The Hour Glass Celebrates Turning 40 With 3 Commemorative Luxury Watches

Audemars Piguet, Urwerk and De Bethune are among those that have produced limited edition timepieces for The Hour Glass’ 40th anniversary.

The number ‘40’ is extra special for The Hour Glass this year. It is the number of boutiques it currently operates in the region from Singapore to Australia, making it one of Asia Pacific’s leading luxury watch retailers. It is also the number of years it has existed, not just as a place to shop for the best watches but also as a passionate advocate of contemporary horological culture.

In the past four decades, the Singapore-based company has cultivated a solid reputation with some of the best watchmakers in the industry, namely Hublot, with which it has been partnering since the very beginning, as well as reputable independents such as MB&F and Akrivia.

For its 40th anniversary, The Hour Glass celebrates by amassing a collection of commemorative timepieces from some of its partners, unveiling three so far.

Throwback: Rare Rolex and Patek Philippe timepieces on display at Malmaison by The Hour Glass in Singapore

1. Audemars Piguet

Above The Hour Glass 40th Anniversary edition from Audemars Piguet

Limited to 20 pieces, the Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronograph The Hour Glass Commemorative Edition features a green “Grande Tapisserie” dial with yellow gold counters – these are the retailer’s signature colours.

Subtle design changes include shorter but broader hour markers, slightly larger chronograph counters at ‘3’ and ‘9’, and an angled date aperture between ‘4’ and ‘5’. The case is platinum 950 with a matching bracelet.

Also see: Breaking down the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 collection

2. Urwerk

Above The Hour Glass 40th Anniversary edition from Urwerk

The UR-105 The Hour Glass watch combines features from Urwerk’s creations released during the 15-year period of its partnership with the retailer. They include the UR-103’s sapphire glass shape, the UR-200’s large crown, and the UR-105’s acid green Superluminova.

The case is bronze, a decision inspired by the material’s ability to take on the patina of the owner over time. “Bronze marks the passage of time,” quips Urwerk’s co-founder Martin Frei. Only three people will have the pleasure of enjoying the aging process of this special edition.

3. De Bethune

Above The Hour Glass 40th Anniversary edition from De Bethune

For its commemorative edition, De Bethune has chosen to revisit the DB28 that won the Best Watch award at Grand Prix d’Horlogeri de Geneve in 2011. The DB28 Steel Wheels for The Hour Glass is a striking vision in blue, a hue created in-house by gently oxidising titanium. In addition to the blue, the deltoid bridge on the dial is decorated with an intricate pattern created with Microlight micrometric scale engraving.

At ‘6’ is the signature spherical moon in palladium and blued steel and set against a night sky backdrop. Its movement, visible through the dial, is fitted with a double barrel (six hours of power reserve), a balance spring with the proprietary flat terminal curve as well as a new balance wheel in titanium. The watch is limited to five pieces.

Also see: 3 independent watchmakers on being rebels with a cause

Topics

The Hour Glass 40th anniversary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Urwerk De Bethune

Tatler Asia

The Hour Glass Celebrates Turning 40 With 3 Commemorative Luxury Watches

1. Audemars Piguet

2. Urwerk

3. De Bethune