Different backgrounds, 2/2

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Different backgrounds, 2/2 - Baselworld 2014
1 minute read
Feminine or masculine, precious or sporty: a foretaste of a number of innovations to be unveiled at Baselworld.

Sapphire cases are often thought to be the exclusive preserve of ultra-high end watches. That would imply forgetting about Century, which has made this material the cornerstone of its range. In 2014, the brand is launching Affinity. The 36 facets of its transparent sapphire case merge with the roundness characterising the rest of the watch. Brilliant-cut diamonds, steel bracelet links and the carriers cradling the sapphire component endow this creation with a resolutely feminine air. 

 

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On the masculine front, Emile Chouriet is getting ready to take a massive plunge with Challenger Deep, named after the deepest underwater trench in the world. This watch with its steel case has settled for the 300-metre mark that allows it to be officially termed a diving watch. A midnight blue dial matches its bezel of the same colour, while the steel bracelet with alternating satin-brushed and polished horizontal links adorning this sports watch deserves a special mention.

 

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Hysek, on the other hand, opts for a maritime approach while making no concessions in terms of its distinctive identity. Although the Abyss 44mm is probably the smallest chronograph produced by the brand for years, its virile aesthetics remain true to the brand’s signature codes: the openworked, articulated lugs are well and truly present, as is the satin-finish case extending beyond the slim black bezel held in place by six highly visible screws. 

 

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Remaining in the realm of technical watches, Ball Watch is offering a chronograph dedicated to storm chasers. Strongly influenced by its American heritage, the brand has created the Fireman Storm Chaser Pro in tribute to the crazies who travel the Midwest in search of dangerous meteorological phenomena. The scale of this chronograph is telemetric. It shows the distance from which one is situated from an event by measuring the gap between its visual observation (lightning) and its audible observation (the rumbling of thunder). 

 

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Meanwhile, Baselworld will also feature some particularly elegant newcomers, including the 1948 watch to be presented by Eterna, which is making a highly anticipated comeback to the watchmaking scene. This classic two-tone houses one of the brand’s own movements, the self-winding 3030 calibre powering a large date display. 

 
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