Christopher Ward C-11 Titanium

It has been sometime since I last wrote about Christopher Ward. It is no fault of theirs as they have been busy with a number of awesome projects in the C900 Harrison Single Pusher Chronograph and the C9 Harrison Jumping Hour among others. Great year ahead I guess for collectors of Christopher Ward watches. 

A first for Christopher Ward is the C-11 Titanium Elite Chronometer. It is their first titanium watch and what a watch it is. A watch featuring an internal rotating bezel, screw-down helium release valve, ETA 2824-2 chronometer grade movement in a beautiful titanium case. What more can you ask for? Limited Edition? Great water resistant rating? Beautiful case back? Check for all the above. 

The watch is rated to 500M and is a limited edition run of only 500 pieces, individually serialised. The case back will feature engraving of a Makaira marlin and the words 'Explorare ad Profubdum Altum', meaning 'Explore the Depths'. Best news of all? It is available for purchase now. 

For more information:

C-11 Makaira Elite 500 Ti Watch

And the watch....

The beautiful case back....

Closer view of the marlin...

The crowns....

Photographs: Christopher Ward

It's alive....

Just got my Aristo back from my friendly neighbourhood watch guy. Simple repair according to him. The mainspring inside the watch barrel broke. So, in goes a new one and all is OK. A simple inspection and service was also done to make sure everything is OK. 

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the movement in the watch is an ETA 2801. Well, I was wrong. The movement is an ETA 2804-2. The difference? Date complication. The ETA 2804 has a date complication. Does not make sense to me as the watch does not have a date window. Oh, well.....

Panerai SIHH 2013 updates

Well the 'final' production figures or millesimation for the SIHH 2013 novelties are as follows:

Historic

PAM00512 1,500 pieces

PAM00513 500 pieces

PAM00514 2,000 pieces

PAM00515 500 pieces

Contemporary

PAM00524 2,000 pieces

PAM00525 500 pieces

PAM00526 700 pieces

Special Editions

PAM00364 500 pieces

PAM00508 1,000 pieces

PAM00507 1,000 pieces

PAM00446 50 pieces

All the best. 

Enlisting Time Exhibition

The National Watch and Clock Museum is currently hosting a special exhibition called 'Enlisting Time'. 

Photograph: National Watch and Clock Museum

"The National Watch and Clock Museum recognizes the significant sacrifice of our soldiers who have given their time, their courage, and in some cases the ultimate gift – their lives.  To honor their service, the Museum’s newest exhibit, Enlisting Time, explores the relationship between armed service personnel and time and timekeeping through the exhibition of the personal timepieces of military men and women through history.

Timekeeping on the battlefield has changed dramatically in the last 250 years.  What hasn’t changed is the reliance that men and women in the military have on their timepieces. Enlisting Time presents the personal timepieces, mementos, and personal stories of service of those who have served their countries throughout these years. Museum visitors can see the technological development of these timepieces and the significance they had for the wearer.

While watches of well-known individuals, including the pocket watch of George Washington and the wristwatch of spy and author Ian Fleming are part of the exhibit, timepieces belonging to “everyday” veterans also are highlighted.

Among those timepieces is the watch of Mt. Joy, PA, navy veteran, Warren Greenawalt, who served in World War II after attending the Navy Mechanics School in California.   He chose to serve in the navy to follow the family tradition that his father started when he served in the navy in World War I.  Greenawalt was located on the small island of Tinian, which grew to be the largest and busiest airbase in the world.  The watch he wore, after serving for some time in the navy, was actually one that was given to him after delivering a crate of tomatoes to the island of Guam!  The carrier officers there were so appreciative of his delivery that he and his copilot each were given a watch. Greenawalt wore that watch for the remainder of his service.

“We believe this Enlisting Time is a great chance to tell two important stories,” says Museum Director Noel Poirier. “One is the development of the timekeeping device as used by military personnel and the second are the stories of those service personnel themselves.  By combining the two, and especially with the loans we’ve received from the community,  the Museum  presents a compelling exhibit on both fronts.”

Enlisting Time will be on display at the Museum through August 2013."

Louis Zitzmann - WW I soldier

Louis Zitzmann Watch

Israel Gockley - WWII Soldier

Some of the soldiers and their watches that will be exhibited.

The National Watch and Clock Museum is located at 514 Poplar Street, Columbia, PA 17512. 

For more information:

National Watch and Clock Museum

CST-01 Watch

This is an interesting watch, the CST-01 watch by Central Standard Timing out of USA. The watch is still a concept watch but the idea behind it is very interesting. The CST-01 will be the world's thinnest watch at 0.8mm thin. The watch itself consist of a battery, E Ink display and controller chip, all mounted on a 0.5mm single piece stainless steel band. The watch is a rechargeable watch with the charging base providing the controls for the watch. The watch is available in white or black. Funding for the watch is currently on-going under KickStarter.

For more information:

CST-01 watch

The watch (black) with the charging base.

The white version.

Photographs: Central Standard Timing

Panerai New Movement

Panerai has introduced two new movement this year. Both are basically automatic chronograph movement. The movements are the reference P.9100 and P.9100/R. Both movements share some basic characteristics since the P.9100/R is based on the P.9100 but with some extra complications.

Functions:

Hours, minutes and seconds (sub dial)

Chronograph Flyback

Seconds reset

Date on P.91000

Regatta countdown on P.9100/R

Basic Specifications

Automatic winding

Power reserve 3 days

37 jewels

13 3/4 lignes diamètre

Column wheel

Vertical clutch

The P.9100/R will of course have the Regatta countdown complication.

How cool, a chronograph movement with column wheel and vertical clutch. I like.

For more information:

Panerai In house Automatic Movement

The P.9100

The P.9100/R

Have to say that the movements looks good. 

I wish

I tried this on today just for the fun of it. I like it, lots, but my love affair with this watch is much like my love affair with the moon watch. Admire from a far. There is always something that gets in the way of me getting it.

The watch? PAM00219 Luminor Destro.

This is the closest I can get to the 6152/1 Destro.

Photograph: shamelessly borrowed from the Internet

My Aristo, dead

Sadly my Aristo watch has 'died'. Basically you can wind and wind and it does not stop winding. Oh, it is a manual wind watch powered by an ETA 2801 movement. I figure the 'clutch mechanism' is 'broken'. You can hear it slip when you wind the watch. Was planning to send it to my friendly neighbourhood watch guy, but his shop was closed today. Tomorrow then.... 

The Aristo with the 'hour angle' dial.

The movement, ETA 2801.

 Closer view. 

Will update this as to the actual problem once it is fixed. 

Jeremy Clarkson new watch....

Season 19 of Top Gear has just started and low and behold, a new watch on the wrist of Jeremy Clarkson? Looks like he has an IWC on wrist.....

Perhaps the IWC reference 3880, Pilot's Watch Chronograph Top Gun?

Photograph: IWC

Another picture of Jeremy Clarkson.

And another.

We will just have to wait and see if the change is permanent... Stay tuned.

Panerai SIHH 2013

Well SIHH is on going and these are some of the novelties from my favourite brand, Officine Panerai. Have to say that they did meet some of their customers request in limiting the number of SE introduced in a year. As for the rest of the release, I have to be honest and say that it does nothing for me. And yes, there is a new bronze watch. 

You can see and read more about the novelties here:

Panerai SIHH 2013 Novelties

On with it.....

Historic

Panerai PAM00512 Radiomir 1940 42mm

Euro 5,900

Panerai PAM00513 Radiomir 1940 Oro Rosso 42mm

Euro 16,500

Panerai PAM00514 Radiomir 1940 3 Days 47mm

Euro 6,400

Panerai PAM00515 Radiomir 1940 3 Days Oro Rosso 47mm

Euro 19,900

Contemporary

Panerai PAM00524 Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic 44mm

Euro 9,800

Panerai PAM00525 Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Oro Rosso 44mm

Euro 25,000

Panerai PAM00526 Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Titanio 47mm

Euro 13,900

Specialities

Panerai PAM00530 Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio 47mm

Special Editions

Panerai PAM00364 Luminor Submersible 1950 2500M 3 Days Automatic Titanio 47mm

Euro 8,900

Panerai PAM00446 Pocket Watch Tourbillon GMT Ceramica 59mm

Euro 165,000

Panerai PAM00507 Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Power Reserve Automatic Bronzo 47mm

Euro 9,600

Panerai PAM00508 Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Ceramica 47mm

Euro 12,900

Photographs: Panerai

I don't have the millesimation for the SE novelties and will update accordingly. Will also update any other news on the other watches, i.e., discontinue or whatever.....

Exhibitions..

Well, the Geneva Watch Exhibition is currently on going, having started yesterday (20th January) and the SIHH is going to start in about 6 hours time. Exciting times ahead.....

A teaser....

Teaser

Not sure if this real or not but interesting yes?

Should I or should I not (part 2)

Not another should I buy a watch or not question but more of a should I do this or not. I have a Swatch Automatic Chrono and I was wondering if I should do the same as what the guy who has the same watch did. He removed the black coating on the display back of the watch thus allowing you to view the movement full Monty.

Photograph: shamelessly borrowed from the Internet

Currently this is how the watch looks like. 

I agree that the movement is nothing to shout about, but I do like to view the movement. The movement is the ETA C01.211 (based on the Lemania 5100) automatic chronograph movement. Here is a picture of the movement.

Photograph: ETA

Now, should I or should I not.....