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Brand Romain Gauthier

Review of Romain Gauthier HMSTen

 

A couple of months ago I finally had the chance to see the two examples of this ‘in the metal’, so I thought I’d share some photos of the platinum/ blue and white gold/ anthracite models, along with some thoughts.

You may recall an earlier post about some limited editions of Romain Gauthier’s HMS Ten, a continuation of the ‘Prestige HMS’ Collection and released in three variants of ten pieces each : platinum case with a blue dial, white gold with a champagne dial, and a red gold case with an anthracite dial.

 

This is a good looking replica watch, front and back. For those who are particular fans of fine finishing, and Gauthier is known for this, you won’t be disappointed.

Sharing the same case as their predecessors i.e. 41mm with a thickness of 12.10mm, the replica watch is notable for its sectored dial with off-centre hours and minutes, a partially open dial with the interestingly ‘cut’ seconds sub dial showing part of the hand-finished in-house movement visible through the display back, and the distinctive large flat case back crown which gives the case its clean design as well as the additional bonus of being easy to wind.

 

 

The numbers on the blue-dialled variant are silvered and the hands, rhodium-treated (gilded for the anthracite model). With the use of multiple layers and textures (smooth and Clou de Paris) for the dial, the result is really rather handsome. Gauthier’s continued use of layers and contrasting textures on his replica watches is, to my mind, something that he does incredibly well.

 

The opening between 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock reveals the balance wheel and seconds gear of the in-house Calibre HMS, which is also visible at the back. The movement is hand finished and polished, and its spartan lines, modern. With the exception of the mainspring, balance spring and jewels, all other components of the HMS Ten movement are designed, developed and manufacture by Romain Gauthier.

 

Coming on an alligator strap with a pin buckle also in a platinum buckle to match the case, this is, as Gauthier’s replica watches are, very much oriented towards horologically-inclined followers of independent replica watchmaking. There was, for a short period, an authorised dealer here in Australia. That business is no longer in operation, and as I looked at these and other of his replica watches, I wondered to myself whether they might reappear on the Australian retail market sometime.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica Dress Watch Hands-on Men Watch Swiss Replica

A. LANGE & SÖHNE Debuts Saxonia Boutique Edition GreyDial

WW15ALSSaxonia2

Late last year A. Lange and Söhne added two new models to their entry level piece, the Saxonia, which had been given a small cosmetic revamp at SIHH 2015 into a smaller 35mm piece as well as a slightly amended dial aesthetic in terms of hour and minute markers. These two new models came in the form of a new solid silver dark grey dial Boutiqe Edition, and the size has been increased from 35mm to 37mm (7.8mm thick), a size that is perhaps is more in fitting with current dress replica watch size and will broaden its appeal.www.repliqueparfaite.fr

Inside the replica watch is the manual-wind Calibre L941.1 (the same as for the other Saxonia) with a power reserve of 45 hours. The hand-finished movement displays Lange characteristics such as the hand-engraved balance cock.

The Saxonia collection seems to receive less publicity than other Langes, perhaps in part because they are their ‘entry’ replica watches, but there is no rational reason for their relative lack of fanfare, as they bear the Lange hallmarks and quality of finishing. For those who are looking to get into the brand, these are attractive propositions.

Available in either pink gold or white gold, we had the chance to take a few photos of the former. The white gold version comes with rhodiumed hands.

Both versions are available exclusively from the sixteen A. Lange & Söhne boutiques; prices are USD16,600 for this pink gold version and USD17,800 for the white gold model.

Categories
Hands-on Men Watch Piaget Replica Swiss Replica Technical Watch

Introducing Piaget Emperador Coussin XL700P

In a rather unexpected segue from their normally mechanical men’s novelties, at SIHH 2016 Piaget has launched a replica watch to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its first in-house quartz movement, the ultra-thin 7P calibre, called the Emperador Coussin XL 700P.www.repliqueparfaite.fr

Its roots hark back to 1976 and the in-house 7P quartz movement, but this new movement is a very different proposition; an ultra-thin example of their first use of such a hybrid. Patents have been filed (and for those interested, it is probably worth comparing these patents with those of Seiko’s) and it is the result of two years of research and development. Unlike what Seiko is prone to doing, however, there is no seconds hand in this piece.

However this is not, as more commonly seen in their women’s pieces, just any old quartz replica watch. It is probably best described as being akin to what Seiko does with the hybrid mechanical-quartz Spring Drive. Piaget have called it a generator-regulated mechanical movement.

The new automatic hybrid movement has a 32’768 Hz frequency controls the rotation of the generator and wheels train. The generator produces a charge, sufficient to power the electronics, which then controls the rate at which the gear train runs. It has 32 jewels and a power reserve of forty-two hours. The movement is black-coated, as mentioned ultra-thin (5.5mm), and is finished with circular Côtes de Genève, circular-grained mainplate, bevelled bridges, engraved rotor with the Piaget coat-of-arms, and silvered screws. Generator and micro-rotor underlined with polished white gold.

When I first read about this replica watch last month at its pre-SIHH 2016 announcement I wasn’t quite sure that I ‘got’ it in the sense of ‘why’. Design-wise in terms of aesthetics it’s attractive, although some might say the disc on the front is superfluous decoratively-speaking. It does, however, give an aesthetic nod to its mechanical older siblings.

That they’ve put this much effort into this replica watch, both in terms of its R&D and the profile it has assumed in terms of being a new launch, is one of the most interesting things about its existence. Surely this cannot be a one-off use, so what does this mean for potential new models?

The case itself is also white gold, and is 46.5mm with a black DLC bezel. The skeletonised dial is attractive and has many of the design cues familiar to Emperadors, along with silvered indices and hands. It comes on a black alligator strap with a matching 18 carat white gold folding clasp.

 

In the meantime, this one comes in a limited edition of 118 pieces and comes on a black alligator strap with an 18 carat white gold folding clasp.

Categories
Baume & Mercier Replica Calendar Watch Feature Hands-on Men Watch Swiss Replica

SIHH 2016 : Presenting Baume & Mercier Clifton Chronograph CompleteCalendar

They are classic timepieces which contain solid movements, and are versatile. Now, Baume have added another complication to the range – meet the Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar. This is not the first Clifton featuring a calendar feature; for example there was the Retrograde Date and Big Date, but is a new combination.

So let’s look at the dial, which is, in keeping with the brand and this collection, classically laid out. The layout will also hint at the inside, for those famliiar with such things.

In recent years Baume & Mercier’s Clifton range has entrenched its position as ‘the’ collection for those wishing to enter the world of luxury replica watches via Baume.

Baume & Mercier have decided to emphasie legibility at a glance by using different coloured hands for different indications. The time is as per convention, with the two hands on the central axis, and a small seconds sub dial at 9 o’clock with rhodiumed hands. There is also a day/ night indicator at 9 o’clock and a 24 hour scale with a gilt hand. The hand with the arrow-tipped point on the central axis points to the date, there are two windows at 12 o’clock with the day of the week and month, and a moonphase at 6 o’clock.

Now for the chronograph function, which is indicated by the blued hands with its seconds noted by a long blued hand. The 30-minute counter is at 12 o’clock and the 12-hour counter is at 6 o’clock circling the moon.

The rest of the dial is faithful to the Clifton replica watches, with silvery white main-plate and metallic applied indices.

Coming on a alligator straps, these are replica watches that aren’t about pretending to be anything other than what they are – replica watches to be used for functionality and not fashion, and for longevity. For those wanting to enter the world of luxury replica watches and want something with more than one useful function on it, this is another classic offering from Baume & Mercier.

Inside the usual Clifton 43mm case is the automatic Valjoux 7751 (what I mentioned at the outset about the dial layout hinting at the movement, for those who are interested or know such things) finished with an engraved rotor, adorned with Geneva stripes, blue screws and perlage on the mainplate and bridges.

 

Categories
Hands-on Men Watch Montblanc Replica Swiss Replica Technical Watch

MONTBLANC Presents 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Blue LimitedEdition

The vintage looks of the collection have been one of the reasons for their popularity (another has been the entry price into the collection). The 1858 is named for the founding year of Minerva, now a part of Montblanc, and so it finds itself into the replica watch as well.

Following last year’s launch of its 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter in rose gold, which itself was part of a new collection whose new pilots replica watches have been a market success, Montblanc has extended the collection with the addition of a stainless steel case version of the Chronograph with a dark blue dial, in a limited edition of 100 pieces.

 

The historically-inspired cathedral hands, typeface and dial design are now familiar, but being a modern replica watch, the hands and numerals are coated in SuperLumiNova. It comes in a 44mm sized case (height of 13.15mm) and on a blue alligator strap to match the dial colour. The size of the case is basically down to the fact that the movement is a rather significant 38.4mm.

Inside is the manual-wind Montblanc Caliber M16.29, a pocket-watch style monopusher column-wheel chronograph, with both a large screwed balance and swan neck regulator. It is inspired by the Minerva 17.29 movement from 1929 and is hand-finished. As you can tell, if you are into replica watch photography then this will probably provide you with many hours of enjoyment. As @initialjh who photographed it likes saying, the devil is in the details – of the chronograph. The movement has 252 parts and you can see how much work has gone into it.

I liked the pilots’ replica watches when they were released last year and have not seen the rose gold version of this one to compare, but this blue and stainless steel version is a good looking replica watch and a fitting tribute both inside and out, to its 1930s inspiration. This is very much a replica watch for the chronograph fans amongst us.

Categories
Hands-on Men Watch Swiss Replica Urwerk Replica

URWERK Presents the UR-105T-Rex

In 2014 Urwerk introduced the manual-wind UR-105 via the Iron Knight and Dark Night, followed in 2015 by the automatic UR-105 TA (Turbine Automatic) Knight, whose movement is regulated via dual air turbines visible on its back. There were then some rather perplexing (to me) bright coloured versions in orange and yellow. I rather think that you either ‘got’ the colours or you didn’t, and not being one for yellow or orange as a general rule, I fell into the latter camp.

 

Inside is the same automatic Calibre 5.02 UR as used in the TA model, with a 48-hour power reserve. The time display features four satellites each showing three hour intervals, driven by a carousel rotating device and running over a 60-minute track. The satellite hours are bronze beryllium Geneva crosses and the carrousel and three mainplates in brass. Markers, dials, indexes and satellites all have Super-LumiNova.Rolex Day-Date Replica

On the case back we find Urwerk’s usual ‘interactive’ component to their replica watches – turbines that allow regulation of the winding of the replica watch (with three positions: ‘FULL’, ‘REDUCED’ and ‘STOP’).

This bronze bezel is decorated, bead-blasted, micro-blasted, oxidised with a brush. Yes the patina on it has been quite specifically created, although of course if you end up being one of the 22 owners of this piece, the patina’s development will be entirely up to you.

In 2016 Urwerk has released perhaps an equally perplexing (but in a different way and probably to a different subset of people) variant – the UR-105 T Rex. This is one of two (the other being the EMC Time Hunter) that they launched at SIHH 2016.

This new URWERK UR-105 T-Rex is based on the UR-105 TA, with major cosmetic changes. Pretty much as ‘major’ as is possible. Rather than steel, titanium, gold or PVD, it’s scaled up to full reptile mode and gone bronze.

For the T-Rex the bezel (and I almost hesitate to call it this, in a way, as it somehow seems inadequate a descriptor when it comes to Urwerk at times) covers most of the top of the case, with only the 60-minute track and the lower part of the trademark satellites, visible. It has been meticulously engraved with a pattern intended to mimic that of a T-Rex of course. The rest of the case remains black PVD-coated titanium.

 

Having seen the replica watch in the press release before I handled it I have to say that it is better in the metal. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it when I saw the initial photos, but ended up being rather taken with it, especially in terms of how tactile it is. There’s something quite engaging about it ‘in the metal’. Nonetheless, this is clearly a replica watch that will generate quite polarised views. However, if we take it as the latest addition in the ‘bronze age’ of replica watches, it’s definitely one of the (if not ‘the’) more interesting manifestations.

Although a rather large 39.50mm x 53mm x 16.800mm on its black alligator strap with PVD titanium buckle, it sits surprisingly easily on the wrist, as you can see above (@initialjh’s wrist errs a little on the smaller side). The price is 65,000 CHF before taxes.

Categories
Hands-on Lady's Watch Luxury Watch Swiss Replica Van Cleef & Arpels Replica

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Produces Lady Arpels Ronde desPapillons

One of Van Cleef’s major new releases this year is the Ronde des Papillons, the latest in the line of mechanically complicated and quintessentially Van Cleef & Arpels-styled ‘feminine’ Poetic Complication replica watches. In this instance, the time telling, something which Van Cleef & Arpels excels at playing around with for their women’s replica watches, is done via three butterflies as indicators.

The swallow is always visible, moving across the display. The butterfly displaying the correct minute travels as time passes. Pressing the button at 8 o’clock will activate all the butterflies, all of which will fly through the clouds and, after ten seconds, return to their original (time indicator) position.

The dial has four fan-form dials. Clockwise from 12 o’clock : one for 30-45 minutes, one for 46-60 minutes, one for 0-12 hours, and a fourth for 0-30 minutes.

Now I’m the first to say that butterflies (real or imagined) are nice enough but not really necessarily something I would choose to have on a replica watch, but stop and look beyond them, as it is not just about the butterflies but it is also very much about what is behind them, what is driving them. To those who want to dismiss this replica watch out of hand because because they see butterflies and clouds and want to tune out, don’t. Don’t jump to conclusions, and take some time to really examine this interesting new replica watch.

First things first – for those who are in Australia Van Cleef & Arpels are coming very soon, with their first opening in Melbourne. So if you’ve ever been curious but not had the opportunity to look at the replica watches and jewellery, you won’t have as far to travel now. With what appears to be a rather large number of replica watch brand boutiques that are slated to open in 2016, it is a nice vote of encouragement for the local replica watch market.

The replica watch features an unusual retrograde display, with mechanical animation on activation. The hours are indicated by a swallow that acts as a retrograde indicator, starting at ‘0’ and ending at ’12’ before jumping back to the beginning. More unusual is the minutes display, where the ‘hands’ are three differently coloured (pink, yellow, red) butterflies ‘flying’ at different paces thanks to an elliptical gear.

As I said at the outset this replica watch, and in fact this is the case for the Poetic Complications in general, has its own whimsy and beauty of design which is combined with some serious replica watchmaking. If there is one replica watch/ jewellery brand that really seems to consistently go out of its way to do something really worth recognising in combining jewellery and some unexpected realisations of replica watchmaking into a themed replica watch, it’s Van Cleef & Arpels, so welcome to Australia.

 

The base of the multi-layered dial is made of mother-of-pearl that has been painted a pale blue to represent the sky, with white gold discs with mother-of-pearl inlay clouds. The applied numerals are also white gold, as are the swallow and butterflies, which are hand engraved and painted.

Inside the 38mm white gold case is an automatic movement developed for Van Cleef & Arpels, but that’s all I know. However, given their strong ties with Agenhor, with whom they have worked closely, it is not inconceivable that could be them again.

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Dress Watch H.Moser &Cie Replica Hands-on

HANDS-ON With H.Moser Cie Swiss AlpWatch

Remember this video? As a piece of low cost guerilla marketing it was inspired, with its coverage far and wide amongst tech press, many (most?) of whom didn’t really seem to get the point, or humour.

If nothing else, the dial makes it unmistakably Moser but when I held it, did I think of the Fruit Replica Watch or the Swiss Alp? Interestingly (to me), the latter. When it came out, when I posted the video, all I could think of was this replica watch as a ‘statement’, but it’s really more than that.

I found that I was not thinking that this is one brand’s playful message to the Fruit Replica Watch when I held it, when I tried it on. I was simply on what was before me. As one would expect of a well made white gold replica watch it feels solid, enduring. This isn’t a wrist piece with a very short shelf life, and as a replica watch (versus as a ‘reaction’) it does stand on its own.

 

Inside is something that doesn’t have an inbuilt obsolescence – the in-house manual wind Calibre HMC 324 (18,000 VPH) with hacking seconds and four days of power reserve (a power reserve indicator is visible on  the back). This is a movement that measures 32.0mm x 36.0mm x 4.80mm, made to fit snugly into the case, and hand finished and decorated.

So yes the video is an err ‘homage’; the shape is the same, the size similar (38.2mm x 44.0mm x 10.3mm), the lugs similar (although wire lugs are hardly new to replica watches) to the Fruit Replica Watch, but it is made of white gold, and otherwise vastly different.

With its signature Moser fumé sunburst dial with leaf-shaped hour and minute hands and coming on a kudu leather strap in ‘Moser green’, the Swiss Alp is limited to 50 pieces and priced at USD 24,900.

 

Would I wear it? Possibly.

Categories
Angelus Replica Hands-on Swiss Replica

Closer Look At ANGELUS : From the Replica U10 Tourbillon Lumière to the U40 RacingTourbillon

Basel2016AngelusU10TourbillonLumiere5

In 2015 the venerable name of Angelus found itself once again in the replica watch spotlight after a three decade odd hiatus. Arguably the domain of vintage replica watch enthusiasts, its name was most frequently uttered alongside nostalgia about its movements (both for themselves and others) in particular, with the occasional lamentation about how it was a shame that they were longer extant.

If you are wondering about the shape of the case, Angelus say that it was inspired by the multi-display travel clocks for which they were known between 1930-1960. It is made of annealed stainless steel, which has fewer impurities than the usual 316L steel and is more finely grained.

Then, the U10 Tourbillon Lumière happened.

Released in 2015, the re-emergence of the Angelus name (by La Joux-Perret, who have done the same with Arnold & Son and are in turn owned by Citizen) was startling enough, but the form in which this replica watch took was so bold and seemingly antithetical to the Angelus replica watches of old that the collective attention of the replica watch world was immediately grabbed.

 

With a very 21st century look (not to mention sizing) that is glossily industrial and modern, its most distinctive characteristics are also the most obvious – the curved rectangular stainless steel case with the sapphire crystal wrapping around it. The one-minute flying tourbillon with its titanium bridge is highlighted through the use of four surrounding crystals through which you can see it from various angles.

Apart from the retention of the original logo and crown design, the modern Angelus bears little obvious ties, especially design-wise, to the original, but in terms of wanting to be at the boundaries in terms of pushing themselves technically and be known for this, then it can be argued that the old spirit is there.

If their goal was to say “hello, I’m baaaack!” with a bang then the limited edition (twenty-five pieces) U10 Tourbillon Lumière, with its flying tourbillon and dead beat second, certainly did that.

 

The case features a total of seven sapphire windows, including an open caseback that shows the manual in-house, 90-hour power reserve Calibre A100 movement powered by two mainspring barrels with laser-engraved plate pattern, hand-finished polished nickel-silver bridges and wheels. The size of the movement is 52.10mm x 30.40mm, in a case of 62.75mm x 38mm (thickness of 15mm), to give you some perspective.

On the side you can see a linear power reserve indicator. On the left is a transluscent grey-coated sapphire dial with a hour, minute and seconds hand, with the addition of SuperLumiNova at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock (white) and black SuperLuminova for the hands. The deadbeat seconds hand is white lacquered.

Does the size detract from the replica watch? Well that’s going to be something subjective, but when I saw it, it seemed bigger than I had thought it would be but it was also more likeable than I had anticipated. I thought that its sheer size would overwhelm all other impressions but it didn’t; this is a slightly bonkers but attractive replica watch.

Because the movement is visible from so many angles in this piece you are treated to a variety of finishes from satin finishing of the mainplate with its laser engraving to the chamfered polished edges of the bridges, sunray satin finishing on the dial side of the plate, circular satin-finished wheels, bead-blasted and satin-finished tourbillon bridge, and the cage itself hand-chamfered and satin and mirror polished surfaces.

The overall impression of this is that it’s all shiny and rather big. At 99,500 CHF it’s going to rule a lot of people out anyway, but the size is something that needs to be experienced. It looks big on your screen, but it’s a replica watch that is impossible to get an accurate grip on without handling it.

As a follow up from this, Angelus have released the more ‘normally’ sized U20 Ultra-Skeleton Tourbillon, the U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante and the U40 Racing Tourbillon to add to their Urban Collection. I do love a simple numbering system; it really can’t be underestimated.

I didn’t have an opportunity to see the U10 until Baselworld 2016, when it was also my first ‘hands-on’ experience with the modern Angelus. Rather than have all of them in the one post I thought that I would leave the other 2016 pieces I photographed to a second one, so look out for it coming soon.

Basel2016AngelusU40RacingTourbiSkeleton2

To whet your appetite here is a glimpse of the U40 which at 26,350 CHF is quite frankly, not bad at all.

Categories
Angelus Replica Hands-on

ANGELUS : From the U10 Tourbillon Lumière to the U40 RacingTourbillon

Basel2016AngelusU10TourbillonLumiere5

In 2015 the venerable name of Angelus found itself once again in the replica watch spotlight after a three decade odd hiatus. Arguably the domain of vintage replica watch enthusiasts, its name was most frequently uttered alongside nostalgia about its movements (both for themselves and others) in particular, with the occasional lamentation about how it was a shame that they were longer extant.Replique Montre Hublot

Then, the U10 Tourbillon Lumière happened.

Released in 2015, the re-emergence of the Angelus name (by La Joux-Perret, who have done the same with Arnold & Son and are in turn owned by Citizen) was startling enough, but the form in which this replica watch took was so bold and seemingly antithetical to the Angelus replica watches of old that the collective attention of the replica watch world was immediately grabbed.

Apart from the retention of the original logo and crown design, the modern Angelus bears little obvious ties, especially design-wise, to the original, but in terms of wanting to be at the boundaries in terms of pushing themselves technically and be known for this, then it can be argued that the old spirit is there.

If their goal was to say “hello, I’m baaaack!” with a bang then the limited edition (twenty-five pieces) U10 Tourbillon Lumière, with its flying tourbillon and dead beat second, certainly did that.

With a very 21st century look (not to mention sizing) that is glossily industrial and modern, its most distinctive characteristics are also the most obvious – the curved rectangular stainless steel case with the sapphire crystal wrapping around it. The one-minute flying tourbillon with its titanium bridge is highlighted through the use of four surrounding crystals through which you can see it from various angles.

If you are wondering about the shape of the case, Angelus say that it was inspired by the multi-display travel clocks for which they were known between 1930-1960. It is made of annealed stainless steel, which has fewer impurities than the usual 316L steel and is more finely grained.

The case features a total of seven sapphire windows, including an open caseback that shows the manual in-house, 90-hour power reserve Calibre A100 movement powered by two mainspring barrels with laser-engraved plate pattern, hand-finished polished nickel-silver bridges and wheels. The size of the movement is 52.10mm x 30.40mm, in a case of 62.75mm x 38mm (thickness of 15mm), to give you some perspective.

On the side you can see a linear power reserve indicator. On the left is a transluscent grey-coated sapphire dial with a hour, minute and seconds hand, with the addition of SuperLumiNova at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock (white) and black SuperLuminova for the hands. The deadbeat seconds hand is white lacquered.

Because the movement is visible from so many angles in this piece you are treated to a variety of finishes from satin finishing of the mainplate with its laser engraving to the chamfered polished edges of the bridges, sunray satin finishing on the dial side of the plate, circular satin-finished wheels, bead-blasted and satin-finished tourbillon bridge, and the cage itself hand-chamfered and satin and mirror polished surfaces.

The overall impression of this is that it’s all shiny and rather big. At 99,500 CHF it’s going to rule a lot of people out anyway, but the size is something that needs to be experienced. It looks big on your screen, but it’s a replica watch that is impossible to get an accurate grip on without handling it. Does the size detract from the replica watch? Well that’s going to be something subjective, but when I saw it, it seemed bigger than I had thought it would be but it was also more likeable than I had anticipated. I thought that its sheer size would overwhelm all other impressions but it didn’t; this is a slightly bonkers but attractive replica watch.

As a follow up from this, Angelus have released the more ‘normally’ sized U20 Ultra-Skeleton Tourbillon, the U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante and the U40 Racing Tourbillon to add to their Urban Collection. I do love a simple numbering system; it really can’t be underestimated.

I didn’t have an opportunity to see the U10 until Baselworld 2016, when it was also my first ‘hands-on’ experience with the modern Angelus. Rather than have all of them in the one post I thought that I would leave the other 2016 pieces I photographed to a second one, so look out for it coming soon.

Basel2016AngelusU40RacingTourbiSkeleton2

To whet your appetite here is a glimpse of the U40 which at 26,350 CHF is quite frankly, not bad at all.