Another day and another exciting 24 hours at Baselworld. With so much to cover, here is a small selection of some of the highlights so far.
Jaquet Droz Charming Bird
This year marks the 275th Anniversary of Jaquez Droz, with the brand releasing this limited edition Charming Bird timepiece. If you’re not familiar with Jaquet Droz, the brand takes its name from Pierre Jaquet-Droz, a Swiss watchmaker from the late 18th century, who designed and built watches that featured mechanical birds.
Following on from the Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater watch, which was released last year, the Charming Bird is the first time that the brand has produced a miniature automation bird, so small that it can fit inside a timepiece. The watch features a Jaquet Droz 610 manual winding movement, complete with a 40 hour power reserve, which is housed in an 18k white gold case which measures 47mm in diameter.
The case also includes a number of slits on each side which allows its piston style whistle to emit the sound of the bird as it dances around moving its beak and flapping its wings.
The Jaquet Droz Charming watch bird is limited to just 28 pieces. You can find out more about the watch by watching the official Jaquet Droz video.
HYT H2
The HYT H2 has to be one of the most innovative and unusual watches around at the moment. A follow up to the HYT H1, which set the watch world in a spin when it was released in 2012, the HYT H2 indicates the time by using two reservoirs – one containing an aqueous fluorescent liquid, the other a viscous transparent liquid. The watch was designed with the help of a Renaud et Papi, a specialist technical subsidiary of Audemars Piguet.
Limited to just 50 pieces, this unique timepiece features a DLC titanium case that measures 48.8mm in diameter and is almost 18mm thick. The watch also includes a domed sapphire crystal that protects the retrograde fluidic hours and dial, which also displays a temperature indicator and minutes displays that jumps every 30 minutes.
The H2 is driven by an exclusive HTY calibre mechanical manual winding movement, which beats at 21,600 vph and includes an 8 day (192 hour) power reserve. The movement’s titanium bridges also include a titanium and microblasted black PVD coating and satin finishing.
Hamilton Jazzmaster Face 2 Face
The Jazzmaster Face 2 Face is the latest offering from American-Swiss brand Hamilton. The watch includes a rotating stainless steel oval shaped case that houses what is essentially two separate watches. On one side you have a sporty looking chronograph, where as if you flip the case, you’ll find a more subtle, somewhat dressier gray number, displaying hours, minutes and seconds.
The Jazzmaster Face 2 Face includes two separate movements, with the chronograph powered by an ETA 2064 automatic movement, with the 3 hands watch drive by an ETA 2671. The use of the two movements is no doubt part of the reason why the watch is so large, measuring in at 53 x 44mm. That said, its oval shape certainly makes it more comfortable on the wrist than you might imagine. Only available in stainless steel, the watch is limited to 888 pieces.
Hermes Arceau Petite Lune
This is the Hermes Arceau Petite Lune, the latest model from the brand’s Arceau line. Originally created by chief Hermes designer Henri d’Origny, the Arceau line celebrated its 35th Anniversary earlier this year. The iconic collection is well known for its use of stirrup shaped lugs, which is a reference to the brand’s history as a master saddle maker.
The latest offering includes sloping numerals, similar to the ones that appeared on the original Acreau watch. Nestled between 10 and 11 o’clock is a moon phase indicator and you’ll also find the date display sub dial at 6 o’clock. The stainless steel case, which is available with a white dial of either indigo mother of pearl or white, measures 38mm in diameter and houses a Dubois-Depraz self winding movement.
Breguet Type XXII Chronograph 3880 watch
A big talking point from Day 3 of Baselworld saw Breguet officially showcase its Type XXII Chronograph 3880 watch. The brand’s latest addition is this rose gold version, which is complete with a flyback function and second time zone. The 44mm case features a two way rotating bezel and houses a self winding chronograph movement which beats at a hugely impressive 72,000vph.
The dial displays a 24hr sub dial at 3 o’clock, a date and second time zone at 6 o’clock and a second hand dial, which completes its journey every 30 seconds, at 9 o’clock. The watch also includes a 40 hour power reserve.
We’ll no doubt feature the Breguet Type XXII Chronograph in greater detail once our Baselworld Information Overload has receded to levels which would otherwise enable us to function as normal human beings!
