Nadal’s Wristwear

The Richard Mille watch Rafael Nadal wears weighs just 20gms

Richard Mille Rafael Nadal

Just a few days back Rafael Nadal defeated David Ferrer and became the first ever tennis player to win two separate tournaments 6 or more times. At only 24, he has already won nine Grand Slams. No, this post is not on Nadal but what he wore on his wrist that day.  He was wearing a Richard Mille when he won the Barcelona Open. For he is the official ambassador of Richard Mille and was wearing RM027, one of the world’s lightest mechanical tourbillon wrist watches, weighing just 20 grams. It is especially designed for Nadal to allow him total freedom of movement on the tennis court.

Now, the company has launched its new model RM 035, also known as the Rafael Nadal Chronofiable watch. The watch is the first manual winding movement in the Richard Mille collection to have Chronofiable certification.
Chronofiable is an accelerated ageing test that stimulates normal wearing conditions with an intensity factor of about 8. This way, the reliability rate of a watch product is precisely evaluated and only the most resistant watches that survive various shocks, angular accelerations and thermal conditions, can get certification. Today the Chronofiable procedure is an essential step on the path to approval and qualification of the products of many manufacturers.
The RM 035 is made upon the same principles as RTM 027 Tourbillon. This is another super lightweight watch, with a movement weighing just 4,3 grams. The unusual and fully skeletonized core is treated with black PVD, relying on the caliber RMUL1, with 24 jewels and beating at 4Hz. The tonneau shaped case is signature Richard Mille, and is made of an ultra-light magnesium-aluminum alloy. This alloy is composed of 90% magnesium and 8.9% aluminium and helps keep the new RM 035 under 20 grams (including strap).

Victorinox’s Alliance

Victorinox’s 2011 Alliance roll out emphasizes fluidity and dynamism

Serious, sober, function-driven design using Swiss-made components and crafted materials of the highest caliber, that what the Victorinox Alliance Line is all about.

alliance chrono

The Alliance line has steadily evolved since its earliest incarnations. This year’s new Alliance rollout emphasizes fluidity and dynamism. The lyre-shaped watch horns are elongated. Dial styles reflect the spare, essentialist design philosophy: lacquered black but not glossy; silver, satin-finished, with a sunray effect subtly catching the light; or slate grey and matte-finished. Brand new is the presence of only three Arabic numerals on the dial face — at three, six and nine o’clock. Elsewhere, raised and sharp-edged markers indicate the hour. The date window is at six on the watch and angled between four and five on the chronograph. Soft leather for the strap or a classic bracelet in three-link steel, with alternating finishes or understated colour variants.

Available with black, charcoal grey and silver dials and  3-row alternating-finish steel bracelet or leather strap in black, charcoal grey and camel, Alliance Line is priced between Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000.

TAG watch on India F1

TAG  Heuer India’s Formula One Watch only 200 pieces

SRK launches F1 Watch

TAG Heuer, the worldwide leader in sports watches and chronographs, has tied up with the Buddh International Circuit, the venue of the first Formula One race in India.  With this TAG Heuer will gain exclusive rights in the watch category which grants it access to the branding, logo and image rights of the race track. Buddh International Circuit will see the launch of the first ever F1 in India on 30^th October 2011. F1 racing’s governing body, the FIA has tentatively indicated the inclusion of the Indian Grand Prix for October 2011, subject to homologation of the circuit.

Announcing the tie-up, Shah Rukh Khan, TAG Heuer Brand Ambassador, said, “I am very excited to be a part of the brand’s celebration of its motor racing heritage. We hope to bring a lot of motor racing excitement to TAG Heuer customers through this very special watch as well as other exciting events to follow during the course of the year. The 5.14km long Buddh International Circuit has been designed by world renowned German architect and racetrack designer, Herman Tilke, who has also designed other world class race circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, Indonesia, the UAE, South Africa, South Korea and the US. It has been designed as one of the fastest, most exciting motor racing circuits in the world. The track’s combination of 16 corners, high- speed straights and dramatic changes in elevation have been designed to provide ample opportunities for overtaking, which is what makes motor racing exciting.

tag heuer Carrera F1 India

To commemorate the tie up, TAG Heuer has announced the launch of 200 pieces “India limited edition” watch. This numbered limited edition has been adorned with the logo of the racing circuit in striking India colors – Orange and Green. The presence of the circuit map on the dial adds to the thrill of the TAG Heuer fans as well as car racing lovers. The Buddh International Circuit logo and map have been placed on the dial at 9 ’o clock and the chronograph hand along with the thread stitching on the leather strap is in India saffron colors. It provides a fresh, enthusiastic appeal and captures the soul of TAG Heuer which is innovation, prestige, performance and precision.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Tachymeter Chronograph has been chosen for this very special Limited Edition of 200 watches. The 200 piece limited edition will be available for sale in September end this year. TAG Heuer will soon initiate a booking procedure for the limited edition watches.

Alchron now in watch

Zenith’s El Primero Stratos Flyback  is made of black Alchron, a high tech material used so far only in aeronautical industry

el primero startos flyback

Zenith has launched its El Primero Stratos Flyback, which is made of black Alchron, a high tech material that was specifically developed for the aeronautical industry and for automobile racing, the same is now being used in watch-making. Its magnetic permeability is 50 times lower than that of steel. This material is also especially resistant to corrosion and boasts of very impressive mechanical characteristics.

Before being integrated into the design of the El Primero Stratos, the Alchron was subjected to a battery of tests: its corrosion-resistance was tested in saline mists, tropical climates and artificial perspiration were simulated, and its impact-resistance was tested with a pendulum striker. It goes without saying that the true goal of these tests was to provide the high-precision El Primero caliber with the best high-strength alloy technology available. The watch implements the movement with 36’000 vibrations per hour. It has an automatic column-wheel chronograph with a power reserve indicator.

The watch is available with a steel case and black dial on a black alligator-leather and metal strap; with black Alchron case and black dial on a black alligator-leather strap; with two-tone black Alchron and pink-gold case and black dial on a black alligator-leather strap.

Available at Chennai: Helvetica, Spencer Plaza,T: 28490013, New Delhi: Johnson Watch Co. (C.P.,T: 41513121 – Johnson Watch Co. (South Ex.) T: 24642255, Mumbai: Times of Lord, Kemps Corner T: 23695254, Swiss Paradise Luxury Timepieces Borivali T: 28980507, Mumbai-400092, Kolkata: The Prime, Luxury Watch Boutique, Forum Mall,T: 22837185

RJ’s Steampunk

RJ’s Steampunk is no holds- barred model

steampunk

A timepiece named Steampunk. Yes, you read it right and it comes from The House of  Romain Jerome.

This explosive of a wrist watch is expressed through polished steel paws, pistons and Roman numerals, design becomes a powerful weapon of conviction in this no-holds-barred model. The entirely dial-free Steampunk is housed within a 50 mm-diameter case providing unobstructed views of the sturdy, rigorously constructed mechanism that naturally commands respect and is held in place by four screwed-down pistons symbolising the RJ’s signature “X” motif.

Imbued with the Steampunk inspiration, the Roman XII and VI numerals are left “raw” and coloured according to the model. These vigorous aesthetic codes energise the upper bridge satin-brushed or circular-grained, depending on the model, by the watchmaking craftsmen at RJ. Faithfully reflecting the inimitable Titanic-DNA style, the small seconds is distinguished by its stand-out propeller shape.  The Steampunk features an impressive ability to integrate and optimise the signature features of the DNA collection. With a bezel in stabilized oxidised steel secured by four polished steel claws, the Steampunk both appeals and reassures.

The oxidised steel comes from the extraordinary fusion of authentic steel from the wrecked ocean liner lying 3,840mts. below the water, and that supplied by the Harland & Wolff shipyard inBelfast, where the Titanic was built almost a century ago. A notarized certificate authenticates the origin of the materials used. Available in black PVD-coated or red gold versions, depending on the model, the watch is limited to only 2012 pieces.

Available at : Swiss Paradise Luxury Timepieces T: +91 022 28980507, Watches of Switzerland, T: +91 022 26402511; Jot Impex Pvt. Ltd. T: +91 011 2569 2255 / +91 98102 70199