Time is the most valuable thing in our lives. There is a stylish way for a perfect time management. One of few true accessories options, men watch is an obsession for most. The shopping assistants of Illusthrone, who are the professionals of fashion and luxury industry, have chosen world’s best luxury men’s watches of 2019.
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar – $199,000
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calender is one of the biggest innovations in mechanical watchmaking to come along in awhile. It contains two separate, yet linked movements that operate at different frequencies, and here’s why: The slower the frequency of the escapement in a mechanical movement, the more vulnerable it is to external disturbances that can affect its performance. Yet the higher the frequency, the more power reserve it uses, and the more wear and tear it will impose on movement components. Vacheron Constantin solves the problem with a dual frequency movement with two balances, one for when you’re wearing it, oscillating at 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz), and the other for when you take it off, oscillating at 8,640 vph (1.2 Hz) which continues to keep time, but without draining the power reserve or wearing down the movement. In 1.2 Hz mode, the watch has a potential 65-day power reserve – the average is 42 hours. The standard frequency, by the way, is 28,800 beats per hour, or 3 Hz, a spot somewhere in the middle of these two options. The movement, caliber 3610QP, was designed from scratch to optimize the power reserve, including a sprung dual-gear compound system that requires four times less torque for the jumping indications for the date, month and leap year.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calender Ref.5212A – $34,000
The ref. 5212A-001 Calatrava Weekly Calendar is a rarity for Patek Philippe. Rather than the precious metal case generally used for Calatravas, the 5212A is cased in stainless steel. In addition to showing the day of the week and the date, the 5212A also shows the number of the week in the year. A feature of the standard is that occasionally a year will contain 53 rather than 52 weeks, which is accounted for in the calendar mechanism and numbering scheme on the dial (the typography, according to Patek, is unique and is based on the handwriting of one of the watch designers). The new movement created for the watch is caliber 26-330, and it is based on the self-winding caliber 324. It is 26.6mm in diameter and 4.82mm thick (the calendar works add 1.52mm in height to the base caliber’s 3.30mm height, hence the designation).
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5367 – $161,800
Case in 18-carat rose gold with a finely fluted caseband. Sapphire crystal caseback. Diameter 41 mm. Dial in “Grand Feu” enamel. Mechanical movement self-winding, extra-thin ( 3 mm), Cal. 581. 80-hour power reserve. Inverted lateral lever escapement with silicon horns. Balance spring in silicon. Tourbillon with titanium carriage. Small seconds on the tourbillon axis. Frequency 4 Hz. The clean dial and off-set numerals highlight the timepiece’s grand complication. A hand-beveled tourbillon bar topped by a spinel accentuates the face, while closer inspection of the tourbillon reveals a hand-engraved barrel, bridges, and a platinum oscillating weight.
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon – $287,800
Lange says this new Dato has a solid pink gold dial, so in this case, I’ll leave the salmon to the eye of the beholder. The dimensions and tech specs are the same as the original from 2016, with this white gold example measuring 41.5mm across and 14.6mm thick – a remarkable feat when you get a closer look at the incredible L952.2 hand wound movement tucked under that pinkish dial.
F.P.Journe Chronographe Monopoussoir Rattrapante Titane Calibre 1518 – $57,500
The F.P.Journe Chronographe Monopoussoir Rattrapante Titane Calibre is 44m wide and just 12mm thick, thus combining lightness and extreme wearability, a result that was achieved thanks to the hand-wound calibre 1518, a 3Hz and 80-hour-power-reserve in-house (conceived and crafted) movement. The power reserve is quite impressive and guarantees you can use the double chronograph, that usually requires a lot of energy to work, for at least three full days. The titanium version is the sportiest of the three versions available and is the only one whose two sub-dials are made from a sapphire disk, thus allowing to admire the gearings of the calibre 1518.
