2024-03-02 18:55:05
“Swiss, but not boring”: Watchpeople in search of New watchmaking freedoms…
FESTINA: Certified dives…
Behind the Swiss brand Festina, active since 1902, the strength of the Spanish group Festina, which has several other brands (including Perrelet in the luxury sector) and several industrial factories in Switzerland (where the main production sites are) as well as in France or in Europe. You should know that the Festina group sells approximately five million watches per year. Behind this dial from the new automatic Diver series Swiss Made by Festina, a Newton “manufacture” movement of high mechanical lineage with automatic winding, officially certified for its chronometric precision (COSC) and protected by a 47.3 mm steel case whose water resistance is guaranteed to 300 m (30 atmospheres). ). The rotating bezel is made of ceramic, the bracelet is made of steel (a second rubber strap is offered) and the original position of the winding crown, perfectly protected at two o’clock, gives the watch a very virile identity. Six dial colors are available, all for a very affordable price (around 190 euros) given the advantages of this “diver”, which has nothing to envy of much more upscale references.
HAMILTON: Legendary blues…
If you go see Dune: part two at the cinema, don’t miss the specially created watches by the Hamilton house for the fantastic universe of Dune. Relations between Hamilton, a Swiss brand today but long an American one, are as rich as they are old. For this Dune: part twoHamilton did not adapt one of the models from his collections to the scenario: it was necessary to create a “Desert Watch” with a purely shiver – which was done and succeeded, with an extraordinary watch which is only found on the planet Arrakis (the other name of Dune). This “Desert Watch” inspired Hamilton to create two other watches dedicated to the epic vision of the film and the work of Frank Herbert. La Ventua XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition (below, right) offers a dial as blue as the eyes of the Fremen: we find on its dial the blue luminous lines of the “Desert Watch” [ce cadran s’illumine en bleu quand on actionne le poussoir à neuf heures], but its triangular case in black PVD-treated steel (52 mm x 46.6 mm) is, in itself, a first journey into another dimension – count on 1,845 euros to embark thus equipped for Arrakis. On the left, the non-commercial “Desert Watch” Dune: part two : every enthusiast dreams of having one – let’s hope that the Hamilton staff will grant their wishes…
UNDONE : Inspirations iconoclastes…
This brand is not one of those that we take seriously, probably because it does not take itself itself seriously – which is a rather good sign for creations which remix the identity codes which are in tune with the times to reformulate some icons of watchmaking modernity. We are no longer in the Swiss Madebut in a universe that pays homage to what the Swiss Made was able to have better, not without winks, snubs and tongues sticking out at the good Swiss uses of the watch. Priced at less than 300 euros, the new series of Urban Retro chronographs bears witness to this iconoclastic passion: this 40 mm case and this “panda” dial can give a false air of Breitling and TAG Heuer or Longines, with colors like Rolex or Tiffany & Co – we could easily extend this list. Water resistance is guaranteed to 50 m (depth, not the deck chair), the “hybrid” (electro-mechanical) movement is Japanese (TMT VK64) and the two bracelets have a retro taste. We sense a lot of watchmaking culture behind the syncretic non-conformism of this Urban Retro. It’s hard to fault such an inspired watch, in such style at such great value for money…
WATCHPEOPLE: Libertarian pastiches…
A new brand on the watch market, as the popularity of “icons” grows watchmakers born half a century ago and desperately celebrated, praised, exploited and quickly worn out by the marketing of large and small brands that are less and less creative: Watchpeople watches claim to be a manifesto of freedom for those who wear them. making fun of the watchmaking “fetishes” that they parody by sublimating them in the colorful silicone with which they adorn themselves. Miracle of the physical laws of attraction: these post-modern “caricatures” of glorious models inherited from the past advance into battle under the banner Swiss Made ! We are never betrayed better than ourselves: this cultural reappropriation will make some people cringe! Even more fun: Watchpeople’s spoilsport watches, in their explosion of bright colors and their joyful mix of materials and aesthetic references, make the libertarian wink very accessible (150 euros to 250 euros depending on the models and movements ) – which will push non-conformist amateurs to treat themselves to the pastiches when they do not have the originals, while those who are lucky enough to own the originals will be happy to wear these pastiches so as not to get cut the arm carrying their speculative icons [les amateurs auront reconnu la silhouette détournée d’une Patek Philippe dans la montre ci-dessous, sauf que cette simulation siliconée, qui n’a rien d’une contrefaçon, coûte cinq cents fois moins cher !]. So, a hit for Watchpeople, a new watchmaking sequence full of mischief, today orchestrated by the Belgian team which had built the success of the Ice-Watch brand against the Swatch empire: could this be a new and very picrocholine battle watchmaking between Walloons and French-speaking people? The freedom to love watches is the freedom to love them in all the expressions of their identity…
LIP : Coquetteries vintage…
Historians [généralement suisses : ceci explique cela] of watchmaking will explain to you learnedly that the most famous “shaped watches” – those which are not round – are the Reverso by Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Tank by Cartier or the Prince by Rolex. They simply forget that the most famous rectangular watch was, in its time, the T18 by Lip, of which 400,000 copies were sold by the famous French manufacturer between 1933 and 1949. Famous for its mechanical movement (manual winding) rectangular in shape, it is the T18 which had the privilege of being equipped with the first mechanical wrist tourbillon in the history of watches [une série prototypée de 1947 sans descendance commerciale] and which was given as a gift to many heads of state and political celebrities, notably Winston Churchill, who received his in 1948. It is this T18 “Winston Churchill” that the new team of Lip – marks back in its cradle bisontin – has just reissued, in 180 copies, in the spirit of the T18 of the time, with the aesthetic codes of the time [boîtier svelte de 24 mm de large sur 34,5 mm de hauteur, cadran bicolore, chiffres d’inspiration vintage, « chemin de fer » des minutes, petite seconde à six heures, etc.] a mechanical movement remade in the old style, from Swiss components (La Joux-Perret), assembled, finished and controlled in the Besançon region, as evidenced by the proud “Besançon France” affixed in place of the traditional Swiss Made. Even the precision is of the times: more or less twelve seconds per day [dommage que l’étanchéité à 50 m soit restée, elle aussi, d’époque : c’est un peu faible aujourd’hui !]. Ultimate vanity of this new tricolor T18: its price in euros has been set at the level of what it was in 1948 (equivalent in constant francs): 2,490 euros. This future collector will be sold out very quickly: don’t wait to treat yourself to this classic watch, which competes without blushing with the most famous Swiss references in the specialty…
GOOD TO KNOW: In brief, in bulk and in complete freedom
•••• MOONSWATCH : eleven suitcases”, which each housed eleven MoonSwatches (Omega x Swatch “Mission to Moonshine Gold” watches) were sold at auction by Sotheby’s for the benefit of the Orbis foundation (fight against blindness and vision problems in children) . It was an announcement Business Montres x Atlantico from February 2. Total amount of the sale: just over 550,000 euros, which was entirely donated to Orbis. This is a confirmation of the good health of the collectible watch market, whether vintage or contemporary, provided that it is indeed rare and “strong”… •••• MORGAN STANLEY : developed in collaboration with LuxeConsult (the arm of Swiss watch consultant Oliver R. Müller), this report is the authoritative “justice of the peace” in the watch industry. No one agrees with everything in it, but everyone cites and references it. The 2024 edition establishes the Top 50 Swiss watch brands, with their turnover and production volume. Three highlights of the year: 25 brands account for 90% of the total turnover of all Swiss watchmaking, with the 325 others having to share the remaining 10%. Absolute leader in the specialty: the Rolex house, which exceeds 10 billion turnover. New arrival in the circle of other “billionaire” brands in terms of turnover: Vacheron Constantin, in eighth place behind Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille and Longines. Below we will have fun examining the assumption of some and the descent into hell of others from 2017 to 2023 (thanks to Morgan Stanley/LuxeConsult for the reproduction of this table)… •••• RESERVOIR : Popeye on the back of a camel, we had to dare with this limited edition, exclusively reserved for the network of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons boutiques, leader in luxury watchmaking in Dubai and the Emirates. “Real” Arabic numerals [donc indiens !] for the retrograde minutes as well as for the jumping hours (at six o’clock): as a bonus, the tattooed arm of the famous sailor to point the finger at the correct hour, against a backdrop of dunes and palm trees, on a full moon evening. For this trip to the desert, Popeye dressed as a pirate: who knows why! We don’t know if camels like spinach, but this Middle Eastern collaboration from the young independent French brand Reservoir is a nice move to consolidate the internationalization of Reservoir (count 4,900 euros for this Popeye among the Bedouins, in its case 41.5 mm with La Joux-Perret automatic movement, all Swiss Made as appropriate)…
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