16-02-11

NEW BLOG

this blog is transferred to

http://belgowatch.blogspot.com/

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11-04-07

BLOG CHANGED TO AN OTHER SERVER

Hi visitor, I have changed this blog to an other server, you can find the updated version on >>>>

*** B E L G O W A T C H***

13-03-07

PANERISTI MEETING FLORENCE MARCH 2007

Here's my report on my visit to Florence Italy for the PANERAI exhibition 1997-2007

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and here comes a preview on the new models for 2007

a tourbillon

a 10 days movement

a monopousoir

a submersible with depth gauge

a ceramic radiomir

13-02-07

WISHLIST 2007

OK SO HERE'S MY PRELIMINARY WISHLIST FOR 2007

THE RICHARD LANGE

THE F.P.JOURNE CHRONOMETRE SOUVERAIN

THE JLC EXTREME WORLD ALARM

THE IWC DOPPELCHRONO CERAMIC 'TOP GUN'

THE HOMMAGE WATCH TO RICHARD LANGE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION ON THE LAST BASEL 2006 FAIR

The watch is a homage to Richard Lange, the eldest son of Aldophe and whose creative mind gave rise to numerous interesting horological features in Lange watches, including a patent for the alloy for the balance spring. As the enthusiasts know, for a long while, there was only one supplier to the nivarox spring, but a few years ago, due to development efforts of Lange as well as a few other manufactures, Nivarox is no longer the sole supplier to the industry. This watch features such a spring. (if the reader remembers, the first Lange to feature this was the Double Split)

THE CHRONOMÈTRE SOUVERAIN
The stunning simplicity of a high-precision wristwatch.

Stripped down for performance, the Chronomètre Souverain shows the versatility of François-Paul Journe’s style in the antithesis of complicated watchmaking.

The new model, inspired by early 19th-century marine chronometry, reveals Journe at the top of his craft in two superbly executed horological illusions.

On the dial, Journe achieves a pleasing balance and harmony by altering the size and boldness of the numerals. It is done so neatly that the trick is not immediately apparent.

Through the display back, the balance and escapement are mysteriously detached from the movement, beating without apparent motive power. Journe has put the connecting train under the dial, leaving only the centre wheel to emphasise the isolation of the balance.

The manually wound, 21,600v/h movement in 18-carat gold baseplates and bridges shows why the simplest mechanisms are often the most attractive. Twin barrels, in the classic configuration of precision watches, work in parallel to deliver stable power for much of their 50-hour indicated reserve.

The 1998 F.P. Journe free-sprung chronometer balance with inertia adjustment on four opposing weights, is dynamically adjusted in six positions, with the emphasis on constancy of rate.

F.P. Journe designs his watches from the dial down, paying for looks with mechanical ingenuity. Placing the power-reserve indicator in its least favourable position on the dial meant its mechanism had to co-exist with the winding apparatus.

The 13-ligne movement fits into a 40mm diameter case in platinum or red gold, water-resistant to 3ATM.

The Chronomètre Souverain demonstrates all the ingenuity and discipline of real horology, and in it, François-Paul Journe displays his skill in devising strikingly original features that draw attention, not to themselves, but to the beauty of the timepiece as a whole.

SPECIFICATIONS
Dial: Silver. Hobnail pattern guilloché in the centre. Moiré finish in small-seconds subdial and power-reserve sector. Satined chapter ring. Blued-steel hands.
Movement: Manually wound, 13 lignes x 3.7mm, 21,600 v/h, F.P. Journe free-sprung chronometer balance. Twin barrels in parallel giving 50 hours power reserve (indicated). Mystery balance with going-train under the dial. L’THE CHRONOMÈTRE SOUVERAIN
The stunning simplicity of a high-precision wristwatch.

For each watch its own watchmaker

It is hardly surprising to learn that the team of watchmakers are driven by a shared motivation: a return to a full-fledged watchmaker's work. In an increasingly segmented industry, few watchmakers have the opportunity to create a watch from start to finish and even less are able to follow its destiny. In the workshops of François-Paul Journe, the watchmakers who have chosen to associate with him are all inspired by a common purpose: to pursue their training and hone their skills by working with new, exclusive and technically innovative calibres. All are keenly aware that more new introductions will be forthcoming and that technical challenges and learning experiences will be their daily lot. Each watchmaker is responsible for making a specific watch, according to his professional affinities and above all his technical sensitivity. His mission will be to perform all stages in assembling the watch: fitting the exclusive F.P.Journe movement, the often delicate rating process, casing-up and testing before submitting it to the "boss" for an ultimate check. Much like a cardiologist, a watchmaker becomes acquainted with the slightest reactions and vagaries of the mechanism which are so inherent in mechanical watches. Somewhat like a "godfather", if one considers the design-engineer as the father, he becomes responsible for each watch for the guarantee period following purchase.

Each stage is carefully recorded and enables a precise review of all the watchmaker's gestures. It is a real privilege for these passionately dedicated watchmakers to follow the career of the watches they make. Each of them carries with it the secret of the number of hours the watchmaker has spent with it and thus acquires a unique dimension. It is imbued with the sense of companionship of which only its "godfather" can bring back the memories when meeting it at a later date. If necessary, he will find the means to restore his protégé to its initial radiance and ensure that its heart is as young as when they first parted !

http://www.fpjourne.com/

jlc

The JLC Extreme World Alarm with a new movement Kaliber 912

if they ever deliver it on the continent the IWC Kaliber 79230 Ceramic Doppelchrono

26-01-07

Belgian watchlovers GTG

A report of the Belgian meet and greet on the 10th Feb. in Sint-Katelijne-Waver

28 watch enthusiasts in one room gives you enough talk for a great evening !!

14-01-07

PANERAI TRIPIDI 2007

A picture of the 3 Pams I own for the moment

21-12-06

AN OTHER PASSION

Usual this site is about watches, but here's an other passion of me !!

ALL ABOUT MY NEW AUDI Q7 click here

19-12-06

PAM 243 SUBMERSIBLE 1000M

IT FINALLY ARRIVED !!

IF YOU WANT BIGGER PICS CLICK ON THE IMAGE

IN 12/06

26-09-06

P-day 5

THIS ONE IS DEFINATELY GOING TO REJOIN MY COLLECTION

Here's a little photoreport on the annual p-day meeting, held this time in Munich Germany on 30/9/06, we first had a visit in the WEMPE shop, with a preview on the new models coming up, and afterwards a meet and greet dinner at the 'Oktoberfest' the most biggest beerfest in the world !!

21-08-06

A VISIT ON THE AMERIGO VESPUCCI, ITALIAN NAVY TRAINING SHIP

HERE'S A LITTLE REPORT ON THE VISIT OF SOME BELGIAN PANERISTI ON THE "AMERIGO VESPUCCI", THE SHIP VISITED THE PORT OF ANTWERP FOR THE "TALL SHIPS RACE"

08-08-06

COLLECTION STATUS ON AUGUST 2006

THIS IS THE ACTUAL COLLECTION I HAVE ON AUGUST 2006, like you can see it's a bit of everything.....now the only thing is,...didn't God created 7 days in a week....???

29-07-06

ZENITH PORT ROYAL CONCEPT TITANIUM

The Zenith Port Royal Concept was on my mind since it was presented last year, the only thing holding me against was the outrageous list price of 15500 €, you clearly have to see the normal version and the concept next to each other to know what the difference is, and I can tell you the dial of the concept is uncomparable to the steel version!!, luckely I had the chance to pick it up at a more decent price than list!
IN 07/06
MORE ON THE ZENITH PORT ROYAL CONCEPT
AND HERE
El Primero on the move. Here is a creation of quite extraordinary complexity: the first self-winding chronograph calibre with an oscillating weight rotating on a centrally positioned ball bearing, and with all the parts and complications perfectly integrated. It was in March 1969 that it made its première appearance, after more than five years of design and preliminary work. The handsomely scaled calibre has thirteen diameter lines, i.e. 30 mm for a slim 6.50 mm thickness, or 7.55 mm for the instantaneous changeover triple date version. The movement has a column wheel and classical reset hammers and to this day is still the finest on the market. It is also the most accurate of all movements. The glucydur balance wheel combined with a flat spiral spring made from top quality non-magnetic self-compensating Anachron oscillates at a rate of 36 000 vibrations per hour, to produce chronometer measurements accurate to one-tenth of a second. The movement is not affected by any sudden changes or magnetic fields, and has the best long-term timing ratio in its category. The movement is comprised of 354 parts, and in the most complicated version 277 of these are different parts. There are 41 screws, plus 31 jewels; over fifty different points have to be oiled using ten different grades of lubricant (including four dry lubricants for the high-performance escapement) for the simple version, and another 38 points for the main plate of the triple date mechanism.This truly wondrous movement requires a total of nine months work, involves between five and fifty separate operations per part, some fifty milling procedures at different points on the dial side and 77 milling procedures on the bridges side. More than eighteen different metals are used to make one movement, combined with the devotion of more than twenty specialist watchmakers dedicated to their daily work. Such complexity as found in El Primero, the movement created by ZENITH, must surely have a soul.

21-07-06

JUST LIKE THAT

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16-05-06

RICHARD LANGE

THE HOMMAGE WATCH TO RICHARD LANGE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION ON THE LAST BASEL 2006 FAIR

With 199 parts, and 26 jewels, this is a beautiful movement. The Richard Lange Homage measures 40.5mm at the case, and is availalbe in YG, PG, and Platinum

A.LANGE & SOHNE WEBSITE

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12-05-06

THE TIME TV

THE TIME TV, WATCHMAKING BROADBAND TELEVISION, the first television dedicated to the world of watches, broadcasting worldwide exclusive and undisclosed contents provided by the different brands on some of the most prestigious timepieces ever created

CLICK HERE TO GET CONNECTED TO The TIME TV

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14-04-06

THE AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE STEEL BRACELET

LATEST ARRIVAL IN 04/06

launched in 1972 and Royal Oak Offshore watches, introduced in 1993, water-resistant to depth of 100 metres and designed for extreme sports.Crafting Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore cases calls for more than 250 successive operations including all types of hand-made finish: bevelling, lapping, polishing, brushing, sandblasting and circular-graining.Initially introduced in steel, representing a revolution in the world of luxury watches, the cases of the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore are currently made from a wide variety of metals, some of which originate from the latest research in the aeronautical and spatial industries.

Around its legendary octagonal dial, eight visible white gold screws hold together the bezel, the exclusive water-resistance gasket and the case-back and middle. The crown and pushpieces on the Royal Oak Offshore are protected by a rubber guard and the metal bracelets are assembled by hand. Models in this collection are equipped with a dozen or so different calibres

History of a name

September 6, 1651: Charles II, future King of England, was overthrown by Cromwell's troops. He found shelter in the boughs of an oak, which was thenceforth referred to as “Royal Oak” and became a symbol of protection, security and power for England.

History of a shape

Through the years, the British navy has christened four ships with the name “HMS Royal Oak”. One of them was equipped with an oak bottom reinfoced with steel sheets and featured octagon-shaped gun ports.

09-04-06

THE WISH LIST 2006

MY WISH LIST 2006, MOSTLY DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY WILL HIT THE STORES !!

THE ETERNA KONTIKI DIVER CONCEPT

THE PANERAI 243 SUBMERSIBLE 1000 M 1950

THE ZENITH PORT ROYAL CONCEPT

THE AUDEMARS PIGUET ROO BARICELLO II IN TITANIUM

08-04-06

MY NEW WATCHES WEBLOG

HAVE ALSO A LOOK AT MY NEW WATCHBLOG CALLED BELGOWATCH 2 !!!BELGOWATCH 2 new weblog

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26-03-06

ZENITH PORT ROYAL CONCEPT WATCH

The Port Royal Open Concept. A very sporty look with strong lines that exude virility. A true expression of modernity: the chassis is robust and the lines are clearcut. Through the open dial one can see the powerful engine, the chronograph movement of El Primero. A high tech range, sleek in profile, urban with its architectural lines, will appeal to strong personalities.

«I designed Port Royal in New York. I had in mind a steel bridge and I started drawing its curved profile. Then I looked at the jungle of skyscrapers and I created the dial in a chequered pattern like the front of a building. Finally, I listened to the vibrations of the city and it made me want to give it a soul», says Thierry Nataf, CEO and Artistic Director of ZENITH. The state-of-the-art design of the case holds the best performing chronograph movement, the El Primero, with the power of its 36,000 vibrations. Through the open dial, one can see the movement of the bridges and wheels of the escapement. Under the bonnet of this Formula 1 watch nestles the best caliber with harmonic plates capable of absorbing the shock waves of the vibrations produced by this high-speed engine, the fastest chronograph movement in the world!

The standard model comes in a deep black or white metallic case with straps made of organic rubber or black alligator. The range offers two sizes: apart from the XXT model there is a more compact sports version for the smaller wrists. The push buttons are ergonomic and the geometric guilloche pattern on the dial is repeated on the rotor. The pointed cones, the power reserve indicator in a fan-shape and the sculptured numerals add the final touch. The result overwhelms all expectations: leading-edge technology inside a luxury body.

Amazing: it is a very manly watch. But Thierry Nataf and the engineers at ZENITH wanted to go even further: somewhere at the crossroads of imagination, creative passion and technology, they invented the Concept watch, a combination of shadows and light, a strong structure made with innovative materials: a true vision of the future.

What is the future? It is space, hence transparency. Lightness combined with absolute strength. That is why the case of the Port Royal Concept is made of titanium, an alloy shaped by man’s hand, a dark grey metal with an atomic structure which has a unique physical strength. As strong as steel but 45% lighter, anti-allergic and biocompatible. Its name comes from Titan, son of Heaven and Earth in the Greek mythology. The TR90 used in the dial is a material derived from space technology, translucent, thus creating an impression of depth, whilst through a trompe-l’oeil effect the numerals appear to be raised. Thanks to the visible screws and wheels in cobalt blue, the watch can be regulated from the outside. The strap is formed in carbon and Kevlar and has a tensile strength of more than 250 kilos.

As a result, the Port Royal Concept is the precise meeting point between the strength of a high-tech futuristic structure and power in a raw state. It is revolutionary, post-modern, definitely ZENITH.

17-03-06

THE PANERAI LIMITED EDITIONS TRIPIDI

The PVD 195, The Marina Militare and the Arktos

23-02-06

JLC EXTREME SNOW

The JLC Extreme on my skitrip in Austria !!!

31-01-06

THE INHOUSE TRIPIDI

The 3 inhouse movement watches I have in my collection,
from left; Jaeger Le Coultre Extreme World Chrono, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore and the Girard Perregaux Seahawk II Pro

18-01-06

MIKE HORN EXPEDITION NEWS

Follow the exploits of MIKE HORN on his new expedition, again sponsored by PANERAI

08-01-06

MY PHOTOBLOG

HAVE ALSO A LOOK AT MY PHOTOBLOG !!!

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01-01-06

JAEGER LE COULTRE EXTREME WORLD CHRONO

IN 01/06

This one arrived a bit unexpected on the last day of 2005, a masterpiece of technique is hidden in this watch, read all about it in earlier info

MORE PICS OF THE EXTREME

10-12-05

JAEGER LE COULTRE EXTREME WORLD CHRONO

As one would expect of a watch bearing such a name, the Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph displays the time in each of its time zones on a disc controlled by a double-pronged hand which completes a rotation every 24 hours.
The Manufacture’s designers have endowed the generously proportioned case with patented features including compression keys and the chronograph push-buttons, while its engineers have contributed a new anti-shock device which considerably attenuates the effects of vibrations and other disturbances on the smooth running of the watch.
In all sporting disciplines, prowess is as much a matter of technique as it is of physical strength.
The exceptional 72-hour power reserve further increases the watch’s reliability, so that its happy owner can rest assured that the information provided by his Master Compressor Chronograph will be of exemplary accuracy.

When you’re pushing yourself to new limits on the track or slope, there’s no time for shillyshallying. Starting the chronograph immediately sets the central second hand on its course around the dial. There is not the slightest hesitation: the pointer begins to make its circuit without first observing that momentary pause unhappily characteristic of so many other chronographs.
The reason for the superior operation of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new chronographs lies in their use of a vertical coupling rather than the more traditional lateral version.

This new calibre combines durability and precision to an unprecedented degree. The new calibre’s ceramic ball bearings enjoy the precious advantage of needing no lubrication. This may seem a minor detail to the uninitiated, but when one is aware of the problems caused by the presence of lubricants over time, the value of such an innovation is by no means insignificant.
The regulation of the movement’s functioning is achieved in this new calibre by adjusting the inertia of the large balance by means of four adjustable screws on its felly. Not only is the watch’s accuracy thereby improved; in addition, its sensitivity to the impacts and shocks received as a matter of course in everyday life is reduced. In the Manufacture’s new chronograph movement, the balance-spring is laser-welded at either end to the collet and the stud. The use of a laser makes it possible to prevent any damage to the metal in the course of the welding by reducing overheating. The gain in stability thus obtained is also accompanied by a gain in precision and by increased resistance, which prevents any damage to the balance-spring in case of shock.

A technical innovation: compression buttons.One of the most distinctive features of these new models is the presence of two compression buttons, located respectively at two and four o’clock on the case. The Manufacture’s master-watchmakers are incapable of conceiving of a marvellous new solution to an age-old problem without immediately foreseeing that it might one day be superseded by an even more advanced one.
The Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph turns to face the whole world. It displays the time in each of its time zones on a disc controlled by a two-pronged hand which completes a revolution every 24 hours.While it is well known that shocks are the arch-enemies of precision in mechanical watches, fewer people are aware that equally detrimental effects on the mechanism’s functioning result from vibrations. Subtler but no less pernicious, these are difficult to prevent. However, the master-watchmakers and engineers of Jaeger-Le Coultre have just perfected a revolutionary device designed to prevent everyday vibrations and shocks from affecting the functioning of the mechanism. The Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph is a beneficiary of this innovation.

Its titanium case is laid on a two-part base composed of a shaft for the lower part and a bezel for the upper part which together keep the movement’s casing in place. Furthermore, the Manufacture’s engineers have provided them with a shock-absorbing system: this device absorbs the energy from the vibrations and shocks received by the glass and shaft and considerably lessens their effects on the running of the watch.

There’s no time for procrastination when you need to change straps. For the first time in the history of the Manufacture, the Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph comes with two interchangeable straps, one of which is made of rubber. The provision of two straps might seem frivolous if it weren’t accompanied by an innovative device which makes instantaneous changeover possible: all you have to do is press a button in the back of the case and the pin is released. The fitting of the new strap is achieved rapidly and securely thanks to the provision of a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism. Appropriately in place of a folding clasp, the rubber strap is fastened by means of a buckle.