~ Morten:

We love playing with new materials and finishes in The Lab, as we have shared with you over years. This time, we wanted to revisit our original colleciton with alternative detailing.

2 new models have resulted from this process.  We have given subtle gold accents in the crown and the dial for one, and introduced a matte satin finish microbillé case to another.

They come out particularly well in the 3 Timer, and have given rise to the lastest twist in our GMT watch family.  So, in true LW spirit, we have decided to share them.

We are only producing them in 2 very small series.  And here we present you a special release for the 3 Timer: Microbillé in 25 pieces and with Gold Accents in 48 pieces.

~ Jorn:

The New York Times ran a piece last winter spilling the beans about the mystical locations for unspoilt out-of-the-world skiing being tracked down by powder seekers over the years.  These hidden gems are not to be spoken of by their location name, but simply called Valley X, Y, Z, etc., so that a privileged few can keep these pristine slopes to themselves. 

When word gets out, the crowds (usually the Swedes first) zoom in, these destinations become famous.

The author went on to reveal the latest ‘secret’ location called Disentis in Switzerland, and detailed his ‘discovery’.  It’s an interesting read if you are into skiing: Disentis

Disentis is where I was headed right after the intense Basel show. I must see for myself whether or not it would deserve a worthy mention in our ski guide.

We toured up to the ridge of Disentis. The ridge is long so there are a lot of lines you can choose to ski down.  But before that, you have to climb the iron rungs bolted into the mountain wall, with no rope no safety line, to reach the ridge top. 

Despite unimpressive snow conditions this year, I think Disentis is good if you enjoy a very local and remote setting. The skiing is interesting but I have had more amazing experiences in places like Grimentz in Val d’Anniviers in the Swiss Alps.  I cannot see it ever becoming the next big destination.

So, no, we will not be rushing to add it to our ski guide...

Related Posts: 
Showtime at BaselWorld 2012 
Travel Back in Time in Grimentz 
Ski Guide Launch for the Winter Season 
 

~ Morten:

Today's post marks the 3rd anniversary of The Lab. 

It is incredible to think back when we started the idea of sharing our thoughts and experience behind the scenes back in 2008/9, we knew we wanted to make our first post ever with a pre-Basel story.

Fast forward to 2012, this year was our 4th year in Basel. 

We kept things simpler yet more focused this time and everything worked out great. We were more chilled out and the quality of meetings was higher. Having good times together as a team as well as with everyone we met was important. We must be able to enjoy ourselves, the rest we believe will follow.

Thanks to the online power, we had a 360 around the world experience with guests who came to visit having learned of us via the internet. From South America to Russia, Canada to Australia, and even places I may never have the fortune to visit. And this is what is great about Basel...it is so cosmopolitan.

One of our guests was a Hong Kong based magazine, Manifesto. They have kindly produced a video interview and let us share this with you so that I can take you back to the show with me for just a few minutes.

We have also received many posts with live coverage and photos of our Basel presence on the LWuniverse page. The sharing from everyone is a wonderful geature and we very much appreciate it. These posts as well as the photos we have published are open to public, so you can view them without having to sign up: LW Universe

It makes me proud to think that we are being well-received. Every year we are becoming more and more a part of the show. We come to Basel and we see friends everywhere. It feels like coming home once a year now. And it is a great feeling.

Related Posts: 
The fun before BaselWorld 2012 
Show Time at BaselWorld 2011 
BaselWorld 2010: The Moment of Truth 
Pre-Basel Nerves 

~ Morten:

Hall of Desires 1.1 - Stand 08...this is where you will find us for the next two weeks at BaselWorld in Switzerland, the largest watch fair in the world.

Exciting time again, as we will soon get to see the fruits of our months' long prepartions for this 10-day mega show.

We will be unveiling new models (what the industry calls 'novelties') to the press and customers. This year, we have our most refined collection of watches and instruments for diving and skiing to showcase. 

On top of our signature Spido family which has been the talking points for us since last BaselWorld, we will present our most up-to-date intrepretation of the ultimate timepiece for diving, the Oktopus II.

The conception and construction of the Oktopus II are very technical. In order to better articulate them to you, we have chosen to tell you directly via a short film. 

I cannot say Jorn and I are natural in front of the camera, but we wrapped the shoot in 2 hours so we did not do too badly. We took a raw approach. No make-up, no make-believe, no sugar-coating. Tell it as it is. We hope we can manage to present you the true value in its design concept, quality, complexity, and craftsmanship in the most honest way.

Apart from the fun of shooting the film, we also had a blast designing the presentation materials for the launch, including our stand at BaselWorld.

Taking the yellow from the Oktopus II and the Reef, our dive instrument, we have manifested our pride in a bold statement by presenting you the most sophisticated dive tool for modern day diving.  And we want to make it loud and clear.

For the second year running, our stand will be featuring masterpiece furniture sponsored by Fritz Hansen, renowned for its quality and collection of design icons through collaborations with some of the world's most influential architects and designers since 1872.

You can revisit our stand last year here: Countdown to BaselWorld.

Related Posts: 
Oktopus II Launch Preview 
Show Time at BaselWorld 2011