The Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Eddy Merckx

From Breitling -

Courtesy of Breitling

I found out about this limited edition via Axel Merckx's Instagram feed - merci Axel!

Courtesy of Breitling

Per Breitling:

Active at the very peak of cycling from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, Eddy Merckx is widely regarded as the greatest road cyclist of all time. With 11 Grand Tour titles, 19 Monument victories, and 525 total wins, he excelled across every discipline and terrain the sport had to offer. His legacy is defined by achievements that remain unmatched to this day. To honor the legendary cyclist, Breitling created the Top Time B01 Eddy Merckx edition. This Top Time features a yellow dial bearing Eddy Merckx's signature above the 6 o’clock index, while his name appears on the tachymeter scale. Created in the 1960s as Breitling’s “unconventional chronograph,” the Top Time was made for speed, style, and self-expression. It features signature details, including squircle subdials, mushroom pushers, trim proportions, and a balanced layout that stay true to its origins. Limited to 525 pieces, this special edition pays tribute to Merckx’s remarkable 525 victories.

Priced at $8,050.

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT
Caliber:
Breitling 01 (Manufacture)
Movement:
Self-winding mechanical
Power reserve:
Approx. 70 hrs
Chronograph:
1/4 second, 30 minutes
Vibration:
28,800 v.p.h
Jewel:
34 jewels

CASE
Case material:
Stainless steel
Water resistance:
10 bars (100 m/330 ft)
Crystal:
Sapphire

DIMENSIONS
Diameter:
41 mm
Thickness:
13.3 mm
Lug width (in-between lug):
20 mm

Just Under The Radar - the Méraud Antigua

Having sat out most of the last year, I hope that I can be forgiven for missing a few shots across the bow in terms of new releases. This one is from a small and "newish" brand based in Ghent,Belgium. This is the Antigua, from Méraud.

Courtesy of Méraud 

And while Belgium is a small country, it has provided the world at large with quite a lot -

Tintin and Snowy © Hergé 

Perhaps the most famous reporter never to win a Pulitzer, Tintin.

A former volunteer nurse and struggling chorus girl.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

And newspaper delivery boy who many feared had missed his true calling.

But back to the Antigua -

Courtesy of Méraud 

In a world of countless black-dialed micro brand dive watches, this is a bit special.

Limited to 100 pieces, this chronograph measures 40 mm in diameter and houses what Méraud describes as a "restored" Landeron 248 under the hood. Now I am (despite my cynical nature) a romantic. Having owned a few "modern" watches with restored Landeron movements, I can say that there may be the potential for occasional quirks. In my case it was a hesitation in the main chronograph hand. But in fairness, that could happen with a brand new Valjoux. More to the point, if the descriptions are anything to go on, Méraud has been working on this release for some time, so with luck it should be a winner.

The Méraud Antigua weighs in at a reasonable $1,922.00 (US$). This is a pre-order item, so you 

will need to be patient as delivery is projected for 

September.

The Méraud Antigua will be available in two flavors:

Courtesy of Méraud

"Soft Sand"

Courtesy of Méraud

"Miho Black"

For more information and ordering details, visit Méraud's website -

meraud watches

Summer Repeat - In Honor of the Tour de France - A Family that Does NOT Crack Under Pressure

I first put this out there 2 years ago.  Another Tour de France has rolled around and it's time once again for hundreds of mad people to sadistically pedal their bicycles on a fool's errand throughout the French (and this year for a few days, Belgian) countryside.  So in honor of them, and some of my own cycling heroes, I thought I'd reheat it.  This year is special with Bob Roll taking over from the recently departed Paul Sherwen.  And so far he is doing an admirable job, although the rather curious decision to interview Lance Armstrong during yesterday's stage left a decidedly bad taste in many peoples' mouths - mine included.  C'mon Bobke!  At any rate, here you go -

In Honor of the Tour de France - A Family that Does NOT Crack Under Pressure!

Cycling, particularly Le Tour?  It's all about time.  

Today is the grand finale of the 2017 edition, and as I type this the riders are approaching the Avenue des Champs-Élysées for the final circuits of this year's race.  

Cycling is still exciting, but I long for the time when there was a bit more grit to it.   No radios taped to riders ears, and the only performance enhancing substance was a ham sandwich and a bottle of pilfered red ; )

But this year is very special, and for many ways the Tag-Heuer / 7-ELEVEN story line has come full circle - Taylor Phinney, the son of two-time Tour de France stage winner Davis Phinney will be completing his first ever Tour de France.  The Phinney's in many way typify what the Tag Heuer motto is all about.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Following his cycling career, Davis Phinney was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 40.  While it would have been easy to curl up in a ball and feel sorry for himself, he created the Davis Phinney Foundation in 2004 to help support people with Parkinson's.  

Shamelessly Borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

And as for the son?  Taylor Phinney became a professional racer and was showing a rather precocious talent.  This year he surprisingly found himself in the polka-dot jersey reserved for the King of the Mountains. 

Shamelessly borrowed

It was a short-lived honor, but one that Phinney the Younger relished and enjoyed - reminding us that there is actually meant to be some joy, wonder, and passion in sport!

 

Shamelessly borrowed

And truth be told, we didn't really think we'd see him do so well.  In fact, many cycling experts weren't sure if Taylor Phinney would be able to be able to walk unassisted at this point. 

Shamelessly borrowed

In the 2014 US National Road Race championship he suffered a horrendous accident that was so bad, his future as a cyclist was a secondary concern to whether on not he would even get to keep his left leg.  Yes, it was that bad.

But here we are, 3 years on, and another Phinney is helping animate 3 magical weeks in France.

Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney - image shamelessly borrowed from Cycling News

Of course you could site genetics for his natural ability - his mother was not exactly a slouch on the bike... Connie Carpenter, the winner of the first ever Olympic Road Race for women at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

But that is just about the innate talent, what this family embodies is well beyond their skill and speed on a bike.  They are unbreakable, and it is their every day lives, facing adversity and coming back from it that make them so inspiring.

So Tag Heuer, if you're reading this (and I'm sure you are) here are some famous people who did not crack under pressure!

And on that note, a summer repeat:

Remembering my First Tag Heuer and Team 7-ELEVEN

The year was 1990.  I was in my final year at the University of Oregon, and was visiting my father over the summer break.  I had one more term to go, and two days before I was set to head back to Eugene, my Bullovawatch pooped out.  Trying to find someone capable of changing the battery was on par with finding an honest politician - it just didn't seem to be possible.  So on what must have been the fifth attempt to get a battery changed with no success, I looked down in the display case and saw what would become my first Swiss watch.  The Tag Heuer Formula 1, circa 1990.

I realize that we all had different introductions to Tag Heuer, and this was mine.  And out of necessity, a passion was born.

I have shamelessly borrowed this advertisement image from Calibre 11 - not directly Calibre 11, it was pulled-up via a Google search for images.  Hope you don't mind ; )

All of the models in this ad were available, but the one that went home with me was the third from the left, the red case, green strap and bezel - or as I came to refer to it - the 7-ELEVEN Tag Heuer Watch!

Borrowed shamelessly from the internet

Andy Hampsten and the 7-ELEVEN team were my cycling idols in the 80s.

And he was the first American winner of the Giro D'Italia back in 1988.

Courtesy, clearly, of someone else!

And the Tag Heuer connection to cycling (and my passion) went even further and was clearly shared by others, including one of the main voices of Tour de France television coverage today (at least here in the US) Bob Roll, a team mate of Hampsten's on team 7-ELEVEN.

Bob Roll on the left, Andy Hampsten on the right

Bob, or "Bobke" as he is often known is perhaps my all-time favorite cyclist.  Not because of his many wins in big-time races... let's face it, there weren't many! 

Shamelessly borrowed

But Bob, Andy and the rest of the 7-ELEVEN team perhaps best embodied what Tag-Heur's motto is today - they did NOT "Crack under pressure".  No matter what the odds, Bobke put it all out there!

Courtesy of, clearly, someone else

Apart from Hampsten, and Davis Phinney, they were a team made up of journeymen dreamers.  Riders who had a sort of, "what the Hell, let's give it a go" attitude.  Keep in mind, this was the era of a certain fellow known as "the Badger" and a host of other cycling GODs.  But these guys threw their hats in the ring and gave it a go.  And in an age where US cyclists were viewed more as amateurs, they came to Europe and impressed the Europeans.

I got to meet one of my heroes in person when I was working for DOXA Watches and we presented him with a  Yellow DOXA Divingstar in San Francisco -

My identification with Tag Heuer went beyond just the 7-ELEVEN connection.  It was clearly a great brand with a great watch, but like team 7-ELEVEN people didn't just take that at face value.  Tag Heuer had to put in a lot of time and effort to get where they are today.

So as we wait to hear how much the Cara Delevingne auction brings in, I thought it might be fun to think back to some other "underdogs" that Tag Heuer partnered with, back in the 80's.

Enjoy your watches!

Summer Repeat - What Watch Did The Cannibal Wear?

This year marks two unique bits of Tour de France history:

1.  It is the 100th "birthday" of the Yellow Jersey.
2.  It marks the 50th anniversary of Eddy Merckx's first Tour de France victory.

This year's tour started in Brussels, the home town of the greatest cyclist to every pedal a bike.  And the first stage was full of excitement.  And as is often the case, the first stage has already separated some of the contenders from several pretenders.  So it seemed like a good topic today to re-visit some horological related Eddy Merckx lore.


What Watch Did The Cannibal Wear?

Cycling is a passion of mine.  And while I think it is great that there are technological advancements, and that more and more people are following the Tour de France, I find myself wishing for an earlier time.  A time when there was no such thing as "specializing" in the Tour de France.  In other words, the very idea of riding a somewhat "kinder, gentler" schedule was anathema.  Riders like Merckx, Moser, Hinault?  They'd call it chicken-shit.

So while modern day cyclists seem to have a strange attraction to the Breitling B55... 

I personally want to know what the men who wore wool and rode steel would have put on their wrist.  

And I finally have a bit of an answer -

Courtesy of Rodania

It would seem that on more than a few occasions, Mr. Merckx wore a Rodania.

Shamelessly borrowed from Ebay

So while today's water carriers prefer an antenna equipped wristwatch, the all time champion wore a Rodania.

What Watch Did The Cannibal Wear?

Cycling is a passion of mine.  And while I think it is great that there are technological advancements, and that more and more people are following the Tour de France, I find myself wishing for an earlier time.  A time when there was no such thing as "specializing" in the Tour de France.  In other words, the very idea of riding a somewhat "kinder, gentler" schedule was anathema.  Riders like Merckx, Moser, Hinault?  They'd call it candy-assed.

So while modern day cyclists seem to have a strange attraction to the Breitling B55... 

I personally want to know what the men who wore wool and rode steel would have put on their wrist.  

And I finally have a bit of an answer -

Courtesy of Rodania

It would seem that on more than a few occasions, Mr. Merckx wore a Rodania.

Shamelessly borrowed from Ebay

So while today's water carriers prefer an antenna equipped wristwatch, the all time champion wore a Rodania.

In Honor of Belgian National Day

When we think of Belgium our thoughts might first go to:

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

 Or possibly this guy -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

Or as we are in the final days of the Tour de France -

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-wide infoweb

But as this is allegedly a blog about watches, I thought it would be worthwhile to have a look at two of my favorite watch brands (which just so happen to be based in Belgium) and the guys behind them.

Gavox is the no-longer-small micro brand launched by Michael Happe.  Based in suburban Brussels, Michael has created some truly wonderful watches, and I am the proud owner of two of them.  He has an ability to take the seemingly mundane, and sprinkling in the secret spice that makes the ordinary something special.

In case you missed it, here is a repeat of my interview with Mr. Happe.  This first ran in 2014, about 2 and a half years ago -

A Few Minutes With Michael Happe

Wendy and I had the very good fortune to spend some time with Michael Happe over lunch and a beer in Brussels a few weeks back.  That will be a different post ; )  But that planted the seeds for this interview which you'll find below.  And now, a few minutes with Michael Happe -

Tempus Fugit - What was your first watch?  Was it a gift?  Is there a story behind it?

Michael Happe - My first watch was a Kelton which I received when I was 8.  It was supposed to be water resistant to 25 meters  and I loved it.  However from time to time, when I went swimming with it, water leaked in.  This is when I started getting a closer look at the movement. 

TF - When you were a boy, what did you want to be when you "grew up"

MH - I wanted to be a pilot and Astronaut.  The sky, space and sciences were great sources of inspiration for me and are still today. 

TF - What did you study in school?

MH -I graduated from university with a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering.  I loved my studies and learned so much. I do believe this is one of the best programs if you want to study all science topics. 

TF - What got you into the world of watches in the first place?  

MH - At the age of twelve I discovered the LCD and Quartz revolution and started collecting watches.  Later the mechanical watches caught my attention. And now it is a dream to make my own watch brand. 

TF -  So what is the idea behind GAVOX?

MH - My aim is to make technical and ergonomic watches that are easy to use and possessing useful functions.  Moreover, to offer this at the best quality for a fair price.  I offer watches in three categories: higher (aviation and space exploration) farther  (land and see exploration) and deeper 

(ocean and depth exploration) .

TF - I know that it is hard for a "father" to choose his favorite "child", but which is your favorite GAVOX?
MH - This is a difficult question for me to answer.  On one hand it would be the Gavox Squadron as this was born from a collaboration with the Belgian Air Force and myself, and I am so pleased that many pilots wear these watches with pride.

  

Courtesy of Gavox

Courtesy of Gavox

On the other hand I love the Gavox Legacy Navy, my first automatic watches with a lot of hidden detail to look at.

TF - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced so far?

MH - My biggest challenge was and is the creation of the Gavox Aurora. This watch will bring some real innovation and I challenged many suppliers to produce the best parts that they could. This watch will be very innovative and unique. 

TF - What has been the most successful GAVOX model? 
MF - The Gavox Legacy Collection is very successful.  I often receive happy customer feedback telling me the watch is better in real life than in pictures.

TF - What is your strongest market?

MH - Europe and all English speaking countries. I sell mainly through my web shop to clients who want something unique that is offered in small series. 



TF - Who else out there is making watches that interest you? 

MH - I love all smart and simple innovations like Oris has made with the Big Crown ProPilot and Aquis Depth Gauge.  I appreciate the people who have managed to get mechanical and simple devices to measure altitude and depth in a watch.  I also love many of the watches from Sinn and Nomos.

TF - Having visited Belgium recently I was surprised by what a "watch place" it was.  Has it always been this way?

MH - Belgium was always kept in the shadows regarding watches with very talented people working in Switzerland after a good watch study scholarship in Belgium.  However in terms of Belgian watch brands it mainly took at new turn in 2005 with Icewatch.  Today  We have great watch maker full of ideas in Benoît Mintiens with his great brand Ressence.

TF - I understand that you have a few "famous" customers, can you tell us a bit about some of your more "well-known" GAVOX clients?

MH - James, I understand your curiosity ;-)  Out of respect of my customers, I can't disclose this type of information.



TF - Please tell us about your partnership with some of Belgium's flying squadrons.
  MH - It started with my passion for aviation, I was a glider pilot and was trained on a Cessna.  I have many good friends who are pilots who flew in the Belgian Air Force some years ago.  They introduced me to two Belgian squadrons and we developed a watch that fit their needs and specifications. Their logos have been integrated on the dial and case back of the Gavox Squadron. 

TF - What do you like to do in your "down time"? 

MH - The first thing I like to do is to take some time with my wife and children, playing board games, visiting museums and going on city trips.  I love meeting new people and discovering new culture.  I also have other passions like volleyball, whisky, folding knives and art.


TF - What advice do you have for the aspiring watch "start-up"? 

MH - Stick to your dreams and face the challenge, it will only make you stronger.  Ask advise but follow your instinct.  If you believe in your product your will reach your client .  Good Luck and have fun!

But wait, there's more!  Another interesting guy doing interesting things is the man behind Ressence, Benoît Mintiens.  Here is a repeat of my conversation with him from 2011 -

A few minutes with Benoît Mintiens

One of the most talked about people at BaselWorld this year was the creator of the Ressence watch.

So now, a few minutes with Benoît Mintiens -

James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift? Is there a story behind it?

Benoît Mintiens - My first watch that i can remember was probably a transparent Swatch. It worked for 6 months I think.  I found it very fun to see the components... but my first love was the Bulova Accutron Space view.  It is such a beautiful concept to give time with a wavelength!

JH - When you were a boy, what did you want to be "when you grew up"?

MB - It was only at the age of 18 that I discovered that design was a profession.  Before that I thought of being an engineer or something.  As a kid I used to design things all the time and build them, being an industrial designer was the perfect solution to translate my hobby into a profession.

JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?

BM - I have a Master degree in Industrial design and a Master in Business administration.  ( 7 years in total... )

JH -  When people think of Belgium, watch making is maybe not the first profession that comes to mind.  How did you get started in the watch industry?

  

BM - This is a very long story.  I had always been attracted to new watch concepts but was realistic enough not to love them to much. The Ressence project started with a friend who asked me to design a watch with lots of diamonds - but for men.  While working on the project and after TAG Heuer launched their Diamond fiction watch, my friend left for Hong Kong and I was left bitten by the watch virus.  So, I decided to design a watch for me.

JH -  Did you ever consider doing something else for a living?

BM - My job ( the one that pays the bills at the end of the month ) is as a consultant in industrial design.  My work for Ressence is for serious fun!

JH - You've now been at it for awhile.  How is the Ressence brand evolving?

BM - Ressence is a niche product for people that can appreciate the values I have tried to put into the product.  For the moment people are buying a watch concept, to some extent, Ressence is only a name.  The brand will have to build from that.  As this needs huge marketing resources, this will take time.

For the moment my priority is to develop new models.  

JH - Thinking back to the start, were there ever nights where you woke up in a cold sweat, wondering if things would work out?

BM - I still have sleepless nights.  I think it is normal ( I hope )! 

My biggest concern being the difficulty to produce the parts.  

I don't know why but it is very hard to get your parts in time.

And as I'm only starting, I need to go through a learning curve with every step.

JH - What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?

BM - The biggest challenge was to create a network of suppliers.

Not being Swiss, not being a watchmaker and not living is Switzerland, I can tell you it is not easy to start for the simple reason that I did not know where the start was...

JH - Having spent a little time by your booth at BaselWorld it seemed as if your watch was one of the hottest things this year - what do you attribute the Ressence's popularity to?

BM - I can not judge because I did not move from my booth.

When I listen to the reactions from people that pass by, they 

usually stop for the unconventional design.  They found it 

attractive and start looking closer. At that point they think the 

watches are fakes/dummies.  In fact they are working models!

I often hear: Oh, the display is printed on the (plexi) glass?  

The ones that know a lot more than me about watches say -

"oh, yeah, I see it's a regulateur but different"...

When they see that the screen they saw, is animated they usually smile.

JH - Who else out there is making watches that interest you?

BM - I'm too much of a Belgian to give names ;-) 

JH - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?

BM - Running a design company

JH - What is a typical "day in the life" of Benoit Mintiens?

BM - Are you sure you want to know this?

Get up, get my kids cleaned up, bring them to school, and  go to work.  As a designer I work within a European agency.

I often work for French clients like SNCF, Veolia, RATP.   

But I also do some work for Browning,  Frisk, Thalys, Siemens, Bombardier, etc... 

A project usually starts with the question why, for who and how.

For example, for the moment we are designing the new tram for Basel.   ( yes, in Switzerland )

Depending on the project you need to focus on different aspects.

If you're asked to design a new TGV for SNCF, you first have to think:

How do people what to experience a high speed journey?   What does it mean to be French in a European high speed market? Who are the travelers, what do they need? 

What is their mindset in the morning and in the evening? etc... 

JH -  What do you like to do in your spare time?

BM - For the moment my spare time is reduced to zero because  of my double activity.  But when it is good weather I like is to drive my old-timers. ( after years of working on them... )

JH - What was the inspiration for the Ressence?

BM - This is impossible to say.  Why does anyone have an idea?

One day I just had it (the idea).  What can I say, the guy that can 'generate' idea generation is called God I think?   No?  Essentially, creativity is 5% inspiration and 95% labor.

JH - What advice do you have for the future Benoit Mintiens out there?

BM - I understand this question as "what advice would you give to yourself?"

In the short term, try to stabilize my activities and balance it better.

In the longer term, transform Ressence into a brand.



www.ressence.eu