Casino Watches - Curious. Complicated. Addictive?
Just released is the Perrelet Turbine Poker watch, a piece which makes very clever use of the brands aeronautical-inspired 12 blade double rotor dial. A selection of cards are hidden beneath the rotor blades which constantly revolves thus obscuring the cards which will not be revealed until the rotor stops. Inside is the exclusive P-181 Perrelet Calibre with the double rotor which has been an integral part of the brand's success since Perrelet was re-awakened in 1995. Abraham-Louis Perrelet invented the first automatic winding mechanism in 1777, so it is befitting that the modern-day Perrelet company are still pioneers in this technology.
So, the Casino watch - trick or trite? If you enjoy a little wager every so often isn't there an "app" for that? There are many. But how much more subtle and fiddle-tastic it would be to have a card game or a mini roulette wheel on your wrist. An inconspicuous way to while away many boring meetings or other such tedious occasions. Perrelet are not the only brand to experiment with this type of novelty. Here are a few of the others.
The Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon is a very classy way you could enjoy a game of chance. It recreates a casino gaming machine and even contains an authentic chime mechanism .....
A window at 12 o'clock features a row of three symbols with an exquisite tourbillon on show at 6 o'clock. The little lever on the case side when pulled spins the three reels which randomly stop at one of a possible five symbols and activates the hammer to strike its little gong. Could you leave it alone?
Bell & Ross also have a Casino addition to their portfolio, the Bell & Ross BR01 Casino ......
Housed in the chunky 46mm BR01 case the green "0" is the hour indicator, the moving ball is the minute indicator and the centre disc shows the seconds. The piece is only available to purchase in casinos around the globe.
Azimuth, founded in 2004 are one of the industry's most youthful brands so, as you might expect their collection contains some unusual and very modern pieces. Contained within their portfolio is The Azimuth Roulette Watch ....
The dice-shaped crown when pressed activates the roulette wheel on the dial and the miniature white ball will land randomly. Mesmerising, fascinating. The case measures 45mm x 34mm and on the dial the wheel's handle serves as a seconds hand.
The most complete, most complicated "gambler's watch" around has to be the Christophe Claret 21 Blackjack. Featuring three kinds of games which can be played at will, it is a distracting compendium of entertainment .....
On the lower dial are windows, one for each card dealed, two of which are visible, on the upper dial three windows for the dealer's cards, one of which is visible. Activate the push-piece at 9 o'clock and the seven discs on which the cards are printed will revolve then stop randomly. A full game of blackjack follows including an audible bell to indicate "hit" and one for each time a card is revealed. On the case back the winding rotor doubles up as a fully functioning roulette wheel which will spin at the flick of the wrist.
On the side of the case at the 4 o'clock are two perfect little dice viewable through a miniature window. They will move when the watch is shaken - simple, inspired use of space. The Christophe Claret 21 Blackjack has been selected for the "Design Watch" category in the upcoming Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
Back then to the Perrelet Turbine Casino. The piece features a 44mm case constructed from stainless steel which has been black DLC stainless steel - perfect to contrast with those white numerals and markers and the red seconds hand, not to mention the black and red colourways of the cards. It's a dynamic and distracting dial - therefore the perfect addition to the Turbine Collection.
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