Tiffany is in its sporty watch era and it’s hitting all the right design notes. Following the release of its new Tiffany Timer in January—a chronograph with an El Primero movement housed in a platinum case with a Tiffany Blue dial—the company is already dropping another iteration. For those that didn’t get their hands on one of the 60 limited editions from the first release, a new variant in titanium with a platinum bezel and a navy blue dial with Tiffany Blue accents will be available in September in a slightly larger run of 100 pieces only. “It was a natural evolution of the Tiffany Timer rather than a response to a particular trend or request,” Nicolas Beau, senior vice president of Tiffany & Co. Horology tells Robb Report. “Titanium brings a different character to the watch (lighter and more contemporary), while the dark blue dial with touches of Tiffany Blue gives it a very distinctive expression.”
Tiffany & Co.’s archival Timer chronograph pocket watch from 1866
Tiffany & Co.
The Tiffany Timer is inspired by an archival pocket watch from the brand—its first chronograph—created 160 years ago. Charles Lewis Tiffany began selling Swiss-made watches in 1847, becoming Patek Philippe’s first U.S. retailer and forging a partnership that endures today. Tiffany introduced its own chronograph pocket watch, the Tiffany & Co. Timing Watch, in 1866, followed two years later by its first Swiss assembly workshop. By 1874, the jeweler had established a full-fledged manufacture in Geneva, producing chronographs and calendar watches with its own movements, before selling the facility to Patek Philippe in 1880.
Today, Tiffany & Co. draws on the watchmaking expertise within the LVMH stable, its parent company. This modern day chronograph, like its predecessor, comes equipped with a Zenith El Primero caliber. The new Tiffany Timer—this version and the previous platinum iteration—is powered by Zenith’s El Primero 400, a modern evolution of the groundbreaking high-frequency automatic chronograph caliber introduced in 1969. Beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour—versus the 28,800 vph typical of many luxury chronographs—the movement is capable of measuring elapsed time to one-tenth of a second. “The main modification was the development of a bespoke oscillating weight featuring a hand-sculpted 18k yellow gold Bird on a Rock,” Beau says. “This required the mass of the rotor to be carefully recalibrated to maintain the movement’s performance and reliability. We also chose a ruthenium finish for the movement, creating a darker, more monochromatic architecture that allows the gold bird to stand out beautifully.”
The Tiffany Timer movement with its 18-karat gold Bird on a Rock-accented oscillating weight
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co., of course, is first and foremost a jeweler. Its roots in creating some of the world’s most recognized jewels is something CEO Anthony Ledru has stressed will always be its main focus. As a result, Beau says the most challenging aspect of creating the chronograph is realizing it, “through the eyes of a jeweler.” The piece had to deliver the performance of a chronograph, while still being unmistakably Tiffany. “From the Tiffany Blue on the dial and the diamond indexes of the first edition to the Bird on a Rock oscillating weight [in 18-karat gold], every detail brings our jewelry heritage into the world of watchmaking,” Beau notes. “It was also about telling the story of Tiffany’s watchmaking heritage and our longstanding connection to Geneva.”
For those that want something a bit more subdued than the platinum version, the titanium edition hits just the right note. The new $28,000 40 mm timepiece, which comes set with 12 baguette-cut diamond indexes and hands in 18-karat white gold, will be available in September. But if you want to get your hands on one, we suggest putting in the request now. “The first edition sold out instantly, which was a fantastic response and confirmed the passion for this unique timepiece!” Beau confirms. But if you can’t jump the line, Beau says they plan to explore a few more complications in the future. Nevertheless, the chronograph is surely the one you don’t want to get away.
Authors
Paige Reddinger
As Robb Report’s deputy editor and watch editor, Reddinger is immersed in all things horological. She has visited the top manufacturers in Switzerland and Germany, attended high-profile auctions and…