Revolution
Hublot for The Rake Aerofusion Chronograph ‘Molon Labe’
The Hublot for The Rake Classic Fusion Aero Chronograph “Molon Labe” will be made in a limited edition of 25 watches launching September 2018.
Results for Christie's Geneva: Rare Watches
20,720 articles · 163 videos found · page 246 of 697
Revolution
Time+Tide
OPINION: There are 3 types of watch wearers, which one are you?
Editor’s Note: Recently we learned that there are people in the world who buy and wear broken watches. In between all the head shaking, tut-tutting and ‘what’s the watch world coming to’ etc amongst the team, we reached a surprising point. We learned that while none of us falls into this desperate and strange new category, we are, in fact, all … ContinuedThe post OPINION: There are 3 types of watch wearers, which one are you? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
ANNOUNCING: If you’re thinking about buying an Autavia, now is the time to move - our Collector’s Packs are on sale today
Our Autavia plus Collector’s Packs go on sale today. Last week, we announced that we’ve put together a Collector’s Pack to include with our limited sale of 10 TAG Heuer Autavia Calibre Heuer 02 watches. Today, the sale is live - you can check it out right now in the shop. The sale is for a … ContinuedThe post ANNOUNCING: If you’re thinking about buying an Autavia, now is the time to move – our Collector’s Packs are on sale today appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
EDITOR’S PICK: Work getting in the way of your watch love? Here are 9 surefire tips to hiding the obsession
Editor’s note: Work. It’s one of life’s unavoidable necessities. And for us watch folk, a place that if we’re not careful, our choice of wrist-wear and love of watches can lead to a spot of trouble. Especially now, when the year’s brand-new releases are hitting the storefronts and there is research and shortlisting to be done. While … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Work getting in the way of your watch love? Here are 9 surefire tips to hiding the obsession appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: We polled people about the Panerai Luminor vs the Radiomir and the results are in
Well, at the end of a week that has focused on Panerai watches, the votes are in. In a recent Instagram poll, 66 per cent of you said that the Luminor is their preferred collection. About the same split could be seen in the comments on various posts. There’s little mystery as to why it … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: We polled people about the Panerai Luminor vs the Radiomir and the results are in appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
LIST: Are our 11 Basel 2017 favourites still our favourites?
In the final days of Baselworld 2017, we put together a (very sleep-deprived) video of our top picks of the fair. But as we all know, feelings change. Are the watches that hit us right in the hearts in thick of the fair still the ones we long for months later? Find out below… Seiko … ContinuedThe post LIST: Are our 11 Basel 2017 favourites still our favourites? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
HANDS-ON: When your hands are tied, consensually - Bulgari Serpenti Skin collection
Ancient Greek and Roman mythology furnish Bulgari with emblems from across the epochs, but their love affair with bold women in history also holds sway on their aesthetic. Like serpents, these dangerous beauties are sinful and sinuous - and nothing less than paradoxical. Fittingly, their latest Serpenti watch is a timepiece that can literally shed … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: When your hands are tied, consensually – Bulgari Serpenti Skin collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
LIST: Forget the Patek, here are 5 lots from Only Watch 2017 you might actually have a chance on
The big watch news of the week has been the announcement of the unique watches being auctioned off to raise funds for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the seventh bi-annual instalment of Only Watch. And while everyone’s (rightly) excited about the Patek, F.P. Journe and Tudor unique pieces, we’re pretty sure that they’ll quickly move into … ContinuedThe post LIST: Forget the Patek, here are 5 lots from Only Watch 2017 you might actually have a chance on appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
VIDEO: People’s choice votes are in after the first episode of Apples to Apples, and it’s a whitewash…
Just over a week ago we broadcast the first ever episode of Apples to Apples, where Felix and I pick two similar watches, flip a Swiss franc to decide which one we’re going in to battle for, and then argue for a couple of minutes. This is part A of the process. Part B is where … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: People’s choice votes are in after the first episode of Apples to Apples, and it’s a whitewash… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
LIST: Are our 9 Basel favourites still our favourites?
Anyone that’s been to Basel will know what we’re talking about when we reference the ‘Basel bubble’. It’s a cross between Steve Jobs’ reality distortion field (in which anything seems possible and reasonable) and a casino – where you are cut off from natural light and fresh air with access to a bottomless flutes of champagne. … ContinuedThe post LIST: Are our 9 Basel favourites still our favourites? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Hands On: FVF Genève FVF2 Openwork
Watch designer Franc Vila kicked off his comeback with the FVF1 skeleton tourbillon, which he then followed up with the FVF2, a non-tourbillon watch that likewise indicates the time and day. The FVF2 Openwork strips away the dial, giving the watch a more mechanical appearance thanks to the exposed under-dial works, revealing the jumper spring for the retrograde day indicator. The reverse of the Openwork is identical to that of the standard model. The manual-wind movement blends contemporary and traditional elements — the striking, angular design works surprisingly well as a canvas for haute horlogerie finishing. Notably, the FVF2 movement is also its case: the base plate is one with the case middle, an approach FVF describes as a “unibody” architecture. Initial thoughts Because the FVF2 was created by a designer, it has a unique aesthetic that blends many elements and inspirations. The look doesn’t overemphasise any singular influence, making it more interesting than most time-only watches on the market today, many of which converge on the same few historical styles. Even though the FVF2 is a little bit of this and a little bit of that, everything comes together well. The standard FVF2 has a dial, offered in a wide range of materials, while the Openwork version does not. That is essentially the sole distinction between the two, but it makes a big difference in terms of aesthetics. In this sense the Openwork is similar to Roger Smith’s open-dialled watches, especi...
SJX Watches
Hands On: FVF Genève FVF1 Tourbillon Superligero “Today”
Having re-emerged in 2021 with the debut of his new brand and the launch of the FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero, Franc Vila is back with the FVF1 Tourbillon Superligero “Today”, a watch that challenges conventional notions of timekeeping with a good-humoured twist on the traditional day of the week display. Leveraging its predecessor’s ultralight 42.5 mm titanium case and integrated flying tourbillon movement, the Today questions the difference between the days of the week, with a day roller that displays the word ‘today’ in a different font for each day. While over time the wearer might learn to associate particular fonts with particular days, the otherwise functional day roller is intended to be a reminder to not take things too seriously – today is all we have. Initial thoughts I didn’t really know what to expect the first time I stepped off the elevator into Mr Vila’s brightly lit, attic workshop in Geneva’s Saint Gervais neighbourhood. The workshop itself is part of the story, housed in what was once very likely home to a cabinotier, a term that refers to a watchmaker operating from a rooftop workshop once favoured by Genevan watchmakers of old, who preferred to work where they could get plenty of natural light. Beyond the typical watchmaking equipment, and even some atypical equipment like a perlage machine with a mysterious past, the workshop is packed with contemporary art from Mr Vila’s personal collection. Talking with him about these sources o...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Andersen Genève Montre à Tact for Only Watch 2019
Only Watch founder Luc Pettavino is a very persuasive man. Every two years, he manages to convince small watchmakers to risk neglecting paying customers, and instead to spend a lot of time and effort to exercise their creativity in building a one-off timepiece – and then give the resulting watch to the Only Watch charity auction. Most watchmakers regard it as an honour to be asked for a contribution, after all, the list of participants include boldface establishment names like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. While Luc also receives many offers from brands, he wants to curate an interesting mix of watches for each Only Watch auction, capped at a maximum of 50 watches or so each time – he alone decides what’s in and what’s out. A few brands have been dedicated supporters of the charity since the very beginning, and they are usually invited to return year after year. In the inaugural Only Watch auction in 2005, lot 1 was the unique Eros “Navigation Pleasure” wristwatch. It was the work of Andersen Genève, the brand founded by Svend Andersen, a 77-year old veteran independent watchmaker best known for co-founding the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). When Luc visited Svend at Baselworld earlier this year to solicit a contribution for Only Watch 2019, he received a swift “yes”. With the watch required to be finished for a world tour starting just three months after Baselworld, quick decisions were necessary a...
Time+Tide
New releases from Bvlgari, Lange, Laurent Ferrier and more
With Geneva Watch Days in full swing, here you’ll find the most important new releases of the second part of the year so far. We’re covering the event live from Geneva and, frankly, spoilt for choice; the sheer number of watches launched this week has been staggering, so if a model or two is missing … Continued
SJX Watches
Golden Obsidian for Gérald Genta’s Minute Repeater
One of the most striking watches to debut at Geneva Watch Days is a new variant of Gérald Genta’s Minute Repeater featuring a dial made of Golden Obsidian. In variation from last year’s debut, it’s forgone the glossy black onyx dial in favour of naturally formed volcanic glass. Initial thoughts Beyond the dial the only change is the strap, still with its signature centre-lug though now in a brown calfskin which nicely dresses down the overall package. It’s a perfect example of the brand’s ethos as they expand the collection: methodical, deliberate and measured. Small changes that stack up and give buyers more choice, and the addition of the Golden Obsidian alongside the Onyx shows how one small change can take a watch from classical and serious to relaxed and charming — having both options in the lineup should help satisfy still-healthy demand for stone dials perfectly compliment each other and goes far to round out a healthily expanding lineup for Gérald Genta. Obsidian dial Golden obsidian is a variant of the jet-black volcanic obsidian you’re likely familiar with. It forms naturally when lava cools rapidly and traps microscopic pockets of iron, air and gas bubbles forming organic striations and graining through the glass. These imperfections give golden obsidian its warmth and shimmer, changing dramatically as light hits it from different angles. What it does share with stone is its unique formation, so no two Golden Obsidian dials will be alike. Like wi...
Teddy Baldassarre Videos
Why I Bought The IWC Ingenieur - Long-Term Ownership Review
It was spring 2023, and I was in Geneva as I usually am this time of year at Watches and Wonders. This was an eventful year of releases, and one of the brands that dominated the discourse was IWC with the relaunch of the Ingenieur, which paid tribute to its 1970s Gerald Genta connections. Up until this point, I liked
Hodinkee
Introducing: Frederique Constant Highlife Moonphase Date And Classics Moneta Handwinding
What We Know At Geneva Watch Days this year, Frederique Constant introduces two new references that continue to build on the momentum the brand generated at Watches and Wonders. The Highlife Moonphase Date adds a moonphase complication to the Highlife collection; the Classics Moneta Handwinding is the first mechanical movement in a collection that launched in 2024 with a quartz movement and added a solar version earlier this year. Together, the two references display the range of what the manufacture builds in-house, from a complicated moonphase module to a hand-wound caliber developed exclusively for the brand. The Highlife Moonphase Date measures 39mm and comes in two dial colors. The rosé champagne dial uses a sunray finish that radiates outward from the moonphase window at 6 o'clock rather than from the center, with gold and copper tones set against a blue moon disc. The night blue dial uses a lighter sunray finish closer in tone to its own moon disc, with a red "31" marking the final day of longer months. The moon disc is rendered with grey shading and surface relief rather than a flat metallic disc. Both versions use applied, mirror-polished, lume-filled indexes and hands. By comparison, the Classics Moneta Handwinding measures 38.5mm and comes in a single dial color: a smoked salmon-tone gradient that darkens to black at the edges, with applied mirror-polished hour markers, two dauphine hands, and a small seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock. The Highlife Moonphase Date...
SJX Watches
Alto Returns with the Art 02
Design-forward independent watchmaker Alto has kicked off Geneva Watch Days with its second model, the Art 02. While the most obvious difference is the addition of a matching bracelet, the entire watch has been refined and updated with a smaller case and an upgraded movement. Initial thoughts A dominant trend in independent watchmaking for the past several years has been the veneration of finishing. This focus has given rise to a growing number of overtly traditional time-only watches built and finished to a high standard. Alto belongs a class of design-led independents that promotes a different approach, one focused on how shapes and textures contribute to the wearing experience. This philosophy comes into sharper focus with the brand’s sophomore effort, the Art 02. While visually similar to its predecessor — enough that they would be hard to tell apart by an untrained eye — the Art 02 has been significantly refined and upgraded in several respects. First is the case, which is slightly thicker but much smaller in length and width, and a new proprietary calibre designed specifically for the Art 02. Then there’s the matching titanium bracelet, which is brushed and faceted to create a dazzling display of light and shadow. Surprisingly, the Art 02 is significantly less expensive than its predecessor. In fact, the retail price of €13,100 is just over half that of the Art 01 in “Monochrome Grey.” Considering the new calibre, proprietary bracelet, and similar bill ...
Hodinkee
Introducing: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton 'Milano Blue' in Rose Gold
What We Know This morning, just ahead of Geneva Watch Days, Parmigiani Fleurier has unveiled a new limited-edition take on its Tonda PF Skeleton. This new watch does something so many Parmigiani watches do so well, blending several existing elements to create something just a little bit new. In this instance, Parmigiani Fleurier has taken its Milano Blue skeletonized Tonda PF dial and movement—which had previously been available only in platinum—and fitted them to a rose gold Tonda PF case (and bracelet). The Tonda PF case is one of the key arguments in favor of modern Parmigiani Fleurier. At 40mm across and just 8.5mm thick, it's well-sized and thin without feeling slight. Still, for as good as the Tonda PF is, the star of the show here is the movement. The PF777 (which you can read a bit more about here) is an automatic winding caliber developed in-house by Parmigiani Fleurier. Unlike many movements that find their way into skeletonized watches, the PF777 was purpose-built and designed from first principles with skeletonization in mind. The result of this — and of Parmigiani's willingness to not take skeletonization to the absolute extreme, but rather to implement the concept with some modicum of consideration — is a movement that balances aesthetic concerns with practical ones and is all the better for it. A blend of polished, satin-finished, and sandblasted surfaces keeps the PF777 feeling contemporary, and the ground-up design means the watch avoids many of th...
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin’s Adventures in the Animal Kingdom
As part of the brand’s “One of Not Many Crafts” programme, Vacheron Constantin is experimenting with a series of concept watches decorated with unexpected artisanal crafts, Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom. Some of the decorative method have never before used by Vacheron Constantin, or even watchmaking at large. The series is made up of six creative watches – each a unique creation – that run the gamut of rare crafts, some that are traditional in watchmaking, like gold embroidery, but others that are surprising, like origami. Each watch has a whimsical name stemming from the subject and method: Feathersnake, Glassoctopus, Oraygami, Tigerbroidery, Papercroc, and Woodenwings. From left: Woodenwings, Feathersnake, and Tigerbroidery Initial thoughts These are one-off concept watches, so both availability and price are moot points. But they are impressive, both in terms of technique and visuals, so I imagine Vacheron Constantin will be turning to these artisans for more watches eventually. All are striking, but a few stand out. Papercroc might well be my favourite of the lot, though Vacheron Constantin missed the opportunity to make a paper tiger. On the other hand, when the exotic technique on a tiny scale and quality of the result are taken together, Tigerbroidery is arguably one of Vacheron Constantin’s greatest achievements in the rare crafts field. Papercroc Others stand out for the technique. Part of Glassoctopus’s appeal is the rawness of the ...
Monochrome
Hands-on - All the new Dials for the Rolex Datejust in 2026, and There’s Much More than the Green Ombré
For 2026, Rolex had a pretty big year at Watches and Wonders Geneva. There was, of course, the much-debated high-end Rolesium and enamel Daytona, the revamped Yacht-Master II, or a new gold alloy named Jubilee gold for the Day-Date. Then, the Crown publicly showed the special edition steel and gold Oyster Perpetual 100th Anniversary. You thought […]
SJX Watches
Complicated Collectors: King Farouk I
On the morning of March 30, 1937, 16-year-old King Farouk I of Egypt visited the workshops of Vacheron & Constantin in Geneva. He had been on the throne for less than a year. His father, Fouad I, had died in April 1936, leaving him the crown, the palaces, and a collection that included one of the most complicated watches the Swiss had ever produced. The welcome was formal, as the company’s records and the following morning’s edition of La Suisse both confirm. The young king was received by the company’s directors and shown the workshops. He was already, by multiple accounts, deeply interested in watches as objects to be understood from the inside — the tour of the manufacture was a pilgrimage. Vacheron Constantin, before Plan-les-Ouates. Image – SJX composite/Vacheron Constantin At some point during the visit, Farouk made a remark that passed into the house lore of Vacheron & Constantin and into several of his subsequent biographies, though seldom accurately. The original French, as La Suisse reported it, was precise: “C’est qu’on n’abîmera jamais autant de montres que je n’en ai abîmé étant enfant!”, which translates as “One will never ruin as many watches as I ruined as a child.” Secondary sources have rendered this with démontées — dismantled — in place of abîmé; a small but telling substitution that transforms an admission of destruction into evidence of mechanical curiosity. A child who dismantles watches is a nascent watchmaker. ...
Hodinkee
Business News: Basel Returns To Watch Calendar With April Basilia Watch & Jewelry Show
Basel, Switzerland, is returning as the venue for a major watch and jewelry show with the launch of Basilia planned for April, 2027. There's no word yet on which brands will participate, but event organizers say the show will give watch and jewelry brands from Asia and other parts of the world a venue to connect with buyers from Europe that don't participate at Watches and Wonders in Geneva, which is dominated by a handful of major Swiss brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier. At a media conference Thursday in Basel, announcing the new fair, organizers stressed that Basilia is not a return of Baselworld, the massive event that was once the world's largest watch and jewelry fair boasting more than 2,000 exhibitors at its peak before Baselworld's final show in 2019. "Baselworld is no more. It has been more than seven years now, and it will not come back," says Roman Imgrüth, the CEO of MCH Group Exhibitions and Events, which is hosting the new fair with Informa Markets, the trade show and business-to-business events division of publicly listed Informa Plc. Basilia organizers, including MCH Group Exhibition and Events CEO Roman Imgrüth (left), announce plans for a new watch and jewelry fair in Basel. Organizers say Basilia, which will take place after Watches and Wonders in Geneva, is targeting some 400 exhibitors and between 2,000 and 5,000 visitors for its inaugural edition next year. Participants and exhibitors have yet to be identified, but organizers sa...
Monochrome
Industry News - Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier Unveils the VMF 5500, ts Upgraded Micro-Rotor Movement
As the EPHJ Geneva trade fair, the major annual gathering dedicated to precision industries, including watchmaking, medtech and high-tech manufacturing, approaches (from 16 – 19 June), several suppliers exhibiting at the show have started unveiling their latest developments. Among them is Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, a movement maker well known to regular readers of MONOCHROME Watches, […]
Monochrome
First Look - The Favre Leuba Deep Raider Revival Orange, a Colourful and Sporty Retro Diver
Ever since Favre Leuba has been relaunched at Geneva Watch Days 2024, the brand has been going back to its archives and giving old favourites a fresh spin. Unveiled at this event was the Deep Blue collection that hosted two watches: the Deep Blue Revival (39mm) and Deep Blue Renaissance (40mm). This comeback collection was […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Briston Clubmaster Legend Diver Ocean
Listen up because today, we’re talking about another new brand on Fratello. Briston, a small French brand, was established in 2013, but it’s seemingly ready for the big stage. Frankly, after going hands-on with several of the company’s pieces at Time To Watches in Geneva, I think they’re worth a look. Happily, we start our […] Visit Hands-On With The Briston Clubmaster Legend Diver Ocean to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look - The New ZRC Grands Fonds MN64 Titanium Editions, in Full Titanium and Titanium Rubber
Founded in 1904 in Geneva, ZRC first specialised in bracelets and waterproof cases before entering the world of professional dive watches in the late 1950s. The big change came when ZRC was contracted by the French Navy and created the Grands Fonds line, robust, highly engineered instruments designed for underwater use. Defined by their unconventional […]
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet - The Établisseur, Rehabilitated
This year Audemars Piguet (AP) walked into Watches & Wonders Geneva for the first time in seven years, and it did so carrying a word it had not used in public for the better part of a century. The brand had departed the predecessor of the fair, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in 2019 alongside Richard Mille, declaring its intention to forge direct relationships with collectors through its own channels and AP Houses rather than through the shared theatre of a trade fair. The return to Geneva in 2026, under CEO Ilaria Resta, was already a signal of strategic realignment, but the word it brought with it made the move more interesting: établisseur. The watches it presented — three of them — each made in very limited numbers by a network of named artisans working within and around the Musée Atelier in Le Brassus, were introduced under the name Atelier des Établisseurs, a project AP described in its launch communications as a revival of the collaborative spirit that had driven the watchmaking industry for generations. The établissage system The framing was historically accurate, as far as it went. The établissage system did shape the Vallée de Joux from the late 18th century onward. Farmers working through the long alpine winters crafted individual components like wheels, bridges, and screws in home workshops, coordinated by an établisseur who assembled the finished watch and brought it to market. The Audemars Piguet Établisseurs Gallets hand-w...
Fratello
What Does Antiquorum Have On Auction That Might Fit Your Budget?
Another auction week in Geneva is upon us. That means most of the attention goes to the big lots that fetch the big bucks. But there’s more to auctions than setting records. Auctions are also a way to bump into childhood heroes, to see watches that got away, or to find an unexpected new love. […] Visit What Does Antiquorum Have On Auction That Might Fit Your Budget? to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing - Panerai Gets Technical with the New Submersible GMT PAM01495
While Panerai strayed on the safe and relatively accessible side of things at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, with historically inspired designs, vintage details, and clean displays (see the Luminor PAM01731 and Luminor Destro PAM01732), the brand’s latest release sits clearly on the other end of the spectrum. Big and bold, highly technical, modern looking […]