Tag: luxury watches

MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Evo: A Madcap Luxury Chronograph Unlike Any Other In The World

Posted on by Adam Keith

When MB&F Friend (perhaps more accurately, “watchmaking wizard“) Stephen McDonnell gets together with the brand’s founder Maximilian Büsser, and the pair decide its time to envision any noted watchmaking complication in an entirely new way, the world of horology had best strap itself in and prepare to be thrilled. As Stephen did with the perpetual calendar, the Legacy Machine Sequential Evo we’re looking at today is a creation which pushes both technique and aesthetics to new heights. Beyond haute de gamme craftsmanship and hyperexclusivity–both of which this watch has in spades–the Sequential Evo reflects a joy of creation and a dynamic approach to solving technical problems that elevate it well above your typical luxury mechanical timepiece. While the chronograph complication itself is extremely prolific in the marketplace, in implementations from unremarkable mass production workhorses to the finest examples of the watchmaker’s art, at MB&F it has been nearly entirely reinvented, creating something of the excitement we might have felt well over a century ago, seeing a great complication appear for the very first time. The resultant watch is deserving of the resounding accolades it has received since introduction: In simplest glance, a handwound movement of 585 immaculately finished parts, drives two separately usable column wheel-controlled vertical clutch chronograph mechanisms, these all under the governance of one escapement and balance wheel; yet, a unique and never before attempted “Twinverter” function operable via the button at 9 o’clock allows the chronographs to be synchronized or made independent from one another at will, allowing timing possibilities that no chronograph before it has ever been capable of.

(The mechanism is fully exposed on the dial, spanned by a beautifully polished 3D bridge and gently pulsating balance)

It’s easiest to simply see the watch in action to appreciate how unusual and remarkable it is, and the MB&F team’s entertaining video does a great job of that here. If there were ever a more engaging timepiece to interact with–with the possible exception of maybe an erotic automata minute repeater–I can’t imagine it. This piece is also a thing of real beauty, one of the most mechanically intricate chronographs since the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph blew our collective socks off back in 1999 (and still does, frankly). But the solutions that this piece employs are quirky and unique in a way that can’t be compared to anything out there in the high horology realm, as is the situation with other watches….excuse me, Machines!…from Maximilian Büsser & Friends.

(Three dimensionality and complex finishing reigns, creating an object as visually striking as it is technically wondrous)

The technical characteristics of this groundbreaking high horology chronograph have been well described elsewhere, and the team at MB&F haven’t been shy about divulging its many unusual and breathtaking mechanical summits. As an enthusiast, what grabs me about this watch–and very viscerally so–is the remarkable way in which these feats have been joined in conjunction with the finest demonstration of classical watchmaking finish and attention to aesthetic nuance. Moreover, the many aesthetic details, from the finishing of bridges and wheels, to the case and crystal, whilst being classic in nature, do not pander to classicism for its own sake; rather, they serve to emphasize just how avant garde, virtuoso–and somehow, subtly futuristic–the Legacy Machine Sequential Evo really is. As a counterstudy, consider Montblanc’s resurrection of Minerva, and the achingly beautiful chronographs finished to perfection we’ve seen emerge from that atelier: in short, laudatory examples of traditional watchmaking craft with the best in 19th century technology and finish. By contrast, the MB&F Sequential Evo is no less impressively crafted, but it strikes for a different and more audacious mark, and achieves something that no one–not Patek Philippe, not Audemars Piguet, nor even A. Lange & Sohne or another lofty house of high horology–has. Not content to simply produce a chronograph worthy of Willy Wonka levels of pure imagination, Max Büsser and his company went the further step to ensure the Sequential Evo would even be surprisingly practical and non-fussy for day to day life. A so-called “FlexRing” shock absorber insulates the movement nicely from day to day jostles, and protects the complex caliber it encircles. Also highly notable is the excellent 80 meter water resistance of the immaculately finished and sculptural 44mm case (of 74 parts, and in Zirconium no less!), no mean feat for a case with this many controls, buttons, and hence…holes for moisture to ingress. Pure badassery, if you want to be blunt about things!

(Note jewels in gold chatons, exquisite interior angles on the bridges, and the exceedingly fine detailing of the two large wheels)

While the price tag is certainly (and predictably) astronomical, MB&F’s Legacy Machine Sequential Evo somehow seems an actual good value, at least relative to other hyper watches in this rarefied echelon. When you consider the sheer mechanical boundaries that have been broken, fanatical attention to traditional watchmaking craft, and refreshing–even daring–aesthetic parameters it embodies, One Hundred And Eighty Grand seems much more digestible. If you have the funds. And…IF you can get one, as the word has been out on the extraordinary pieces of MB&F for some time now, with wait lists extending out many years. At least in this instance, the wait would be well worth it. Until then, and for the rest of us mere financial mortals, the fantasy is pretty satisfying too.

(The “Atomic Orange” color variant of the Sequential Evo. Hot, like the watch!)

Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime: Powerful Superflex Against The Crown

Posted on by Adam Keith
(The most complex watch Omega has ever produced, and a world premiere combination of complications!)

The battle between Rolex and Omega for the heart and souls of buyers in the upper-mid tier segment of the Swiss watch industry is one of the enduring sagas of the luxury world. A strange thing to consider, given the age disparity between the two brands–Louis Brandt’s 1848 atelier that would later become the Greek symbol had a goodly head start on Rolex, which didn’t emerge from the consciousness of already enterprising young sales genius Hans Wilsdorf until 1908, and even further take shape as the watches we know and covet until 1926 onward. However, looking at it from the perspective of our current times, it’s still quite easy to forget that there is anything but Rolex as the dominant king, the very archetype, of what a luxury wristwatch is. Indeed, the Rolex inventions of an incredibly sturdy waterproof case, a revised and extremely reliable selfwinding movement of exceptional functional and chronometric excellence, and designs that have aged beautifully and consistently have all contributed to that assurance, and with it, the prowess of an object that has exceeded the very concept of a watch to become a talisman of success, or an alternative form of currency at times; of late, the Rolex aura has gone even farther into the realm of a speculative investment, for better or worse. In short, Rolex is a nonpareil within the market, when compared to products both below and well above its tier within horology. Much of that has certainly been due to an excellent product combined with equally superlative (*ahem*) marketing. If it weren’t for the latter, and the consistency of the brand message, would we still see Rolex as we do? When considering Omega’s own massive contributions to horology for well over a century, some may begin to wonder a bit, and when products like THIS are revealed…it also begs the question, is it an outright travesty that Omega isn’t the undisputed master in this ongoing battle for buyer affection?

(A fusion between high tech and traditional watchmaking craft, the 1932 Caliber is extensively hand-finished, including its bridges of frosted 18K “Sedna” gold. The beautifully beveled hammers stand ready to strike the gongs when activated, and the Co-Axial Escapement with it’s silicon hairspring ensures antimagnetic resilience to 15,000 Gauss.)

Behold the new 18K Sedna gold Speedmaster Chrono Chime and consider what watchmaking fireworks it brings to the table. The most complicated Omega caliber to date, and replete with the now obligatory Co-Axial Escapement, as well as a master chronometer certification, it offers the world’s first minute repeater variant on the beloved chronograph complication, and not just any chronograph complication mind you, but the notoriously complex split-second variety (all complete with a rapid 5Hz balance frequency and the resultant 1/10th second timing precision)! But let’s get back to the most romantic part of this highly technical watch, and what makes it a different from the already prestigious “normal” minute repeater: as a standalone complication, the typical repeater chimes the hours in a low tone, the quarter hours with a high-low combination, and the remaining minutes on top (if any) in individual treble peals when the slide piece on the case is activated. In the Speedmaster Chime, the minute repeating mechanism chimes not the hours and minutes of the time your watch shows, but rather the elapsed time presented by the chronograph display after its use to measure a sequence. So for example, if you were to activate and run the chronograph for 5 minutes, and 53 seconds, and then halt it before activating the repeater mechanism, you’ll hear a series of these notes: low tone (x 5) to indicate the five minutes, a high/low combination x 3 (to represent the three quarters up to :45), and a finale of eight individual treble tones to mark the individual minutes. The tempo of these strikes is beautifully controlled by a patented governor mechanism to allow maximum sonority and clarity of sound as well, something which only a few of the greatest companies (like Patek Philippe) really have down to a wondrous science. Have a listen for yourself here, to hear what you can expect should an Omega Chrono Chime cross your path.

(A dial of starry aventurine glass enamel, and beautiful guilloched details but scratch the surface of the complexity and craft contained beneath)

Omega’s long and rich brand heritage is sometimes lost in a sea of limited edition offerings, and I think–as many probably have lamented as well–that this has been its biggest consistent weakness. It is, perhaps, an inevitability with Omega’s status as the commercially mightiest brand within a corporate portfolio of the mighty Swatch Group, where new (and not always inspired) product is constantly being produced to keep brand revenue and stock market share prices up. Yet, while this Devil’s Due of having the might of the corporate giant behind it has had this occasionally cheapening effect on the perception by hobbyists, the very considerable positive side has been hugely deep pockets to develop the horological might of the great Omega, much as we’ve seen with smaller, more niche brands in the group, such as Breguet and Blancpain. Indeed, it was the deep high horology expertise of the group’s sister Blancpain brand, which was tapped to bring this project to fruition, a long-term benefit to both maisons, at least as far as I see the situation. And make no mistake, the inspiration of creations like the Chrono Chime (as well as other less complex but appealing releases) certainly make up for the occasional Swatch Group peccadillo here and there.

(Holder of 15 patents, and 5 years in development before release, Omega’s Chime caliber comprises 575 hand finished parts. On top of its exceptional complications, it offers 1/10th second timing precision, and all the remarkable magnetism resistance of a Master Chronometer)

Despite what sometimes seems to be, Omega as a whole is much, much more than gimmicky Agent 007-themed divers, and the umpteenth basic Speedmaster Moon Watch edition. Nor is it even “just” about making dependable everyday luxury watches of fine quality at reasonable prices, such as the versatile Aqua Terra or the now-iconic wave-dialed Seamaster 300M line. Omega is a brand that has crossed horological disciplines like few others. As a start, its fanatical devotion to chronometric excellence through the years is remarkable, and like arch-competitor Rolex, Omega have devoted themselves to manufacturing series-produced movements of exceptional practical quality, culminating in the series production of the Daniel’s Co-Axial Escapement, a really remarkable thing if you consider the almost universal hegemony of the Swiss Lever across the watch industry. Omega’s long-standing commitment to creating tool watches suitable for adventures above the earth, and below the deepest oceans is equally impressive, and while Rolex may have great chops in this arena as well, Omega’s mightiest technical watches of both past and present can rival anything the crown has made, and sometimes arguably surpass them. And while haute horlogerie has not been the Omega’s bread and butter compared to the great Swiss patricians like Vacheron Constantin, AP, or Patek, the brand from Biel has certainly produced more than their fair share of remarkable tourbillon watches (both within the parameters of chronometer competitions and production watches such as the Central Tourbillon), minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, and of course…exquisite and innovative chronographs, such as the masterpiece under discussion. None of this sort of mechanical art can be claimed by Rolex, and while one can say that this isn’t Rolex’s game and be right in so doing, it means that Omega offers a combination of diversity, quality, watchmaking prestige, and technical audacity–all with a certain humility of sorts–that is scarcely matched by anyone. It’s been said by a lot of fans that Omega has been on a real roll for the past decade, and I’d have to agree. While not many may have the resources to buy a Speedmaster Chrono Chime or its more subtly luxurious mechanical twin, the 1932 Chrono Chime seen below, the unadulterated watchmaking craft and engineering behind this titan is a tacit nod to the ingenuity and quality contained, albeit in smaller measure, within every Omega currently offered, as well as many references from the past. In a world where luxury watch delivered value is seemingly ever more smoke and mirrors, that kind of authentic prestige is the sort that can make one really proud to wear and support a brand.

(The “other” version of the magnificent Chrono Chime is seen here, in the “Olympic 1932”, an homage to classic Omega sports chronographs which cemented Omega’s proud status as official timer of the Olympic Games. While more austere than the Speedmaster Chrono Chime, with movement oriented differently to shift the subdials, it has a charming pocket-watch adapted style and a classic hand-fired enamel dial)

Cartier Masse Mystérieuse: A Mechanical Wonder In Deceptively Simplistic Form

Posted on by Adam Keith

There are many wondrous mechanical watches, from stately tourbillons, maddeningly complex chain-and-fusees, dulcet-toned minute repeaters, perpetual calendars and intricate split-second chronographs being just a few of the hallowed. We admire them because they encapsulate centuries of tradition as well as undeniable mastery of truly skilled watchmakers dedicated to constructing painstaking and delicate mechanisms. Even if those of us who aren’t engineers or horological surgeons really understand them fully, we sort of get what they do with gentle and patient explanation (and maybe a few detailed illustrations or animations), and how they do it, at least in the most layman sense. Yet, there are certain mechanical debuts that simply challenge our perception of the very basics of a watch and how it operates, like the first Ulysse Nardin “Freak” at the start of the new milennium, (which incidentally just underwent an insane revision of its own, well worthy of another blog in the near future), or the various “Horological Machines” from MB&F. But today, I’m discussing the fabulous Cartier Masse Mysterieuse–the “Mystery (Winding) Mass”–a watch which has taken the better part of eight years to bring from initial concept to fruition, such were the challenges posed in its creation. Automatic mechanical watches are as common as blades of grass, but how about one who’s self-winding mechanism also contains the very movement it feeds power to? Here we have a timepiece which really comes off as less a piece of mechanical engineering, than an object of some strange mechanical-magic conjuring, all while wrapped within the apparent–yet highly deceptive–veil of elegant simplicity. How did Cartier do it?

The answer to this 4 Hertz ticking riddle, in part, can be found in a system of four all-but invisible fine toothed sapphire discs–their edge hidden beneath the Roman hour track at the dial edge–each supporting the moving parts such as the hands, the rotor contained movement and the wheel which bears them. Two additional sapphire crystals cover the dial and back, respectively, in standard fashion. However, within Cartier’s deceptively simple three-handed mechanism, is an ingenious differential gearing which permits the hands to be driven with independence, and without any interference, from the apparently suspended and free-floating mechanism! While the Mystery mechanism has been a delight and bafflement for Cartier buyers and admirers since the brand’s clocks of the same moniker first debuted in early 20th century, the Masse Mysterieuse takes things to another level, and unifies the brand’s mastery in both that specialized metier, and the more broadly seen, yet no less tricky, horological art of the skeletonized, or openworked, movement.

(Note the beautifully beveled, open-worked rotor which shows off the entire watch mechanism, including the escapement and going train)

Add everything together, and the result is astonishingly striking and beautifully whimsical, a near-fantasy expression of Cartier’s typical penchant for Parisian high style, and impeccable Swiss high craftsmanship. It should also be noted that the watch is yet another brilliant technical coup for Carole Forestier-Kasapi, a veritable Wonder Woman in the realm of high watchmaking, and a creator and deep contributor to more than a few headscratchingly innovative complicated watches over the years, including the famous Ulysse Nardin Freak mentioned above. While she’s now creating Tomorrow’s marvels for TAG-Heuer, her more than decade long tenure at Cartier certainly ends on the most triumphal of notes with this reference!

(Yes, you’ll see your hand through the watch, but I’m certain that’s an aesthetic price well worth paying for this very special Cartier!)

The Cartier Masse Mysterieuse is a unique statement, one which is delicate and refined on the one hand, yet bold and attention getting with its 43.5mm diameter platinum case. Some might not be enthused that you can see your hand (hair and all, as the case may be for some) through the sapphire construction, but that’s the nature of this very special mechanical beauty. Price is set at just over $275,000 in its basic form with hand-sewn alligator strap seen here, limited to 30 pieces. But Cartier will also offer spectacular baguette diamond-set variants (topping out at over $1M for the version with full set platinum bracelet) that also flex Cartier’s might as a jeweler with few peers, and no masters. For the ten individuals able to score one of those, or the thirty who’ll grab the sans joaillerie version for that matter, I doubt the price of entry is more than a financial formality. For the rest of us, Watches and Wonders 2022 was a fantastic opportunity to appreciate what the house of Cartier can do when all constraint is removed, and creativity takes glorious wing.

NOMOS Autobahn Director’s Cut: Bright, Fun Limited Edition Watches With A Serious Manufacture Movement

Posted on by Adam Keith
The Autobahn A3 variant, a beauty in brilliant orange and pale blue!

Amidst all the dead-serious technical and artisanal perfection of exquisite Teutonic watch brands like A. Lange & Sohne, Moritz Grossmann, and Lang & Heyne, you have quirky, youthful NOMOS: no less a manufacture than their illustrious fellow Germans, NOMOS brings freshness and sense of fun to all they do, and by all accounts, their fans remain strongly devoted to them for that! The latest release from NOMOS–part of the Autobahn range and powered by the DUW 6101 caliber that’s made, decorated and adjusted in-house by the company–is a limited set of watches in three potent (yet very different) color schemes, each bearing the designation of major freeways in Germany.

(The A9, A7, and A3, respectively. Each will be produced in a series of 175 pieces)

The striking dials, both bold and playful, as well as the so-called racing strap–sort of a stainless steel bracelet interpretation of one of those sporty rally straps with the distinctive perforations–are key elements of this exclusive NOMOS collaboration with designer Werner Aisslinger, who found in the brand an ideal partner to realize his concept for expressing the passion of automobile travel, speed on the motorways, and of course, the all-important relationship of time unifying it all. Looking at it even in the most casual way, these confidently attired Autobahn watches definitely call to mind a speedometer or tachometer gauge in a high-performance car, and, while the time display might remain conventional in terms of its layout and function, it definitely brings a fun and especially dynamic aspect that would keep this watch a superb addition to a collection either focused around sports watches, or simply an easygoing, casual alternative in a more formally biased watch roll, or winder cabinet.

(Textures, contrasts and subtle details abound, rewarding the owner’s closer scrutiny!)

The dials are an enjoyable treat in terms of textures and details, in everything from the deeply sunken seconds subdial and upwards sloping rehaut scale, to the distinctively thinned out minute hand with its luminous tipped point. The presentation is somehow simple yet pleasingly intricate at the same time, yet without any overwhelm or lack of clarity in presenting the important. Overall, I’d say it speaks to the sophistication of a renowned designer working with a brand that has made a name for itself in playing with and refining Bauhaus concepts from the beginning. There’s a lot of apparent joy here, and really, who says Bauhaus needs to be sterile and bland in its pursuit of functional form?

(The DUW 6101 being assembled, with rotor yet to be installed. Note the blued, NOMOS hairspring, part of the brand’s “Swing System”)

And nor do the movements need to be. The NOMOS-produced DUW 6101 is both a visual, and mechanical treat, full of details for the connoisseur to appreciate. Broad, evenly applied Glashutte stripes adorn the bridges, with neat (if mechanically applied) bevels on the edges. The meticulously fire-blued screws, a hallmark of NOMOS and many other Glashütte manufactures, shine with a subtle luster against the rhodium finishing on the bridges, and the gilt lettering that shows off the movement’s technical designations and jewel count. Speaking of the technical fine points, this movement is thin at a scant 3.6mm in height, has a date wheel that can, very usefully, be adjusted in either direction at whim, and offers the brand’s patented “Swing System” escapement and blued hairspring, as seen above. NOMOS notes that this caliber has been adjusted in-house to meet or exceed chronometer standards, and as such, it clearly represents some of their most cutting edge developments in a high-performance, modern self-winding movement that should prove reliable for the long term. The power reserve is not particularly lengthy by modern standards, at just 42 hours, but assuming the watch is worn with any regularity, I don’t see it being an issue–and even if it should stop, setting the date and time will be accomplished easily and quickly, thanks to the efficient setting system inherent to the DUW 6101.

It’s pleasing and very cool indeed to see how much variety the NOMOS watch lineup has gained in recent years, growing far beyond such iconic basics as the Tangente and Orion. As the NOMOS model range has grown, so has the family of NOMOS’s in-house produced movements, and all of them on some level or another represent exceptional value for knowledgeable buyers, insomuch as they offer a hell of a lot of horological craftsmanship and exclusivity at a very, very reasonable asking price. Philippe Dufour himself has commented on that, and I think no better endorsement of the NOMOS horological allure can be offered. Strikingly rendered and resplendent with sophisticated design touches, these limited production Autobahn editions in a 41mm case and bold stainless steel bracelet should prove yet another enjoyable option from this plucky–yet clearly accomplished–Glashütte manufacturer.

(A distinctive luminous show keeps the Autobahn fascinating even at night)

Why Horologically Happy? What makes us tick?

Posted on by Adam Keith

Hello, my name is Adam Keith, and I’d like to welcome you to my new blog, Horologically Happy. Why happy? Because the history and art of watchmaking have fascinated and given me joy since early childhood, with that fascination continuing on into my teens. Eventually, it brought opportunities to work within the industry itself, where I was able to experience some of the finest creations of truly legendary brands and even better, able to interact and share passion with customers, collectors, and admirers of horology from all walks of life. Other life changes took me in different directions after 2012, but I’m beyond pleased to be back and writing on this beloved topic once again. I’m looking forward to seeing what develops as the blog (and hopefully more) moves forward, but everything from here forward stems from a desire to share the joy of watches with readers and guests, finding kindred spirits and even friends along the way.

I feel that watches are a tremendous source of beauty, calm, and reflection. Just putting a fine watch to the ear and hearing the soft ticking of the escapement can be a blessed escape, as I’m sure more than a few of you can appreciate! And of course, it’s far more than just the watches themselves, but the stories of the watchmakers both independent and illustrious and those who toil quietly behind the scenes to produce their craft for brands which have come, gone, and maybe even come again, to say nothing of how these stories have influenced culture. In a troubled world, these beautiful little machines have always given me something to focus upon, and while I’ve owned, as well as traded and sold my share of pieces over the years, the greatest joy comes in the learning and appreciating, and taking the time to contemplate what each watch can teach. I’d like to use this blog format for that as time goes on, eventually adding videos and other formats for communication, so let’s have some fun discussing watches and see where it goes!

I hope you’ll join me in appreciating the whimsy and beauty of watches as we move forward into 2021 and beyond, perhaps sharing your own thoughts and inviting friends who also share similar passions for watches, watch collecting, and just the simple appreciation of horology and all that goes with it. I will certainly try to cover new and emerging watches as they appear, but I also plan to freely discuss pieces which have been around for a good while, and are simply worth discussing because of the merits they possess, and their importance to the community. And of course, I would love suggestions and feedback, so please reach out if you would enjoy doing so. Because we’re human, it’s only natural to discuss prices sometimes and maybe poke fun of the inevitable industry hype, but the underlying theme that I’d like to animate things here from the go-forward is a simple appreciation for the aesthetic qualities, mechanical ingenuity, and design of all things watches. Because it is these things…which keep us happy, not just in collecting watches, but Life at large!

To your Happiness,

Adam