Special Watchmaking News Bulletin N°2
Time to deliver on our promise: the second special watchmaking news bulletin is here! As per your suggestions, this latest edition of your new favourite watchmaking news source is shorter and you can still expect surprises, exclusive news, reports, and celebrities. Stay tuned!
HAMILTON Ventura XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition and Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition
This isn’t Hamilton’s first rodeo as watchmaker for the silver screen. Appearing in over 500 films the watchmaker – who gained prominence by making watches for the U.S. Armed Forces and for some of the first aviators – has always played a big role in Hollywood films. Prepare yourselves to see Hamilton once again, this time in the latest blockbuster ‘Dune Part Two’.
Denis Villeneuve, director of “Dune Part Two”, commissioned Hamilton to create this tailor-made timepiece in collaboration with Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. Worn on-screen by Paul Atreides – played by Timothée Chalamet – this watch is nothing like other watches. Although this particular watch will remain in the Dune universe, Hamilton seized this opportunity to release two limited edition models.
Hamilton Ventura XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition
Today the Ventura collection is light-years away from its ‘Blue Hawaii’ debut. Both the Edge Dune and the XXL Bright Dune limited editions glow with the characteristic blue of the Fremens’ eyes. The first of the pair has a blue digital display and the second is a reinterpretation of the Desert Watch with a button on the left side of the case, which lights up the design on the dial.
These two UFOs are equipped with black PVD-coated angular case and come with a black rubber strap. Each of them also comes with a commemorative packaging that fits perfectly with the Dune movies’ aesthetic. Fans of the Dune saga will no doubt succumb to the allure of these unique timepieces.
Hamilton Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition – €2,595.
Hamilton Ventura XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition – €1,845.
Click here the read the full Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition and Ventura XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition technical sheet.
TISSOT, PR516 Mechanical Chronograph
The latest mechanical watch by Tissot is crafted with a 41mm stainless-steel case. It is water resistant up to 100m and equipped with both a tachymeter scale and a pulsimeter whose indices are covered with luminescent material.
Housed behind a glass box-style sapphire crystal, the black dial – complete with a sunray finish – has three counters, baton indices and hands ensuring excellent readability in any situation. This watch draws inspiration from the 1970 model and is equipped with a bespoke hand-wound calibre: a Valjoux A05.291 movement. The 68h power reserve is complete with a magnetism resistant spiral Nivachron™ for optimal timekeeping.
The watch is equipped with a Nivachoc A anti-shock device that guarantees an unparalleled resistance. With its domed stainless-steel bracelet and quick interchangeable system, this elegant and sporty reference stands out with its excellent quality-price ratio.
€1,975
Click here to read the full Tissot PR516 Mechanical Chronograph technical sheet.
CARTIER Tank Américaine watch
The Cartier Tank Américaine watch released in 1988 pays homage to the legacy of the Tank Cintrée of 1921 by embracing its slender build. For this latest generation of Tank Américaine watches, Cartier draws up a brand-new aesthetic. The arched form of the case with its elongated brancards, and it lugs that appear to be an extension of the bracelet make for an innovative look that still conforms to a timeless design. This collection has many variations epitomised by this large steel model, which comes with a navy-blue alligator-skin strap. This model is equipped with an in-house 1899 MC calibre and presents all the features of a Cartier watch such as the rail-track minute circle, Roman numerals, blue sword-shaped hands, a cabochon-cut sapphire on the crown and a discreet yet elegant ‘Cartier’ ensign hidden in the ‘V’ of the ‘VII’ numeral.
€6,750
Click here to read the full Cartier Tank Américaine technical sheet.
OMEGA, Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8
Omega pays tribute to the Speedmaster watch worn by the astronauts of the 1968 Apollo 8 mission – the first manned mission to orbit the Moon – with this supernal Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watch. This new special edition watch is brimming with references to the legendary lunar mission.
The case back features an image of the dark side of the Moon that only astronauts get to see.
Let us begin by observing the skeleton dial with its laser-ablated Moon relief as seen from Earth. Crafted in black anodized aluminium, the dial can also be seen through the sapphire glass case back. As we orbit the case towards the far side of the watch, we can see how the subtle contrasts are created with the rare image of the dark side of the Moon engraved on the movement. The 44.25mm case is equipped with a manual-winding calibre 3869 – certified Master Chronometer with its Co-Axial escapement – is marked by a high level of precision, chronometric performance, and magnetic resistance.
It is worth pausing a moment to pay a close look at the dial. The tachymeter scale on the polished black bezel, with its luminous white ‘Grand Feu’ enamel, elegantly contrasts with the bright yellow details – like the seconds hand of the chronograph and the hands on the counters. Our gaze inevitably falls on the small-seconds hand shaped like NASA’s famous Saturn V rocket. The 3D structure, obtained by laser turning, is feat of miniaturisation and is awaiting a patent.
To conclude this astral journey, we will fly over the engraving on the case back that reads ‘WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE’ – the final words spoken to ground control by Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, seconds before Apollo 8 disappeared behind the far side of the Moon and lost radio contact. A beautiful tribute to a watershed moment in the history of space exploration.
€15,700
Click here to read the full Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 technical sheet.
OMEGA WATCHES WEBSITE
BULGARI, Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold Automatic
Yellow gold is making a comeback in current watchmaking collections and the Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection illustrates this with its new model – an Italian watch that is quintessentially Swiss.
The 40mm case of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold Automatic is only 6.4mm thick and with its cleverly crafted 58 faces, the gold can shine in all directions. This model has a satin-finished yellow gold bracelet, complete with a triple-blade folding clasp, a deep blue lacquered dial with a sunray finish, and is water resistant up to 100m.
The golden small seconds hand and indices harmoniously contrasts with the blue of the dial while enhancing the warm tones of the precious metal. The back is just as stunning as the front with its sapphire crystal glass that unveils the remarkable decorations which adorn the in-house automatic calibre. The Octo Finissimo finesse is exemplified by a calibre that measures only 2.23mm, a power reserve of 60h, and a platinum micro-rotor for unmatched precision and efficiency.
€49,200
Click here to read the full Bulgari Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold Automatic technical sheet.
HUBLOT, Classic Fusion Tourbillon Orlinski Sky Blue
The aptly named Classic Fusion Tourbillon Orlinski Sky Blue is a blend of pop pastel colours and high matchmaking. The Hublot Maison turned to the outstanding artist Richard Orlinski. Those who haven’t heard of him, he is one of the best-selling French artists in the world. The artist’s style is heavily influenced by pop culture and marked a kaleidoscope of bright colours. It also features a menagerie of oversized animals like his gigantic ‘Kong’ sculpture from 2022, set up in front of Louis Vuitton’s Champs-Élysées boutique in Paris.
The Hublot-Orlinski partnership has been going strong for seven years now. Since 2017, this dynamic duo combines the high technicity of the watchmaker with the geometric style and vivid visuals of the artist. The polished sky-blue ceramic case, which measure 45mm in diameter, is equipped with a bezel that features six H-shaped screws. The angular shape of the case with its flat surfaces and its sharp ridges are one of Orlinski’s hallmarks.
It would be a shame to skip out on the most beautiful feature of this showstopper, so it is time to marvel at the fully skeletonised dial. Each gear is held in place by rhodium-coated bridges. The tourbillion complication at 6h and the power reserve indicator set between the 8h and 9h indices blend in perfectly with the weblike pattern of the dial. This complex mechanism is visible through the transparent sapphire case back. The in-house manual winding calibre has a 105h, or 5-day, power reserve. This 30-piece limited edition model is water resistant up to 30m and comes with a sky-blue smooth rubber strap.
€99,000
Click here to read the full Hublot Classic Fusion Orlinski Sky Blue technical sheet.
VIGILO x FRANK SANS C : L20.3 Frank Sans C
The new collaboration between Frank Sans C and the Swiss watchmaker Vigilo proudly sports our tick-tock fanatic’s favourite colour. It is already available via their website. However, if you want to get your hands on one, you must act quickly because this is a 100-piece limited edition collection. The lucky 100 people who manage to get one will be able to display on their wrists the 40mm, 316L stainless-steel timepiece. It is also water resistant up to 200m and at its heart beats a quartz Ronda 585 movement, an example of fine Swiss craftsmanship. The dial boasts a blue guilloché motif with a sunray finish behind sapphire glass.
€349
Click here to read the full L20.3 Frank Sans C technical sheet.
Le coup d’œil de Jean Lassaussois : ROLEX Explorer II
€8 900
Click here to read the full Rolex Explorer II technical sheet.
LE SITE DES MONTRES COLLECTOR DE LASSAUSSOIS LES MONTRES LES BIJOUX.
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