The launch of CHAPTER ONE in Singapore

[KokChoon]

On June 16th, 2008, Maîtres du Temps organized an event at il Lido, a famous Italian Restaurant in Sentosa, Singapore, to launch officially the CHAPTER ONE here in Singapore.....

Some of us were lucky to be invited to this wonderful event and here I am to share with you some of the photos I have taken during the evening event.

But first of all, for those who are not familiar with Maîtres du Temps and Chapter One, below are some information I have extracted from the Press Kits for your information and knowledge.....


Let me first introduce the 3 Masters behind the creation of this first chapter of Maitres du Temps.....

From the left: Mr. Roger Dubius, Mr. Peter Speake-Marin and Mr. Christophe Claret

So, who is Maîtres du Temps?

"The driving force behind Maîtres du Temps is Mr. Steven Holtzman, a man with nearly three decades of experience in the watch industry. Mr. Holtzman is the catalyst bringing master watchmakers together, and Maîtres du Temps provides a canvas for their art. Mr. Holtzman realizes his vision by extracting and distilling the very best each master watchmaker has to offer. Each chapter in the Maîtres du Temps story is a symbiosis of experience, influence, art, craft, and technique, all harmoniously encapsulated in a single watch."

Mr. Steven Holtzman, founder of Maîtres du Temps

"(So, we can now) imagine three of the world’s greatest watchmakers collaborating to develop just one timepiece ..... Mr. Christophe Claret, Mr. Roger Dubuis, and Mr. Peter Speake-Marin have written the first chapter of this brand new story called Maîtres du Temps. And the watch, appropriately named Chapter One, is simply astounding."

Many have asked in the evening that would there be other "Chapters" then. From what we've understood, there have already plans up to Chapter Five now..... and this can best be answered by the philosophy explained by Steven on his founding of Maîtres du Temps:

"The philosophy of Maîtres du Temps is symbolized by a tree, with each branch representing a fresh opportunity to work with new masters, another collaboration, a future project. And as the branches intertwine and the tree bears fruit, so a new timepiece is brought to life."

Masters and Their Craft - A Lifelong Pursuit of Excellence

To know more about Maîtres du Temps, do visit their web-site or visit us often as we will update here whenever we receive information from them


Photos of the evening event will be followed in the sub-threads below.


Cheers
KokChoon

[KokChoon]

Many thanks to the lovely Karen from rootz marketing communications, event organizer handling this launch, I was able to photograph this spectacular time piece before the start of the event

Here are some photos of the Chapter One which I want to share with our fellow members here who have not the opportunity to see the actual watch yet.....

For those who are interested in the technical aspects of this Master-piece, below are some information to share with you folks:

Chapter One—Technical Specifications

Manual-wind mechanical movement, one-minute tourbillon, mono-pusher chronograph, retrograde date indicator, retrograde GMT indicator, day of the week indication on roller, patented precise moon phase indication on roller.

Displays:
- Central hands indicating hours and minutes
- Central chronograph counterpoised second hand
- 60-minute counter at 12 o’clock
- Retrograde date at 3 o’clock
- Retrograde GMT at 9 o’clock
- One-minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock
- Day of the week indication on roller at 6 o’clock
- Patented precise moon phase indication on roller at 12 o’clock

Functions:
- Two-position winding crown: pushed in to wind the watch; pulled out to set the time
- Chronograph: start/stop/return-to-zero function activated by single pusher in the crown

Correctors:
- Date corrector at 2 o’clock
- Day of the week corrector at 4 o’clock
- Moon phase corrector at 8 o’clock
- GMT corrector at 10 o’clock

Calibre SHC02:
- Dimensions: 51.3 mm x 31.6 mm
- Number of components: 558
- Number of jewels: 58
- Power reserve: 60 hours
- Tourbillon rotation: 60 seconds
- Balance frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)

Case:
- 18K red gold
- Number of components: 104
- Dimensions: 62.60 mm x 45.90 mm
- Sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating
- Display back: sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating
- High polish and satin finishes on compound-curve surfaces
- Correctors with integrated locking system

Dial:
- 18K gold
- Number of components: 7
- Multi-faceted and beveled
- Printed Roman numerals
- Engine-turned sun-ray guilloche
- Red counterpoised chronograph hand
- Blue sword-shaped hands for chronograph counter, hour, minute, date, and GMT

Rollers:
- Day barrel: anodized anticorodal finished aluminum
- Moon phase barrel: anodized anticorodal finished aluminum inside a matte anodized cover with laser-pierced moon and stars
- Window between day roller and tourbillon

Strap: Alligator strap with 18K red gold deployant buckle


Hope you like these few photos I have taken


Cheers

[KokChoon]

Below are the photos of guests I have taken during the pre-dinner cocktails....


Yes, a group of familiar faces It's always great to meet up fellow watch enthusiats in these events....


Steven Holtzman on the right!


Our Revolutionary Wei Koh on the left with guests.


Another group photo of local WIS attending the event.


Three charming ladies....


Mr. Roger Dubuis on the right with guests.


Dr. Bernard Cheong (right), Dolly and friends.


Mr. Iwan K.C Hew (Managing Director of Yafriro International) holding poster of the Chapter One, with his guests.


From the left: Tan Puey Hiang, Michael Tay (Executive Director of The HourGlass), Wei Koh and Dr. Bruce Lee (Managing Director of Revolution Magazines).


Below are some candid shots when guests are busy interacting with each other, a very friendly and superb environment I must say

[jimsbk]

Thanks KC for the post and beautifully taken pictures. A great evening and a lovely big watch with a very distinct DNA and design. Cheers, Jim

[KokChoon]

Mostly taken by my EF 85mm F1.2 with flash, and post-processing to black and white photos.... Here are just a few of the black and white portraits that I want to share with you folks


From left to right: Dana Cheong; Irene Ang (TimeWerke Magazine); Roger Dubuis; Karen Yau (Director, Rootz).


From left to right: Michael Tay (The HourGlass); Jim Seah; CH Liauw; Mark.


From left to right: Su JiaXian (PuristsPro); Tan Choon Seng; George Ho; Walter Ribaga (Product Manager, Maîtres du Temps).


From left to right: Alex; Noel Santiago; Steven Holtzman; Nina Honh.


From left to right: Tan Puey Hiang, Vandarina Supangkat; Julian Peh (Goldarths); Iwan Hew (Yafriro).


From left to right: Denise; Dr. Alvin Honh; Assoc. Prof. Harry Tan; Margaret Pane (VP of Maîtres du Temps).



Hope you like'em


Cheers

[KokChoon]

The Dinner started at around 20:30, and by then most of us are a little hungry, hahaha....


The exquisite setting... both Rootz and il Lido done a great job in the dinner setting and arrangement:



The Chapter One, displayed in the leather box just beside the "stage":



Ms. Margaret V. Pane, Vice President of Maîtres du Temps, welcome the guests to the wonderful evening event:



Mr. Steven M. Holtzman, CEO of Maîtres du Temps, explaining his visions, his philosophy of creating interesting haute horlogerie pieces to the guests:



Three Masters "behind" Steven Holtzman, helping him to create the very first chapter of his many more dreams.....:



The orgainzers were happy that the turn-out in Singapore for this kind of events has always been awesome and the support from the local watch community is simply remarkable:



Guests were arranged to sit in 5 different tables, hosted by Mr. Iwan Hew, Mr. Roger Dubuis, Mr. Walter Ribaga, Mr. Steven Holtzman and Ms. margaret Pane respectively:










Guests were invited table by table to admire the Chapter One (a fantastic arrangement in my opinion) and explained by Walter Ribaga, Product Manager of Maîtres du Temps:




Walter also explained that though the case is very big at 62.6 by 45.9 mm, it was actually built in such a way that even a lady could wear it. And he proceeded by inviting the ladies in the group to try on the watch....:



Next, the food menus for the night!

IL LIDO is one of my favorite restaurants, especially its wonderful ambience atmosphere and tasty comtemporary Italian cuisine....

The starter - scallops carpaccio with balsamic vinegar dressing and bottarga:


First course - truffle risotto with porcini and barolo wine sauce:


Main course 1: braised wagyu beef cheek, truffle, mash potatoes and tarragon:


or Main course 2: line-fished sea bass fillet, eggplant & thyme sauce:



That's all folks!


I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the all from Maîtres du Temps: Steven, Margaret and Walter, Mr. Roger Dubuis and the wonderful ladies from Rootz, Karen and Iris for this wonderful evening. Thank you all!


Hope you like my report


Cheers
KokChoon

[Jokoh]

Hi KC
I really like the way you intro the event than proceed with the event proper and even the food..

Thanks KC


joe

[IanS]

I was wondering how the evening went and your post was the next best thing to being there.

Your photos of Chapter One are excellent and it is great to see that Roger Dubuis is still very active.

[slide68]

Dear KC,
great report with beautiful picture, i've got the feeling you've really catched the spirit of the evening....
You're lucky, i don't think that such events take place in Europe and especially in Italy, sigh....

Regards,
slide68

[Horolographer]

I just love the images you captured and the shots of the watch is most impressive! Looks like your new gear is working out wonderfully!

Here are my images I captured that night to share here.

Steven and Roger modelling the Chapter One for me...





The watch in the box close up.




Friends and fellow collectors milling at the cocktail
















Thanks for looking!
Cheers!

[KokChoon]

Thanks Joe,

Glad you like this presentation. I was thinking that this is a relatively next House and would be good to have a "little" introduction, not too much so as not to bore those who are already in the know

Let's meet for a mug of beer soon my friend


Cheers

[KokChoon]

First of all, thanks for the arrangement Ian, we owe you one here

The event was great and Rootz HK did a fantastic job!

This is the second time I met Steven and Margaret (first was in Basel when you introduced us) and they are as freindly as I can remember

Mr. Roger Dubuis, though do not speak much English, was extremely friendly and active throughout the whole night... we can see his enthusiasm in this project indeed. Roger is also very kind and even signed an autograph for me, here's the proof...




Overall, a great vision, a great partnership, a great event, great companies and a great night!


Cheers

[KokChoon]

Thanks for sharing your pics with us Harry

The setting on taking the watch photos looks okay but I have my doubt when this is used on black and extremely reflective dials.... will have to try that out some time

It is always nice to enjoy the evening/night with good friends like you guys, take some photos, have a few drinks, talk watches.... and posting the photos again just bring back those good memories again and again....


Cheers my friend

[KokChoon]

Ciao slide68,

I am not sure of events in Europe as I was never invited there except during the Basel and SIHH Fairs

By the way, I do know that Girard-Perregaux did orgainzed some events in Italy, especially so as the major shareholders of the Sowinf Group - the Macaluso family is from Italy Perhaps you can check with your local AD to let them know that you would be interested to attend such events whenever they organized something.

Hope to see your event report one of these days, and hopefully soon....


Cheers my friend

[ReTTo]

Fantastic information on this amazing work of art and what a wonderful event. I really felt as though I was there and your passion really shows through your attention to detail.

Thanks again... I only wish I really WAS there....

[Jürgen]

Well, well, well, I don't know what to say

This is one extraordinary timepiece. I like the design of it very much, especially the lugs with the moon phase and day in between. Also the see-through second hand is a great detail.


I hope I can admire this piece on time in real life.

Thanks for sharing the photos with us KC and Harry.

[IanS]

This one of Roger Dubuis wearing Chapter One is a classic!

[zephyr49]

Originally Posted by Horolographer

I too like how the tail of the chrono hand sits over the jewel in the tourbillon, almost grabs attention away from the rest of the dial but yet sits in almost incognito too.

The pushers are interesting too but I do wish more of the movement could've been revealed. Seems that collaboration of this kind between independents are becoming more often and I like the synergies and buzz such collaboration is creating. Can't wait to see the other 4 Chapters.

Thanks for the report and pics KC and Harry. Cheers!
Lionel

[nasty204]

KC,

Thanks for the very good coverage of the event, it was indeed a night of appreciating the collective ideas of 3 masters in this field, and what a better way of enjoying it than seeing old friends and meeting new one's.

Cheers

Noel

[Monochrome]

What an excellent timepiece with amazing complications and details... lovely and impressive!!