The elegant watch (4)

Another look at those “elegant” models that we are so lucky to have around these days. Here is one of my favorites – the Blancpain Villeret Répetition Minutes.

Blancpain Villeret Répetition Minutes – absolute elegance

Surely one of the most elegant watches that you not only can see, but hear!
Born from a need to know the time many years ago in the dark without light when luminous hands simply did not exist. Trials of a “touchable” watch with exterior hands and minute graduations was never going to be the answer as they were too easily moved by accident. And so “sound” was the key.
The Minute Repeater is probably one of the most complicated watch movements even today and there are not too many of them around. A slide on the side of the watch is moved and a chime sounds the Hours, Quarter Hours and Minutes – so much more artistic than luminous paint and with a discrete elegance that's quite personal I think.
To find one today that has the purity of sound and the incredible exactitude of transforming the exact time with the applicable sound is a feat of watch intricacy that is extremely hard to achieve. This model features the calibre 35 which has 2 hammers @3. These strike against little “sounding rings” on the outer circumference and features 35 jewels in the movement.
Next up is this brand that I would not have normally have associated with the word elegance.
This is the Suunto Gambit 2 – an all in GPS, Weather Station, Time, Distance, Altitude – you name it and perfect for all you runners, trekkers and bikers and so on out there just raring to go.

The Suunto Gamit2 a position of elegance?

But for one in this particular guise it is really rather superb to look at too. Perhaps a bit big for me at 50mm x 17.5mm – but I feel I have to add this in to the “elegant” category I really do.
And then something perhaps unexpected in the shape of the Timex Easy Reader – Why?

Timex Easy Reader – simple elegance

I suppose it's because of it's utter simplicity and purity of form and function, this model has an elegance all of it's own. Forget all those digital “hard to read” over functioned monsters hanging on to wrists that simply are not big enough to handle them and look sensible – THIS is a bring you down to earth reality check.
This watch does exactly what it says on the tin! Great dial, great numerals, even a 24 hour clock set and a clear date. Centre second hand and excellent clear hour and minute hands. For night use “Indiglo” of course. Nothing more and nothing less than a “watch” and there's such a natural elegance in that.
The last pic this week is more in your classic form –
The very elegant De Witt – what can I say – except that it's not quite as simple as your average watch. From one “easy reader” to another – in the form of this beautiful “jump” disc watch. This model is just 40mm in diameter and in 18ct Rose Gold and is powered by a manual wind movement with a 42-hour power reserve. The 21-jewel fully decorated movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour is also visible via an exhibition back. There is another color I understand and both look very elegant indeed.

So without doubt there are some very elegant watches around and most are really beautiful designs too. They don't have to complicated either – take the Timex easy Reader for example, but can have a purity of form and function that has an elegance of their own and rightly so. It is also a fact that you don't have to necessarily spend a fortune to find an elegant watch, though it is I contend somewhat easier, as design has so much to do with elegance.
Anyway what will I find next week? Difficult to tell, though I might just include another of my own collection and see if you agree. bekijk meer replica horloges rolex en chopard happy spirit