Baselworld 2014: Open-face watches

Written By Amy Fernandes | Updated: Jul 15, 2014, 12:29 PM IST

Openwork and complex skeleton movements set these timepieces a class apart

Corum
Golden Bridge Automatic
This timepiece combines the iconic baguette movement in an automatic version with a linear oscillating weight— to a titanium case. The case highlights the red gold movement. The metalized sapphire dial plays with transparency when the watch is not worn but it turns opaque on the wrist. The gold hour-markers applied on the sapphire dial accentuate the depth effect. The hands are open worked in order not to obstruct the view of the beautiful movement. It has 40 hours of power reserve.


Girard Perregaux
Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges
Girard-Perregaux has taken its iconic tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges and given it a radical makeover, both visually and mechanically. The Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges retains the signature movement layout, but features open-worked titanium bridges and micro-rotor automatic winding. The case comes in pink gold and the the sapphire glass has been created in the shape of an anti-reflective box-like window. Engraved, beveled and skeletonized, it features 6 tilted arms. Water-resistant up to 30 meters, it features an alligator strap.


Hublot
Classic Fusion Tourbillon Skull
This watch is distinguished by its ceramiccoated aluminium case, crown and dial components which give this piece a rather striking appearance. The manual winding skeleton tourbillon movement with its 5-day power reserve has seen several transformations, most notably the bridges which received a 3-D machining and has transformed the flat bridges. Their boneshaped design with skull-shaped minute tourbillon barret (which rotates fully in one minute) is a perfect fusion of the traditional and the modern. The watch comes with a calfskin strap.


Omega

Deville Tourbillon Baguette Paved Bezel
This watch is equipped with a self-winding central tourbillon and 45 hours power-reserve movement. The titanium tourbillon cage boasts one revolution per minute. The flying hour minutes are etched on the sapphire dial, seconds hand on the tourbillon cage. It comes in a 18-carat red gold case. 24 baguette diamonds are set on the 18-carat red gold bezel. A limited edition of eight pieces, this watch comes in a brown leather strap.


Tag Heuer

Carrera MikroPendulumS
This watch features two magnetic pendulums—one for telling time and one for timekeeping. This chronograph tourbillon, the world’s fastest, controls 1/100th of a second, beats 360,000 an hour and rotates 12 times a minute. It comes in a titanium case, the pendulums and their solid 18-carat rose gold bridges are visible through the dial. The strap is hand-sewn anthracite grey alligator.


Zenith

El Primero Lightweight
This watch comes in a 45mm carbon case. The openworked skeleton dial provides a bird’s eye view of a skeletonized El Primero high-beat movement. The hollowed-out facetted hour markers bear a luminescent coating, while the light grey, blue and anthracite counters pick up the three emblematic colors of the 1969 El Primero. It is the first automatic chronograph offering 1/10th of a second precision. The strap is black rubber. This is a limited edition of 250 pieces.