You know that when a watch model is comprised of this many words, the company behind it means business! New from Alpina is the Avalanche Extreme Chrono Double Digit watch, and name the obfuscates what is just a nice looking 30 minute chronograph watch. The Double Digit part of the moniker comes from the back that the hour indicators have been replaced with 5 minute indicators - a look popularized by certain aviator watches from the past. The idea is to make the watch dial appear more aligned with the fact that the minute hand is the one going over these markers. Usually this is combined with a smaller hour ring in the middle of the dial for the hour hand to follow - not here though.

The watches look pretty nice and sporty. You see the two versions that have a combination of steel and PVD coated steel on the 46mm wide cases. I like the large screws on the bezel as well. Sapphire crystals are placed on the the front and rear of the cases, which are 100 meters water resistant.

Movement is the Alpina caliber AL-850, which is a modified Swiss ETA automatic movement. In addition to the chronograph, there is an "open" date window. The version with the red subdials is the most stunning, but suffers from the thin skeletonized hour and minute hands which I imagine would be a pain to read. The all black PVD version has nice wide gray color hands that don't suffer from this problem. Probably a few thousand bucks, available soon.

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

On the other hand, there the other side to Seiko, the luxury watch maker. Deep inside Japan are several Seiko watch manufacturers making some of the best and most reliable luxury watches ever created. These are the "Lexus of watches." Until recently such highly desirable watches have been mostly for the Japanese domestic market only. Bearing such names like Grand Seiko and Credor, most Westerners didn't even know of their existence. There also exists a large population of American and European (among other places) watch lovers who are aware of the Seiko treasures in Japan, and are almost pained by the fact that they cannot get them locally. The good news is that is about to start changing.

Enter the Seiko Ananta line of watches. Finally a global high-end product from Seiko that contain the high-end 100% manufacture-made movements and watches. Why the important of "manufacture-made?" Today everyone speaks about "manufacture movements." These are movements in watches made all in-house by the manufacturer with out having third part companies make them. Such in-house movements are considered to be at the top of the heap for luxury watch desirability. The majority of watch brands don't make their own movements. Seiko does however. In fact, Seiko is of the few totally vertically integrated watch makers in the world.

I thought this rare S3 Bichrono timepiece interesting as it employs two distinct chronograph movements in one watch. While I have seen watches with more than one movement, I have never seen one with two mechanical chronograph movements in it. I am not surprised at all though - especially with this combo coming from deLaCour. You can easily see what they have done to make it work. What looks to be two ETA 2894 automatic movements are placed side by side. The movement on the left seems to be "upside" done, so that the pushers can be placed on the left side of the case. This allows for minimal modifications to the movement, explaining why the chronograph subdials are placed in the upside down position. Of course deLaCour altered the starting places for the chronograph hands so that they act in a natural manner for the two 12 hour chronograph complications available to the wearer.

The size of the watch is about as big as you would imagine given the space needed for two movemenst - that being 55mm wide and 53mm tall. Not terrible at 14mm thick. The case is done in 18k pink gold against titanium. Notice the textures surfaces on the chronograph pushers. The dial is really straight forward with deLaCour's typical spark of color and relatively easy to read dials. The chronograph subdials are partially skeletonized, which is an interesting touch. The date complication is retained on only one of the movements of course, to avoid confusion. The front and rear of the watch have sapphire crystals and the strap is a sporty rubber. An interesting watch from the watch maker who enjoys defying conventions. Expense is on par with the materials and the fact that it is an "individually crafted" timepiece.

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

A watch like this is almost the quintessential classic Patek Philippe watch. A svelte looking gold watch with the iconic triple calendar and chronograph feature set. It is in 18k yellow gold - small for today - 36m wide case. The movement has the seal of Geneva and is top Patek Philippe quality. Functions include windows for the day and month, and the date is shown around a dial with the integrated moon phase indicator - it is a perpetual calendar by the way, making it even more desirable. There is a subsidiary seconds hand, along with a thirty minute chronograph, as well as the time of course.

The Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 is often regarded as one of the best watches in the world. This particular model was made in the early 1980s, but the 2499 watches entered production literally decades before in various model generations. Despite the popularity of these models, they are very rare, and very valuable. A Patek Philippe 2499 watch from the early 1960's recently sold for $1.7 at auction. Thus, I believe that Antiquorum's estimate of $250,000 - $350,000 is intentionally conservative. They like being able to say that a watch "beat estimate," so they set it up that way pretty often. This Patek Philippe 2499/100 watch will be at Antiquorum's auction on September 17th in New York City.

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

Harry Winston continues to fill out its line of sport watches with another Ocean Diver, this time a chronograph. A logical layout and color scheme for the chronograph subdials makes sense matched up to the luxury of 18k rose or white gold. The watch also contains copious amounts of Zalium - a special Harry Winston only metal alloy made up of aluminum and zirconium. Realize that "Ocean" is a name applied to an entire line of Harry Winston watches, so calling this watch the "Ocean Diver" Chronograph is not just a silly obvious statement. Harry Winston will not be releasing a "pond" or "stream" diver. The case is an admirable 44mm wide with three dial colors that are slate, silver, or rose gold. A fine looking dive watch with a nice rubber strap and the name of a good luxury brand attached to it. Pricey at between $36,400 and $39,400 dollars.

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

Adding just a new color to the Arceau Chronograph watch lineup with the "Ebony," and Hermes almost has you convinced you've got a totally new model. This is follow up watch to the Arceau Chronograph Alezan announced around Baselworld earlier this year. To Hermes, the Arceau line is direct extension of their equestrian heritage, making for a perfect companion to their full line of riding gear.

Hermes watches are finely designed in my opinion with flowing smooth lines and a refinement on par with other luxury watches with the names of exclusive French designers on them (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc...). The Arceau Ebony Chronograph has an almost totally black colored dial on the 43mm wide steel watch. Applied rings around the chronograph dials add a sense of depth to the mix, while the classic looking Arabic numerals have a character undeniably Hermes. The face is simple and clean, and Hermes could not resist adding the splash of their signature orange hue to the face to complete the branded look. I like the faceted window cut for the date window.

You get the distinct idea that the case shape is extremely smooth and pleasant to wear. Note the different lug structure at either end of the watch. Powering the timepiece is a Swiss ETA 2894 automatic movement. There is really nothing superfluous about the design, a fact that pleases me. Of course the watch would not be an Hermes if not fitted with a high grade calf leather strap, here in black with contrast stitching. Available soon from Hermes.

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

Fans of Louis Moinet timepieces will instantly recognize this special timepiece as being a very sporty version of the Twintech Chronograph watch. The Twintech is based on original Louis Moinet drawings from 1848, long before the advent of carbon fiber. You can read about the original Twintech Chronograph model here, and see here how the style has been refined a bit to accommodate for this revised style. This new watch is not so much an update rather than an alternative design.

Rather than a pretty retro design, this new Twintech model is all about the world of racing sports, something that Louis Moinet has been sponsoring here in the US. Aside from the carbon fiber face, the watch has a new font for the Arabic numerals as well as the racing red trim. The large watch has one of the most easy on the eyes rectangular watch cases on the market, and the red spots on the watch really make themselves seen. Many watches of this boldness can be difficult to read, as the dial can over-take the hands. I am glad to say that lume covered hands on this Twintech Chronograph watch hold their own and do not suffer from being drowned out in the mix. Overall a very nice looking steel sports watch that is unique, yet comfortable, compared to many others in the crowd.

A Louis Moinet representative let me check out this watch at Lussori, I can't speak to availability, but I have a feeling that at least a limited number of these watches should be available soon.

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

Panerai will release a new pink gold limited edition Luminor 1950 watch (ref. PAM00319) with manually wound movement with 8 days of power reserve as well as a split second (rattrapante) chronograph. An all gold Panerai like this is pretty rare, and it uses the Panerai manufacture made P.2006/3 movement. The movement is manually wound with an 8 day power reserve (shown on the linear power reserve indicator scale). You also get the split second 30 minute chronograph that Panerai always knows how to cleanly integrate. In order to keep the case looking simple, the chronograph pushers are on the left side of the case.

The watch case is 47mm wide in pink gold done in a brushed finish. The bezel however is nicely done with a polished finish to show off that Panerai dazzle. It is certainly blingy for the Italian brand but still goes along with the character they seek to preserve. The rich brown colored alligator strap has a pink gold buckle. You can see the interestingly made movement through the sapphire caseback, and the watch is still a Panerai being water resistant to 100 meters. Only 300 of the watches will be made and the price will likely above $20,000. A nice looker, certainly a Panerai in all respects, and likely to be a hit with collectors.

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

A new diver styled watch will be released from watch maker Rodolphe. The timepiece is nice, but notice that I mention diver "style" watch. A true diver watch is water resistant to 300 meters, while you don't really want to submerge anything in water that is tested less than 100 meters water resistant. However the Paninaro Diver Chrono watch is only 50 meters water resistant. So enough to watch your hands a bit more, but I'd rather Rodolphe have called it the "Paninaro Wading Chrono." Pretty nonetheless.

The watch is in steel in black PVD and 44mm wide. For all intents and purposes it should be more than 50 meters water resistant. weakness might be in the crowns or chronograph pushers. The watch uses an automatic Swiss movement with a chronograph mechanism and big date. The dial is handsome with applied features making for a nice and clear, yet three dimensional look. It also has an inner rotating diver's bezel. From a pure style perspective the watch does a good job at adding the Rodolphe trendy forward thinking and brand characteristic design to the diving watch genre, but the watch does seem to lack in the durability department.

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

Spotting a Louis Vuitton timepiece is a rare occurrence. The brand supplements its ubiquitous luggage and bag products with just a few watches to go around. While the LVMH brand group has watches in their DNA (owning such brands as Tag Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith), the actual Louis Vuitton branded watches are very hard to come by.

A new collection of two-tone Louis Vuitton Tambour watches is available in a chronograph, GMT, and three-hand version with a subsidiary dial. Each are automatics, each contain high grade ETA mechanical movements, and each has the fashion-forward style that the tapered Tambour watch case is known for. In a similar fashion to the Baume & Mercier Riviera, the type of the two-tone pieces creates an alternative look that helps the colors blend in without distraction, but still allows for an attractive case. As such you will see steel and 18k gold playing together in a pleasing harmony.

The new Two-Tone Tambour watches come in a few varieties with men's and women's models. For the men there is a three hand version with a subsidiary seconds dial at 9 o'clock, a GMT model, and the pictured chronograph model. Each with the eye soothing deep yellow hands. I am impressed that Louis Vuitton actually chose yellow gold for the watches, as the "standard" color of gold is hard to find these days in relation to other types of gold such as rose or red gold. Look for these new two tone gold and steel Tambour watches at select Louis Vuitton stores around the world soon. Prices for these models is sure to be in excess of $4,000 - $5,000.

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

Jaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin have been together for more than fifty years, ever since Aston won its first Le Mans in 1959 with a DBR1 sporting a Jaeger clock. The two companies began to make the most of that partnership only a few years ago, when Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the AMVOX1.

The second generation timepieces -- easily remembered as AMVOX2 -- begin with this, the AMVOX2 Chronograph. The vertical-trigger chronograph is the first of its kind to dispense with push-buttons: the timing mechanism can be stopped, started, and reset by pressing on the upper and lower edges of the sapphire crystal face. The chronograph functions can also be locked in position with the 3-position slider on the right.

Other details surrounding Jaeger-LeCoultre's Chronograph Caliber 751B include the red lever mechanism between 4 and 8'o'clock, and black applique numbers on a satin-finish dial that mask the white discs of the chronograph. You can peruse the details of Jaeger's AMVOX2 and survey the five years of timepieces the partnership has produced below.

A good looking classic watch does not need to cost a lot, but it sure can. Normally a Baume & Mercier watch goes for a reasonable luxury price, around $1,000 - $5,000. Some of the limited edition William Baume collection watches can fetch much more. They are limited editions because only a limited number of people are willing to shell out that much more.

In a 41mm wide 18k rose gold case, the watch has a beautiful guilloche engraved dial as well as gold hands and hour markers. I like how the markers are applied and classic looking, while there are some smaller Roman numerals on the dial to help with legibility. You'll notice that the lugs are totally classic looking and the case itself is polished gold surfaces that sandwich a nice brushed gold middle section. If Baume & Mercier needed to place "chronograph" on the dial, did it need to be so large? I think the retail price of about $30,000 would have made for a better piece of text in this position. Then you can show people that this is not your average Macy's Baume & Mercier timepiece.

The namesake of the watch regards the method of operating the 30 minute chronograph complication. Instead of two pushers, there is one pusher (built into the crown) that operates "start, stop, and reset." Nothing ultra complex, but there is a certain sexy sophistication to the style of movement. Which happens to be a Lajoux Perret caliber 5000, which is manually wound and has 42 hours of power reserve. The collection is limited to just 20 pieces.

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

Once in a while even I get irritated with luxury watch prices. It takes a lot of effort to handle a watch priced at $50,000 and think to yourself, "that is a pretty good deal." It can happen, which makes you really appreciate a sincerely high quality watch though. Other times you realize just how rare an actual watch costing $50,000, is actually worth any thing close $50,000. It makes you want to revisit the entry level luxury world to recall those nice watch features that can be had at much better prices.

Take this attractive new Tissot Le Locle Chronograph watch now with a PVD gold tone. The watch design isn't new, but this new quality gold toning is for the line as far as I know - and is arguably superior to gold plating. The legible gold on black face is easy to read yet classically formal, while the look has a retro theme with the black dial on brown alligator strap look. Inside the watch is an automatic ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement. Only big omission is that the date and day discs are white rather than black to make the watch. Was someone asleep at the wheel here?

At 41mm wide with 30 meters of water resistance, it is a nice casually active timepiece with a sophisticated composure and not too much pretentious sentiments. The watch also has a sapphire crystral on the front and caseback. Taken together, you get a lot of luxury feeling for so much of a luxury price. For your basic day to day needs, there isn't going to be too much that a $50,000 watch has on this Le Locle. Retail price will be about $1,395 from Tissot soon.

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

Now a little something for the ladies out there that are just sick of using Nike watches while engaged in physical activities - and want something more... substantial. You don't need to rely on a man's watch for a sophisticated instrument look, and now Omega has released a female sized version of one of its most popular watches. The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph 600m is an attractive and classic watch, but the standard model is 45.5mm wide. Large on most male wrists, too big on most female wrists. A few years after the Planet Ocean made its big splash, Omega now releases a 37.5mm wide version for women who want to sport the same look without looking silly.

The watch case is in steel with a helium escape valve, metal bracelet, and 600 meters of water resistance. A perfect diving watch from a company know for making excellent divers. The chronograph pushers can be had with the pictured black tips, which are also available in orange. The orange versions have the tone carried over to parts of the rotating diver's bezel as well.

Inside the watch is COSC certified Omega Co-Axial Calibre 3313 automatic mechanical movement. The included chronograph complication uses the more desirable column wheel mechanism in the movement. While at 37.5mm wide in size, this Seamaster Planet Ocean watch is much smaller than the male version, it is actually about the same size as some of the Omega Seamaster 300m watches sold in various Asian countries as men's models.

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

I was stunned to see this interesting watch from German Union Glashutte. I've always liked the brand's classic watches with a bit of a functional edge, but I was not expecting something as creative as this. Aside from the cool design, I am impressed by the unique way that Union Glashutte laid out the information for the Valjoux 7751 automatic mechanical movement. The 7751 as always been of the odder 7750 derivative movements because of the large amount of complications it had, and the quirky way it presented the information. Owning a watch with just such a movement I can attest that it is impressive, but not for everyone (as some of the information is small when trying to read or laid out in a complex manner). The movement includes the time, a 12 hour chronograph, an annual calendar with the day, date, and month, a moon phase indicator, and a synchronized 24 hour hand. Kind of a lot right?

The problem with the movement layout has always been symmetry as the entire right side of the dial is often left over for the brand logo or something like that. Still, most watches with the movement in this normal orientation ended up looking a bit lop sided. What Union Glashutte did is take the peripheral date dial and place it all on the right side of the watch and replaced the basic date hand with a three pointed hand that functions like the seconds sub dial on most Daniel Roth watches. Very clever and yet totally quirky in a sort of old world sense. The dial looks visually interesting with a textured black dial against silver, while most of the hour markers are visible and applied to the face.

The Averin Chronograph's case is a perfect square at 42.5mm by 42.5mm in size, and looks good in my opinion. The dial is available in the pictured two-tone or an all black or all silver tone dial. There is also a brown or black strap available. Price for this impressive number is about $4,200 and should be available now. Distribution for Union Glashutte should be wide as it is part of the Swatch Group, but still lagging in the US.

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