Only Watch is a charity fundraiser supporting research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This year the event will open its doors on September 28th and be hosted by the Principality of Monaco. Thirty-three prominent brands have excelled themselves to produce some extraordinary watches to mark the occasion. Here are some of the exquisite creations that have caught my eye.
Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Only Watch
After 37 years working in the industry Laurent Ferrier finally unveiled his debut timepiece at Baselworld 2010. As well as being a fine watchmaker he also had an immense passion for amateur motorsport. The company has spent the last fifteen months developing the elegant Galet Classic Only Watch. This sublime timepiece features a beautiful sand-toned grand feu enameled dial with a delicate illustration of a dove and the Monaco coat-of-arms. The design is understated and in my opinion makes it all the more charming. I love the dainty steel hands, indexes and small second counter. Beneath the refined exterior lays a highly complicated tourbillon movement, which is visible through the sapphire crystal case back.
Patek Philippe Reference 5004T
The name Patek Philippe is synonymous with incredibly high quality and intricate timepieces. The Reference 5004T perfectly illustrates this point in everyway. Its magnificent dial is fabricated from solid gold and is finished in black with hand-guilloché carbon pattern. The attention to detail is extraordinary and is exceptionally well executed. With a modest diameter of 36.7mm (excluding the crown and pushers) these classical proportions should appeal to the serious collector. Functionally the timepiece has an abundance of features including a split second chronograph with 30-minute counter and perpetual calendar. It is important to mention this is the company’s first and only version ever produced in titanium.
Roger Dubuis La Monégasque
Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis established his own company in partnership with talented designer Carlos Dias in 1995. This dynamic combination has proved integral to the ongoing success of the brand. The stunning La Monégasque is their generous offering to this years ‘Only One’ auction. Visually the timepiece is very elegant and the 44m diameter rose gold case should appeal to the connoisseur. The layout of the dial is cohesive especially the contrast between the charcoal grey background and the pink gold numerals. Other successful elements of the design are the two large apertures displaying the phenomenal flying tourbillon and the micro rotor. This amazing timepiece also features a highly complex self-winding movement comprising 227 hand-finished components.
DelaCour Red Dots
Alfred Terzibachian, Louai Kuzbari and Pierre Koukjian founded Delacour in 2003. With numerous years experience in the industry they pooled their resources to produce some exceptional watches including the captivating Red Dots. Dimensionally this is a massive timepiece measuring a staggering 55.5 x 53 x 15.5 mm. Ultimately the unique shaped case and the use of high performance Titanium should make this a comfortable watch to wear. Aesthetically the design is based on the fantastic City watch with the inclusion of striking red dots. I personally love the multi layered white dial, which gives the façade a three dimensional quality. The watch is equipped with an impressive Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement.
De Bethune Skybride
De Bethune is a Swiss based watchmaker owned by David Zanetta, Denis Flageollet and Pierre Jacques. Within a decade they have become one of the most respected brands in the industry winning the prestigious Geneva Watchmaking Grand prize in 2011 for their exceptional DB28. Early this year I had the privilege of reviewing this incredible watch, which I found to be a truly invigorating experience. Fundamentally the company have used the same lightweight titanium case with the brilliant floating lugs for the Skybridge. I love the dial, which delicately contrasts blue polished steel with white gold and diamond stars. The effect is utterly mesmerising and highly original. Beneath the exquisite silhouette lays a mechanical hand winding movement comprising 236 hand-crafted components.
