Latest watch news · Page 1628

A series of portraits I took, with the intention to create a set for an exhibition. Master watchmakers are the soul of the industry, I wanted to capture some of that powerful character which makes them enigmatic to the watch collecting public. These are great genii who know how to work with their hands. Today,Read More

I was encouraged with the response to my post on the Parmigiani watches on tools, so today I decided to dig into my archives and offer some photographs of Langes on tools. These photographs appear in my book: “A, Lange & Sohne: The Pour le Merite Collection” available here. Today, I show the magnificent LangeRead More

I recently mentioned that I am very proud to be writing and doing the photography for the Parmigiani blog, today I highlight the first article appeared on the blog On 8 August and featuring the Parmigiani Tonda Annual Calendar. So today’s post will redirect you to the article in the Parmigiani blog. Please click hereRead More

Omega recently added some watches to their collection which are homages to the watches that made the brand in the early years. Today’s watch is the Museum collection no 10, issued in 2010 as a replica of the 1938 chronograph. I am not so sure about the name Omega has chosen for this watch…replica soundsRead More

I have shown the amazing Urwerk UR-110 ST before…I have a piece in titanium on loan from the factory (thanks Yacine, Felix, Martin). And I thought to do some partial macros to show the beautifully sculputured watch. The watch is rather slim, as shown previously…see my SIHH report, but somehow Urwerk found enough space withinRead More

I earlier featured the Gronefeld brothers and their amazing work here. But today, I dig a bit deeper, and show some extreme macros. All these images are magnified to the full frame size of the Hasselblad H3d-39, whose sensor is 48mmx36mm, and will stand upsizing to prints which can cover a wall 3m in widthRead More

The Vietnamese market is a slippery one, for many foreign businesses. I have personal experiences of mis-adventures, but particularly so for the high end horology business. One of the few independent watchmakers who have made inroads into this former Communist market is Peter Speake-Marin. I continue focussing on Peter today, with his interesting, and quiteRead More

Peter Speake-Marin…one of the few English watchmakers living and working in Switzerland. I have known Peter for perhaps 10 years, since he was starting out as an independent watchmaker. He cut his teeth in Renaud et Papi and at one of the great London vintage retailer’s restoration atelier. He was recently in Singapore to showcaseRead More

The Gronefeld brothers in Holland are one of the secrets of high end horology. Independents, they were both trained in the stables of Renaud et Papi. And have been making their own watches, as well as contracting for others from their little workshop in The Netherlands. I had the opportunity to meet them several timesRead More

When Breguet announced the Double Tourbillon in , I was skeptical. Skeptical because it sounded more like a showoff watch than one which has true horological significance and beauty. But recently, I was reacquainted with the 5347, and came away quite impressed. Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Ref. 5347 The watch features a double tourbillon, eachRead More

Introducing Movements of Asia. A home grown Singapore brand. Designed by Sean Wai…a tactiturn architect turned watch brand do-it-all in Singapore, assembled in Singapore with Chinese parts. I first came to know Sean from his other hobby company…Soul Bikes. The only titanium bicycle frame brand to be based in Singapore. The frames are completely designedRead More

Max Bussier’s MBF is rather innovative…that’s an understatement. The watches coming out from his stable is truly stretches the imagination, and the wonderful stories he can tell to describe them equally wonderful. It is with great interest that I can now present the HM3 Frog Moonmachine. A variant of the HM3 Frog, with its bulgingRead More

Exclusive pictures of the Stainless Steel Lange Tourbillon “Pour le Merite” In the early days of the manufacture, the leadership of the company, principally Mr Gunter Blumlein made some difficult decisions to make special edition watches for special customers…he subsequently stopped this practice, as it creates considerable headaches for the company to dedicate resources toRead More

Malmaison by The Hour Glass in Knightsbridge stands as one of the most beautiful stores purveying luxury in the world. A brainchild of Michael Tay, this store is a treasure house to showcase luxury. Not satisfied with just offering the world’s best watches, Malmaison now also offers a beautiful line of menswear, luxury perfumes andRead More

Ladoire’s Black Widow Photographed on location in the Geneva Time Exhibition. I had some time to photograph the interesting Ladoire Black Widow. Known various as Mr. Green, Mr. Black according to the colour treatment of the bridges, the watch is quite interesting in the way it tells time…openworked dial, multilayered three regualtor off set hours,Read More

My portfolio featured in Heure Suisse I was greatly honoured to be given several pages of the permier industry magazine Heure Suisse. This is the leading Swiss magazine read by almost everyone in the industry. The magazine is published in both French and German editions So instead of the regular blog post, please allow meRead More

Faster or slower by flicking a switch…the Hublot Key of Time Known variously as Hublot MP-02 and Key of Time, the concept of willfully being able to make your watch go faster or slower is an interesting, and conversational subject. Initially conceived by Mathias Butlet at BNB Concept (now owned by Hublot), I was notRead More

One of my favourite watch making house is the often overlooked Seiko. They have a long history and tradition of making fine timepieces as well as of innovation. But most collectors focus too much on Swiss timepieces. But yes, Virginia, excellent watches do come from outside Switzerland. Germany, and increasingly England, and of course Japan.Read More

Beauty of the DeBethune DB25T I had the opportunity to view and photograph the magnificent DB25T again… Truly a magnificent piece, beautifully conceived, finished. Jaw drapping beautiful. The dial, hand flamed titanium to achieve the deep blue…nothign short of amazing. And the second morte complication is nicely emphasized with the large sweep seconds making itsRead More

Urwerk watches lend themselves to my work very well. The movements and time display system is 3 dimensionsl, with beautiful angles and curves. And they are quite a work of art. This issue, I focus on one of their newer watches. The Urwerk U-110 nwo with a new gold bezel…known as the Golden Shield. ComfortableRead More

Ludovic Ballouard: innovative genius? Ludovic Ballouard is a funny, quirky fellow. His humour extends to the location of his show during the SIHH – the Hotel du Midi – with its quirky furniture in the lobby and large, loud sculptures, to the watches he makes. Formerly working at Francois Paul Journe, Ludovic was formerly inRead More

The Booths at the SIHH get more and more amazing each year. This year is no different. As with last year, I took some time to go around to photograph the booths. Here is a selection I omit the largest display – the one by Cartier, because it is spread across several booths…in fact itRead More

  Greubel Forsey’s continued exploration of the tourbillon is a fascinating one. Incline double tourbillons, quadruple tourbillons, inventions with tourbillons, secrets with tourbillon, and now a GMT with a 3 dimensional rotating globe with an incline double tourbillon. So they take their wonderful 24 incline tourbillon, moved things around a bit, so as to createRead More

SIHH 2012: Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Royal Oak with beautiful re-issues. Has it been 40 years since Gerald Genta had this brilliant idea of putting a octagonal bezel in a stylized tonneau case? Indeed it has been, and yet, the Royal Oak looks as fresh today as it didRead More

  Laurent Ferrier is a very small firm based in Geneva. They practically burst into the scene with a ultra classical watch featuring a tourbillon and immaculate finishing in 2010. That was the Galet Tourbillon. They added a peek-a-boo style dial to the Galet in 2011. And this year, they introduced the Micro Rotor –Read More

  2012 might be the year of the re-issue. For JLC, the strategy is not different. They reissued and revised the Master Control series with aplomb. And reissued some Reversos…but do note that JLC might perhaps be seen as leading this trend, having started the 1931 Reverso re-edition in SIHH 2011. However, in addition toRead More

SIHH 2012: Vacheron Constantin. The rise of the new Malte and the continuing saga of the Metiers d’Art. 2012 seems to be the year of the reissue. Many brands reworked their classic offerings and modernized their collection. This was seen in JLC with their 1930s Reverso (yes that started in SIHH 2011), AP with theRead More