Results for Philippe Dufour

Pre-Owned Picks: A Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, A Rolex Submariner 124060, And An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15300ST

Watches we love, the second time around.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph 5960P, A Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo, And An OMEGA Speedmaster CK 2998 Limited Edition

Watches we love, the second time around.

The Return Of The Dress Watch! Back From The Brink With 5 New Watches From Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Chopard, And Montblanc

“Dress watches” were initially just “watches.” While their popularity may have dwindled over the years as more casual and sporty watches have taken off, many brands have stayed faithful to the concept of the dress watch as Martin Green highlights here with five beautiful new examples.

The Final Ten Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary Allotments To Be Decided By Lottery

Thousands of requests, only ten watches – is your name in the hat?

Vintage Watches: A 1952 Audemars Piguet 'Oversized' Ref. 5072, A 1978 Rolex Explorer II 'Frog's Foot,' And A 1969 Square Patek Philippe Dress Watch

We're feeling grateful for the watchmaking on display in this pre-Thanksgiving lineup.

Business News: Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, And Hublot Announce Temporary Production Halt

As coronavirus spreads in Switzerland, more companies shut down.

Auction Watch: Breguet Skeleton 30-Day, Constant Force Clock by Philippe René Jaccard

One of the most intriguing timepieces being offered in the final run of watch auctions for 2019 is not a wristwatch, but an incredibly rare table clock made by Breguet in 1934 that’s going under the hammer at Christie’s. It hardly looks like a typical Breguet – having no engine-turning or gilding or blued steel hands – but is remarkably striking, with a skeletonised, architectural movement that is modern-looking despite being 85 years old. Abraham-Louis Breguet is rightly regarded as one of the most important watchmakers in history, whose inventions range from the natural escapement to the tourbillon, while being commercially savvy enough to become a leading watchmaker to the Ottoman Empire. But his descendants ventured into other businesses by the mid 19th century, most notably aviation, so the watchmaking operation was sold by Louis-Clément Breguet, grandson of Abraham-Louis, in 1870 to English watchmaker Edward Brown. The Browns kept the workshop in Paris, though it moved several times over the decades. During the century that the Brown family ran Breguet – Brown’s grandson George sold the company to French jeweller Chaumet in 1969 – the firm mostly retained the signature Breguet style and produced a large variety of timepieces, but in tiny quantities, often relying on external specialists for movements and components. Timepiece no. 3142 This clock is one such timepiece from the period. A unique piece according to the accompanying Breguet museum archive...

Highlights: A Patek Philippe Trio at Phillips’ New York Auction

The final watch auctions of the year take place in New York, and as usual Phillips is staging a thematic sale. Titled Game Changers, the auction is made up of watches owned by game-changing celebrities like Marlon Brando and Jack Nicklaus, or timepieces that were game changers in the horological landscape, like the F.P. Journe Octa Reserve de Marche prototype. Also in the sale is a would-be game changer: the Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype in titanium, not yet a game changer since it has not been put into production, but being the coolest Overseas to date, it probably will. And also worth a look is the vintage Heuer Monaco with a hand-finished movement that’s being sold for charity. But this article is about a handful of Patek Philippe watches, including the sale’s top lot, a ref. 1518 “pink on pink”, as well as a less expensive but more intriguing skeleton pocket watch with paillonnee enamel decoration. The ref. 899 pocket watch decorated with blue enamel and paillons Lot 38 – Patek Philippe ref. 530 chronograph The ref. 530 is a desirable model because it’s oversized for a vintage watch – the case is 36.5mm in diameter – giving it proportions that are quite modern. And the ref. 530 is rare, although a several examples have come up at recent auctions. They sold for moderate prices, for varying reasons and perhaps a general market softness, so this one might be a chance to land a ref. 530 for a reasonable price. This example is attractive. The dial ...

Is Dufour’s Appointment As Rolex CEO A Sign Of New Directions For The Best Watch Brand In The World?

BREAKING NEWS: Jean-Frédéric Dufour of Zenith is Now CEO of ROLEX

Philippe Léopold-Metzger, CEO of Piaget Explains the Novelties for SIHH 2014 (Video)

The Altiplano 900P claims the crown for the thinnest mechanical watch in the world, and CEO of Piaget explains the process of his creation as well as the other dazzling novelties for SIHH 2014. Interviewed by Wei Koh. Read Revolution International Digital Editon on iPad, Android or desktop with the Zinio newsstand app. Also, please […]

Rolex Submariner Desk Clock: The Real Desk Diver

Do you love the Rolex Submariner, but just found its classic 41mm diameter way, way too small? Like, about 39mm too small?  Have you looked at a barren corner of your desk and thought, Jeez, I wish my desktop had a jumbo-sized Submariner of its own, so people really know I’m about that Rolex Sub life? Well, if these questions have been keeping you up at night, I am here to deliver news of a possible solution to your problems. Though it didn’t get a ton of publicity (I think the Crown is saving its marketing campaigns for its wristwatches), Rolex quietly released its very first desk clock that is available for the general public. That’s right, you can now get your very own Submariner Date desk clock, given that a Rolex boutique near you has them in stock.  Oddly enough, the Submariner Date desk clock marks the very first time Rolex has ever released a clock to the general public. You would have thought by now, the Crown would have a vintage archive of desk, wall, and other large-sized clocks somewhere in the heritage vault. I mean, just about every other major watchmaker with as much history as Rolex offered them throughout the 20th century, from Patek Philippe to Jaeger-LeCoultre and Omega to Longines and beyond. Even Bulova has an extensive repertoire of mid-century clocks, most significantly being its extensive array of mid-century clock radios (which you can find plenty of second-hand). But that isn’t to say that Rolex never explored making clocks – the Crow...

Parmigiani Fleurier And The Collector’s Path Beyond The Obvious Brands

The journey of a watch collector often unfolds like the passage of time itself. In many ways, it is sequential, but it is often marked by profound moments of discovery. For so many of us, we begin our collecting journey by learning about the well-known names. Brands such as Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe rise […] Visit Parmigiani Fleurier And The Collector’s Path Beyond The Obvious Brands to read the full article.

This Bezel Does It All: Introducing The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless

What’s the best watch-related invention ever? I realize it’s not an easy question to answer, but please, give it a go. I asked myself the exact same thing, and I concluded that it has to be the crown. We have Jean-Adrien Philippe to thank for that. Now we have the Minerva, The Unveiled Crownless, the […] Visit This Bezel Does It All: Introducing The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless to read the full article.

Hands-On: the Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection

Raymond Weil celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Weil founding his eponymous brand in 1976. And the brand’s first integrated-bracelet watch is a nod to the seventies era of experimentation: where, in the face of impending quartz dominance, watchmakers produced bold designs like they had nothing to lose. This was the era of the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, both launching the concept of the luxury sports watch—in essence, a classier and far pricier interpretation of the Go Anywhere, Do Anything ethos that once took its inspiration from military and field watches. Only this time, going anywhere is to Monaco or St. Moritz, and doing anything is jumping off the back of a yacht into the waters of Bali.  Fifty years later, the integrated bracelet watch has never been more popular. Perhaps it’s the trickle-down effect from the cachet of those two OGs, which have taken off so much that people are willing to snap up an anniversary Nautilus desk clock, or storm your nearest Swatch store for a plastic Royal Oak. Or it’s the promise of a certain inherent and integrated toughness, eschewing the notion that we won’t ever reach 1,000-ft deep-water depths and still make it back to the boardroom. In fact, skip the beach-to-boardroom mentality. This category is all upscale by comparison, and the A.R.T. series — which, according to Raymond Weil, stands for “art, refinement, and timekeeping,” with the latter perhaps seeming redundant — captur...

The Holy Trinity of Watches: What Patek, AP, and Vacheron Actually Have in Common

Why Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin sit alone at the top of the watch hierarchy, why Rolex isn't in the conversation, and which of the three is the right buy depending on what you actually care about.

Introducing - Indie Watchmaker Vincent Deprez Launches the Scientific Tourbillon, a Contemporary Take on Traditional Watchmaking

Independent watchmaker Vincent Deprez first attracted attention with his Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition, a remarkably accomplished debut that showcased a fully hand-finished tourbillon movement and his ability to manufacture most of the watch himself using traditional methods. Trained at Vacheron Constantin and later active in restoration at Patek Philippe, the Geneva-based French watchmaker now expands […]

Value In Vintage: IWC “Calatravas” From The 1950s And ’60s

IWC truly does have something for everyone. There is a curious blind spot in the vintage-watch market. Collectors will happily spend five figures on a mid-century dress watch from Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, yet many overlook the quietly brilliant dress watches produced by IWC Schaffhausen during the ’50s and ’60s. That oversight is precisely what […] Visit Value In Vintage: IWC “Calatravas” From The 1950s And ’60s to read the full article.

Dennison x Collectability’s Second Collab Gives Us Four Funky Twists on Its Inaugural Offering

While some brands regularly take the collaborative approach, this hasn’t been the case for Dennison. Its first co-designed model came to us just about a year ago when the Maison first teamed up with Collectability, the brainchild of Patek Philippe expert and horological icon John Reardon. The pair’s initial offering achieved an impressive balance of design language. It combined some clear inspiration from Patek’s Ellipse as well as some of the brand’s lesser-known models with elements of the collection that revived Dennison in the modern era – the A.L.D. – developed by acclaimed watch designer Emmanuel Gueit, whose resume includes the Rolex 1908, Harry Winston Z1, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. The duo has just spun up its second collaboration, available for pre-order for one week only, beginning today through June 3. If you didn’t immediately click over to place an order, and you’re still with me, let’s unpack these latest additions. The new Oblique collection certainly has echoes of the original co-design but with a little bit more edge. The pair’s inaugural offering was relatively classic and timeless whereas the latest interpretations are a bit more modern and sculptural. This time, Dennison and Collectability give us two variations: the bold Enigma dial and the more sober Vector dial. In both iterations, the brands lean further into the funky design language that began emerging in the 1960s with asymmetry being a focus. Here, the familiar ...

SJX Podcast: Watches & Wonders Recap

Episode 37 of the SJX Podcast recaps the biggest releases from the brands officially exhibiting at Watches & Wonders 2026. Rolex marked a century of the Oyster case with an enamel-dialled Daytona and new Oyster Perpetuals, but also revised the ugly duckling of the catalogue — the Yacht-Master II — transforming it into an appealing and interesting chronograph. Patek Philippe arguably overshadowed the 50th anniversary of the Nautilus with a new Celestial that’s capable of tracking sunrise and sunset year-round (at least in Geneva). Vacheron Constantin and Grand Seiko introduced titanium sports watches many had been waiting for, and TAG Heuer reinvented the chronograph with a fascinating compliant mechanism. Highlights from the independent brands exhibiting around town will be covered in our next episode. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Vacheron Constantin Wanders to the Four Corners of Earth

Vacheron Constantin unveiled the Overseas Dual Time “Cardinal Points”, a four-watch collection which can be traced back to the prototype that accompanied Cory Richards on his climb on Everest back in 2019. Initial thoughts The Overseas collection is Vacheron Constantin’s own take on the luxury sports steel watch. Compared to similar offerings from Audemars Piguet or Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin actively advertises the Overseas as a timepiece fit to be worn adventurously. The 2019 collaboration with photographer and climber Cory Richards proved that the Overseas Dual Time is as comfortable on the peaks of Everest as it is navigating boardrooms.  This “Cardinal Points” collection refines and finishes the the Dual Time prototype piece from 2019.  The four new references each come in a different colour scheme evocative of one cardinal point. The functional styling of the Everest prototype was kept intact, but the additional dial colours help the Dual Time appeal to a broader audience.  According to Vacheron Constantin, the white suggests the icy North, brown evokes the fertile lands of the South, green represents West with its forests and finally blue signifies the Eastern line of the horizon. Although these associations might feel a bit forced, the idea of linking the Overseas Dual Time with the cardinal points stems from the fact that such a travel watch usually accompanies a traveler - who is at least symbolically guided by a compass and the cardinal p...

Introducing: Three New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grand Complications

Just as Stevie Wonder is the musician’s musician, Jaeger-LeCoultre is the watchmaker’s watchmaker. But what is meant by this? Well, for starters, Jaeger-LeCoultre is a prolific movement manufacturer that supplies other high-end brands. Famously, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ultra-thin caliber 920 powered the big three ’70s sports watches - Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, AP’s Royal Oak, and Vacheron Constantin’s […] Visit Introducing: Three New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grand Complications to read the full article.

Auctions: Sotheby's To Offer A Massive 300+ Piece Cartier Collection Across Sales This Year

Starting in Hong Kong on April 24th and running into December, the house will offer pieces from Cartier Paris, London, and New York - plus a lot of insanely impressive other watches from Rolex, Patek, Dufour, and more.

Audemars Piguet Expands Geneva Bracelet Manufacture

Audemars Piguet (AP) is increasing its presence in what’s historically been the territory of Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Not only is AP returning to Watches & Wonders, the industry’s flagship event held each year in Geneva, the brand is also expanding its footprint in the city’s suburb of Meyrin with an expanded case and bracelet manufacture. What and where Meyrin was already the home of AP’s case and bracelet manufacture, but the brand has been bulking up on industrial capacity and took over a U-shaped building, completed in 1965 for a pharmaceutical company, in 2023. The new facility increases its Geneva footprint almost four-fold, to 9,000 square metres, with room for 350 staff. While the brand has built new structures closer to home, the choice to renovate an existing historical building is notable. Fortunately AP’s employees won’t be stuck in the past, as the building has been modernised for energy management and to accommodate modern machines. The building is a short jaunt from Les Boîtiers de Genève, F.P. Journe’s case and bracelet manufacture, in what’s already a hotbed of horological activity, home to brands like Roger Dubuis and Chopard. In addition, the new facility will be home to what the brand is calling its New Technologies hub, presumably part of the brand’s new approach to research and development, known internally as the ‘Fab Lab.’ Industrial excellence We recently had the chance to hear directly from AP’s chief indu...

SJX Podcast: Watches & Wonders Wish List

Watches & Wonders is less than a month away, so for episode 32 of the SJX Podcast we’re talking about what we’d want to see from some of the major brands like Patek Philippe, Grand Seiko, and Tudor. It’s always difficult to make predictions, and the best releases from every year are usually a surprise, but Andrew put together a few picks that we believe would be crowd-pleasers, were they to be released. SJX and Brandon also discuss the latest minute repeater from Girard-Perregaux, and SJX’s own sold-out collaboration with Habring²: the Chrono-Felix Medicus chronograph. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

First Look - The New Niton Prima Revives a Historic Name

The revival of a long-dormant watchmaking name always sparks our curiosity at MONOCHROME. Born in 1919, the Manufacture des Montres Niton S.A. became known for its watches and movements featuring jumping hours. Niton supplied movements to Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Gubelin and many more… Today, the brand returns with the Niton Prima, an elaborate […]

Business News: Rolex CEO Says Brand Won’t Significantly Expand Own Retail And Will Continue To Work With Authorized Dealers

At Dubai Watch Week, Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour reveals how much Rolex spends each year upgrading its machinery and why it has more than 500 apprenticeships.

Highlights: Magnificent Matched Sets at Phillips Hong Kong

Matching sets are a motif of Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, with the most spectacular being the Concord Saratoga Splendour, a set of four minute repeating, high jewellery wristwatches representing the four precious stones – diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald – each with a distinct movement made by Christophe Claret. Also on offer is a set of three watches from Glashütte Original with Meissen porcelain dials, and a Patek Philippe Pagoda quartet. Lot 857, a matching pair of Bovets depicting Hong Kong harbour by day and by night. Image – Phillips Such sets enjoyed popularity at the top end of the market during the 1980s and 1990s, often centred around the four precious coloured stones, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Perhaps the ultimate example of the matched set is the most complicated Patek Philippe watch, the Calibre 89, that was originally launched as a set of four in yellow, rose, and white gold, and platinum. Unfortunately, many of these sets have since been split up. Can these three escape that fate? Lots 858 to 862 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Set Concord was one of a few brands that saw great, but ephemeral, success during the 1980s and 1990s, in the same vein as Gerald Genta, Ebel, and Corum. In 1995 Concord launched the Saratoga Exor, a minute repeating tourbillon with perpetual calendar and bimetallic thermometer, set with 15.85 carats of baguette diamonds. With a price tag of CHF2 million, it was probably the second most expensive w...

Introducing - The Hermès Cut Now Sports a Light Blue Dial

Hermès has a flair for creating intriguing case shapes with a dash of poetic licence. Launched in 2024 and designed by creative director Philippe Delhotal, the Cut watch is a stylish, versatile, unisex, sporty-chic collection with a sophisticated design and an in-house movement. Adding a touch of colour, the new Hermès Cut sports a sky […]

SJX Podcast: Quest of Time

On episode 11 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon Moore discuss the monumental La Quête Du Temps astronomical clock that Vacheron Constantin just unveiled in Paris alongside the companion Quest of Time wristwatch. We also tackle Tudor’s first moon phase complication and what it means for the brand’s collection of dress watches. SJX also shares his views on the news that Rolex chief executive Jean-Frédéric Dufour will be giving the keynote at Dubai Watch Week, a move that’s largely unprecedented for the industry’s most impenetrable brand. We also chat about the other big news in the world of watch fairs, Audemars Piguet’s return to Watches & Wonders in 2026. Last but not least, we discuss what Girard-Perregaux’s new movement platform might reveal about the future of the brand. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.