The finest handcrafted safe made with state-of-the-art German engineering

In our previous blog post, we talked about the stylish and functional Collector Safe XXL now available at Buben & Zorweg’s ION Orchard showroom. This time, we would like to introduce you to the Collector Safe XL. Measuring at 1455 x 550 x 505 mm, the COLLECTOR SAFE XL is smaller but no less stylish.

Gone are the days where safes are featureless security boxes. Just like the larger version, Buben & Zorweg’s Collector Safe XL is an essential accoutrement to all luxury watch collectors. This is thanks to a customisable 40 TIME MOVER watch winding modules that not only keep precious watches secure but also ensure that each timepiece is properly maintained and wound. In addition, the Collector Safe XL also contains additional storage for other valuables such as jewellery, artefacts and important documents.

This version from the Collector Safe series features a more compact height of 110cm, allowing it to be installed into wardrobes and walls. In addition, it is covered by spy glass. This means that in the day, it looks like a regular wall mirror. However, with a push a button, it can be opened up to reveal your collection!

As with all Buben & Zorweg products, the Collector Safe XL has undergone the most comprehensive German-standard security testing. The safe’s durability is tested when it is placed into a fire of at least 2,000 degrees and burnt for 2 hours. A power drill and diamond cutter is then used to break into the safe. The Collector Safe XL managed to stay perfectly intact even when put through the stress. This Buben & Zorweg creation is also certified Safety Class VdS 1, a German Security Certification. This means that insurance companies are willing to give you comprehensive coverage for your valuables in the safe.

In addition to top of the line security features, the sleek COLLECTOR SAFE XL boasts an interior that is fitted with the finest black velour, stainless steel fixtures and state-of-the-art LED lighting with fading technology. The box is also handcrafted with a wood inlay and a glossy piano finish available in either glossy Ebony Grigio or Macassar. All these handcrafted features prove that the Buben & Zorweg Collector Safe XL is not only the best luxury safe available but also the most aesthetically pleasing!

The prodigious fully customised collector safe by Buben&Zorweg is here

Mistaking a safe for an attractive object of interior design instead of a strongbox is in itself an aspect of security. The COLLECTOR SAFE XXL is the further development of the COLLECTOR SAFE and is now available in our Ion showroom in Singapore. It is every collector’s delight with additional storage space for documents, artefacts and valuables alongside up to 40 TIME MOVER® modules and customizable drawers. IT IS A HIGHLY SECURED SAFE WITH LUXURY PACKAGING COVERED BY HIGH QUALITY ITALIAN LEATHER.

The latest offering, the BUBEN&ZORWEG COLLECTOR SAFE XXL, is designed with expansive dimension of 1810 Height x 550 Width x 505 Depth mm, it can be inbuilt into your house wall and is covered by a spy glass. In the day, it looks like a regular wall mirror. However, with a press of a button on the remote, you can open it to gaze upon your collection of watches!

The BUBEN&ZORWEG COLLECTOR SAFE XXL is certified VDS 1 and has undergone strict German testing. The safe’s durability is tested when it is placed into a fire of at least 2000 degrees and burnt for 2 hours. A power drill and diamond cutter is then used to break into the safe. Now that’s quite a test, isn’t it! It’s similar to the American safe test. The only difference is that in America, they will use only a part of the safe whereas the German test uses the whole safe.

So what’s the benefit of being certified VDS 1? Firstly, it proves that the safe is capable of protecting your valuables. Secondly, with the Vds certificate, insurance companies are willing to give more comprehensive coverage for it. You won’t have to worry too much about your watches anymore!

The BUBEN&ZORWEG COLLECTOR SAFE XXL comes with 40 watch winders, 5 standard drawers and 5 deep empty drawers. This means that you have space for not only your watches, but also other valuables such as jewellery and important documents. Of course, it can be fully customised to suit your needs. For example, perhaps you have more than 8 watches that you want to store in the safe. You can always take out a few drawers to add in more space to accommodate your other watches. In fact, the BUBEN&ZORWEG COLLECTOR SAFE XXL can hold more than 40 watches!

So there you have it! The BUBEN&ZORWEG COLLECTOR SAFE XXL! It’s the perfect solution to safeguard your BUBEN&ZORWEG watches when you’re not at home. It just arrived so make sure you check it out at Singapore’s BUBEN&ZORWEG boutique at ION Orchard. You can contact us at +65-65095108.

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How the Mark IV came to be

#Baselworld – it is the world’s largest watch fair held to showcase the best watches by well-known and trusted brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Bulgari. However, there was one piece that captured the attention of the crowd. It was the Mark IV by Buben&Zorweg. The excitement around our latest offering was palpable. So, this time I thought of sharing the great product journey with you.

Mark IV by Buben & Zorweg

Now, the question that’s been on our minds; how did this astonishing looking, unique design that would often remind #boyswithtoys of a certain superhero, come to be? An astute observer will be able to tell that the Mark IV is pretty similar to the Argatos, a limited edition watch winder by Buben&Zorweg that was launched in 2012. The Argatos was a fascinating work of art and appealed to those who were looking for an irreplaceable piece for their homes. However, we cannot deny that it could do with a bit of a facelift. Thus, we decided to give it a new twist!

Argatos by Buben & Zorweg

The idea to tweak its design came after Max Goh, Singapore’s Buben&Zorweg boutique manager who got inspired from a wide range of iconic toys. He was driven to create a timepiece that appeals to the boy in every man’s heart. In his own words, “unique toys for the big boys”.

It was time to produce the Mark IV!

The first step was to get the design right. The Mark IV had to be stylish, yet practical. It also had to be eye-catching but not too gaudy. It had to have the perfect balance in every single element. As you may have guessed, it took a bit of time to get the design right.

Check out the various concept designs for the Mark IV!

The first design is mainly full of red with highlights of gold. While it does look great, it still needed a bit of embellishment. The second design has a gold mask, with red sides. The mask hides the tourbillon and we liked the colour scheme.

The third design incorporates the gold and red colour scheme. This time, however, we added the tourbillon and also a LED wave light under the tourbillon. On the fourth design, we added the LED lights on the tourbillon. We liked how the LED lights add a more technological feel to the Mark IV.

Our fifth design added LED lights to both the tourbillon and the porthole. We liked how this emphasizes the tourbillon and the porthole, drawing more attention to it.

Once the design was finalised, the second step was to produce the Mark IV.

Our team, experienced and experts in their own right, stepped up and gave in their best to ensure the highest standard in skill and craftsmanship.

The Mark IV was painstakingly handcrafted using the finest materials. The team worked tirelessly to ensure the detail and accuracy of the Mark IV. State-of-the-art LED lighting technology with a fading function was installed. An aluminium-wood chassis was used for the interior, hand-polished stainless steel was used for the exterior of the Mark IV. An electro-mechanical opening and closing system was integrated to achieve the “Magic Slide” mechanism for the doors.

In addition, the tourbillon, located in the middle of the Mark IV, has a screw balance wheel and an 8 day German precision movement to ensure that you are always on time!

Finally, the third and last step was to add some colour into the Mark IV.

To get the perfect colour, the Mark IV has been spray-painted 14 times, with a waiting period of an hour between layers. This was followed by a finish to give it that gleaming shiny look.

Yes, that much work is spent to produce the Mark IV! The final product is a masterpiece that fuses innovation, technology and class and is sure to be the object of envy among family and friends.

There was still a bit of tweaking of the design last February, right before production! Despite the time and effort taken to produce the Mark IV, we were able to get it ready just in time for Baselworld 2015.

Considering the attention given to the Mark IV during Baselworld, Buben&Zorweg is pleased and is ready to put the Mark IV on display and sale in the near future. Stay tuned to see when it goes on sale so that you can have your very own superhero in your house! If you like this article, remember to give us a follow and a like on our social media!

A preview of Buben&Zorweg’s new innovations direct from Baselworld 2015

If there is a place for watch aficionados to be right now it has to be Baselworld 2015 held in the Swiss city of Basel from March 19 to 26. As the most important marketplace for global trends in the watch and jewellery industry, Baselworld brings the most prestigious brands from the watch and jewellery industries together with emerging design talent and exclusive retailers.

This is the place to see the latest innovations and cutting-edge trends to come out of the watch industry, so it goes without saying that Baselworld is the highlight of the year for Buben&Zorweg. In fact, we have been participating in the show for 20 years—that is since the brand was established. Not only do we get to see what exciting new products are being launched, we also get to showcase our latest innovations to industry insiders, journalists and watch collectors.

The piece de resistance of our Baselworld 2015 preview is the Private Museum masterpiece. Worthy of the world’s greatest museums, the Private Museum is a safe that offers an exquisite ambiance to contain watches, objects of art and rare collectors’ pieces. The piece itself is a work of art constructed with high-security reinforced glass panes, an invisible laser grid for maximum security and an advanced locking system.

 

Buben&Zorweg is also introducing a new line of Art Deco inspired safes designed to fit the most modern homes. The Galaxy Safe line includes the Galaxy, the Galaxy XL and the Galaxy Tabletop all of which boast clean lines and polished surfaces of leather and lacquer. These safes are not just form without function—they feature innovative high-security technology certified in accordance with stringent security standards.

  

Buben&Zorweg is known to introduce clever innovations that match the sophisticated tastes of discerning collectors. This is why we are presenting a safe that comes fitted with a hi-fi system at Baselworld 2015. The Quantum HiFi System is a safe not only equipped with Buben&Zorweg’s unmatched Time Mover watch winder units, it is also contains a hi-fi system that transmits pure, unadulterated sound thanks to a total of 400 watts that drive the overpowering dynamics of a mono high-end loudspeaker. With this sleek piece, deep bass tones and crystal clear high tones can only enthral the discerning ear.

Since Baselworld sees the largest gathering of fine watches under one roof, Buben&Zorweg is also presenting the latest innovation from the fine timepieces collection at the show. One Dual Time is the thinnest watch in the family of wristwatches made by Buben&Zorweg. Globetrotters and watch aficionados will appreciate the timepiece’s 24-hour display at the 6 o’clock position that allows wearers to tell at a glance the local time and the time at another location.

 

If this preview is not enough to whet your appetite, visit http://www.buben-zorweg.com for more details on Buben&Zorweg’s New Master Pieces 2015 that are being launched at Baselworld 2015. In the mean time, watch this space for more updates from Buben&Zorweg.

6 reasons why the new Buben&Zorweg Time Mover Handwound is the most innovative watch winder around

You probably know that Buben&Zorweg is the leader in watch winder technology in the world. How has the brand become the most recognised and admired watch winder brand? It is because the company is constantly innovating to bring its watch winder technology to greater heights.

One such innovation that is constantly being improved is the brand’s Time Mover series, which has been recently upgraded with new features that make it even more advanced and adaptable to the demands of today’s most exquisite self-winding wristwatches. The Buben&Zorweg Time Mover Handwound is one of my favourite pieces in the collection. Let me tell you why.

1. It is made from state-of-the-art materials

The new design of the Time Mover Handwound features a more durable structure made out of a series of high-end materials – such as special ball bearings have been designed in collaboration with partner company ELMA that took a team of 10 specialists and two and a half years of intense research and development.

2. It is designed to last

The Time Mover Handwound has an operating lifetime equivalent to 45 years. This has been determined through research and development that tested the piece by endurance studies lasting up to 40,000 hours.

3. It features smart innovations

The new Time Mover technology features less operating sound and energy consumption. This means that as your watch is set inside the watch winder, you will be able to enjoy less sound disruption and save on energy.

4. It is versatile

The watch holder on the Time Mover Handwound watch winder has been designed to be highly adaptable. It is now compatible with self-winding watches with cases measuring up to 60mm in diameter. Even pieces with prominent crowns fit the new watch holder. At the same time, the universal watch holder can be adjusted to fit smaller watch straps too. This means that watches for smaller men’s and ladies’ wrists will find the updated Time Mover Handwound tailored to their specific needs.

5. It is easy to use

With a new safety catch mechanism that elicits a “click” sound, you can now rest assured that the watch holder in the new Time Mover Hanwound is in the right position when it is in use. This also means that the watch holder is more secure as it cannot fall out once secured and that your watch is safely protected

6. It is designed for the stylish watch connoisseur

Other than its impressive functionality, the Buben&Zorweg Time Mover Handwound features a strikingly elegant casing that comes in either exquisitely textured dark grey Croco or shiny black Ebony Grigio, making it suitable as a beautiful table top piece that you can admire.

Precious protection for your invaluable time

Think safe, and the chances are that you will conjure up images of holes in the wall hidden behind grand paintings in mahogany lined studies, or giant vaults with several feet deep steel and titanium walls buried deep in the underbellies of the big banks. And almost always there is a furtive action involved — documents being stashed away, gold bricks being stolen, someone is always trying to get into them!

Not anymore though; not at least for the modern-day discerning collector of watches — Courtesy the hallowed ateliers of Buben&Zorweg, that have been producing extremely stylish, subtle and yet highly secure safes since 2008.

• Appeal To The Aesthete:  Buben&Zorweg safes are custom built to suit the concerns and aesthetic sensibilities of the passionate watch collector – much more than just a simple strong box to safeguard valuables. All the models from the house of Buben&Zorweg marry extreme precision with luxurious materials to create a home which is as pleasing and well crafted as the collection itself.

• Security is Paramount: All design innovation for the safes has to be within the prescribed security standards. The Titan, the X-007, the Magnum, the Vanguard Safe, the Collector Safe, Collector Safe XL, Collector Safe XXL, the Collector Safe In Built — all meet the highest security standards prescribed in Germany and Switzerland ranging from VDS I to VDS IV.

• Watch-worthy: All safes come equipped with Buben&Zorweg’s trademark Time Movers (the watch winders) and LED lighting. The interiors are handcrafted using only the most luxurious materials such as velour and leather. The newer and more premium models — Titan and Magnum also have integrated climatised humidors and hi-fi systems which enable collectors to create the right mood to view and enjoy their collections even more.

Three great reasons to invest in a worthy watch winder

If you are a horology enthusiast and love collecting luxury timepieces, then the thought of investing in a good watch winder would have surely crossed your mind. But first things first – why should a watch winder feature in your list of must-haves? The answer is simple – necessity, convenience and preservation.

Necessity because automatic watches have, on an average, a power reserve of approximately 36 hours before the movement stops. Such watches are wound up through the movements of the person wearing it. Standstill can cause, among other problems, lubricants to solidify, which in turn results in a loss of precision and a need for laborious repair work. It is therefore, a good practice to store automatic watches not being worn in a watch winder like the TIME MOVER from BUBEN&ZORWEG to keep them running perfectly.

Convenience because a watch winder, like the TIME MOVER, provides the correct momentum even for large collection of precious automatic watches. The running maintenance for time, date, moon phase, time zones and perpetual calendars is assumed by the watch winder, preventing you from having to recalibrate after every standstill. A good watch winder will ensure that each of your watches is accurately set and ready to be worn.

Preservation because a good watch winder provides the optimal protection and sumptuous ambience created by master craftsmen for the safe keeping and presentation of your valuable collection. BUBEN&ZORWEG offers a wide range of TIME MOVER units, from small four-piece sets to large, modular, multi-functional pieces for passionate lovers of fine timepieces.

Five things to lookout for before investing in a watch winder

The next question is how do you spot a worthy watch winder? From my two decades of experience in the industry, I have realised that a good watch winder should definitely have the following fabulous five qualities:

1. Workmanship: a good watch winder is a precision machine – an example of fine engineering. Like the TIME MOVER series from BUBEN&ZORWEG, a worthy winder should have sensitive winding controls. Also significant for passionate collectors is the watch winder’s magnetic shielding. Electronic motors create magnetic fields, which in certain circumstances can have a negative effect on the accuracy of mechanical watches, as the hairspring can take on an electromagnetic charge. This risk has been eliminated by superb workmanship of BUBEN&ZORWEG.
2. Innovation: look out for masterpieces that have been created to with compelling technological excellence for perfect workmanship. Secret buttons and other technical highlights always amaze the lovers of fine timepieces. BUBEN&ZORWEG uses bionics to monitor changes in winding forces very precisely. The mechanism is electronically controlled to ensure the winding process can be stopped within milliseconds at the ideal stage when the spring is fully wound.
3. Exclusivity: every watch collection is unique and is a reflection of the collector’s personality. So, why shouldn’t the watch winder be the same? BUBEN&ZORWEG creates masterpieces that have never existed before. Individual customer wishes can be fulfilled. Using an aesthetic based on early 20^th century Art Deco, luxury is combined with sumptuous materials in the brand’s pieces to reflect both function and style.
4. Pedigree: watch winders and collectors’ boxes are engineering masterpieces, which need a team of dedicated craftsmanship and design. BUBEN&ZORWEG is a burgeoning luxury empire with a manufactory in the heart of Germany’s engineering region near Stuttgart. With an accent on sleek, head-turning design and cutting edge technology, BUBEN&ZORWEG creates bespoke objects and interiors to show­case watches
5. Presentation: true luxury is to be found in the details. Double the pleasure of owning valuable watches by presenting them in a befitting style. BUBEN&ZORWEG is rarefied luxury at its best. We invest thought into every detail – from searching far and wide to hand select rare macassar ebony with the perfect grain and colour, to the way the doors glide open and close remotely at the touch of a button.

For those looking to buy a great watch winder with all the above virtues, check out the TIME MOVER series by BUBEN&ZORWEG here.