No, that’s not a misprint. That’s the model of the Audemars Piguet timepiece pictured to the right, code: 26050PT.OO.D002CR.01 for you horophiles.

Not that $369,300 is that outrageous for a watch of this caliber, but then again I’m not an oil baron. The Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Tourbillon isn’t for the casual dress watch wearer. The 43mm hand wound AP watch is comprised of no less than 38 jewels and 665 individually built pieces. It has a 48 power reserve with a 30 minute counter.

The Audemars Piguet brand is associated with some pretty big names, Shaq Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jay-Z.

For those of you not familiar with the engineering marvel of tourbillons then perhaps a visit to the wikipedia entry is worth a moment of your time.

Cost: $369,300 @ Luxury Bazaar

Also See: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Pro Geographic | $22,000

IWC recently redesigned their entire Da Vinci line of timepieces and their looks are impeccable. The black dial with silver subdials exudes tasteful luxury. It’s perfect as a dress watch with a touch of sportiness. The 43.1mm by 51mm timepiece has a black crocodile leather strap. The black on black with silver complexity is timeless.

The Da Vinci Chronograph 3764-03 features:

• Mechanical chronograph movement
• Self-winding
• Flyback hand
• Small seconds hand with stop function
• Date display
• Screw-in crown
• Convex sapphire glass
• Sapphire glass back
• Water-resistant 30m
• 68-hour power reserve

What this means to you:If you’re looking for a timepiece fitting of you’re new suit (or paycheck) then let the IWC be it.

Cost: $12,270 @ Orolus

Also see:
EP Martin Sahara RTS $1295
Seiko Sportura World Timer Chronograph $350
EOS Master In Blue $100

EPMartin is one of those timepiece brands you wish you knew about sooner. The guys behind EPMartin have the chops to call themselves true watch designers (Nike expatriates) and their designs, think rugged luxury, are razor sharp with just the right amount of distinct detail.

Better, and perhaps more importantly, the Limited Edition Sahara Chronograph celebrates the achievement of Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab and Kevin Lin. Three guys that ran for H2O Africa. If you haven’t heard of H2O Africa, they are an organization that’s saved millions of lives bringing clean water to the oft forgotten continent. The sheer willpower to have run 4,620 miles across the Sahara Desert from Senegal to Egypt in 111 days. An achivement of endurance and will is the least that can be said to describe this feat. Their full story can be read here.

If the aesthetics and build of the Sahara RTS don’t make their own case for your hard earned dollars then knowing that a large portion of the purchase price ($500 to be exact) goes directly to H2O Africa should.

This Sahara RTS Chronograph comes equipped with an ETA Swiss chronograph movement, Italian leather strap, a second Nylon expedition strap, custom strap replacement tools, and limited edition leather case.

Other features and additional image after the jump.

What this means to you: More than just a elevated and inspired timepiece… it’s a cause worthy of your money and mind.

$1295 @ EPMartin USA

Read the rest of this entry »

If you haven’t noticed lately a lot of brands out there are trying to get in the watchmaking business. It’s a hot market and we don’t blame them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there are a burgeoning number of quality timepieces.

Our eyes are focused on the venerable manufacture Victorinox Swiss Army with the Victorinox Swiss Army Legacy Réserve De Marche Platine. Only 60 of these pieces will ever be manufactured.

A 46-hour power reserve movement visible through it’s exposition back surrounded by a 43mm Platinum and rubber case. It’s water resistant to 330 feet and the luminous hands and numbers can be seen through it’s scratch resistant anti-reflective triple-coated crystal sapphire (both sides). It has a date calendar, military time and a five year warranty. The watch comes in a platinum presentation box that includes an extra strap, viewing magnifier loupe, and numbered certificate of authenticity.

This is an extraordinary piece. The sheer magnitude of detail that’s gone into producing a timepiece from it’s Valgranges movement to the power reserve indicator decorated with Perlage and Côtes de Genèv” finishes are undoubtedly makings of a halo product for the Victorinox brand.

What this means to you: We’re awaiting a moment with the watch in person, but until then you should keep an eye peeled out for this. Essentially, the Victorinox Swiss Army folks have created an instant heirloom.

Cost: $19,500 @ Victorinox Swiss Army

A man’s timepiece is an essential part of his wardrobe. Hell, any man worth his salt knows if you rock a quality watch it doesn’t matter what your wardrobe looks like. Though the combination of both undoubtedly reigns supreme.

If you’ve purchased yourself a watch recently and are looking for a point of differentiation then the only place you’ve got to work with is the strap or bracelet.

We’ve procured a few from the folks at Strap Culture for our Panerai timepieces and are keen on their unique, modern and timely (pun intended) styles. Take a look at the Legend series straps made of genuine leather, hand-stitched detailing and an etched skull and crossbones on the buckle.

Strap Culture is obviously a specific company catered specifically to Panerai timepieces, but take a look and you’ll see there are plenty out there to pick from. Start with this list here:

• Banda
• Jean Rousseau
• Europelli

What this means to you: Step 1: Buy a quality timepiece. Check here for recommendations. Step 2: Wear it, everywhere. Step 3: Instantly make it wardrobe versatile by purchasing a unique strap.

Cost: $118 @ Strap Culture

Runners, your watch is here. The Garmin Forerunner 405 continuously monitors your time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate. The GPS enabled watch will store the data in memory and send it wirelessly to your computer.

The touch bezel (a la iPod) will let you scroll and select features on the run, not being hampered by a confusing interface.

This watch isn’t a one-trick pony though. Paired with the optional foot pod, you can track your speed, distance and running cadence indoors where a GPS is unavailable thru a sensor that clips to your shoe laces. It can also be links to a speed/cadence bike sensor to track the speed and distance of your bike circuits. [via BeSportier]

What this means to you: Exercising is best when unencumbered by gadgetry. Make the Garmin Forerunner 405 the center of your cross-training regimen.

Cost: $299 @ Garmin

Tip: Check our other training posts.

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Bell & Ross manufacturers timepieces right in line with what we like here at Gear Patrol. Functional, rugged, and well-built. Typically of aviation design, Bell & Ross has put out a diver line we’re keen on.

The BR 02 pieces are rated to a mind-bloggling 1000 meters (the watch is equipped with it’s own decompression valve and will most likely out dive you) and it’s power reserve is rated to 40 hours. It’s smooth curved lines are finished in polished/brushed stainless steel or black carbon. The black matte face is contrasted by white luminescence hands and markers with a touch of orange detailing - available in arabic numerals or large dots in the pro version.

What this means to you: 99% of you guys will never be at a depth of 1000 meters, but it’s doubtful that 99% of you will be deterred at appreciating this watch.

Cost: ~ $5,000 @ Matt Baily

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That’s one long name. Befitting of it’s massive list of capabilities including a 1,000 meter depth capability and it’s color-coded mechanical depth gauge (this is truly rare), 24-city automatic time-zone selection disk and Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 979 movement comprised of 247 parts, 29 jewels. You’re looking at one of the most incredibly well designed (and complicated) timepieces available.

We’re not sure how to begin explaining how Jaeger-LeCoultre was able to cram a mechanical depth gauge into the timepiece but it’s well worth your time to take a look. If anything, simply to be awed. [via “Gizmodo]

What this means to you: You can go out right now purchase a device that will do the exact same things and only set you back a few hundred dollars. There’s no denying that and hell, we’d probably do the same ourselves… but, devices like this aren’t a matter of ‘cool’ - they’re feats of engineering achievement.

Cost: $22,000 @ Jaeger-LeCoultre

Don’t Miss: Make sure to check out other watches that we’ve posted here on Gear Patrol.

At first we were skeptical at idea of the Nike Amp+. A device that serves as a watch and an iPod remote on one hand and also provides instant voice feedback of your time, distance, calories when teamed up with the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and any set of Nike+ Ready shoes. Didn’t appear to be a very straightforward setup which we’re all about.

We were wrong.

The Nike Amp+ is simple in all ways. Its durable polyurethane strap can be cut to your exact preference for a natural, comfortable fit and it’s unexpectedly easy to understand LED displays time of day and icons for iPod® nano controls when activated by the remote. Its instant voice feedback of time, distance, calories and pace are clear and concise and the buttons are precise and easy to press when running. Of course, this one’s water resistant (up to 50 meters to be precise), just like any good watch.

What this means to you: You don’t have time to think about fiddling with your iPod or calorie counting when you’re exercising. With the Nike Amp+ you don’t have to.

Cost: $79 @ Nike | Nike+ iPod Sport Kit $29 @ Nike

Once in a while something comes along in your life that you know beyond a doubt belong in your life. Some of those things include a spouse, a house, a car, a bar, and a watch.

The Panerai Luminor Marina is just that.

It’s not just a watch, it’s an investment. It’s an heirloom. It’s a timepiece and the moment you put it on your wrist you want to sit there and smile at this otherwise blank part of your body and gaze at the marvel, that is, a Panerai.

Panerai watches have a long established reputation (and thankfully no hype) of being exceptional diving watches. Founded in Florence in 1860, the Panerai is the official nautical supplier of the Italian navy. Within the Panerai Historic Collection lies the Panerai Luminor. A 44mm, hand-wound mechanical watch powered by the Panerai OP XI calibre withswan’s neck regulator, C.O.S.C. Chronometer certified, giving you 56 hours of power reserve (amazing for hand-wound watches). The 17 jewel movement has Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges, Glucydur® balance with Nivarox® I spring, and spins at 21,600 alternations/hour.

The Incabloc® anti-shock device is encased in AISI 316L polished stainless steel or brushed titanium with an anti-reflective 3.5 mm corondum sapphire, the second hardest material… on earth. This also covers the guaranteed oooh and ahhh inspiring exhibition back. And of course, the Marina’s signature crown protecting shield (trademarked) and is water resistant to 300 metres.

The Luminor Marina comes with a bevy of paperwork and one of the finest packagings you’ll ever see. A pearwood box with an additional rubber diving strap (it comes on a brown calf-skin strap on the watch) and strap tool.

What this means to you: This, gents, is a watch.

Cost: $4,600 @ Tourneau (you can’t buy an official Panerai timepieces online so don’t try)