Men and Watches… There is an endearing bond that men share with this timeless piece of jewellery, his watch; one that cuts through all inhibitions against jewellery while manifesting an underlying desire to indulge the art of manliness with specific wrist wear.
Here’s a quick peek at some of the uber luxurious timepieces from top watch manufacturers around the world to rekindle that bond.
Big Bang with diamonds
The Hublot Big Bang is a diamond fiesta, with Hublot taking its quest to pack the timepiece with diamonds to an all-new level – embedding it with 1280 diamonds, to be precise. These include six stones that each weigh at least three carats. According to the company website, the manufacturer assigned 17 people to the project and it took them 14 months to finish creating the watch. Enhancing its glamour element is a little tidbit that American superstar Beyonce Knowles purchased one for her husband Jay-Z. Price: $5 million
Zeitwerk Minute Repeater
This is the first timepiece to feature a ‘decimal’ minute-reading mechanism, which sounds the time exactly as it is shown on the jumping numerals display. Following the opening of a new manufacturing facility, A. Lange & Sohne created this extra-special watch in the form of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, which takes the concept into a more ‘collector’ direction, with its increased complexity and functionality. Price: $467,700.
Dedicated to Schumacher
The Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher is an extension of the long-standing relationship the watchmaker shares with legendary driver Michael Schumacher. It is a ground breaking mechanical chronograph that was developed at the request of the Formula One legend. Described as a horological first, it features two central hands that can be repeatedly stopped, started and reset independently to allow continuous, accurate, consecutive timing of individual laps. The watch has a 44mm forged-carbon case with titanium and pink-gold detailing. According to the watchmaker, only 221 examples were made, reflecting the number of World Championship point-winning races in which Schumacher competed. Price: $229,500
From Bell & Ross
This new generation BR-X1 Tourbillon Mono-Pusher Chronograph is a limited edition magnum opus from Bell & Ross. It features an eye-catching column wheel movement, which displays the hours and minutes in the traditional way as well as a 4-day power reserve indicator. The Bell & Ross timepiece comes with a grade 5 titanium or 18-carat rose-gold case, measuring 45 mm; it also features double sapphire crystals. There is more…buyers who seek a touch of glitz and glam can have the bezel made with 46 baguette diamonds. Price: $155,600
It’s a Breguet
Breguet celebrated the10th anniversary of its Breguet Tradition collection, last year, with Breguet Tradition 7087 Minute Repeater Tourbillon, which has been described as a marriage between the brand’s most historically significant complications and modern technologies. This striking timepiece isn’t just a minute repeater; there is also a 60-second tourbillon complication at 6 o’clock. Its symphonic design has also been enhanced by digitally simulating nearly a hundred thousand different chime sounds and singling out those, which were deemed to carry the most pleasing psychoacoustic criteria. Price: $463,000
Blue Moon
Once in a blue moon comes a watch like the ingenious Klepcys White Gold Blue Moon from Cyrus – a brand that was formed five years ago by cousins Laurent and Julien
LeCamp. Named after the founder of the Persian empire, each Cyrus watch has an exact replica of a 2,500-year-old coin from the reign of Cyrus embedded in the case back. In the
Klepcys White Gold Blue Moon, virtually every component of the dial revolves, including the three-dimensional, spherical moon. For interested buyers, titanium-cased versions are also available. Price: $129,600
On Sail…
Following the successful launch of women’s timepieces, Richard Mille has created RM 60-01 Regatta Flyback Chronograph, presenting his first navigation technical watch for men. Created to mark the Voiles de Saint-Barth regatta, of which Richard Mille is the main sponsor, the RM 60-01 includes a host of navigational features that determine the wearer’s position at sea ,in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is equipped with a special locking system that prevents water entering through the chronograph push pieces, and the orange UTC hand can be used as both a second time-zone indicator and a compass pointer. Price: $150,000
