East West® Automatic

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East West® Automatic - Tiffany & Co.
This original and non-conformist model with its discreetly retro look is competing in the “Petite Aiguille” category of the GPHG 2016.

Launched in 2015 and marking the great American jeweller’s return to the watchmaking scene, the East West® Automatic by Tiffany & Co. owes its distinctive design form to a no less original folding travel watch dating back to 1940! There is something undeniably daring about this watch with its extremely elongated rectangular case, its case rotated 90° to the right and its strap lugs offset at 9 and 3 o’clock. In 2016, the East West® appears in a subtly upsized 46.5 x 27.5 mm case, and above all the quartz movement powering last year’s models has been replaced by a mechanical self-winding movement. The latter asset encouraged Tiffany & Co. to enter the East West® Automatic in the “Petite Aiguille” category of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Its qualities have been duly recognised by the jury which has pre-selected it for the final phase of the competition. This original model stands out as the only non-round or ‘form’ watch among the other rivals vying for this prize.

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The East West® Automatic exists in an 18K pink gold case version framing a sunburst guilloché white dial swept over by gold poudré Arabic numerals and fitted with a slim and supple brown alligator leather strap elegantly extending the curved case that gently moulds the wrist. Two stainless steel interpretations round off the 2016 collection: the first features the same dial as the pink gold variation, but with blued hours and minutes hands, and is teamed with a black alligator leather strap secured by a folding clasp. It is this version with a 5,100 Swiss franc price tag that is competing in the GPHG 2016. The second steel variation has a dark blue dial, silver poudré numerals and dials in the same colour, along with a blue strap matching the dial.

The watches are protected by a sapphire crystal and, as mentioned earlier, they house a Swiss made mechanical self-winding movement driving the hours, minutes and seconds hands. This calibre has a 40-hour power reserve and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The quality of the movement finishing may be admired through an original semi-circular caseback opening.

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The delightfully eccentric look of the East West® Automatic will suit men relaxed enough to wear an offbeat watch while regarding elegance and fine watchmaking as top priorities.  Yet this model also holds great appeal for women, as reported by the Tiffany & Co. boutique in Geneva, where the watch rubs shoulders with the new specifically feminine East West® Mini models. This timepiece radiates a special yet indefinable New York touch along with a discreetly retro charm, without being resolutely vintage. It reflects the design codes of traditional watchmaking, expressed with the style that Tiffany & Co. has been nurturing for 169 years.

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