Author Archives: Timmy Tan

Audemars Piguet Floral Clock: AP Royal Oak with granite bezel?

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Officially unveiled on 4 August 2015 at 6pm, the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. With this, Audemars Piguet lays its claim to having the largest floral clock in Singapore. Note the distinctive shape of the Royal Oak along with the tapisserie dial and hexagonal bezel. Flowers planted on the “tapisserie dial” include the Torenia fournieri (Madagascar Periwinkle) and the Gomphrena globose (Bachelor’s button). Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Officially unveiled on 4 August 2015 at 6pm is this very pretty seven-metre wide Audemars Piguet Floral Clock at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. With this, Audemars Piguet lays its claim to having the largest floral clock in Singapore. Note the distinctive shape of the Royal Oak along with the tapisserie dial and hexagonal bezel. Flowers planted on the “tapisserie dial” include the Torenia fournieri (Madagascar Periwinkle) and the Gomphrena globose (Bachelor’s button). Photo: © TANG Portfolio

There is now a seven-metre wide Audemars Piguet “Royal Oak” Floral Clock located in Gardens by the Bay at Marina Bay in Singapore, a scenic garden park frequented by both locals and tourists.

Gardens by the Bay is known for its Cloud Forest and Flower Dome conservatories. If you make a visit, try not to miss this clock which can be found between the conservatories and the Supertree Grove. With this structure, Audemars Piguet stakes its claim as having Singapore’s largest floral clock.

This pretty and colourful timekeeper from Audemars Piguet, simply named the “Floral Clock”, was officially unveiled on Tuesday, 4 August 2015 at around six in the evening by Singapore’s Minister of National Development, Khaw Boon Wan, together with Dr Tan Wee Kiat, CEO of Gardens by the Bay and Oliviero Bottinelli, Member of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA.

Officials present at the official unveiling of the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock. The first five gentlemen from the left are: Dr Tan Wee Kiat (CEO, Gardens by the Bay), Antonio Seward (General Manager, Audemars Piguet Southeast Asia), Oliviero Bottinelli (Member of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA), Khaw Boon Wan (Singapore’s Minister of National Development) and Switzerland’s Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer together with other officials. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Officials present at the official unveiling of the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock. The first five gentlemen from the left are: Dr Tan Wee Kiat (CEO, Gardens by the Bay), Antonio Seward (General Manager, Audemars Piguet Southeast Asia), Oliviero Bottinelli (Member of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA), Khaw Boon Wan (Singapore’s Minister of National Development) and Switzerland’s Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer together with other officials. In the background and to the right are the conservatories. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

The octagonal Floral Clock takes its shape from Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak wristwatch that was launched back in 1972. It even features the Royal Oak’s distinctive tapisserie (tapestry) dial which have been designed as individual flower beds.

With this, different flowers such as the Torenia fournieri or wishbone flower and Gomphrena globose or bachelor’s button which we spotted, can be grown in their own “private space” and these will be refreshed on a regular basis.

This Floral Clock is a gift from Audemars Piguet to Singapore to mark the nation’s 50th anniversary of its independence. Singapore became an independent nation on 9 August 1965. The “Royal Oak” Floral Clock therefore comes at the right time – a few days before Singapore’s grand Golden Jubilee celebrations.

For a better view of the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock, take the path behind the structure (in front of the clock) that leads you to a higher level. Oliviero Bottinelli together with Khaw Boon Wan (in blue shirt) and Dr Tan Wee Kiat (furthest right) viewing the floral clock. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

For a better view of the Floral Clock, a gift from Audemars Piguet, take the path behind the structure (in front of the clock) that leads you to a higher level. The walk takes less than two minutes and is well worth it. Oliviero Bottinelli together with Khaw Boon Wan (in blue shirt) and Dr Tan Wee Kiat (furthest right) viewing the floral clock. In the background is the unmistakable Marina Bay Sands. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

This beautiful floral gift is in line with the brand’s commitment to worldwide forest conservation and environmental protection as championed by the Audemars Piguet Foundation, notes Oliviero Bottinelli.

Indeed, Gardens by the Bay is an apt choice for its output of horticultural waste is recycled. Such horticultural and organic waste including those from other parks in Singapore, are processed off-site before being use in a biomass co-generation system housed in Gardens by the Bay itself to produce energy.

This energy powers the cooling systems for the conservatories. According to an article from a January 2014 newsletter published by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), around 2,000 tons of mixed horticultural and organic waste are burnt every month which then generates sufficient electricity to cool the two conservatories at Gardens by the Bay. Even the resultant ash is recycled to be used as fertiliser.

Half-an-hour after the unveiling ceremony of the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock on 4 August 2015. Perhaps the Royal Oak would have been a wiser choice. Nonetheless, this Royal Oak Offshore “Navy” is as iconic as its sibling. Had the unveiling ceremony been held on 3 August, it would be perfect as the dial would display 1, 2, 3 (in the date aperture), 4, 5 and so forth. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

Half-an-hour after the unveiling ceremony of the Audemars Piguet Floral Clock on 4 August 2015 and with the better view at a higher level. Perhaps the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak would have been a wiser choice. Nonetheless, this Royal Oak Offshore “Navy” (with a blue alligator hornback leather strap) is as iconic as its older sibling. Had the unveiling ceremony been held on 3 August, it would be perfect as the dial would display 1, 2, 3 (in the date aperture), 4, 5 and so forth. Photo: © TANG Portfolio

For the clock’s accuracy, GPS technology is used. The “AP Royal Oak” Floral Clock’s “bezel” even has the brand’s signature hexagonal screws which are made of stainless steel. The “bezel” itself is made of granite. This is possibly the first Audemars Piguet “Royal Oak” with a bezel in granite.

Speaking of granite, as we hear the brand has been performing relatively well especially during such challenging times in this part of the world, it is therefore perhaps quite right to say that Audemars Piguet is one independent family-owned brand that is as solid as a rock (pun most definitely intended).

Other related articles that might be of interest on timewerke.com:
i. Montblanc Star Classique Singapore Special Edition: Lion City
ii. Longines Master GMT Singapore: Independence Day
iii. Swatch SG50 watches: Wrist-flagged
iv. Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Night & Day Singapore Special Edition: The day and night watch

IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar: Blue Moon Arising

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The IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Ref. 503401 features a midnight blue dial, the double moon display. A new design element is the railway track style chapter ring that is inspired by the original Portugieser. The image of the actual Moon and the actual night sky with stars was taken on 28 July 2015 at around 10pm as viewed from Singapore. The Moon is in a waxing gibbous phase and is approaching its full moon phase. Image of IWC watch: © IWC. Photo of Moon: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. July 2015

The IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW503401 features a midnight blue dial, the double moon display. A new design element is the railway track style chapter ring that is inspired by the original Portugieser. The image of the actual Moon and the actual night sky with stars was taken on 28 July 2015 at around 10pm as viewed from Singapore. The Moon was in a waxing gibbous phase and was approaching its full moon phase which will take place on 31 July 2015. Image of IWC watch: © IWC. Photo of Moon: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. July 2015

Today, Friday 31 July 2015, is the “once in a blue moon” day for it is the second full moon of this calendar month.

A blue moon will take place tonight. Defined as the second full moon in a month, it is a rare event. The last blue moon took place on 31 August 2012 or almost three years ago.

If you were to miss tonight’s “Blue Moon” experience, then you’d have to wait till the next blue moon which will only happen more than two years later, on 31 January 2018.

As the Moon takes 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds for each moon phase – the time required to orbit Earth, you can understand why it is really rare to have a blue moon as it would have to fall, or should we say appear, mostly in months with 31 days.

A full moon means that the Moon is reflecting the maximum sunlight (from the Sun). This allows us on Earth to better appreciate the view of our Moon – its terrain and craters for instance.

Wristwatches which have the moon phase display will indicate a complete, rounded moon on this day.

Interestingly, the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Ref. 503401 for example (seen above), will display two full moons on its dial. This is not because it is a “blue moon phase” display; rather, it is because this watch, with what is termed the “double moon”, displays the phase of moon for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

What’s more, this particular Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Ref. IW503401 is an apt watch to be on your wrist as you witness today’s full moon as it features not only the moon phase display but a midnight blue dial.

Now speaking of two moons on the dial, perhaps that may even be an idea for the good folks at IWC to create their signature perpetual calendar movement in a watch named the “blue moon” that can be launched during the next blue moon occurrence – in January 2018?