Opus 14 and the miniaturization of the jukebox mechanism.
The highly anticipated Harry Winston Opus14 Timepiece was unveiled, transforming the watch industry yet again. The luxury Swiss watch manufacture pushes the limits of the imagination even further by partnering with two visionary watchmakers Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin.
The new Opus 14 is the fourteenth chapter in Harry Winston’s unique Opus saga, a watch speciality project involving the world’s most talented and innovative watch makers. The night of the Opus14 launch, Robin Thicke was announced as the new Ambassador for HarryWinstonTimepieces.
In both its design and its automaton complication, this new creation evokes a jukebox, the mechanics of which have been miniaturized.
The miniaturization of the jukebox mechanism is a first and has been patented by Harry Winston. It reveals four disks housed in a store, each showing a specific display: local time, GMT time, the date and a star bearing the signature of Mr. Harry Winston, a reference to the stars of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Activating the selector, located at 9 o’clock on the edge of the case, chooses the desired display. This action sets the entire store into an up and down motion, thus freeing the selected disk. While the disk displaying the local time remains in place at 9 o’clock, the chosen GMT, date or star disk is positioned on this platform.
When pressed for the first time, the push-piece at 4 o’clock activates a moving arm that picks the disk up and sets it onto the platform to be read. Pressing the push-piece a second time once the disk is in place reactivates the arm, which moves the disk back into the store.
The model’s silhouette is an ensemble of visual surprises brought together beneath a sapphire crystal cut from a single block and housed within an 18K gold case measuring 54.7 mm in diameter.
Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin, both passionate about watchmaking from a very young age, are the two founders of the Télôs watch design firm, a “watchmaking idea store” created in 2009 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
“Our philosophy is to offer innovative concepts, which are often playful, allowing the wearer to have maximum interaction with his watch,” say the two men, born in 1968 and 1974 respectively and whose personal career paths have always been devoted to this industry.
The inspirational master watchmaker Louis Moinet (1768 – 1853), the true inventor of the chronograph (1816) and the creator of some extraordinary clocks for Napoleon Bonaparte, Tsar Alexander Ist, American Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, or King George IV of England, was one of the greatest watchmakers of Europe. The Louvre Museum in Paris, Château de Versailles, or the Palazzo Pitti in Florence display Moinet‘s clocks and inventions, considered unrivalled masterworks of Haute Horlogerie.
The life force of Louis Moinet lives on thanks to Jean-Marie Schaller who, as the founder of the Louis Moinet brand, revived the name of the erudite watchmaker and the philosophy of limited edition mechanical art.
The two centenaries since the invention of the chronograph are marked by Swiss independent watch Maison Louis Moinet with the first chronograph-watch in history, unveiled at this year’s Baselworld fair. Called “Memoris,” a bridge in time between Louis Moinet’s heritage and the creative force of modern Louis Moinet Ateliers based in Saint-Blaise (Switzerland), the new revolutionary watch pays tribute to an enduring legacy and celebrates Louis Moinet Atelier’s 10th anniversary.
It always seems impossible until it’s done.
In the universe of chronographs, the inventions occur pretty rarely, but in this case we talk about some milestones and inventions. A world’s first, the chronograph here is not seen as a complication, but as the primary function of the timepiece. “Time” debuts as a complication. Brilliant concept, isn’t it?
It is no wonder, the limited edition watch produced in three 60-piece numbered series (in 8K pink gold, 18K white gold rhodium-plated mainplate, and 18K white gold-blued mainplate) is nominated for the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), probably the most prestigious event celebrating the 12th
Art. Louis Moinet Memoris has all the chances to be proclaimed the winner of the “Chronograph” award this year. Memoris’ dial is a micro stage for a complex and intricate dance of all chronograph functions.
The chronograph, the king of complications, in the spotlight.
Practically re-imagining the chronograph function, the new monopusher chronograph with column wheel, 34 jewels, 302 components and a 48-hour power reserve is reconciling a trio of essential aspects like the upper plate location, a fully integrated chronograph without add-on modules, and a design revealing every segment of the watchmaking jewel.
“To create the first ever chronograph-watch, we have come up with an entirely new concept. This involved thinking about the chronograph before considering the watch. This new approach is fundamentally different, making Memoris a genuinely unique, innovative creation. To bring it to life, we had to create over 300 components for the movement, and over 50 for the case alone,” explained Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO & Creative Director Louis Moinet.
In order to make the Memoris chronograph fully visible, all the wheels were tailor-made to offer perfect functioning and an unrivalled aesthetic appearance. The dedicated mechanism plate became a reality with 147 parts separating the chronograph from the LM54 automatic movement (28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz). As Louis Moinet manufacture recalls, the most delicate part of the Memoris building was setting the yoke. Finally, the right one offered the desired “clean start, a precise reset, and a gentle, linear progression.”
Here is the future of automatic winding.
Another unique system feature of the Memoris is the winding system allowing the watch to be wound up in both directions. Called “Energie Plus”, the ‘crab claw’ design increases the efficiency of the automatic wind by 30 percent. To understand how this ingenious system is providing substantial efficiency, feast your eyes on the redoubtable Memoris’ crab claw in motion (watch the video).
To present the new 46 mm Memoris chronograph in all its glory, Louis Moinet redeveloped the whole “habillage” of the timepiece. This translates into a new approach to the casing, new hands, a new dial, a new oscillating weight, and a new folding clasp, among other additions. The gold case with a screw-on transparent case back is equipped with 52 individual components, including screwed-in decorative Black zircon synthetic gemstones.
From October 18th to 22nd 2015, Memoris, the crowning glory of Louis Moinet’s first decade, was on display at the first edition of the Dubai Watch Week, a travelling exhibition presenting the watches preselected by the jury and in the running for the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix. From October 27th to November 4th, the timepieces of the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, including Memoris, will be presented at the Cité du Temps in Geneva. The roadshow’s final stop for the winning watches of this 15th edition of the GPHG will be SalonQP exhibition in London from November 12th to 14th 2015.
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Mademoiselle Privé at London’s Saatchi Gallery – an immersion into the origins of Chanel’s creations.
A new exhibition aims to capture the charismatic personality and irreverent spirit of Mademoiselle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld.
From October 13 through November 1, Karl Lagerfeld and CHANEL present an enchanted journey through the Chanel’s creativity. The “Mademoiselle Privé” exhibition opened at London’s Saatchi Gallery will highlight the Haute Couture, the re-editions of the High Jewellery “Bijoux de Diamants” collection created in 1932 and CHANEL N°5 perfume.
Installed on all three floors of the Gallery, the exhibition brings to mind, says Saatchi Gallery, “the House’s essential elements: audacity, freedom and innovation whether it is the history of Gabrielle Chanel’s inspirations or Karl Lagerfeld‘s inimitable take on CHANEL’s codes, symbols and icons.” A corresponding app allows visitors to witness a total inside look to the history of the luxury Maison.
“We felt we wanted, and needed, to say something about what goes on behind the scenes; about creativity,” commented Chanel CEO Bruno Pavlovsky. “When you see Chanel, you see Mademoiselle, you see her apartment, you see the magnificent shows, but you don’t see much about what’s happening behind the scenes. We felt it was a good time for the brand to give away some secrets.”
Watch the film of the Mademoiselle Privé exhibition opening at the Saatchi Gallery, London (above).
Watches & Wonders 2015: Piaget unveiled its first complication watch collection dedicated to woman and presented some of the finest masterpieces developed in 2015.
On the occasion of this third edition of Watches and Wonders Hong Kong exhibition, Piaget confirmed its uniqueness and its expertise as a watchmaker and jeweller by the unveiling of two collections: “Limelight Stella” and “Secrets & Lights – A Mythical Journey by Piaget“.
Limelight Stella
The first complication watch dedicated to women and entirely designed and developed in the Manufactures of La Côte-aux-Fées and Geneva, Piaget Limelight Stella watch is writing a new chapter in Piaget’s enduring love story with women.
Embracing its stature as an exponent of Haute Horlogerie, Piaget displays the perfect mastery of watchmaking skills by choosing the captivating traditional horlogical complication, the moon phase, to equip the caliber of this collection. While the Moon has been a symbol of timeless femininity since the dawn of time, Piaget expresses a new approach to this theme focusing on its aesthetic and lyrical nature. As powerful as a talisman, Limelight Stella is endowed with a singular ability to release the woman wearing it from the linearity of time.
Secrets & Lights – A Mythical Journey by Piaget
Entitled “Secrets & Lights – A Mythical Journey by Piaget”, the new 2015 Piaget Haute Joaillerieand Haute Horlogerie collection celebrates the history of the silk route and the wide expanse of cities and cultures that the ancient route encompasses. This new collection is inspired by two legendary cities, Venice and Samarkand. Chosen for their cultural wealth, architecture and creativity, each place provides a remarkable field of expression from which the exceptional artisans in the workshops of the Piaget Manufacture have been inspired.
“Showcasing Piaget’s mastery in watchmaking combined with the most prestigious Métiers d’Art, this extraordinary collection provides a transcendent expression of the creative freedom cherished by the Maison,” stated Piaget.
One watch, two cases. Creativity and technical prowess come together on this Piaget Altiplano Double Jeu, also showcased at Watches & Wonders. As fascinating and elegant as a Venetian mask, the delicate craft of feather art enriches the pure lines and natural grace of the Piaget Altiplano. On show at this year’s Watches and Wonders exhibition, artisan Emilie Moutard- Martin was present to share her passion.
