Innovative, remarkable, playful yet fashionable watches arrive in Bangkok
Diving reaches new depths
Swiss watch brand Oris, renowned for producing specialist diving watches, introduces to Bangkok this summer the new Oris Aquis Depth Gauge, the first diver's watch which measures depth by allowing water to enter the timepiece.
The crown is protected by a safety barrier.
Revolutionising the world of professional diving where safety and protection are paramount, Oris engineers have applied the Boyle-Mariotte Law (which states that if the volume of a gas is decreased, the pressure increases proportionally) to the patented Oris Aquis Depth Gauge.
The watch's special sapphire crystal, 50% thicker than an average top glass, features a channel milled into the side which runs anticlockwise around the dial, stopping between 1 and 2 o'clock. At 12 o'clock, an inlet leads to this channel. The join between the crystal and the case is sealed by a rubber gasket.
On descent, the air inside the channel is compressed by the surrounding water pressure, allowing water to enter through the inlet at 12 o'clock. The edge, in light grey and dark grey, differentiates between water and compressed air on the scale around the outside of the dial, indicating depth while descending or ascending.
Diver safety is crucial, and Oris' innovative depth gauge ensures accurate depth measurement. The indicator benefits from no inertia, not delaying the accurate and actual depth indication _ particularly useful in decompression breaks in lesser depths.
The stainless steel case boasts an instrument look design, featuring a unidirectional revolving top ring, with black ceramic inlay. The black ceramic inlay of the unidirectional revolving top ring has an engraved 60-minute scale, with individual minute lines from zero to 15. The white Super-LumiNova applied to the hands and indices provides excellent underwater visibility. The high contrast yellow metre scale printed on the inside of the sapphire crystal emphasises the well-balanced technical look. The watch is water-resistant up to 500m, providing the highest protection for the mechanical movement with automatic winding.
The retail price for Oris Aquis Depth Gauge is 109,900 baht. Oris counters are at Central Chidlom (tel 02-793-7777 ext 9351) and The Emporium (tel 02-269-1000 ext 1722). The watch can also be viewed at D Watch Cafe, M floor of Siam Paragon (tel 02-610-9523). For more information, contact Trocadero Group at 02-677-4500.
The case back with an engraved metres-tofeet conversion scale.
MOMENTOUS PIECE
March is a momentous month for the mighty Swatch Group. It was in March 1983, three decades ago, that they launched 12 Swatch watches. It can be said that it was the watch that saved the entire Swiss watch industry, and became the bestselling brand.
Swatch Est. 1983.
Today, after three decades of wit, audacious innovation, playful provocation and a whole lot of fun, Swatch has every reason to celebrate. Those first 12 watches from 1983 have been followed by millions, and now there is one that brings it all back to mind _ the impossible, incredible story of Swatch: Swatch Est. 1983.
The new Gent, Swatch Est. 1983 features a transparent plastic case and strap and a skeleton dial offering a clear view of the movement within. Key components are highlighted in gold; on one, a golden driving wheel, the word "celebrate" appears twice, in black. And printed in gold on a broad silver band are all the intervening years, from 1983 to 2013.
Swatch Est. 1983 looks back across 30 years to the origins of Swatch. Each year brings back memories of one or another fantastic Swatch watch: a Pop, Scuba 200, heavy-metal Irony, colourful Gent, seductive Skin or high-tech Touch _ not to mention those creations by artists, athletes and fashion designers.
Italian artist Lorenzi Petrantoni has also created a special edition artwork for Swatch, looking at events which took place in 1983. His poster evokes a world filled with mind-bending events, a world where Swatch launches the impossible watch: plastic, 51 parts, under 50 Swiss francs. This was an era when Michael Jackson's Thriller album sold 50 million copies. Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi roars through cinemas around the world. The space shuttle Challenger made its inaugural flight and Swatch issued a million watches in its first year.
The retail price for Swatch Est. 1983 is 2,500 baht. Swatch shops are at Siam Center, CentralWorld, CentralPlaza Lardprao and Paradise Park.
REMARKABLE FEMININITY
Mido Baroncelli Lady ‘Smile’.
Luxury Swiss watch brand Mido introduces the Baroncelli Lady "Smile", a stylish feminine timepiece designed for a woman who admires fine watchmaking and appreciates Swiss tradition and know-how.
The new 33mm Baroncelli comes with a dial that accentuates a delightful blend of ivory and chocolate hues. Encircled by 12 diamonds, the aperture offers a refined indication of the date; the other numerals depict a smile. The applied gilt indices and bevelled hands are protected by an anti-reflecting sapphire crystal treated on both sides, while the case rounded to the horns has a rose PVD finish.
The watch has a transparent caseback through which its owner can admire the finely decorated movement. It is also water-resistant up to 50m. This lady's watch is mounted on a brown lacquered leather strap. It is also available with a silver dial in a stainless steel case and bracelet.
The retail price for Mido Baroncelli Lady "Smile" is 34,000 baht. Mido counters are in most leading department stores. Call 02-610-0200.
FUNCTIONAL AND ACCESSIBLE
Famous as a fashion accessory watch, this season saw ck Calvin Klein introducing ck surround, a functional and accessible timepiece for men on the go.
The gent-sized watch is offered with either a polished stainless steel case and black or silver dial, a PVD yellow gold case and silver dial, or a PVD rose gold case and black dial. Each style features hour and minute hands that match the colour of the case and a discreet ck Calvin Klein logo at 12 o'clock. Water-resistant up to 30m, the watch comes with a black crocodile pattern leather strap.
ck surround.
