We welcome you again to our weekly series of posts, where we present the most interesting watches from our latest delivery. The watches are available in our brick-and-mortar store in Warsaw and on our website. All watches come with a 12-month guarantee on the mechanism’s functionality, as well as a personalized sales confirmation from Wrzeciono Czasu.
Audemars Piguet is currently a brand associated almost exclusively with the Royal Oak (although the Code 11.59 collection released a few years ago and last year’s [RE]master may be harbingers of an upcoming change in the brand’s philosophy). Not so long ago, the manufacture from Le Brassus offered a wide range of classic watches. One of them is the presented model from the Jules Audemars line – which owes its name to one of the brand’s founders. The watch case is made of 18-carat rose gold and has a diameter of 39mm. The watch dial is divided into two segments. The outer one, with applied rose gold indices and a printed minute scale, has no decorations. The inner part, on which the hands are set, is slightly deeper and its surface has been brushed – which creates a very interesting, three-dimensional effect. Through the transparent caseback, you can see the richly decorated in-house caliber 3120. The coats of arms of the Audemars and Piguet families are engraved on the gold rotor.
The watch comes complete with the original Audemars Piguet gold clasp and AP service case.
Hublot has been, especially in recent years, a rather controversial brand. Collectors often point out the rather flashy design of the watches and the fact that watches sold often well above 50,000 PLN contain ETA or Selita movements. However, the described watch can be treated as an argument that Hublot can make an interesting watch, and on an in-house movement at that. The brand’s DNA has been preserved: we are dealing with a typical large 48mm case for the brand with a bezel inspired by portholes, integrated with a rubber strap. The rest of the watch is a display of a very interesting horological vision: the watch mechanism is skeletonized, allowing us to observe its operation in full glory. Thanks to the subdued color scheme, the watch doesn’t stand out too much, while remaining legible. The aforementioned in-house movement powering the watch, caliber UNICO HUB1240, deserves a few words. It’s a chronograph with a flyback function – allowing for an immediate start of the next time measurement without the need for resetting. Additionally, it is equipped with a column wheel and a double clutch, which minimizes mechanism wear, increases its precision, and ensures a “smooth” hand movement.
The watch comes complete with full documentation and the brand’s very characteristic box.
Neither Patek nor the Calatrava model need much introduction – in the post about wedding watch suggestions, I mentioned that for many people, the Calatrava is the most perfect elegant watch, and the presented watch is a strong argument confirming this thesis. In this case, however, we are dealing with a different version of the Calatrava – slightly smaller (33mm case diameter), and on an excellent Milanese bracelet made of 18-carat gold. The condition of the bracelet is like new – there are no signs of use, and there is no slack in it, which means that with proper care, it will serve the future owner for decades. The watch bezel is beautifully finished with the Clous de Paris method. The whole is complemented by an excellent salmon-colored dial, also finished with Clous de Paris.
The watch comes in a full set, with the original case and Patek Philippe certificate, dating it to 1983. Yes, the condition of the watch doesn’t indicate it, but it’s over 40 years old!
De Ville is the most classic line in Omega’s catalog, which has been focusing primarily on more sporty Speedmasters and Seamasters for a long time. However, it’s worth paying attention to De Villes as well, because that’s where Omega sometimes allows itself the most experimental solutions, and this is exactly the case with Hour Vision watches. They take their name from the transparent side, through which we can admire the mechanism from a previously unseen perspective. The watch dial, divided into three segments, is also very interesting. The outer ring with the minute scale and the inner one where the hands are placed are made using the sunburst technique, in an elegant brown color. The middle ring with rose gold indices and the date window is made of satin-finished steel, which contrasts nicely with the rest of the watch. Through the transparent caseback, you can see the gold mechanism with the Co-Axial escapement and the gold bridge.
The watch comes with the original Omega box.
A very interesting and unconventional proposition from the manufacture in Le Locle. We are dealing with a series of complications here: a patented perpetual calendar with year indication, which, unlike perpetuals, can be safely corrected by oneself (using the crown!), a large date display, a twenty-four-hour GMT hand, and a patented quick time change in the main hour hand, using buttons at 4 and 8 o’clock. A lot? Yes, but all these functions are simply useful and solved in an innovative way. The watch is large – it has a 42 mm square (Quadrato!) case made of 18-carat gold. The watch dial has an interesting design – it is vertically guilloche. It features an inner ring serving as the dial for the GMT hand, and the other functions have been placed in their assigned windows. Through the transparent caseback, you can see the beautifully decorated mechanism powering the watch. The excellent butterfly clasp of the watch, made, naturally, of gold, is also noteworthy. There is actually a lot of gold in the watch – it weighs 207 grams.
The watch comes complete with a box and documentation.
The presented watches are just a few examples from our latest delivery. We invite you to explore the rest of our offer here.