Luxurious wonders for the wrist
Stories by BERVIN CHEONG and NADINE FERNANDEZ
MAKING a return is Swiss Watch Gallery’s contemporary watch showcase. Time Kulture – presenting the best in class of what’s new in timepiece novelties this year, affords visitors the opportunity to get acquainted with some iconic brands.
Held from now until Aug 24 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the showcase features eight brands: Maurice Lacroix, Alpina, Frédérique Constant, Longines, Oris, Tag Heuer, Tissot and Tudor.
Strategic and lifestyle partners for the Time Kulture showcase are Maybank, Citroën, The Star, Starwood Resorts & Hotels, Samsung, Broker’s London Dry Gin and Sennheiser.
Here, we have the highlights from each brand, beginning with Maurice Lacroix.
Extraordinary creations
Despite being comparatively young, Maurice Lacroix has impeccably kept to the standards of fine Swiss watchmaking.
Since the 1990s, the brand has been developing attractive and surprising functions for mechanical watch models.
Maurice Lacroix also aims to create – with its very own innovative complications and movements, plus contemporary designs – some really extraordinary timepieces. These blend elements of masterful craftsmanship and unique aesthetics.
A recent release is the Masterpiece Mystery that depicts time in a seemingly linear form. The watch’s twin-tipped seconds hand traverses a solid disc, of which appears to float and move in an almost magical motion.
While an open-worked area of the dial (with an off-centre hour and minute face) reveals the mechanics housed within, the mystery remains with the seconds display. There appears to be no physical connection between it and the movement beneath.
When it was initially launched in 2013, the Mystery was released in two limited series of 125 pieces each. This year, Maurice Lacroix has released two new versions of the Masterpiece Mystery – again produced in limited numbers of 250 pieces each.
The Masterpiece Square Wheel is just as impressive. This one shows off an unusually shaped gear wheel that turns and interfaces with its adjacent clover-shaped counterpart.
The hypnotic effect of the moving components – of which communicates time with a playful flourish of style, has won many admirers. Clean and simple in appearance, the Masterpiece Square Wheel has become an iconic member of the Masterpiece family.
Now the story continues with two new models. The Classic features a black face and the Vintage employs a white lacquered dial. Both, however, share similar dia- mond-polished, luminescent hour and minute hands.
Although there is an addition of a power-reserve indicator, the dial area remains to be a model of restraint.
Another novelty to look out for is the Pontos S Supercharged. Described as “a new red-blooded timepiece”, the watch is a bold creation that fuses contemporary aesthetics and sporty lines.
One version is presented in a large, 48mm diameter case, with red and white detailing set against a contrasting black dial background.
The other has a stainless steel anthracite PVD case and black exterior, plus yellow and white embellishments.
The large case diameter provides a generous canvas on which to display the various functions of the Pontos S Supercharged. The highly legible display imparts information succinctly.
There is also a chronograph function that includes a central stopwatch seconds hand, 30-minute register and a 12-hour counter. At 9 o’clock, a small seconds display features on the dial and a date window resides opposite.
Other Maurice Lacroix highlights showcasing at Time Kulture include the Les Classiques Chronographe Phases de Lune, Pontos Day/Date and Pontos Date.
Each represents the brand’s timeless commitment in producing highly appealing timepieces.