SARO-Gem is a watch unlike any I’ve come across in my career. Always custom made, while incorporating both a beautiful and practical application of the properties of sapphire. Given how special this handmade timepiece is, I am hoping that this review will both enlighten and perhaps further fuel your enthusiasm. This is truly world class watchmaking, and to my knowledge there is nothing like it in similar price range.
In 1982 and after two years of searching for an appropriate brand name, the brand SARO was created and recorded in the brand register. It stands for:
Sapphire Round Over. The brand gave reference to the intention of the company, namely to produce watches that are overlaid completely with sapphire stones.
In 1998, the SARO brand was changed to SARO-Gem, the addition of “Gem” intended to clarify the company’s aim of the production of precious stone jewelry watches.
SARO-Gem does little to no advertising anywhere in the world, in fact for years it was only sold by word of mouth. Every SARO-Gem is individually made to order so there was/is no such thing as going to a SARO-Gem dealer and buying one out of a display case. I’ve presented it on television a couple of times, and for each event a unique model was created for just that one show, orders taken, and the watch hand built and delivered to the clients several months later. This sales procedure has assured a most exclusive status for the SARO-Gem productions. A buyer selects dial, bezel shape, finishes, diamond content and position, which part(s) are INOX and which are noble metal (18k or platinum), bracelet or strap, etc. Each is covered by a ten year warranty, which is not only stated in traditional documentation but also activated and registered via an included custom programmed USB memory stick.
I thought I’d begin with a segment of a letter recently sent to me from Thomas Huggler, who without question is one of the leading experts on SARO-Gem and its production techniques.
“SARO-Gem is over 25 years old and relatively new to the US market, though its watch-making tradition dating back to the early 20th century (1914). It is impossible to take any pictures of our watches that will accurately depict their beauty, and their brilliant shine. For example, on the BuonGusto 43 model, no camera will pick up the hand-sprinkled gold dust on the dial. It either comes out as red or white dots. On the sapphire bracelet and sapphire watch models, all pictures must be extensively re-touched to take out the glare produced by reflection, so we can adequately depict the shape of the watch in catalogues and on the website. SARO-Gem watches are top class. They are in the league of very exclusive handmade Swiss watches.”
As an ever-inspiring photographer I can vouch that this watch is without a doubt the most difficult I’ve attempted to capture. Its sapphire surfaces and extreme detail of the unique hand wrought dial are true challenges indeed. The accompanying photos are my attempt at illustrating the color and construction of this timepiece, and that said I can further state that this watch is far more stunning in person than any photo I have seen of it, mine or otherwise.
The watch we are looking at is the SARO-Gem BuonGusto 43 mechanical automatic chronograph. When Rolf von Burg (company owner) drew up the concept for this watch, he knew it would be a spectacular timepiece. The case is individually milled from a solid block of Swiss Inox steel, which exhibits similar advantages as 316L stainless steel. Until now SARO-Gem has been mirror finishing their case, but very recently they developed this new matte finish and were kind enough to submit it for introduction here on WatchCollector.net.
Rolf tells me that the original non coated or otherwise pre-processed Inox case is high velocity sand blasted with very fine sand particles the size of 3/10th of a mm., whereas other companies might use a coating and then an abrasive process. There is no abrasion of any coatings occurring in the work steps. SARO-Gem only uses the high velocity of particles shot on to the surface. As a result the finish is properly applied and very even over the entire surface without any of the inconsistencies or issues one might have with artificial coating techniques.
SARO-Gem installs a “custom rotor” on each pure Swiss movement used; in this case a hand finished and custom decorated pure Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750. They are also increasingly custom decorating the movements as well; note the custom set sapphire cabochon stone on the bridge of this particular example.
Given that each watch is custom built for its owner the sapphire content of course varies, but a good approximation of the sapphire weight in the bracelet would be around 63 ct., plus two 2 sapphire crystals (front and back) total out at 12 ct.
One of the highlights of any SARO-Gem BuonGusto is the individually hand created dial. The base material is brass, a plate of 0.40 mm is colored/lacquered, and into the still wet color actual gold dust is added by hand which makes each dial unique. A transparent lacquer finish is applied to protect the dial, finally the printing of the logo etc. is added. Finally, the Top Wesselton (white, VSI) diamonds are set using jewelry baguette settings. The dial seen here is a very rich blood red/black (an equally rich blue/black is another option). Upon completion each dial is signed on the reverse by both the designer and the owner of the company.
Movement: Pure Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750, 25 Jewel Flyback automatic chronograph, high frequency 4 Hz, Incabloc, blued screw rotor, date at 4 o’clock.
Case: 43mm Inox stainless steel 5-part case in custom matte finish with convex sapphire top crystal, and flat sapphire crystal on case-back.
This particular model features a caseback finished brilliantly in 18k yellow gold. Solid 18k case or selected case components are options as well.
Bezel: Inox 316L (Clous de Paris) Half-Moon bezel with custom matte finish.
Dial: Red “Sun Burst” with gold dust and 8 top Wesselton white, VSI, diamonds (0.02ct/ea). Dials are hand signed (reverse of dial) by designer and owner Rolf von Burg himself.
Hands: Gold finished hour, minute, and second hands with Luminox treatment, Luminox chronograph hands.
Website: http://www.saro-gem-usa.com
Watch Highlights
so) of a given version. Each back case ring is individually numbered.
Production Details:
Watch hands: Base metal of hands is brass, being gold plated for gold look for rhodium plated for the silver look, with center being filled with Luminox.
Case: All parts of the case such as Décor bezel, lower bezel/sealing rings, backs/crystal rings are made of solid INOX stainless steel. Unlike other cases, which are typically pressed or cut, SARO-Gem cases are individually milled from an individual block of steel. Milling the case curve is a lengthy and demanding process of extreme accuracy. The lugs can not be milled out of the same piece and are created separately. The cases are hand finished after raw milling. In superb precision, positioned by specifically designed tools and utilizing exact, measured quantity of solder (very important) in order not to have any overflows, the case assembly is then passed through a high temperature oven to fuse/bake. This will ensure an integral fit and make them appear as if they were crafted
as a single sculpted block. Diamonds may be added to the lugs (and/or bezel) at client request.
Sapphire Overlay: A clear, processed sapphire plate is put into a vacuum oven after the plate has been masked with the decor required. The plate is then deposited under vacuum with the base alloy, afterwards etched and then reprocessed to add the other colors onto the glass. The signature crescent seen in each link is a section of either 18k gold or platinum, depending on client’s choice. Special formulated epoxy is used to attach the sapphire to the steel bracelet. It will withstand 800 lbs. of pull force and glue won’t crack after years of use as it is designed to expand and contract to adhere properly. Each link is assigned a unique serial number (see photo), and each bracelet will exhibit a unique sequential series through the links, which is recorded in the company records. The pins used to connect the links is a two piece design with the pin holding a center tube which guides and holds the pin in place, the benefit of which is a fluid movement of the links without risking the pin falling out as the guide pin has a double notch feature. It also assures a sleek side to the bracelet that is high polished, and another design detail which differentiates handmade SARO-Gem designs from mass produced products.
So, on to cost. As previously stated every component is custom crafted with buyer selecting material (INOX, 18k, platinum), finishing (polished, matte, and/or in the instance of steel case components which if any are to be finished with noble metal), diamond amount and application (SARO-Gem will not use anything other than Top Wesselton, white, VSI), finish etc., so price can vary dramatically. I’ve seen models list as low as the 7000 dollar range and have heard of price tags approaching 30,000 dollars, and I know from my contacts on the inside that this brand will be producing pieces in the 75,000 dollar range early next year (2010)! This particular example shipped with both bracelet and strap as well as caseback and selected case components finished in 18k yellow gold and is likely in the 8000 - 9000 dollar range, though it is worth noting that discounts may be negotiated on an order by order basis.
Pros: A true world class exclusive luxury timepiece. Always pure Swiss. Always individually handmade to order. Gorgeous design, with one of the most spectacular dials in the watch industry. Fantastic attention to precision and quality. Spectacular innovative application of sapphire capabilities (bracelet model). Offers custom exclusivity usually associated with timepieces costing far more.
Cons: Somewhat pricey (though in my view, worth it). Some may find the 43mm not large enough if they insist on the current trend of watches north of 44mm. Would have liked to have seen a water resistance certification beyond 50m, especially given the sophisticated gasket application. Difficult to find, given that they don’t use a traditional dealer network (owners may consider that an advantage).
Bottom Line: One of the most exclusive watches in the price range. If you have the means, acquire one; you will never regret being an owner.
In this review we’ll take a look at a relatively rare watch (only 1500 made) and one sought after by collectors despite its quirks; the Yema Bipôle Duopoly.
The Yema watch company, or “YEMA Maison Horlogère Française” was founded in Besancon, France, in 1948. An early major achievement was the 1953 offering of wristwatches made water resistant to depths greater than 200 meters. For you watch trivia buffs, it was neither Rolex or Omega, but rather Yema that produced James Bond’s first movie watch; Dr. No, 1962. This French founded company was at one point owned by Seiko, is was re-acquired by Louis-Eric Beckensteiner in 2004.
The Bipôle Duopoly wristwatch, also known as the Yema Transantarctic Bi-Pole (Transantarctica Polar Navigational) or the BiPole, is one of only a handful of see-through watches I’ve come across, and realistically the only see-through sport model. It is quite visually captivating, especially given the red velcro strap and bright day-glo colors used on hands and dial.
At the time it was built (1990) this wristwatch pushed the edge of high-tech rugged construction with the goal of surviving extreme sports, and went with what at the time was rarely heard of materials for building a watch; titanium, carbon fiber and kevlar, with the addition of adding sapphire crystals to a sport watch.
The genesis of the timepiece was a commission by explorers Dr. Jean-Louis Etienne and Will Steger for their 1989 International Transantarctic Expedition. Dr. Etienne was the first man to reach the North Pole alone, pulling his sleigh and walking for 63 days over the 800 kilometers, from the northern edge of Canada, while Mr Steger was the fourth person ever to reach both poles. The key was creating a timepiece that would stand up to the rigors of rough handling in a freezing environment, while at the same time aiding the explorers with navigating via the sun, since traditional compasses don’t work near the poles due to the proximity of either magnetic north or south. the watch displays mean as well as sidereal time, which is a method of telling the time via positions of celestial bodies versus earth rotation (and no, I don’t know how to do that). Am told it is similar to the use of a sextant, in fact it is this function that required the watch to be built in the see through style. The user would sight through the watch in one direction at the north pole but would use the reverse at the south as unlike the northern hemisphere, in the southern the sun makes its 360° transit from right to left. Note the opposing dials labeled accordingly.
The watch is a large 47mm, which while not sounding particularly outlandish in current era consider this being produced in 1990, a time when 40mm was considered huge. The case is solid titanium and matte finished into a rich dark gray, with compass points engraved in lieu of traditional indexes, finished in black. The dials are done in a flat charcoal finish, which really pops the bright orange, green and yellows used on the hands and markings. Both crystals are of sapphire, treated to be fog resistant. They were also supposed to be glare resistant, but they seem quite bright and polished to me.
The housing sandwiched between the dials contains a French FE7020 quartz movement, which sadly has been discontinued. Am told the FE7021 can replace it, but does not have the gmt function. It is worth noting that the engine drains battery life quite quickly, and you may well be looking at changing the battery once a year. The original Yema warranty stated that they would give free battery changes for life, but they have abandoned this policy, and to my knowledge no longer support this watch at all. Finding parts will prove very difficult indeed.
The original packaging is a very cool see through pyramid, housing in addition to the watch both a red kevlar/velcro band and a brown stitched leather strap, as well as a small box of spare screws and changing tool (screwdriver). The hinged lugs use a bolt system, so straps using quick change pins are basically out.
case width 47mm (48mm including recessed crown)
case thickness 11.5mm
case length with lugs 57mm
weight 62 gms (with velcro strap)
lugs 22mm
water resistance 100m (330 ft) with screw-down crown
As to cost, the original retail price was $1500 in 1990, obviously considered a pricey watch at the time. They were available in the mid hundred dollar range in the late nineties but have very rarely found one for sale since, though the NON see through related models (there were several produced) seem to be commanding the 800 dollar range at the time of this writing. If you do find one, I highly recommend taking special care of it and not testing its mettle.
Pros: Considered rare (only 1500 ever made). Unique purpose and design. Very eye-catching. Durable. Highly collectible.
Cons: Completely abandoned by manufacturer, including original lifetime battery program. Parts and accessories expensive and difficult to come by. Short battery life, and battery difficult to access and change. Movement no longer built. Sapphire crystals bring into question durability in the field.
Bottom Line: A collector willing to work through the significant “cons” associated with this watch will possess a truly special sport watch with both real bragging rights and special needs.
Quinting describes their product as “the first and unique transparent watch in the world” and that certainly a true statement. The high profile personae wearing their watch is indeed impressive, including former President Bill Clinton, at least three Swiss Presidents, and Secretary General to the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Kofi Annan.
Historically it has been a “holy grail” of watch making to create a see-through watch in which the movement was rendered invisible, in fact that reasoning is thought of as the genesis of creating skeleton watches. The idea was to remove more and more of the mass to create increasingly transparent mechanics, and it was thought of as being at an end with the “bridge” styled mechanical movements (such as the Corum or Vincent Calabrese) until Rene Quinting’s breakthrough thinking and design, the research of which began in 1993. The first non-prototype watch did not appear until quite a bit later, and was awarded the “Official Prize of the Revue des Montres” in 1999.
So, how did Quinting do it? The answer lies in a combination of completely re-inventing the watch movement so that it completely fits inside of the bezel area of the case, and twelve stacked sapphire crystals, each designed to facilitate a different portion of the watch complication, and coated with glare resistant material on both sides to render each custom disc basically invisible. These tolerances of these sapphire discs are so exact that even the added diameter of the glare resistant coating must be accounted for within the stack. Every part of this brilliant complicated movement is made and the timepiece hand assembled within their clean room (dust free) facility located in St. Blaise, Switzerland.
Today Quinting builds in 316L stainless steel, 18k gold, and platinum, all available on either exotic strap or bracelet. This review is based on the stainless bracelet example.
Total weight 187 grams
case diameter 44mm (47mm with crown)
case thickness 14mm thick
bracelet 21mm
bracelet thickness 4mm
As you can see from these stats, this is a big heavy watch, especially in the height department. This was considered an unusually large watch upon its introduction years ago, but now with so many luxury watches well in excess of 44mm the dimension can be considered quite mainstream. At 14mm I still consider the watch thicker than most, and depending on the shirt I sometimes have issues getting the cuff to slider smoothly over the watch.
The wearability of this watch is excellent, especially given its heft and size. I attribute this to the exceptional engineering, especially in the hand built bracelet. Each handfinished segment is slightly kidney shaped, so when combined in the finished bracelet the total wraps perfectly around the wrist. The top four links (closest to the case) are permanently installed, with the remaining lower links secured by an elaborate screw and sleeve system which facilitates not only sizing but beautiful flexibility without impacting the way the screws nest.
Quinting produces a beautifully complex watch. Many of you appreciate the complexity of a mechanical chronograph, but now add to that an outer track pointer date that doubles as an am/pm indicator. It does so by pointing to the first half of the designated date section in the am hours, and the second during the pm. Now factor in the additional complexity of doing so with an invisible movement.
For those who would point out that Quinting is a quartz watch, consider this. The electronics only acts as the source of the power, and even that is complicated, divided between four separate engines in turn driving two hundred and thirty two custom built mechanical parts, and it does it all with an ordinary hearing aid battery. The engines are so efficient that if applied to a “normal” watch you would change the battery about every ten years. As it stands, I change mine about every three years, though I don’t run the chronograph very often.
One of the design ingredients I find especially clever is the vertical mounting of the battery, thus taking up very little physical width in a bezel where space is at a premium. Another great idea is to house it just below the serial number plate, which means you can access the battery compartment without ever cracking open the case, so water resistance integrity remains intact.
Quinting also produced one of the most original presentation boxes I’ve ever encountered, building a decorative wooden frame around a real ostrich egg which opens like a “pac-man” revealing a custom pyramid to display the watch. It is my understanding that due to shipping issues Quinting subsequently adopted a more traditional package, and that the original ostrich display now commands a secondary market price tag in the $600 range.
So, on the big question — pricing.
Retail (chronograph model)
Strap model, steel $15,000 (have seen one source listing the strap for $16,000)
Bracelet $16,000
Noble metals
well north of $20,000
Have found the occasional pre-owned example in the $8000 range.
At one point there was a couple of retail counters in the US, but recently have had difficulty locating a current retail counter in the US. Currently they seem to be marketing to high end European and Middle Eastern markets.
Pros: One of the world’s most unique watches. Ingenious complication. Great looking and very comfortable. Brilliantly executed handcrafted excellence.
Cons: Pricey. No retailer currently in US (as of April 09).
Bottom line from this reviewer: if you have the means and appreciate a truly beautiful and complicated watch, don’st hesitate to own one. You will never regret it.
http://www.quinting-watches.com
