First revealed before the Baselworld 2012 trade show, the Heritage Pilot was reissued in an even more appealing version. Although, with a total production run of 1883 pieces (just like the older model), the Alpina Heritage Pilot Limited Edition (Ref. AL-435LB4SH6) shouldn’t be touted as a “limited” edition (there will be just too many of them in circulation for the model to become a rarity in any reasonable time), it still deserves our attention for the sheer beauty of it.
50 mm
Alpina Heritage Pilot Hand-Wound Limited Edition (Ref. AL435B4SH6)
Presented during the Baselworld 2012 event, the limited edition Alpina Heritage Pilot (Ref. AL-435B4SH6) features the same easily recognizable styling of their “aviators,” but is now equipped with a nicely decorated hand-wound movement, which is protected from accidents with a solid “hunter” caseback cover.
Nautica NMX 650 200M Quartz Diver
Despite its somewhat toy-like appearance, the new Nautica NMX 650 (ref. N18633G) diver may be a nice choice for those looking for an inexpensive beater that can be used as a diving companion.
Marvin Malton M160 Rectangle Flying Hour
The new Marvin Malton M160 Rectangle Flying Hour (ref. M024.14.41.64) looks great. But why isn’t it powered by a mechanical movement? Perhaps, the answer is that someone at Marvin wants to believe that two quartz calibers are actually better than just one self-winding movement. On the other hand, a pair of quartz calibers plus a mechanical movement (yes, I’m talking about the 2010 Dussert Tri-Zone DW400 GMT) could be even better.
Rodania Linius Automatic
The 2011 Rodania Linius brings to the table the time-proven automatic movement, which is packed inside an interesting-looking stainless steel body. The movement in question is the good old ETA 2824-2 self-winding blank caliber: the usual suspect when it comes to choosing an engine to power a relatively inexpensive timekeeper when having a “Swiss Made” inscription on a dial is a must.
Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Astroregulateur W1556211
With the 2015 Rotonde de Cartier Astroregulateur (ref. W1556211) limited edition, Cartier has found yet another, maybe even more effective, way of combating the problem of gravity affecting the accuracy of mechanical movements. The solution is as simple as it is ingenious.
Richard Mille Automatic RM 030 with Declutchable Rotor
During the SIHH 2011 event, Richard Mille has presented its RM 030 model with a so-called “declutchable” rotor: a complication that, unlike a something as unnecessarily sophisticated as a tourbillon or a minute repeater, is not just nice to have but is actually quite useful for many reasons. Designed to slow-down the process of wearing-out of the self-winding mechanism, the declutchable rotor is what it is: a rotor that, colloquially speaking, disengages its “clutch” the same way an automatic gearbox declutches, um, automatically when you press on the brake pedal while stopping at a traffic light. In this particular instance, the winding system is physically disengaged from the winding barrel as soon as the estimated power reserve reaches the 50-hour mark.
Richard Mille RM 017 Tourbillon Extra Flat
For this year, Richard Mille updates their RM 017 collection with an even more technologically advanced hand-wound Tourbillon Extra Flat model that now comes in an ultra-thin case crafted from 18-karat red gold measuring less than nine millimeters from top to bottom.
Perrelet Turbine XL Ref. A3027/1 Limited Edition
First presented at Baselworld 2008, the Turbine XL collection was reintroduced for this year with a gorgeous Perrelet Turbine XL (Ref. A3027/1). While the collection is currently available in an extra-large size of 50 millimeters in diameter and offering six different color and material combinations, it is the limited-edition model in rose gold and DLC-coated stainless steel that looks the best if you are into this sort of styling.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra Chronograph GMT Palermo Open
Deliberately massive and even a bit brutal, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra Chronograph GMT Palermo Open was designed for those who think that an average Reverso model is just too refined for a modern man. While its size may scare away a number of customers, the watch has a good chance of become yet another iconic model for the Swiss brand.