Chanel Premiere Watches: Racing Form

One of this year s most anticipated new watches is not, strictly speaking, new. The sturdy Royal Oak Offshore series by Audemars Piguet, which debuted in 1993, has experienced a resurgence in popularity because of a recent string of exceptional limited editions. With this year s entrant, dedicated replica chanel watches to Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya, the company further demonstrates that it has a talent for creating thematic designs that are as compelling as its innovative mechanisms.

The verbosely titled Juan Pablo Montoya Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ($17,900 to $60,000) has undergone more extensive design updates than any of the previous Offshore limited editions (including the Alinghi and the T3), allowing it to pull ahead of the pack of commemorative automotive racing watches. We decided from the start that we were not going to simply add a touch of red on the dial and call it a racing watch, says Audemars Piguet CEO Georges-Henri Meylan. The modifications include several suggestions from Juan Pablo, who was very specific about what he wanted to see.

Immediately apparent is the prominent use of carbon fiber on the Royal Oak s signature octagonal bezel and pushers, clearly announcing the piece s Formula One connection. The design of the bezel screws is reminiscent of those on an F/1 engine, and the rotor visible through the caseback is a miniature replica of a clutch. Audemars Piguet has also dressed the strap with stitching similar to that on racing suits and a lining made from alcantara, a microfiber material used for Juan Pablo Montoya s steering wheel covers and seats.

The Montoya is also remarkable for the burgeoning demand it has generated well before its official October launch date. The majority of the 1,600 pieces divided among titanium, rose gold, and platinum versions will be allocated to Europe and the Far East, where Formula One racing is most popular. Such constraints will likely make this timepiece even more difficult to acquire in the United States than the massive T3. Audemars Piguet seems to have a knack for creating interesting watches, and the word seems to be spreading with each new model, says Mark Udell, owner of Long Island s London Jewelers.

Audemars Piguet s golden touch with limited editions is evidence of the brand s renewed design vitality. So even if you cannot get your hands on a Montoya, you might want to stay tuned to see what is coming around the bend.

FrontRunners: Split Personality

The movement of the new Lange Double Split from A. Lange & S?hne (310.317.9852, www.lange-uhren.com) is so stunning that it is tempting to wear the watch with the transparent caseback facing up. A true delight for a mechanical-watch purist, this piece is one of the most technically advanced rattrapante chronographs (a watch capable of recording intermediate or split times, such as those for different legs of a race). Most rattrapante models can record split times of 60 seconds or less. The Double Split ($97,800), however, can track split times of as long as 30 minutes because of the additional split hands on the minute subdial. Lange also has developed a disengagement mechanism to prevent the loss of efficiency that plagues most rattrapante chronographs when the split hand is stopped.

While aficionados will be fascinated by the movement s technical artistry, they will find playing with the three pushers and seven hands hard to resist, ensuring that this piece will be worn right side up.

FrontRunners: Ancient Mariner

A number of watch companies are channeling Jacques Cousteau this year, including Blancpain, which has introduced a 50th-anniversary limited edition of its pioneering Fifty Fathoms watch. The original, which made some well-documented descents with Cousteau in the 1950s, set the standard for nearly every http://www.qualitywatchesbuy.com/top-replica-chanel-j12-watches.html underwater watch since replica chanel premiere with its luminescent and, most important, unidirectional rotating bezel. The new model, offered in three series, each limited to 50 pieces ($14,500), has been modernized with a new automatic movement and an interchangeable bracelet and rubber strap. However, Blancpain has retained the classic look made memorable in such Cousteau films as The Silent World much to the delight of armchair divers everywhere.

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