All-Black Watch Models of 2009 or Lets Not Tell Time Part II

All-Black Watch Models of 2009 or Lets Not Tell Time Part II

Nearing the end of 2008, we posted a blog entry named Let's Not Tell Time!, where Dino discussed several all-black timepieces of that time. Here we present a few of the more notable all-black watches from 2009.

Very few brands where producing all-black, no-contrast watches up to about three years ago. When some of these pieces, including the Bell & Ross BR Phantom, made a big impact on the watch industry, all-black became a permanent part of many watch collections.

Alpina Avalanche Extreme Diver

The Alpina Avalanche Extreme Diver incorporates many great features, quality Swiss automatic movement, strong, rugged case, a great luxury to price ratio, and a unique attractive style. Last year, Alpina added several variations to this collection adorned with different colour dials including one with black photo-luminescent markers. With a water resistance rating of 1000m the Diver reflects the darkness of the deep sea where it is most at home.

Bell & Ross Airborne and BR-S Phantoms

Bell & Ross unveiled several all-black watches last year. One of these was amongst the most talked about watch at the 2009 Baselworld fair. The limited edition Airborne is decorated with black, photo-luminescent skull and bones, which is a tribute to the courage and philosophy of airborne paratroopers.

While the all-black style is inspired by the military need for stealth, the BR-S Ceramic Phantoms take advantage purely of its sleek style. Bell & Ross also opened a new chapter in their their monochromatic book with an all-white version of the BRS-Ceramic.

Corum

I am not sure if it is considered cheating or not that the Corum Ti-Bridge Black does not even have a dial, but it is an all-black watch nonetheless. The titanium plates of the Ti-Bridge movement are treated with black PVD process and are all the dial this modern elegant watch needs.

On the more traditional side of the coin we find the Corums Admiral's Cup Black Challenge 44. The rubber strap, polygonal 44mm case, dial, and photo-luminescent hour markers are all black. The only contrast is created by the grey nautical pennants.

Corum Black Ti-Bridge and Admiral's Cup Black Challenge 44

U-Boat Classico Titanium Chronograph

Italo Fontana embraced the all-black style years before the look became popularized with some obscure models such as the Eclipse. In 2009 U-Boat introduced the Classico Chronograph Titanium, which is reminiscent of a modern, high-tech weapon.

Alpina Driver with Black Markers AL-525LFB5FBAEV6 and U-Boat Classico CAB Titanium

All-black watches are beautiful as much as they are cool. They are stealthy as much as they are conspicuous. Their popularity is confirmed and they have become a permanent part of the horological landscape.

Luxury, Beauty, Exclusivity of Exotic Sports Cars for Your Wrist

Now in its second year of collaboration with the exciting endurance race, Alpina is celebrating this year's event with a new, limited edition, chronograph watch. The Official Timekeeper 12 Hours of Sebring 2010 commemorates the 58th anniversary of the race, which attracts over 150 000 spectators every year and kicks off the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season. The decisively sporty allure of this new limited edition of 158 pieces will appeal to motor-racing fans thanks to its themed styling and specifically selected features.

The Official Timekeeper is quite different from the other models in the Alpina collection thanks to its unique case and gmt function. The complications offered by the automatic movement are chosen specifically to relate to racing. A second timezone is calculated on a 24 hour dial reflecting the international character of the sport and the indispensable chronograph function is conveniently calibrated to measure time in twelve hour cycles. While the second feature is quite standard for automatic chronographs, this does not detract from the fact that the twelve hour register at six o'clock is perfectly matched to the race format of the Sebring circuit. The 30-minute counter at twelve o'clock offers better legibility than a more crowded 60-minute counter. The spectator - or professional driver - wearing the Alpina 12 Hours of Sebring watch will have a clear and accurate marking of the race's progress.

As always Alpina, keeps up with the demand for large size watches. The black PVD coated stainless steel case is 47 mm in diameter with a relatively low profile and comfortable ergonomic design. The large crown, consisting of rubber, steel, and enamel is screw-locking to add to the resilience of the timepiece. It suits the complexity and sportiness of the other case elements. The back of the case, also securely screw sealed, is fitted with a sapphire window to exhibit the automatic movement and its black, decorated rotor.

In its young past, Alpina has delighted their fans with numerous cool straps. The new strap fitted onto the Official Timekeeper 12 Hours of Sebring continues this tradition. Supple, grained leather is the base for vinyl sheathing that acts both to protect and beautify the strap. The red stitching adds contrast to the case, and mirrors other red accents present on the dial.

Aside from the high quality movement and case, what really makes the watch what it is is the many stylistic details incorporated all over the watch. The rotating, all-black bezel with its surprisingly photo-luminescent markings and the integrated, aerodynamic look of the chronograph pushers are two examples, but small, defining details are peppered all over.

The 2010 Alpina Official Timekeeper 12 Hours of Sebring offers the style of a modern, exotic, sport car's dashboard, with its functional features and quality adding to this likeness. As only 158 of these watches will be produced, the exclusivity factor is also taken care of.

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Although none of the companies that Matt Baily Watches carries are represented at the private Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, our passion for fine watches runs deep. Furthermore, chances are good that some of the models I will be mentioning in this post will eventually end up in our outstanding collection of certified pre-owned watches, which includes desirable pieces by Panerai, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, and more.

SIHH 2010

Since the economic slow-down took hold of the luxury market at the end of 2008, the novelties have become somewhat less extravagant and less numerous. This does not deter watch manufacturers from doing their best to astonish us with fantastic horological works. We can always find some great timepieces to talk about at important trade fairs such as the SIHH.

The Good

Since Montblanc decided to enter the world of ultra-high end, complicated timepieces, they have enlisted the talents of some world-leading watchmakers to produce some amazing models. This year the company released the Metamorphosis, a mechanical masterpiece that is able to transform its dial from a perpetual calendar to a chronograph. This mechanical Transformers-like change may come off as modern and new, but to me it is an homage to the great mechanical feats of the past, like the automatons built by Jaquet Droz in the 18th century. The best way to admire this mechanisms from home is to watch the company's YouTube video that I embedded below. It may be a little cheesy, but it is worth watching.

Of Course, IWC can always be counted on to present some interesting complicated watches, and this year they introduced one model that I found particularly beautiful. This watch is the new Portuguese Tourbillon Handwound, which plays on the fantastic simple elegance that the Portuguese watches are known for. For lovers of sporty watches, Audemars Piguet presented a 42mm diver version of their Royal Oak Offshore, which was a simple and functional juxtaposition to the ever-more intricate and colourful designs of their limited edition Offshore.

The IWC Portuguese Tourbillon Handwound

The Bad-Ass

In recent years many of the major innovations have been related to the use of alternative materials. Ten to fifteen years ago titanium was considered exotic, but now there are dozens of futuristic materials to choose from. Tantalum, Ceramics, Tungsten Carbide, compressed carbon fiber are all examples, and more are surfacing every year. These materials may offer benefits such as light-weight or incredible resistance to shock and heat, but in the end the real purpose is to produce cool, modern, and rare watches. In other words: bad-ass.

Cartier is not a brand that I would figure would be in this category, but they have proved themselves worthy with the new ID One Concept watch based on the Ballon Blue. Clear carbon crystal is used on the movement, which is coated with extremely hard, black, diamond-like coating. The case is made of niobium-titanium, which I will not pretend to know anything about at this time, but seems to display a smoky grey colour for a nice overall look.

AP Offshore Diver and the Cartier ID One Concept

While not as outspoken on the subject as Hublot, Panerai has been experimenting with alternative materials for a long time. This year they presented a watch made of an exclusive dark brown composite material. The Radiomir Composite Marina Militare 8-Day uses a type of extremely hard ceramic, whose dark brown colour blends well with the vintage style of the Radiomir case and strap.

Two of Panerai' models presented at the SIHH

The Ugly

It was only a matter of time until they revived this cult classic. At the SIHH 2010 Panerai revealed a new limited edition piece replicating the style of the collectible Mare Nostrum. I'm guessing that in real life this watch is actually awesome. If you like large, military watches you will enjoy owning this monster. What I do not like about it are the same things that I do not like about the original. The flat bezel and the beady subsidiary dials. Besides, I had to put something in the "Ugly" section.

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What kind of "American Brand" would Hamilton be if it did not obsess with aeroplanes and speed? The company has an entire family of watches that are dedicated to flight, containing some popular models like the X-Wind and X-Copter. The newest addition to the Aviation family of watches is the X-Mach; able to calculate your Mach number (how fast you are going relevant to the speed of sound). I would love to hear stories of individuals putting this function to the test in real life while I will be content to measure what Mach number I am able to reach on my flight simulator.

The calculation of the Mach number is done directly on the 44mm, stainless steel case of the Hamilton X-Mach. It is equipped with two rotating bezels and several graduated scales that act like a slide rule. After the pilot sets certain static data such as pressure altitude, International Standard Atmosphere and calibrated air speed the Mach speed is revealed. I am certainly not the only one that is unfamiliar with these terms, but there is a lot to appreciate about this watch aside from its calculations.

One thing I prefer on X-Mach over its predecessor - the X-Wind - is that it has one less crown. While it is fun to learn about and tinkering with the Aviation watches' functions - and fantasize about one day putting them into practice - it is less confusing and more comfortable to have less crowns. Both crowns on the Khaki X-Mach are screw-locking and have a modern, slanted grip pattern engraved on them. The clous de Paris or hobnail elements on the side of the case are nice, sporty touches without being too conspicuous.

Other important features of the X-Mach include the ETA 7750 calibre automatic movement which is partially visible through the back of the watch case. This infamous mechanism is a testament to Swiss manufacturing quality. It offers chronograph, day, and date functions that are displayed on the X-Mach's multi-level, two-tone dial. The fact that the time is easy to read regardless of all the markings on the dial is a sign of good design. In my opinion Hamilton has consistently improved their watch dial designs since we became an official retailer. An other aspect that has gotten better are the straps. The X-Mach offers offers the option of several choice straps like the leather and carbon fibre band that comes with the black PVD model or the padded leather strap on the stainless steel version.

Measuring how much faster you are going then the speed of sound is probably not something you will do often. The true attraction to the Hamilton X-Mach is the instrumental style, quality, and great value. The innovative use of the bezel is more important as a distinguishing feature that will be appreciated by pilots or aviation aficionados. Overall the Khaki X-Mach shows me that Hamilton's designers are on the ball and that the company is dedicated to its aviation-loving fans.

On the first of December, 2009 a new exhibition was inaugurated in Quebec City highlighting several antique timepieces of the Assemblée Nationale. The idea of the Horloges et Débats exhibit is to showcase the delicate, personal work done by watchmakers at the turn of the 20th century. A collection of fifteen patrimonial clocks are presented with the building's clock tower as the focus. This impressive clock was created by famous Quebec City native, watchmaker, inventor (of the telephone receiver), and politician Cyrille Duquet. This temporary exhibit is an interesting stop for watchmaking enthusiasts living in, or visiting the beautiful provincial capital. It also persuaded me to delve a little into the Canadian watchmaking industry.

While today there are essentially no Canadian manufacturers of watch components, the history of Canadian watchmaking does show that several important companies, watchmakers, and horological schools were based in Canada. An interesting article on the subject lives on the on the online Canadian Encyclopedia, and shows that between 1872 and 1941 two large scale clock manufacturers and a school of high horology were based in Ontario. While these companies imported blank embauché movements and encased them in Canadian-made casings, at least one other important company during that time manufactured the entire clock and movement in-house. Two of these all-Canadian, Arthur Péquegnat clocks are part of the exhibit at the Horloges et Débats exhibit.

All-Canadian manufacture clocks by Arthur Péquegnat

Today, the Canadian watch industry is not completely dead. I was able to find a couple of watch companies that are based in Canada, but neither actually manufacture any essential parts like case or movement. The extent of watchmaking in Canada is currently being kept alive by the Watchmaking and Jewellery School at the Bel-Avenir centre in Trois-Rivières.

I would be glad to see a watchmaker, collector, or investor one day revive this old tradition. While "made in Canada" may not be a very marketable phrase in the world of watches, it would offer certain clear advantages. The prices of luxury watches made in Canada would not incorporate any import fees and would be stable, as it would not be based on the US Dollar or Swiss Franc. The end consumer and the environment would also benefit from the decrease in transportation. The fact that we live just north of one of the biggest watch markets in the world doesn't hurt either.

For more information on the subjects on this article visit the following links:

• Horologes et Débats exhibit on the Assebl$eacute;e Nationalle's website
• Watchmaking school on Bel-Avenir Centre website
• Article about Canadian watch and clock making history on the Canadian Encyclopedia

If you have comments or ideas regarding watchmaking in Canada, you can post them in the notes tab of our facebook page.

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