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Concept Watches And Other Unusual Watches


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Lately I have been (re-)discovering some very original designs or some out-of-the-mainstream watchmakers. I decided to gather these wonders into one post dedicated to concept watches and other original designs. Please share your own discoveries & favorite watches here !

Watchmaking has always been driven by technology and by precision. The challenge was to create a device able to keep time as precisely as possible, in more and more extreme conditions (in a pocket; on a wrist; underwater, etc.).

During religious wars in the XVIth century (that is, very early in the watchmaking history), prostestants (and with them, French watchmakers) emigrated to Switzerland, the center of reformation. In Geneva at the time there were no watch industry to speak of; Geneva was mostly known for its jewelry. But Calvin had imposed strict laws banning elaborate clothing and jewelry. Initially this seemed like doom for Geneva's many fine jewelers, but one loophole in Calvin's laws gave them opportunity. Calvin considered watches an item of practical use, therefore allowed. Geneva's jewelers then collaborated with the watchmakers who had recently fled there to make watches with jewels, enamels, and engravings. This collaboration spawned the beginning of Geneva's luxury watch industry.

Much later appeared quartz technology. Keeping time became suddenly very accurate, reliable and... cheap. To survive, Swiss watchmakers, who lost the race for quartz against Seiko in 1969, focused on complications. The luxury watch industry was in dire straits.

Enters Nicolas Hayek. His marketing genius revived Swiss watchmakers fortune through the swatch fashion. Interest in more romantic mechanical movement of luxury watches grew until today's glorious years of luxury watches. Big names (Rolex, Omega, Panerai, IWC, JL, etc.) have created a market for "mass luxury". Their designs are mostly classic. Branding has slowly took over creativity & technology. Today a Rolex does not represent a technological prouesse anymore but merely status and financial success.

But real watch enthusiasts are not looking for status but they are looking for technology, design and legend: the art of timekeeping. On top of that watchmakers are facing a new challenge: copy and replica. The answer? Renewed designs & technological advances. I believe that when Nicolas Hayek threatened to stop the production of ebauches, threatening at the same time the business of his subsidiary ETA, he had in mind the renewal of technological creativity in companies that have been relying on movement producers.

This is supplemented by a new trend: concept watches. Pioneered by Richard Mille and championed by small exclusive producers, it is reaching major brands who want to communicate a new image through a daring product line (Zenith's Defy), without sacrifycing their classical watches.

The beauty is: concept watches, unlike concept cars, actually come into production... Here are some examples:

Richard Mille is leading the way...

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Harry Winston's Opus serie...

- Opus 1 (with the help of FP. Journe)

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- Opus 2 (Antoine Preziuso)

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- Opus 3 (my favorite), a venture with Vianney Halter

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- Opus 4

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- Opus V (Felix Baumgartner), a pure marvel

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- Opus 6 (2006) with Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey

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- The project Z3

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Tag Heuer is not bad at all in this exercice with for example the Monaco V4:

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Kronotype:

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Azimuth:

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Eterna's KonTiki

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The following are not concept watches but their design are really authentic:

Gérald Genta's style is very original:

- Mickey Fantasy Racing

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- Mickey Fantasy Golf

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- The colorful Octo Repetition...

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- ... and Octo Incontro

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- Sport Biretro

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- Arena

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- Arena Chrono Quattro Retro

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Corum's interesting Bubble serie: my favorite is the casino:

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Audemars Piguet's Millenary Watch for Maserati

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De Grisogono's Grande Open Date...

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... Occhio...

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... and Instrumento Doppio Tre

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BRM

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Freak from Ulysse Nardin

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... and sisters:

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Vogard TimeZone and its original bezel:

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Gorgeous DeWitt's Academia

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Arnold & Son True North Perpetual and yellow Longitude II

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And to finish a chinese touch!

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Most of these watches are not affordable: some are around $50,000 and Opus serie start at $300,000...

Most are not replicated, although I was surprised to find a Richard Mille at Joshua.

Has anybody got a rep of RM, Corum, DeWitt? How's the quality?

Do you have any outstanding, daring affordable watch to share?

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RM ...they have the design ..but not the movement..I've seen it personally..

I've seen alot of really nice Corum watches..they made that alot ...I personally like the corumm..I almost buy it ..but nahh ..not for me..the corum casino is the best..

dewitt...never seen it before from reps world..

Gerald Genta..I;ve seen a few ...even with the mickey mouse..

arnold n son ..nope ..not yet ..

Opus..not yet ..

monaco V4 ..yeap they have ...but of course...nobody can replicate that movement yet ...for sure..early of last year they have the v4 reps ..maybe till now ..

AP Maserati...I;ve seen quite alot ..and already touch the reps....pretty nice ..and almost the same with gen..but the movement..im not too sure...whats inside..

:D:D

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None of those can be repped, but I think the Azimuth can be had for around $1500 if you like the Mille/CVSTOS look...

Technically I suppose they could be repped, but I guess in the end it just wouldn't be worth the expense...

Could you imagine owning that collection? Damn.... We're talking Bill Gates kind of $$ to own all of those :lol:

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I have a Richard Mille 005 at the moment, and have an Urwerk coming in pretty soon, which is by Felix Baumgartner, the guy who designed the Opus 5 for Harry Winston, it's a fraction of the price of the HW and is basically the exact same watch. To be hoenst, the RM 005 isn't that impressive for its price tag, and all their tourbillon models are $200,000+.

The UN Freak is worth owning. I had one of them some time ago, and it's worth every penny as it is true revolutionary, creative and unique unlike most other watches that are just followers. Unfortunately, there has been some problems with the movement, I heard from UN and they are fixing the watches of current owners.

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Far too busy most of them.....too difficult to tell the time.....definitely not form follows function.....!

Gerald Genta.......lost the plot.....designs the Royal Oak...and then these....!

Richard Mille......way over engineered......besides...$50k for printing on the inside of the glass......not for me.....!

Corum Casino...Bubble series......somebody needs their head slapped at Corum.......they have the capability of making superb pieces....!

The Doppio Tre is a great watch....the others....nah....!

Personally ...I'd take a very plain and simple George Daniels......before I'd take any of these Fashion TV fripperies.......they're just exercises in extremism......and simply to relieve the rich of big bucks.....!

This is enough watch for any man.......it tells the time.....the day and date...and you can time your boiling eggs with it........classic design......!

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Edited by TTK
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  • 1 month later...
  • 7 years later...

"No-Watch" - Unusual watches from Greenwich, UK. Official website: http://www.no-watch.co.uk

 

All models are Limited Edition. Just 500 (750) pcs. is made.

 

No-Watch_all_models.jpg

From left to right on picture:

1) "Zman Avar" - Jewish/Hebrew watch with reverse movement and hebrew letters on the dial
2) "Hijrah" - Arabic/Islamic/Muslims watch with reverse movement and hundu-arabic digits on the dial
3) "Backward" - Watch with reverse movement
4) "24 Hours" - Watch with 24-hours movement, single hand and day calendar
5) "One-Armed" - Single hand watch with day calendar

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