Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Wishing all family members, friends, followers, supporters and everyone, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Panerai Jupiterium

Officine Panerai's the Panerai Jupiterium is currently on show at the Panerai's flagship store at ION Singapore. The Panerai Jupiterium is of course Panerai's tribute to the Tuscan genius Galileo Galilei. Horology lovers will be able to view and admire the Panerai Jupiterium which is a highly complex planetarium-clock showing the position of the Sun, Moon and Jupiter (and its four moons) from the viewpoint of an observer on Earth. This was what Galileo himself saw back in January 1610 through the telescope, an instrument he invented. 

The Panerai Jupiterium will be on display at the following:

Where: Singapore ION Boutique (VIP Room)

Address: 2 Prchard Turn, ION Orchard, Singapore 238881

When: 13 December 2013 to 14 February 2014

Hours: 1000 - 2100 hours

The Panerai Jupiterium.

Photographs: Panerai

Rebellion 540 Magnum Tourbillon watch

As the year draws to a close, and with me busy on all fronts, entertaining a bad back (and a daily visit to the physiologist), family members coming over for the holiday seasons, my new venture and a host of other family related things, I have decided to focus on watches released during the year that I did not manage to write about. So the posts from today till the end of the year will basically focus on watches and lesser on my adventures. :)

The Rebellion 540 Magnum Tourbillon watch. Now that was a mouthful. The watch is made by Rebellion Timepieces. The 540 Magnum is an automotive inspired watch as Rebellion actually owns a racing team. The racing team is a winning team winning both the 2012 and 2013 FIA LMP1 World Endurance Trophies. They also won the 2012 and 2013 Petite Le Mans ALMS race in Atlanta, winner of the 2011 Le Mans Series LMP1 Team Championship and winner of the 2011 Le Mans Series LMP1 Manufacture Championship. 

With all the winning ways, the 540 Magnum Tourbillon is also set to be a winner as the experience and technology gained in racing is infused into the watch. The watch is a collection of exotic materials, magnesium, aluminium, titanium and carbon fiber. And these material is not only used in the case, but extends to the movement. 

The proprietary REB T-14 movement's main plate is aluminium and the 3/4 back plate is carbon fiber.  The large diameter tourbillon cage is ceremicized-magnesium and the bridges and gear train are made of double braced titanium. How cool is that. 

The movement itself is interesting as it features a 14-day power reserve, with the power coming from two mainspring barrels regulated by a 60-second tourbillon. The tourbillon cage sits on the lower right corner of the movement or watch and the power reserve indicators are on the left. Interesting to note that there are two power reserve indicator, one a roller-borne precision indicator at 7 o'clock and a chain-driven arrow head indicator at 9. Why two? Your guess is as good as mine.

The movement is encased in a modular constructed carbon fiber case and the watch has an open heart look to it. The hour and minute hands are skeletonized, going with the open heart design of the watch. The watch is completed by a race-ready natural rubber strap and bespoke double folding buckle.

The watch. 

The side.

The case back. 

Photographs: Rebellion Timepieces

For more information:

Rebellion 540 Magnum Tourbillon watch

Management change at Antoine Martin

Antoine Martin SA have announced a management change. Current CEO Bruno Jufer will leave Antoine Martin and will be replaced by Martin Braun who is one of the founding members of Antoine Martin. 

Bruno Jufer who has been with Antoine Martin for three and a half years, was CEO since the company was founded in 2010. He saw the launch of the company's first collection at Baselworld 2011 with the Grande Complication in the form of a Perpetual Calendar. In the coming years, the company released a Tourbillon with a perpetual Calendar and the trailblazing The Slow Runner. 

Antoine Meier, Chairman of the Board of Directors: "The company has been successfully established and now has the ideal strategic positioning for the future. We are deeply grateful to Bruno Jufer for his contribution during this period. Now that the foundations have been laid, the time has come for Martin Braun to take control at Antoine Martin. Under the new management, we can look forward to the presentation of a sensational new development from Antoine Martin at Baselworld 2014. The Board of Directors is deeply indebted to Bruno Jufer for his valuable contribution and wishes him all the best and every success in his future career."

End links..

End links. Interesting piece of engineering. Basically it is just an end piece for those who own Rolex watches but want to use other straps on the Rolex but dislike the gap between the strap and the case. So end links were created.

I got these end links from the MWF on-line store. Pretty cool pieces of stainless steel. These end link are made of 316L surgical grade stainless steel. They are for Rolex watches with 20mm lug width. There are two sizes of the end links. There is version 1.3 and version 1.9. Different end links fit different Rolex models. 

The end links...

The finishing is pretty good. Brushed finish. 

The inside of the end links. The loop end of the strap will sit inside the recess.

These end links are locally made in Malaysia. 

The two versions. The thicker (the bottom protrusions) lugs is the 1.9, while the thinner is the 1.3.

So how does it look on a Rolex. I used the version 1.9 on my Seadweller 4000. OK, admittedly the choice of leather straps is not the best. :)

But you can see how the end links work by removing the gap and making it look like the leather strap is integral to the watch.

The back. The tabs sit against the lugs of the watch. 

With the end links, you now have access to a multitude of strap options. Tropic rubber strap. 

Cloth strap. 

For more information:

End Links

They are RM120 per set or about USD 40 per set. 

MWF On-line store

Congrats to MWF or www.malaysiawatchforum.com on the launch of their on-line store. It is a click and mortar store with its physical location at Lot 2-45, The Scott Garden, 289 Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their physical store operating hours are: 

Monday to Saturdays, 1100 to 1900 hours. 

Looks like I have a new place to hang out as the store also doubles up as a watering hole for MWF members. How cool is that. On top of that, the store offers pre-loved watches, new watches, straps, repair and as I understand more things to come. 

For more information:

Malaysia Watch Forum

Magrette 2014

Magrette of New Zealand has decided to give us a sneak peak of their 2014 line-up, or maybe part of the line-up. I have to say that it is looking good. 

The Kowhaiwhai.

I do like the blue dial. 

Photographs: Magrette

You can see the Kowhaiwhai design (repeating pattern) on the bezel.

The Manaia.

The Manaia or a bird like creature that features in Maori woodcarving adorning the case back of the watch. 

Photographs: Magrette

I can't wait to see what other watches Magrette will introduce in 2014.