Definitively inspired by car racing, the new automatic super-chronograph from SAINT HONORE puts the Le Mans spirit on your wrist. Created for performance, it is first and foremost an exceptional measuring instrument. The chronograph times become clear and admired through skilfully architected reading. The silver-tinted dial, in a honeycomb caseback, appears in a clear and racey composition, just like the dashboard in a racing car – round, graduated counters, brightly-coloured hands – or tachymetric scale graduated up to 407 km/h, symbolic figure of the maximum speed record never achieved during a 24 Hours race.

The outsized orange figure 15 recalls the start time for the mythical 24 Hours races: 15 hours (3 p.m.). The Haussman Forty 7-24 hides its finest asset inside its titanium finish case – the automatic Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, visible through a transparent crystal. The brand’s two racing-driver ambassadors, Stéphane Sarrazin, for Peugeot, and Christophe Tinseau, for Pescarolo, were wearing SAINT HONORE’s new “machine” , the Haussman Forty7-24, when it made its debut at the Spa 1,000 in advance of one of the year’s major events, the Le Mans 24 Hours. What better work-out for this exceptional watch!

Movement: Automatic chronograph movement VALJOUX 7750, 25 rubis, 28’800 vph, 44 hours power reserve
Cam mechanism, 2 push-buttons
Engraved oscillating weight, Côtes de Genève décor
Functions Hours, minutes, second, chronograph and date
Case Stainless steel case, titanium PVD finishing, 47 mm
Sapphire crystal, front and back
Water resistant to 50 m
Dial White, honeycomb décor with luminescent hourmarkers
Open-worked stainless steel hands
Graduated tachometric scale up to 407 km/h
Hour and 30-minute counters at 6 and 12 o’clock respectively.
Big date at 4 o’clock
Small seconds at 9 o’clock
Bracelet/Strap Black leather strap, orange stitching on deploying buckle. Additional black rubber strap décor “clou de Paris”

F.P.Journe is launching the new Centigraphe Sport, first ultra light wristwatch ever entirely in aluminium, case, bracelet and movement. It discloses a new time measurement – sportive and exclusive with an authentic high horology movement.

This incredible timepiece is the first wristwatch entirely in Aluminium, case bracelet and movement.

The first Centigraphe Sport timepiece numbered 001 was offered for charity on May 30, 2011 at Christie’s Hong Kong auction by F.P.Journe in favour of the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. It sold for the extraordinary amount of HK$ 3,620,000 /US$ 465,170, close to ten times its original estimate.

This fantastic result has allowed financing 7 anti seismic houses for the “100maisons100familles” programme of Foundation de Fère constructing temporary anti-seismic wooden houses to relocate family victims of the earthquake and tsunami in the northern city of Tome, near Sendai, in Japan.

F.P.Journe has chosen the Centigraphe as first timepiece to introduce its new collection,
the “lineSport”. A collection of new watches of an astounding lightness, thought and conceived specifically for a proficient sportive activity, and that will include watches with manual as well as automatic winding.

This collection has been inspired by an important collector, aficionado of F.P.Journe watches, who committed himself in numerous marathon and triathlon competitions and wished to have an ultra light sports watch, coupled with a movement of authentic high horology. With its measure of a 100th second, the Centigraphe Souverain seemed to be the perfect match to excel in his activities, where every second is counted.

As in everything he undertakes, the collector goes beyond his ambitions and commits himself with an absolute determination to achieve his goal. In order to outshine in this new field, he changed his lifestyle drastically. From epicurean, he became a master of dietetics and managed to loose a tremendous amount of weight in a record time, while maintaining exceptional health.

F.P.Journe wanted to pay tribute to the mental and physical achievement of this businessman who just like himself, started from scratch to become one of the biggest success stories, and today an extreme sportsman, sacrificing everything to his passion.

F.P.Journe undertook long researches to find an ultra light and resistant material to receive his exceptional calibres ; while maintaining the standards of high horology that inhabit his everyday life. The Centigraphe Sport thus presents the very first F.P.Journe wristwatch entirely made of aluminium, movement, case and bracelet, in the search for absolute comfort and extreme lightness. The watch in its totality only weighs 55 grams.

The passage from 18K rose gold – used for all the F.P.Journe movements – to aluminium was not without difficulty, for obvious technical reasons. F.P.Journe took his research to a higher level in an aesthetical quest to complete an appropriate contrast in colours.

F.P.Journe perfected different methods of special processing in order to make the aluminium scratch resistant and give it anti corrosive and anti-allergic properties.

Rubber inserts are fixed with an outstanding process to the end of each link of the aluminium bracelet, the sides of the case and the titanium crown in order to efficiently protect the watch from any chocks, just like the bumper of an ancient automobile.

Breitling introduces its flagship Chronomat 01 model in a limited series endowed with exclusive finishing and a transparent caseback providing a fascinating view of the 100% in-house made chronograph caliber. A close-up look at elegance and top-flight performances.

First introduced in the spring of 2009 at BaselWorld, the Chronomat 01 was the first Breitling watch to house Caliber 01, a chronograph movement entirely developed and produced in the brand’s workshops. The leading model in the Breitling collections, this instrument is distinguished by the powerful character of its case, its bezel engraved with original numerals, and its distinctive blend of strength and elegance. Available in a number of different versions, it has established itself as the new benchmark in the field of mechanical chronographs – and indeed as the ultimate chronograph.

For devotees of rare and exclusive timepieces, Breitling now offers this iconic model in limited series of 2,000 in steel and 200 in rose gold, all bearing the individual number engraved at 9 o’clock on the case middle. The strong and unique design of the case, bezel and bracelet is highlighted by subtle contrasted finishing – satin-brushed on the top and polished on the sides. The black dial is adorned with applied hour-markers. Contrary to the standard Chronomat 01 models, equipped with solid steel or gold casebacks, the Chronomat 01 Limited Edition features a transparent sapphire crystal caseback providing optimal views of the in-house made chronograph movement. An exceptional glimpse of this high-performance motor boasting a column-wheel, an entirely original architectural design, and assembled according to a revolutionary industrial process.

ELSIUS X VI II – LeDIX Origine
With the LeDix Origin, the mobile phone has become an art object that has put emotion back into communicating. The first creation from Celsius X VI II following 4 years of research and development, this resolutely new object, made from titanium and enhanced with solid ebony inserts, has just what it takes to appeal to the most demanding of watch enthusiasts. The contemporary case, which focuses on transparency, houses a haute horlogerie mechanical movement with an off-centre flying tourbillon. Each time you open the phone, the patented mechanical Butterfly winding hinge makes a characteristic clicking sound as the energy is transmitted to the watch mechanism. Presented with an ecosystem of accessories – docking station, hands-free kit, etc – the LeDix has met technological challenges while focussing on simplicity and durability. The LeDix Origin is limited to 18 pieces in grade 5 titanium with ebony inserts.
Movement Hand-wound, Butterfly winding hinge, 330 components, 21,600 vib/h, 100-hour power reserve, off-centre flying tourbillon mounted on shock absorbers
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve indicator
Case Clamshell telephone case, 49 mm
Entirely milled from a block of grade 5 titanium with polished, satin-brushed, shot-blasted and Clous de Paris finish and enhanced with solid ebony inserts treated to resist temperature differences and humidity
Dial Satin-finished black gold
Power reserve indicator displayed over 200°
Three-dimensional hourmarkers at 12, 3 and 9 o’clock
Openworked from 5 to 8 o’clock to reveal the bridges and gear train
Bracelet/Strap The Holster: hand-sewn leather
The Kit: hands-free kit in polished and satin-finished metal and ebony
The Base: docking station in wood, leather and polished, satin-finished metal
The Chain: chain with mechanical components, attached to the belt with spring-mounted bead system and mechanically linked to the phone

MAURICE LACROIX – Masterpiece Régulateur Roue carrée
The challenges Maurice Lacroix sets itself are considerable: to push back the limits of timekeeping and change its perspectives. It is with its flagship line, Masterpiece, that the brand has propelled watchmaking towards a new dimension and, by creating a square wheel, taken a new angle on time! A world first, this amalgamation of technology, innovation and aestheticism is inspired by traditional regulator watches and displays the hours by means of a geometrically openworked square wheel at twelve o’clock. Driven by another wheel, shaped like a cloverleaf, it turns regularly, indicating the hour by means of a raised corner on its centre square. By combining the techniques of photolithography and electroforming, the timepiece attains a degree of unrivalled precision. The movement plate takes on the role of the dial, and its matt and satin finishing emphasises its size, giving it an appearance that is as amazing as it is hypnotising. Limited to 99 watches.
Movement Hand-wound, Maurice Lacroix ML153 calibre, 18,000 vib/h, 32 jewels, 48-hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve indicator
Case Polished and satin-finished steel, 43.5 mm
Convex sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Screw-down back with large sapphire crystal, numbered
Water-resistant to 50 m / 5 ATM
Dial Black gold, sand-blasted and vertical satin finishing
Time indicated by square wheel at 12 o’clock, activated by a cloverleaf-shaped wheel at 9-10 o’clock
Engraved hour-marker, hour-circle and power reserve
Diamond-polished, facetted hands and hour indicator coated with C1 white Superluminova
Power-reserve indicator at 3 o’clock
Bracelet/Strap Large-scaled black genuine crocodile leather with black calfskin lining, matching steel folding clasp

MARVIN – Malton 160 Cushion Kaki
This offbeat and unexpected 160 Cushion Kaki model, an anniversary edition commemorating the brand’s 160th anniversary, is inspired by the Malton Spéciale issued in 1906. After the round version, this new timepiece expresses a fresh approach based on vivid contrasts. Featuring bold khaki tones, a cushion-shaped case, a guilloché dial and a vintage strap, this model invites the wearer to share in a fairytale vision of time. While conjuring up dreams, it also embodies the quality inherent to Marvin Watch Co. 1850. The brand’s star collection, Malton 160 Cushion, is built around a variation on four calibres, admirably embodying the brand values “New Time, New Codes” and conveying an entirely original approach.
Movement Mechanical self-winding, Sellita SW200, 26 jewels, 38-hour power reserve
Functions Hours minutes, seconds and date
Case Steel, cushion shape, 42 x 42 mm
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Water-resistant to 50 m/5 ATM
Dial Khaki, guilloché
Large date window at 6 o’clock
Bracelet/Strap Genuine “khaki vintage” leather
Other versions Mechanical self-winding movement, ETA Valjoux 7750, 25 jewels, 46-hour power reserve, functions: hours, minutes, seconds, day, date and chronograph, black and silvered dial, day and date window at 3 o’clock, hours, minutes and seconds counters at 6, 12 and 9 o’clock respectively

ETA G10.211 quartz movement, functions: hours, minutes, seconds, 1/10th of a second, date and chronograph, black and silvered dial, date window between 4 and 5 o’clock, minutes, seconds and 1/10th of a seconds counters at 10, 6 and 2 o’clock respectively.

Ronda 713 quartz movement, 3 hands, guilloché dial

ARCADIA – AC01
For Claude Sanz, President of Bunter and a fervent watchmaking devotee, the AC01 is a dream come true. Eager to revive the reputation of Arcadia, the star brand of the equally famous Fleurier Watch Co. brand, he has revisited a 1950s models and sublimated the existing tradition. In this first 275-piece limited edition, contemporary aesthetics rubs shoulders with historical codes. Avant-garde materials, visible screws, hidden pushbuttons and a multi-layer dial blend harmoniously with the original rounded curves incorporated within a cushion-shaped case. This original approach extends to the entire set of data regarding the model (guarantee, after-sales service documents) delivered to the customer on a USB stick and activated online at the time of purchase.
Movement Mechanical self-winding, ETA Calibre 28892-A2 with Dubois Dépraz module, 28,800 vph, 55 jewels and 40 to 44 hour power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph and dual timezone
Case Cushion shaped, titanium and 316L steel, 42 x 40 mm
Sapphire crystal and caseback
Adjustable lugs
Dial Carbon fibre, multi-layer
Chronograph with 12-hour and 30-minute counters at 6 and 9 o’clock respectively
24-hour dual time zone, adjustable to 12 hours, positioned at 12 o’clock.
Date window at 4 o’clock
Bracelet/Strap Tech fabric with folding clasp and safety pushbutton

CLERC – Odyssey Silicium
A concentrated blend of technical innovation inspired by aerospace research, the Odyssey S represents the latest generation of the collection taking it firmly into the 21st century. Powered by Calibre C201 incorporating a regulating organ made from silicon, this model was designed for exploration and adventure with a sliding system that protects the crown, pushers and the mechanism for activating the inner rotating bezel. The three-dimensional dial reveals the balance-spring and balance through an aperture at 10 o’clock, protected a blue-tinted sapphire crystal. This set of aesthetic and technical features is exclusive to the family-owned brand.
Movement Mechanical proprietary self-winding twin-barrel Calibre C201, 45 jewels, 28,800 vph, bevelled bridges, black gold plating, 6-day power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, retrograde date and power-reserve indicator
Case Stainless steel and grade 5 polished titanium, 44 mm
Inner rotating bezel
Exclusive sliding system protecting the pushers and crown
Glareproofed sapphire crystal and caseback
Water-resistant to 100 metres
Dial Openworked with balance visible beneath a blue-tinted sapphire crystal
Retrograde date between 1 and 4 o’clock
Power-reserve indicator at 6 o’clock
Bracelet/Strap Vulcanised rubber or alligator leather with folding clasp

RECONVILIER – Hercules Golf Master
Gone is the era of caddies and grass tossed into the air for golfers in search of information! The Hercules Golf Master has revolutionised the golfing world thanks to its dual function. By combining a GPS application with its mechanical movement, it can measure the distance to the edge or centre of the green in meters or yards. A push on the button also gives a digital display of the time. Thanks to its Rotar reversible mechanism, though, these advantages can be concealed and the instrument transformed into the most classic of analogue timepieces.
Movement Automatic ETA 2892A, COSC-certified chronometer
Integrated digital module for LCD display, innovative Rotar mechanism
Functions Analogue movement: hours, minutes, seconds and date
Digital module: hours, minutes, seconds, and distance to green measured with GPS technology
Case Titanium, 44mm
Water-resistant to 50 m / 5 ATM
Dial White, black or grey
Bracelet/Strap Black or white rubber or black leather with titanium folding clasp

For the second year in a row, the Darwel agency has the great pleasure to unveil the latest creations of the Swiss finest watch brands for your Christmas issue. By mid-October, you will receive a series of newsletters presenting the latest creations guaranteed 100% Swiss Made. Each letter will cover around ten products, that is exclusively addressed to the media and that will come together with a press release informing you about the latest trends as well as the health status of the economy of the Swiss watch-making industry.

DISCOVER THE LATEST CREATIONS OF THE SWISS FINEST WATCH BRANDS !

Diary ready…
The first edition of the newsletter will be sent out in a few days, followed by other bulletins which will be continuously broadcast. So, go ahead and save some space in your Christmas issue in order to tell your readers about the most recent achievements of the Swiss brands.

Steady… Download!
All the new items will be presented in French and English, and will enclose a technical data sheet. It will forward you to the http://www.swisstime.ch website, where you can find all these information, but also download high-resolution pictures as well as the original press releases when given by the brands. Note that the website is dedicated to the media and an accreditation – which needs to be done only once and is free of charge – is required !

www.swisstime.ch, a website conceived for you!
Are you not acquainted with swisstime yet? It is a platform exclusively dedicated to the products of Swiss brands in the watch-making and jewelry industry. It is managed by a specialized press agency and references 216 brands and more than 1,500 products. The website offers you to navigate in its contents in five languages – English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish – in only a couple of clicks. You will also find useful information about the Swiss Exhibitors at BASELWORLD.

BASELWORLD 2011, March 24th to 31st
As you certainly know, the two months prior to BASELWORLD will be very intense. Darwel will not derogate from its custom and therefore will communicate, all in good time, the latest news of the Swiss Exhibitors as well as their appointment that you cannot miss! In the course of February 2011, the Press Preview will unveil in premiere the items that will create the trends and the brands to keep an eye on. In a shape of newsletter or a press pack, you will know everything: current trends, news, economic evolution, press releases and the schedules of the Swiss Exhibitors! We will distribute the unmissable Swiss Exhibitors Guide as of the press day on March 23rd 2011 as well as during the Salon at the Swiss Press Center in Hall 1.2, stand B01. The document will also be available online on http://www.swisstime.ch/ as of March 24th. Be ready!

The Darwel team is looking forward to presenting you the latest in the Swiss watch-making products and remains at your disposal for any questions or comments.

The Swatch Group has emerged  from the financial crisis 2009. Today they sent out their quarterly earning report and they are have written the following points. It has beenThird-best year in the Swatch Group history with Group gross sales of CHF 5 421 million, a decrease of -6.3% on a comparable basis (at constant exchange rates and excluding 2008 divestments of Sokymat and Michel).
* Significant rebound in sales in the second half of 2009, with a phenomenal record month of December, which also was the best month in 2009.
* Watch segment sales with a decrease at constant rates of -5.5% largely outperformed Swiss Watch Federation export sales 2009, gaining market shares for the Group in practically all price segments and markets.
* Production segment with sales decrease mainly due to order cancellations and a change in product mix.
* Electronic Systems segment sales -14.5% lower than last year (excluding 2008 divestments of Sokymat and Michel), but steadily improving in the fourth quarter 2009 with increasing order inflow.
* Improved operating profit margin and net income compared to the first half year expected; Group very confident of further increases in sales and margins in 2010.
* Omega’s mission as official timekeeper at the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver and the Swatch Art Peace Hotel opening mid 2010 in Shanghai are two of the highlights to come, as well as significant developments of new products in most of the brands and new production systems in Switzerland.

Group Overview

After the known market decline in late 2008 and early 2009, with a worldwide recession and a sharp drop in consumer spending, most markets recovered from the financially stressed environment in the second half of the year. The last months of 2009 showed a very positive development, with clear signs of market normalization and increased consumer confidence. To some degree, the economic crisis 2009 has separated the wheat from the chaff. This applies especially to the watch industry, where values such as brand awareness, tradition, history and high-quality products count more than ever. Consumers are looking for value and quality.

The Swatch Group, with its large range of products in all price segments, increased its market share in most markets and regions. In this challenging year, the Group achieved gross sales of CHF 5 421 million, a decrease of only -6.3% on a comparable basis (at constant exchange rates and excluding last year’s divestments of Sokymat and Michel). This still represents the third-best result in the Swatch Group history. While the first half year saw a significant decline, sales picked up in the second half and just exceeded – in local currencies – sales of the second half of 2008.

Strong Christmas sales clearly beat expectations and December turned out to be the best-ever month of December in terms of sales. The fourth quarter 2009 – expressed in Euro terms – performed at +7.1% at actual rates and +11.1% at constant rates. Foreign currencies negatively impacted sales by CHF 105 million or -1.8%, mainly in the second half of 2009. Especially the Euro, the British Pound and the Russian Ruble negatively impacted sales compared to previous year rates. The US Dollar had practically no impact, while the Chinese Yuan and the Japanese Yen influenced sales positively. Increasing watch demand in several markets compensated decreases in other markets and helped the segment Watches & Jewelry to achieve a remarkable result in 2009. The Production and Electronic Systems segments, on the other hand, were confronted with weaker demand and realized lower sales than in the previous year.

Expected earnings 2009 and Outlook 2010

The Group expects that the operating profit margin and net income for the full year 2009 will improve compared to the first half of 2009. This improvement will be visible predominantly in the Group’s core business, the segment Watches & Jewelry.

With the prospect of a continuous recovery of the economic environment and the new developments realized in the last months, the Group is very confident that further solid organic sales growth will be achieved in the year 2010. A promising trend can be identified, based on the excellent sell-through figures in January 2010 as well as the order entries for the months to come. The positive outlook is also backed by the Group’s positioning in all market segments and its broad geographical presence. Consumer spending is expected to see a steady increase in most countries, with a growing middle class mainly in the emerging markets supporting this trend.

A positive impact on sales is also expected from Omega’s mission as official timekeeper at the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver, starting on 12 February 2010. Omega has been appointed the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games until 2020. Furthermore the opening of the Swatch Art Peace Hotel mid 2010 during the World Exhibition in the fantastic place of Shanghai will represent another milestone for the Group. The increased positive results of the Group’s research and development activities will also contribute to further sales growth.

In its Casual Chic universe, Bertolucci pioneers creations where the 4 “Cs”- the very essence of the brand – feature fully: Creativity, Curves, Comfort and Construction. The Italian Riviera, a source of ceaseless inspiration, and Switzerland, with its technical expertise, mingle and interweave to design new silhouettes playing with the softness of curves and the elegance of lines. Well-being is celebrated in designs which combine comfort and harmony, resulting in a daily luxury. Classic yet subtlety unique, the Casual Chic models combine simplicity and modernity to match any moment and mood of the day.

Serena Garbo epitomizes the soft, pure curves of a pebble slowly polished by the movement of the waves under the Mediterranean sun. Comfortable, voluptuous curves which celebrate the well-being and joy of living that are so dear to the brand. Inspired also by the elegance and sensuality of Latin women, Serena imposes its signature by creating the contemporary profile of a metal bracelet or the distinctive line of a traditional leather strap with saddle stitching, which seemingly and mysteriously pass through the silhouette of the round and curved case.

As a Casual Chic model with its typical Bertolucci look, Serena Garbo brings together comfort and harmony, while signifying a beautiful look and simple elegance.
Another exclusive Bertolucci’s creation, the SERENA GARBO “Valentina” appears at the beginning of this year with its new dial with a touch of color, evocative shapes and delicate finishing… To tell her; “I love you”.

A loose heart set with pink sapphires is animating the refined dial adorned with elegant applied indexes. The soft bezel made from polished steel is set with 36 diamonds to enhance the décor of its romantic heart embraced by its round and oval curves.
A true jeweled watch with a strictly feminine look, Serena Garbo further demonstrates its beauty and difference to celebrate love and sensuality. It marries harmoniously the sparkle of diamonds and richness of pink sapphires with the femininity of a pink varnished calf strap… Reminding her of every minute that the heart of her Valentine beats for her.

A Chronoswiss luxury watch took a stroll down the red carpet last night at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Steve Carell one of American comedy’s most popular faces showed off the Kairos by Chronoswiss. Valued at $3,800, the Kairos is one of the most successful models in the Chronoswiss collection. The pane of sapphire crystal in the back of the consummately shaped case offers an unobstructed view of the self-winding movement. Love for details is evident in the finely guilloched dial and meticulously polished, blued steel hands.

Chronoswiss is a German watch manufacturer based in Munich. The company was founded by watch making legend Gerd R. Lang in 1983 with the mission to bring about the renaissance of the mechanical watch and manufacture timepieces with uncompromising technical and aesthetic value. Chronoswiss prides itself in exclusivity by producing less than 6,000 watches per year. Though a German company, every component of the timepieces is manufactured in Switzerland and then hand-finished and assembled in Germany.

At the crossroads where the sanctified traditions of fine craftsmanship encounter the bold novelty of contemporary art and where the creative talent of the artist forges with the watchmaker’s dexterity to craft a unique masterpiece, a matchless work of art is magically born: “Artpiece 1/1″, an exceptional timepiece, part of the first Artya collection of 360 unique pieces 1/1 “Coup de foudre”, a second collection featuring watchcases litterally struck by lightning.

Artya: a Time for Art
Artya’s supreme mission is to fundamentally change the watchmaking syntax through the grammar of contemporary art. The workshop’s initial assignment, the Artpiece 1/1 collection, heralded a new era, pioneering the appreciation of beauty, thereby relegating the context of time to the back seat. Emotion, creativity and intuition fuel the whole concept. This avant-garde venture sets a new direction away from the current trend in watchmaking which perceives contemporary art as a device for advertising campaigns or an easy solution to enhance the aesthetics of some dials. Here, the boot is firmly on the other foot: According to Yvan Arpa: “Imagination running wild leads the artist, and the watchmaker has no choice but to follow”. Initiated by art, this approach is based upon the know-how and expertise of craftsmen and watchmakers, collected over centuries. The Artya workshop has introduced unprecedented processes in watchmaking, implementing techniques harvested from the field of art.

Once upon a time… The beginnings
Deeply immersed in the contemporary art scene, Yvan Arpa, with his unequalled experience of watchmaking, gained at Sector No Limit, Baume & Mercier, Hublot and Romain Jerome, conceptualized the idea to blend art into a timepiece, to transform this everyday utensil into a piece of art, through creating a composition to be worn on the wrist, half-way between a painting and a sculpture.To fulfill this endeavor, he called upon a painter that he knows well and has been close to for two decades, Dominique Arpa-Cirkpa, his spouse. He entrusted her with the dials of the Artpiece 1/1 collection. Alarmed at first by the constraints of size and materials, she quickly imposed her own creative vision and artistic touch by exploring different media and means such as various colours, paste, bristles, brushes, and knives, to create incomparable works of art. These dials embody aspects of miniaturized paintings. As a boundless expression of the intricate precision that commands watchmaking, they turn into true works of art reigning supreme on the wrist of the aesthete, the enthusiast or the collector.

Artpiece 1/1 – 360 unique pieces
Each piece in the “Artpiece 1/1″ collection is unique. Created by the artist, crafted by the watchmaker, these one-of-kind artistic creations are each distinctly made, none can be doubled or replaced. Difference, not conformity, is their hallmark.

“Coup de foudre”
Obeying the artist’s whim and imagination, the watchcase from the “Coup de foudre” collection are struck by lightning and undergoes thermal combustion, moulding, engraving and various drastic processes that are handcrafted in the Artya workshops.
Artya presents the “Artpiece 1/1″ and the “Coup de foudre” collections at the opening of the Geneva Time Exhibition from 17th to 22nd January 2010. Not to be missed, and created especially for this event: the “Coup de foudre” movie featuring Arc Attack’s live performance in which the first watch of the collection is literally struck down by the artists.
As a vibrant tribute to the Gilbert & George spirit, Artya conceives a contemporary work of art, a true allegory for the creative process that has inspired and guided this maverick collection.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Movement
Entirely manufactured and assembled by master watchmakers in Switzerland, the self-winding mechanical movement’s balance oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour
Endowed with incredible precision, the movement is fitted with noncircular square-shaped gears around the works of Mr. Pascal Winkler, an eminent HES Professor of microtechnical engineering at the HEArc located in Le Locle, Switzerland

Case
Engraved, moulded and put through a series of severe battering’s, the case is crafted in stainless steel grade 316
” Artpiece 1/1″ Satin-finished black PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) “Coup de foudre” embossed, defaced, tortured and struck by lightning i.e.100,000 volts, 200,000 volts, 500,000 volts and even 1,000,000 volts

Dial
Each dial is a unique work of art. Hand decorated according to 17 specific artistic techniques up to now unexploited in the watchmaking field. They combine collage, application of dyes and pigments, forging, etc.

Strap
The hand-sewn strap is made of high-tech rubber combined with processed “Alzavel waterproof” calfskin or with “Crazy frog” tanned toad skin.

Water-resistance
Water-resistant up to 50 meters

Warranty
24 months

Artya presents the “Artpiece 1/1″ and the “Coup de foudre” collections at the opening of the
Geneva Time Exhibition from 17th to 22nd January 2010.

Not to be missed, and created especially for this event: the “Coup de foudre” movie featuring Arc Attack’s live performance in which the first watch of the collection is literally struck down by the artists.

As a vibrant tribute to the Gilbert & George spirit, Artya conceives a contemporary work of art, a true allegory for the creative process that has inspired and guided this maverick collection.

36 complications, 25 of them visible, 1,483 components, a 1,000-year calendar, a price tag of $2.7 million dollars, and 5 years’ work: what others have simply dreamed of, Franck Muller has made a reality! Never has the Maison de Haute Horlogerie better deserved its name of “Master of Complications”, pulverizing the record number of complications ever housed in a single wristwatch.

The challenge for the Master Watchmakers of Genthod was enormous: how to embed all the complications known to this day in a watch that was designed to be worn. The Aeternitas movement served as a base, while the Mega 4 represents the apotheosis of the art of watchmaking with its grand and small Westminster chime striking-work, the only one available on the market with a tourbillon visible on the dial. Added to this are a minute repeater, a mono-pushpiece split-seconds chronograph, a perpetual calendar secular, and an equation of time which only varies by 6.8 seconds per lunar month, the equivalent of one day every thousand years! Such a complicated watch requires a sophisticated custom suit to make it look just right.

Although the first piece of this exceptional, limited series was presented to an American collector at a ceremony in Monaco last November, the Master Watchmakers of Genthod are already putting the finishing touches to a second Aeternitas Mega 4, which will be available in the very near future.

And for all those who would like to share the dream of Franck Muller’s creations first-hand, the Master of Complications has organised two WPHH – World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie – exhibitions this year at its Watchland site in Genthod on 17-23 January and 17-27 March from 9.00 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Franck Muller will be offering watch professionals and the international press a comprehensive view of its seven brands: Franck Muller, Pierre Kunz, ECW, Rodolphe Montres & Bijoux, Barthelay, Backes & Strauss and Martin Braun. The new collections will be exhibited in purpose-built pavilions, with elegantly arranged stands, sophisticated design and contemporary decor meeting the most stringent demands. More than 5,000 visitors and 600 journalists are expected during the two exhibitions. This prestigious event is a must for both professionals and haute horlogerie aficionados!

The Aeternitas Mega is the pinnacle of success in the art of watch-making in terms of complexity and complications. A grandiose work of art culminating in the design of the most complex wrist watch ever made in the world thanks to the multifaceted skills of our watch-makers and constructors. Each of the 1,483 components was designed to give the watch an elegant design in the pure traditions of the old “cadraturiers” (the mechanisms located under the dial) of the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. This watch inspires countless emotions as an exceptional time piece and simply unique in the eyes of lovers in the art of fine mechanics and luxury watch making.

From the very beginning, the Mega was incorporated in to the Aeternitas project and is, indeed, the culmination of this project. The basis was always the same, an automatic Tourbillon, but, with two motors. The plate has been hollowed out on the dial side to hold the striking mechanism.

In comparison to the Aeternitas versions, the four Aeternitas Mega versions only have a thickness of 0.2mm as it had to accommodate the striking mechanism of the “Chime of Westminster”. The Mega sets itself apart thanks to its “Grande Sonnerie” Chime of Westminster striking mechanism sounding on the hours and quarter hours. In the “Petite Sonnerie” version, the strike on the hour is removed, and it only sounds on the quarter hours.

The programming of the large and small striking mechanisms is done through simple pressure on a waterproof push-button placed at the 10.30 mark on the watchcase. This push-button programmable function enables the movement of the striking mechanism to be stopped. The minute repeater enables the “Chime of Westminster” to be activated at any time, and so giving the complete strike of the hours, the Westminster quarters and the minutes. The “Grand Sonnerie” is the only watch in which the Tourbillon is visible on the dial side, which limits the space available for the “Grand Sonnerie” mechanism and thus makes the design even more complicated.

The glass sapphire case back enables the harmoniously chiseled and decorated pieces that overlap to be admired in a stunning combination as a dazzling ballet. This masterpiece of complications and know how was entirely designed and manufactured by the Franck Muller group and once again demonstrates their vast array of skills and ability in the Art of Haute Horlogerie