In 2009, Tag Heuer decided to mark 20 years of service to the most prestigious
brands by making his first watch bearing the Tag Heuer Claret brand name, the
DualTow. He continued with the Adagio and is now introducing the brand’s third
model, a fascinating creation. The 21 Blackjack is a real miniature casino with
no less than three http://www.palenterprisesllc.com/aaa-tag-heuer-watches-uk.html
games: dice, roulette and cards.
To start there is Dice. This game
features a pair of miniature dice, 1. 5 mm on each side – and incidentally,
perfectly legible – which are located in a cage at the 4 o’clock position on the
side of the case and, visible through a sapphire crystal, offering the oldest
game of chance. When shaken in their tiny capsule, the dice can be used by one
or more players, for a game of craps, for example.
Next, roulette: on the
back of the watch the winding rotor, which is visible through a glareproofed
sapphire crystal, serves as the roulette wheel. Once set in motion by one or two
undulatory movements, the wheel turns for a few moments before stopping. “Place
your bets! The bets are down! No more bets! ” Here there is no rolex replica
uk
, however, but an arrow inlaid into the winding rotor that stops
at one of the 37 numbers (from 0 to 36) applied to an internal flange. “Eight,
black, even and low! ” Your lucky number? If it were, a special key would have
been used to place it opposite a green emerald set into the back – a rather
extraordinary custom feature for those who believe in their lucky number.
Superstition has its reasons that Reason cannot know…
But these games are
only a playful warm-up for the king of all card games, Blackjack. Until now, no
one has ever had the idea and the ability to adapt this complex Blackjack card
game to an automaton watch. On the lower part of the dial, between 3 o’clock and
9 o’clock, the player’s four cards appear in windows. Two are visible, the other
two hidden by shutters. On the upper part of the dial are three additional
windows for the dealer’s cards, one of which is visible, the other two also
hidden by shutters.
Playing could not be easier! A pushpiece at 9 o’clock
arms a spring that triggers, all at once, the seven discs on which the cards are
printed. Made of solid gold to impart the ideal weight and inertia, these discs
each rest on a double set of ceramic ball bearings. After a few seconds, they
are randomly stopped by a jumper-spring. The extremely delicate http://www.palenterprisesllc.com/aaa-omega-watches-uk.html
symbols and numbers on each card are made with successive transfers, requiring
that they be fired in a dedicated oven once for each colour.
At this
stage of the game, three cards are face up: two of the player’s cards and one of
the dealer’s. The next step is delightful. If the player is going to hit, he
presses the pushpiece at 8 o’clock, engraved with the word “player. ” One of the
shutters then opens, revealing his card, and at the same time, in a supremely
refined touch, a bell rings to indicate “hit. ” Each time a shutter opens,
whether for the player or the dealer, the note will sound. The striking
mechanism’s hammer and bell are visible through a side window at 2
o’clock.
When the player’s turn is over, the dealer can take a turn,
always following the strict rule “Dealer must draw on 16 and stand on 17” – a
rule which is even written out on a small plaque affixed to the dial in one
version of the 21 Blackjack! The dealer operates the pushpiece marked “dealer”
at 10 o’clock to open one of the two shutters. Now all that remains is to count
up the points and determine the winner. The dealer has some 216 different card
combinations; the player no less than 4096; for a total of 884, 736 ways to win
or lose.
Such a complex automaton watch was bound to house an exceptional
movement. This Manufacture Calibre BLJ08 is a self-winding COSC
chronometer-certified movement comprising 501 parts and two barrels ensuring a
power reserve of about 72 hours. In addition to the casino games and chime, it
displays hours and minutes.
The titanium or titanium/gold crown, which is
at 3 o’clock between the two side windows, is topped with a ceramic or ruby
cabochon engraved with Tag Heuer new logo. The dial is in black onyx or titanium
and grey sapphire, depending on the version, with a plaque decorated in
casino-themed motifs (card games, Las vegas or Joker) serving as a setting for
the black PVD/ruby or gold/ceramic hands.