Independent watchmakers John and Stephen McGonigle will release the “Tuscar” featuring their new time-only in-house movement, calibre McG01.

With a bit more than a week to go before Baselworld 2010 starts, the number of new watches is overwhelming. Something of a complete different order is a new in-house caliber, especially if it comes from two very talented independent watchmakers!

John McGonigle says the goal was to create a time-only watch with a high focus on excellent timekeeping, a substantial power reserve, reliability and with superb finishing and decoration. The design had to have a clean coherent style and the principle mechanical elements had to be visible on the dial side. This was only possible if they developed their own movement from the ground up. And that’s what they did…

Caliber McG01 is a hand-wound movement with two mainspring barrels that provide a power reserve of 90 hours. It also features a free sprung balance spring with Breguet overcoil and a gold escape wheel, that functions without oil. To improve timekeeping stability they choose a balance with a large diameter (12.8 mm).

The Tuscar is limited to 10 pieces called ‘One of Ten’. This first series will be distinctive from models to follow by virtue of materials used in the movement, the design and shape of certain bridges, the type of finish of individual parts and the engraving. So if you’re interested i suggest you contact McGonigle fast!!

The Tuscar ‘One of Ten’ has a white gold case, measuring 42.5 mm and a transparent sapphire dial reveals the new caliber. The sapphire dial is a style feature that was also used on the McGonigle Tourbillon. Speaking of which…

This is the Tourbillon wristwatch that John and Stephen McGonigle released in 2007 at Baselworld. Later i will write more about these candidate members of the AHCI, their first watch and of course the new Tuscar ‘One of Ten’.

It’s been roughly 9 months since I bought my ‘grail-watch’, a Korona K1 from the Finnish watchmaker Sarpaneva. So enough experience to sit down and write about this watch that’s been almost constantly on my wrist for almost 9 months.

In May of last year it was finally time. The months before had been an intense period. Of course a decision like this was not made overnight, so long lists of potential watches had to be narrowed down. Or maybe the decision was not so difficult, it was just me having difficulty with spending so much money on a watch.

When my decision was final, the deal was made and a ticket to Helsinki was booked… there’s nothing like buying your watch from the watchmaker who made it… no who designed it! It’s his creation that somehow touched me in such way that I wanted this watch. Wanted it so bad that I sold quite a few other watches to raise the funds.

After nine months of almost continuous wearing my Sarpaneva Korona K1, all I can say is that it was my best decision ever (when it comes to watches). On watch forum PuristS Pro i posted an extensive review about my Korona K1 and how it’s made. I hope my review sheds some light on how special this watch is. Have fun reading the review…

And do let me know what you think of it!

Jumping Seconds also called ‘Dead Beat Seconds’ or ‘Seconde Morte’ is a quite rare complication. It makes a mechanical watch tick like a quartz watch. The Austrian independent watchmaker Richard Habring created his own dead beat complication.

The second hand of a mechanical watch with dead beat seconds complication, progresses like a quartz watch. The seconds hand sits on a seconds mark for one second and then jumps instantaneously to the next seconds mark, exactly like a quartz watch. Other mechanical watches have a smoothly sweeping second hand.

Habring² Jumping Seconds

There are only a few watches with this complication. A few decades ago Chézard produced several calibers with a dead beat seconds complication. These movements are almost impossible to find these days. Habring² was able to source a number of Chézard caliber 116 originally produced for Doxa. This caliber is based on the basic A. Schild caliber 1604B.

Chézard Doxa caliber 116

Besides the rare jumping seconds complication it features a hacking seconds facility and the extremely unusual “stop seconds” feature. This means that if you press the winding crown towards the case the sweep seconds hand stops; when you release the crown the seconds hand then continues. Both this feature and the “hack” seconds are operated via the additional mechanism that Chezard have constructed on top of the basic watch mechanism. Unlike most “hack” seconds systems the balance does not stop and the watch continues to keep time. These features make it easy to set the time very accurately.

Habring² jumping seconds mechanism

Since the Chézard movements are not available anymore it actually meant the end of an affordable mechanical watch with a jumping seconds complication (yes, there are a few more available however for completely different prices). I can only imagine many watch collectors regret this. Lucky for us Richard Habring developped his own jumping seconds mechanism!

Habring² Jumping Seconds

The Habring² jumping seconds mechanism is fit on an ETA “Valgranges” movement. The escapement parts are of chronometer quality and it’s equipped with a Triovis regulation system.

The Jumping Seconds has a 42mm stainless steel case and is available as manually wound version or with an automatic movement.

Habring Jumpings Seconds Calendar Classic

The Jumping Seconds with manually wound movement is a time only version. When equipped with an automatic movement it’s available is 4 different versions: date, date and power reserve, date and UTC or a version with day, date, month and moon phase indicator. And the good new… the manually wound version starts at € 3.150 or $ 4.650  (at the current exchange rate).

Vincent Bérard, a Swiss watchmaker / artist, makes probably the most beautiful movement i’ve ever seen. His Luvorene 1 is a true gem. Last week the newly renovated atelier & office was inaugurated.

Watchmaker Vincent Bérard got fame by making an incredibly beautiful pocket watch, the Quartre Saisons Carrosse (Four Seasons). At that time (2005) he also had a prototype for a wristwatch, the Luvorene 1, and was looking for investors.

Vincent Bérard Luvorene 1 in white gold

Developing a watch from scratch is not cheap. After business man Herbert Gautschi and Vincent Bérard joined forced they found an investor in the Timex Group. Seriously, i was ’slightly’ amazed when i heard this, but it actually makes sense. The Timex Group is a family business and they don’t have stock holders. This means they can see their investment in Vincent Bérard as a long term investment. Thus time to create something really special

This is probably the most beautiful mechanical movement i have ever seen, Vincent Bérard’s caliber VB441. I’ve never seen a watch movement that is designed like a piece of juwelry. Some movements are beautifully finished with côte de Geneva or even black polished bridges. Especially interesting for people with knowledge and appreciation for watchmaking history. This is something from a completely different league!

Vincent Bérard - calibre VB 441 - Luvorene1

The Vincent Bérard caliber VB441 is a complicated hand-wound movement with beautiful guilloché-worked and hand-bevelled bridges. Five spindle-shaped bridges standing out on five levels and evoking the “steps” of a spiral staircase. It’s equipped with mysterious balance with screws and a Breguet overcoil balance-spring. Caliber VB441 has a heart-beat of 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of no less than 10 days!

The first model in the collection, Luvorene 1, has a nice size for a wristwatch, measuring 42 mm in diameter and 13 mm thick. The openworked dial at 3 o’clock reveals the oscillations of a balance from which the escapement and the pallet-wheel have ‘mysteriously’ disappeared. Besides the time (hours, minutes and seconds) The Luvorene 1 tells the moon phases and days of the week.

Vincent Bérard Luvorene 1 in rose gold

The mechanical movement, entirely developed in the Vincent Bérard atelier, is partially visible through two sapphire crystals in the case-back. The left opening exposes the small second hand and the other opening shows the 10 days power-reserve “gauge”.

The Luvorene 1 is available in 8 variations, depending on the color of the case, dial and crocodile leather strap. Check Vincent Bérard’s website to see all different variations and additional information.

Check this post on Horomundi for lots of photos and information of the inaugeration of the new Vincent Bérard Atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds.