PRIMETIME – Best Of 2015 – Playful Watches Of The Year
A trend was confirmed this year: high-end watches are getting always more playful. We selected the most interesting models from brands that focused on creating amazing mechanic automatons.
The very expected Opus 14 – the first one launched since the Swatch Group bought the American jeweler – allows displaying the date, second time or a customized display on demand. Each one is expressed by a distinctive disc located into a micro storage. A selector enables to take them one by one and move them alternatively to a dedicated zone.
The RM019-02 Tourbillon Fleur contains a magnolia holding the flying tourbillon inside. It opens itself in passing or also on demand with an elevation of more than one millimeter of the cage.
The RM 69 is a surrealistic poetic and erotic watch. Its caliber contains a mechanism able to turn in a shuffle mode three rectangular displays. On each of their surface they have a few evocative words or part of sentence that compose every time a new short text. This watch is just a superb contemporary tribute to the ancient erotic watches, but with wit and surprise added.
The UR1001 Titan is a kind of horological monster that was first a pocket watch until Urwerk decided to create a custom strap to wear it on the writs this year. With a case made out of titanium, it has a calendar going up to 1000 years, which makes it totally compatible with the notion of multigenerational object.
The Lady Eight Flow from Jaquet Droz – again! – is dedicated to women with a flower opening itself on demand. The smart point is here that the mechanism is located in a tiny round volume that is the distinctive of the collection.
The Charming bird from Jaquet is a magic and successful attempt to miniaturize a three dimensional moving and singing automaton. A little tit moves inside whistling different notes. It needed specific resources in terms of research and development and integrates carbon fiber, silicon membrane and other specific materials or shapes that make this timekeeper a jewel of actual technology too.