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Results for Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève)

23,147 articles · 2,340 videos found · page 48 of 850

Andersen Genève and BCHH Collaborate on Double-Crown, Cloisonné World Time SJX Watches
Jul 23, 2021

Andersen Genève and BCHH Collaborate on Double-Crown, Cloisonné World Time

Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee has long been involved in watchmaking as a hobbyist, having set up two brands in the last decade, Maison Celadon for dress watches and Millechron for sports watches. While his earlier endeavours were powered by excellent Vaucher movements, Mr Chee’s latest venture is the most haute horlogerie to date. Taking its name from Mr Chee’s initials, the BCHH Celestial Voyager combines fine watchmaking with metiers d’art in series of pièce unique world-time wristwatches executed by independent watchmaker Andersen Genève. Cased in platinum, each of the seven watches in the series features a cloisonné enamel dial depicting a different stylised map. At the same time, the watches are accented by details like soldered lugs and a mother of pearl inlay on the back. Initial thoughts The Celestial Voyager is typical of Andersen’s products, meaning it’s classical in design and well made in an artisanal manner. But like many of Andersen’s watches, the Voyager is bespoke, so it reflects Mr Chee’s preferences and eye for detail. Take for instance the dial, which is elaborate in a discreet manner. The cloisonné enamel centre is the highlight, and most watches would stop there, but here the cities ring is made of sparkly aventurine glass. Elements like the cities ring play a supporting role, but getting them right often distinguishes the great from the good. The Celestial Voyager gets most of it right, and is one of the better looking...

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In-Depth: The Bespoke (and Custom) Experience at Andersen Genève SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin May 2, 2020

In-Depth: The Bespoke (and Custom) Experience at Andersen Genève

When applied to watches, “bespoke” brings to mind the ultra-complicated timepieces made for famous historical figures like James W. Packard and Henry Graves Jr., who each commissioned a succession of one-off watches that pushed the technical boundaries of watchmaking in the early decades of the 20th century. One of those watches, the landmark Patek Philippe “Supercomplication” made for Graves, long held the title of most-expensive-watch ever sold. In the modern day, watchmakers continue to create unique watches. Patek Philippe does it quietly for its best clients, while Vacheron Constantin is more public with its Atelier Cabinotiers department that specialises in customised timepieces. Similarly, artisanal independent watchmakers like Voutilainen often accept commissions. But as a collector, how easy is it to dip your toes into the waters of bespoke or custom watchmaking? This is my maiden experience with such watches, which started at Andersen Geneve some six years ago. Svend at work Industrial vs. artisanal I first wanted to get involved in the creation of a custom watch in 2014. I already knew then it could not merely be changing colours on the dial or hands, neither could it be an engraved monogram. What I wanted was a truly unique world-time watch with a Louis Cottier-type mechanism. At the same time, I had a certain budget in mind, so I approached independent watchmakers that made watches I liked, but with steel cases. Somewhat naively, I thought adding a ti...

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In the Eye of the Storm – A Letter From Geneva SJX Watches
Rolex which just closed all Mar 17, 2020

In the Eye of the Storm – A Letter From Geneva

Switzerland has declared a state of emergency as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Almost everything is closed, including schools, shops, and restaurants, with only businesses offering the basic necessities, like banks and supermarkets, being allowed to open. There is bad news from Switzerland’s neighbours as well; the virus has spread fast in Italy. A recent poll showed that only 8% of the Swiss population feel they are in great danger. I can assure you that 100% of watch brands are feeling the pressure. Many watch factories, particularly the privately-held brands, have shut down completely or are about to. That includes Rolex, which just closed all its facilities for two weeks starting March 17. Watch sales are falling all around the world, with some brands suffering drops of 30-40% in February, and duty-free sales – which are substantial for the watch industry – falling by up to 90% in major airports. We have seen many crises, but this is unprecedented. But the biggest blow to the industry so far – the cancellation of the major watch fairs, Watches & Wonders (W&W;) and Baselworld. Even though very little is actually sold at the fairs, they were universal events that brought everyone together, almost like an annual reunion of old friends (and competitors). The fairs were a major, major part of the larger imagination, so the cancellations feel like a massive blow for everyone in the industry. The accelerating fallout First, the timeline of the virus’ i...

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Auction Watch: Breguet Skeleton 30-Day, Constant Force Clock by Philippe René Jaccard SJX Watches
Breguet Skeleton 30-Day Constant Force Dec 7, 2019

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...

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Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part II SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Gobbi” chronograph Nov 7, 2019

Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part II

Here’s part II of highlights at Phillips’ Double Signed auction – you’ll find the first part here – including a lovely Audemars Piguet “Gobbi” chronograph with a green gold dial, as well as a gorgeous Patek Philippe Ref. 1463 “pink on pink” that’s more affordable than usual, for a reason. Lot 35 – Patek Philippe ref. 2499 in pink gold “Trucchi” The most valuable lot in the sale, with an estimate over 1.2m francs, is the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 third series in pink gold. It’s one of only six pink gold third series watches known; in fact, the total number of ref. 2499s in pink gold across all four series totals just 23. And this is the only one with the “Trucchi” signature on the dial, having been sold by the retailer in Naples that’s still in operation today. According to Phillips, it was sold by Trucchi to an Italian-American doctor in 1972, who then sold it to the consignor who sold the watch at auction in 1999 at Antiquorum in Geneva. It sold for almost 700,000 francs then, making it one of the most expensive watches in the world at the time. The watch is in exemplary condition, albeit with one quirk: the crystal is sapphire instead of PlexiGlas as is standard for the third series. Found only on fourth series ref. 2499s, the sapphire crystal and accompanying bezel was presumable installed by Patek Philippe in the 1980s according to Phillips, since the watch already had a sapphire crystal when it was sold in 1999. Lot 50 – Patek Phili...

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Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part I SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin tourbillon pocket watch ref Nov 7, 2019

Highlights: Phillips ‘Double Signed’ Geneva Auction Part I

Phillips’ thematic auction this season is titled Double Signed: A Celebration of the Finest Partnerships Between Manufacturers and Retailers, with a catalogue composed of watches with retailer signatures mostly on the dial, but occasionally on the case back. Though a retailer signature in itself does not make a great watch, many watches in the sale are already superb watches, but made even more special by the retailer’s mark, like the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 below. More broadly, Double Signed is more historically evocative than most other thematic auctions, because many of the retailers cited within represent a particular time and place that is long gone, even if the retailer remains in business. Examples include Serpico y Laino of Caracas, which no doubt prospered during Venezuela’s good times that are now long forgotten, or Le Palais Royal of Havana that was the island’s premiere retailer before the Communist revolution. Here’s part one of the roundup of highlights from the sale. (And part II is here.) Lot 11 – Vacheron Constantin tourbillon pocket watch ref. 92244 “Asprey” One of the most proper examples of haute horlogerie in the sale is this Vacheron Constantin pocket watch that contains an observatory-certified tourbillon movement from the 1940s, though the watch was only finished and sold in 1992. It’s believed that in the 1990s, Vacheron Constantin discovered a small number of tourbillon movements that had been tested and certified as chronomet...

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In-Depth: Andersen Genève Montre à Tact for Only Watch 2019 SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Oct 11, 2019

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...

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