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Devon Tread 1 watch

The basic theme of this electro-mechanical timepiece is that time is told on belts (the treads) and read through windows placed over segments of those belts.

It doesn’t take long to figure out how to tell the time when looking at the dial – even though you see a lot going on. This isn’t the first Devon Tread 1 watch to tell the time via belts, but certainly is one of the coolest to do so. In a nutshell, the Devon Tread 1 offers a totally unique wearing experience that is much more akin to a electronic gadget that a traditional timepiece. It transcends both the watchmaking world and the gadget world, but borrows heavily from each. It is the Tread 1 one, and it is certainly worth knowing about.
My first hands-on experience with the Devon Tread 1 watch was outlined here. The video I took of a prototype got a surge of views (and was pretty cool I have to admit – you can click on the link to check it out ). People never saw anything like it, and it goes without saying that the watch has a significant “gee whiz” factor to it. For many, it is the ultimate watch gadget – and in many ways it is.

While the Tread 1 is large, Devon did a good job with the design to ensure wearing comfort. The case is 53.3mm wide by 47mm tall and 19mm thick. I have small wrists, so the watch will likely not look at large on your arm. As you can tell, the lug structures that the rubber strap is attached to slope down considerably in order to have the watch wrap around the wrist. This helps the watch be more stable and comfortable.
The watch case is steel, but the back of it is DLC black coated steel. There you will also find the unique serial number of the watch. It is also where the watch sits when you are charging it. The crystal is polycarbonate – the same material used for bullet-proof glass. It is also AR coated for clarity. Inside the watch is a complex assortment of microstep motors, belts, and a processor. It is a quartz regulation based device, and according to Devon it is thermo-compensated which means it should be more accurate. The processor controls the functions and all the small motors. Rather than have a crown, the watch has a controller. You sort of operate it like a crown though, and is placed at the bottom parts of the case.
Looking inside of the watch is a treat. What is really special – especially for seasoned watch lovers is just how different it is. It looks more like a machine than something you’d see in a Swiss watch. There are screws and belts, and plates. It looks like some was playing with the world’s most complex Erector set. Seeing everything work together helps you appreciate how difficult it was to design from scratch. Few people in the mechanical watch world ever design things totally from scratch as there is generations of knowledge to build off of. For Devon, no one had ever done anything like this – so they have little to guide them.

The small one-step motors I understand were originally designed for use in medical devices. They move in just one position at a time, and the on-board controllers helps tell them how many times to move. Watching the Tread 1 operate never seems to get old, but the watch is loud. Devon tried to dampen the noise as much as possible, but each time a tread moves (which is every second with the seconds belt) it makes noise. It isn’t quite a “tick,” more a quick grind as the motors turn the belts.
While the Devon Tread 1 watch is loud, Devon does include a “quiet mode.” In this mode the watch stops showing the time and goes silent. Internally it still tells the time, but doesn’t show it until you de-activate quiet mode. It is a good idea that Devon included this. You can learn more about quiet mode and how to operate the Devon Tread 1 by looking at the online instructions manual here.

While the sound of the Tread 1 can be distracting at certain times, at other times you might see it as a benefit. This is a watch meant to attract attention, and it does that both visually and through sound. Imagine for instance that you are in an elevator with a few people. They are all gonna hear the Tread 1 and look straight at your watch. What other high-end timepieces literally call attention to themselves like that?
Reading the time and wearing the watch is pretty easy. The wide strap and unique buckle are cool to say the least. Operating the Tread 1 is also pretty simple once you read the instructions. The watch runs off a lithium polymer battery that lasts about two weeks during normal use. You don’t replace the battery regularly but rather charge it. To do this Devon includes a magnetic induction charger that you simply place the watch on top of. The seconds belts also doubles as a battery life indicator because it will move in two second steps when the battery life is running out. Given all the power that the watch consumes, I would say Devon made the best of the situation. By the way, the watch does have an ON/OFF function as well to conserve energy.
When it comes down to it this Devon Tread 1 watch pretty much epitomizes California cool. It took suave geeks to make this work and to design it. It plays games with the traditional notions of high-end watches and succeeds in offering something special that hasn’t been done before. It has its quirks, but that gives it personality. According to Devon, more watches are coming, but the same concept should remain the same. This is so much more than a gadget watch, it is a lifestyle watch for gadget lovers – and I am totally one of those people.

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Devon Tread 1 Replica Watch

Here it is, hands-on coverage with a close to final production ready prototype of the highly anticipated Devon Tread 1 watch. While it tells the time and is a luxury item, the Devon Tread 1 shares very little with the rest of the high-end watch world. Despite the fact that it has plenty of moving parts, this isn’t a mechanical watch in the traditional sense. It uses a micro-controller board, rechargeable battery, and small motors to power the movement, as opposed to being a purely mechanical machine that is spring powered. There are a series of small, micro one-step motors in the movement that pull the treads that indicate the time. The treads are sophisticated reinforced nylon belts that move around the dial in a ballet of synchronized moves. The video should illustrate that well. The Tread 1 is really among the most gadgety watches I have ever had the pleasure of wearing.
I wrote a bit more about it on the Jameslist Blog when it was first announced, but I wanted to wait to get further into it, until after I got my hands on the watch itself for some play time. Size wise it is pretty big. The squarish case is a nice mixture of curves and angles, but its dimensions are hefty. Still, the Tread 1 is surprisingly comfortable to wear. Unlike other large sizes watches with “novel” designs, the Tread 1 is a watch I think I could wear for hours and hours without and discomfort. Part of this has to do with the curved lug structures, and the form fitting, thick rubber strap. The case is in steel, due to have various levels of polish, and the back part of the watch will be DLC (diamond like carbon) coated. This prototype is sans DLC. Crystal over the dial is not sapphire, but rather the same type of polycarbonate that are used for bullet-proof windows. While at this thickness the Devon Tread 1 Replica won’t stop a bullet, it does provide for something a bit more durable on the shatter resistance side than sapphire. Though sapphire would be more scratch resistant. However, a sapphire crystal of this shape would be extremely expensive and difficult to manufacture, significantly upping the price of this watch.
It is a good idea to understand why this watch came into existence. It is the brainchild of Scott Devon, owner of the Devon line of luxury goods. Devon is working to have a full line of clothes, fragrances, and more. There was even the Devon GTX supercar, that may eventually see its way to full production. The two existing cars are beautiful American supercars. The Tread 1 is hopefully the start of an entire new type of luxury watch brand. American in spirit, design, and manufacture. Most of the parts in the Tread 1 watch are made by aerospace part suppliers, and the watch is assembled in Southern California. Almost no one who is supplying parts to the Tread 1 has ever made, or supplied parts to a watch before. This is a new experience for them all, which gives the Tread 1 a look and feel that is unique among the legions of novel European watches that are theoretical competitors. At the same time, while the Tread 1 isn’t a cheap watch, it is far less expensive than other wild looking watches of this type that you’d find coming out of Switzerland. Further, almost all the part in the Tread 1 are made specially for the watch. Save for the small motors and screws…

As a computer and a electronic device with motors, using the watch is a bit different than standard mechanical watches. The movement functions include the hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as a function for indicating the power reserve of the battery. On a full charge, the lithium ion battery should last two weeks. The watch can be “turned off” by pressing in the crown for a few seconds. This stops the treads, but allows the watch to continue telling the time for along time until you turn it back on again. The crown is more like a switch. It is a pushers, and can be moved from left to right like a switch. It doesn’t spin all the way around. When adjusting the time, pushing the crown in one direction adjusts the hours, while pushing it in another direction adjusts the minutes. The final crown will have a nice Devon logo engraved in it by the way. You’ll find that despite the complexity of the techie looking dial, the time is really easy to read through the proper windows. The tread with the seconds indicators on it is constantly moving horizontally on the lower dial. It makes a noise that sounds like a bionic quartz watch. To make a smaller watch with less power consumption, Devon is also working on a Tread 2 model that only shows the hours and minutes. No release or schedule for completion has been set for the Tread 2 however. Like all those gimmicky wireless charging pads for you phones, the Tread 1 also uses wireless charging to keep the battery powered. Only here, induction charging makes more sense. There will be a unit built into the watch case that is used for charging the watch. Simply place it down on the charger and let it do its thing. The case itself needs to be plugged in to the wall. Apparently the induction charging system was a pain to engineer, but it seems to work well, and produces a safe and convenient way to charge the watch. Power for the battery only last two weeks because of the large draw of power used up by the constantly moving seconds belt.
As the Tread 1 is closer to a computer than a tradition watch, it is something with software – which can be upgraded. The same place in Southern California that will assemble the watch will also service it. Devon Tread 1 Replica is set up to fully support its customers and service the Tread 1 timepieces when necessary. Enough people are confident in the product that they have some major retail partners, including Tourneau, which will be one of the places you get get a Tread 1 watch in a few months when they are released. Also look for a dedicated Devon boutique to open in Beverly Hills soon.

At $15,000 the Devon Tread 1 is sort of alone in the the market. Other fancy luxury watches that tell time in unique manners are closer to, or above $100,000. Then again, those are purely mechanical pieces with different types of materials, and manufacturing practices. Can you compare watches that the Devon Tread 1 reminds you of, with the Tread 1? Not really in my opinion. I see the Tread 1 as a luxury gadget that tells the time. Being American, and California grown, it shares more in common personality-wise with luxury sports cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and other modern high performance machines, than say traditional watch making. Not everyone is going to love the Tread 1, but I think it is pretty cool. It will CERTAINLY grab people’s attention, and you’ll be impressed at how it isn’t like all the things you see out of Switzerland – but rather an actually novel timepiece that will make a satisfying addition to any collector’s treasure trove, who is beckoned by the design and technology that Devon Replica has created.

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Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747

Breitling is celebrating the mighty Boeing 747 with a limited-edition Navitimer honoring the jet’s game-changing legacy in air travel.

As the last of the airliners exits Boeing’s production line, the Swiss luxury watchmaker is celebrating the “Queen of the Skies” impact. The original plane, which first taxied on the runway in 1969, included two aisles and two decks, with the ability to carry double the passengers of competing jets and fly more than 5,000 nautical miles.

Today, as Boeing prepares to release its last 747, Breitling is celebrating the revolutionary jet with exactly 747 special-edition watches, dubbed the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747.

“What better way to remember a revolutionary jumbo jet than with a revolutionary pilot’s chronograph,” says Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 brought style to the skies, just as the Navitimer brought the spirit of aviation to style-savvy watch enthusiasts.”

The new Navitimer Boeing 747’s dial mimics the aircraft’s color palette, with a cream center, black subdials and a red-and-white slide rule with blue accents. The AOPA logo reminds wearers of the watch’s heritage as a pilot’s timekeeper, while subtle “Boeing 747” iconography appears on the slide rule’s inner scale. The timepiece’s open caseback, engraved with “One of 747,” showcases the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, which provides roughly 70 hours of power reserve.
Watch lovers who know Breitling know too that flying—more than any activity—is closest to its heart. Generations have been drawn to its functional tool watches that were technical leaps forward in navigation for military, commercial, and private pilots alike. And then, for the rest of us, there’s the romance of flight, an impulse that sucks in pretty much everyone who has ever flown anywhere, one way or another. And most of us will have done it at least once in a Boeing 747, an iconic aircraft that is inspiring Breitling at a significant moment for the old bird.

A collectible and timely new take on the classic Breitling Navitimer, out this week, pays affectionate homage to the famed Queen of the Skies, which made its debut flight in 1969, meaning the 747 has been active in an astounding seven different decades. That long production history comes to a close, however, on January 31, when Boeing is scheduled to deliver its last ever 747, the 1,574th Jumbo to take to the skies.
Everyone—of course—loves a Jumbo. But it wasn’t always guaranteed that the first wide-body, long-range jet would be so popular with or familiar to air travelers. The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 was at first developed exclusively as a cargo jet, and it would never have been adapted for passengers at all were it not for the abandonment of America’s costly SST aircraft program in the early 1970s. That distinctive bump you can see in the 747’s profile was a leftover from attempts to design a cargo bird that could be loaded easily and quickly from the front. When the plans shifted to include passengers, the bump—and the extra space it afforded behind the raised cockpit—gave Pan Am’s then-CEO Juan Trippe an idea. Aviation’s first mid-air lounge was born in all its funky ’70s finery (for first class passengers only, of course).
The Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Boeing 747 comes in a single edition of (you guessed it!) 747 pieces. Inside, the watch is powered by Breitling’s own in-house BR01 movement offering an impressive 70 hours of power reserve and chronometer certification. Outside, the colors match the original prototype 747 from ‘69, which had a livery of white, red, and bare metal. You don’t, however, need to be a plane spotter to appreciate Breitling’s 747 watch. The design, which features an off-white dial, three black sub-dials, and a red inner ring around the dial (where the name Boeing 747 is discreetly added), manages to nod to that first 747 while creating a fresh new take on the iconic Navitimer.

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Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch

Hublot, a Swiss-based watchmaker, has a special relationship with Switzerland and the Alpine resort of Zermatt. To celebrate this connection, they have created the Big Bang Zermatt watch. This watch is available in both men’s and women’s styles. The men’s version features a 44mm stainless steel case with alternating polished and satin finishes, a detail not used by the brand since 2018. The watch also has titanium bezel screws and the iconic Matterhorn on the 9 o’clock subdial. It is powered by a HUB4100 self-winding chronograph movement. The Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch comes with two straps, one in slate grey and one in stone white, to reflect the colors of the town of Zermatt.
Hublot’s new release is inspired by the Matterhorn, one of the most well-known of all the Alps. When I had a look, I was wondering what I was meant to say about these watches, and it got me thinking. There’s a really great program on the BBC’s iPlayer right now called Around the World in 80 Days and, no, it’s not just another interpretation of Jules Verne’s classic novel. Well, it technically is that, but it’s split into eight-hour-long episodes which gives it plenty of time to dwell on the details. I haven’t gotten all the way through it yet, in fact, as I’m writing this I’ve just finished watching the episode set in India and it was a cracker.
The story is set in the 19th century and features everyone’s favourite iteration of Doctor Who’s The Doctor play the role of Phileas Fogg. The story so far is rather excellent, as I mentioned, because this is an episodic set rather than a movie there’s plenty of time to get acclimated with each of the major stops that Fogg and his friends are travelling through. Not to give it away too much, but all sorts of events have taken place in England, France, Italy, Egypt and now India. One of the most defining features of Verne’s story is of Fogg taking a hot air balloon over the Alps. And so in comes our tie into the watches.
The new Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch pay tribute to the Matterhorn in their own way. According to my quick search of Googlepedia (or is it Wiki-oogle?), the Matterhorn is the 12th tallest of the Alps, although its near perfectly symmetrical outline makes it one of the most recognisable alongside Mont Blanc. Both watches feature the Matterhorn on their dials, in fact, that’s about the only thing that really stands out on the dials as the rest is matte black. It appears as though there is lume on the hands, although I’m not sure how brightly black-coloured lume shines.
Nevertheless, both Hublot Big Bang Zermatt Watch are black as you like, which is becoming a more popular trend. The larger of the two has a 44mm x 14.1mm case made of matte black ceramic, while the smaller features a 41mm x 12.75mm case. That one also has eight black diamonds set on the dial with more within the bezel. Both are water-resistant to 100m.
Inside the larger is the calibre HUB4100 which is based on the ETA 7753 calibre and has a 42-hour power reserve. The smaller of the two uses the Hub4300 which is not based on the ETA 7753, instead, it’s based on the ETA 2894-2. The main difference between the two is the diameter and the jewel count, apart from that the beat rate and the power reserve (and most other details that matter) are the same. It’s nice that Hublot has covered the movement with a representation of the Matterhorn.

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Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon

Richard Mille has unveiled its latest technical timepiece with a rebellious spirit — the “Horn To Be Wild” RM 66 Flying Tourbillon.

Attired in a fully curved, tripartite tonneau-shaped case made of Carbon TPT and grade 5 titanium, the Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon features an incredibly complex build that underwent an arduous manufacturing process with high level of quality control. It stars a golden skeletal hand gesturing “the devil’s horns” as the centerpiece, which is set in place over the manual winding tourbillon calibre.

Positioned at the 12 o’clock mark is a skull seal that pays homage to Richard Mille’s iconic RM 052 model, which is also the brand’s first watch to “stir up rebellion and the advent of non-conformity in haute horlogerie.” The skull motif is echoed on the spidery and claw-like torque-limiting crown, accompanied by polished red gold pyramid studs. In addition, the watch incorporates unusual-looking hour markers that are screwed onto the upper flange, which comes in a shape that emulates guitar picks to add to its rock’n’roll aesthetics.
Richard Mille knows how to get conversations started on the world-wide-watch-web. Whether you love the brand or hate it, you’re bound to feel something when confronted with a picture of a new RM release on your Instagram feed. Which kind of means they’re doing something right.

This latest model is anything but short of divisive. At first glance, the Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon  “Horn To Be Wild” looks like a watch made for two sides of extreme. Exhibit A : aging rockstar who wears deep v-neck t-shirts, skinny jeans and prayer beads, this rockstar once lived to beat the system, and now resides in a 20 million pound home in Kensington. Exhibit B:  L.A. hypebeast decked out in Amiri with zero taste barometer and a rose gold Brabus G Wagon (car reference courtesy of Highsnobiety automotive editor Jonathan Schley).

Now for the actual watch and its contents . The rose gold openwork hand, which sits as the proud centerpiece of the RM66 is instantly recognizable. Its  representation of the “sign of the horns”  symbol was popularized by Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath fame. The link isn’t hard to make: think Ozzy Osborne biting off bat heads, think Gene Simmons and his “The Demon” stage persona (or the Family Guy parody thereof), think Hells Angels and faded “I heart mom” tattoos.
The “sign of the horns” is ultra emblematic to a modern audience, but this type of skeletal imagery has always been imbued with meaning. Visual artists have employed the same code for hundreds of years, typically as a Memento Mori – a symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. Found across various mediums, these ancient skulls weren’t intended to scare. Peversley, they were a jovial reminder of the imminent pleasures of the afterlife as famously depicted in the Danse Macabre. This watch uses much of the same code. The RM66 isn’t morbid, it’s life affirming, it’s rock and roll.

The message carries through onto the design of the rest of the watch. No surface or detail is spared of the punk rocker aesthetic.  The Carbon TPT bezel and caseback almost resembles a Glam Rock style monochrome animal print, the caseband features 5N red gold plates with a clou de Paris pattern (aka a studded belt pattern, the ultimate punk rock signifier and early 2000s Kelly Osborne / Avril Lavine accessory) and the gothic-inspired spider-like crown displays a small skull engraving and encases a synthetic ruby. The crown resembles the top of a scepter, a symbol of gothic culture; it embodies something I like to call The Great Frog aesthetic: a crossover of gothic, punk and leather.
But let’s set these audacious looks aside for a second, because there’s a whole lot of fine watchmaking happening inside of this black carbon TPT tonneau shaped case.

The openwork Richard Mille RM 66 Flying Tourbillon features a manual winding caliber which showcases a fast-winding barrel positioned at six o’clock and the tourbillon at 12 o’clock. The grade 5 titanium movement, whose lines follow those of the hand, is highly skeletonized. This is possible thanks to a flying tourbillon with a cage that is fixed at only one end of its axis, eliminating the upper bridge.

The tripartite case is assembled using 20 spline screws in grade 5 titanium and is fitted with 2 Nitril O-ring seals to 50 meters of water resistance.

Of course it’s all in the material at Richard Mille: The Carbon TPT used is composed of multiple layers of parallel filaments obtained by dividing carbon fibers. These layers are then woven on a special machine and heated to 120°C. Using Carbon TPT basically  means there’s far less chance of you scratching, cracking  or making nicks in your watch. The damascene effect (I’m still calling it animal print) differs from one watch to the next, making each watch unique.
Back to the decorative elements of this openwork splendor. There is a small skull engraving set atop the tourbillon, which echoes the skulls we’ve seen in previous RM designs. The indices could be mistaken for joint sockets, or tiny baby teeth. Turns out they are meant to be guitar plectrums.

The engraved hand is attached to the barrel bridge, with the index and little fingers outstretched and visible from the front, whilst the thumb holding the middle and ring fingers are visible from the back of the watch. Whether this is very much your cup of tea or your worst possible nightmare, the engraving work executed here deserves all the praise and more. As somebody who has collected and inherited charms since their early teenage years, the level of detail on this x-ray hand has me wondering if RM only hires engravers with doll-sized hands. The finishing is indeed manual, with the contours of the bones and delicate joints created by deburring and polishing.
Yes, ossuary artifacts are inherently morbid, but the point here is to turn that natural instinct on its head. Something that should be weird, scary and gross is instead associated with free spirit and rebellion which echoes the RM anti-conformist spirit perfectly.
Richard Mille just gave us permission to stick up our horns and embrace our inner rebel, something I enjoy doing in this sometimes very stuffy watch space.

OK, so the watch has a million-dollar price tag, but this watch isn’t for us mere mortals. It’s for the actual aging rock stars collecting their royalties from a castle in France. I don’t see the problem with enjoying Richard Mille from afar. Are we not allowed to enjoy something without owning it? This is an objet d’art!

Divisive as the brand’s products may be, their cultural relevance is so significant that the Tonneau-shaped RMs are not just relegated to the musings of hardcore watch enthusiasts, Richard Mille is part of the mainstream cultural discourse. Yes, it helps when Pharrell and Rafael Nadal are your brand ambassadors, it also helps when the price tag can sometimes be north of a million dollars. But I love RM for pushing the boundaries and essentially reframing the definition of a luxury watch: Luxury is no longer just about owning a giant gold or platinum brick timepiece.
The RM66 is an accessory with a whole lot of personality, done in the most Richard Mille way. The high grade materials, the progressive mechanical function, the top-notch decorative elements. The various themes and motifs used by the brand can often be tongue-in-cheek but they are always done to material and mechanical perfection. This type of watch world rebellion is what keeps me interested in the brand. Serious haute horlogerie but always fun, always with a  f**k you approach.

Wearing a Richard Mille is like the rich man’s equivalent of dying your hair blue. It’s punk with a price tag. Is this going in my personal Richard Mille hall of fame? Probably not. I’m an RM88 Smiley, RM07-03 Bon Bon kinda gal. This watch would have even scared the 14-year-old version of me who listened to slipknot and wore safety pins in her jeans.

Does this look like an archeological excavation gone wrong, does this watch belong to James Goldstein? Richard Mille doesn’t care. They are sticking it to the purists.

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Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat Back to Black

With the UR-112 Aggregat “Bicolore” that debuted last year, Urwerk reinvented itself from the trademark satellite cube displays with the novel satellite prism hours and minutes display. Now the watchmaker has taken the “Bicolore” and given it a sleek, all-black makeover with the UR-112 Aggregat “Back to Black”.

The UR-112 Aggregat “Back to Black” has the same mechanics as its predecessor, but boasts a refined case design and all-black palette that enhances the watch’s futuristic look.
At first glance, the construction of the case and the complexity of the displays may seem difficult to read, but upon closer examination, you’ll find the time-telling of the UR-112 to be intuitive. The hours and minutes are made of digital discs contained within the glass cylinders, with only the discs carrying the current reading facing outward.

The hours are displayed on the left, where four prisms, each with three faces of hour numerals, take turns cycling through the axis, forming a satellite system. Similar to the satellite cubes display, the satellite prisms have a jumping hours mechanism where the three-dimensional solid rotates instantaneously at the top of the hour and stays in place until the end of the hour.

On the right are the minutes, which are also made of four prisms forming a satellite system, albeit with a simplified mechanism. The prisms rotate continuously instead of jumping, and the printing on the prisms are in five-minute intervals, though a precise reading down to the minute is made possible with a tiny scale and pointer.
By triggering the pushers on the case sides, the lid pops up and reveals more displays of less important information, namely a power reserve indicator on the left, and a seconds disc on the right.

Interestingly, the UR-112 was inspired by a vintage Bugatti sports car, the Type 57 Atlantic SC, which can be seen in the central spine of the watch. Co-founder of Urwerk, Martin Frei, was struck by the car’s design during a visit to Ralph Lauren’s car collection. In Frei’s words, “This Bugatti is a true wonder! It was the muse that inspired my first drawings of the UR-112.”
Overall, the Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat “Back to Black” is a visually striking and innovative watch that showcases the brand’s dedication to pushing the limits of avant-garde time displays. Perhaps because of the proliferation of exotic displays, the satellite prisms arguably feel less intriguing than the brand’s original satellite cube displays, which made a true statement when it debuted in 2005 with the Harry Winson Opus V.
However, this does not take away from the fact that it is a highly complicated and original take on satellite displays that comprises various gears working in multiple axes to facilitate the displays. It’s different enough from earlier Urwerk watches to be interesting, making it a worthwhile addition for even for owners of wristwatches with the satellite cube displays.

While the latest version appears to be a darker version of the “Bicolore” debuted last year, the “Back to Black” incorporates several subtle upgrades that work together to create a more fitting futuristic look. Among the improvements include a skeletonized lid that allows a glimpse into the inside of the case. Though it doesn’t add anything to the legibility, the openworking gives it extra airiness and visual depth. And of course, the all-black look is a major improvement over the two-tone grey palette from last year, though the CHF 30,000 extra cost may be a consideration for some.
For those who’ve been around the realm of watches for some time, even on a cursory level, you’ll know that Urwerk has a knack for interesting and innovative, if not memorable timepieces.
Previously known mostly for its wandering hours models, the Swiss brand launched the UR-112 Aggregat in 2021 as part of its Special Projects collection. Inspired by the Bugatti Atlantic, the UR-112 takes after the Computron-esque driving watches popular in the ‘70s, where the driver could read the time without taking his hand off the steering wheel. This means that, unlike a traditional watch, the case material on the UR-112 is important because it’s the part of the watch that gets the most exposure.
For its third edition, Urwerk has released a “Back to Black” iteration, which simply gives the watch a new case material. While the original uses PVD-coated titanium, the new model sports DLC-treated titanium and steel, giving the timepiece a stealthier look while retaining the same 42mm x 51mm case dimensions. Like the previous two versions, the “Back to Black” features an entirely unique display of the time. While the jumping hours and rolling minutes are on the edge of the watch closest to the body, the seconds (also rolling) and power reserve meter must be read by lifting the grooved case cover on top.

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Hublot Classic Fusion Original

With the broad similarities between the car community and the watch community, it’s common enough practice among enthusiasts to liken certain watch brands to automakers. Grand Seiko is often compared to Lexus and TAG Heuer is commonly mapped to longtime brand partner Porsche, but perhaps the most fitting pairing of all is this — Hublot is the Lamborghini of watchmaking. While there may be newer, equally exotic brands now occupying similar niches, both Hublot and Lamborghini carry a spirit of defiance and willful audacity that helped to reshape their respective industries. In addition, like Lamborghini, Hublot rarely ever draws upon its back catalog for inspiration, until recently at least. As part of its LVMH Watch Week 2023 novelties, Hublot has returned in earnest to the design that started it all for the brand in 1980 with a striking new series in a trio of sizes and three case material options. While the combination of a sharp integrated case, (optional) precious materials, minimalist dial design, and a black rubber strap may not be as revolutionary as it was with the debut of the Classic Original over 40 years ago, the new Hublot Classic Fusion Original line is a strikingly handsome and commendably respectful tribute to the ur-Hublot design with enough available options to satisfy a wide variety of tastes.
Available in 33mm-wide, 38mm-wide, and 42mm-wide variants, the case design of the Hublot Classic Fusion Original finds a middle ground between fully replicating the original 1980 model and showcasing its modern case geometry. There’s plenty of visual similarity to the rest of the modern Classic Fusion family in elements like the angular lugs (far broader than the delicate tapering design of the ‘80s model), the organically rounded polished case sides, the black case side flanges at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, and the distinctive set of six H-pattern screws ringing the broad chamfered bezel as opposed to the original’s 12-screw layout. Despite the visual tweaks, it’s still an attractively simple counterpoint to the spectacle of Hublot’s other lines. With available models in titanium, Hublot’s proprietary Black Magic ceramic, and 18K yellow gold, this comparatively restrained design has a chance to show off an array of different personalities. The 38mm-wide model is the closest in spirit to the ‘80s original in photos, particularly in yellow gold, but each size and case material presents a subtly different personality in photos. The 33mm-wide variants offer a decidedly more reduced, feminine take on the overall form, while the broader proportions of the 42mm-wide models abandon some of the timelessness of the original in favor of a more deliberately modern feel. Likewise, the yellow gold models across all sizes come closest to capturing the minimal-yet-opulent ethos of the 1980 original, while the Black Magic ceramic option gives the design a more futuristic cast, and the titanium version provides a contemporary, wearable middle ground. Despite Hublot’s sporty connotations, however, each model in the Hublot Classic Fusion Original series offers a disappointing 50 meters of water resistance. Unfortunately, Hublot was unable to provide images or details regarding the Classic Fusion Original’s caseback before press time.
Like the ‘80s model that inspired the design, each model in the Hublot Classic Fusion Original series offers a truly minimal black dial layout. Other than a dial-matching date window at 3 o’clock and a 12 o’clock applied Hublot emblem, there are no indices, scales, or text (outside of minuscule printed “Swiss Made” text at 6 o’clock) to mar the glossy piano black dial surfaces here. This leaves only the broad-faceted baton handset for timekeeping duties, and it’s where the tweaks to the original format cause one potential issue with functionality. Although the first Hublot design had a similarly featureless black dial, the 12 screws on the bezel could be used as an ersatz hours scale for improved legibility. By contrast, the six H-pattern screws atop the Classic Fusion Original’s bezel are substantially more difficult to orient quickly in images. Potential legibility issues aside, this starkly restrained look remains an effective visual statement for Hublot over 40 years after its debut.
For the 38mm and 42mm Classic Fusion Original models, Hublot turns to the Sellita SW300-1-based HUB1110 automatic movement. This reliable platform powers a wide range of Hublot’s less exotic models. While enthusiasts may complain about the HUB1110’s humble underpinnings and relatively low 42-hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate, it is dependable and easily serviced. For the 33mm-wide models, Hublot instead turns to an unspecified quartz movement with a minimum power reserve of three years. To complete the vintage-inspired design, Hublot pairs each model in the series with a smooth, unadorned black rubber strap.
Although it may stand out amid the brand’s Lamborghini-esque relentless tendency towards forward-thinking stylistic spectacle, the new Hublot Classic Fusion Original series offers a sharp and charismatic tribute to the Hublot model that started it all with a broad range of available configurations. The Hublot Classic Fusion Original line is available now through authorized dealers.

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Hublot Spirit of Big Bang 5-Day Power Reserve

LVMH Watch Week is upon us, and Hublot is once again making big waves with their bold designs and as a leader in the use of innovative materials. And this year’s releases are more eye-catching than ever, as you’ll see in a moment.
We start things off with a big bang, quite literally, with the retina-searing visual intensity that is the hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM. Hublot are pioneers in the use of man-made sapphire within the watch industry, but this new model is something else entirely. The material is notoriously difficult to colour, each shade requiring its own elemental cocktail to achieve that perfect hue, so when Hublot decided to tackle this particular fluorescent yellow, they were working with a blank sheet of paper. After three years of research, the solution turned out to be a blend dubbed “SAXEM”, which stands for Sapphire Aluminium oXide and rare Earth Mineral, used in the aerospace field. The result is a previously unseen tone of acid yellow that seems to glow from within, and offers greater resistance, polish and brilliance than previous man-made sapphires. The fully polished 44mm case and bezel has a vivid presence unlike anything the brand has presented before, offering a striking contrast to the polished, micro-blasted titanium bezel screws and crown. Not merely a pretty face, the Yellow Neon SAXEM is also a showcase for Hublot’s movement prowess, utilising the in-house HUB6035 automatic calibre. This skeletonised reference boasts a tourbillon at 6 o’clock that seems to float in midair, due to the sapphire bridges that frame these visual fireworks. The movement also features a micro-rotor, and manages a 72-hour power reserve to boot. Completing the package, the Yellow Neon SAXEM comes equipped with a matching textured yellow rubber strap (with a titanium deployant buckle) that utilises Hublot’s One Click system for toolless strap changes. Limited to 50 pieces worldwide, the price is CHF200,000.
The tonneau-cased Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang lineup receives two new limited-to-50 editions, one in black and blue carbon composite, the other in vivid purple sapphire. The Spirit Of Big Bang models have always had a commanding wrist presence, made even more so in these new cases.
Both feature striking skeletonised dials, and are powered by a hand-wound MHUB6020 tourbillon movement that offers a five-day power reserve. Keeping with the trademark Hublot look, they both come on complementing rubber straps with folding buckles. If you’ve got the wrist real estate to pull off their 42mm-wide case dimensions, you might as well go full Hublot, because if the Spirit Of Big Bang is on your shortlist, you’re obviously no wallflower, so why should your watch be?
The new hublot Classic Fusion Gold Crystal offers a sleek glammed-out twist on the black ceramic Classic Fusion Original, with the addition of genuine gold flakes set into the inky black dial and then lacquered. It’s an unusual treatment, but a striking one that showcases the reflections of the gold differently every time you look, depending on how the light hits the frond-like patterns. Black and gold is a timeless combination, and the 42mm brushed ceramic case and H-screwed bezel offer a stealthy contrast to the dial. An alligator and rubber strap completes a look that’s decadent and refined all at once.
If you’re still looking to dazzle, but in classic noir fashion, this is the perfect little black dress accessory. The limited-to-200 Hublot Big Bang One Click Sapphire Diamonds 39mm is textbook understated luxe, with a clear sapphire 39mm case, and stealthy black movement components peeking through the skeletonised dial and caseback. Some 42 round diamonds ring the bezel, and provide brilliant contrast with the black dial accents and rubber strap. And for all its luxurious trappings, the watch manages 100 metres of water resistance, so if you happen to feel a fountain-jumping moment coming on, by all means, give in.

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Hublot Big Bang Unico Cheval Blanc Randeli

In celebration of Cheval Blanc Randheli’s 9th Anniversary, Hublot honours its continued partnership with the iconic Maison by introducing limited editions of the Big Bang Unico and the Big Bang One Click watches, each in twenty-five numbered pieces.

The Big Bang Unico Cheval Blanc Randheli and the Big Bang One Click Cheval Blanc Randheli combine Hublot’s flair for style, sophistication, and mechanical innovation in stylish timepieces that are as vibrant and elegant as the idyllic Maldivian Maison it is named after.

Incorporating Cheval Blanc’s splendid shades of taupe and Randheli’s mesmerizing pop-yellow sun, the two timepieces capture every moment of the memorable stay featuring an alligator strap in white and warm grey and a polished yellow ceramic bezel. The dials in shades of taupe reflect the warm wooden decks and signature colour of the Maison. The Big Bang Unico dial is dressed in a matt taupe colour, while the Big Bang One click features a sunray taupe dial set with 11 brilliant white diamonds. The watches come with an additional white line rubber strap giving the wearer additional styling possibilities.

This collaboration follows the successful launch of the 2016 and 2017 Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition watches and is inspired by Hublot’s signature art of fusion merging two worlds: luxury watchmaking and exceptional hospitality. They are a perfect souvenir for the guests of the unspoiled Noonu Atoll at Cheval Blanc Randheli.

The hublot Big Bang Unico Cheval Blanc Randheli and the Hublot Big Bang One Click Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Editions are only available at the Maison Concept Store, in the dedicated Hublot area that reflects the identity of the most iconic Hublot boutiques around the world.

“Cheval Blanc Randheli and Hublot have a strong relationship that blends the creativity and technology from Hublot and the art de Recevoir of Cheval Blanc. This partnership encapsulates timeless memories and timeless stays,” said Olivier Lefebvre, CEO of Cheval Blanc.

“We are happy to be celebrating Cheval Blanc Randheli’s special occasion with special watch editions dedicated to this magical island resort. At Hublot, we are passionate about creating fusion between different worlds to develop singular products; the two watches are a fusion between art-of-living and craftsmanship,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot.

“The previous two editions were very appreciated by the guests of Cheval Blanc Randheli and sold out quickly. We thrive to present them the two new timepieces and offer them a new experience with time that comes to complement their unforgettable stay at the emblematic resort,” said David Tedeschi, Hublot Regional Direction Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East & Africa.

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New Hublot Rainbow Big Bangs

Calling all lovers of minute details (surely there are a few on a watch website?), gather ’round and behold two very similar watches. To mark the occasion of LVMH Watch Week, Hublot just released these fraternal twin Big Bangs. The Hublot Big Bang Integrated Time Only King Gold Rainbow and the Hublot Big Bang Integrated King Gold Rainbow offer up bling for days in one of Hublot’s signature lines.
The watches share largely the same materials – fashioned from Hublot’s humbly named King Gold, a warm gold containing platinum, both brushed and polished, and featuring black elements on the main plate and dial, the basic canvas for the watches is largely similar. They are both fully paved in rainbow-colored gems, 174 for the Integrated watch and 768 on the bracelet, and 176 for the Time Only and 748 on the bracelet, set by Hublot’s master stone-setter (nice to know these Game Of Thrones-sounding jobs still exist).

The major differences are the complications and all the attending changes that go with them: diameter, movement, and thickness. The Time Only is a bit of a misnomer as there is a date window, but aside from that it keeps things relatively restrained on the internal bells and whistles. It runs on the in-house MHUB1710 movement, found in previous Time Only Big Bangs and based on a Zenith movement, which ticks away at 4Hz with about 50 hours of power reserve all visible through the sapphire crystal on the dial. It measures a demure (for Hublot) 40mm and comes in just under the 10mm thickness mark at 9.25mm.
The Hublot Integrated King Gold is a chronograph powered by the MHUB1280, another self-winding in-house movement, this time with chronograph flyback and column wheel. The integrated bracelet is relatively new to the Big Bang line, joining the signature rubber strap in 202o, and only available on the Big Bang in 40mm since 2022. The case is a standard but not gargantuan (again, by Hublot standards) 42mm and 13.45mm thick. It has 72 hours of power reserve and 100m water resistance, but why dive for treasure when it’s already on your wrist?
There’s something so charming about Hublot hearing cries across the watch world for smaller watches and more integrated bracelets – not to mention 2o22’s biggest design trend – and putting them all into a watch that’s so distinctly Hublot. Classic sport watch appeal and a size that is more “wrist-friendly?” You can have it, but you’ll have it the Hublot way.

Looking at these watches through the lens of “did it accomplish what it set out to accomplish?” these certainly look to be a big success. I’m not a master gem-setter (unfortunately!) but I think that finding enough gems of standard and cutting and arranging them just so on this bruiser of a watch is almost more impressive than a more “tasteful” application of diamonds on the dial or bezel of a smaller more delicate watch. The result is loud and attention-grabbing, as it was meant to be, so points for that, but when I think about the margin of error in crafting a bracelet with 768 gems on it I can’t help but be impressed.
The dial of the chronograph is very, very busy, but [9os sitcom voice] that’s Hublot! And I do think there’s an interesting tension between the rugged, dark openwork gears and the meticulous and whimsical dial that gives a little more heft and intention to the busy-ness.

And while Hublot is no stranger to the rainbow trend, both with gems and without, the combination of precious gold and integrated bracelet makes this go-around feel, dare I say, more grown up? It’s the thinking person’s big-ass Rainbow Hublot. And if you’re already on board with Hublot and all of the dramatic, daring, and denim watches that have come before, this Rainbow might be your pot of gold.