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BN 2015 GIFT GUIDE: THE BEAUTIFUL GIFT OF TIME NOW

Astronomia Tourbillon. Courtesy of Jacob & Co.

Courtesy of Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon.

Time is, in many ways, our most precious gift. Embrace it to the max with one (or more!) of the incredibly beautiful timepieces we’ve curated for you in the BN 2015 Gift Guide. Check them out below!

1. ASTRONOMIA TOURBILLON -- JACOB & CO.

The Astronomia Tourbillon, is a beautiful distraction. One could sit and stare at this new watch for hours.

Designed and made by Jacob & Co., with 235 parts, the watch movement includes a series of 4 rotating arms that keep time and operate the tourbillon. It is all housed within a giant sapphire crystal bubble dome atop an 18k rose gold case.

Check out the small hand-painted titanium rendering of Earth and the rotating faceted diamond ball, which represents the moon. Watch it in action in this video.

The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette version gilds this amazing lily with 342 diamonds (16 carats). A perfect gift for your dear friend who craves bling.

2. LM101 -- MB&F

The Legacy Machine 101 (LM101), by MB&F, is an aptly named timepiece -- it took over 100 years to execute, from idea to wrist.

Its monumental suspended balance wheel bridges two white subdials: one displays hours and minutes marked by blued-gold hands; the other displays a 45-hour power reserve indicator.

Designed by award-winning watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, the LM101 is available in 2 extremely limited editions: LM101 Frost, in 18k yellow gold, and LM101 Frost, in 18k red gold.

3. WOODEN TIMEPIECES -- VALERII DANEVYCH

Ukrainian watchmaker Valerii Danevych began as an artisan woodworker. Marrying his love for the beauty of wood to his fascination with timepieces, he created a series of miniature wooden wristwatches and clocks that are truly amazing.

One of Danevych’s wooden wristwatches sports a flying tourbillon. His necklace watch holds the record as being the smallest wooden timepiece in the world. Either would make a fabulous gift for an anti-bling friend.

4. WX-1 CONCEPT -- DEWITT

The DeWitt WX-1 Concept is a new limited edition watch that any James Bond-loving friend would be proud to wear. It takes the idea of a time machine to a whole new level.

Its chunky case, made of 18K rose gold, titanium, and aluminum, holds a movement that slides out of the case to reveal the tourbillion cage, power reserve indicator, vertically mounted gear train, and 5 barrels, with an idiosyncratic porthole viewing window.

The main analog apparatus protrudes from the side the case, featuring a minute disk and an hour disk. At the center, an elegant exhibition skeleton shows off the movement jewels.

Only 33 of these watches were made. Check availability at 300 Watches.

5. CAVIAR EMERALD TOURBILLON -- JACOB & CO.

The Caviar Emerald Tourbillon, by Jacob & Co., is green dazzle deluxe. Set with one rose cut and 424 baguette emeralds (32.39 ct.) in an 18K white gold case, with a sapphire crystal, this is gem-setting mastery at its finest. Each watch takes a full year to make.

6. CLASSIC FUSION ENAMEL BRITTO -- HUBLOT

Make time for art!

The Hublot Classic Fusion Enamel Britto is a fusion of arts and crafts. It marries the traditional art of "grand feu" enamelling with Pop Art and Cubist design, as conceived by Brazilian artist Romero Britto.

The extremely limited edition Classic Fusion Enamel Britto is available in platinum or ceramic with a black alligator strap stitched onto rubber.

7. BERNHARD LEDERER GAGARIN TOURBILLON WATCH

Need a gift for a space case friend?

The Gagarin Tourbillon is Bernhard Lederer’s newest watch. This extremely limited edition timepiece celebrates legendary astronaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space.

The elevated tourbillion orbits anticlockwise cyclically around the the dial to emulate the eastern direction of the original flight.

The Gagarin crystal offers a magnified view of the dial, which is hand-engraved in solid gold atop a gorgeous image of the earth. It feels as though you are looking at time through a spacecraft window.

8. VERTALOR TOURBILLON -- LOUIS MOINET

The Louis Moinet Vertalor won the Tourbillon category at the International Chronometry Competition. It is the 1st tourbillon cage and barrel cover to hang from a three-armed solid gold bridge.

Based on the original design by Louis Moinet, its cover features an open-work sun motif. The broad dial is embellished with a Côtes du Jura pattern, with 2 slightly curved open-work “Dew Drop” tipped hands sweeping across it, pointing to curved diamond-cut hour markers.

It is available in white or red 18K gold.

Learn more about Louis Moinet and chronograph watches in this helpful article.

9. GILT BRONZE LOUIS XVI CLOCK -- FRÉDÉRIC DUVAL

For a friend that prefers antique timepieces, the Gilt Bronze Louis XVI Clock, by Frédéric Duval, is a Neo-Classical masterpiece, circa 1775.

The enamel dial, signed Frédéric Duval à Paris, sits in a finely chased gilt bronze case, by Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain. The bezel is framed by a stylised laurel leaf torus; the sides are decorated with rosettes.

Flanked by beautifully sculpted putti, sitting atop clouds, surrounded by scientific instruments, this clock ensemble would make a gorgeous gift for a friend that has a passion for the history of science.

Available at 1st Dibs.

10. LOUIS XVI ORMOLU MANTEL CLOCK

This rare late 18th c. Neo-Classical Louis XVI Ormolu Mantel Clock shows time on its circular white-enamelled dial (signed ”Detour Paris”), with pierced gilt hands and a blue steel date hand.

The circular drum case rests on a plinth, festooned with an ormolu panel chased with cherubs playing with doves. This is flanked by patinated bronze figures, ’La Science’ and ’L’Etude.’ A golden eagle crowns all.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: Courtesy of Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of MB&F. Legacy Machine 101 (LM101).
Image: Courtesy of Valerii Danevych. Wooden Timepiece.
Image: Courtesy of DeWitt. WX-1 Concept.
Image: Courtesy of DeWitt. WX-1 Concept.
Image: Courtesy of Jacob & Co. Caviar Emerald Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of Hublot. Ultra Thin Enamel Britto Ceramic.
Image: Courtesy of Bernhard Lederer. Gagarin Tourbillion.
Image: Courtesy of Louis Moinet. Vertalor Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of 1st Dibs. Gilt Bronze Louis XVI Clock, by Duval.
Image: Courtesy of 1st Dibs. Rare late 18th c. Neo-classical Louis XVI Ormolu Mantel Clock.
Image: Courtesy of Louis Moinet. Vertalor Tourbillon.
Image: Courtesy of Valerii Danevych. Wooden Timepiece.
Image: by BN App - Download now!
Image: Courtesy of Bernhard Lederer. Gagarin Tourbillion.