Watchismo Times: retro

Showing posts with label retro. Show all posts

Friday, December 4, 2009

Tag Heuer Silverstone Reissue - A Very Faithful Reintroduction of the Stunning 1974 Chronograph

The original vintage 1970s Heuer silverstone

Two and a half years ago, I issued a "Reissue Wish" from Tag Heuer (as seen here), having no idea if I had any influence on them, the reintroduction of the Heuer Silverstone Calibre 11 Chronograph has just been announced. And here they are...

Although it appears that I was correct when stating that the original dial color (shown at very top) has not exactly been replicated. It kills me that I sold all my Silverstone collection years ago, the new models are going to cost around $6500 each.

From one of the original seventies Heuer catalogs

Thanks to the super cool watch blog Perpetuelle for taking note of my long lost post!
For more detailed information about this release, visit Calibre 11

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Retrowerk Watches Riveted Piston Pumping Portholed Multi-Level Jump Hour Retrograde Watches of Germany - Affordable and High Quality Steampunk Watches

In the past, I've written about high end masterpieces like Vianney Halter's Antiqua (starting at $50,000 and up) and the artistic horology concept watches of Haruo Suekichi, but it was only a matter of time before affordable Jules Vernesque timepieces were made for those who want to actually own a high quality Steampunk wristwatch. Yes, the term has worn out its welcome but the look is timeless nevertheless -- and how can a riveted porthole watch not be cool?

The brand is Retrowerk of Germany and below, I photographed their off-the-wall collection wristwatches with elements of brass and steel pistons, portholes, rivets, compasses, revolving jump hour discs, screwcap crown covers, chains, automatic rotor mechanisms, and of course, many cogs and gears. The prices range from $429 to $1098 USD.

The first is the Compass Jump Hour, an extreme multi-leveled timepiece with a partial dial with three discs for hours, minutes and seconds. Protruding up like a periscope is the compass under thick "coke bottle" type glass, almost as if there is a submarine cruising inside your wrist. The automatic winding version utilizes a Swiss ETA 2824 mechanical movement.

Protrusions are a reoccuring theme with Retrowerk - the Piston (above), with namesake piston mechanism-screwcap crown cover and riveted watch case. As I attempt to showcase in my photos far below, each angle of the watch is mechanically sculptural and borders on satisfyingly absurd. Automatic version also features a Swiss ETA 2824 movement.

Side-view of Retrowerk Compass Watch

Full-frontal view

Jump Hour display and raised compass

Sideways

Screw-cap detatched exposing crown

Extreme view

The Retrowerk Piston

Piston Crown Cap

Riveted Piston Case

Piston mechanism

Additional views of the Piston

Rivets Rivets Rivets!

A third model features a retrograde display for 24 hour GMT time zone.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Look at Legendary LEDs of Lloyd's Large Collection

Video-->Link

With the recent release of the $350,000 Opus 8 ->(link) and the de Grisogono Meccanico dG ->(link) with their mechanically mimicked LED digits, I wanted to also share this video and photos from the collection of UK LED collector, Lloyd "Theledwatch". He was recently featured on Antiques Roadshow (see video above) where he shared some of the best examples of early 1970s digital light emitting diode watches like the Pulsar Hamilton P1, Girard Perregaux Casquette, Omega Time Computer and my one-of-a-kind favorites by the Royal designer Andrew Grima.

Some highlights of Lloyd's collection including the rarest and most valuable vintage digital LED watches of the seventies; (text also from theledwatch.com)

The Hewlett Packard HP-01 LED Watch calculator was a marvel of miniaturization and intelligent design. It was HP's first watch and their first small algebraic calculator but it was more than just a wristwatch and a calculator in the same package.

It combined them to do things that neither could do alone. Its user interface combined the best of both worlds. For example, to change time zones, the user displayed the time, added or subtracted the appropriate amount and stored the result.

Three styles of the Hewlett Packard HP-01 Calculator Watches

In the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's, Andrew Grima was commissioned by various members of the British and Scandinavian Royal family including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, to make various items of jewelry.

Mr. Grima's work is very highly sought after and collectors pay many thousands of pounds for his rare and beautiful pieces.. During the 70's his work was sold in an exclusive gallery in Knightsbridge (LONDON) and would range form many thousands to a million pounds plus.

Another one-of-a-kind Grima LED!

The rarest calculator watch by Uranus

Girard Perregaux's perfectly designed sideview "Casquette"

GP Casquette in Macrolon (also avail in gold)

The first solar powered watch by Synchronar
Invented by Roger Riehl in the late sixties
(Read previous post about history of Solar watches-->Link)

Rare Synchronar Ad for Women

Roger Tallon's original 1975 asymmetric LIP Mach 2000 models
(above and below)

The first electronic digital watches on the market by Hamilton-Pulsar

1973 Pulsar P2 for Tiffany & Co.

The ultra-rare Pulsar P1 in solid 18k
Only a few dozen in circulation valued at around $20k

Pulsar Calculator watches in steel and solid gold
The original 18k models sold for $3950.00 in 1975

Original Pulsar Advertising

Before going under in 1978, Pulsar introduced their very rare "Greenie"

1973 Omega TC-1 in solid 18k gold

1975 Longines LED

1976 Breitling Navitimer
(only produced one year before the LCD version)

Very rare Benrus "Pop-Up" LED Sideview
(case physically pops up when button is pressed and time is displayed)

Visit Lloyd's site-->Link

See Other Related Vintage & Modern Digital Watch Posts;
One-of-a-kind LEDs of Andrew Grima
History of LED Calculator Watches
History of Dynamic Scattering LCD
History of Solar LED Watches
$350,000 Opus 8 Mechanical Digital
Mechanico Mechanical Digital of de Grisogono
LED-LCD Watch Combos
Zenith Analog/Digital Hybrid
Other Analog-Digital Posts
Alternative Displays
All Digital Watch Posts
All LED Watch Related Posts

Friday, March 28, 2008

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto - The Vintage Tin Robot Inspired "Mr. Roboto" Prototype from Azimuth

I doubt Styx will be performing their nightmarishly bad 80s classic "Mr. Roboto" in Basel for the unveiling of the Azimuth's new timepiece but I'm sure they could use a gig...

Mr Roboto - Azimuth’s Hallmark Creation from the Mecha–1 BMF Collection

The Revival of the Tin Robot Generation

Fans of the vintage tin robot era can now embrace their fantasy of robotic warrior literally and get their first chance to see Azimuth’s Mr Roboto, prototype watch of the World’s First tin robot concept of the 1950s.

Vintage 50s Lantern Tin Robots

Decades after World War II saw a proliferation of battery-operated tin robots. Originated from Japan, these whimsical creations demonstrate notions of human behavior. Their flying sparks and mechanical gestures captured the imagination of not just children but adults around the globe. Almost half a century later, original and replica tin robot toys have become a collector’s item.

The design of Mr Roboto was inspired by the Lantern Robot of the 1950s. Azimuth’s designers show that a timepiece’s practical functionality does not have to take a back seat to aesthetic visual designs. Witness the perfect marriage of ingenious design and user-friendly functions, this good-looker is set to be a head-turner at this year’s Basel show. A unique timepiece that transcends time, Mr Roboto aims to revive the passion of the tin robot generation of enthusiasts and enduring science fiction lovers.

Mr Roboto’s visual appeal embodies the full-flavor revival of vintage tin robotic spaceman. The placements lend for easy reading and a radical tin robot visual appearance. The left ‘eye’ is the hour register, right ‘eye’ comes with GMT indication, the nose region joint with the mouth region are the seconds and retrograde minutes placements respectively. Mr Roboto is powered by a modified ETA 2836-2 movement. The robust case is forged out of hardy steel blocks with a warm touch of bevelled edges at the sides of the tonneau shaped timepiece.

True to the name Azimuth, which means route taken by a traveller, Mr Roboto adds to the Azimuth’s Mecha-1 BMF collection of watches which is a synergy of avant-garde design and industrial machismo.

Listed international retail price for the iconic Mr Roboto watch is approximately 4,800.00 Swiss Francs ($4,800). Mr Roboto is available from September 2008.

Specifications:
Movement: ETA 2836-2 Modified Automatic Winding; 25 Jewels
Functions: GMT function; Hours register, Retrograde Minutes, Seconds

Case: 316L stainless steel with Torx drive cheese head tamper resistant screws, Bevelled edges at the sides of the tonneau shaped watch. Magnified hours and GMT functions in the form of convex ‘eyes’,

Dimension 43mm x 50mm with 24mm lugs. Water resistant to 50 meters.

via Timezone