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  3. Ducati and Gerald Charles present the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916: a jewel of fine watchmaking that pays homage to the iconic Ducati 916

Ducati and Gerald Charles present the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916: a jewel of fine watchmaking that pays homage to the iconic Ducati 916

03 Sep 2024
  • How did Ducati and Gerald Charles overcome challenges to create this iconic timepiece?
  • What makes the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 a testament to engineering excellence?

Ducati continues the celebrations for the thirty years of the iconic 916 with the presentation of the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916, the limited series watch created in partnership with the Swiss fine watchmaking Maison Gerald Charles. From this prestigious collaboration, 250 collector's watches take shape, characterized by the iconic Maestro case designed by Mr. Gérald Charles Genta and a manufacturing movement, combined with a series of details in homage to the legend of Ducati's supersports bikes.

The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is a masterpiece of fine watchmaking in line with the characteristics and values of Ducati and Gerald Charles. The companies are united by an important stylistic heritage inherited from their historical designers: Mr. Gérald Charles Genta and Mr. Massimo Tamburini. The Maestro 4.0 is inspired by the genius of the two "Masters" and celebrates design as the maximum expression of both worlds, combining the precision and quality detail of watchmaking with the dynamism and performance of motorcycling.

A Fusion of Passion and Precision

A Fusion of Passion and Precision

Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: “We are very proud of the result of this collaboration with Gerald Charles. Together, we present an extraordinary watch that pays homage to an authentic icon like the Ducati 916. The joint work of the Design Centers began with a precise idea in mind and faced successfully several technical and design complexities. This approach adds further value to a high-quality object that, from the first glance, reflects the values shared by Ducati and Gerald Charles: passion, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.”

Federico Ziviani, Gerald Charles CEO: “In keeping with the promise to introduce one complication per year, we have decided to launch the Jumping Hour complication, which has been missing from our watches for 13 years. The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 features an open-worked Ducati wheel to display time by rotation, perfectly in line with Mr. Genta’s preference towards unconventional complications. Obviously, the skeletonised motorcycle wheel inserted in a jumping hour disk represented several engineering challenges. It took a year and a half of R&D to succeed in paying homage to the iconic Ducati 916. This limited edition is the perfect representation of Artistic Creativity and Technical Mastery. Our aim is to break the rules of conventional watchmaking while maintaining design harmony and mechanical performance as priorities’’.

Innovative Materials Meet Iconic Design

Innovative Materials Meet Iconic Design

Devised for both durability and design, the watch features a matt black ceramic bezel on a marbled-black Carbon Forged case body, seamlessly integrated with Titanium crown, case-back and buckle: a testament to Ducati and Gerald Charles’s unwavering commitment to excellence. These materials, known in the motorcycle world as superlight and resistant, were ideal for this new watch. In addition, the finishings are an ode to racetrack asphalt. Due to the special case construction, high water-resistance to 10 ATM/100 mt and 5G shock-resistance are guaranteed.

The Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916 is the first Gerald Charles skeleton jumping hours watch as well as the first to display time on a motorcycle wheel. At the centre of the case, a central wheel has been added as a nod to the original Ducati 916-wheel rim. The golden jumping hour disk mirrors the motorcycle’s original three-spoke bronze alloy wheel, with black contours enhancing the colour contrast. In a refined touch, the top sapphire includes a “guichet” frame, also adorned with SuperLuminova-infused red contours, offering a view of the hour even in the dark.

The homage to 30 years of the legendary Ducati 916 is also evident on the glass case back, which allows the refined Gerald Charles in-house calibre to be displayed and is decorated with the celebratory laurel and the iconic logo of the motorcycle. Finally, for Ducatisti owners of the Panigale V4 SP2 30° Anniversario 916 who purchase this watch, a unique customization is provided, with the engraving of the progressive number of their bike on the case back.

M283 Arabia

BY M283 Arabia

M283 Arabia covers all aspects of men's lifestyle; fashion, sports, self-care, and travel tips and destinations. 

BREITLING MARKS 140 YEARS OF FIRSTS BY OPENING ITS FIRST-EVER POP-UP MUSEUM IN ZURICH

11 Sep 2024
BREITLING MARKS 140 YEARS OF FIRSTS BY OPENING ITS FIRST-EVER POP-UP MUSEUM IN ZURICH

Swiss watchmaker Breitling marks its 140th anniversary as an innovative and globally influential luxury brand by opening its first-ever pop-up museum in central Zurich. The museum, titled Breitling Then & Now, is located in the heart of the city at Rennweg 14–16, down the street from its boutique at Bahnhofstrasse 70.

The interactive Then & Now pop-up museum focuses on Breitling’s considerable history as the brand celebrates 140 years of firsts. Long-time brand ambassador, Swiss explorer, and climate advocate Bertrand Piccard and Gregory Breitling, son of Willy Breitling, the last member of the Breitling family to head the company, were present for the official opening in Zurich on August 28.

Breitling continues its “140 Years of Firsts” with a new debut: its first perpetual calendar chronograph

09 Sep 2024
Breitling continues its “140 Years of Firsts” with a new debut: its first perpetual calendar chronograph

Founded in 1884, Breitling is marking its anniversary with a yearlong celebration of its “140 Years of Firsts.” Now, there’s a new addition to that roster of pioneering achievements: the Caliber B19, Breitling’s first perpetual calendar chronograph movement. The new caliber makes its debut in three limited-edition 140th-anniversary pieces representing Breitling’s icons: the Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat.
“The Premier, the Navitimer, and the Chronomat are the most impactful collections in Breitling’s history,” says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. “We couldn’t single one out to showcase the new Caliber B19 for our anniversary—it had to be all three.”
Before delving into the details, here are some of the Breitling firsts that lead to this moment:
1884: Founder Leon Breitling established a business centered on measuring time, speed, heartrates, sound, and just about everything that could be clocked with a pocket chronograph.
1915: His son, Gaston, launched the first wrist-worn chronograph with an independent pusher at two o’clock that could start, stop, and reset the chronograph seconds, independent of the crown—a significant advancement in user control.
1934: Leon’s grandson, Willy Breitling, released a watch with a second independent pusher at 4 o’clock, establishing the form of the modern chronograph still used across all of watchmaking today.
1969: Breitling co-developed the first automatic chronograph caliber to reach the market —a breakthrough that solved the watchmaking challenge of its era: how to combine a chronograph with an automatic movement.
2009: Breitling released its first in-house-developed movement, the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01, widely recognized as the gold-standard chronograph caliber.
Breitling’s three “One of 140”-piece limited-edition timepieces add a new first to this legacy: the Caliber B19, fully designed and assembled at the Breitling Chronometrie.

Breitling continues its “140 Years of Firsts” celebrations with a new debut: its first exclusive perpetual calendar chronograph movement

04 Sep 2024
Breitling continues its “140 Years of Firsts” celebrations with a new debut: its first exclusive perpetual calendar chronograph movement

Founded in 1884, Breitling is marking its anniversary with a yearlong celebration of its “140 Years of Firsts.” Now, there’s a new addition to that roster of pioneering achievements: the Caliber B19, Breitling’s first perpetual calendar chronograph movement. The new caliber makes its debut in three limited-edition 140th-anniversary pieces representing Breitling’s icons: the Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat.

“The Premier, the Navitimer, and the Chronomat are the most impactful collections in Breitling’s history,” says Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling. “We couldn’t single one out to showcase the new Caliber B19 for our anniversary—it had to be all three.”