maurice de mauriac eta g10.211

Officine Panerai presented a number of new pieces at SIHH in Palexpo, Geneva this week. Among them, one of my favourites, the Officine Panerai Radiomir Composite Marina Militare 8 Giorni – PAM00339. Released in a limited edition of just 1000 examples, this Radiomir exudes classic Panerai simplicity, evoking the memory of early models and mounted [...]Read More|||No Comment Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix CollectionPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 19th 2010under:Audemars Piguet, SIHH 2010Tags: Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix CollectionAudemars Piguet have today revealed the latest additions to the iconic Royal Oak Offshore series at the SIHH Geneva. The Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix Collection represents the manufacture’s dexterity in working with forged carbon and ceramic as base material for the watches, and the collection comprises three limited edition models which offer an all-carbon [...]Read More|||No Comment JeanRichard revisits it’s past with the new Aquascope JR1000Posted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 19th 2010under:JeanRichardTags: Daniel JeanRichard, JeanRichard, JeanRichard DiverscopeThe JeanRichard manufacture have removed the covers from another new model at the SIHH exhibition in Geneva this week. The JeanRichard Aquascope is a tribute to their own 1960s model and incorporates styling cues drawn from the era particularly with the square, cushion-shaped (or tonneau) case which contrasts the round dial. The polished and satin-finished [...]Read More|||No Comment IWC presents it’s Da Vinci Chronograph Ceramic IW3766Posted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 19th 2010under:IWC, SIHH 2010Tags: IWC, IWC DaVinci Chronograph Ceramic, IWC watchIWC today revealed their newest addition to the successful DaVinci series, using the occasion of the 2010 SIHH exhibiton in Geneva to debut the piece. The IWC DaVinci Chronograph at the centre of attention certainly caused a stir among the many visitors as they sought to get a close-up look at the first IWC piece [...]Read More|||1 Comment The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie celebrates 20 yearsPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 18th 2010under:News, SIHH 2010Tags: SIHH 2010The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2010 officially opened for business in the Palexpo, Geneva on the 18th January, running until the 22nd of the month. This year’s proceedings mark the 20th anniversary of the event and is the second consecutive year in it’s new slot in January, a move (from springtime) which has [...]Read More|||No Comment Hublot King Power AlinghiPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 18th 2010under:Events, Hublot, News, SIHH 2010Tags: Americas Cup, Hublot, Hublot Alinghi, Hublot King Power, Hublot King Power Alinghi, Jean Claude Biver, SIHHAt a cocktail reception hosted by the charismatic Jean-Claude Biver on the shores of Lake Geneva over the weekend, the all-new relationship between his Hublot brand and the Alinghi Americas Cup team became official by the unveiling of the Hublot King Power Alinghi Limited Edition, itself based on the hugely successful Hublot Big Bang series. [...]Read More|||No Comment Corum Miss Golden Bridge and Golden Bridge 2010Posted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 16th 2010under:Corum, NewsTags: Corum, Corum Golden Bridge, Corum Miss Golden Bridge, Corum watchThis year Corum will present two new Golden Bridge models, the Corum Miss Golden Bridge and the Golden Bridge 2010.? Both pieces honour the 30th Anniversary of the resplendent Golden Bridge, first launched in 1980 and perhaps the most elegant of Corum's Four Pillars. The Corum Miss Golden Bridge The Miss Golden Bridge is unusual [...]Read More|||No Comment Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEALs Beverly Hills Boutique Incursion EditionPosted bySylvia McElherroninJanuary 15th 2010under:Jaeger LeCoultre, NewsTags: Jaeger LeCoultre, Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEALs Beverly Hills Boutique Incursion EditionJaeger-LeCoultre continues its association with the elite corps of the U.S. Navy, the Navy SEALs, with the latest release in the series, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEALs Beverly Hills Boutique Incursion Edition. These latest timepieces will be a Jaeger-LeCoultre first – a Beverly Hill Boutique exclusive and without doubt one which will [...]Read More|||No Comment Maurice Lacroix Pontos D��centrique Phases de Lune Limited EditionPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 13th 2010under:Maurice Lacroix, NewsTags: Maurice Lacroix, Maurice Lacroix Pontos Decentrique Phases de Lune Limited Edition, Maurice Lacroix watchFrom the workshop of Maurice Lacroix comes a new limited edition piece, the Maurice Lacroix Pontos D��centrique Phases de Lune. Enthusiasts who appreciate unusual dial arrangements may have noticed previous Pontos D��centrique releases and this latest watch with its visually stunning atypical styling will not disappoint. The Maurice Lacroix Pontos D��centrique Phases de Lune Display [...]Read More|||No Comment Montblanc Collection Villeret Vintage 1858 ChronographePosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 12th 2010under:Montblanc, NewsTags: Montblanc, Montblanc Collection Villeret Vintage 1858 Chronographe, Montblanc watchFrom Montblanc comes a new release, the Montblanc Collection Villeret Vintage 1858 Chronographe. The first Montblanc watch collection was unveiled in 1997 and this has evolved into an elegant and appealing portfolio of mens and ladies models.? Ambitions to be respected within the industry as a serious watch brand gained momentum when Montblanc's parent company [...]Read More|||No Comment F P Journe watch makerPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 8th 2010under:F P JourneTags: F P Journe, F P Journe Chronom��tre �� R��sonance, F P Journe history, F P Journe profile, F P Journe Sonnerie Souveraine, F P Journe Souveraine Centigraphe, F P Journe timeline, F P Journe Tourbillon Souveraine, F P Journe watches, FP Journe, Fran?ois-Paul Journe, Invenit et FecitF.P. Journe watch company At The Watch Press we relish the opportunity to feature some of our own personal favourite watchmakers and their often astonishing accomplishments in their field. We all have different reasons for our choices, be it design, complication, sophistication or even quirkiness of a particular manufacturer. However, it is quite rare for [...]Read More|||1 Comment Panerai Radiomir Titanium 47mm Limited EditionPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 5th 2010under:News, PaneraiTags: PAM00349, Panerai, Panerai Radiomir Titanium 47mm, Panerai watchOfficine Panerai present the latest addition to their highly successful Radiomir collection – the Panerai Radiomir Titanium 47mm Limited Edition.? This special edition piece features the Panerai Calibre OP XXVII hand wound movement based on a Minerva base.? The watchcase constructed from titanium is 47mm wide and is the instantly recognisable cushion shape. The very [...]Read More|||No Comment Omega Timeless Olympic Speedmaster 5-CounterPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 5th 2010under:News, OmegaTags: Omega, Omega speedmaster, Omega Timeless Olympic Speedmaster 5-Counter, SpeedmasterOmega continues its sports timekeeping traditions with the release of a new Timeless Olympics collection.? Omega were the first company to be appointed as Official Olympic Games Timekeeper in 1932 when they provided 30 precision timing instruments for the event in Los Angeles. One piece in the forthcoming collection is the Omega Timeless Olympic Speedmaster [...]Read More|||No Comment Baume & Mercier Classima Executives XL Chronograph CalendarPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 5th 2010under:Baume & Mercier, NewsTags: Baume & Mercier, Classima Executives XL Chronograph Complete CalendarWith a Valjoux 7751 movement based on the highly acclaimed 7750 Calibre, Baume & Mercier present a new addition to its Classima Executives XL collection first launched in 2004 – the Classima Executives XL Chronograph Complete Calendar. As its name implies this latest piece features an array of functions within its classic 42mm round case [...]Read More|||No Comment Fr��d��rique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon Moonphase Date 24 SiliciumPosted byJohnny McElherroninJanuary 4th 2010under:Fr��d��rique Constant, NewsTags: Fr��d��rique Constant, Fr��d��rique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon Moonphase Date 24 SiliciumFr��d��rique Constant -?relative newcomers in the industry – have achieved another world first in the form of the "Manufacture Tourbillon Moonphase Date 24 Silicium".? The brand were the first to develop a tourbillon featuring an escapement wheel made from silicon, the smooth su***ce of which needs no lubrication and which being incredibly light, results in [...]Read More

Can a mechanism remember? From now on, the answer is "yes"! Maurice Lacroix developed the first memory function for a mechanical watch. This completely new Grande Complication, which will find its initial application in the exclusive M��moire 1 chronograph, limited to 20 pieces, is a new milestone in the history of the art of Swiss watch***.This watch has only two hands �C one for the minutes and one for the seconds �C along with a disc to indicate the hours. And yet, Maurice Lacroix is presenting at Baselworld 2008 with the M��moire 1 one of the most complicated watches ever developed! The reason is that a revolutionary design sits inside this chronograph, limited to 20 pieces, �C the first memory function for a mechanical timepiece. An indication at 3 o'clock reveals the secret: By pressing the button integrated into the crown, the mode changes from "Time" to "Chrono". The hands and the hours disc immediately change their positions. If their previous function was telling the current time, they are now available for the precise measurement of time intervals. When the button is pressed once again, they all return to their positions for telling time. Even when the chronograph is running, it is still possible to shift back and forth between the two modes without losing the infor?mation provided by one or the other function.The memory function of the ML 128 manufacture movement, which makes possible this unique connection between the time and chronograph indications, is a major new Grande Complication that Maurice Lacroix developed to enrich the world of mechanical timekeeping. The mechanism and movement were completely designed and developed in the new "Atelier de Maurice Lacroix". The result of this intensive process is a highly complex calibre made of 604 components for which Maurice Lacroix has already submitted two patent applications.The ML 128 calibre of M��moire 1 is constructed using 604 components. Some of these form the base movement, because even the best and most sophisticated complications need to be "fed with energy". This is why a completely new movement has been created, step by step.Even though the technical features of this movement are imposing, the design and the transparency of it are not of less importance. Because it wasn't simply a matter of creating a new mechanical memory complication, the wearer had to be able to admire the workings and its constituent elements. This is why all the components and their positions in the heart of the watch have been conceived in both logical and aesthetic terms.Thus the automatic winding system consists of an exocentric oscillating assembly, which permits to show the regulatory system to advantage. Thanks to its small dimensions, the rotor does not cover the su***ce entirely and therefore offers a view into the workings of the M��moire 1 from the underside of the watch. So that it can perform the necessary rapid and efficient winding of the barrel, the rotor has been constructed in tungsten, which is a heavy material. But with an asymmetrical design and an unconventional shape, this rotor has been developed with the aim of achieving good, aesthetic integration in the special turret shape of the bridges of this movement.The pure decoration and the innovative PVD su***ce treatment in tantalum colour bring the image of Maurice Lacroix to the fore. The specialists have pushed harmony as far as it can go and even went so far as to construct the screws on the bridges in a shape resembling that of the turret, so that the overall view forms a harmonious whole.The rotor pivots on a ball bearing developed specifically for the requirements of this new calibre and works directly in the reverse, via the expedient of a "magic pawl" which optimizes all the wrist movements of the wearer. A bi-directional winding has been retained in order to allow maximum winding litheness and also guarantee maximum torque.The power supplied by the automatic mechanism is transmitted to a barrel which has a strong energy density and this allows a power reserve of more than four days. From the barrel, the movement turns backwards. This allows a spring to be compressed on the barrel arbour, which is exactly the same as in a traditional movement. However, this spring compresses from right to left instead of from left to right. The result is logical: the wheels which transfer the motor power to the regulator turn backwards.These wheels are endowed with the most modern profiles, which allow optimum performance to be achieved. It is the equivalent of transmitting the energy emitted by the barrel under optimum conditions. Furthermore, the special shape of the wheel arms, as well as their colour, also give a strong visual identification to M��moire 1. Thus one can sense the philosophy that dominates this exceptional piece: logic married to technology and aesthetics. Finally, and as always for technical and aesthetic reasons, the stones which decorate the movement are white and transparent. Of course this is all part of the aesthetic philosophy of M��moire 1, but it also makes it possible to visualize and control the intermeshing between pinions and crown wheels. Moreover, the watchmaker can clearly see the drop of oil placed in the hollow section of the stone in which the pinion pivots.After having transmitted through the wheels, the energy is passed on to the escapement. This has been developed especially for this new calibre carrying the signature of Maurice Lacroix because it has been totally adapted to the needs of its complication. The creators wanted to show it, to have it valued, as if to give all their importance to the heart of a watch that beats without a break and marks the passage of time.As for the balance, this has been given a core of transparent sapphire and a felloe of gold, which underlines the depth of the movement, yet gives an airy impression to the whole regulation system. Finally, this mechanism is equipped with a new precision adjustment, different from the traditional swan's neck design. This system, developed by Maurice Lacroix, will considerably simplify the work of the watchmaker when trying to obtain the best performance for the ML 128 calibre, which beats at 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour.Furthermore, with an exceptional movement comes exceptional service. In order to be able to guarantee complete information for those wearing it, the movement of M��moire 1 is supplied with a plate displaying service times, so the wearer can see when the next necessary service is due. Finally, this movement has an identity personalized by the name of the watchmaker responsible for assembling the elements of this Grande Complication, which bears the signature of Maurice Lacroix.The base movement of this chronograph is a sufficiently major feature alone; it has been perfected, however, through the watch*** ingeniousness of its complications. Even if it does not seem so at first glance, the M��moire 1 really is a chronograph. Using the button integrated directly into the crown, you can switch between time and chronograph mode. The indication of the selected mode is taken over by a small hand near 3 o'clock. This operation is made possible thanks to an ingenious mechanism, which the creators christened 'va et vient' ('come and go') and for which Maurice Lacroix has already filed a patent.Starting, stopping, and resetting the chronograph function the same way on the M��moire 1 as with the stopwatch functions on all other similar timepieces: Pressing a button near 2 o'clock starts and stops timekeeping; resetting the hands is done with the button at 4 o'clock. A heart-shaped metal component �C one for each indication: hours, minutes and seconds �C allows the chronograph hands to jump back to their initial positions at 12 o'clock. The M��moire 1 is equipped not only with three but with more of these chronograph hearts.The principle of 'all or nothing' permits the release of the detent arm on most watches with minute repetition when the appropriate rack has been fully pressed. If the wearer completely presses the corresponding button, the watch movement counts the full hours, quarter hours and minutes. However, if the button is not pressed to the bottom, the function does not start. The M��moire 1 is equipped with a similar system, which guarantees the perfect functioning of the mode change. This system is not only very interesting from a technical point of view, it also makes it much easier to tell the time because it ensures the precision of the indications of hours, minutes and seconds.As soon as the selection mode with its 'va et vient' mechanism is pressed, a connecting mechanism, which is based on the principle of 'all or nothing', sets the three systems of the memory function in motion. These M��moire systems are ingenious watch*** devices that correspond to the indications �C hours, minutes and seconds.Not least, the M��moire 1 has a date indication based on a newly developed mechanism, which unifies technology, design and readability perfectly. Contrary to traditional large date indications, the date on the M��moire 1 is very discrete in order not to spoil the harmony of the dial while not compromising any of its easy readability. The memory function of M��moire 1 will certainly be recorded in annals for haute horlogerie as an incomparable Grande Complication.