Bespoke Reverso From JLC

I’m a sucker for any type of customisation so when I heard that Jaeger-LeCoultre were introducing a new bespoke service for their iconic Reverso watch to celebrate 85 years since it’s introduction I was very excited.

A touch screen device has been installed in their Old Bond Street boutique, where customers can choose between three case sizes, 48 different dials (from mother-of-pearl to lacquered) and 80 custom watch straps (from ostrich to alligator). The ordering process takes about eight weeks to delivery and prices start from £3050. Get your order in.

Why Green Is The New Blue

Read Chris Rovzar’s article from Bloomberg Pursuits explaining how the color green is becoming a must for luxury watches: READ MORE

The MB&F LM1 M.A.D. DUBAI. Source: MB&F

It’s No Sweat: Best Watch Bands For Summer

When it’s 90 degrees outside the last thing you need on your wrist is a padded exotic leather watch band. It’s a bit like wearing a parka in a sauna.

During the Summer months I tend to abandon my fine watch collection and strap a simple Swatch on to my wrist.This Summer I may have to change my mind.

I was recently sent one of the new alligator watch bands from Bianca Mosca that has a lining made from high performance antiperspirant rubber. Moisture is evaporated and the skin regulates the temperature under the strap to offer greater comfort allied to the elegance of the fine square scaled alligator leather.

The other great thing about the Bianca Mosca watch straps is that you can customize their bands from a selection of eighteen colors, select different contrast stitching and get the exact fit and padding height you require for your watch. The straps are handmade in their workshop in France and can be ordered online from biancamosca.com They’re $275 with machine stitching. Hand stitching is a $50 option.

The Right Time

When the illustrious name of Breguet is mentioned I am always reminded of the following passage from Pushkin’s novel Eugene Onegin, “A dandy on the boulevards (…), strolling at leisure until his Breguet, ever vigilant, reminds him it is midday.”

Whilst Breguet are rightly famous for their divine horological masterpieces they also offer a fine range of luxury accessories including an impressive array of writing instruments.

One of these is a solid silver and sapphire fountain pen with a clip in the shape of a watch hand to remind us of the manufactory’s watch making heritage. This is a truly impressive piece and a must-have item for collectors of all things Breguet. It is also a true reminder of the connection between the watchmaker and the craft of writing bon mots. £1500/$2250.

 

The Noel Coward Look

The 1920’s heralded a sea change in fashion, music and lifestyle culminating in the smooth refined aesthetic of the 1930’s much in the same way that the epoch of France’s Louis XV produced a richer and more sumptuous version of luxury living than that of his grandfather the Sun King, Louis IV.

Nobody epitomises the mood of the 1930’s more than the actor, singer and playwright Noel Coward known by the soubriquet-The Master-who was by then at the height of his powers and described by Time magazine as possessing “a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise”.

When one conjures an image of Coward it is inevitably of him lounging in a silk dressing gown engaging in rapid fire repartee surrounded by a coterie of bright, young acolytes and fellow wits.

Silk is enjoying a moment with the recent arrival of decorative patterns on lavish silks, modern satins and even fine linen shirting heralding a sea change in men’s style.

Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès and Gucci have launched new designs in silk including light weight jackets and flamboyant geometric patterned shirts inspired by Corbusier in the case of Berluti.

These louche peacock patterns chime with the vibe of 1930’s Berlin androgyny and call for accessories that fit the piece.

For me Boucheron’s deco shaped Reflet watch with its striking alligator watch band and gorgeous white and sapphire dial is the epitome of androgynous statement. Paired with a bee-incrusted pyjama two-piece set it might seem a bit outré for some of us chaps, but – mark my words – it may well prove to be the ultimate evening wear at this Summer’s most elegant parties.

 

How To Choose A Luxury Watchband

Whilst choosing a replacement watchstrap will change the look of your wristwatch selecting the right one can be a challenge.

Here are some of the factors you should consider when shopping for a new band.

Carefully examine the band you’re replacing: You may well be looking for the same or a similar strap to the one you wore previously but you could also enhance the appearance of your watch by getting a new watchband in a different color or material. It’s important to make sure that you measure the length and width of your old band so you can be certain that your new band will fit correctly. Another important measurement is the height of the padding in the band. A chunky watch such as a Rolex will look better with 5mm padding whereas an ultra thin Piaget is better paired with a flat strap with no padding at all.

Check how your current strap attaches: You’ll need to search for a new watchband that attaches in the same way as your existing strap and that fits flush with the lugs. You may well need a special tool to change the strap, or you may prefer to take it to a jeweler to get the job done for you.

Set your price point: Dependent upon how much you may wish to spend, watch band replacements can be inexpensive or highly priced. If you are seeking a truly luxurious option there is no substitute for Louisiana alligator leather as used by such prestigious watch brands such as Patek Phillippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. If alligator is your material of choice there are no better straps than those made by the master craftsmen of France. The best French watchbands such as those made by luxury goods brand Bianca Mosca are made from the finest square scale alligator skin and are entirely handmade and hand sewn. You can choose from a multitude of colors, matte or shiny finishes and even select the color of the stitching.

 

Examine your lifestyle: If you are planning on taking your watch near to water, consider getting a durable backing for your strap made from rubber. For something to complement a dress watch alligator bands are usually your best option. Buying watchbands made from quality materials will make any watch look more luxurious and draw admiring glances.

de Grisogono’s “New Retro” Wristwatches

I’ll always have a soft spot for Fawaz Gruosi, founder of the Geneva based high class jeweller de Grisogono. Having created a modern legend known for it’s extravagant creations he has hit the proverbial nail on the head with his latest man’s wristwatch which he’s dubbed the “New Retro”.

The description “handsome” doesn’t do justice to this masterpiece seven years in development.

The New Retro re-defines the category of non-round watches with a truly unique design that is at the same time both simple yet truly elegant and sophisticated. With inspiration from the 1950’s schools of watch design the new watch provides a panoply of views from which to observe the passage of time.

The black lacquered crown is cleverly positioned above 12 o’clock, a neat and thought provoking change from the standard location. The dial is easily readable with Arabic style numerals. Cut outs at 3 and 9 o’clock give the impression that both the dial and movement are somehow suspended.

The movement is a black PVD coated mechanical type. The New Retro comes in five versions including Pink and White gold as well as Stainless Steel. All versions are sold with a square scaled alligator watch strap.

Prices start at $15,000 for the steel version.

 

 

Bianca Mosca Launches Custom Watch Strap Service

Bianca Mosca known for its ultra luxury bags, wallets and accessories made from prime Louisiana alligator leather is launching a range of hand crafted custom watch bands in seventeen striking colors.

The watch bands come in colors such as St.Tropez Blue, Orange and Pink as well as more traditional black, brown and navy blue.

Customers can select their choice of color, width and length as well as the stitching in a configurator and place their order online.

The linings of Bianca Mosca’s straps are made from a high performance antiperspirant compound rubber. Moisture is evaporated and the wearer’s skin regulates the temperature under the bracelet to offer supreme comfort allied to the elegance of the fine alligator leather.

A Bianca Mosca spokesperson said:

“These bands are the perfect replacement for a standard watch band and a great complement to the fine craftsmanship of a modern or vintage watch.”

The straps are hand made in Bianca Mosca’s workshop in France and cost $295 including free shipping. Hand stitching is available for a supplementary charge of $50.

For more information visit: https://www.biancamosca.com

Create Your Own Watch Strap

As a huge watch fan I’m always interested in new ways to embellish my modest horological collection with the addition of a choice new watch strap.

My favourite material is Louisiana alligator which is beautiful to admire, supple, durable, water resistant and wears extremely well. The problem is that most of the straps I see at jewellers seem to be a little boring being available only in a choice of dull black, brown and the occasional blue. Sometimes I long for something a little more racy and in a more exciting hue.

Well now you can find almost anything imaginable by visiting the Bianca Mosca website. BM, known for their alligator bags and accessories, have introduced a fabulous new online made-to-order watch strap service where you can equip almost any watch, modern or vintage, with a sublime new strap with a wide choice of custom options.

Bianca Mosca’s alligator is prime grade, center-cut and square scale and is without a shadow of a doubt the best that money can buy. Combined with their special tanning technique their material is not only water resistant but UV-resistant too and guaranteed to be hypo-allergenic.

Another great feature is that the lining of BM’s watch straps is made from a specially developed antiperspirant type of hi-tech rubber. Moisture is evaporated and the skin regulates the temperature under the bracelet to offer supreme comfort allied to the elegance of the fine alligator leather.

There is a huge choice of colors in both shiny and matte alligator including Blue Jeans, Emerald Green, Shiny Red and Havana Brown. You can also select your choice of stitching color as well as the strap width, length and padding height and buckle type. Hand stitching is also available for a modest surcharge.

 

This new service should prove to be an  excellent way to transform a quotidian existing strap into something quite extraordinary and of course all designed by you!

 

 

It’s All In The Pores

I’ve always wondered about the difference between Louisiana alligator leather and crocodile. Like most people I wrongly assumed they were one and the same. In order to broaden my understanding I decided to call in the expert in the shape of Bianca Mosca Chairman, Tim de Rosen. As you know I’m a huge fan of their superb quality alligator wallets and accessories.

This is what I learned:

By carefully examining the leather in a crocodilian product you can get clear clues as to it’s species. Those products with a large amount of leather are generally easier to identify. Small products such as watch bands are much more difficult to distinguish.

This is especially important since the quality of crocodilian leathers varies greatly by species. Alligators and crocodiles in general are considered to be classic leathers and are in most cases high quality and high price.

Caiman, mainly from South American counties such as Colombia is an inferior product and much cheaper and abundant in the market. Although caiman has its place in the market, mislabeling has become such a problem that the buyer need beware. An example of inferior products is the widely available Nancy Gonzalez brand that is sold in many high end boutiques as crocodile but which is in fact caiman. Many caiman products are marked crocodile or alligator and sold at the high prices of these classic leathers. Alligator is sometimes marked “croc”, and “croc” is occasionally mislabelled alligator.

Some of this is a cultural difference. Americans tend to call all “crocodile” alligator, and Europeans tend to call “alligator” crocodile. Upon close inspection, one will find that some large pieces have mixed leather in them. In the past it was fashionable to make a purse with alligator on one side and crocodile on the other. Today, due to product cost, it is not uncommon to see a purse with alligator or crocodile on the front and back and caiman on the sides with a caiman strap.

Faux designs are getting better and better and are increasingly becoming more difficult to identify. Some faux patterns are made by rolling something over a genuine skin to make the press. The finer details of faux are beyond the scope of this page, but here are tell-tale signs: the creases between the tiles are not deep and the pattern is often very repetitive.

How To Identify Leathers: Alligator Umbilical Scars

The single most distinguishing feature of alligator leather is the umbilical scar. The alligator is the only crocodilian that has this feature. Designers will often put this section of the leather prominently on their products to make the authenticity of the leather evident. As many as three may be used in making a purse. The umbilical scar is an elongated star shape with a webbing pattern in it. Finding this mark on leather identifies it as genuine alligator.

Pliability

Pliability and durability are what makes the alligator a superior and classic leather. Alligator and crocodile leathers are pliable. Caiman have bony plates in the skin, which dramatically decreases the pliability of the leather. When caiman leather is creased cracks appear between the plates.

Head Bumps

Another way the unpracticed eye can easily distinguish alligator leather is by counting the bumps on the back of the head. At the base of the head crocodilians have a pattern of bumps that is unique to each species.

The alligator has a pattern of 2-2-2 bumps. Caiman have a pattern of 4-4-2, and crocodiles have 4-2.

Belly Scales and Patterns

The belly scales of the alligator and crocodile are smooth and pliable. This smoothness and the homogenous nature of alligator and crocodile skins allows dyes to distibute evenly in the leather. The bony deposits in the caiman skin will not allow dyes to distribute evenly and causes crinkling in the belly scales. If you see splotchy patterns in the dye, then you are looking at caiman.

The alligator has a slightly less even pattern than the crocodile with some irregularities appearing in the scales. As already mentioned the alligator has the umbilical scar and the crocodile does not.

Flank Scales and Patterns

The flanks of the alligator have dense scales of even sizes, while the flanks of the caiman have uneven sizes and spaced scales.

Ultimately, your only guarantee is to buy quality products from a manufacturer that can identify the sourcing of it’s material from US certified farms that comply with all of the regulations set down for the ecological and humane treatment of their stock.

Not all alligator is created equal. Once the skins have been sourced they need to be carefully selected and graded and treated correctly in the tanning and dyeing process to ensure the best results-but that’s another story for a future article.