Get your votes in now! There’s only 24 hours to go during Round 1 of Timepiece Madness 2013. Haute Time’s voter-driven contest is pitting the top timepieces in haute horlogerie against each other to determine the hautest watch of 2013.

Once the first round closes, the timepieces with the most votes will move on to Round 2, which runs from May 20-23. Already the competition is heating up, so we can’t wait to see which watches make it to Round 3 (May 25-28), the Quarter Finals (May 30-June 3), the Semi Finals (June 6-10) and the Finals (June 13-17)!

To vote for your favorite watch and to follow the fierce competition, visit Timepiece Madness 2013 now!

This week luxury conglomerate Richemont posted their year-end financial results showing that the group’s watchmaking division is stronger than ever. The specialist watchmakers’ division posted an 18% increase in sales, reflecting growing worldwide interest in haute horlogerie.

The Compagnie Financière Richemont SA owns several luxury watch manufactures, including Vacheron Constantin, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lange & Söhne, Cartier, Officine Panerai, IWC, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels, Montblanc and Roger Dubuis. Overall, the brands brought in €2,752,000 (US$3,527,513) in the year ending March 31, 2013. That number is up from €2,323,000 ($2,977,621) the year before. Sales in the Asia Pacific region were the strongest overall, with Hong Kong and mainland China comprising the two largest markets.

Johann Rupert, the Chairman of Richemont, told us; “The Jewellery Maisons and the Specialist Watchmakers have reported remarkable growth in sales and profits, despite the continuing strength of the Swiss franc and historically high cost of precious metals and stones.”

Pictured above is the IWC headquarters, viewed from the Rhine. Photo credit: PHOTOPRESS/Jonas Kuhn/IWC.

Here’s some eye candy for your Friday afternoon: the Graff watches I saw at BaselWorld 2013.

Photos by Seth Semilof.

This week Christie’s auction house hosted its Spring auction of jewellery, watches and wine in Geneva. With pieces from Patek Philippe and Rolex, as well as a stunning 101.73-carat diamond, the auction realized a total of US$128,773,791.

Of the lots auctioned off in Geneva, the ‘Important Watches including A Gentleman’s Pursuit for Excellence, Part II’ section alone fetched a total result of US$22,608,583. The most valuable lot of the watches sale was an historically important 1981 white gold automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phase and leap year (ref. 3448) by Patek Philippe. The Patek Philippe (pictured above) fetched an impressive US$1,701,690, setting a world auction record for this reference in white gold. A new world record was also set by a Rolex ref. 4113 for the highest amount fetched by a Rolex wristwatch at auction.

Meanwhile, the ‘Magnificent Jewels’ auction alone brought in US$102,140,780. The top lot was a 101.73-carat spear-shaped flawless diamond that sold to Harry Winston for US$26,737,913 ($254,400 per carat).

Aurel Bacs, the International Head of Christie’s Watch Department, told us; “In a full and energetic room, Christie’s Geneva marathon-auction sale of important watches reconfirmed the company’s absolute leadership of the category. In an ever increasingly demanding market, our rigorously curated sale attracted buyers from 40 different countries across five continents, selling 94% by lot and 93% by value. While Asian bidders emerged as the most competitive, we never saw such strong activity from the US in a Geneva sale. Christie’s also reaffirmed their predominance in the field of Rolex wristwatches by setting a new world record price for a timepiece by the renowned Swiss manufacture.”

Photos courtesy Christie’s.

Zenith celebrated its heritage as a maker of pilot’s watches this year at Basel, with several introductions in its Montre D’Aéronef  (“onboard watch”) Type 20 collection.Two new Type 20 GMTs were introduced, each as an homage to a famous early 20th century aviator. The first is dedicated to early aviator and Zenith customer Louis Blériot, who was the first to fly across the English Channel in 1909. The caseback is composed of a medallion struck with the image of Blériot’s plane. The second is a tribute to Albrecht von Richthofen, known as the Red Baron, the legendary ace who piloted a bright red-painted Fokker Triplane Dr.1 and shot down some 80 allied forces planes during the first world war. (He was finally shot down, by a Canadian Air Force pilot, near Amiens, France, toward the end of the war). The Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 GMT Red Baron has a case of black DLC-coated steel, with red-tipped GMT hand, red markings and a caseback medallion depicting the Fokker Triplane Dr.1.

The new Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar, with an El Primero 4054 B movement, is distinguished by an annual calendar mechanism that comprises just nine moving parts, whereas most calendars require 30 or 40. And finally, Zenith introduced a smaller version of its Pilot Montre d’Aéronef Type 20 – small for Zenith means 40mm – to better fit a woman’s wrist. The GMTs, tourbillon and annual calendar versions are all 48mm.

Today’s Haute Time Watch of the Day is a Limited series just released by Hublot Exclusively for the Japanese market.  The Timepiece is called, The Ferrari California 30 Giappone.

This special Limited Edition piece was launched by Hublot to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of “Ferrari California” victory at the Japan Grand Prix. Decorated with red and white, the colors on the Japanese flag, the Big Bang Ferrari, features the Hublot signature details along with a red Schedoni leather strap in both white and red, and let’s not forget, the dial also features the signature Ferrari horse emblem.

Powered by an UNICO movement, manufactured, assembled and developed completely in-house by Hublot, The Ferrari California 30 Giappone features a 72 hour power reserve and will be part of a Limited Collection of 100 special pieces offered exclusively to the Japanese market.

Leading fashion houses around the world have branched out into the watchmaking industry, some faster than others. You could say this is a natural progression, seeing as watches are regarded as both timepieces and jewelry. Here, we take a look at the top designer watches on the market today:

Serpenti by Bvlgari
Evoking the shape of a serpent, the Serpenti Watch by Bvlgari is a distinctive, grandiose timepiece. Innovative in design, this wrap-around watch recalls the coiling effect of a snake’s body when it’s placed on the wrist. Originally introduced in the 1940s, this iconic model has attracted a glamorous global fan base. The Serpenti has also shed its skin over time; there are now a number of other styles which make up this collection. The design is redolent of the reptile, the brand’s leading icon & the tubogas bracelet, another key influence in their portfolio.

A fusion of exquisite Italian style & Swiss craftsmanship, Bvlgari have an extensive history of stunning watchmaking. The curved shaped face and the pink rubelite crown are trademark features which make these pieces immediately recognisable as belonging to the house of Bvlgari. The guilloche detailing is another visually splendid touch. Available in steel or steel with diamonds, there is a Serpenti style to suit all preferences.

J12 by Chanel
Although it is not widely known for it, Chanel has been making watches since 1987. In this short time they have achieved a reputation as a serious watchmaking brand, but it was not until 2000 – with the release of the J12 model – that Chanel took the watchmaking industry by storm, proving they were a force to be reckoned with.

Their pièce de résistance is the use of ceramic. This ultra-glossy, highly durable material ensures the J12 fuses functionality with fashion, an ethos which penetrates the entirety of the brand. Chanel broke new ground with the J12, as it was the first watch to use ceramic as its primary material, proving that this is a key ingredient in the recipe of sleek watchmaking.

Available in a variety of finishes and styles, celebrated for its scratch-resistant quality, the J12 adorns the wrists of people throughout the world, including many celebrities. Whether in black, white, chromatic or diamond-encrusted, there is a watch to suit everyone’s style. Sporty, chic, elegant and hard-wearing, this versatile timepiece has in its short life become a legendary timepiece.

Burberry the Britain by Burberry
Burberry is the quintessentially British brand that brought us the trenchcoat. Today the brand has continued their philosophy of producing durable luxury goods with a successful move into watchmaking.

The Burberry the Britain Ladies Quartz watch was designed by Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey. The smooth, octagonal shape made of brushed stainless steel will ensure a polished look. For a chunky, robust and super-stylish timepiece, this Burberry watch is a perfect choice.

Bamboo by Gucci
Gucci started producing watches in the early 1970s, and since then have built up a striking collection of exciting timepieces. Made in their watchmaking division in the celebrated Swiss watch region of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Gucci watches incorporate the luxe beauty which encapsulates the brand, infused with the precision and exquisite craftsmanship of Swiss watchmaking.

The Bamboo model has become Gucci’s signature watch. With a Swiss Quartz Movement of water-resistant quality, this stunning piece creates a statement with its nature-inspired style. This piece is quite versatile, as the blend of stainless steel with bamboo enables the wearer to don this fabulous piece on any occasion. The simple, clean yet timeless watch face, with roman numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock, in conjunction with the anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, makes this a winner in the fashion and functionality departments.