The Salon Privé, Europe’s finest and largest dedicated display of supercars, exotics, classics and luxury goods set up English garden party style, will return to the refined lawns of London‘s famed

Salon Prive' to take place in late July 2010.

Hurlingham Club on 21st – 23rd July 2010.

An exclusive selection of jewelry, watches, boats and more will be on offer alongside a seven-category Concours d’ Elégance, to be sponsored by Chubb Insurance. Organizers say 2010 promises to be Salon Privé’s most popular year yet and a motoring and social occasion unlike any other.

Entry to the event is by advance ticket purchase only. Individual tickets as well as private hospitality marquees are available to reserve now; visit www.salonprivelondon.com for more info.

You’ve got to hand it to Louis Vuitton because they do conjure up some unique concepts for luggage and bags.   As you

Louis Vuitton provides luxury cases for timepieces.

may recall, Vuitton recently entered into the luxury timepiece market — and what better way to carry you stylish accessories than in one of their prestigous cases.

One case is trunk style, and suitable for 8 watches ($4,070). While the other is more like a roll case, and sized for 3-4 watches ($620). Each are made in France, with the brand’s usual style and noticeable exterior.

While we all know that the Louis Vuitton brand is most known for it’s luggage and handbags, they do have a timepiece line as well.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Diver Lady watch.

The recently launched Tambour Diver Lady is a lovely line of that comes in 35mm steel or pink gold cases.  If you opt for the pink gold, you will get some bling with the diamond decorations and the dial is available with the classic Louis Vuitton floral pattern or pink mother or pearl.

For those souls that want to take the Tambour Diver Lady on an actual dive, then go for the textured rubber strap in pink or white.   This is definitely one of the most fashonable women’s diving timepieces we’ve seen in a very long time.

Exclusively available in the Louis Vuitton boutiques, it’s priced at around $4,000.

~~Raine Devries

Swiss makers Thomas Prescher and Angular Momentum have organized a special multi-day presentation of some of the most interesting and exclusive independent luxury watch brands out there. Such makers often struggle to get the message out about their watches, but once their timepieces are known, they are often very well received by the watch lover population. By banding together, they draw on each others’ products resulting in what should be a very interesting exhibition of watches and watch makers. The event will take place from June 18 – June 21 at the Angular Momentum Time Gallery (located at Brunngasse 58 in 3011 Bern, Switzerland).

The Time Gallery is a special multipurpose watch store and gallery which is a perfect location to showcase the wonderful watches. Aside from luxury novelties from both Angular Momentum and Thomas Prescher, notable brands will include Svend Andersen, Vianney Halter, Voutilainen, Pita, and Louis Moinet – among a few others as well. In addition to the watches being on display (and for sale most likely) the watch makers themselves will be present during the duration of the exhibit available to discuss their fine timepieces. And excellent opportunity to meet and mingle with true modern masters.

For more information contact Thomas Prescher or Angular Momentum (link to e-mail addresses), or call 41 (0)32 315 28 66.

Now up to 45mm wide (up from 43mm) the Baume & Mercier Riviera Magnum XXL beats the older XL in size and design for the look of the sportier version of the standard Riviera watch that wasn’t exactly stuffy to begin with. Complications include a 30 minute flyback chronograph powered by the automatic mechanical Ref. 8834 movement that is likely a modified Valjoux 7750. The dial of the watch is something you’ve probably noticed. Call it skeletonized, call it a “view to the movement,” the dial is actually a black tinted sapphire crystal. The text and Roman numerals are applied directly on the tinted dial in luminant.

The case is PVD coated steel with a cool looking sandblasted look. Everything about it is big from the four large hex screws, chronograph pushers, and massive crown. It is hard to tell in the images but the left side of the case is decorated with vertical cutaway slits (Baume & Mercier says they are meant to remind you of a car grill). The case is also 200 meters water resistant and features a exhibition caseback. Despite what is likely broad appeal, the Baume & Mercier Riviera Magnum XXL Flyback Chronograph watch will be limited to just 1000 pieces. A nice action version of the already sporty Riviera Magnum watch line.

The Red Dot Award is of the more desirable “good design” awards out there. Emphasis is always on form and function. You’ll find that most award recipients are often excellent selling products. The award is given by the Design Zentrum Nordheim Westfalen in Germany. This year two Tag Heuer watches received Red Dot Awards, and this is the fifth time in seven years that Tag Heuer watches received such Red Dot Awards for good product designs.

The two watches that received the award are the new Tag Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 36 and the new Tag Heuer Aquaracer 500M with the Calibre 5 movement. The Grand Carrera Calibre 36 is an odd watch with a sound design concept for measuring 1/10 of a second accuracy in its chronograph complication – in a unique manner. The best way to appreciate it is to view the video here. It is a cool concept, but isn’t going to be a high volume seller like the Aquaracer 500M.

The new Aquaracer model is very well done – really advancing the concept of a “professional diver watch” for Tag Heuer. You can read more on what I think about the Tag Heuer Aquaracer 500M here. It has an automatic movement, 500 meters of water resistance, and comes in various colors and materials that each have an strong industrial feel to them that is still inline with being a tasteful timepiece. Fair award recipients if you ask me.

This wicked watch is for you Greek mythology fanatics and is from Dubey & Shaldenbrand.

It features a festive Zeus lightning bolt minute hand, but other aspects of this watch fit the theme nicely as well. Dubey & Shaldenbrand timepieces are shaped in the style of avant garde Franck Muller watches, using a similar tonneau shaped case, which in this instance is 33mm wide and 44mm tall. The case is steel, and two versions are available with and without diamonds set in the bezel.

The high grade ETA 2892 automatic movement has been modified with a day/night display that operates the rotating disc in the middle of the dial. A date window is covertly placed at the 6 o’clock position. The dial layout is exceptionally well done as a easy to see round dial is placed within the oblong shaped face. Good use of the style with good functionality. Around the round dial are well designed numerals with an art deco character. Of course there are the zodiac characters displayed, but they are just placed for show (no zodiac calendar indicator).

This watch is meant to represent the power and might of the Greek gods, and the corresponding mythology. A nice genre piece with the images on the enamel dial. The Dubey & Shaldenbrand Olympe watch collection will be offered as a limited edition of just 200 pieces and prices will range from $10,000 – $15,000.

The real allure of this Louis Moinet Tempograph watch are the looks. The classically futuristic form is based on master watch maker Louis Moinet’s 200 year old designs – and give you a Jules Verne type of mofit on your wrist. You can literally pick out these designs from Louis Moinet’s old manuscripts – and they have been beautifully composed into watches like the Tempograph. The name refers to the unique retrograde seconds hand that measures in 10 second increments before moving to the initial position. Watching the seconds go by can be like watching a musical tempo meter. The retrograde seconds hand is horizontally aligned and covers most of the face. The hours and minutes are placed in a smaller dial at the top of the face.

Other elements of the watch serve to highlight the movement rich complication with the unique Louis Moinet charm in a large 47mm wide case, available in two shades of rose gold. The case and dial also include titanium, PVD (black colored) coated steel, and a dial that is available in black of silver. The pictured Tempograph is the Ref. LM-13.40.50/60 in rose gold and should be available soon. This is also the same watch featured on the side of Louis Moinet’s Primetime Race Group’s sponsored # 11 Dodge Viper car in this season’s American Le Mans race series.

The modern version of Cuervo Y Sobrinos was started in the late 1990s, but is based on a Cuban watch brand that started, and was popular, in the pre-communism days of Cuba. In the late 1950s when Cuba’s government changed and Fidel Castro entered power, the original Cuervo Y Sobrinos watch brand was no longer. With the name, comes the taste and style of old Havana in all new Cuervo Y Sobrinos watches – each watch even comes in a humidor. Regardless, today Cuervo Y Sobrinos has no actual presence in Cuba – but that is about to change.

The new Cuba, while still communist, is opening up its doors again slowly. Havana might never be the play city for the rich and famous as it used to be, but signs of new life can be seen. In a few months, now Swiss watch maker Cuervo Y Sobrinos will open up a new boutique store in Havana. Finally the original Cuban watch brand returns to Cuba in the city that helped make it famous. Pictured above is a Cuervo Y Sobrinos Esplendidos Monopulsante watch. Prices for the brand range from about $2,500 and way, way up.