Rolls-Royce Geneva and Swiss luxury watchmaker Franck Muller have recently joined forces to design two new creations: The Wraith Black Badge Inspired Crazy Hours Watch and an upcoming Wraith Black Badge “Crazy Numbers.”
Sharing a passion for excellence, Rolls-Royce Geneva and Swiss luxury watchmaker Franck Muller have joined forces to design two new creations: The Wraith Black Badge “Crazy Numbers” and the Wraith Black Badge inspired “Crazy Hours” watch.
Or to put it another way – Rolls-Royce Geneva will customize a special Black Badge edition of the Wraith to reflect elements of Franck Muller’s Crazy Hours watch, and Franck Muller is creating a Wraith Black Badge inspired version of the watch.
Benefitting from the expertise of the Rolls-Royce’s “Bespoke Programme,” the Rolls-Royce Geneva “Crazy Numbers” Wraith Black Badge is an artistic demonstration of the extreme personalization that can be achieved and will see elements of Franck Muller’s iconic Crazy Hours watch intertwined throughout the vehicle design.
Featuring a special Velvet Sparkle exterior finish with a Twin-Coachline motif in Silver/Cobalto Blue mirroring the Crazy Numbers theme, the special Wraith edition will feature a deep Cobalto Blue interior and a unique dashboard fascia and embroidered “Crazy Hours” numbers on the rear console. Overhead the Starlight Headliner will also depict the “Crazy Hours” watch face.
Sharing on the customization options of the special edition Matt Danton, Bespoke Designer at Rolls-Royce, commented, “Distinction, leadership and genuine expression is at the heart of the Bespoke Programme. The car is regarded as a key element of one’s taste and personal style, so it’s only natural it’s bespoke.”
Custom dashboard fascia inspired by Franck Muller “Crazy Hours” watch. Credit: Rolls-Royce Geneva
As yet, Rolls-Royce has only provided teaser images of the upcoming edition; however production of Wraith Black Badge “Crazy Numbers” is set to commence shortly with the actual motor car presented in the 4th quarter of 2020.
To celebrate the partnership, Franck Muller has also created two unique versions of the Crazy Hours watch. Featuring the same Cobalto Blue color scheme as the vehicle, one watch has a black dial with a Cobalto Blue case and black leather strap, while the other is a reverse combination with a Cobalto Blue dial, black case and blue strap.
Two versions of the Franck Muller Crazy Hours Wraith Black Badge Edition. Credit: Franck Muller
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the world’s finest car manufacturer to produce this bespoke car and this exclusive watch collection,” says Nicholas Rudaz, director of Franck Muller Watchland. “To see our exceptional know-how of haute-horlogerie be interpreted into such an exclusive car has been a fascinating experience.”
For the uninitiated, the Franck Muller Crazy Hour watch is a self-winding watch with a 42-hour power reserve that displays the watch numbers in a very unconventional order and, at first glance, reminds one of something the Mad Hatter would wear to his next tea party.
Using its patented Crazy Hours mechanism, the central hour hand jumps to the correct hour number (one to twelve) even though the numbers are not in the standard order. Meanwhile, the minute hand continues to follow a conventional pattern and revolves around the dial on a 60-minute cycle.
As yet, pricing has not been announced for the Franck Muller Wraith Inspired Crazy Hours watch or the Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge “Crazy Numbers.”
Breitling releases Premier B09 Chronograph in a new burgundy color, limited to 250 pieces.
The new Breitling Premier Chronograph in burgundy. Credit: Breitling
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.
Steel 40mm case with brown alligator strap. Credit: Breitling
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.
The new release will be limited to 250 pieces. Credit: Breitling
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.
Caseback with limited edition engraving. Credit: Breitling
The IWC Shaffhausen Portofino family has expanded with the addition of the new 39 Chronograph edition in three new colors.
The new IWC Portofino 39 Chronograph watch trio. Credit: IWC Shaffhausen
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.”
Silvered dial with gold hands and markers. Credit: IWC Shaffhausen
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.
Black dial with gold hands and markers. Credit: IWC Shaffhausen
Hublot is making a splash with the new turquoise New Big Bang Unico Summer edition available in select Mediterranean retail stores this Summer.
The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer edition limited to 200 pieces. Credit: Hublot
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.
The lagoon colored Big Bang Unico Summer on the rubber strap. Credit: Hublot
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.
Anodized satin-polished case and buckle are hard-wearing and scratch resistant. Credit: Hublot
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.