mjames Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Check it out! http://www.luxist.com/2009/03/06/swiss-wat...ion-hybrid-sma/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I'm waiting for Robbie's review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 It appears UN has jumped the shark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammandel Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 This is hilarious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Um, what the hell is the rotor for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Well...if we can have a Tag rep phone.......then why not a UN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Well...if we can have a Tag rep phone.......then why not a UN? They will never get the movement correct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Um, what the hell is the rotor for? Seriously...that crap marketing blurb says nothing but that a "kinetic rotor" has been incorporated into it. TO DO WHAT???? Are the charging the battery on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg1459 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 automatic cell phone rofl AHAHAHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Seriously...that crap marketing blurb says nothing but that a "kinetic rotor" has been incorporated into it. TO DO WHAT???? Are the charging the battery on it? I know, it is probably useless. UN is to be commended however for being the first cell phone manufacturer to install spinners just like on rims! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest asim Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 as long as the sound sounds crisp to COSC standards ... and this is definitely Robbie's phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg1459 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 btw i thnik the phone will include another display for the watch module or it may charge the battery which would be actually very usefull but exposed rotor is just too funny lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 and this is definitely Robbie's phone ...as much as the man looks "Hef" in his pajamas...I would have to say this might be a little too gauche even for Southern Florida!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfreeman420 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 If I wear a watch for looks and use my cellphone to tell the time and my cellphone is made by my watchmaker with an automatic movement it is really a watch with a cellphone built in or is it a cellphone with a watch built in? And if my cellphone is my watch do I really need to wear a watch and how in bloddy hell will I know what time it is? This is just too confusing. I'll stick with my Samsung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 The picture is about as useful as the writeup... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 I don't know how to tell you this, but RobbieG is actually speechless. Just kidding... I called a guy that should know and he told me that details are vague but the rotor isn't just for the watch. It is rumoured that there is at least one large and torquey mainspring barrel and some weird escapement that actually uses the rotor energy as a charging source for the phone as well as the timepiece. Again, don't quote me. The finish concept is similar to a special edition San Marco Kremlin watch, which has this really amazing (albeit impractical and more for a display cabinet than the wrist) Cloissone enamel dial. Thousands of hours of hand painting and painstaking kiln firing process and all that. Presented in a similarly finsihed Fabrege egg. As absurd as the egg (or phone) idea may seem, keep in mind UN has traditionally done very well with high end collectables. Whatever they do - whether watches, chronometers, eggs, phones, barometers, pens, etc., they always are limited editions and they always involve some kind of cutting edge experiment that has never been done before. I have learned to look upon them from the positive angle which is that it is really genius in that they not only do it, but they make it clear that the only reason they are doing whatever is to see whether or not "they can" and with no intention of continuing to do it long term. A big part of their image is innovation - more so than anyone else in the biz hands down. And even with the watches it is the same thing. All limited and the sales of them are secondary to again, pushing the envelope which is how they differentiate themselves from the competition. They do this stuff to get attention and it works because it is always different and amazing in someway. When they come out with something at this point people know that it is going to be out there and innovative. They use that to bolster their rep and then ironically use it to sell 190 million dollars worth of non-complicated watches each year. Genius really... Seeing this didn't make me giggle or even think it is absurd really, although I get why it may for many. I'm just seeinmg it another way I guess which is that Nardin wants people to be taken back and have that reaction. He is the one laughing. That is his genius really. It also reconfirms why I love the brand so much. 110% originality. And even in this economic climate. It is like their way of saying the Nardin creative machine is very much alive and even though the whole world is going broke we are going to make a bespoke haute joaillerie cell phone with a 22k gold rotor in it that probably costs ten grand. Love it. Being one of the last of the independents affords them the luxury of doing exactly what they feel like. And the sales continue to tumble in despite all these types of things that are never intended to be permanent. If they aren't the biggest independent success story in the industry since the early 80's with the new ownership I don't know who is. Rolf Schneider has got ba*ls that clank!. I swear when I semi-retire I'm going to beg him for a job and I'll work for free - just to be in the think tank. Creativity like that which breeds from their camp is the stuff dreams are made of and what also makes me tick. I built my own business with the same concepts. Many similarities between his and my own business model. There are many people in many industries who could learn alot from that man. Whether one likes his watch designs or other inventions is really an afterthought and a worthless matter of personal taste. Like them or not he is doing his own thing and one of the very few in the watch industry that is firing on all cylinders. I might buy one and put it away unactivated just to have as a conversation piece if the price is reasonable - although I'm sure it won't be. I really want a modern ships chronometer from them so I'm kind of holding out for them to do another run of those again first though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue_sphere Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 UN makes some really cool stuff. I cannot wait to see how much this is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 I have learned to look upon them from the positive angle which is that it is really genius in that they not only do it, but they make it clear that the only reason they are doing whatever is to see whether or not "they can" and with no intention of continuing to do it long term. A big part of their image is innovation Ok...I see where you're coming from. In that respect...interesting idea. I laugh primarily at the marketing dribble that was contained in the description. Not untypical for any luxury brand description...but humorous nonetheless...all fluff no substance. I would suspect that the rotor acts similarly to a Seiko Kinetic system where it's essentially used to generate electricity which is stored in micro-capacitors...and that allows the phone longer life perhaps...or some function for address books when the battery is dead or whatever. It is haute couture work essentially. In that respect I can respect it. i.e. not made for general consumption (or use for that matter). I made the mistake of jumping the gun on the kitzch conclusion as I rarely think of electronics with a technical lifespan of 2 years in the realm haute couture...which totally DOESN'T make sense I know given haute couture "vogueness" shifts 4 seasons a year...8x the rate of a cell phone!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Yeah, that is why I took the joaillerie angle as I think its best real use will be not to be used. I suspect most collectors who purchase them will not activate them as it will attract the high end WIS collector as opposed to a typical high end phone buyer. Again, genius. He just knows he will sell them to all the guys who bought Royal Blues and Ghengis Khans and Kremlins, etc. who will buy anything collectable and UN. But it is very important that they be limited as he has no intention or desire to revolutionize cell phones. That is the key really. But on the other hand if they ever did take hold as the cool new thing he will get credit for inventing it, but trust me he wouldn't keep making them even if he could profit. He has to keep it exclusive for his whole system to work and for it to halp long run middle range watch sales. In short, he has no risk in the deal. Everything to gain and nothing to lose. he sells them all easily to collectors cause there are only a few, he gets another notch in the innovation belt that strengthens the brand each time, and if he should get lucky and stumble on something that takes hold and becomes a fad or a long term thing he gets the credit for creating it. He's covered. And I would guess you are right on about the rotor. The big barrel just helps create additonal energy for capacitor storage to extend battery life. And again, I wonder what the ticket will be? Of course 20K iced out cell phones are not uncommon and you have to figure it to cost more than a standard watch with standard appointments, so what do you say? 10k? 15k? More? Less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 i want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 ...as much as the man looks "Hef" in his pajamas...I would have to say this might be a little too gauche even for Southern Florida!! Hahaha. I just saw this. Yeah, the phone is not my style, but now that you mention it - matches my blue silks quite nicely. That said, if I had one it's home would be in a case or drawer. But elsewhere in SFLA? South Beach is gonna love it. It will blend in nicely with all the iced out BB's and SA's and custom lowered Hummers. I'm from the snobby, Waspy part of the state. I don't know which is more annoying... The only reason I live here is because it is the only truly winterless sub tropical climate in the continental US in EST - for market reasons. I would live in Hawaii or the west coast but don't want to adapt to crazy market hours. In short, I don't belong here, but the weather is warm so I don't complain. Most people come here to retire. As soon as I can retire I'm outta here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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