The?haemorrhage continues for Baselworld, as another mainstream brand has just announced its departure in 2019. According to the Swiss newspaper Le Temps (here, in French), Raymond Weil, which was exhibiting in Hall 1.0 (where all the big brands are located), won’t be present at Baselworld 2019. After Swatch Group took the lead earlier this year by announcing to leave the show, this piece of...
Carbon fibre - in all its composite guises – has become the material of the moment and has been used across the board, from Bvlgari's chiming marvel to faux carbon dials on TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer… Whether or not an Haute Horlogerie model like the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon looks good in its high-tech black suit is debatable, but one thing is certain, carbon cases work e...
Today, we continue our “Online Watch Market” series. After Chrono24 and Montredo, it is time to take a look at one of the main actors in this ultra-competitive market: WatchBox. Founded by experienced entrepreneurs and market-makers Danny Govberg (of US-based watch/jewels retailer Govberg Jewelers) and?Tay Liam Wee (Asia-based retailer Sincere Watches), WatchBox is today opening its Eu...
Yesterday we started with the first in a series of interviews with the CEOs of the world’s largest online watch marketplaces. Each and every place has its own specific ways of dealing with trade; one company owns the displayed inventory, the other doesn’t, and a third has a hybrid approach. One way or another, all these companies want to give you the best and most secure buying experie...
It’s often said that the online world of buying (and selling) watches is kind of murky. I remember the days, actually not so long ago, when most watch brand websites started with a pop-up warning the visitor about watches for sale in the online world. Now, only a few years down the line, those very same brands have started to develop their own e-commerce channels. Besides these official e-co...
Not long ago, we reviewed a watch that many collectors and watch aficionados love (and for good reasons), the?Habring2 Doppel-Felix. Also, we took a closer look at the “simple” 3-hand version?named Felix. The?common thread running through them? The same?pared-down design and the same base movement manufactured in-house (quite an achievement for such a small company). But what if you ta...
As we explained when Tudor introduced its latest vision of a vintage-inspired dive watch, the?Black Bay Fifty-Eight 39mm, internal competition is getting stronger than ever… BB41mm or BB58? Tough choice! To shed some light on the situation, we have staged a face-off between the Black Bay 41mm and the?Black Bay Fifty-Eight 39mm and arm?you with all the details to help you choose between what ...
Since its debut in 1998, the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ref. 3714 has become the most sought-after, the most recognisable, and certainly the best-selling model in the Portugieser family. Apart from being a veritable design success, this watch has acquired cult status for one reason: it hasn’t changed a bit since its inception. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this modern icon, we though...
In an article published yesterday by French business magazine Challenges (see the article here, in French), it seems that the Watchmaking Division of LVMH (TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith) is about to be reshuffled. The article mentions (without sources or quotes) two important appointments: Frederic Arnault, the 23-year-old son of Bernard Arnault (CEO of LVMH), gets a new position at TAG?Heuer and?Step...
For the last 15 years, Oris and Williams F1 have been enjoying a mutually beneficial union. As the world-renowned Formula 1 team's official watch partner, Oris periodically releases special edition models to celebrate significant milestones for the team. A perfect example is the recently launched Martini Racing Limited Edition Chronograph, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Martini Racing T...
Panerai digs deep into its past and finds an unusual source of inspiration for its new Radiomir 1940 models in the form of an Art Deco pendulum clock. Housed in 47mm Radiomir cases, the dials of these newcomers are a far cry from standard Panerai fare. Dressier and playing the retro card to perfection, the Radiomir 1940 Art Deco Dial PAM00790 and PAM00791 are out to seduce landlubbers. Presented w...
It's not hard to find a chronograph in any price range since just about every watch brand offers one (or many). I'm somewhat picky when it comes to chronographs and tend to like more unique pieces like the Longines Avigation BigEye or Junghans Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau Limited Edition, and pass on the garden variety. It's no secret that there's an exploding population of microbrands through...
Just like we did with chronographs and dive watches, it’s now time to look at the current hottest watch category: the luxury sports watch. Born in the 1970s as a truly disruptive concept with deliberately provocative ads – remember those ads claiming “a steel watch more expensive than gold”? – luxury sports watches are on fire at the second-hand market.?Since our buyi...
The Moon phase function is the simplest and most prevalent astronomical complication. It is also one of the most attractive and bewitching of complications, a reminder of the beauty and mystery of our neighbouring satellite. Considered more of an aesthetic choice than a complication of intrinsic utility, moon phase watches have become a perennial favourite with their miniature recreations of the d...
Torsti Laine is a name that will probably not ring a bell for most of you. But, credit where credit is due: Torsti Laine has a very interesting story to tell and offers some very attractive watchmaking! At Baselworld earlier this year, I had the chance to find out more about the brand, the man, the watches and everything else there is to discover! And while we're at it, we'll go into detail with o...
At the SIHH 2018, Vacheron Constantin introduced a brand new and important collection for the brand, the FIFTYSIX. With a clear intention to renew the clientele and to bring younger and less hardcore-oriented potential customers, this watch mixed vintage elements with a modern, masculine and slightly casual design. Presented in 3 different version (automatic, day-date, complete calendar), each of ...
A compendium of Abraham-Louis Breguet's ingenious inventions and style, the Classique Complications 3797 is a magnificent perpetual calendar tourbillon laden with nostalgia for the undisputed horological star of the 18th century. Released in 2014, the 3797 is Breguet in his purest, unadulterated form with all the unmistakable signs' of the creator and a couple of 21st-century tweaks that the maest...
In an interview to Reuters, CEO Francois-Henry Bennahmias declared that Audemars Piguet will deliver double-digit growth in 2018 and that the brand's turnover will exceed one billion Swiss francs this year. To further boost sales, Audemars Piguet plans to cut-out third-party multi-brand retailers to arrive at a totally integrated retail network within three to five years.The integration of distrib...
Things are moving again at the Richemont Group, but this time in the right direction. After a few years of hesitation, with massive shake-ups at the head of most brands of the group and the resignation of Kern, and negative results (especially for the 2015-2017 period), the luxury powerhouse seems to be back on track. Today, two important announcements have been made by Richemont. First, a new CEO...
In the world of watches, there’s a puzzling but immense attraction of men for dive watches. Should it be the adventurous look? The toolish design, the masculine, sporty, robust attributes…? For multiple reasons, various examples of dive watches have become some of the most iconic timepieces ever created – even if nowadays most of them aren’t used for what they’ve been...
You'd be hard pressed to find a more mature and unique watch company in the world of microbrands than London-based Farer Universal. Their production is predictably limited in number for a small brand, offering a maximum of 300 individual watches within most series (many are limited to 100) and they often sell out in a matter of months. They're known for using a lot of colours and whimsical designs...
The Bvlgari Bvlgari has been one of the brand's most emblematic watches for over 40 years. The model was born in 1975 when the Bulgari brothers decided to create a watch as an exclusive gift for their 100 best clients. What started as a gift became an enduring Bvlgari design, reinventing itself over the years. Inspired by ancient Roman coins, the watch features pure, simple but powerful lines.? Wi...
As a watch manufacturer, Oris has been associated with the world of aviation pretty much since the inception of the brand. The company made its first pilot's pocket watch in the early 1910s, followed by?its first pilot's wristwatch in 1917 and hasn't looked back since. It seems fitting then that Oris has been named as the Official Timepiece Sponsor of the 55th edition of the world-famous Reno Air ...
In our previous guide, we’ve been looking at?Sub-5K sports watches but an elegant, well-chosen dress watch will take you through the day and into the night. Distinguished yet subtle, a refined three-hander should look good in any context and be able to complement your look without dominating your wrist. The kind of watch that will endure changing fashions and that you can wear as a valuable ...
For a few years now, Zandvoort has been hosting one of the best Historic Grand Prix races, a fantastic event with international historic race cars from a wide range of categories. Think Historic Formula 1, vintage touring cars, Le Mans legends, one-of-a-kind demos and lots of racing legends behind the wheel. All staged at the Zandvoort International Circuit, the venue of 34 Grand Prix races betwee...
Had you been walking past Hampton Court this weekend, no doubt you would you have heard the roar from the dozens of fine vintage specimens manoeuvring around the palace for the Concours of Elegance. This year was the first time A. Lange & Sohne had supported the event – though, you would be forgiven for confusing this Concourse of Elegance classic car event with the Concorso d’Eleg...
Move over ceramic, here comes carbon. Carbon fibre is the flavour of the day in the material world giving watches a high-tech stealth look associated with the world of F1 and competitive sailing. Following in the wake of the highly successful Carbon Monaco customized by Bamford, TAG Heuer presents three Aquaracer models decked out with carbon fibre details and housed in a 41mm black PVD-coated tit...
As every year, the watchmaking industry is celebrating creativity and ingenuity with the?Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve?(GPHG) or the so-called Oscars of the Watchmaking Industry – see the report for the 2017 edition here. The most advanced, the most innovative or the most creative timepieces will be awarded prizes at the GPHG 2018. Before the ceremony takes place (November 9, 2018),?we'r...
The chronograph is one of the most popular complications today. It is even more than a complication and has become a watch category in itself. It is stylish, practical and boasts a serious amount of technical complexity. For watch connoisseurs, there aren't many experiences that are as rewarding as pressing the pushers of a stopwatch or admiring the intricacies of a fine manual-winding column whee...
There is good news for women today: wearing an oversized men's sports watch is a thing of the past, and we are finally getting some of the coolest sports watches on the market in sizes designed to fit our wrists. Watch brands have understood that there are women out there who want the performance and dynamic look of sports watches, but do not want to wear massive men's models. Here are our top fiv...