Elite Traveler November-December 2015

DISCOVER

elite traveler NOV/DEC 2015 ISSUE 6 42

IWC Perpetual Calendar is so accurate the moonphase will deviate by only one day in 577.5 years

H. Moser & Cie entered the prestigious Fine Watch Room at Harrods this year

BRAND PROFILE/// GRUEBEL FORSEY

After successful careers with large watch brands, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey founded their boutique company in 2003 having spent four years developing a new tourbillon. Production is limited to 100 watches a year and every watch features their innovative tourbillon work, including double and quadruple tourbillons and the Tourbillon 24 Secondes, set at a 25 degree angle, which completes a full rotation in 24 seconds. Another hallmark is the asymmetrical shape at seven and eight o'clock. It gives the impression that there is too much happening inside the watch to contain the movement in a classic shape. gruebelforsey.com

1 QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL À ÉQUATION

This is not just a watch. The dial displays a wealth of features that use all aspects of its bidirectional perpetual calendar. The tourbillon cage and the date dial push gently into the round case. $750,000 2 TOURBILLON 24 SECONDES VISION The focus of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision is on the angled tourbillon, which stands out against the silver-colored dial with enamel hour markers and blue steel hands. $325,000 A hefty watch with a thickness of 16.14 mm, the asymmetrical face has two displays for local and a secondary time zone. It also has a rotating titanium globe to show the time around the world at a glance. $605,000 3 GMT 5N

THE NEWDIALS Blue dials are a trend that seems to be gaining market share each year and almost every watchmaker presented at least one in their latest collection. H. Moser & Cie, the family-owned Swiss business, produces just 1,000 timepieces a year, each one designed and created with in-house movements. This 18-karat white gold, electric blue Endeavour Perpetual Calendar ($60,000, Harrods) makes a strong statement. Many perpetual calendars include multiple subdials to show the technical prowess of the movement, but H. Moser & Cie includes a small second subdial and a power reserve indicator. Frédérique Constant caused a stir when it introduced a new horological smartwatch with a classic analog watch face. More notable is its Manufacture Collection, which includes its most technologically advanced watches, all with in-house movements. The navy-blue dial on the Tourbillon model ($35,500, pictured) has applied silvered indexes for a clean face, all the better to showcase the namesake

Frédérique Constant each tourbillon is individually numbered

tourbillon. All timepieces from the Manufacture Collection are limited in production, this one to 188 pieces. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Portugieser watch family at IWC, which celebrated by creating the new 52000-calibers. The Perpetual Calendar ($42,900, Tourneau) was refreshed with all blue dials. It includes displays for date, month, year and a perpetual moonphase for both hemispheres. The automatic movement is powered by the updated 52615-caliber for even greater accuracy. The handmade black alligator strap was made in collaboration with Italian shoemaker Santoni, and is limited to 250 pieces. harrods.com frederiqueconstant.com tourneau.com

Words: Kristen Shirley