hobnail pattern on the time side and a shiny black alligator leather strap with emerald-green hand stitching.

Another outstanding piece among the striking watches, Reference 5316, launched in 2017, unites a minute repeater, a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand and a moon-phase indicator. In the Grand Complication Reference 5316/50P-001, Patek Philippe gives this timepiece a unique new modern allure –with a platinum case and a sapphire-crystal dial with blue metallization and black-gradient rim, affording a veiled glimpse of the mechanical heart of the watch.

Rare Handcrafts World Time Minute Repeater Reference 5531G-001

Rare Handcrafts World Time Minute Repeater Reference 5531G-001

The manufacture is also enriching its selection of minute-repeating wristwatches –the largest such range in a current collection –with two reinterpretations under the heading of Rare Handcrafts. Rare Handcrafts World Time Minute Repeater Reference 5531G-001 – the first minute repeater model that always strikes the local time –is also the first World Time Minute Repeater in white gold. Its dial center is adorned with a new Grand Feu cloisonné enamel scene depicting one of the famous steamboats still plying the waters of Lake Geneva. Another new model, Rare Handcrafts Minute Repeater Reference 5178G-012, is endowed with a self-winding movement and “cathedral” gongs whose sound is particularly deep and rich. It features a new dial in blue Grand Feu flinqué enamel over a distinctive hand-guilloched swirling pattern.

Calatrava Reference 5224R-001

Calatrava Reference 5224R-001 

A new complicated model and refreshed designs in the Calatrava collection

With its sleek round case and air of understatement, the Calatrava collection (launched in 1932) has made its mark as the archetype of timeless elegance. Over the years, Patek Philippe has added to this vast family a variety of complications used in everyday life, such as the Travel Time dual time zone function and the weekly calendar. The manufacture is now expanding its range of travel watches with the new Calatrava Reference 5224R-001 featuring the Travel Time dual time zone and an original 24- hour display. The new caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H self-winding movement is further distinguished by its patented system for correcting local time by the crown. It is housed in a rose-gold case harmonizing with a blue dial embellished by complex finishing touches, adorned with numerals, hour markers and five-minute cabochons all in rose gold, individually applied by hand.

Since 2015, the models in the Pilot style – inspired by the Patek Philippe watches created for aviators in the 1930s – have featured prominently in the manufacture’s collections, with several versions of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time with the dual time-zone mechanism, as well as a Grand Complication equipped with a 24-hour alarm. Patek Philippe is now endowing this distinctive line, known for its original, highly recognizable aesthetic, with its first two chronograph models: Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph Reference 5924G-001, with a blue-gray sunburst dial and a navy-blue grained calfskin strap; and the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph Reference 5924G-010, with a lacquered dial in khaki green and an olive-green calfskin strap with a vintage finish. These two watches house the caliber CH 28-520 C FUS self-winding movement uniting three practical and user-friendly complications:   a fly-back chronograph, a Travel Time dual time zone function and the date indicated by a hand, coupled with local time.

Other new models in the Patek Philippe current collection include the Calatrava references 6007G- 001, 6007G-010 and 6007G-011 featuring a graphic modern style. The ebony black dials, enriched with three types of finish, center an embossed “carbon” pattern. The dynamism of the design is heightened by touches of color on the dials and straps: yellow (6007G-001), red (6007G-010) or sky blue (6007G-011). The white-gold cases house the caliber 26-330 S C self-winding movement with date and stop-seconds function.

4997/200R - CALATRAVA

4997/200R – CALATRAVA

Patek Philippe is also expanding its range of elegant watches for women with the new Calatrava self- winding Reference 4997/200R-001, a reinterpretation of a great classic that catches the eye with a rose-gold case and a dial and strap decked out in purple. The dial, embossed with a pattern of concentric waves, is coated with more than fifty layers of translucent lacquer, creating a mesmerizing sense of depth. The case is adorned with a diamond-set bezel and houses the caliber 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement.

New functions and new faces for the Aquanaut and Aquanaut Luce

Patek Philippe made its mark in the domain of sporty elegance by designing two models that have acquired cult status: the Nautilus (1976) and the Aquanaut (1997), the latter strengthening its offer in 2004 with the launch of the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce line. Following the introduction of a Travel Time dual time-zone model in 2021 and a self-winding chronograph version in 2022, the Aquanaut Luce is now treating itself to a new practical and easy-to-use complication: the patented Annual Calendar. Graced with a blue-gray dial and strap, this Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar Reference 5261R-001 in rose gold enhances the choice of complicated watches for women with a non-gemset model.

The new self-winding ladies’ Aquanaut Luce Reference 5268/200R-010 coordinates a rose-gold case with a dial and integrated strap in taupe –a warm hue between brown and gray in perfect harmony with this model’s “modern casual chic” style. Its characteristic rounded octagonal bezel is lit by the fire of 48 diamonds. The case is water resistant to 120 m and houses the caliber 26-330 S C self-winding movement with stop seconds.

The self-winding Aquanaut chronograph for men, already available in steel and in white gold, also sports a rose-gold case for the new Aquanaut Chronograph Reference 5968R-001, endowed with a sunburst dial in a gradient of brown to black, and a matching composite strap.

From technical models to jewelry pieces

In the segment of complicated watches for men, Self-winding Flyback Chronograph with Annual Calendar Reference 5905R-010 endowed with a rose-gold case and a blue sunburst dial lends a new face to this alliance between two sought-after Patek Philippe complications.

Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001

Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001

The Gondolo collection, comprising the Patek Philippe “form watches” of Art Deco inspiration, announces the return of a jewelry watch with unique style and timeless elegance. The Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001, in rose gold, is set with spessartites arranged in a double color gradient, highlighting the case’s refined curves. The brown-lacquered dial presents a floral decoration with contrasting finishes.

A rich collection of rare handcrafts

 Once again, as in previous years, Patek Philippe is also unveiling a splendid collection of one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces (dome table clocks, table clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches) showcasing the rarest and most refined of the artistic crafts, such as miniature painting on enamel, Grand Feu cloisonné enameling, hand engraving and wood marquetry. The “Rare Handcrafts 2023” exhibition, bringing together these 67 creations, will be open to the public from April 1 to 15 2023 in the Patek Philippe Salons in Geneva.

Patek Philippe Grand Complication Perpetual Calendar 5271/11P 

 

 

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Luxury timepiece – Roger Dubui Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier “An era of Light Colour Begins”

Reloj de lujo – Roger Dubui Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier “An era of Light Color Begins”

Hiperluminiscente. Hiper-colorido. Superrendimiento: comienza una nueva era de estética deslumbrante con la llegada de la próxima generación de Excalibur Blacklight Monobalancier (MB). Una de las expresiones más brillantes de la Maison hasta la fecha, el reloj es una obra de arte contemporánea que es tan vibrante durante el día como bajo la luz ultravioleta. Bienvenido al deslumbrante mundo de Roger Dubuis, donde los campos de posibilidades se reinventan para ofrecer la forma más emocionante de experimentar Hyper HorologyTM.

EL ARTE DE LA LUMINESCENCIA

Siempre superando los límites, los relojeros altamente calificados de la Maison han estado desarrollando y dominando el intrincado arte de la luminiscencia durante años. Porque en Roger Dubuis, menos nunca es más.

Reflejando un nivel inigualable de artesanía, los micro-haces de metal del calibre son tridimensionales por primera vez, tomando la forma de la estrella característica de Roger Dubuis. De color amarillo brillante y naranja durante el día, revelan su luminiscencia oculta y brillan como neón bajo la luz ultravioleta.

Pero el dominio de la luminiscencia por parte de los relojeros va más allá. Manteniendo el punto culminante en el brillo de los micro-rayos, se eligió un diamante hiperprecioso y vívidamente fluorescente para el corazón de la estrella de la firma, canalizando el ojo para admirar el trabajo abierto de la pieza bajo la luz ultravioleta. Para garantizar que el centro de atención permanezca en los microhaces, también se seleccionaron específicamente 60 diamantes no fluorescentes para adornar el bisel. Motivados por una pasión extrema, el look final demuestra su control absoluto sobre dónde aparece la fluorescencia.

LLENO DE COLOR

La Maison presenta una colección cápsula icónica que brilla con colores de moda.

Encarnando un compromiso con la inconformidad y la voluntad de explorar nuevas posibilidades creativas, Roger Dubuis se inspiró para ir más allá de su obsesión por la luz e inyectar colores divertidos en esta próxima generación de Excalibur Blacklight MB.

Entre esta colección cápsula se encuentra un reloj vestido de amarillo brillante realzado con toques de naranja vibrante. Estos aportan un equilibrio armonioso al diseño, rompiendo el efecto de un solo tono y creando un camaieu. Estos tonos vivos también crean su estética distintiva, dejando que los detalles del calibre expresivo se revelen capa por capa, como una intrincada obra de arte que se aprecia cuanto más se mira. Atrevido, atrevido, icónico: este reloj de oro blanco de 42 mm realmente deslumbra, desde su correa de caucho amarillo brillante y piel de becerro hasta sus microrayos, marcadores de hora y minutos y su estrella característica. Si lo desean, los afortunados propietarios pueden incluso optar por cambiar la correa con solo unos pocos clics para expresar un nuevo estilo de su elección, ya que está equipada con un sistema de liberación rápida e hiperversátil. Hipercontemporáneo e hiperemocionante, la última edición del Excalibur Blacklight MB lleva a Hyper HorologyTM a nuevos y brillantes niveles de expresividad.

RENDIMIENTO IMPRESIONANTE

Definiendo el delicado equilibrio entre estética y rendimiento, el reloj está equipado con el calibre RD720SQ, que tiene una mayor reserva de marcha de 72 horas. El micro-rotor y el volante también están optimizados para minimizar las vibraciones, mejorar la estabilidad y hacerlo menos sensible a los golpes. Para lograr una eficiencia y transmisión de energía aún mejores, se mejora la forma de la rueda de escape, se combina con paletas de piedra de silicio recubiertas de diamante y se completa con un nuevo lubricante. La obra maestra está acabada a mano con meticuloso cuidado y recompensada con el Poinçon de Genève, una de las certificaciones más exigentes de la alta relojería.

Limitado a 28 piezas, el Excalibur Blacklight MB es la combinación perfecta de color, luminiscencia y mecánica avanzada, alcanzando nuevos niveles de expresividad. Al compartir su pasión por la luz y la luminiscencia, Roger Dubuis destaca una nueva faceta de Hyper Horology™, una que continúa dando forma al futuro de la alta relojería de la manera más colorida posible.

Hyper e Hyper Horology son marcas comerciales de Roger Dubuis presentadas y/o registradas en la clase 14

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The #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard bridges Swiss luxury watchmaking and Japanese street fashion

Just in time to herald the impending Year of the Rabbit, Franck Muller and Tokyo-based streetwear label #FR2 have jointly unveiled the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard. This marks the first collaboration between the two brands, and sees Franck Muller adopting the distinctive design language of #FR2 on its trademark Vanguard watch. The result is an edgy, fashion-forward timepiece with a dial anchored by #FR2’s iconoclastic rabbit motif, sitting a mid the signature numerals and tonneau case of Franck Muller.

The #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard bridges Swiss luxury watchmaking and Japanese street fashion by melding the elements from each universe, complete with its creators’ signature touches. This is immediately apparent on the dial, where Franck Muller’s timeless yet avant-garde aesthetic has taken on street style sensibilities. A matte white dial base starts things off by establishing a high key aesthetic, upon which black hands, markings, and appliqué indices lie.

The high contrast, monochromatic look comes complete with a delightful quirk at seven o’clock. Here, Franck Muller has situated #FR2’s provocative Fxxking Rabbits motif in lieu of hour markers, with one rabbit’s red eye providing the sole spot of colour on the dial. In the dark, the #FR2NCKMULLER Vanguard also offers an idiosyncratic twist. Super-Luminova has been selectively applied such that the skeletonised obelisk hands, indices and graphical motif leap out from the dial in the absence of light.

The stark, bold design extends to the rest of the watch. This includes Franck Muller’s tonneau-shaped Vanguard case, which has been rendered in a new carbon and glass fibre composite – a first for the brand, and one that will be reserved for Southeast Asia – exclusive models only. To create the light yet strong material, carbon powder and glass fibres are combined, before the resulting mass is impregnated with a bonding resin. The mixture is then baked at 150 degrees Celsius for three hours under 200 tons of pressure, to finally yield a composite that can then be machined into the necessary components. Due to random variations in how the mix are compressed, every watch case will offer a unique pattern of striations. The final touch here is the white nylon strap, which has been emblazoned with black text in a typographic style that will be familiar to street fashion aficionados.

Franck Muller’s work with #FR2 is a rare example of the Swiss watchmaker’s collaboration with external brands, which has been limited to a small, select group of partners. “#FR2’s founder Ryo Ishikawa isn’t just an iconic figure in Tokyo’s streetwear scene,” shares Sharon Lim, CEO of Franck Muller SEA. “As the creative force behind Fxxking Rabbits, he has adopted a muti-disciplinary approach to his label’s creations while maintaining a fiercely independent spirit. These are values that we believe in and identify with at Franck Muller, which makes this Southeast Asia Exclusive a natural collaboration. Of course, the product that we have come up with speaks to that.”

The #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard is a limited edition of 800 pieces, and is available across Southeast Asia and Australia since 6 January 2023.

About #FR2

#FR2, also known as Fxxking Rabbits, is the brain child of Ryo Ishikawa, an elder statesman in the world of Japanese street fashion who’s perhaps best known for founding fashion imprint Vanquish. Following its establishment in 2014, #FR2 quickly attracted a following with its signature rabbit and “Smoking Kills” motifs, as well as its products’ bold photographic prints. Along the way, Ishikawahas also set the brand apart with provocative campaign images – which he personally lensed – and tongue-in-cheek approach to fashion. From hoodies and candy-dispensing disposable cameras, the brand offers an eclectic range of apparel and objet d’art that’s arguably the most intimately Ishikawa’s yet.

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Roger Dubuis - Excalibur Spider Huracán Monobalancier
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Roger Dubuis – Excalibur Spider Huracán Monobalancier

Roger Dubuis – Excalibur Spider Huracán Monobalancier

Ready, set, go: Roger Dubuis roars across the starting line to reveal the Maison is now the official timing partner of the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new collaboration is set to whip up pleasure-seeking visitors with a series of unforgettable thrills and emotions.

The hyper watchmaker already boasts two renowned partnerships within the motorsport’s universe, creating adrenaline-charged masterpieces with racing legend Lamborghini Squadra Corse and premium tyre expert Pirelli. Welcoming another partner to the fold with the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a natural next step. In honour of the new collaboration, Roger Dubuis is proud to unveil the Excalibur Spider Huracán Monobalancier (MB). Born to race, the new timepiece boasts an expressive blend of hyper materials and hyper mechanics.

THRILLING MECHANICS, RAGING PERFORMANCE

The new Excalibur Spider Huracán MB reflects the DNA of Lamborghini Squadra Corse combined with the horological excellence of the Maison. Powered by an automatic RD630 calibre, the 45-mm diameter Excalibur Spider Huracán channels the same exhilarating performance as its motoring namesake. Strong visual cues are inspired from the Huracán GT3 EVO2, including the honeycomb motif made famous by the supercar, with its hexagonal dashboard paralleled in the shape of the calibre. Built like an engine, the calibre’s twin barrels and 12° tilted balance wheel also represent the movement signature associated with Lamborghini Squadra Corse. When viewed from the back, the skeletonised movement reveals the 360° oscillating rim weight. This reproduces the like-for-like speed effect of a Huracán wheel rim, as well as emulating its design. Finally, a crown inspired by the supercar’s racing nuts is paired with an upper calibre strut-bar bridge design reminiscent of those found on the V10 engine itself. When visionary engineers meet incredible watchmakers, iconic timepieces are born.

HYPER-TECH MATERIALS MEET INSPIRING RACING CODES

Both Roger Dubuis and Lamborghini Squadra Corse compulsively seek out hyper-tech materials to fulfil their obsession with shaping the future. Just as Lamborghini Squadra Corse chooses carbon fibre for its racing cars, Roger Dubuis crafts the new Excalibur Spider Huracán MB case, bezel, and crown from pure white Mineral Composite Fibre (MCF). Exclusively developed in-house, this hyper-tech material illustrates the Maison’s technical mastery. The 100% integrated Manufacture found that engineering silica via a Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) process could produce a material 13% lighter than SMC carbon. Not only does this lightness make it extremely comfortable to wear on the wrist, it also enables the creation of intricate designs thanks to a sturdy structure. Always seeking out the most expressive aesthetics, the pure white MCF is further elevated with embellishments in striking green, intense red and electrifying yellow to honour the design of the Huracán GT3 EVO. The same shades are also found on the white rubber strap, which features green calf leather perforated with tiny holes to reveal the red beneath. Intricate stitching in red adds to the audacious look, while a Quick Release System ensures ultimate versatility. As exclusive as the Festival of Speed Driver’s Club, the Excalibur Spider Huracán MB is reserved for a select tribe only and therefore limited to 88 pieces.

Join us to discover the Maison’s latest roaring creation and explore iconic timepieces at the Roger Dubuis booth at Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 23rd to June 26th. Adrenaline-seekers beware: This is going to be an epic weekend.

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HUBLOT – Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross

https://www.hublot.com/ – Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross

A Hublot ambassador since 2020, creative director Samuel Ross brings his unique graphic language to watchmaking for the first time with the limited-edition Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross.

https://www.hublot.com/

A 40-year focus on the “Art of Fusion” has resulted in a meteoric rise for Hublot, seeing it catapulted to the pinnacle of innovative watchmaking. With the brand’s ability to combine seemingly diametrically opposed materials, plus an enduring drive to push the boundaries of what is technically and aesthetically possible, it has rewritten the rules of horology, leaving a new design language in its wake.

Fostering a desire to work with the most talented practitioners in alternate fields, the brand introduced its “Hublot Loves Art” initiative more than a decade ago. Hublot has since collaborated with some of the most talented artists and designers of a generation. Ground-breaking in outlook and highly collectable, the resulting watches offer new interpretations of time and timekeeping. The most recent creator to take up the mantle is Samuel Ross.

Mirroring Hublot’s trajectory, renaissance man Ross has experienced an equally breakneck rise to prominence. Describing himself as a creative director, the 30-year-old multi-disciplinary artist, filmmaker, and fashion designer graduated from Leicester De Montfort University in 2012 with a first-class honours’ degree in graphic design and illustration. Since then, he has collaborated with many brands and creative outlets – from Oakley and Nike to Dr. Martens and Mackintosh – launching his men’s Luxury Sportswear label A-Cold-Wall* in late 2015, and his design studio SR_A in 2019.

In 2019, Ross was awarded the prestigious Hublot Design Prize, and a year later he was announced as an official brand ambassador, an occasion marked by the unveiling of REFORM, a sculpture designed to encapsulate 40 years of Hublot. Combining an ancient, organic material (granite) with a modern, manmade one (steel), Ross created his own ‘Fusion’, uniting past and present in a production process that involved both traditional hand-finishing and cutting-edge machining.

The deceptively simple, industrial form of the 40cm high artwork has now been reinterpreted in the 44mm Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross – Ross’s first wristwatch collaboration with Hublot. Ross’s signature use of colour and love of stark geometry and urban design, come together with the innovation and precision that prevail in the work of both Ross and Hublot.

The distinctive, stylised hexagon of the Big Bang case is reflected in the titanium honeycomb mesh used on the sapphire dial, case, case back and strap. A basic building block of nature (seen in environments from beehives and snake’s scales to pineapple skin and snowflakes) the robust and efficient shape, that can be repeated without gaps or overlapping, has been appropriated as a standard for modern-day construction and design thanks to the seamless fit of each unit.

Here the hexagon is a visual symbol of the functionality of the watch – a key strand running through all of Ross’s design. Although it may be a wearable sculpture, Ross never loses sight of the need for it to be durable and ergonomic, the lightweight, openworked titanium structure and malleable rubber strap ensuring its comfort on the wrist. A proponent of colour theory, Ross has chosen orange – representing energy and optimism – for the strap and accents on the crown and tourbillon bridge and lateral bumpers that protect the case, a glowing contrast to the sober grey of the satin-finished case and bezel.

The 282-component, manufacture HUB6035 calibre within beats at 3 Hz and gives 72 hours of power reserve. Just 50 pieces will be produced, each one a piece of art that brings a new perspective and a new visual language

to watchmaking. To celebrate the launch, Ross’s signature colours will envelop Hublot’s 5th Ave boutique in New York City. The takeover will be repeated in Hublot stores across the globe, bringing the Samuel Ross universe to the world of horology.

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Backes & Strauss Announces ‘The Vitesse Collection’ in Collaboration with HRH Princess Michael Of Kent

Backes & Strauss Announces ‘The Vitesse Collection’ in Collaboration with HRH Princess Michael Of Kent

Backes & Strauss is delighted to announce the upcoming release of The Vitesse Collection of watches in collaboration with Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Michael of Kent.

Inspired by HRH’s lifelong passion and knowledge for the plight of Cheetah’s across the African continent, these exclusive watches show Backes & Strauss at its creative best while supporting vital efforts to preserve this extraordinary species.

“Time is of the essence to protect what remains of the worldwide Cheetah population, which currently sits at around 7,000 and continues to decline, I am especially passionate about this collaboration as it will raise awareness of the situation and benefit the Endangered Species Centre in South Africa and the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia.”

— HRH SAID ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

PASSION FOR CHEETAHS

HRH’s interest in Cheetah dates back to her childhood in Mozambique, where she raised an orphaned cheetah cub named Vitesse, whom she hand-reared and later released into the wild after teaching her to survive on her own.

These experiences were the subject of 2017 autobiographical book A Cheetah’s Tale, which also explored the incredible bonds between animals and humans. The Princess also currently serves as the Royal Patron for both the benefitting organizations.

“This collaboration with HRH is the latest extremely exciting project for Backes & Strauss, as well as giving us the opportunity to produce stunning and unique timepieces, it will also help raise urgently needed funds to support conservation projects aimed at saving these beautiful cats from extinction.”

— COMPANY CEO VARTKESS KNADJIAN

VITESSE COLLECTION

The launch Vitesse Collection showcases several ‘Métiers d’art’ dials with hand painted cheetahs on enamel, mother-of-pearl, silk and green jade. There is also a dial with hand engraved cheetahs on a mother of pearl background. In addition there is an creative bezel set with Natural vivid yellow and black diamonds mimicking the skin pattern of the Cheetah.

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HUBLOT LOVES ASPEN SNOWMASS

HUBLOT LOVES ASPEN SNOWMASS

Hublot takes on the (Black) Diamond and pays tribute to 75 years of Aspen Snowmass with the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Aspen Snowmass Limited Edition

Aspen Snowmass is an enigma. A destination steeped in history and community, it also moves with speed and draws visitors the world over. It is hard to make time stand still in America’s most iconic and adventurous mountain town, but that’s exactly what Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot and Aspen Snowmass have achieved today.

In honor of the 75th Anniversary of Aspen Snowmass, Hublot: The Official Resort Partner and Official Timekeeper of Aspen Snowmass, has kicked off the resort’s auspicious 75th anniversary (taking place in January 2022) ahead of time, by launching a limited-edition commemorative timepiece to celebrate the Diamond Anniversary (that is fondly termed “The Black Diamond Anniversary” in acknowledgement of the mountain’s famed downhill terrain).

Aspen Snowmass – home to four mountains, two towns and one unforgettable experience at the confluence of nature, culture, and recreation – and Hublot – renowned for The Art of Fusion, have combined forces to design a piece that speaks to the DNA of both the mountain and the Swiss luxury Maison.

Designed in artful collaboration, the alpine-white skeletonized timepiece takes on the iconic Hublot Classic Fusion model. This limited edition of 30 pieces made of black ceramic with a white ceramic bezel features the Aspen tree leaf on the second hand and high shine brilliant titanium, a homage to the silver mining heritage of the Rockies and Aspen township. The limitation is stamped on the back of the timepiece along with the 75-year commemorative logo: the piece is a true collector’s item for 30 lucky few.

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Excalibur Gully Monotourbillon
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Roger Dubuis’ DNA – EXCALIBUR GULLY MONOTOURBILLON

Roger Dubuis’ DNA – EXCALIBUR GULLY MONOTOURBILLON

Searching for inspiration in the most unexpected places is in Roger Dubuis’ DNA. This includes uniting with world-famous urban culture artists who share its common values to break the rules, showcase radical expertise and obsess daily over the design of the future. Continuing on a journey to create boundary-breaking masterpieces in the world of Hyper Horology, Roger Dubuis is proud to introduce the second of its URBAN ART TRIBE timepieces with the Excalibur Gully Monotourbillon.

Gully, the French graffiti-turned-studio artist, follows the path started by Dr. Woo after being granted access to Roger Dubuis’ most important room: the manufacture itself. Taking on the same creative challenge to reinterpret the astral signature of the iconic Excalibur Monotourbillon, he presents his vision of the star by uniting it with his colourful world of graffiti.

BRINGING TWO WORLDS TOGETHER

Extravagant, determined and disruptive, Gully is as bold and bright in his ideas as Roger Dubuis. Having created a name for himself graffitiing throughout France in the nineties and noughties, he left the streets behind to maintain his anonymity. Now he works in a studio and exhibits his work at respected galleries. Master of appropriations, Gully’s art combines all movements, from hyperrealism to pop art, as well as surrealism and cubism, to create facetious and narrative masterworks that travel the history of art as if seen through a child’s eyes. Talking about his craft, Gully says: “Bringing different worlds together is my trademark. This project has that ethos at its core, making it an obvious collaboration for us both.”

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Roger Dubuis made the decision to recraft and reshape its own work of art – the Excalibur Monotourbillon – earlier this year. Through the exceptional skill and ingenuity of its watchmakers, the perfect conditions were created for the URBAN ART TRIBE collaboration. The use of clean cut lines on both case and movement as well as modern and technical materials not only raises the timepiece to an even higher standard, but also makes it an exciting canvas for creativity. In providing this pure, versatile space, it becomes the playground on which Gully expresses himself.

A MASTERPIECE REMASTERED

Gully unites two worlds into a new singular masterpiece by combining the Maison’s high watchmaking expertise with his fun artistic flair. Consciously appropriating the astral signature and merging it with his graffiti, the star is lifted to new heights by his style. As a nod to his very first street works, Gully’s lettered tag uses the famous single-line technique. Starting from the centre of the timepiece, his hand moves straight towards 11 o’clock, drawing the preliminary draft of a G. The line then heads towards 3 o’clock, but changes direction half-way to partially design a Y. Finally, the line reaches 9, then 12, 6 and 3, before it moves to the centre of the tourbillon and across to 4 o’clock. Returning the line to the centre, it becomes clear that two L’s have been drawn. He finishes the run by drawing a U partially around the tourbillon. Look carefully at the letters born out of this continuous movement as the artist not only reinterprets the Roger Dubuis star but also signs the dial. Look closer still and it becomes apparent that two new stars have been created, levitating in parallel harmony on the top left and bottom right of the dial. From a single line to a singular masterpiece.

Inspired by the spray paint used in urban art, the Maison’s watchmakers filled the letters with luminescent coloured lacquer while the hour markers and the hands are filled withSuper-Luminova™*.The bright modern shades recall the artist’s universe, while creating aesthetic harmony and a one-of-a-kind finish.Imbued with a further technical feat, the Excalibur Gully Monotourbillon glows under UV light as the Maison’s obsession withluminescence shines through.

Gully adds: “To collaborate with expert craftsmen in industries that I am unfamiliar with helps me grow in my understanding of the world – and of art itself. Together we have created something singular, entirely new, and inimitable.”

The watchmakers’ technical talent is further evident in the RD512SQ calibre itself. By reducing the tourbillon weight, the power reserve is radically optimised to 72 hours, providing the option of leaving the watch unworn over weekends. What’s more, to be sealed with a highly demanding signature in fine watchmaking – the Poinçon de Genève – requires the manual decoration of every component, as well as unexpected and antinomic decorations, such as sandblasted top surfaces and polished angles. Underscored by rarity and limited to just eight pieces, the Excalibur Gully Monotourbillon is housed in a 42 mm Dark Grey DLC Titanium case and mounted on a black calf leather strap, interchangeable with a Quick Release System for ultimate comfort and flexibility.

Together with its friends, the Maison shows what happens when rules are rejected and creativity is unleashed. In bringing a visionary artist together with incredible watchmakers, Roger Dubuis proves once again it is unquestionably the most exciting way to experience Hyper Horology.

NO RULES. OUR GAME.

*Roger Dubuis is not owner of the trademark Super Luminova™

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