Would you discover new windsurfing spots this spring? At Lake Como, surrounded by high and majestic mountains, deep valleys and undisturbed sunshine provide fantastic conditions for wind-related sports. La Punta at Sorico is a great place for this activity, where the wind also known as Breva usually blows SSW-WSW. The Breva is similar to Lake Garda’s Ora (mainly from the South), being a thermal breeze that starts around midday and reaches 18 knots.
This beautiful scenery and a weekend on Lake Como in Northern Italy provided the inspiration for Vincent Dupontreué, the founder of Breva, for bringing the high-end Swiss watch brand alive. Perhaps the wind was also the muse for their latest piece: Génie 03. Mr. Dupontreué’s idea is that in the digital age watchmakers can still create interesting fully mechanical “gadgets”. This is how the weather forecast unit of Génie 01, the altimeter of Génie 02 and now the speedometer of Génie 03 were born.
The timepiece possesses a patented “instant speed” scientific measurement unit, which is basically a tiny anemometer. By the push of a button the mechanism jumps out 6mm from the case.
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Breva Génie 03
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Anemometers are wind speed measuring instruments, common in meteorological stations. It was first described in 1450 by the Italian multi-talent Leon Battista Alberti and later improved by many, including John Thomas Romney Robinson, who deployed hemispherical cups and mechanical wheels on his device.
The anemometer Breva incorporated in Génie 03 can measure and indicate wind speeds of 20 to 200 km/hour. Thank God, there was no wind in the suites of the Four Seasons Geneva last week, so we only played with the “wind machine” Breva prepared for the show.
The titanium case has a dial with white gold indexes on a smoked translucent sapphire crystal and houses a proprietary mechanical automatic movement developed exclusively by Breva.
We wouldn’t call this device practical – when you’re “fast and furious” you should not search for the little red speedometer hand on your wrist watch. However, there are situations when it is rather cool: want to drive your friend’s new cabrio? Get the keys and give him/her the Génie 03 and both of you will have fun! Or head down to the coast to sail or windsurf.
Last summer in Oman we enjoyed a nicely thrilling trip on a speedboat with a 1000hp engine. Since the movement is water resistant to 30 meters at all times with speedometer open or closed (the movement is sealed from the anemometer), I would definitely try it this time between two screams. So if you’re about to purchase a Porsche Speed Boat Fearless 28 or something similar, make sure you have your Génie 03 with you.
Photo credits: Loupiosity.com.
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