The Timeline: News from Cartier, Breitling, Casio, Richard Mille & Vacheron Constantin
The watch manufacturers are not being lazy this summer, several different novelties have been released and we take a look at some of them here.
The watch manufacturers are not being lazy this summer, several different novelties have been released and we take a look at some of them here.
Text: Andreas Johansson
Cartier Tank Américaine returns – in an exclusive new guise
Some watches handle the passage of time without losing their soul, while others are refined in silence. The Cartier Tank Américaine belongs to the latter category, a model that is now making an unexpected comeback in an unusually exclusive version. The watch's case keeps the elongated shape that is significant for the Tank Américaine, originally inspired by the 1921 Tank Cintrée. The new model comes in a medium-large format with the measurements 44.4 mm in length, 24.4 mm in width and a thin profile of 8.6 mm. The case in platinum alternates between brushed sides and polished surfaces, which emphasises the softly curved "brancards" in line with the model's original spirit.
A particularly distinctive detail is Cartier's octagonal crown, a classic signature, which in this case is set with a faceted ruby instead of the traditional spinel or sapphire. The watch is water resistant down to 30 metres and manages to combine an elegant exterior with structural robustness.The model is delivered with a semi-matte blue alligator leather strap, together with an interchangeable folding clasp in grey gold, designed to be smoothly adapted to the wearer's style.
Breitling x Erling Haaland
We recently wrote an article about the collaboration between football and the watch industry and it did not take long before we got to see a new collaboration. Together with Breitling's brand ambassador and global football star Erling Haaland, the Chronomat Erling Haaland is now launched a limited edition of exclusive wristwatches with meteorite dials that symbolise Haaland's "extraterrestrial" talent.
The collection consists of two unique models:
Chronomat Automatic GMT: This model has a robust case in stainless steel with a platinum bezel, as well as a GMT hand in red gold. Erling Haaland's initials adorn the seconds hand and the back of the case is engraved with the text "ONE OF 500" and "Erling Haaland 9", surrounded by an engraving depicting Haaland in his characteristic goal gesture. The watch is available with a classic steel-linked rouleaux bracelet or a black rubber strap in rouleaux style.
Chronomat B01 42: This more exclusive version has a case in red gold and shows off Breitling's prestigious Manufacture Caliber 01 through a transparent back. Here too the engraving "ONE OF 250" and Haaland's number 9 are found. The watch carries his initials on the chronograph's seconds hand and is offered with either an 18k red gold bracelet in rouleaux design or a black rubber strap.
The collection combines Swiss craftsmanship with the world-star glamour of sport – a must for collectors and fans of both watches and football.
Read more at Breitling here.
Casio launches its first mechanical watch – Edifice EFK-100 Automatic
Casio, the Japanese brand that has made itself known the world over for its digital and quartz-driven watches, is now taking the step into a completely new category, affordable mechanical watches. With the launch of the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic series, Casio releases its very first automatic watch something that has never happened before during the company's almost 80-year history. Unlike these competitors in the same price class, Casio has never produced a watch with a mechanical movement, until now. The EFK-100 Automatic is aimed directly at the same market as popular models such as Citizen's Tsuyosa and similar entry-level models with an automatic movement. The same accessible price class, the same clean-lined sports watch.
The new model has nothing in common with Casio's classic digital 80s models or their iconic G-Shock series. Instead it is a part of the Edifice collection, a more traditional line of metal watches that have previously always been battery-driven. Design-wise it is a sportily elegant watch in classic Japanese style, with sharp lines, angled edges and an integrated link, a formula that demonstrably works. The case measures 39 mm in diameter and 43.5 mm in length (excluding the first link piece), which makes it both wearable and modern. The thickness lies at 12.4 mm, somewhat higher, but an accepted concession to keep the price down.
Read more at Casio here.
Richard Mille RM 33-03 – Technical masterpiece in sporty elegance
As with every creation in the Richard Mille collection, the RM 33-03 is proof of the uncompromising balance between elegance, technical innovation and ergonomics. This model unites advanced engineering with sophisticated aesthetics – and delivers it in an ultra-thin, sport-inspired format.
At the heart of the RM 33-03 sits the automatic and skeletonised movement RMXP3, a technical marvel that uses titanium in both the baseplate and the bridges. These components are treated with Titalyt® and black PVD, which gives them extreme rigidity and a perfectly flat surface – a technical challenge in itself, since thin parts otherwise easily deform from machining or temperature shifts. The result is a movement with uncompromising precision and durability. The watch shows hours, minutes, small seconds and date, and is driven by an off-centre placed monobloc rotor in platinum that winds the movement in both directions, optimised for maximum efficiency and balance between weight and volume.
The finish is just as impressive as the functionality. Every detail in the calibre is hand-worked with techniques such as sandblasting, microblasting, satin brushing and advanced chamfering. The high degree of skeletonisation creates a dynamic play between light and shadow – a visual experience that reinforces the feeling of depth and space in the movement.
Design-wise the RM 33-03 builds further on its predecessor, but with modernised shapes. The case is available in two high-tech materials: Carbon TPT® and grade 5 titanium, both extremely light, scratch resistant and visually distinct. The case is joined together with the brand's characteristic titanium screws, and measures 41.7 mm in diameter and only 9.7 mm in thickness, a thin and light format that sits comfortably on all wrists.
With the RM 33-03, Richard Mille continues to push the boundaries of modern watchmaking art where technical brilliance and clean-lined design go hand in hand in a watch created for the collectors of the future.
Read more at Richard Mille here.
Vacheron Constantin pays tribute to the starry sky with an exclusive watch series
Driven by the ultra-thin, self-winding movement Calibre 2160, Vacheron Constantin presents 12 extraordinary watches in the series Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Celestial. Each model is dedicated to a star sign, where the astrological symbolism is interpreted with a modern feel through traditional craftsmanship including hand-guilloché dials adorned with diamonds.
Since time immemorial mankind has been fascinated by the night's starry sky. The 12 constellations of the zodiac, which are found along the sun's apparent path across the sky seen from earth, carry a rich cultural and symbolic history from antiquity to today. Vacheron Constantin interprets these timeless symbols with exquisite precision and artistic skill.The technical heart in each watch is the tourbillon movement Calibre 2160, consisting of 188 parts and with a height of only 5.65 mm a clear proof of Vacheron Constantin's mastery within ultra-thin complications.
Read more at Vacheron here.
