In the watch world, time never stands still, so allow us to catch you up on the latest news. In this edition of our regular watch column, The Wind Up, Panerai unveils a new Carbotech timepiece; Raymond Weil partners with an iconic artist, Cartier continues its support of the arts, and Hublot goes full Hublot. It’s been a blockbuster week in the world of watches, so strap in and enjoy.
Panerai Luminor Quaranta Carbotech PAM01526
- Brand: Panerai
- Model: Luminor Quaranta Carbotech
- Reference: Ref. PAM01526
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: P.900 calibre
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Water-Resistance: 300 metres
- Price: AUD$20,200
Panerai unveiled a first this week, revealing the debut Luminor Quaranta in a Carbotech case. The new Quaranta Carbotech PAM01526 is the first in the model lineup to cop the lightweight and robust carbon fibre material, which Panerai claims is 80 per cent lighter than steel, 73 per cent lighter than ceramic and 64 per cent lighter than titanium.
Weighing less than 100 grams, the new timepiece is extraordinarily light, however, Panerai has done an incredible job of maintaining the Luminor’s rugged aesthetic. The uneven matt black surface gives each watch a unique finish, which is matched with a matte green sandwich dial complete with white Super- LumiNova® X1 on the dial and hands that glow green in the dark.
Powering the new timepiece is the automatic P.900 movement, which is best remembered for its three-day power and slim profile. I love the fact that Panerai has fitted this watch with a rubber military green strap as it really captures the robust design language that the Luminor is known for.
Glashütte Original PanoLunarInverse
- Brand: Glashütte Original
- Model: PanoLunarInverse
- Reference: Ref. 1-91-04-01-03-62 / Ref. 1-91-04-01-03-64
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 12.46mm
- Movement: Calibre 91-04 automatic movement
- Power Reserve: 45 hours
- Water-Resistance: 50 metres
- Availability: Limited to 200 pieces
- Price: AUD$67,150
For its latest release, German watchmaker Glashütte Original is looking to the heavens. The brand has unveiled the new PanoLunarInverse, a remarkable timepiece that features an intricately crafted night sky in miniature and a deep blue starry sky made of aventurine, but make no mistake—this isn’t your standard moon phase.
Limited to just 200 pieces worldwide, the latest Glashütte Original PanoLunarInverse reinterprets the classic complication by placing the moon phase in the very centre. As it passes through the cut-out section of the dial, the moon continues its orbit, still visible beneath the grey-blue sapphire crystal. Its translucent surface offers a constant glimpse of the two circular shapes of the lunar disc, giving an insight into the mechanisms that are otherwise hidden from view. It’s a unique feat of watchmaking prowess that is well complemented by a few deliberate design choices.
The hour and minute display, which is linked to the moon phase, is located off-centre on the left-hand side of the PanoLunarInverse, with the elegant 42mm platinum case giving off serious celestial vibes. Inside, the hand-finished 91-04 automatic calibre delivers a running time of up to 45 hours. Limited to just 200 pieces, the PanoLunarInverse will be available from all official Glashütte Original retailers from October 2024.
Raymond Weil x Largo Winch Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax
- Brand: Raymond Weil
- Model: Largo Winch Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax
- Reference: Ref. 7765-STC-LAR01
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Thickness: 12.9mm
- Movement: Calibre RW5030 mechanical chronograph tri-compax with automatic winding
- Power Reserve: 62 hours
- Water-Resistance: 50 metres
- Availability: Limited to 300 pieces
- Price: AUD$6,500
Raymond Weil has teamed up with the iconic graphic novelist Philippe Francq for a stunning new timepiece that bridges the worlds of art and design. The new collaborative effort sees Francq reinterpret the celebrated Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax model with the addition of his much-loved adventurer character Largo Winch.
On the caseback of the timepiece, you’ll find a drawing created by Philippe Francq exclusively for this limited series: Largo Winch on the Mont-Blanc Bridge, one of Geneva’s great landmarks. In the background, there is a nod to one of the ‘Belle Epoque’ paddle steamers of the more than century-old Lake Geneva company, along with the flags of Switzerland and the City of Geneva fluttering in the wind.
According to Raymond Weil, the codes of the Largo Winch universe were part of the creative collaboration, with the iconic colour of dollar bills (Pantone 4214C) instantly spotted on the Chronograph Tri-Compax’s counters and featured more discreetly on the watch’s tachymeter scale. The Raymond Weil x Largo Winch Millesime Chronograph Tri-Compax is limited to 300 pieces worldwide, with each model priced at AUD$6,500.
Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow
- Brand: Hublot
- Model: MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow
- Reference: Ref. 915.JX.4802.RT.1199
- Diameter: 42mm
- Thickness: 13.4mm
- Movement: HUB9015 Manual-Winding Tourbillon
- Power Reserve: 120 hours
- Water-Resistance: 30 metres
- Availability: Limited 20 pieces
Hublot is no stranger to avant-garde design, but its latest piece takes the legacy of innovation to the extreme. The MP-15 Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow is the brainchild of renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and features a reinterpretation of the iconic smiling flower artwork. With this model, Hublot and Murakami have redesigned the flower using a sapphire sculpture set with colourful gemstones and fitted with Hublot’s first-ever central tourbillon movement.
Crafted from a block of sapphire crystal, the 42mm smiling flower case features twelve petals. True to Murakami’s chromatic palette, each petal includes polished titanium inlays set with a total of 444 coloured gemstones, including brilliant-cut Rubies, Pink Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites, and Yellow or Orange Sapphires. According to Hublot, each petal showcases a different vibrant colour, mirroring the original Murakami smiling flower.
At its heart, you’ll find the HUB9015 calibre movement, an innovation that comes complete with a central flying tourbillon. This unique development is viewable through a domed sapphire crystal that has been engraved with two twinkling eyes and a smiling mouth. Better still, the MP-15’s manual-winding calibre offers a ridiculous power reserve of 120 hours. This alone is enough to warrant acclaim, but when combined with the special rechargeable stylus on the crown and a form factor that is almost too beautiful to believe, it’s clear Hublot is taking design to new heights.
Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel
- Brand: Arnold & Son
- Model: Nebula 40 Steel
- Reference: Ref. 1NEGS.H01A.S135D / Ref. 1NEGS.B03A.C169S / Ref. 1NEGS.B01A.S135D / Ref. 1NEGS.B02AK.003S
- Diameter: 40mm
- Thickness: 9.2mm
- Movement: A&S5201 hand-wound mechanical
- Power Reserve: 90 hours
- Water-Resistance: 30 metres
- Price: From CHF 16,700
An underrated gem, The Nebula collection from Arnold & Son may soon be getting its just desserts. The celebrated watchmaker has reworked the range, unveiling a new case design and diameter that maintains all the characteristics of its remarkably finished A&S5201 calibre movement.
I really like the streamlined 40mm, and the softly rounded lugs give a slightly less intimidating form factor that feels more universal in nature. In my opinion, previous models have felt too rigid and technical, drawing attention away from the sleekness of the manual wound A&S5201 movement.
Nebula 40 Steel is being launched in two initial steel versions. The first features a black mainplate, flange and barrel covers, designed to match a choice of three bracelets: one in steel with a three-link design, the second in alligator leather and the third in textured rubber. The second version is only available on a steel bracelet in a limited edition of 88 timepieces, with gold-coloured movement components.
Cartier Celebrates 10 Years of the Maison des Metiers d’Arts
A decade is a long time for any industry, so it’s no surprise that Cartier is celebrating its new achievement. The renowned jewellery and watchmaker is marking 10 years of its Maison des Metiers d’Arts laboratory. At this unique venue in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Cartier’s experts dive deep into the archive books in search of techniques, methods, and renderings to help inspire and inform the industry’s future. The crafts are categorised into three main families: the art of fire, the art of metal and the art of composition.