768 articles · 52 videos found · page 23 of 28
Breguet's 1801 rotating-cage escapement, explained.
The coiled spring that controls the balance wheel; Huygens 1675, Breguet overcoil 1795.
Designer behind modern Breguet 1973-89 and the eponymous Daniel Roth brand with its double-ellipse case.
The cursive italic Arabic numerals designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet ~1790; canonical haute-horlogerie dress watch numeral.
Monochrome
If you’re reading this article and MONOCHROME on a regular basis, you should certainly all about the tourbillon, this device where the regulating organ is placed in a constantly rotating cage, counteracting the negative effect of gravity. But we have to keep in mind that the tourbillon, conceived and patented by Breguet in 1801, was […]
SJX Watches
Having covered independent watchmaking and metiers d’art highlights at Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, we now look at timepieces that aren’t wristwatches. The Hong Kong sale is a two-part affair: a theme sale focused on timepieces of Japanese origin christened Toki, and the The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIX. Both include a notable number of pocket watches and clocks across the spectrum of style and periods, from an iconic Cartier Model A mystery clock in rock crystal to the Richard Mille RM020 pocket watch. The catalogues with online bidding for Toki and HKWA XIX. TOKI lot 60 – Breguet digital jumping hours pocket watch This uncommon Breguet pocket watch with a two-tone case was sold in 1926 to a certain Mitoui T.K. for the sum on 16,000 French francs. This was a period when Breguet was making few timepieces, making watches from this era, especially complicated ones, relatively uncommon. With elegantly angled cutouts for the hour and minutes, the jumping hour display makes this watch a rarity. Similarly displays were found on wrist- and pocket watches of the time, including the Cartier Tank à Guichet. This particular piece does not bear the classic Breguet style, like the coin-edged case band or engine-turned dial. The style, however, is typical of the 1920s, though the two-tone case makes it unusual. This watch was made in France, since this was produced well before the brand’s move to the Swiss Vallée de Joux in the 1970s. The white-and-pink-gold 45 mm c...
Worn & Wound
We live in a very good time for independent watchmaking. I know that may sound like an oddly specific metric by which to judge the world, but it’s true. There was a time, not so long ago, when an enthusiast watch collector looking for a highly complicated watch would have struggled to find what they were looking for outside the worlds of Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet. Perhaps the occasional Blancpain or Breguet might make a splash, but in the wake of the quartz crisis, the contracted watch industry focused on what it did best for the sake of its own survival, and we should all be grateful for that. Thankfully, in 2024, those days are gone, or at least mitigated. Since the mid-‘90s, the rise of independents has been one of the watch industry’s key narrative arcs, and, now, collectors looking to patronize the sort of small, unique, highly technical brands lost to them in the ‘70s and ‘80s are truly spoiled for choice. It is out of this transition that Laurent Ferrier has emerged not only as one of the watch world’s preeminent names but as a perfect encapsulation of how the industry has evolved over the last few decades. And there is no better watch to summarize that point than Laurent Ferrier’s new Classic Moon, introduced at Watches and Wonders earlier this year. But before getting to that watch, it’s worth spending a little bit of time thinking about Laurent Ferrier (the person, not the brand). Now, I’m not going to give you a complete accounting of t...
SJX Watches
The very first wristwatch François-Paul Journe created was the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité – three prototypes were made in 1993 and he retained the very first example. Arguably the most famous F.P. Journe wristwatch alongside the Résonance, the tourbillon has since evolved into the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical, which is likely the final version of the watchmaker’s take on Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention. Conceived for chronometric utility as a wristwatch, the Tourbillon Vertical, or “TV” for short, is the latest iteration of Mr Journe’s interpretation of A.-L. Breguet’s invention. It was launched in 2019 for the 20th anniversary of the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite. The vertical tourbillon sits in a countersink with mirror-polished sides The Tourbillon Vertical retains the signature double feature of the original F.P. Journe tourbillon, namely a tourbillon regulator and a remontoir d’egalite, or constant force device. But while the prototype and all subsequent iterations of the F.P. Journe tourbillon had a flat tourbillon on the same plane as the movement, the Tourbillon Vertical is self-descriptive. Its tourbillon sits perpendicular to the movement, with both the carriage and balance wheel standing at a 90° angle to the plane of the dial. In sophistication, finish, materials, and even size, the Tourbillon Vertical is far removed from the 1993 prototypes. Yet it is quintessential F.P. Journe in its elegant, concise technical approach while al...
Monochrome
Possibly the most classic and timeless range of Longines, the Master Collection has long been slightly overlooked since its inception in 2005, maybe due to a rather shy design. Yet, in 2022 to mark the brand’s 190th anniversary, Longines gave this collection a highly appealing twist, with grained dials and engraved Breguet-like numerals, elevating this […]
Monochrome
German watchmaker Stefan Kudoke fell in love with watchmaking as a young man and cut his teeth in the complications and prototypes department of Glashütte Original, followed by stints in the New York service departments of Breguet, Blancpain and Omega. Since branching out as an independent watchmaker on the outskirts of Dresden with his brand […]
SJX Watches
The owner of brands like Omega and Longines, the Swatch Group just announced its results for the first half of 2024. The half-year numbers crystallised a slowdown that the watch industry has felt since late 2023. Revenue was down 14.3% to CHF3.44 billion, while operating profit plunged 70% to just CHF204 million, giving the group an operating margin of just 5.9%, compared to 17.1% from a year earlier. According to Swatch, the fall in revenue was “triggered by the sharp drop in demand for luxury goods in China (including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR)”. At the same time, wholesale sales fell over 10%, indicating that third-party retailers are ordering less watches from the group’s brands, which in turn indicates the retailers’ pessimism for the short- and medium term. Swatch also explained the poor results by noting the group did not “make any redundancies… [and] maintaining all production capacities and not laying off qualified staff”. This was done so that “the Group [will] recover more quickly and benefit more significantly from the next upswing.” The progressively weakening positions of each of the group’s brands relative to the competition – marques like Breguet and Blancpain stand out in this regard – imply this might be overoptimistic. Notably, Swatch stated “the Swatch brand bucked the negative trend” thanks to the bestselling MoonSwatch, but this was not (and will not) be sufficient to help the rest of the group given the low value of Swat...
Time+Tide
Breguet and Voutilainen celebrate Tourbillon Day; Zenith and Omega celebrate Paris; and Hublot and Ressence go monochromatic.The post New releases from Hublot, Voutilainen, H. Moser & Cie and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Newly established “micro” brand Anoma follows a familiar template: making particular vintage designs or genres affordable. But it’s approaching the concept with a different flavour. Instead of “sector” dials or Breguet numerals, the brand’s inaugural watch, the A1 First Series, is a clean, geometric form inspired by 1950s furniture. Initial thoughts The A1 is refreshing change from the typical “micro” brand offering that is too often a remake of a vintage Patek Philippe or dive watch. While the A1 won’t have the broad appeal of a conventional round watch, it is an interesting alternative for someone on a budget. The A1 is more typical of “micro” brand offerings in its fit and finish. It is done well for the price, but some compromises had to be made to achieve the affordability. The gap between the case middle and back, for instance, is quite obvious. This isn’t a criticism but a fact true of all brands in this genre. Vintage flavour Founded by Matteo Violet Vianello, a management consultant who’s a watch entrepreneur on the side, Anoma aims to be a “experimental and daring vision of watch design”. The A1 is not modelled on a watch, but instead a triangular table designed in the 1950s by French architect Charlotte Perriand. Earlier in her career Perriand worked at Le Corbusier’s studio, where she helped design several now-famous pieces of furniture, including the B 306 chaise longue. The watch reproduces the outline of the table with the cas...
SJX Watches
The upcoming Phillips watch auction in Hong Kong includes the expected offerings from establishment brands and independent watchmakers, but more unusually an impressive line-up of complicated pocket watches – almost all from the same owner. Though the number of pocket watches is small, the selection is particularly notable in terms of quality, complications, and condition. We look at a quartet of impressive pocket watches in the sale, including two important watches that are not Swiss but built on Swiss ebauches: a 1930 L. Leroy grand complication with a four-digit year indicator and the massive, 63 mm Charles Frodsham minute repeating split-seconds chronograph with tourbillon. With the exception of the Audemars Piguet, all the pocket watches were consigned by the same collector, who also owns the unique Patek Philippe ref. 767 grand complication with double-split seconds. The auction takes place on May 24 (lots 801-934) and May 25 (lots 935-1083), and the online catalogue is here. The Frodsham double complication with tourbillon 876 – L. Leroy & Cie. Minute Repeating Perpetual Calendar Chronograph “Leroy” is a storied name in French watchmaker that began with Basile Le Roy (1765-1839), who was a contemporary of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823). Like Breguet, Le Roy was clockmaker to royalty, including Napoleon. But this Leroy pocket watch was made by the firm of L. Leroy & Cie. founded by Louis Leroy (1859-1934), who was not related to Le Roy but worked for the ...
SJX Watches
One of the most fascinating timepieces in Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction is the Patek Philippe grand complication pocket watch ref. 767. Made in 1950 and sold in 1952, this one-of-a-kind pocket watch boasts a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and double split-seconds chronograph. More accurately, it is a mono-pusher, double split-seconds, or even triple-split seconds. This ref. 767 features not two, but three, chronograph seconds hands. As a result, it can simultaneously measure three elapsed times of up to one minute. The complication is possibly unique amongst Patek Philippe watches. A historically significant watch in itself, this ref. 767 also has notable provenance: it once belonged to Seth Atwood, the American industrialist who founded the now-closed Time Museum. According to Philips, this ref. 767 was Atwood’s everyday watch, not surprising since he was a legendary collector of his day with a collection that included the Patek Philippe Graves Supercomplication and the Duc d’Orléans Breguet Sympathique. Three seconds hands, two in blued steel and one in gold Initial thoughts I’ve been impressed by many pocket watches – some that come to include a Patek Philippe observatory tourbillon and the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie – but I’ve rarely been surprised. This ref. 767 was, however, entirely unexpected. When it was first described to me, I was confused and immediately thought of the Lange Double Split. But as it turns out, this is entirely d...
SJX Watches
Established in 2015, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition is an annual affair to recognise the next generation of watchmakers. Applicants present a timepiece of their own design and construction, which is judged by on its complexity, craftsmanship, and aesthetics by a jury including Philippe Dufour, Giulio Papi, and Francois-Paul Journe. While last year’s winner was a Swiss-Italian clockmaker, this year’s winner is 23-year-old Frenchman Thomas Aubert, who entered his wristwatch Séléné, a unique piece crafted in his final year at the Edgar Faure High School in Morteau, France. Amongst the standout features of the Séléné is its key-winding and -setting as well as the clever “shooting star” display on the back. The Séléné pays tribute to classical watchmaking in both style and technique, but each reinterpreted with a modern twist. As is often the case with such school watches, the movement is based on the Unitas 6497, although it underwent extensive reworking. For example, the timepiece doesn’t feature a crown; instead winding and time-setting are done via a key that goes into dedicated slots on the case back. The front of the Séléné is classical and tastefully done, with a “grated” finish on the dial that is set on a frosted plate backdrop. The exposed balance bridge is mirror polished and chamfered. The screwed balance beats at 2.5 Hz and features a prominent Breguet overcoil hairspring. Mr Aubert is fascinated by astronomy, a passion that he...
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin presents the world’s most complicated watch once again, surpassing its own record set by the Reference 57260 in 2015. Commissioned by the same American collector who owns the 57260, the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers “The Berkley” Grand Complication boasts many of the complications found in its predecessor but gains a world first, a perpetual Chinese calendar. Made by the elite three-man team responsible for the 57260, the Berkley is a unique mechanical achievement with over two faces and over 60 complications. It joins a major collection of pocket watches that includes not only the 57260 but also the King Farouk I grand complication made by Vacheron Constantin for the Egyptian monarch in the 1930s. Initial thoughts Named after its owner, the Berkley cannot be compared to commonplace high horology. Instead it sits among the historical greats – which happen to all be pocket watches – like the the Breguet Marie Antoinette, Leroy 01, and of course the Patek Philippe duo of the the Graves Super Complication and Calibre 89. But now the Berkley trumps them all, having pushed the boundaries of possibility to sit at the zenith of watchmaking. The owner of the Berkley, insurance tycoon William R. Berkley, evidently has a keen appreciation of mechanical excellence. The watch is a masterpiece in the extreme art of micro engineering. But not only is it exceptionally complicated, it boasts a first in watchmaking – a perpetual Chinese calendar com...
SJX Watches
Having explored the origins of the Ulysse Nardin Freak, from its concept by Carole Forestier Kasapi to its realisation by Dr Ludwig Oechslin, we now turn to the Freak’s more recent innovations, starting with the Dual Ulysse Escapement. [This story explains the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement of the Freak. Part I, covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and innovative escapement. Part III details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor.] A new and improved version of the Dual Direct escapement in the original 2001 Freak, the Dual Ulysse made its debut in 2005 inside the Freak 28’000 V/H, colloquially known as the Freak 2. Slightly larger than the original model but otherwise very similar, the Freak 2 operated at 28,000 beats per hour (4 Hz), a higher frequency than the 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) of the original Freak. One of the factors which made possible the increase in frequency was the revised escapement christened the Dual Ulysse Escapement. A diagram showing the key parts of the Dual Ulysse Escapement. Image – Ulysse Nardin The Dual Ulysse Escapement Another creation of Dr Oechslin’s, the Dual Ulysse departs from the classical natural escapement à la Breguet that the original Dual Direct Escapement was based on, but it still bears some resemblance to its...
Worn & Wound
Louis Erard’s appeal is that of a legitimately independent brand mixes a taste of high horology with compelling value. Across the entire Excellence collection, we see various design elements, materials, and finishing techniques that belie the watches’ price points. A hands-on experience with the collection brings a new level of appreciation for the level of detail that each particular model boasts. Take the Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde, the brand’s take on an elevated everyday watch. After marveling at the striking dial colors and complementary straps, we appreciate the harmony of the various textures and dial elements. On the other hand, the Regulateur Lapis-Lazuli wows us with its ultramarine and speckled blue stone dial, which is accentuated by using an interesting and uncommon regulator format. Not to be outdone, the Excellence Guilloché Main II is a master class of high-end finishing at a more approachable price than most. The lines comprising the concentric circles and diamond are intricately etched using a rose engine lathe in a process pioneered by Abraham-Louis Breguet. We’re excited to offer the Louis Erard Excellence collection in the Windup Watch Shop because, simply put, they are special. Zach Weiss gets hands-on with the watches in our latest video here. Louis Erard’s appeal is that of a legitimately independent brand mixes a taste of high horology with compelling value. Across the entire Excellence collection, we see various design elemen...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A quick look at the Kurono Tokyo 34mm Calligra Special Project watches featuring 34mm cases, Breguet numerals, and an elegant dressy design.
Hodinkee
Plus a Breguet Hora Mundi and a green JLC Reverso.
SJX Watches
Novel ways of telling the time or exhibiting the movement have long been the focus of the avant-garde horologists. Independent watchmakers like Ressence or Urwerk have built their brands on doing away with conventional hands. Such idiosyncratic approaches to watchmaking challenge the traditions of horology, making for a more interesting horological landscape. Even before Urwerk introduced the pioneering three-dimensional cubic hour display in 2005, there was the Ulysse Nardin Freak. Launched in 2001, the Freak literally changed the face of watchmaking by transposing the movement into the dial. Two decades after its launch, the Freak is still regarded as a landmark for its audacity, from both aesthetic and technical perspective. [This story covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and unique escapement. Part II deals with the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement, while Part III details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor.] The origins The beginning of the Freak lay in 1997, when Carole Forestier-Kasapi, then a young and talented movement designer who only recently graduated from technical college, won the Prix de la Fondation Abraham-Louis Breguet, a contest conceived to mark A.-L. Breguet’s 250th birthday that sought to recognise watchmaking ingenuity. Now the head of m...
Hodinkee
From Patek and Rolex to Breguet and Piaget, the heaviest hitters from the year's Original Miami Beach Antique Show.
Hodinkee
Plus a titanium Breguet Type XXi, and a Doppel-Felix Date from Habring².
SJX Watches
With recent releases well received, most notably the 190th Anniversary models and Small Seconds featuring engraved Breguet numerals, Longines’ Master Collection now gains a twin time zone offering with the Master Collection GMT, which is only available in 18k gold, for now. With the case in either yellow or rose gold, the GMT stands apart from its more affordable predecessors. It also diverges in terms of design, with applied Roman numerals instead of Breguet numerals. Initial thoughts The latest addition to the line continues the progressive facelifting of the Master Collection that gives existing models a sophisticated style. Though the range already included a GMT, it was in the older livery with a guilloche dial. The new GMT sticks to the classical aesthetic of the Master Collection, though it’s not quite as successful as the facelift applied to the rest of the line-up. Although elaborately done with applied numerals – which are solid gold to match the case – the dial is a bit old fashioned and feels uninspired. This is particularly obvious when compared to its time-only counterparts with their engraved Breguet numerals. That said, applying Breguet numerals to the GMT is a simple matter, and I would not be surprised to see that in the future. Because of the solid gold case, the Master Collection GMT costs US$14,750, which is well beyond the brand’s traditional price segment and where it does well. Even though this is a Longines with features usually found in ...
SJX Watches
Ten years after it arrived on market, Girard-Perregaux revived its most notable modern-day invention with the Neo Constant Escapement. Operating on the same principles as the original, the Neo Constant Escapement (NCE) features an upgraded movement inside a more compact case. A combination of a historical concept originating with Abraham-Louis Breguet and cutting edge horology, the NCE retains the defining invention of the original – a true constant-force escapement. “True” because the constant-force mechanism, comprising a lozenge-shaped silicon spring, is integrated with the pallet lever, which in turn interacts with a “natural” escapement of twin escape wheels. While the key concept has been retained, the rest of the NCE, however, has been improved over the original, with wearability in particular having been enhanced. Initial thoughts The fundamental concept of the NCE is appealing because it successfully combines a significant historical invention, Breguet’s double-wheel escapement, with an innovation that is entirely 21st century, a compliant mechanism in silicon. Both are brought together in an elegant yet ingenious manner. The basis of the movement is Breguet’s échappement naturel, the “natural” escapement with two wheels that has been adopted in the modern day, in a variety of modified forms, by Voutilainen, F.P. Journe, and Charles Frodsham. But the natural escapement here has been enhanced with a constant force mechanism made up of a single pi...
SJX Watches
As we reported earlier in the year, the F.P. Journe boutique in London at 33 Bruton St is now open. Perfectly placed in the heart of Mayfair, with Berkeley Square at one end and New Bond St at the other, the space used to belong to English gunmaker Holland & Holland, which was once owned by Chanel, an investor in F.P. Journe. We have been lucky enough to go down and see the new store for ourselves, and chat with the friendly team led by Shawn Mehta (pictured above centre alongside Francois-Paul Journe and Amelie Lefevere, chief executive of F.P. Journe). With an aesthetic that will be familiar to anyone who has stepped into one of the brand’s other stores, the space is thoughtful segmented into three parts, with the plan laid out by Mr Journe, who attends to every detail himself. The main area at the front contains the displays of the brand’s watches along with a traditional watchmakers bench and portraits of historical watchmakers that have inspired Mr Journe, including Antide Janvier and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Next sits the “heart” of the boutique according to its staff, the bar area. Stocked with F.P. Journe’s own wine made by Chateau Seguin, it is a fantastic space for discussion. Overlooking this convivial area is a frosted depiction of a Resonance movement that is actually the drinks cabinet. Finally, at the back is a private area with seating where clients consultations take place. A dinner was held to launch the boutique, attended by clients and friends o...
SJX Watches
Our favourite segments in Phillips’ Hong Kong sale on November 24 and 25 are artisanal and form watches, independents of course, and now complications. We round up a selection of nine notable complicated watches, including two special-order Patek Philippe masterpieces, a ref. 3974P with Breguet numerals and a ref. 5004P Michael Ovitz special. The list also includes vintage complications, like the well-preserved Rolex ref. 6062 yellow gold “Stelline”. And also some big value buys in a literal sense: the 48 mm Panerai PAM00350 “Lo Scienzato” skeleton tourbillon and the 44 mm Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle grand complication, both estimated at a fraction of their retail price. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII takes place on November 24 and 25, 2023. Registration for bidding and the complete catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 839: Panerai Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramica “Lo Scienziato” PAM00350 Panerai paid tribute to astronomer Galileo Galilei in 2010 with the PAM00350 “Lo Scienziato”, one of the most complicated watches made by the brand. It was a Radiomir Tourbillon GMT Ceramic powered by the in-house cal. P.2005/S – a skeletonised movement executed in a distinctly modern style with the base plate and brides open worked in a grid and finished entirely in matte black. The aesthetics of the P.2005/S movement make the PAM00350 arguably one of the few Panerai models that successfully blended a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic with the historical Pa...
Hodinkee
From 11th-hour controversy at Christie's to continued interest in Cartier and Breguet, it was a wild weekend of watch sales.
Worn & Wound
“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. WatchTime Returns to NYC This year’s Windup Watch Fair in New York City is right around the corner (less than a week away!) and it once again coincides with WatchTime New York, held annually at Gotham Hall, just a few subway stops away from Windup festivities at the Altman Building. WatchTime is absolutely worth checking out, and combined with Windup it should make for a great weekend of watches in NYC. This year at WatchTime you’ll be able to see a huge variety of brands, some of whom will be bringing watches that are tough to see in person, including MB&F;, Breguet, Louis Erard, Greubel Forsey, and many, many others. This year, WatchTime has generously offered a special code to Worn & Wound readers to get a free Sunday ticket ($39 value) by entering the code Worn&Wound;_Sunday in the “enter coupon code” field when checking out on the WatchTime website. KAM Outline Keycaps & GMK Hyperfuse Group Buy If you spend most of your time sitting in front of a keyboard, you probably deserve a better one. Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts put plenty of time and effort into finding jus...
Quill & Pad
It’s been more than ten years since the De Bethune DB28 won the Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Effectively the “Best Picture” at the “Oscars” of watchmaking, this recognition placed De Bethune among the elite company of Aiguille d’Or winners such as F.P. Journe, Greubel Forsey, Breguet, Audemars Piguet, A. Lange & Söhne, and Patek Philippe. A decade removed from its Hollywood ending, the DB28 remains a grail watch in every sense.
SJX Watches
Following our look at notable complications and artisanal masterpieces on offer at Sotheby’s Important Watches I in Hong Kong, we now consider the independent watchmaking highlights in the sale that takes place on October 7. The offerings in the sale range from establishment names like Philippe Dufour – on offer is a Simplicity 37 mm in platinum made after the original run – to newcomers like Pascal Coyon with a Besançon Observatory-certified chronometer. And the highlights also include the headline lot of the auction, the extravagant Richard Mille RM 53-02 in blue sapphire crystal. Important Watches I happens on October 7, 2023. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. The Richard Mille RM 53-02 Lot 2116: Pascal Coyon Chronometre One of the most affordable offerings in the sale is the Pascal Coyon Chronometre, a watch inspired by the French watchmaker’s career as a watch and clock repairer in Bayonne. Though based on a Unitas 6498, Mr Coyon’s hand-wound movement bears a strong resemblance to classical 19th-century pocket watches from the likes of Longines. While the movement is still a Unitas 6498 at its core, it has been dressed up with frosted bridges and a snail cam regulator, amongst other things. Being one of his earlier watches, this has a plain, 42 mm polished steel case with a stepped bezel and a white lacquered dial with red numerals for “12” and “60”, complemented by Breguet-style hour and minute hands. This ...
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s Fine Watches has just opened online, marking the start of the fall auction season. Curated by the auctioneer’s Paris office led by Benoit Colson, the sale promises a diverse selection of vintage and contemporary watches from establishment names like Rolex and Breguet, along with a handful of independent watchmakers. While the complete catalogue boasts 160 lots, we have put together a selection of interesting highlights ranging from value-buy complications like a Breguet rattrapante chronograph to the unusual first-generation Christiaan Van Der Klaauw planetarium, along with a very nice vintage Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542. And for European buyers, Sotheby’s is notable for being the sole global auction house conducting watch auctions within the European Union – majority of such sales are in Geneva and London – which gives clients the chance to purchase watches without the hassle associated with import taxes. Fine Watches takes place online September 15-29. All the watches will be on show at the preview exhibition inside Sotheby’s Paris office located at 76 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. Registration for bidding and the catalogue can be found on Sothebys.com. Lot 363: Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 in yellow gold The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 was mostly in stainless steel with the distinctive “Pepsi” bezel. However, the present lot stands as out for being in yellow gold with a brown bezel and matching dial with nipple-shaped hour markers. Dating to 1958,...
Teddy Baldassarre
It says a lot about the cultural impact of wristwatches that it seems to many of us as if they’ve been around forever, and in fact, there are watchmaking brands that can trace their history back two centuries or more; a handful are even older than the United States. Watches worn on the wrist, however, are a more recent phenomenon, at least for the general public, and while men make up the majority of serious wristwatch collectors and aficionados these days, women were the trendsetters of the style, wearing timepieces on their wrists nearly 100 years before gentlemen adopted them into their wardrobe. So who made the first wristwatch (for men and for women) and how did the wristwatch win over a male populace that at first considered them hopelessly effete? Our story begins in early 19th-Century France, with one of horological history's leading luminaries. First wristwatch (1810): Breguet No. 2639 for Queen Caroline Murat of Naples Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747 - 1823, above) was a native of Neuchâtel, Switzerland who plied his trade as a watchmaker in Paris and who today is regarded as one the most important figures in the history of timekeeping. Among Breguet’s many innovations were the first self-winding movement, the first repeater movement with a gong, one of the earliest constant-force escapements, and the device that he famously patented in 1801, the tourbillon escapement. But perhaps the most influential contribution Breguet made to the evolution of timekeeping wa...
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