fifteen original creations to discover – L’Express

With his news Mythic Titanium, Lip reinvents the simplification watch and the identity design of the 1970s. This watchmaking object offers an atypical reading of the time, on three rotating dials, which can be read instantly along the line extending the Lip logo. The hours move while the hand remains stationary. This simplification of time reading offers an instantaneous view of hours, minutes and seconds.

After the 2008 edition, IWC unveils a limited series of 51 platinum examples of the Large Pilot’s Watch 43 Tourbillon Markus Bühler. This version represents a challenge in terms of design and manufacturing: the aeronautical turbine on the small seconds hand is integrated into the flying minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock. In order to reduce the energy required to keep the mechanism moving, it was necessary to reduce the weight of this turbine, which was therefore machined from a light titanium alloy.

The 2023 model is inspired by a unique piece that Markus Bühler created for a competition during his last year of apprenticeship as a watchmaker at IWC. He is today responsible for all assembly processes at the factory.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre watch manufacturer continues to expand its cultural universe and signs a new collaboration at the intersection between nature, technology and art.

Until January 10, 2023, Place Vendôme, an event installation showcases the creations created by Brendi Wedinger, a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Los Angeles who joins the Jaeger-LeCoultre “Made of Makers” program. This program focuses on international artists whose work explores new forms of expression through different, mostly unexpected, materials and media.

During the end-of-year holidays, in the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique, this installation takes the form of 3D creations inspired by the flora in the Vallée de Joux, cradle of the “Grande Maison”. Brendi Wedinger reinterprets nature into a new dreamlike visual reality. Rather than reproducing an existing floral variety, she imagines a triptych of gold foxglove flowers.

During the four weekends in December, visitors to the Place Vendôme boutique can wander through a real winter garden. Before being invited to compose a bouquet of flowers or select one of the timeless floral arrangements offered by the boutique.

Presented at the Dubai Watch Week show last November, the new BR-X5 Green LUM watch from Bell & Ross, produced in a limited series of 500 pieces, displays a luminescent case. For any watchmaking instrument present in an airplane cockpit or on the wrist of a scuba diver, the challenge is to offer the best possible readability. The case glows spectacularly in the dark thanks to a composite developed especially for Bell & Ross, LM3D, made from quartz fibers diffusing a powerful green light.

Alongside the launch of its Diver diving watch collection, Festina becomes the official sponsor of the Elcano Ocean Trophy. Inspired by the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the planet by Spanish navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano, this challenge represents a race around the world against time and natural forces, without emissions or waste.

At the initiative of Breitling France and for the third consecutive year, Breitling is committed alongside the Premiers de cordée associationwhich allows sick or disabled children to access sporting activities.

After a musical evening at the Olympia in November, in the presence of numerous entertainment and sports personalities, a charity auction will be organized during a Parisian dinner at the Samaritaine, in April 2024. In 2022, more than 300,000 euros were raised thanks to the sale of exceptional lots.

Still for the benefit of the association, Breitling is publishing a watch in a limited series of 250 numbered copies, Superocean Heritage, which displays the colors of the association. On the back, the case back displays an engraving of the Premiers de cordée mascot, a surfboard in hand. The Swiss watchmaker and the association plan to become more involved in this sport next year, notably with an introduction to surfing project for young patients.

In view of the America’s Cup, which will take place in Barcelona in 2024, Omega was inspired by the logo of the reigning New Zealand champions to pay tribute to them through a regatta watch: Seamaster Planet Ocean Deep Black ETNZ Edition. This 37th edition of the famous regatta will mark Omega’s fourth participation as official timekeeper, after the years 2000, 2003 and 2021.

While providing precision timekeeping, Omega has also supported the Emirates Team New Zealand since 1995. The 45.5 mm Seamaster Planet Ocean model combines the deepest black of the ceramic with the turquoise of the Emirates Team New Zealand logo. The watch is powered by the Master Chronometer Omega 9900 caliber. Presented in an exclusive case, this edition is offered with two black and turquoise structured rubber straps, as well as two Nato straps.

On December 13, 2023, Montblanc will accompany mountaineer Simon Messner during his participation in the Antarctic Ice Marathon. Born in 1990, the year his father – mountaineer Reinhold Messner – crossed the South Pole, this athlete will face nature equipped with a limited edition Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen South Pole Exploration watch, with a sfumato effect dial immortalizes the icy blue tones of icebergs and the superimposed glacial patterns of Antarctica.

In 1989-1990, German-speaking Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner and German polar explorer Arved Fuchs were the first men to cross Antarctica on foot, a distance of 2,800 kilometers, without animal or motorized assistance. They had gradually climbed more than 3,000 meters while pulling a sled weighing more than 100 kilos with the only navigation instrument being a compass to guide them.

June 15 and 16, 2024 will be held at the Magrez institute in Bordeaux the first edition of the Time Fest show. An event bringing together more than 40 independent brands, but also creators of watchmaking accessories and surprise events soon to be announced on the site timefest.fr. Time Fest is organized by four enthusiasts: Aurélien and Jérémy, from the Parlons montre channel on YouTube; Edouard, from the Watches and You podcast; and Mavrick, one of the buyers of Mona watches.

Born in 2002, second-hand watch reseller Watchfinder & Co. launches a digital campaign to fight counterfeiting and raise consumer awareness. And for good reason: more than 40 million counterfeit watches are sold every year around the world! On its website and social networks, Watchfinder & Co. lists 60 pre-purchase verification steps and invites you to play to find counterfeit models.

After unveiling this summer the new face of its Tambour collection and its integrated bracelet, Louis Vuitton is enriching the first steel versions with three new models: the first in steel and pink gold with a gray dial; the second in pink gold with a brown dial and the last in yellow gold with a white dial. The Tambour watch houses the chronometer-certified caliber LFT023, designed by La Fabrique du temps Louis Vuitton in collaboration with Le Cercle des Horlogers. This offers a power reserve of 50 hours ensured by a high-inertia 22-carat pink gold micro-rotor. Some signature codes of the first timepiece Louis Vuitton can be found on this new Tambour line, like the rounded case or the bezel engraved with the 12 letters of the brand.

The dial of the new ProPilot Oris was produced using a method unique to Swiss watchmaking: laser technology developed in partnership with a research laboratory. Depending on the angle, the dial changes color from blue to green to purple, like the coloring of iridescent beetles. This inventive treatment is based on a modification of the surface which divides the light into its different components, creating a rainbow effect which evolves depending on the angle of observation.

In 2005, Victorinox bought Wenger SA, the former watch and cutlery factory located in Delémont, in the heart of the Swiss Jura. Today, the skills center integrates design, development, testing and manufacturing of watches in the same factory. Over 10,000 square meters, cases or components are manufactured on site and assembled, whether bezels, middle parts, metal casing circles or case backs. The machines are exclusively Swiss and distinct from those which produce knives in another production unit.

For almost one hundred and forty years, Victorinox has developed real expertise in working with stainless steel: the brand is the only one to take care of the manufacturing of its cases in-house, which allows it to stand out among the 350 Swiss watchmaking houses.

Between now and 2026, Victorinox will launch seven new collections, including women’s references equipped with automatic movements in 2025. For now, the independent watchmaker is presenting INOX Chrono, a new model in the INOX line, in homage to the famous Swiss knife .

Onésiphore Pecqueur is the inventor of the differential, a mechanical equation regulator, patented in 1828. The master watchmaker, considered the first automobile engineer, gives his name to the Pecqueur Motorists clubfounded by Patrick Bornhauser, of BPM Group (Bornhauser Performance Motors), with the emblem of a piece of fine watchmaking and its innovative GMT mechanism, in a limited edition of 25 pieces.

Certina, owned by the Swatch Group, was born more than one hundred and thirty years ago and arrived on the French market. The brand is positioned in the sports watch segment, with quartz or mechanical movements and an attractive quality-price ratio.

A process which gives Certina watches significant resistance, even in extreme conditions, the DS concept – for “double security” – was developed in 1959. This innovation combines an anti-shock movement fixing system, reinforced case, ultra-thick plexiglass as well as special seals on the crown, operating rod and bottom.

That same year, 1959, the non-profit organization Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) was born, which works to protect the sea turtle. She has been a partner of Certina since 2017.

An article from the special “Watchmaking” section of L’Express, published in the weekly on December 7, 2023.