chaumet

Chaumet Dandy Chronograph El Primero Watch

Aside from having an interesting and artistic dial, this special limited edition Chaumet Dandy contains a high-beat Zenith El Primero automatic chronograph movement. Zenith sometimes offers El Primero movements to good brands, and having one in a designer Chaumet is a sweet deal for watch lovers and fashionistas alike.

This piece is in all platinum, and has the Chaumet Dandy cushion style case. The dial is fascinating and done in Grad Feu blue enamel. The design is meant to look like Chaumet store fronts - which was designed by J.M. Wilmotte. I like the matching blue stitching on the black alligator strap. This rare piece will be limited to just 12 watches in the limited edition set.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: chaumet, dandy, el primero, watch

Chaumet Dandy Edition Metronome Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The Richemont Group often reminds me of General Motors. Especially the GM of "back in the day" that would re-purpose engines, car bodies, chassis, etc... Not that this practice is bad (actually it is smart), but from an informed perspective it does allow for a chuckle now and then. I recently wrote about a new movement inside of a Steinway & Sons watch that turned the seconds hand into a metronome. Cool right? It also made a lot of sense given the fact that Steinway & Sons is primarily a piano maker.

Now I see the exact same movement used in a watch by Chaumet. To be honest, I actually like the Chaumet version better from a design perspective. Does it make any sense with the Chaumet brand? Not really. They position the limited edition as a tribute to Chopin (who would have celebrated his 200th birthday this year). Placed in a Dandy watch case, the "Dandy Edition Metronome" will be limited to just 100 pieces, and be in an 18k white gold case. I like the black and white contrast meant to resemble piano keys. You can see the small metronome through a window in the dial placed at the bottom of the off-centered watch face. The little Lyre shows up once again - just like on the Steinway & Son's model.

At least Chaumet pay's tribute to Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, the watch maker who is more or less responsible for the cool little complication as part of the mechanical movement. Both the Chaumet and Steinway & Sons models are impressive, and unique from a design perspective. Though the fact that the movement wasn't really designed specially for Chaumet does take a bit away from the "reason" for the limited edition. Get the piece because you like the design and the complication, not because you think Chaumet really has anything to do with Chopin or timepieces in honor of great composers.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: chaumet, dandy, metronome, watch

Chaumet Dandy Arty Edition Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I really like the look of this watch, but I just can't get over the name "Dandy." It is a men's watch, and I know the classic meaning of the term. Yes, you can partially forgive the nomenclature given Chaumet being French, but still. Imagine looking at the back of your watch and constantly being reminded that you are wearing a "Dandy."

Aside from that, the looks of the Dandy watches have always tickled me. Even the jumping hour version that Chaumet made for the Only Watch 2009 watch auction is great to look at - and isn't that the point of a nice watch? This particular Chaumet Dandy watch is known as the Arty Edition, and brings a new cushion shaped case as well as new lug structures (that look quite fine indeed). You also have the crown located at the 12 o'clock position. The dark tones are almost sumptuous with the patent leather strap and "racing strip" that extends through the length of the case on to the straps. The watch is 40mm wide in steel, while another version similar to the Only Watch 2009 Chaumet Dandy jumping hour watch will be available in 18k rose gold. The jumping hour versions of the watch are limited to 120 piece, while the Art Edition Dandy watches are not limited to any specific amount.

Inside the watches are custom made for Chaumet movements. They are the CP12V-V and CP12V-III. Both are mechanical and automatic, with special "Dandy" automatic rotors. A good looking fine of classically French designed timepieces.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Chaumet Dandy Arty Edition watch caseback

Tags: art edition, ArtEdition, arty edition, ArtyEdition, chaumet, dandy, watch

Chaumet Dandy Unique Timepiece For Only Watch 2009

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

More news from the Only Watch 2009 unique watch auction. While there are many unique watches that will be available I make it my mission to mention what I think are the best. Here is a "dandy" watch from French Chaumet. I really believe they need to re-think the title of this watch. No fellow man that I know would want to invest in a watch that is known as the "Dandy." Not even a dandy man. That might have worked 200 years ago. I have a feeling Chaumet does very poorly with this watch in Italy where machismo is the predominant style for watches. Despite the odd nomenclature, the watch is a great looking timepiece. Chaumet has taken the Dandy watch case and created a unique looking jumping hour complication with a subsidiary seconds dial all shaped nicely into the case. There is a "racing stripe" that goes down the middle side of the case and into the case as well. It is an interesting design cue and well played.

The watch is in solid 18k rose gold, as are the hands and hour markers on the dial that has a sunray pattern and is in black lacquer. The case is 40mm wide and has a Bovet style crown placed in the top of the case (there is a black onyx cabochon crystal in the crown as well). The watch has a Chaumet CP-12V-III automatic mechanical movement. Although it is a fashionable and unique watch, I like the design a lot a find it comfortable to ready. Too bad there will only be one of these watch available, ever. If you have your heart set on it, plan on being at Only Watch 2009 in Monaco on September 24th.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2009, chaumet, dandy, gold, only watch, OnlyWatch, Ref W18891-40D, RefW18891-40d, watch

Saudi Princess Stiffs Parisian Boutiques for $24 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Princess Maha al-Sudairi, the wife of Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister, is holed up in a Paris luxury hotel claiming diplomatic immunity after refusing to pay a $24 million tab she ran up at the city's ritziest boutiques. Al-Sudairi, whose husband Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz is a member of Saudi Arabia's royal family and is second-in-line to the throne, racked up the impressive debt on a year-long spree at the French capital's high-end clothing, jewelry and lingerie boutiques, the London Telegraph reports. In all some 30 businesses have been stiffed including Dior, jewelry shops Chaumet and Victoria Casal, lingerie emporium O Caprices De Lili, and the famed Hotel de Crillon.

The Princess is currently holed up in a $4,000-per-night suite at the ultra-luxe Four Seasons George V hotel (above), which is partly owned by her nephew, Prince Al Waleed bin Talal. After some of those owed money initiated legal proceedings, the plaintiffs' lawyer Jacky Benazerah obtained a court order for bailiffs to go to the George V and seize the Princess' belongings. However, the Princess has invoked diplomatic immunity and will likely refuse them entry, in which case the French interior ministry and senior police officials would have to be consulted to authorize a police escort, the BBC reports.

Jamila Boushaba, owner of Paris' O Caprices De Lili lingerie shop, located directly across from the George V, was left holding a $100,000 bill for lacy underthings. "She was a very good customer for eight years, but then simply stopped paying," Boushaba tells the Telegraph. "I made a delivery of lingerie to the George V, but payment never arrived. Every time we called, we were told the bill would be settled the next day. It never was. When we contacted the Saudi ambassador in Paris he said there was nothing he could do for us." An aide to the Saudi royal family was similarly unhelpful, sniffing, "I'm afraid we can't go around settling bills for the Princess's knickers."

Jacky Giami, proprietor of luxury clothing boutique Key Largo, said the Princess stripped his shelves of some $215,000 worth of casual wear. "We know the family well – they're in Paris a lot," Giami tells the Telegraph. "She's not the kind of customer where you ask for a deposit, or to ask to see a piece of identity." Every time the Princess and her entourage visited Giami's and others' shops a representative would offer staff an embossed card stating "Payment to Follow". And of course having all those exquisite clothes cleaned cost quite a bit as well; the Princess is also said to have run up a drycleaning bill of $50,000 - per week.

Tags: Chaumet, Dior, diplomat, Four Seasons George V, FourSeasonsGeorgeV, hotel, Hotel de Crillon, HotelDeCrillon, lingerie, Paris, prince alwaleed bin talal, Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, PrinceAlwaleedBinTalal, PrinceNayefBinAbdulAziz, princess, royalty, Saudi Arabia, SaudiArabia

Chaumet Dandy Chronograph

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The Dandy is a classically handsome watch from Chaumet. The 18K white gold watch measures in at a relatively modest 38 mm and uses a CP 12V-1 hand wound mechanical movement with a 50-hour power reserve indicator. The black dial has indicators for small seconds at 9 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 2 o’clock and date at 6 o’clock. This version is part of a limited edition of 100. There is also a chronograph version that measures 41mm and uses the automatic ETA caliber 2894 movement. It sells for $3,850 with the leather strap and $4,000 with a stainless steel bracelet.

[via Europastar]

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Tags: chaumet, chronograph, timepiece, watch