Breguet unveiled its new Regal Haute Joaillerie collection at Baselworld 2008, which includes numerous examples of drop dead gorgeous high jewelry and watches.

These pieces are amazingly crafted and designed and even in sketch form, you can imagine how incredibly breathtaking they will be in person. Breguet describes the new collection as “An ode to women and feminine sensitivity,” which “grants itself the privilege of eternity.

Precious stones and gold illuminate these jewellery models with a dazzling light over which time has no power.” These beauties have quite a reputation to uphold.

Nicolas Rieussec is of course the noted and lauded inventor of the chronograph mechanism, with the actual writing of time via ink on the dial.

Today, the chronograph in a wristwatch of course uses hands, subdials, rotating discs, retrograde displays and others to display elapsed time.

For its part, Montblanc introduces a monopusher chronograph with an in-house movement to complement its haute horlogerie line and has obtained rights to use the name Nicolas Rieussec, hence the name of this piece.

The latest product to tie in to the Beijing Olympics coming up this august is the Voila Beijing Dream. The elaborated cage like design of the watch mimics the National Stadium (also called the Birds Nest) that will hold the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics.

The watch is available with a stainless steel or gold plated case with a strap of Chinese silk brocade. It comes set with .23 carats of diamonds or .72 carats and prices range from 1,490 to 2,190 euros.

Chopard introduces a new member of its highly successful Mille Miglia collection – the Mille Miglia GT XL GMT.

Together with the L.U.C series, Chopard has proven that its highly technical pieces for the men’s collection received as much acclaim as its bejeweled pieces for the softer gender.

The most recognizable feature of the Mille Miglia GT XL GMT is a sketch of the globe at the center of the dial, with a hollowed triangular red arrow to indicate the second time zone.

Carl Asplund’s watch has reached the Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers in Devizes, Wiltshire, England and is anticipated to fetch £15,000-£20,000 ($30,000-$39,000).

The watch was recovered from the body of Carl Asplund who sinked on the Titanic and is part of the Lillian Asplund compilation of Titanic associated objects that will be auctioned on 19 April.

Asplund was just 5 in April 1912, when the Titanic hit an iceberg and submerged on its maiden cruise from England to New York. Amongst the 1500 others who died included her father and three siblings.

It has been a long time since Patek Philippe gave us a skeletonized watch, and the Ref. 5180/1 showcased at this year’s Baselworld is definitely well worth the wait.

Featuring an ultra-thin self-winding caliber 240 movement with a 22K gold mini-rotor integrated into the plate, this watch is simply a joy to behold.

To fully appreciate a skeletonized watch, try imagining the number of days, hours, and minutes it takes to painstakingly chip away the dial, plates, bridges, and cocks to their bare minimun, and still achieve a fully functional timepiece.