Monaco's Horus watches represent the ultimate in rich people talking about rich watches. Pretty much that is only who they care about even marketing to. So consider me learning about these watches against their wishes almost! Maybe I am exaggerating, but brands like this have product launch parties on boats were only select people are invited. Let's put it this way, the brand's mascot is a falcon, and yes they have a real falcon. Only falconers needs apply to hang with the Horus watch crowd. The brand is new, and have a few interesting things. I want to share with you their Horus Ultramarinum (Marine) watches. Obviously meant to remind you of a luxury boat, the dial of the watch looks like the instrument panel of a fine ship, with the deck wood to boot.
Actually all this pomp and circumstance a round the selling and unveiling of watches is a good thing. Horus founder Andre Grossman obviously knows how to put on an impressive show, and if you look at the Horus website, you can tell that he goes after where the money is. See link to the site below. Probably exactly what I would do. Also check out the cool watch box that the Horus Ultramarinum comes in. There is obviously some eletcro machinery at work there. It looks like the top opens and closes by itself. Maybe it is like those fancy trashcans you can get at Bed Bath & Beyond that open with a mere waive of your wrist. Do you think Horus likes being compared to things you can get at Bed Bath & Beyond? I doubt it. Do they have those in Monaco? Would it have marble floors? At the very least we know that you can move the lever on the front of the watch case at it will open. Not just that, but the watch actually lifts out of the box on a pedestal for you to pick up. Get it? Fancy....
Now on to the watch. First, the Egyptian theme of the Horus brand is clear. The name, the bird, the inexplicable need for a pharaoh's fortune to own the watch. I love Egyptiany stuff, so I am glad to see it being applied when possible. The Ultramarinum watches are custom ordered and the dial is design after the instrument panel of the world's older steam boat (full steam ahead!) This boat is the Monaco based SS Delphine, which is coincidentally the ship on which Horus launched the Ultramarinum watch. The case of the watch is in a unique shape that reminds me of those coin operated telescope stands they have at certain public places with a view. Also like older style parking meters. Right? I like the look though as refined and adapted into a watch case. Horus is the only brand that uses compressed carbon in their cases, but this is not an element of this particular watch (that is used in their "Dualis" watch) . Instead, the Horus Ultramarinum has lots of grade 5 titanium. The watch looks gold though. So I am not sure if this is a different model or perhaps a PVD application or gold plating. The case is 48mm wide at its widest point and 54mm tall. The dial clearly is made mostly of a small plank of wood. Nicely done in fact.
Listen closely, cause now it gets weird. In addition to the flying tourbillon in the movement, it has a special complication I've never heard of before. You can speed up and slow down time! Creepy! The HR 1057 movement was made in collaboration with BNB Concept (you should know them). This fact makes me feel comfy that the movement is pretty well made. It has 387 parts and an 80 hour power reserve. Functions on the watch include an off-centered time, retrograde seconds, power reserve indicator, and a chadburn. Using the lever located on the case at about 10 o'clock you can adjust the chadburn to go "faster or slower," just like you would on a steam ship. In the middle neutral position the watch tells the correct time. Move it forward and time will go faster. Move it backwards and time will go slower.
Remember that putting the lever and chadburn back in the middle position will always return the watch to the correct time. Why does the Horus Ultramarinum do this? As a novelty. To time travel, or to make it so that you can look at your watch and say "look at the time. I gotta go," more often and it look later than it is. Trust me, this is a more useful, useless novelty than some I have seen (that means you Franck Muller Secret Hours watch). It is kind of cool as well. Oh, and The Marine watch is water resistant to 200 meters, which is actually not bad given this type of watch. Good if your luxury sailing vessel capsizes. Down with the ship, does not need to mean down with your investment.
The strap of the Horus Ultramarinum watch is all custom, and the customer can get it in any manner of colors, styles, and even with jewels (why?). The smallness of the actual watch face may prevent this timepiece from being an adept daily wear, but it is still a fine novelty for your growing uber luxury watch collection. I really want to see that mechanical watch case in action! Not sure about price, but you know what I keep saying about "if you have to ask.."
Visit Horus's website here for a cool video of the watch.
When a “watch” gets to this level it no longer can be considered a watch! A lever to speed up os slow down time? I’ve got watches that do that on their own! I just need to decide wether I want to wear one today that will run fast or do I want the day to drag and wear the one that runs slow.
Great review about a brand I personally have never heard of but will certainly be watching for. Love the wood dial and the box is amazing.
Dare we ask how much?
The watch box itself is going to be sky high I would guess.
Nice review on a very impressive watch (except for the time warping trick which seems a pointless addition imo)
Off-centered time, retrograde seconds, power reserve indicator, and a chadburn are fascinating watch features that I didn’t know to exist until I read your post.
Monaco’s Horus watches are indeed for rich and famous as evidenced by the “super” exclusive product launch by the cruise ship!
I am truly glad that I glimpsed on those watches here. I just i can know the estimated market price of the watches you featured
Just like yesterday’s Dubuis watch, this
nonsensical bauble for the bubbleheads is
pointless piffle. Even if I had a fortune
@ my command (I don’t, & never will), there
are so many other ways to enjoy life with-
out lauding it over others not fortunate
enough to be wealthy.
If they’re hyping themes, they can parlay
any profession into a watch. Take the “Butchers’
Watch”. The dial is constructed of genuine
butcher block wood, & the hands could be
meat cleavers, or whatever whimsical ideas
come to mind. I could go further with Pilots,
Judges, etc., but you get the essence. Chronos
must be livid seeing today’s travesties of time.
Not sure about price, but the movement is a pricey one from BNB concept. They used in one of their watches (the Confrerie Horlogere Clef du Temps Tourbillon) that will go for like $250,000 maybe. I’m guessing at least $100,000 for the Horus Ultramarinum.
It is easy to get “angry” at watches like this – but don’t fret. Even though buying them know they are silly. Suitable items for parlor games in the wealthiest of homes. Fun to wear when your personality might not cut it, but your unique watch sure will.
I’m not mad at the watch, but the people who
make, market, and purchase them. It used to
be that Rolex was slammed for its lofty perch,
but this falcon, and quite a few others have
knocked it off, and it’s become more attainable,
along the lines of Breitlings, Omegas, TagHeuers.
Of course, Rolex is still a bit ultra priced for
average consumers, but the cost/value ratios and
resale specs are solid, while offering quality,
provenance and sanity among today’s nuttiness.
[...] to slow down and speed up the clock. Where did you hear about this before? Well it was in the Horus Ultramarinum. Horus of course got their movements from BNB Concept. The only difference is that the La Clef du [...]