Author

Gisbert L. Brunner

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Timepieces in times like these

The pandemic is making waves. And the watch industry is feeling the effects. However, this does not stop a number of brands presenting exciting mechanical innovations even in the virus spring of 2021. There is a small selection on the following page.

Shock resistance from Schaffhausen

It can certainly take a lot of hard knocks, the new IWC “Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL” with innovative 44 millimetre “ceratanium” casing. This is made possible by the “SPRIN-g PROTECT System”, developed over an eight year period. A cantilever spring suspends the movement inside the case. Its form and the use of Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) have the effect that acceleration forces of more than 30,000 g cannot damage the in house caliber 32115 with a base plate made from an aluminium alloy used in the aerospace sector.

Transparency highlighted

Sapphire is hard and scratch-resistant but certainly not unbreakable. Therefore you would be ill-advised to let the brand new Hublot “Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire” fall onto a stone floor. For the first time in the history of watches both the 42 millimetre case as well as the link bracelet are made of the completely transparent material. Titanium is used to produce the folding clasp. In each of the 30 pieces the in-house calibre HUB6035 with micro rotor self-winding movement, 72 hour power reserve and tourbillon take care of the time.

Perpetual Calendar

Once again in their 27-year history the family of the “Lange 1”, launched in 1994, is expecting a ticking addition. The new “Lange 1 perpetual calendar” is available in an unlimited edition in pink gold. A. Lange & Söhne is also producing 150 pieces in white gold. The automatic calibre L021.3 consists of 621 components. On a purely theoretical level the revolving outsize date, retrograde day of week display, peripheral month ring and digital leap-year indication require manual correction in February 2100, the moon phase only after 122.6 years.

A watch that protects the mudflats

Those who put one of the 2009 steel “Aquis Dat Watt” from Oris on their wrist are contributing to the conservation of the mudflats. The limitation results from the fact that this picturesque stretch of land before the Danish, German and Dutch coast was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2009. The automatic watch with 43.5 mm diameter has a sophisticated combined moon phase-tide indication on the dial for safe mud flat walks. The corresponding hand rotates around its axis in 29.5 days.

Every hour strikes for a happy man

German design and the Swiss art of watch-making combine to a melodious composition in the MeisterSinger “Bell Hora”. This watch, diameter 43 mm, expresses on an acoustic level that every hour strikes for the happy man. When 60 minutes have passed a little hammer produces a chime on the gong under the dial. Of course you can also silence the mechanism, which is powered by the Swiss automatic calibre Sellita SW200, at the touch of a button.

Ticking silver disc

No question: In reference to watch casings silver has a polarizing effect. The precious metal notoriously tends to tarnish. The material with 70 Vickers is also not particularly hard. Despite this fact, Tudor decided to produce the 39 millimetre casing for the new “Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925”, which is waterproof up to 20 bar, in high-quality sterling silver. The manufacturer is maintaining adamant silence on which alloy has been used. The glass back, behind which the manufactured automatic MT5400 ticks, is new. The French textile strap
ensures secure and luxurious comfort on the wrist.

Photos Copyrights: © IWC, ORIS; Hublot, A. Lange & Söhne, Meistersinger, Tudor