Over the summer we took some time out to visit some of our Parisian suppliers. We also visited Chateau Versailles, resided in by the very important Marie Antoinette- Breguet’s most famous royal patron.

A fantastic sourcing trip allowing us to visit some of the worlds best watch showrooms on the Champs-Elysées including the Cartier shop.

Patek Philippe is one of the oldest and most prestigious watch companies in the world. Founded by Antoni Norbert de Patek and Franciszek Czapek in 1839, the company was originally known as PATEK, CZAPEK & Co. In 1845, Patek and Czapek separated so that the company became Patek & Co. In 1851, Patek joined efforts with Jean-Adrien Philippe thus forming the Patek Philippe & Cie label.

Patek Philippe made the first wristwatch in 1868. The prestigious company moved on to gather about 70 patents in perpetual calendar for pocket watches; precision regulator; split seconds chronograph; double chronograph and first self-winding wristwatch to name a few.

The deaths of Anton Patek (1877) and Jean-Adrien Philippe (1894) brought about the eventual acquisition of the company by Charles Stern in 1932. The change of ownership did not change the company’s goal of producing excellent and innovative time pieces.

In 1989, Patek Philippe celebrated its 150^th anniversary.  To commemorate the event, Patek Philippe presented the Calibre 89, declared as the most complicated watch in the world. It has 33 complications edging out the Henry Graves Jr. super-complicated watch with 24 complications also made by Patek Philippe in 1933.

Patek Philippe Calibre 89 is an astronomical open-faced watch with twin dials. Its 33 complications are divided into five functional categories namely: timekeeping; chronograph; calendar; chime and operational functions. It weighs 1.1 kg, has 1,728 components and 24 hands. It is made of 18 karat gold at an estimated value of US$5 to US$6 million.  The watch took about five years of intensive research and development to conceptualize.  It took another four years to finally set the wheels in motion in manufacturing the watch.

There are only four models of Calibre 89 made by Patek Philippe – one of each in white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum.  It was said that an unidentified royal family bought the whole collection. However, the collection was separated, as in 2004, the white gold edition of Calibre 89 was auctioned at Antiquorum’s 30^th anniversary for US$5,002,652.  Just recently, the Calibre 89 in the yellow gold edition was auctioned off at Antiquorum’s 35^th anniversary for US$ 4,877,662.00. That leaving the rose and platinum edition still at the hands of its original buyer.

What makes this pocket watch so interesting and complicated?  Imagine cramming 33 functions in to a single pocket watch. Imagine having that watch and actually using all the functions or just basically knowing how the watch ticks.

On the front dial are the following complications: day of the month; hour hands; 12-hour recorder; up-down chime; day of the week; hour of second time-zone; Chronograph second hand; Seconds hand; Moonphases; Winding crown position indicator; Century decade and year displays; Leap Year Indicator; Minutes Hands; Chronograph counter; Power Reserve; Month; Split second hand and thermometer.

The second dial has the sidereal time hour hand; time of sunrise;  star chart; date of Easter Equation of time, Sun hand, sidereal time minute hand  and  sidereal time second hand and the time of sunset.

A beautiful and complicated time piece like this only comes once in a lifetime, well in this case four times!

Iconic watches provides several patek philippe watches click to find out more.

One of the most interesting things about Steve McQueen is his penchant for racing motorcycles and cars.  In fact, the actor did most of the driving and vehicle stunts in his movies, (except for a few which he was not allowed to do because of insurance restrictions).  His driving scenes in The Great Escape and Bullitt are actually some of the most memorable scenes in movie history.

So when Steve McQueen chose to wear the Tag Heuer Monaco watch for his role in the 1971 racing film, Le Mans, the timepiece has a become part of the screen icon’s legacy.  The watch was made to match Steve McQueens racing suit in the movie.  Interestingly, the suit was also a replica of the one worn by Jo Siffert, the first racer sponsored by Tag Heuer.

However, the Monaco watch by Tag Heuer has already made its mark before it was associated with Steve McQueen.  It was the first water-resistant watch in history to be enclosed in square casing, which broke the watchmaking tradition of round casings.  It is also the first automatic chronograph, powered by the Chronomatic Calibre 11.  This means that it was the first watch to automatically rewind itself by using a microrotor.

In 2005, the Monaco watch was reissued by Tag Heuer, in honour of what should have been the 75^th birthday of Steve McQueen.  This new version is a little different from the original model, as the original blue dial was changed to white.  It also further matches the McQueen/Siffert suit in Le Mans because it was decorated with red, blue and white bands.  Despite the new version using a push-button buckle in its blue alligator bracelet; it still projects the classic elegance of the original model.

Currently, Tag Heuer offers three watch models in its Monaco line – the Calibre 12 Automatic Chronograph, the Monaco Automatic and the Sixty Nine.

The Calibre 12 Automatic Chronograph is the one that resembles the Steve McQueen Monaco the most and all aspects of its design is inspired by the famous actor.  The watch is water-resistant up to 100 meters and has three subcounters, which shows the minute clock at 9 o’clock, the date clock at 6 o’clock and the second clock at 3 o’clock.  The case has Sapphire crystal glass and is measured at 39mm.  This model comes in either blue or black alligator bracelet, with safe push-button folding buckles.

Iconic Watches loves the icon Steve Mc Queen and in tern remember that Iconic Watches can source any Tag heuer watch at approx. 20% RRP.

Aside from its primary time-keeping function, the watch’s third hand has a stopwatch or chronograph function.  The Speedmaster also has three extra dials found on its face.  There is one dial each for every second, minute and hour elapsed.  These dials are all in keeping with the watch’s chronograph functions.

In 1962, NASA started purchasing watches for evaluation and that is how the Speedmaster received the honor of being the first watch on the moon.  During these evaluations, various watch models were tested in conditions that NASA professionals believed they would be subjected to, especially during EVA or Extra-vehicular activity.  The Speedmaster came out on top among the other models.  The watch was worn the conventional way when on Earth or inside the space shuttle.  However, when the astronauts were suited up, the watch is fitted with a Velcro strap designed to be worn on the wrist outside the space suit.

Omega Speedmasters were worn by Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong during the moon expedition.  Soon after this historical event, the Speedmaster became better known as the Moonwatch.  Only Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster made the trip back to Earth.  This is because Neil Armstrong left his own in the Lunar Module during an EVA, as the in-cabin time malfunctioned and he actually used the watch as a replacement.

Upon his return to Earth, Buzz Aldrin agreed to loan his Moonwatch to the Smithsonian Institution as part of its exhibit.  Unfortunately, the watch disappeared on transit and its exact whereabouts is unknown.  This event was documented in Buzz Aldrin’s book, “Return to Earth”, published in 1973.  There, he clearly stated that he packed the watch for pick-up by the Smithsonian.  But by the time it arrived at its destination, the package was empty and the watch was nowhere to be found.

Several years ago, a certain Stephen Morley claimed that the old Omega Speedmaster he bought from a weekly publication seller was the long-lost Buzz Aldrin Moonwatch.  He filed a lawsuit to determine if either NASA or the Smithsonian would confirm its authenticity.  Neither of them would confirm nor deny if the Speedmaster kept by Morley was the authentic first watch on the moon.  However, they stated that if the watch was indeed authentic, then ownership of the item should be held by the US government.

Until this day, the whereabouts of the original Moonwatch is still under dispute.  But that doesn’t change the fact that the Omega Speedmaster made a very significant contribution to scientific history.

Iconic watches has a fantastic range of Speedmasters click here to see…