Interesting Complications

[caracarnj]

WOULD you consider a watch complicated if it has seven hands, three of which snap back through their arcs of travel? If you do, then this Longines Master Collection Retrograde certainly qualifies.

Besides the three main hands for hours, minutes and seconds, four other hands sweep through arcs to report day, date, week, a second time zone and power reserve. Rose gold combines with folding clasp, transparent case back and dark brown croco to make the whole a handsome 44mm proposition indeed.

Martin Braun, a German watchmaker who is now part of the Franck Muller family, introduces Kephalos who, in Greek mythology, was the lover of Eos. Some may recall that Eos, the Goddess of the Sun, was what he named a classic watch of his back in 2001. This 44mm rose gold watch at first glance appears to be nothing more than a classic full calendar watch - which is quite different from a perpetual calendar. But we're told that it's in fact something in between, an annual calendar along the lines of those first made popular by Patek Philippe.

In this case, you only have to adjust the date between end-February and March 1, and the watch movement knows how to adjust for the difference in number of days for the other 11 months of the year. On top of that, the moonphase is somewhat more exciting because an extra little counter between 7 and 8 o'clock indicates whether we're headed towards a full moon or new moon.

If you're the kind who loves to figure out number puzzles, you'll find it a pleasant mind-bender to crack the code of Pierre Kunz's Infinity Looping watch. Try and figure out how to read the time if you can. There is only one red hand to tell the time, and it sits on an arm extending out from a toothed ring. The red numbers represent the 12-hour markers while the dots in the looping tracks represent five-minute intervals.

Now, have fun reading the time off this clever watch: In the photo, the red hand points to 12. Fifteen minutes on, the hand will move to the black '15' by which you'll know the time is 12.15. (Refer to the red 12 to read the hour.) Now try to figure how to read 3.30 or 6.45 ... You'll find out when you choose from 44mm red gold, white gold, platinum or stainless steel versions of this auto watch.

de Grisogono, meanwhile, would like to introduce us to their version of a peek-a-boo watch this year, which they call the Otturatore. A cuckoo-clock shaped window can be moved with the light-touch pushers (which sit on either side of the crown) to report - one at a time - four different functions from each of the four quarters. Starting clockwise from the 12 o'clock position, we have the moonphase, then the date, followed by the power reserve in hours and finally the passing seconds at 9 o'clock.

Think about the triangular shape of Switzerland's 'Toblerone' chocolates and you will get the basic idea which inspired this very limited three-faced watch by Cartier. Housed in an extra-large version of the brand's Santos case, the Santos Triple 100's dial opens and closes with a horizontal shutter-like effect to reveal, in turn: a simple white dial with Roman numerals for hour markers; a mosaic of black sapphires and brilliant diamonds and, finally, an engraved tiger's head.

Cheers!

[KB]

The problem with that Santos (apart from the bling) is that it's $449,500 more than I will ever spend on a watch.

Ken

[coolfire]

The problem with that Santos (apart from the bling) is that it's $449,500 more than I will ever spend on a watch.

Ken

Hey cara, thanks for the great info!

[caracarnj]

Hey cara, thanks for the great info!

[Chino]

I'd love to see the reps of those watches coming, those would be some strong laughs, like the bling leopard daytona.

make my year, kill me of laughter.

thanks for sharing!

[wat44]

A mate of mine is about to buy that Longines but with yet another retrograde hand... The seconds at 6 in place of power reserve

[gran]

A mate of mine is about to buy that Longines but with yet another retrograde hand... The seconds at 6 in place of power reserve

Now thats at least something affordable