GP - Gina Pang and her Girard Perregaux

For the longest time, my wife has her eyes set on Girard Perregaux's Cat's Eye. Not only does GP represents her initials, she likes the unique shape of the watch.

The Cat's Eye comes in different iterations - from simple time only to bi-retro moonphase. I managed to get my hands on the now discontinued Zodiac Annual Calendar.

The white gold version with the 68 diamond bezel comes with a mother-of-pearl dial. The watch comes with a satin strap and that adds a touch of femininity to the whole timepiece.

The watch features an Annual Calendar in the form of the Zodiac calendar. The diamond marker at the 7 o'clock indicates month while the date disc is at the 1 o'clock position. The annual calendar feature is different from the perpetual calendar in that you need to adjust it for the month of February every year. Other than that, an annual calendar watch will automatically take into consideration the 30 or 31 days depending on the month. The moonphase is in a rather unusual position - towards the centre of the dial.

The watch comes with an automatic movement and the rose gold rotor is engraved - with her initials no less!

Overall, a pretty package that my wife is very happy with. And I am happy for her too.

Back to Basics - LM101 MB&F

So Max Busser was in town recently to launch the new Legacy Machine named LM101.

Back to basics is what the LM101 is - the "least" complicated piece by Max Busser and Friends. And what a beauty the 101 is. First. let's start with a comparison - the LM2 versus the LM101, side-by-side.

The LM101 is a very wearable 40mm bearing the hallmark of the LM series - a domed shaped sapphire glass and a suspended balance wheel.

The crown is at the four o'clock position and the dial displays the time and a power reserve. As with all LM art pieces, the dials are beautifully shiny and resembles enamel. But Max says they are not enamel but rather a special form of lacquer.

A closer look at the watch - the bottom dial is the power reserve.

And the case back - the hand wound movement signed by Max and Kari Voutilainen. Level of finish is what you would expect from an MB&F.

Another look at the watch - sorry for the poor quality of the pictures as it was taken in restaurant lighting. The timepiece is in white gold.

A final look at the LM101 in B&W. Understand the pricing is sub 90k SGD. A very beautifully crafted piece and one for the ladies too. Kudos to Max and his back to basics! Thanks to the Hour Glass for hosting the dinner.

That is Max unveiling the LM101 from his pouch. Congrats to a new wonderful art piece by MB&F!

Chopard LUC - Qualite Fleurier

Chopard to me has always been about jewelry - so I when I signed up at the Sincere Watch Academy for a watch colloquium, I was pleasantly surprised by what was in store.

L.U.C - Louis-Ulysse Chopard is the range for the high end in-house developed range of watches from Chopard. So called L.U.C. as it makes reference to the founder of their brand and all L.U.C. watches comes with an in-house calibre finished to the highest standard one can expect from the brand. In the earlier years, Chopard released some affordable classic timepieces and I was lucky enough to acquire one - the L.U.C. QUALITÉ FLEURIER.

The Chronometer certified timepiece meets the Fleurier Quality Foundation (FQF) standards which does not only meet the COSC standard for watch movements but also that of the Geneva seal in decoration. The FQF was set up by three brands Bovet, Chopard and Parmigiani. For more information about the quality standards in the Swiss Industry, please check out the post by my friend SJX.

I believe one of the feature of the FQF standard is the need to test the watch after it is encased. Additionally, the unseen parts of the watches must also be finished to the highest standards. I was once informed by a Chopard executive that all parts of the movement including the undersides that remain hidden from view are decorated.

The finishing on the watch is exquisite for a watch at this price level. The dial is elegant. And the case back… well that is another wonderful revelation.

The first edition of this Limited Edition timepiece came with a closed case back. Limited to 250 pieces, the case back is engraved. This is where it gets even more interesting. The Qualite Fleurier standard is clearly engraved at the bottom of the case back just below the Limited Edition numbering. Later versions came with an exhibition case back.

Then comes the entire logo. The early Chopard family were bee keepers hence the logo. The case back are hand engraved and the bees around the bee hives are individually engraved. No two bee hives are alike - number of bees may range between 43 to 45 (I think) but even with the same number of bees, the positioning is not all identical.

Chopard and the L.U.C. range has come a long way - many firsts and several to-die-for timepieces like the Lunar One Perpetual and the L.U.C. Engine One Tourbillon. And I will find time to honor those.

Something is Brewing - MB&F

Max Busser was in town recently and we had the chance to have dinner with him.

And what for you might ask? Well, something is up for sure. For the time being, enjoy the shot of the LM2 that was on Max's wrist that night.

You may want to check out my blog on the LM2.

Count down… 7 days to go to a new Machine!

Thanks to the Hour Glass!

Feature of the Month - Lange Pocket Watch

It pays to know people and definitely pays to have luck on your side too. Such is the case on how I came across this gem of a pocket watch.

I was in Hong Kong and chanced upon an old shop selling vintage timepieces and when I visited the shop and saw a Lange enamel dial sitting in the showcase. I asked the proprietor who told me he was restoring the pocket watch. I took his card and that was that. Some time later, I was still thinking of the pocket watch and wrote to him and he sent me the pictures of the finished item. What a beauty!

I sent the images to Manfred Weber of Lange and he told me it looked authentic - good enough for me! So I called my friend George in HKG who promptly picked it up for me and passed it to Stefan who brought it back to Singapore for me. Friends indeed!

What a find! A beautiful double hunter case pocket watch dating back to 1908!

The condition was pristine when I received it. A rose gold case that was restored.

In this example, the enamel dial is flawless.

And the hands are gorgeous!

And as I have mentioned, it comes with a double hunter case. Polished to an excellent shine and the case shows the number and the matching movement too.

The movement shows the movement number matching the case. As I understand it, this is not the highest grade movement of the times.

And the close up of the balance wheel and the swan neck adjustment.

Another look at the movement

Another look at the pocket watch.

I have been searching for a second piece with the same finishing or for that matter something close. No luck. I guess all owners of the Lange pocket watches are so happy with theirs that they prefer to keep them. And the search continues...

Ulysse Nardin - New In-House Icons

Ulysse Nardin is moving ahead with several in-house calibres and many of their iconic timepieces have been reintroduced with new in-house movements.

One such icon is the UN Perpetual Manufacture which was covered in my other blog and this one - the Dual Time Manufacture seen here taken at the restaurant where the luncheon was being hosted.

The first Dual Time GMT were called the "plus" and "minus" as the push buttons at the eight and ten o'clock positions were used to advance or reverse the hour hands. The original Dual Time GMT used a Soprod movement and was one of the few watches that you could adjust without taking it off.

Notice the push buttons on the left side of the case? That feature still stays in the all new Dual Time Manufacture. Fitted inside is the automatic UN-334 in-house designed movement with a silicium escapement.

The small window at the 9 o'clock displays the home time in a 24 hours display. The large date at 2 o'clock can be adjusted forward and backwards when the push buttons are depressed. This dual time is perhaps one of the easiest to operate - save the Reverso. The winning feature here is that the Dual Time GMT can be adjusted forward and backwards whereas the Reverso adjusts one way - forward.

And next up is the Imperial Blue - a Tourbillon Grande Sonnerie. What an amazing watch. A manual winding flying tourbillon with the in-house Calibre UN-970 and chimes Sonnerie Westminster Carillon.

UN is renowned for their striking complications and the Imperial Blue is one of those much sought after watches.

The timepiece is 46mm in diameter and limited to 20 pieces. Case is white gold. Housed in the case is the manual winding mechanism that has an ingenious winding system that winds the barrel system providing energy to the complication for chiming and powering the watch.

Pardon the poor quality of the photos - does not do justice to the excellent timepieces I handled. Thanks to UN and the Hour Glass for hosting the lunch at MBS.