Tag Archive for: Presents

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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Sotheby’s Hong Kong Presents the Most Significant Chinese Works of Art Sale Series to Take Place in the Last Decade

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Presents the Most Significant Chinese Works of Art Sale Series to Take Place in the Last Decade

Hong Kong
Convergence of the Finest Private Collections from the World’s Greatest Chinese Art Collectors
Dr Wou Kiuan, Mr Joseph Lau & Sir Joseph Hotung, and more

(Left to Right)

The Private Collection of Joseph Lau
A Fine Blue and White ‘Lotus Scroll’ Vase, Meiping, Ming Dynasty, Yongle Period
Est: HK$ 25 – 35 million / US$ 3.2 – 4.5 million

The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection
A Magnificent Ruby-Ground Yangcai ‘Trigrams’ Reticulated Vase,
Seal Mark and Period of Qianlong
Est: HK$ 60 – 120 million / US$ 7.6 – 15.3 million

The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung
A Unique and Highly Important Moulded Blue and White Barbed ‘Fish’ Charger, Yuan Dynasty
Est: HK$ 30 – 50 million / US$ 3.8 – 6.4 million

Auction: 8 – 9 October 2022

This October, Sotheby’s Hong Kong presents the most significant Chinese Works of Art sale series with the convergence of the finest private collections from the world’s greatest Chinese art collectors including Dr Wou Kiuan, Mr Joseph Lau and Sir Joseph Hotung. The star lot of this season is a Magnificent Ruby-Ground yangcai ‘Trigrams’ Reticulated Vase from the Qianlong period (Est: HK$ 60 – 120 million / US$ 7.6 – 15.3 million) from the Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part II, a carefully curated sale presenting six masterpieces from the 18th century. The collection of Joseph Lau, comprising 11 imperial gems, occupies pride of place among the very finest ever assembled in the field. At the heart of Sir Joseph Hotung’s personal collection is an array of masterpieces which charts many of the peaks in China’s long history, from the Neolithic Period to the Qing dynasty. Adding to this season’s strong line-up of renowned private collections are a selection of Ming and Qing jades from the collection of Victor Shaw and a group of archaic artworks from an important Japanese collection.

This Autumn sale series marks a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts of Chinese art. Very rarely will you see such a superlative line-up from the world’s most celebrated Chinese art collections. We will be offering fresh to market masterpieces in almost each and every field of Chinese art and this is possibly the most anticipated sale series Sotheby’s has ever hosted.

NICOLAS CHOW, CHAIRMAN, ASIA AND CHAIRMAN, CHINESE WORKS OF ART

These illustrious private collections not only showcase the impeccable taste, vision and passion of this century’s most influential Chinese art collectors, but also offer a window to the extraordinary depth and breadth of Chinese art forms.

XIBO WANG, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART

A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part II

Following on from the success of Part I in New York in March and the record-breaking first Hong Kong chapter in April, the carefully curated sale presents six masterpieces from the 18th century showcasing the unparalleled technical mastery in the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, including a group of enamelled porcelains formerly from the Fonthill heirlooms which have not surfaced the market in around half a century. Highlights include a Qianlong magnificent and possibly unique ruby-ground yangcai ‘trigrams’ reticulated vase, corroborated by the court archives to have been made either in 1743 or immediately thereafter. The vase is a tangible testament to the unprecedented and unparalleled culmination of technical virtuosity in porcelain production between 1741 and 1743, fuelled by an imperial reprimand from the Qianlong Emperor. (Catalogue essay available upon request)

A MAGNIFICENT RUBY-GROUND YANGCAI ‘TRIGRAMS’ RETICULATED VASE,
SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
H. 31 CM
EST: HK$ 60,000,000 – 120,000,000 / US$ 7,644,000 – 15,287,000

Another highlight also endowed with the Fonthill provenance is a magnificent pair of yangcai ‘butterfly’ vases superbly enamelled on a bright pink ground in a manner imbued with Western influences and fired to perfection.

A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF YANGCAI ‘BUTTERFLY’ VASES,
SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
H. 47 CM
EST: HK$ 40,000,000 – 60,000,000 / US$ 5,096,000 – 7,644,000

Gems of Imperial Porcelain from the Private Collection of Joseph Lau Part II

The name Joseph Lau resonates with collectors around the globe and it is one that stands for excellence. Chinese art stands at the genesis of Joseph Lau’s adventure with art and it is on Chinese art that he cut his exacting eye before expanding his horizons. Lau assembled one of the finest collections of Chinese porcelain ever, articulated around masterpieces, each representative of the best of a certain period and type, and handpicked from the most prestigious collections.

This season’s offerings include a very fine blue and white porcelain dating from the Yongle period in the early 15th century, the pinnacle of underglaze-blue decorated wares and a period much celebrated for imperial patronage in the arts.

A FINE BLUE AND WHITE ‘LOTUS SCROLL’ VASE, MEIPING,
MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD
31.4 CM
EST: HK$ 25,000,000 – 35,000,000 / US$ 3,185,000 – 4,459,000

This meiping decorated with a lotus scroll is remarkably elegant in its potting and represents the epitome of that classic shape. Similar examples are known in the palace museums in Beijing and Taipei as well as in the Middle Eastern Royal collections of the Ottoman sultans which attest to their universal appeal and high status.

A FINE AND OUTSTANDING DOUCAI AND FAMILLE-ROSE ‘SANDUO’ MOONFLASK,
SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
31.3 CM
EST: HK$ 20,000,000 – 30,000,000 / US$ 2,548,000 – 3,822,000

This magnificent circular flask brilliantly enamelled with fruit represents a particularly ambitious and unusual combination of the doucai and fencai schemes, which brings out the ripe fruit. The present example is superior in all aspects, from the quality of the painting, richness of the cobalt, clarity of the glaze to its pristine condition.

Hotung: The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung

The late Sir Joseph Hotung (1930-2021) was respected and revered in the art world for his jade collection and for his philanthropy. What is much less known is his discriminating eye for the quality and design, and the personal collection formed at his house in London as a backdrop to his life – seen only by a privileged few. The series of dedicated sales begin in Hong Kong with a focus on the Chinese masterpieces in his collection and are divided into Evening and Day sales. The works on offer, ranging from Neolithic jades and bronzes from Shang – Han dynasties to Ming dynasty furniture and modern Chinese paintings, each represent the most sought-after of their period and type. Highlights include a unique and highly important moulded blue and white barbed ‘fish’ charger from the Yuan dynasty and an important and outstanding bronze male chimera, bixie, from the Han dynasty, the latter endowed with a prestigious provenance and illustration history tracing back to as early as the 1920s in Paris.

A UNIQUE AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT MOULDED BLUE AND WHITE BARBED ‘FISH’ CHARGER,
YUAN DYNASTY
47.8 CM
EST: HK$ 30,000,000 – 50,000,000 / US$ 3,822,000 – 6,370,000

This dish is unique and was done with an attention to detail that is exceptional even among this rare group of relief-moulded dishes of the Yuan dynasty. Not only is its relief decoration extraordinarily crisp and detailed, but the popular fish design is here also rendered in a highly individual manner that knows few close comparisons. It is a masterpiece that combines the best and rarest Yuan blue-and-white styles.

AN IMPORTANT AND OUTSTANDING BRONZE MALE CHIMERA, BIXIE,
HAN DYNASTY
L. 27 CM, H. 18 CM
EST: HK$ 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 / US$ 764,500 – 1,019,000

This Han dynasty bronze chimera, powerfully rendered with vitality and strength, is a tour de force of Chinese bronzes at their peak. In addition to the prestigious Stoclet provenance, the sculpture’s publication and exhibition history can be traced back to as early as the first half of the 20th century, setting it apart from other archaic bronzes in private hands and even the most important museum examples.

Important Chinese Art including Jades from the Victor Shaw Collection

The Important Chinese Art auction presents a tightly curated sale including masterworks spanning five millennia, from the Neolithic period through to the Qing dynasty. Highlights include an extremely rare Qianlong period chenxiang mirror ‘raree’ cabinet and a Shang dynasty marble frog.

The ‘raree’ box, possibly commissioned in the 17th year (1752), is set with a mirror flanked by two circular holes through which the Qianlong Emperor would have peeped through to view painted pictures, one of which being his most poignant and enigmatically titled double-portrait, ‘One or Two?’ The powerfully carved box cabinet not only showcases the influence of Western mechanism in 18th century court in China, but is possibly the only example known to be employed by the Qianlong Emperor to ponder on the nuances between the literal reflection of the self and self-identity.

AN IMPORTANT AND SUPERBLY CARVED IMPERIAL CHENXIANGMU MIRROR ‘RAREE’ CABINET,
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD,
POSSIBLY COMMISSIONED IN THE 17TH YEAR (1752)
75.5 BY 16 BY H. 66 CM
EST: HK$ 5,000,000 – 8,000,000 / US$ 637,000 – 1,019,000

The Shang dynasty marble frog belongs to a very rare group of marble carvings marking the dawn of Chinese sculpture. Ever so skilfully and minimalistically carved, the sculpture has truly stood the test of time in its timeless aesthetic. Also from the same important Japanese collection as the marble frog is a group of archaic artworks, including a splendidly decorated gold and silver inlaid sword-hilt, also not seen on the market for over 30 years.

AN OUTSTANDING CARVED MARBLE RECUMBENT FROG,
SHANG DYNASTY
25.3 BY 15.4 BY H. 12.5 CM
EST: HK$ 3,000,000 – 4,000,000 / US$ 382,000 – 509,600
AN EXCEPTIONAL AND RARE GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID BRONZE SWORD HILT,
LATE EASTERN ZHOU – EARLY WESTERN HAN DYNASTY
17.5 CM
EST: HK$ 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 / US$ 191,000 – 255,000

The sale also includes a carefully selected group of Ming – Qing jades from the collection of Victor Shaw (1935-2020), who was renowned not only for his discerning eye but also his philanthropic pursuits.

A RARE WHITE JADE ‘GARDEN AND LADY’ OPENWORK BOULDER,
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD
H. 10.8 CM
EST: HK$ 700,000 – 900,000 / US$ 89,000 – 115,000
A WHITE JADE ARCHAISTIC ‘DUCK AND LOTUS’ GROUP,
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
13.8 CM
EST: HK$ 500,000 – 600,000 / US$ 63,700 – 76,500FOTOGRAPHY & TEXT “Courtesy Sotheby’s”.

 

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Bugatti Presents the Centodieci at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2021 and celebrates 30 years of the legendary Bugatti EB110

Bugatti Presents the Centodieci at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2021 and celebrates 30 years of the legendary Bugatti EB110

With its timeless beauty, Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como has provided a residency for the aristocracy, princesses, marquises, sultans and tsars for centuries. Considered one of the most breath-taking architectural works of the sixteenth century, every year, this elegant five-star resort welcomes automotive enthusiasts from all over the globe to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Here, they can appreciate the spectacle of some of the finest automobiles and motorcycles, in both production and prototype form, ever created. This year, visitors could also enjoy Bugatti’s stunning Centodieci, which the French luxury brand was presenting in the ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ category over the previous weekend from Saturday 2nd to Sunday 3rd October 2021.

With its timeless beauty, Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como has provided a residency for the aristocracy, princesses, marquises, sultans and tsars for centuries. Considered one of the most breath-taking architectural works of the sixteenth century, every year, this elegant five-star resort welcomes automotive enthusiasts from all over the globe to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Here, they can appreciate the spectacle of some of the finest automobiles and motorcycles, in both production and prototype form, ever created. This year, visitors could also enjoy Bugatti’s stunning Centodieci, which the French luxury brand was presenting in the ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ category over the previous weekend from Saturday 2nd to Sunday 3rd October 2021.

Bugatti unveiled the Centodieci – which translates as 110 in Italian – during Monterey Car Week in California at the Quail in 2019 to celebrate the company’s 110th anniversary. Inspired by the legendary Bugatti EB110 of 1991 and powered by the 8.0-liter W16 engine producing 1,600PS, just 10 Centodieci units will be hand-built at Bugatti’s Molsheim Atelier and be delivered to customers next year. All ten Centodieci models had already been accounted for by customers prior to the car’s unveiling.

A Concours d’Élégance for automobiles was first held at Villa d’Este back in 1929, and Bugatti has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the event. Recent highlights have included the Bugatti La Voiture Noire taking the premiere prize in the ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ category the last time the event was held in 2019. Models from Bugatti’s illustrious past, such as the 1937 Type 57S four-seater sports tourer, the 1934 Type 59 Grand Prix car and the 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic, have all been awarded significant accolades in recent years.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Bugatti EB110. The groundbreaking and first supercar of its time represents the mid-period of Bugatti’s history, when Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. was based in the famous ‘Blue Factory’ in Campogalliano in Italy under the stewardship of Romano Artioli. Introduced in 1991 to mark 110 years since the birth of Ettore Bugatti in 1881, the EB110 elevated the supercar genre to a new level. It featured a revolutionary engineering package that included a carbon fiber chassis and a 3.5-litre 12-cylinder engine with five valves per cylinder and quadruple turbochargers. The transmission was also incorporated within the engine block to create more space for cabin occupants. Exemplary grip, traction and safety were delivered by four-wheel-drive, another key D.N.A. strand that remains pivotal to today’s production Bugatti models.

The historic supercar model – a blue (originally silver painted in “Grigio Chiaro metallizzato”) EB110 SuperSport – presented at Villa d’Este in the class “The Next Generation: Hypercars of the 90s” was formerly owned by Romano Artioli. The Italian entrepreneur, who relaunched Bugatti as Bugatti Automobili S.p.A. in 1987, prior to the company’s closure in 1995, has fond memories of the development of this revolutionary supercar. “While we were at the premiere of the EB110 in Paris in 1991, the engineers back at Campogalliano were urging us to return swiftly to the Blue Factory, as they were eager to begin work on the EB110 Supersport version. Everyone was focused on reducing weight and boosting power, while keeping in mind that I was ferocious that the safety characteristics of the car be upheld.”

The final result was a quite remarkable weight reduction of nearly 150kg from the original configuration, and an increase in performance from 560PS to 612PS, with the engine developed entirely in-house at Campogalliano. Immediately after the EB110 SuperSport was presented to the world’s press at Salon de l’Automobile in Geneva, the team took the car to the Nardò circuit in the South of Italy, to carry out the homologation tests.

“After a warm-up lap we set the world record with a speed of 351 km/h and an acceleration of 3.2 seconds from 0 to 100 km,” recalls Artioli proudly. And it didn’t stop there. The car also set a speed record on snow and ice at 296km/h, while a Bugatti EB110 GT powered by natural gas achieved at top speed of 344.7 km/h.

“I left my heart in my Supersport. No other car gives the same sensation of power, control and safety in every road condition as the EB110 – and with such beautiful style. I could not be more proud for “her” to be at the Concours d’Elegance in Villa D’Este.

“The Centodieci Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este is one of the jewels in the crown of the automotive season,” explains Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. President Stephan Winkelmann. “After the event was lost to the pandemic in 2020, it is even more special for Bugatti to return to the wonderful location of Villa d’Este and present our Centodieci to customers and friends of the brand from all around the globe. And of course, the event is even more exciting with the presence of the personal Bugatti EB110 Supersport “America” owned once by Romano Artioli himself. This seminal supercar represents the second period of Bugatti’s history, and gave our designers and engineers the inspiration for the Centodieci.”

The Bugatti Centodieci was presented as a static display within the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ area on Saturday 2nd October and again on Sunday 3rd October, the car also participated in the dynamic presentation parade.

 

 

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Jaeger-Lecoultre presents the Reverso Tribute minute repeater

Jaeger Lecoultre presents the Reverso tribute minute repeater

Ninety years after the birth of the Reverso, and 150 years after creating its first minute repeater, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater. Offered in a limited edition of 10 pieces, this exquisite new timepiece unites two of the key themes that have defined La Grande Maison for much of its history: an exceptional expertise in chiming watches and the timeless story of the Reverso.

With its distinctive Art Deco lines and swivelling case, the Reverso is one of the world’s most recognisable wristwatches. Its story embodies Jaeger-LeCoultre’s eternal pursuit of beauty and aesthetic refinement, expanding the Reverso’s stylistic realm by harnessing the full potential of its unique design. Allied to this is the Manufacture’s endlessly inventive quest for technical advancement – from the revolutionary idea of a case that could be flipped over, and the ingenious mechanism that made it possible, to the development of complications specific to the Reverso.

 

A distinguished legacy in chiming watches

In the 1990s, amid the rebirth of mechanical watchmaking that followed the quartz crisis, the Reverso – with its distinctive rectangular case – became the vehicle through which the Manufacture would redevelop its expertise in high complications. Having mastered the added challenge that rectangular movements dictate an entirely different architecture from that of traditional round movements – a particularly demanding challenge for chiming mechanisms – Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Reverso Répétition Minutes in 1994. It was the first time the Maison had miniaturised a minute repeater for a wristwatch and was the world’s first rectangular minute repeater movement.

In fact, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of chiming mechanisms dates back to the very foundation of the Manufacture in 1833, and its deep expertise is today confirmed by an archive of more than 200 chiming calibres. Since that first Reverso minute repeater of the 1990s, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers and designers have redefined the benchmark for acoustic quality, harnessing new technology in service of this noble tradition.

A new expression for the Minute Repeater

Embodying technical advances such as Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patented trebuchet hammers, silent regulator and a new generation of gongs, the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is powered by a revised version of Calibre 944 – a movement entirely conceived, designed and produced within the Manufacture. The new timepiece is distinguished by dials on both the front and reverse sides, bringing a fresh visual expression to the timeless Reverso design, as well as to the minute repeater mechanism itself. While the dials both display the same time, they are very different in character – one exuberant, the other more sober. Both are a testament to the beauty of fine movement decoration and the exceptional level of craftsmanship that resides within the Manufacture.

The front dial is entirely skeletonised, revealing the full complexity of the minute repeater mechanism and presenting a mesmerising display of moving parts when the minute repeater is activated. Beneath a large bow-shaped bridge that sweeps from 11 o’clock to 7 o’clock, the components appear almost to be floating in three dimensions, the sense of visual depth and transparency enhanced by faceted indexes that are cantilevered from the chemin de fer minutes track. With a gleaming golden finish, the bridge, hour markers, gongs and several other components perfectly match the colour of the rose-gold watch case.

While the exuberance of the front dial contrasts with the rectilinear geometry of the Reverso case, the relative sobriety of the reverse dial echoes and amplifies those straight lines. Vertical Côtes de Genève stripes extend over the entire height of the main plate, which also serves as the dial. Showcasing the timekeeping mechanism, with subtle colour accents provided by blued screws and golden hands and hour markers, the cool silver tone of the metal provides an elegant counterpoint to the warm rose gold of the case.

Set into the side of the watch case, the slider that activates the chimes has been specially designed for the new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater to be as slim as possible, without sacrificing ergonomics. Visually complementing the Art Deco lines of the case, the effect is one of great refinement.

In showcasing both technical complexity and the aesthetic crafts, the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater underlines the eternal modernity of the Reverso design, marrying the technical prowess of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre to its eternal quest for new forms of visual expression.

 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

REVERSO TRIBUTE MINUTE REPEATER

Case material: Pink Gold

Case dimensions: 51.1 x 31 mm

Case thickness: 11.41 mm

Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 944, manually wound

Functions: Hours and Minutes on two dials, minute repeater

Power reserve: 35 hours

Water resistance: 30 m

Strap: Brown alligator

Limited edition of 10 pieces

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