Franck Muller has unveiled its latest Vanguard Racing Skeleton Limited Edition watch as a tribute to the record-breaking USA BMW race driver Bill Auberlen.
Franck Muller unveiled its latest Vanguard Racing Skeleton Limited Edition watch as a tribute to legendary BWM racing driver Bill Auberlen who has won the most races of any North American race driver.
Released to coincide with the 6 Hours at Watkins Glen, the redefined lines of the new Franck Muller Vanguard Racing Skeleton Bill Auberlen Limited Edition marries watchmaking craftsmanship with the automotive world and features an elegant in-house skeletonized movement with colors reflective of BMW Motorsport livery.
The seconds indications start from the bottom and not from the top as on a car counter, allowing the seconds to be read at both ends of the hand. To further accentuate the skeletonized design, the date numerals have also been fully skeletonized.
Designed for competition, the Vanguard Racing Skeleton Bill Auberlen line is available in 18-carat Rose gold, Carbon, and Macromolecular Technologie Bleu.
This last material is made from high purity metals and exotic elements that have been deconstructed to the macromolecular level using macromolecular technology, a part of a new breed of new-age design materials that make everything from the Stealth Bomber to the International Space Station.
Metal deconstruction requires very specialized equipment Gas Metal Atomizer that superheats the metal and then shoots it with water, gas, or plasma, causing it to explode into molecules of specific shape and size. Heat, pressure, and an exothermic reaction cause the molecules to cross-link, forming a new material with a unique macro-molecular structure. Because the molecules are distributed homogeneously through a process known as the Micelle Phenomenon, the new material gains the benefit of all the unique characteristics of the individual components.
Although the proprietary composite manufacturing process uses highly sophisticated equipment and scientific processes, composite can only be produced by hand. This so-called M3 process results in an electrically non-conductive material that is no longer a solid metal.
Franck Muller Geneve uses this composite in order to cut, carve, grind and sand smoothly and then polish to a hard, durable, gem-quality finish.
No prices have been revealed yet for the Franck Muller Vanguard Skeleton Bill Auberlen Limited Edition, for more information visit Franck Muller’s website.
Breitling releases Premier B09 Chronograph in a new burgundy color, limited to 250 pieces.
Breitling’s latest addition to the Premier Collection has flown relatively under the radar and is a limited edition B09 Chronograph in burgundy limited to 250 pieces.
First introduced in 1943 by Willy Breitling, the “everyday elegant” design of the Premier collection pays homage to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling – and embodies Breitling’s legacy of inventing the modern Chronograph.
Encased in a 40mm steel case, the new Premier B09 Chronograph features a burgundy colored sunburst dial with Arabic numerals and complementary brown chronograph subregisters in line with the heritage feel of the Premier collection.
Additional rectangular chronograph pushers and design details such as grooves on the case sides, open sapphire case backs and vintage-inspired hands complete the elegant Premier aesthetic.
Powered by Breitling’s in-house B09 movement offering a power reserve of 70 hours, the new Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph Burgundy comes on a brown alligator strap and is limited to 250 pieces priced at US$8,400 each.
The IWC Shaffhausen Portofino family has expanded with the addition of the new 39 Chronograph edition in three new colors.
For over 30 years, IWC’s classic Portofino Collection has represented the laid-back lifestyle of the Mediterranean and is distinguished by its classic round case and uncluttered dial of the “pocket-watch-style wristwatch.”
Now IWC Shaffhausen has released the Portofino as a 39mm chronograph edition with three new colors: a silver-plated dial with gold hands and markers on a black alligator strap, a green dial with a green alligator strap and a black dial, and gold hands/markers on a brown alligator strap.
Enclosed in a polished stainless steel 39mm case, the Portofino 39 features an elegantly clean dial with delicate leaf-shaped hands and two smaller chronograph sub-dials displaying a 30 minute counter and a seconds subdial.
Along with the chronograph stopwatch functions, the Portofino 39s hacking seconds function also gives the wearer the ability to stop the second’s hand when the crown is pulled out to help synchronize time with a second watch.
Powering the Portofino 39 Chronograph is IWC’s 79350 self-winding movement (based on the modified Valjoux 7750) which offers a 44-hour power reserve.
The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Portofino 39 Chronograph Collection is currently available online with prices starting at $5,900.
Hublot is making a splash with the new turquoise New Big Bang Unico Summer edition available in select Mediterranean retail stores this Summer.
Hublot is celebrating the warmer weather with the creation of a new turquoise-colored unisex Big Bang Unico Summer edition.
Made with a 42mm aluminum case, the lightweight Big Bang Summer uses anodized satin-finished and polished aluminum to create a modern colored material that guarantees longevity and protects it from scratches.
Powered by the UNICO caliber HUB1280 offering a 72-hour power reserve, the new Big Bang Unico Summer features an oscillating seconds clutch, a chronograph friction system with ball-bearing adjustment, and a column wheel that is visible through the dial.
Equipped with Hublot’s patented interchangeable “One Click” attachment system, the Big Bang Unico Summer comes with two turquoise-colored straps: a Velcro strap with matching stitching and matching sports buckle and a natural rubber strap with deployant clasp made with turquoise anodized aluminum with an engraved logo.
Sharing on the inspiration for the new Big Bang Unico Summer, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe says, “What I love most when traveling is the amazement of the return, wrote Stendhal. This enchantment of the journey that we bring back with us transforms us a little, for the better… And even if daily life has not really changed on our return, our eyes being open to other horizons is enough to lend it new colour.”
“Right from its beginnings, Hublot has adopted a future-focused approach to watchmaking, sparking trends through the many patents it has filed for its innovations. The Big Bang Unico Summer embodies the beauty of our summer experiences. We wanted to give you another shade for this year, to let you relive these magic moments any time you want.”
Priced at US$20,900, the new unisex Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer is limited to 200 pieces and will be available online at hublot.com and in the Mediterranean boutiques in Capri, Forte dei Marmi, Mykonos, Ibiza, Bodrum, Saint-Tropez, and Monaco.