german

Alexander Shorokhoff Avantgarde Watch

Wow, this is really pretty cool. I don't quite know why, but I am really drawn to this new timepiece from boutique German watch maker Alexander Shorokhoff. This new watch is simply called the "Avantgarde." Use of large numerals and chronograph subdials adds a comforting cartoonish look that I quite love. It helps that everything on the dial is still well-proportioned. Plus, the detailing is quite impressive. I love the use of the contrasting colors on the dial, as well as the stylized shapes of the hands and numerals.

Details on the Avantgarde chrono are scant, as it will be officially debuted next month. It has a mechanical 30 minute chronograph with the date. I believe it is a base ETA that has been reworked and decorated by Alexander Shorokoff. Price is said to be reasonable. I will look out for more information soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com

Tags: Alexander Shorokhoff, avantgarde, chronograph, german, watch

UTS Adventure GMT Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

German-made UTS watches are among the best for no-nonsense active types. With a distinct cult following, UTS watches have minimalist branding and intensely functional designs. As the refer to them, "the watches are designed by an engineer, and you'll feel it every day." The cases are made in-house by UTS, and the durability of these watches is said to be outstanding. One of the only drawbacks is that the difference between the various UTS watch models is often slight.

This new UTS Adventure GMT watch is a follow up on the Adventure Automatic. The cushion shaped case is in a very high-grade steel and is 46mm wide. Water resistant to 500 meters, the watch contains a newer Swiss ETA Valgranges A07.171 automatic GMT movement. There is lots of bright SuperLumiNova on the dial, and the legibility is top-notch. I like how the red colored GMT hand is in the center of the dial with a complete 24 hour scale. The watch comes on various straps or UTS's famous metal bracelet. Price is $4,000 and the Adventure GMT watch is limited to 200 pieces only.

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

Gallery: UTS Adventure GMT Watch back

Tags: adventure, german, GMT, UTS, watch

Nivrel Héritage Grand Chronographe Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

New from German based Nivrel is this duo of "Heritage Grand Chronographe" watches. I say - that if you are going to place an "e" after "chronograph," you might as well put and "e" after "grand." Am I right? Extra "Es" for all!

The Heritage Grand Chronograph collection is just that. Two 42mm wide steel watch in classic German heritage style watch cases with German silver (not actually silver) guilloche engraved dials. Blued steel hands and black or brown alligator straps complete the "heritage" look.

Nivrel will offer the watch with two movements. One comes with a Swiss ETA 7750 automatic chronograph, and the other comes with a Swiss ETA 7751 automatic chronograph with moon phase and annual date. Simple and classic in demeanor, these pieces are nevertheless quite nice and offer a look sought by many people for a price more reasonable than the Swiss offer. I would say that these watches compare to offerings from brands such as Longines. Check out the cool large and round chronograph pushers as well. Price for the 7750 based model is 1,995 euros, while the 7751 based Heritage Grand Chronograph is 2,595 euros. Look for them soon.

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

Tags: 512.001, 522.001, chronographe, german, grand, heritage, nivrel, watch

Very Rare WWII Enigma Cipher Machine For Sale At Rau Antiques

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

While it was built before, and used during World War II, the US never mentioned the Enigma Machine details until the 1990s when it was declassified - though it is not American at all. The little unassuming box that looks like a typewriter is the subject of legend, and was a large factor in the US (and Allies) winning the war. It is unclear how things would have turned out if our greatest minds were unable to unlock the secrets of the Enigma Machine.

Built and designed by the Germans, the Enigma Machine came in a few varieties and where code creating and deciphering machines. Originally commercial units since 1926, they are quite possibly the most complex non-computerized code machines ever made (though they are a mixture of mechanical and electronic parts). The Germans used them to send coded messages during the war, relying on the machine's ability to have over a billion combinations. No one was ever able to break the code just by seeing it. Breaking the code involved secretly capturing working Enigma Machines, but that was only half the battle. Merely having the box wasn't enough. You needed to have some manner of pattern or other code, the helped you decipher the code you were trying to decipher in the first place - at least this is my understanding of it. The link to the Wikipedia page above has lots (and lots) more information. So being able to decrypt a code that required other codes was very tough.

Tags: cipher, Enigma machine, German, rau, sale, world war II, WWII

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IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph Edition DFB Watch For The German Football Association

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Swiss IWC will be the official watch maker for the German national football team. The beautiful limited edition watch as a result of this partnership will be very difficult to obtain. Pretty much the only want to get one of the 250 IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph Edition DFB (German Football Association) watches is to be specifically nominated by the team's coach Joachim Low. You might also have success asking IWC really, really nicely for one. Like many European nations, Germany is Football crazy, and are likely excited about the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

The limited edition watch build on the existing IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph with special colors and a special logo applied to the sapphire exhibition caseback on the rear of the watch. Note the black, yellow, and red colors on the watch dial in honor of the German national flag. At 45.5mm wide in steel, the Big Ingenieur Chronograph watch has one of my favorite IWC movements - the automatic calibre 89360 in-house made movement that has a full 12 hour chronograph in just two subdials. This is done by having both the hours and minute in the upper subdial (using two hands), while the dial has a clean, symmetrical look to it. The dark rings of the chronograph look beautiful against the silvery dial. This is one of my favorite looking IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph watches out there. The watch is paired with a black alligator strap that is red on the inside. Not sure about price, but if your "selected" to own one, I am sure they will tell you how much you need to pony up for it.

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

Gallery: IWC Big Ingenieur Chronograph Edition DFB Watch back

Tags: big, chronograph, DFB, FIFA, football, german, ingenieur, IW378404, IWC, watch

Chronoswiss Watches Open New York City Boutique Store

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Chronoswiss watches have been gaining popularity as of late and they have finally cleared up one of my biggest questions. Why are they called "chrono-Swiss" when they are a German company? The official response is here: "Though [Chronoswiss is] a German company, every component of the timepieces is manufactured in Switzerland and then hand-finished and assembled in Germany." Oh... OK. That makes more sense now. I do like the watches too!

Just in time for what everyone hopes will be the big rebound shopping season, Chronoswiss will open a brand new shop in SoHo in New York City. I love that the store front is both inviting and eye catching. It has that charming brick look, with a few little tables inside and a cute little entrance way. There is no large intimidating sign for the brand, just a cool looking banner showing a portion of one of their watch dials. A soft sign with the brand name is in the window. I really hope the inside of the store is as well designed as the outside. The boutique is located in SoHo on West Broadway. Although the store is now open, their official grand opening event will be held on December 2nd from 7-11pm.

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

Tags: America, boutique, Chronoswiss, German, New York, NewYork, store, watch

Limes Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I've previously mentioned that successful execution in design of a Valjoux 7751 movement based watch is tough. Here is an example of how to best utilize the movement, as seen in this Limes Pharo Vollkalender Chronograph watch. The German brand is pronounced "Lee-mehz," not like the citrus. The 40.5mm wide watch comes in a few variants (black and steel tone dials, with black or brown leather straps). Both the silver and black dial versions have a stately feel to them. The useful complications included in the automatic Valjoux 7751 movement are laid out in a logical manner. The list is actually quite long, and the movement represents a very good value for what you get. In addition to the time, the watch has a full calendar (day, date, and month), moon phase, 12 hour chronograph, and synchronized 24 hour hands. The dials are machine engraved with traditional decorations while the timepiece is very inviting in character.

In addition to the decorated watch dial, the movement is viewable through a sapphire caseback window and is decorated with perlage, Cotes de Geneve polished stripes, and blued steel screws. Water resistance of 50 meters is appropriate for the timepiece's genre. Many people seek the style that this Pharo Vollkalender Chronograh watch has, but aren't willing to pay the extremely high prices of Swiss watches such as Breguet. This watch retails for a more wallet responsible $4,280 (and you can even get it online at the Limes website). A quality brand that I've always know to be dedicated to making fine watches at reasonable prices.

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

Tags: 7751, chronograph, german, limes, pharo, vollkalender, watch

Sinn Modell 6000 Finanzplatzuhr Watch In Platinum

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

For those of you who know, German Sinn watches represent super high levels of function and durability. Having a Sinn watch in a luxurious material simply because it is expensive is almost contrary to the theme of the brand. However, that just changed with the 10th anniversary version of their Model 6000 Financial Center "Finanzplatzuhr" watch. The Sinn Modell 6000 Finanzplatzuhr will come in a limited edition of 10 pieces in platinum. The brand that made famous super hard Tegimented steel and the low maintenance mechanical movement, now dips its toes in the classic sense of luxury.

The Modell 6000 also comes in steel, but this one is in platinum and the case is 38mm wide and 100 meters water resistant. The dial is anthracite with guilloche machine decoration and is rhodium plated. The dial is obviously pilot watch themed, but altered a bit to represent Frankfurt, the home of Sinn, as well as Germany's financial center. Likewise, on this limited edition, the automatic movement rotor has been decorated with the city's skyline.

For the movement, Sinn took a Valjoux 7750 and modified it with their Diapal technology. This replaces certain gears and palettes in the movement with diamond plated components. This is to created parts of the watch that require no lubrication as they have such low amounts of friction. This dramatically increases the time the watch needs to go between servicing. They also fitted the movement with a GMT hand. The watch is capable of tracking three timezones, and the external hour ring rotates using the crown at 10 o'clock. The Sinn Modell 6000 Finanzplatzuhr watch is impressive alone, and this limited edition platinum model is even more impressive. In accordance with the non-excessive values of the brand, the platinum version watch is priced at 19,900 euros, certainly cheaper than most all other platinum cased watches. Available now, but there are only a few.

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

Tags: financial, frankfurt, german, limited edition, LimitedEdition, Modell 6000 Finanzplatzuhr, Modell6000Finanzplatzuhr, platinum, sinn

A. Lange & Sohne Watch Company Rated Best German Luxury Brand, By Germans

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Hard (for me) to pronounce German Business magazine Wirtschaftswoche has recently rated watch maker A. Lange & Sohne as the "Top German Luxury Brand." The magazine does a regular ranking (each two years) of Germany's most well known luxury brands which combines everything from fashion houses, to car makers, and of course watch makers.

A. Lange & Sohne beat out companies from every other segment to be the top luxury brand, not merely the top luxury watch brand. The ranking was done through interviews with over 150 industry professionals and participants, and conducted via the Munich based "Brand Rating" agency.

A. Lange & Sohne's highest marks came in the category of "brand appeal." Meaning that people indicated that they personally wanted one, or could see others wanting them (as I speculate the questions to have been like). It should be obvious that when presented with the question, "do you want an A. Lange & Sohne watch?," people were going to say "yes of course." Though, they responded in the affirmative even more so than to questions about Porsche cars, etc... A. Lange & Sohne doesn't need an award like this to be a top luxury brand, but it sure helps remind everyone else.

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

Tags: a lange sohne, ALangeSohne, company, german, germany, luxury, top, watch, Wirtschaftswoche

The Pope Gets A Free Erhard Junghans Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The German-born Pope gets a German-born watch. Recently, watch company Erhard Junghans gifted Pope Benedict XVI a shiny new Tempus Automatic watch with an enamel dial and a fine automatic mechanical movement. The watch company has been around since 1861, which is apparently the year that the previous Pope was born (I jest).

The watch was presented to the Pope by a German politician, Volker Kauder, who presides over the electoral district where Erhard Junghans is located in the Black Forest region in Germany. The watch was specially engraved to commemorate Kauder's visit to the Vatican and was described as a personal gift to Pope Benedict XVI. It is unclear whether the gift is directly from Kauder himself or as part of a joint gift from Erhard Junghans as well. The watch brand is more or less unknown in the US, and is a higher-end brand from the more basic named "Junghans" brand in Germany.

The gifted timepiece is the stainless steel version of the Tempus Automatic watch that is 42mm wide with an automatic mechanical movement inside and a display caseback. The white enamel dial has black lacquer Roman numerals on the dial and is priced at about 1,900 euros. The watch is also available with a black colored dial, and also in a limited edition 18k rose gold model that goes for about 7,800 euros. It will be seen whether or not the Pope will wear the new watch, but if so, will make for excellent PR for the watch brand.

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

Gallery: Erhard Junghans watch for the Pope

Tags: benedict xvi, BenedictXvi, erhard junghans, ErhardJunghans, german, gift, pope, tempus automatic, TempusAutomatic, timepiece, watch

A. Lange & Sohne's New Lange Zeitwerk Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The new Lange Zeitwerk watch is a clever and refined attempt from German luxury watch maker A. Lange & Sohne to combine the tradition and quality they are known for, with the modern outlook that their watch makers and designers have. In essence you have an extremely high quality mechanical watch, that dispenses with most of the analog components that classic watches are known to have - instead embracing the tone of the digital generation. My opinion is that this watch is A. Lange & Sohne's secret attempt to reach a perhaps younger, more "now" focused audience while maintaining the character that the brand is known for. In all this I think they have succeeded. Let's take a closer look at the watch.

The Lange Zeitwerk uses a brand new in-house manually wound L043.1 calibre movement. The movement incorporates a "constant force" escapement complication. This is very important for this type of watch because it has two "jumping" complications, one for the hours and one for the minutes. The nature of the movement requires specific amounts of force to be used, but not all the time. For this reason a constant force escapement situated with the balance wheel ensures that the same amount of force is released all the time ensuring good rate results. If you don't understand this, that is OK. Just know that A. Lange & Sohne has been testing this watch for a long time, and the complication is unique to them, and highly refined (which is a term I use to describe Lange a lot, because it just fits). The heart of the allure behind the watch is the dial layout and functionality. This is an almost purely digital watch displaying the jumping hours and minutes - that change instantly. The seconds dial is still present, and there is a useful power reserve indicator as well. The dial is constructed in part from sterling silver. All very innovative and beautiful to look at.

The 42mm wide case is just 12.5 mm thick. The case is available in four materials. 18k white, yellow, or rose gold, and in platinum. Not too sure on price or availability yet, though it will be at least several months before it is released, and the price is likely to be in excess of $50,000 - $60,000 for the gold versions of the Lange Zeitwerk.

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

Gallery: A. Lange & Sohne Lange Zeitwerk watch

Tags: 2009, a lange sohne, ALangeSohne, digital, german, jumping, lange zeitwerk, LangeZeitwerk, timepiece, watch

Otium Trigulateur Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Take away some of the incredible glitz in new watch designs at Basel and you find some truly handsome and unique watches like this German Otium Triangulator - a company founded on the concept that each watch it makes will not display time in the traditional manner. Using a modified Swiss ETA manually-wound 6497-1 movement, Otium is able to place three subdials to tell the time (hours, minutes, and seconds) against a perlage polished dial. Design influence is classic race cars, but with an emphasis on luxury. I'd day that the best modern car to pair with watch with is the Dutch car maker Spyker, who has a similar use of colors, perlage, polishing and finely milled metal. While difficult to tell in this image, the three subdials are actually raised a bit like small portholes, really reminiscent of early race car technology and style. The actual layout of the dials is meant to resemble speedometers and accompanying gauges such as a tachometer.

With a 42mm wide stainless steel case and sapphire crystal (top and bottom), the Triangulator watch is available with white or black colored subdials and brown or black Louisiana crocodile straps. The crown has been oriented in a "lefty position" which might make it difficult to manually wind while still on your wrist, unless of course you wear your watch on your right hand. Overall the keen attention to detail and simple good looks of this Otium watch make it a winner in my book.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2009, basel, baselworld, german, germany, otium, triangulator, watch

Riedenschild Black Pearl Watch

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

German watch company Riedenschild opened their first U.S. sales office this month in New York. Riedenschild makes watches in limited editions of 299 or 999 units which are all assembled in Germany. The watches all have a two-year warranty and feature mirror polished backs. German designer Oliver Wolf is behind the simple and classic designs. Riedenschild isn't well known in the U.S yet but the company has plans to change that. The watch shown here is the Black Pearl which has a Swiss automatic movement with an 18K gold casing. It sells for $539.

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Tags: german, riedenschild, timepiece, watch, wrist watch

Football Finale! Vases

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

German designers Markus Gogolin and Hedwig Rotter were counting on the German football team to make it to the World Cup finals this year. Unfortunately for them, the team lost to the Italians. There is one final match for the German team tomorrow against Portugal, playing for third place. Considering that the team could still score a trophy, the finale! vases are still rather appropriate. Made from porcelain, they measure 39x25x9-cm and are modeled on a real footballer's lower leg and foot. There are no distinctive German-team markings on the shoe, so any fan could enjoy them and still support his or her favorite team. The foot is not included - and that's probably just as well. Price: €155.

[via Design Spotter]

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Tags: football, german, germany, soccer, sports, vase, vases

A Hummer Made of Candy

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Artist Heidi Heiss must be even more upset by the discontinuation of the Hummer H1 than we are - just kidding. She made this candy-coated Hummer as a tribute to "the soldiers who gave candies to children during the war." It is a life sized HumVee that is made of gumballs, steel and wire mesh. This one was on display at the MOCA Tucson in Arizona, but it's easy to imagine it ending up in the car collection of someone who really wants something different.

There's another picture, for perspective, after the jump.

[via OMG Blog]

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Tags: american, art, artist, german, heidi heiss, hummer, liberty

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