Officine Panerai watches are normally a sight to behold, but their recent partnership with Ferrari makes them even more of a collector’s item. Billed as Ferrari Engineered by Officine Panerai, the watch collection displays the engineering, technology, design, style, tradition, sportiness and passion synonymous with the two brands. The two collections--Scuderia and Granturismo--are designed for those who have a fondness for “Made In Italy” exclusive creations that can also boast of outstanding functions. And for those that still want more from the Panerai-Ferrari partnership, five new iterations stand out. The first is the Ferrari Chronograph Red Dial 45 mm, featuring a polished steel case with brushed steel edges, two screw down chronograph push pieces and a crown with rims worked in a square grid pattern.

Richard Mille gives volume to his passion.If watchmaker Richard Mille were to say that he was making something unusual, people would probably do well to pay attention. The Richard Mille watchmaking company officially came into existence in 2001, as its founder wanted to create a watch company that would extend from roots in the Swiss villages of the industry's birth to the latest possibilities of high technology and materials. Richard Mille had been in the watchmaking industry since 1973. He joined the prestigious Mauboussin house in 1994. In 1998 he resigned from Mauboussin as President of the Watch Company and CEO of their Jewelry Company to found his own company, Richard Mille.For three years he labored, fine-tuning his designs and testing them for reliability and precision. His initial release was the RM -001, and he has followed that up with models up to the RM 016, in his mission to create “a performance timepiece... an efficient, relentless watch.”.

ORIS DIZZY GILLESPIE LIMITED EDITION  He wore black, horn-rimmed spectacles and a beret. He used an odd, bent trumpet for his gigs, and his puffy cheeks morphed into strange, unimaginable shapes whenever he played bebop. His name was John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, and he’s bopping wrists with Oris for 2007.Jazz legend John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie inspired Oris’s Dizzy Gillespie Limited Edition timepiece. His portrait is seen on its caseback.

One of the nice things about the development and growth of the watch industry and horological enlightenment and education is that new avenues have opened up. Besides the technological advances in fields such as materials and production that allow the existence of watches like our cover timepiece, the market conditions are such that it becomes a marketable and financially viable endeavour. This only serves to excite the market more. Many will of course question the intelligence or usefulness of the type of watch like the Titanic DNA, but there is little doubt that such pieces are being talked about. Romain Jerome’s first watch was a golf-inspired counter that was probably done mainly on a one-off whim, incidentally just as this magazine was. However, they have found, as have we, that there was a demand that hadn’t exactly been forecast and they chose to try and satisfy some of that demand. They also chose to do it in a manner very different from everyone else.

HAMILTON AMERICAN CLASSIC BROOKE XS  Inspired by a series of watches from the 1930s, Hamilton’s American Classic Brooke XS carries with it the free, giddy spirit of the olden days. Hamilton’s American Classic Brooke XS collection beats with a 980.163 quartz movement water-resistant to 50 meters. Hamilton American Classic Brooke XSSeries: American ClassicCase: Stainless steelCalibre: 980.163Movement: QuartzWater Resistance: 50mBracelet Strap: Leather THE 1930S was a period of breakthroughs in style--led by the invention of nylon and significant developments in women’s liberation.

CONCORD REBIRTH On the eve of its 100th year anniversary, Concord is staging--not just a rebirth--but a metamorphosis. THE WATCH COMPANY is preparing to unveil a brand new face as part of what they are calling a daring repositioning strategy. A new international headquarters in Bienne, Switzerland is combining with a fresh new team. Vincent Perriard was appointed President of Concord in June 2006, having previously worked with Audemars Piguet, Swatch Group, and his own agency “BRAND DNA.

“Limitless possibilities,” is the phrase that comes to mind to describe the genius involved in the creation of the Opus Program set forth the by a genius in his own right named HARRY WINSTON. THE OPUS COLLECTION2001Opus 1: Francois-Paul Journe2002Opus 2: Antoine Preziuso2003Opus 3: Vianney Halter2004Opus 4: Christopher Claret2005Opus 5: Felix Baumgartner 2006Opus 6: Robert Greubel & Stephen Forsey2007 Opus 7: Andreas Strehler It is this kind of intellect that allows growth and pure exploration in the world of haute horology. The process in the Opus program is simple; though it can be said that Harry Winston can clearly create timepieces that will be envied by most, what he had done is clearly a breakthrough in itself, it is as though the captain of the ship relinquished the controls and handed it to someone else to manipulate and decipher the route to be taken.

Looking backwards sometimes is looking forwards. Girard-Perregaux has been making watches for a long time. And they haven’t forgotten how it all started, either. GP a company with a history, and this year, they are renovating the repository of that history, their museum. The Villa Marguerite holds tokens of the G-P company heritage, which stretches as far back as 1854, when, as they say, the first Girard married the first Perregaux. That was the birth of the brand name that is so familiar to horology fans, although it is interesting to note that the company can trace its roots even farther back, to 1791. La Chaux-de-Fonds is the traditional home of Girard-Perregaux, and in their time there they’ve come up with some memorable watches. And not all wristwatches, either; some say G-P can take credit for inventing the wristwatch, but their creations date back before that, to the pocket watches which were their awardwinning devices.

This particular timepiece generates mixed emotions not just to its owner but also to many that happen to have the opportunity to study it up close. It’s a beautiful albeit very simply designed instrument.  Its craftsmanship and outright appearance are not what stimulates the undefined ratings of the watch. The primary source of the conundrum is the relatively new association with the mighty Ferrari brand. Certainly we regard the partnership to be more appropriate as both brands are Italian, but since 1992 until the seemingly abrupt cessation in 2003, Ferrari was synonymous with Girard-Perregaux which is considered by many horological critics, myself included, as the more superior house that can trace its roots back to 1791 as well as boast the fact that they manufacture a vast majority of their own movements and individual components as well. So with Girard- Perregaux there was a sense of powerful pedigree and master craftsmanship which includes Tourbillion complications.

CHARRIOL ACTOR XXL AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH L’art de vivre la difference. For Charriol, it’s an actor’s life for the XXL Automatic Chronograph. Exposed side screws and a shackle crown make Charriol’s Actor XXL Automatic Chronograph memorably unique.