We conclude our Baselworld 2013 coverage with dynamic dials on display at the fair by Louis Vuitton, Chopard, and F.P. Journe.
Louis Vuitton: Tambour Twin Chrono
The style-conscious yachtsman can get ready to celebrate Louis Vuitton’s 30th LV Cup (the renowned sailing competition that precedes the legendary America’s Cup) with the Tambour Twin Chrono, developed especially for the occasion. Born out of the 2002 Tambour watch, best known for its sleek modernity and highly masculine lines, the Twin Chrono is a notable sporting timepiece dedicated to the art of Match Racing; a race where only the strategy, determination and the skill of the crew count.
L.U.C Engine One H
The suitably nautical navy dial with red and white accents includes a unique single-push bi-chronograph with a differential display developed by La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s in-house watchmaking workshop. This innovative addition to the Tambour enables perfect synchronization at all times via its ability to simultaneously measure two distinct times and display the difference between them concurrently. Plus, it boasts a distinguished black alligator skin strap to compliment the dial’s white gold casing. And of course, essential to any keen sailor, it has a 10atm water resistance.
Reserved for only a lucky few, The Tambour Twin Chrono is a limited and numbered edition of just 30 pieces.
Chopard: L.U.C Engine One H
Chopard has launched the L.U.C Engine One H as part of their extensive collection on show. The Engine One H combines the precision of watchmaking with the spirit of the automobile to create a distinctive timepiece that reaffirms the long-running relationship between the chronograph and the field of competitive motor sports.
The layout of the watch is a nod to the durable design of the racing car cockpit. The dial is housed within a striking, masculine titanium casing, while the display itself resembles a dashboard with a power reserve displayed on the left with markings “Full” and “Empty.” Complementing the dial is an alligator strap with five rows of overstitching to evoke the style of automobile upholstery from the 1960s and 1970s, a feature characteristic of Chopard’s attention to detail.
Not only does the Engine One H echo the aesthetics of a race car, it has the technology to back it up. Equipped with a mechanical engine that spins on its own to optimize performance, along with lightweight, scratch resistant casing, Chopard’s latest timepiece is testament to its prolonged roots in the world of motor sports.
F.P. Journe Quantième Perpétuel
While the aforementioned brands looked to the dial as a source of sporting pragmatism, F.P. Journe has turned back time with the F.P. Journe Quantième Perpétuel. Otherwise known as the perpetual calendar, this elegant timepiece is born out of primitive, 18th-century astronomical watches that functioned as a complex, yet rather useful manual calendar.
Horological pundits will covet the complicated mechanism’s ability to identify and record leap years along with its potential to take into account the variable length of each month, displaying the exact day and month at all times. The classic exterior shows off a dial in variants of either red or white gold, accented with a set of refined navy hands. The mechanism itself is visible through the transparent case-back, not only exhibiting the intricate details of the timepiece but also confirming that F.P. Journe has created another testament to high-end watchmaking.
