By Jovan Krstevski
Ok so for this exciting review we will talk about the limited edition of Harry Winston. It is quite exciting because many watch enthusiasts are aware of the buy out of Harry Winston by the Swatch Group. Click here to read more about the story of the Opus 13 created by the independent watchmaker Ludovic Ballouard. The Harry Winston Opus dates back to 2001 with the sole intention of creating really innovative and out of this world mechanical timepieces that goes beyond commercial perspectives. By all definitions, Harry Winston Opus is synonymous to horology passion and we all know that for sure. As to the buy out, it fizzles to the issue of whether the said passion still holds true since the torch have been passed on. Well here is your answer, the new release of Harry Winston Opus 14 Watch in an astonishingly 50 limited pieces. Honestly, that is a very low number making it an utmost collectible item for the extreme die-hard fans of Harry Winston.
What makes Harry Winston Opus very interesting is its unique design which is of course really out of this world. It displays a unique American branding and it pretty much stands out all over the place like the red and blue accents with matching highway road signs denoting the brand’s insignia. This timepiece also sports the automaton-style mechanism that is original to the Opus 14. It is complicated alright but not extremely so. This is not a coincidence since Harry Winston connived with Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin of Télôs SA for the design of the Harry Winston Opus 14.
If you ask me, the case is really bold at remarkable 54.7 millimeters wide and 21.9 millimeters thick dimensions. Note that this real estate is just enough for the watch’s unusually shaped large calibers. I’m not fond of asymmetrical designs, but I’ll make an exception for the Opus 14. Besides, the oversized case packs a remarkable 1,066 individual parts and 124 jewels all in one place. I don’t know about you but for me it is very impressive.
As for the dial, I mentioned that the American theme depicted is that of the 1950s. There are 3 records to choose from that plays accordingly based on the disks used; GMT time, the date, and a star bearing the signature of Harry Winston which is a reference to the stars of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The movement is hand wound sporting a silicon balance spring and a whopping 31 bridges. It also comes with double mainspring barrels with one exclusively for timekeeping while the other for automation functions. Time is normally adjusted using the crown, but the GMT and the date indications can only be adjusted using the corrector pushers.
Personally, I don’t like oversized watches but, the limited edition Harry Winston Opus 14 is an incredible watch to have thanks to its impressive movement. Its choice of theme is quite unusual, but I’m simply impressed by the fluid and smooth motion of its animations. This is important to note because it captures some of the charm and mechanical workings of those ancient record changer machines for which the watch pays tribute to. Nonetheless, if the 428,000 Swiss Francs price point is fine to you, go ahead and have fun.
For more info, please visit harrywinston.com
JOVAN KRSTEVSKI – FOUNDER, PROPRIETOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Watch collector, aficionado and an Event profile in the Swedish nightlife. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’ His passion jump started in his early teens when he was given his first mid-range wristwatch which was an Omega Seamaster. Since then he has always been in love with wristwatches! Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. Read his articles here
