ML - Vegas Magazine

2013 - Issue 2 - Spring

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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WRIST GAMES THE NEWEST LUXURY TIMEPIECES TO SEDUCE LAS VEGAS HIGH ROLLERS ARE THE ONES THAT OFFER BIG-TIME GAMING ON THE MOST MINIATURE OF SCALES. BY ROBERTA NAAS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF GALE AND JEFF CRAWFORD | STYLING BY TERRY LEWIS L ady Luck has entered the world of high-stakes watchmaking. The craftsmanship of luxury timepieces has always been about precision, excellent engineering, and elaborate complications. But a handful of truly gifted watchmakers have zeroed in on the ���daring design��� piece of the action and shaken things up by elevating the timepiece to a new dimension: game piece. And Las Vegas couldn���t be a better fit. Brands such as Christophe Claret, Franck Muller, and Girard-Perregaux have spent years in research and development to create complex watches that are also elaborate games for the wrist, where it���s now possible to try one���s chances at roulette, dice, slots, and even blackjack. ���At Wynn, we have clients who will wait years for one of these very complicated timepieces to be introduced,��� says Michael Ryan, watch buyer for Wynn Resorts. ���They offer discerning watch collectors and gaming aficionados the chance to wear a masterpiece of design that is unique and embodies Swiss horology excellence.��� It was just two years ago that Christophe Claret unveiled his revolutionary 21 Blackjack watch, followed last year by a second gaming watch, Baccara. The complex automatons break all previous molds of watchmaking, as they enable the wearer to interact with the watch while offering three casino games each: blackjack and baccarat, respectively, plus roulette and dice. Claret, perhaps best known for his incredible work with minute repeaters, has built some of the most famous timepieces in the world during his long career, but he didn���t start his own brand until 2009. Since then he has introduced some unusual masterpieces. ���Timepieces are always inspired by my clients��� way of living,��� Claret says. ���Even though I am not a gambler, I understand the culture of gaming, so I could build what the player really loves.��� Claret���s blackjack is a complex signature game utilizing the elaborate dial of the watch. The player���s four cards appear on the lower half of the dial���two are hidden and two are visible. The upper half displays the dealer���s cards, one visible and two hidden. To play, the wearer presses the push piece at 9 to arm a spring that triggers the seven disks on which the cards are printed. The disks are randomly stopped by a jumper spring: three cards face up���two player cards and one dealer card. To offer the player or dealer another card, the wearer presses the pusher at 8 or 10, respectively. As a card is revealed or dealt, a bell rings. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: $215,000) automaton watch offers three casino games and consists of 501 parts and 40 jewels. The case comes in gray titanium or black PVD titanium (with 18k white or pink gold or platinum). There are just 21 of each version. Wynn & Company Watches, 702770-3520; christopheclaret.com The Vegas watch ($74,500), from Franck Muller, features a roulette wheel on its dial, offering easy, discreet gaming. Roman Times, The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-7338687; franckmullerusa.com Christophe Claret���s 21 Blackjack ($200,000��� Dice and roulette can also be played. The game of dice is visible on the case side and is played by simply shaking the case. Roulette is found on the rear of the case, with the rotor serving as the wheel. It is played by giving the watch a gentle shake, thereby spinning the rotor (and also winding the watch). When the rotor stops, an arrow inlaid into it stops at one of the 37 numbers applied to the internal flange. ���To create and invent the mechanism for something truly unique,��� Claret says, ���is a great challenge and honor.��� Claret has been making watches since he was 14 years old, so it should come as no surprise that he isn���t done yet. The 21 Blackjack and Baccara were but the first and second in a trilogy. The third���offering a three-player Texas Hold���em poker game���is slated for fall 2013. While Claret took the concept of gaming watches to a new level, his were not the first. In 1999, Franck Muller unveiled his casino-inspired Vegas watch collection, changing the landscape of watch building and deftly making a statement about the dichotomy between precision and unpredictability. For Muller, the watch embod- ���I UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE OF GAMING, SO I COULD BUILD WHAT THE PLAYER REALLY LOVES.������CHRISTOPHE CLARET Created in 18k rose gold, the GirardPerregaux Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon ($718,000) features a completely integrated movement that allows the slot machine game to be played via a pull of the handle or arm on the case side. Radiance, Aria, 702-590-8725; girard-perregaux.com VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 111 110-113_V_Feat_Watches_Spring13.indd 111 2/11/13 12:48 PM

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