aBlogtoRead.com » Perrelet

Perrelet Turbine Diver Watch

admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:06:07 +0000

2012 sees another variation on the popular Perrelet Turbine watch called the Turbine Diver - and it is just that. With a large case, internal rotating dive bezel, and 300 meters of water resistance, you can now combine your love of the spinning dial timepiece with your passion for sport watches. Well, at least I know I can.

I've written about the Perrelet Turbine watch over the years and did a hands-on review of the Perrelet Turbine XL watch here. The high-end novelty watch continues to hold my attention. If you don't recall how it works, the Turbine is a play on the original Perrelet double rotor concept that has a second rotor on the dial which is connected to the rear rotor in the automatic movement. The turbine on the dial spins with the movement of your wrist. With enough inertia, it will spin pretty fast. Perrelet learned that by using large, bold hands as it does here - a high level of legibility can be maintained.

Size-wise, the Turbine Diver is between the original 43mm Turbine and the 50mm wide Turbine XL. The Turbine Diver is 47.5mm wide. The case is once again similar in style, with a slightly different bezel design. The watch will likely wear a bit smaller than it is due to the thick outer bezel and internal rotating bezel. The blades of the turbine are sharply curved, this time looking a lot more like a boat engine propeller versus the turbines in a jet engine. With propellers being used for both of these purposes, it was just a matter of time before the watch went from aviation to nautical in theme.

Each of the cases are in steel but some have DLC black coated segments - just like most Turbine watches out there. The dials are attractive, and there is fun sportiness to the collection. They are whimsical, but also very functional in design. The crown has been moved to 10 o'clock, and the internal rotating bezel as well as the time, is adjusted via the same crown. I actually like the single crown design versus having two of them (as many watches with internal rotating bezels have).

Color wise, the Turbine Diver comes in black or blue, with yellow or white trim. All models look handsome in my opinion. I do wonder what styles will end up being the best sellers. Over the dial is an AR coated sapphire crystal, and there should be lots of SuperLumiNova on the dial for darkness viewing. Attached to the watch is a black or blue rubber strap.

Inside the Turbine Diver watches is the Perrelet P-331 automatic double-rotor movement. It is a Soprod movement exclusive to Perrelet and both brands are owned by the same parent company. Prices for the watch will be $6,550 or $7,200 depending on whether DLC is used on the case or not. Look for them later in 2012.

No related posts.

Perrelet Skeleton Chronograph Watch

admin — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 08:09:01 +0000

Originally released a couple of years ago, 2011-2012 sees new color variations for the Perrelet Skeleton Chronograph. It took a while for me to warm up to this unique style of timepiece but I am liking it now especially thanks to the refreshed dial and prices that don't shock the heart. The biggest question I have is whether it is a sport watch or not.

Really, I don't actually know whether this is a sport watch, a formal watch, or something in between. The case design falls somewhere in the middle. The dial is also a mixture of classic elegance and aggressive ideals. It has a steel case with some or all of it DLC black coated, and a rubber strap. How many skeletonized sport watches do you know? I am just so confused. Does it matter what it is? Maybe not. I think a watch can survive "category-less" in this day and age.

The watch case is 43.55mm wide and uses lugs that Perrelet seems to have made their trademark - sort of. All of the models have DLC (diamond like carbon) black coated bezels which are very wear resistant. Some models also have DLC coated cases for an all black look. I pretty much dig the style, but wouldn't want to wear the piece daily. While the dials are complex I do appreciate how the Perrelet style hands are rather bold and stick out for legibility purposes.

Inside the watches are Perrelet caliber P-291 automatic movements. They have 12 hour chronographs and the date. The date, like the chronograph registers are done via discs that are read at arrows located at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. It might looks strange at first but reading the information is not that tough. The dial skeletonization applies not only to the movement, but also the dial elements themselves. Perrelet created a very attractive symmetrical design for the skeletonization that I quite like. The visible movement underneath it is even cooler.

Through the back of the watch is a sapphire exhibition window showing the other side of the movement. The dial is covered with an AR coated sapphire crystal and the watch itself is water resistant to 100 meters. While there are blue and orange toned dialed available (certainly sporty), I think that most people will opt for one of the black and white versions as they entertain a bit more universal appeal.

The Perrelet Skeleton Chronograph collection is certainly cool. The mixture of aggressive style elements and slick skeletonization make for a very desirable men's watch. It might not be for everyone's tastes but I think most people can appreciate what Perrelet is going for. Price for the steel models ranges from $7,000 - $7,300. Look for them now.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Turbine Hentai Erotic Limited Edition Watch

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:26:40 +0000

Perrelet has just announced a few limited edition erotic watches based on the original Turbine. These are done in a Japanese anime style, which is often referred to as "hentai" when it deals with pornographic or erotic art. This cartoon erotic art is quite popular and has origins going back to the 19th century or earlier. Using the spinning turbine concept on the dial, the images are placed on the dial and only really visible when the turbine (activated by wrist movement) is spinning quickly.

The watches themselves are 44mm wide in DLC black coated steel or titanium. They have Perrelet automatic P-181 movements are are matched to a rubber strap. There are a total of 8 limited edition Turbine Erotic watches - and each will be limited to just 88 pieces. This means that each of the four dial styles is available with the DLC steel or titanium case. Despite the erotic nature of these watches, these are pretty tame by erotic (and hentai) standards. Though it is nice to see Perrelet being playful doing stuff like this. Look for the Perrelet Turbine Erotic limited watches soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Turbine Poker & 007 Limited Edition Watches

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:41:48 +0000

These two limited edition Perrelet watches go together right? Sure they do, gambling and 007? I am going to be careful and not mention James Bond. Perrelet doesn't mention James Bond and I don't think they licensed the right to use that IP franchise. Though apparently "007" was OK to use. The imagery they use however when discussing the Turbine 007 watch on the new Turbine micro-site is strongly evocative of the James Bond theme - without outright saying so. The official name by the way of this watch is the Perrelet Turbine 007 License To Play watch.

Then there is the Perrelet Turbine Poker... which if you have a "license to play," you can. This piece actual comes in three distinct models. The difference of each? The cards displayed under the turbine. Version 1 (Ref. A4018/1) has random cards and a pair of sevens. Version 2 (Ref. A4018/2) has a pair of sevens and two royal flushes. Version 3 (ref. A4018/3) has a pair of sevens, three kings, three jacks, and a few other random cards. Don't ask why they are arranged that way (I don't know).

Unlike the Perrelet Turbine XL America limited edition, these two models use the original Turbine case that is 44mm wide (and does not have the side claws). The Turbine 007 (ref. A8008/1) is done in a steel DLC black coated case with gold-toned elements throughout. The center of the turbine is actual 18k rose gold. License to Play what exactly? I think the watch is cool, but I don't see the 007 theme in there that much. Perrelet will produce 888 of these.

You can see more information and videos here at Perrelet's Turbine website. The Turbine Poker has a similarly toned 44mm steel case with a DLC coating. Both models feature Perrelet's P-181 double rotor automatic movements. These are fun watches, and certainly novelties. Not for everyone, but the right wrists know how to make these timepieces feel at home. Prices are about $6,000 each.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Turbine XL America Limited Edition Watch

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 01:36:59 +0000

Apparently the 4th of July comes a bit late this year as Perrelet has just released a very American watch that celebrates our stars and stripes. See, if the Swiss can love America I am sure there is hope for our economy. Just send some of those excess Francs you guys keep whining about."Boohoo! Our money is sooo valuable!" They truly are an oppressed people.

This cool new watch makes me happy to look at and is a special rendition of the newer Turbine XL watch. Perrelet also released two special edition (also limited) Turbine (non XL) watches that I will discuss in another post. What is exactly is up with the comically buff Uncle Sam? Why is he so pissed off? And who does our patriarch of patriots wish to punch? At least we know he puts on a Perrelet when getting pugilistic.

The Turbine XL America (see more stuff here) is 50mm wide in DLC black coated steel (ref. A4015/1). The outer bezel has blue sections with white stars (50 of them! Notice how the sections have either 8 or 9 stars to achieve this number) while the dial under the spinning turbine has red and white stripes. The red, white, and blue theme works well, and for all its whimsy, this watch actually works and looks darn cool in my opinion.

Insider the watch is a Perrelet P-181 Double Rotor automatic movement which you can see through the rear of the watch. It is attached to a black rubber strap and is generally agreed to be comfortable and fun. Perrelet will produce just 777 pieces in this limited edition Turbine America collection. Price is $7,000.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Seacraft Watches Hands-On

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:01:23 +0000

At Basel 2011 I was surprised to see these new dive watches from Perrelet. The brand has recently focused a lot on formal and sport so I should have expected a good diver, however, I never saw these coming. The Seacraft collection is interesting and appealing though parts of the designs seem to be influenced from elsewhere. My biggest question is how much Perrelet paid SeaCraft boats to use the name? Personally, I don't think about boats when I hear the name, I actually think about Star Craft.

There are three watches in the Seacraft collection and each comes with three different dial colors (black, white, or blue). A nice matching alligator strap option is also available for each of the watches. The colors are bold and so are the styles. I like the pieces overall but feel that Perrelet possibly could have gone further to make the watches more distinct. Plus, aside from the lugs and Perrelet logo on the dial, there isn't much about the watches that says "Perrelet."

Despite these facts, the Seacraft timepieces have a lot to love about them. The case reminds me a lot of my Glashutte Original Sport Evolution watch in terms of sizes and lugs. Perrelet took a very direct cue from the Sport Evolution with the bracelet. As with the GO, you press the Perrelet logo to extend or close the clasp by a few millimeters. The system pretty much works the same as the Sport Evolution, too. While not original, it is a great feature to have and ups the value of the bracelet for me. Similar to the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, this watch is mostly brushed steel with just a few polished elements. The case design is attractive and well done. The detailing is impressive and I like how all the pieces fit together.

The design sort of grows on you but, overall, it is a matter of taste. If I could ask for one thing, it would be ceramic bezel inserts. With the motion set forth by Omega and Rolex (among others) it is hard to come out with a $5,000 plus watch that doesn't have a fancy bezel. Having said that, the bezel does work well and look good. The matte finish is flattering to the design.

Each watch has a different caseback engraving. The cases are water-resistant to 777 meters (basically 800 meters) and have automatic helium escape valves. The dials have applied hour indicators and lots of lume. I like how Perrelet took their signature hands and made them a bit more rugged looking for the dive style of the watch. One fun little detail is the almost fancy font used for the date.

While the Perrelet Seacraft 3-Hand Automatic and GMT are 42mm wide, the Seacraft Chronograph is 45mm wide. My favorite is the Chronograph because of the size and overall design. Perrelet did a great job with the layout of the dial and the subdials. Whether in black, white, or blue, each of these pieces looks pretty fantastic. This is also one of the few white dialed dive watches I would wear (I prefer black dials, usually).

The Seacraft GMT contains a pretty unique movement that is new this year from Soprod. As Perrelet is in the same group as Soprod, all are Soprod movements specially decorated for Perrelet. The three-hand automatic has a P-261 movement, the GMT has a P-281 movement, and the Chronograph has a P-271 movement (all of automatic, of course). The GMT movement has a date wheel and a small GMT hand that is centrally mounted. The pushers on the side of the case are for advancing the GMT hand back and forth. It is possible that one of the pushers is actually to adjust the date - I don't recall 100%, but you get the idea. There is also a little porthole near 9 o'clock that is a day/night indicator.

I think these pieces will be very successful for Perrelet. They are big, chunky and feel quite durable; the dials are bold and easy to read - there is value here. Prices for these large, but comfy, Seacraft divers seem to be from about $3,500 - $6,000 give or take. Look for them about now.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Turbine XL Watch Review

admin — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:09:37 +0000

If it is fun and you play with, then it is a toy right? call the novel spinning turbine style disc in this watch what you like - but this is a man's toy of the highest caliber. Does being akin to a toy degrade the feeling of luxury and high-end prestige that Perrelet is going for? No. At least I don't think so. Wealthy guys who stand around with nice watches talking about cars and boats are often looked at by their female companions who simply sigh and say "men and their toys." Most of the high-end stuff we like are actually toys. You know that ultra fast super car you've been eying since before you can drive? The one that goes a lot faster than you can ever legally or practically go? Everything about that car that is above and beyond getting from point A to point B in comfort, is a toy.

The same applies to watches. Anything that exists in a timepiece on top of the time telling function is a toy. A bit of ol' fun for the distinguished gentlemen who needs a few play things in his life. I have a feeling that is one of the reasons I love watches so much. You can put on any number of watches and feel like you magically are more like what the watch suggests. Why do you think pilot and dive watches are so successful? It has nothing to do with needs of the world's demanding divers and pilots. These are toys. Well-made, hopefully highly functional, toys.

Perrelet created a hell of a fun toy with the original Perrelet Turbine watch, and improved on it with the Turbine XL. It is large, has a more distinctive design and a more turbine-like, turbine style dial. The spinning turbine on the dial serves no functional purpose -but doesn't even pretend to. This is meant to be a pure item of visual entertainment. The evolution of the watch goes back to Perrelet's double rotor concept. Where the automatic rotor on the rear of the watch was connected to another rotor on the watch dial. This signature Perrelet concept turned into this a few years ago. The Turbine XL watch -for effect purposes - no longer has a rotor on the dial that is connected to the rotor in the movement. This allows the turbine on the dial to rotate much more freely (for a cooler effect), than the one in the automatic movement. The movement is the Perrelet P-181, that is a Soprod automatic (that I believe is based on the ETA 2892A2).

Movement decoration is nice, but I miss those little signature repeating "Ps" that some other Perrelet watches have. The engraved black rotor is quite cool though. As you can see, the movement is visible through a sapphire display back. Now I get to talk about the case, which I have been waiting to do. This is a marvelously cool case, that is also very comfortable and well made. Most Perrelet Turbine XL models are in titanium, though there is also a gold version available. The titanium models have polished DLC coated steel bezels, while some of the models (such as the orange one here) are in all DLC coated metal. Perrelet uses a very good DLC application process and shape of the watch - while very angular - seems to eludes really sharp to the touch. Like the original Turbine, the crown is inset in the case with a fold out little handle. The system works rather well, but the little fold-out part can be a tiny bit easy to open on its own sometimes.

At first I was concerned about the "claws" on the bezel looking strange, but they don't These are very welcome design features which add a more visually interesting quality to the case. The case itself is 50mm wide - the reason for the "XL" part of the name (for reference, the original Perrelet Turbine was 43-44mm wide). This number will likely scare some people, but I urge you not to worry. This watch is 50mm wide, and does not wear like one. The relatively short lugs and thick area between the outer edge of the bezel to the watch dial is thick. This watch wears smaller than 50mm. It certainly feels like a sizable timepiece, but I would never consider it too big. This is a perfect size for such a statement setting timepiece (which is also a fun toy).

Perrelet designed the case to be water resistant to 50 meters, and it has a domed, AR coated sapphire crystal over the dial. The very high-grade rubber strap is perfectly integrated into the case design, and is very comfortable. The buckle is in contrast polished titanium. Very good marks from me when it comes to comfort and construction for the Turbine XL.

The turbine part of the dial will spin a lot, and if you have one you'll notice yourself playfully oscillating your wrist just to make it spin. If Perrelet sticks with the Turbine concept, as I think they will in the future - the dial and turbine element will improve even more.

Now for the dial - the place where the magic happens. First let me say that I love the small details. There is a lot going on here - and Perrelet (along with the watch designer) has done a fantastic job of making the dial both fun and legible. The hands are large and broad - properly sized, and with a colorful seconds hand. On the orange and green models the hands are black on black, with black colored SuperLumiNova. These are harder to see versus the white hands, but are still legible. These are best when you want to show off the dial more than the hands. You can see all of the models here.

As such, on the green and orange models, the "turbine" is a mixture of two colors. These blend together when the turbine spins with your wrist's motion and look great. Alternatively, the two models with white hands emphasize telling the time more than showing off the turbine. On those models the turbine is black on black. This is a bit of a shame, as only the person wearing the watch really gets to enjoy the turbine effect. The orange and green watches are more "spectator magnets."

Wonderfully there is a complex, sloped chapter ring that sits over the turbine around the dial that helps with reading the time. Not only is the watch face fantastically 3-D, but it is a highly functional watch. This is a necessary feature for men like me who need a healthy amount of justification in their toys in the form of "well it is also a useful tool."

Toy or not toy, I love this watch. I wouldn't wear it everyday, but I would wear it enough. The fact that it is a cool, comfortable, and high-end watch makes it an even more fun toy. There are several models in the Perrelet Turbine XL line, and most range from about $6,000 - $6,650. The Limited edition 18k rose gold version will be more at a bit over $25,000.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Regulator Retrograde Watch

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 08:07:45 +0000

The people at Perrelet are at it again, dancing the complication jig. This new Perrelet Regulator Retrograde watch mixes a few complications in a way that (to my knowledge) hasn't been done before. You have a retrograde hour display, regulator style separation between the hours, minutes, and seconds (that occupies the main dial), and a periphery style date display. The balance of the elements is quite good. Plus, there is likely to one one (or two) people in the world who have been dreaming for a watch that combines all these complications together.

So if no one has been clamoring for a watch like this, what is the point? Well, to look cool. Watches with various different hands and types of dials are visually fascinating. People will look at the piece and ask "what exactly is going on there?" You can see how Perrelet split the watch in to two personalities (as is typical for them to do these days). There is the slightly larger sporty model in titanium that is 43.5mm wide, and a more formal version that is 42mm wide in a steel or gold case that is slightly more dressy in fashion. The watches have sapphire crystals and are water resistant to 100 meters (in titanium) and 50 meters (in steel or gold).

Perrelet has succeeding in giving the watch a sort of art meets gadget look. I think that will appeal to enough people. A watch like this is also good for turning heads, asking people to check out what Perrelet has been up to. Powering the watch is their P-221 movement which is exclusive to Perrelet. The movement is an automatic with an exhibition caseback with a view to it on the back of the case. To change the date you need to press a small pusher on the side of the case.

The steel model (ref. A1041/4) has a silvered dial and also comes with a black dial. It is matched to a black alligator strap and will retail for $8,275. The same model in gold (Ref A3014/5) will also have gold on the dial and retail for $20,250. In sporty titanium the watch has a different look and a rubber strap with a retail price of $9,200. Look for them soon.

Tech specs from Perrelet:

Regulator Retrograde: A1041/4 and A3014/5

Movement: Automatic P-221, exclusive module
Open-worked, exclusive decorated Perrelet rotor
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Vibrations per hour: 28’800 (4Hz)
Rubies: 35
Case: Ã˜ 42 mm
Case material: A1041/4: Stainless Steel
A3014/5: Pink gold (4N) 18ct
Anti-glare sapphire crystal (front & back)
Water resistance: 5 ATM
Dial A1041/4: Silvered white
A3014/5: Black
Strap: Black alligator
Stainless steel deployment buckle
Public price: Steel A1041/4: CHF 8’200.— / Euro 5’900.— / US$ 8’275.—
Gold A3014/5: CHF 20’500.— / Euro 14’700.— / US$ 20’250.—

Regulator Retrograde Titanium: A5001/2

Movement: Automatic P-221, exclusive module
Open-worked, exclusive decorated Perrelet rotor
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Vibrations per hour: 28’800 (4Hz)
Rubies: 35
Case: Ã˜ 43.5 mm
Case material: Titanium
Anti-glare sapphire crystal (front & back)
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Black and anthracite, luminous indices
Strap: Natural black rubber strap
Titanium deployment buckle
Public price: Titanium CHF 9’150.— / Euro 6’600.— / US$ 9’200.—

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Perrelet Diamond Flower Prestige Edition Ladies Watches

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:00:29 +0000

Given that whole "if money were no object" thing, one of the my top choices for modern women's watches is the Perrelet Diamond Flower. It mixes sport, style, complexity, luxury, and visual fun so well. While the collection starts in the $10,000 range, these limited Prestige Edition Diamond Flower watches are colorful creations with prices in the $35,000Â to over $100,000 range (depending on the mixture of gold, diamonds, and other precious gems). It is one of those rare fun luxury watches that is elegant but doesn't take itself too seriously. Don't forget that the Diamond Flower features Perrelet's P-181 automatic double rotor movement. So the lotus flower on the dial spins with the automatic rotor in the back. Check out the gallery below for more of them, and see my full article on them below as well.

See my Perrelet Diamond Flower Prestige Edition watches article on Haute Living here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

My Perrelet Semi-Skeletonized Split-Seconds Chronograph Watch Article On Haute Living

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:52:35 +0000

I wrote about the new series of Perrelet Semi-Skeletonized Split-Seconds Chronograph watches on Haute Living. The interesting like obvious is skeletonized and is a rattrapante (split seconds chronograph). In doing so, Perrelet has given the line a very unique style and high value for the originality. Prices are between about $13,000 - $25,000. Read the full article on Haute Living here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.