in 2012, Swiss watchmaker Michel Jordi launched an unusual and certainly eye catching watch series upon GTE 2012. The theme, if not the watches, was simple. Each watch pays tribute to one of the world’s most famous places.

In very much the same way that Hublot is steadily dedicating a watch to each of the world’s Formula 1 series, Michel drew up a list he called Icons of the World and created a high-end watch in vivid colours and elaborate open work with an off centre as a tribute. One collection, eight pieces, and to ensure true rarity value, each watch in the Icons of the World series numbers just three, so you can rest assured you are never likely to meet anyone who has the same watch as you. Launched at GTE-2012, the watch collection consisted of:

• China’s Great Wall
• India’s Taj Mahal
• Japan’s Mount Fuji
• Brazil’s Mount Sugarloaf
• Switzerland’s Interlaken with the mountains of the Eiger
• Switzerland’s Jungfrau, with its fountain Jet d’Eau
• America’s Statue of Liberty
• Russia’s Kremlin

Michel Jordi Icons of the World – Interlaken

The substantial 46mm watches were designed in co-operation with watchmaker Jean-François Mojon, (winner of the “best watchmaker in 2010″ from the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix),. Design development was further aided by Christophe Moines, and together they came up with an unusual gong mechanism for a minute repeater complication that sounds within each watch.

In works differently from a usual striking mechanism in that instead of the usual vibrations of the caseback, a hammer is designed to strike the gong at a low frequency of just 2Hz, which has been likened by Jordi to the peals of a mountain chapel bell.

Michel Jordi Icons of the World – Moscow (Caseback)

The off centred clock on the dial features Roman numerals and housed within an inner dial is the reason the watch is known as Icons of the World. The day/night indicator reveals within the clock face at 10 o’clock the place or monument famous to each country. The watch features a sapphire crystal lens and the cylinder-shaped crown features a deconstructed Swiss flag.

Intricate detailing is contained within the skeletonisation behind the counter. But there is more. Jordi wanted to enable the watch to feature a 24-hour alarm mechanism as well. The watch is powered by a hand wound movement with a double barrel in order to enable up to 65 hours of power reserve.

The case is rendered in titanium and red gold and comes on a sharply contrasting black leather strap branded JORDI. And the price? Well, assuming you can get your hands on one – very tricky with just three pieces of each watch – the price will be around $54,000. Just a suggestion but t may be cheaper to simply visit the world icon contained within the watch.

Michel Jordi Icons of the World – Moscow

Designed by Christophe Moinat, each watch is reminiscent of the brand’s Swiss Icon collection. Other features include a “sapphire crystal cambered like a pebble from the River Rhône and the cylinder-shaped crown featuring a deconstructed Swiss flag”. The watch is water resistant up to 100 meters, and has been finished with a black leather featuring steel folding clasp. The watch featured above pays tribute to Kremlin in Moscow and is priced at CHF 49,800 ($ 54,220). Along with other timepieces of the collection, it will be unveiled with at BaselWorld in 2013.

Michel Jordi Icons of the World – Technical Specifications:

Movement:

•  Hand-wound,
• Double barrel with one reserved for the gong-striking mechanism,
• 28,800 vib/h,
• 45 jewels,
• 65-hour power reserve.

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day/night indicator and 24-hour alarm with day/night and on/off indicators
Case: Titanium and 18K red gold, 46 mm
Lens: Cambered sapphire crystal
Water-resistance: 100 m / 10 ATM
Dial: Open-worked 18K white gold
Strap: Black leather with steel folding clasp

Set inside a titanium and 18-carat red gold case of 46 mm diameter each, the caseback features a hammer that strikes a gong at a low frequency of 2Hz, that sounds just like a mountain chapel bell.

Michel Jordi Icons of the World – Great Wall

More resources about Michel Jordi Icons of the World available on Official Michel Jordi Website.