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Results for WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program)

39,770 articles · 227 videos found · page 6 of 1334

The Holy Trinity of Watches (And A New Trinity For 2025) Teddy Baldassarre
Vacheron Constantin Patek Philippe May 19, 2025

The Holy Trinity of Watches (And A New Trinity For 2025)

When we talk about "the Holy Trinity of Watches" or "Holy Trinity of Swiss Watchmaking," or "the Big Three," most of us watch aficionados agree on which watchmakers we're referring to: Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet (that would be in ascending order of age). How did this triumvirate of historical maisons - one of which has been making watches since before the 19th Century, two of which remain family-owned - ascend to the highest echelons of prestige in the eyes of the watch connoisseur community? Each has its own intriguing history and can claim its own milestones in the evolution of modern watchmaking. Here, we briefly tell each of their stories and spotlight some of the timepieces that have made them immortal.  PATEK PHILIPPE Founded: 1839; Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Ownership: Stern Family; Notable models: Calatrava, Nautilus, Aquanaut, Sky Moon Tourbillon Since its founding in 1839 in Geneva, Patek Philippe has been a leader in high watchmaking, pioneering many complications and design elements that are now seen widely throughout the watch industry. Polish watchmakers Antoine Norbert de Patek and Francois Czapek partnered to form the original company, Patek, Czapek, & Cie.; French horologist Jean Adrien Philippe, who invented the keyless winding and setting system still standard on watches today, joined in 1845, and the Genevan manufacture has been known as Patek Philippe ever since. Among its many horological milestone...

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Only A Few Days Left To Apply For The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize Fratello
Louis Vuitton Watch Prize Independent watchmakers Apr 11, 2025

Only A Few Days Left To Apply For The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize

Independent watchmakers can apply for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize until April 15th. It will be the second edition of this competition that takes place every other year. For the last edition, more than 1,000 artisans submitted their creative projects. In the end, the jury selected the Régulateur à Détente RP1 watch from the Swiss […] Visit Only A Few Days Left To Apply For The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize to read the full article.

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First Look - The Incredibly Light Ulysse Nardin Diver (Air) Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Diver Air Switzerland might Apr 2, 2025

First Look - The Incredibly Light Ulysse Nardin Diver (Air)

Switzerland might be landlocked, but Ulysse Nardin, a young watchmaker from Le Locle, consolidated his reputation by producing precision marine chronometers. By the 1870s, the manufacture supplied more than 50 navies and merchant marine companies with chronometers to calculate longitude at sea. These days, Ulysse Nardin plays on its marine heritage with its classical Marine […]

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Join Worn & Wound and Arken for a Pre-British Watchmakers’ Day Get Together in London! Worn & Wound
Feb 25, 2025

Join Worn & Wound and Arken for a Pre-British Watchmakers’ Day Get Together in London!

British Watchmakers’ Day is fast approaching! On March 8, over 40 UK based brands will exhibit in London’s Lindley Hall as part of the event in support of the The Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers. And, once again, Worn & Wound will be there. Managing Editor Zach Kazan and Media Manager Devin Pennypacker will be on hand to document all of it. They’ll be talking to brands and enthusiasts all day, and will be getting a look at many of the exclusive limited editions that for the second year in a row promise to be a highlight of the event.  If you’re in London that weekend, we hope you can join us on March 7, the night before the big event, for a get together at a London pub beginning at 6:00 PM. Hosted by Worn & Wound and Arken, this will be a fun, casual opportunity for enthusiasts and collectors to come together ahead of British Watchmakers’ Day. So join Zach, Devin, and Arken’s Kenneth Lam for drinks, light refreshments, and plenty of good watch talk. We hear that Ken might even have a sneak preview of a special watch that will be making its big debut the very next day, so don’t miss out.  Please use this link to RSVP. Space is limited, so make sure you RSVP soon, and please register separately for any guests. Details on the event location will be provided to attendees prior to the get together. We can’t wait to see you there! The post Join Worn & Wound and Arken for a Pre-British Watchmakers’ Day Get Together in London! appeared first on Worn & ...

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The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland Fratello
Casio nal contributor Sep 23, 2024

The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland

This feature was researched with the help of Nic Barnes, who is a pilot, watch enthusiast, and occasional contributor for Watches of Espionage. Our thanks to the Schaffhausen City Archive and Schaffhauser Magazine for providing materials that greatly contributed to our research for this story. It is one about a remarkable man with connections to […] Visit The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland to read the full article.

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Insight: Governors of Minute Repeaters, Sonneries, and Other Striking Watches SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin cal 1731 Jul 17, 2024

Insight: Governors of Minute Repeaters, Sonneries, and Other Striking Watches

Repeaters are one of the most complicated mechanisms in watches and over the years the complication has been refined by successive generations of watchmakers. Now, perhaps more than ever, watchmakers dedicate absolute attention to perfecting the quality, speed, accuracy, and durability of the striking works. Various components are required to chime the tunes of time with hammers and gongs. Paradoxically, amongst the most crucial parts of a chiming watch are those that work quietly, or silently, in the background – the governor. One of the most recent new repeater calibres, the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater What is a governor? The governor regulates the speed of the striking pattern, in other words the pace of the individual chimes. A repeater movement contains a separate gear train for the repeating works, which are powered by their own smaller, auxiliary spring. The last component of this train consists of the governor. The governor’s task is to introduce resistance in the repeater train, allowing it to be regulated. Therefore, less resistance accelerates the striking speed, while more resistance slows down the repeater chimes. The Vacheron Constantin cal. 1731 with the secondary spring visible between the hammers The fine-tuning of the repeater’s speed is prized as an essential factor in ensuring a perfect series of chimes. If the pace is too fast, the vibrations of the gongs produce jarring overtones that cancel each other out. If too slow, not o...

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Interview - Karl-Friedrich Scheufele of Chopard on Integrated Production, Future Generations and Sustainability Monochrome
Chopard Mar 13, 2024

Interview - Karl-Friedrich Scheufele of Chopard on Integrated Production, Future Generations and Sustainability

The roots of Chopard trace back to 1860 when Louis Ulysse Chopard founded his company in Sonvilier, Switzerland. The Scheufele family took over the company in the 1960s. Under their stewardship, Chopard experienced a renaissance and evolved from a traditional watchmaking company into a globally renowned luxury brand. Chopard is a vertically integrated, family-owned company, […]

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Roger W. Smith and His Unique Series 1 Made for British Watchmakers’ Day Worn & Wound
Roger W. Smith Mar 8, 2024

Roger W. Smith and His Unique Series 1 Made for British Watchmakers’ Day

British Watchmakers’ Day is nearly upon us. Tomorrow, March 9, watch lovers from across the UK (and across the world – our own Zach Weiss and Blake Malin will be in attendance) will descend on Lindley Hall in Westminster to celebrate all that British watchmaking has to offer. The event is run by the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, and was conceived to raise awareness and money for the Alliance, which works to support watchmaking in the UK by fostering ties between its trade members.  Roger W. Smith, the famed independent watchmaker who famously apprenticed for George Daniels, was an early Alliance member and one of the group’s most vocal supporters. He’s taking part in British Watchmakers’ Day this year alongside many of his colleagues in the Alliance, and he’s particularly excited about the diversity and the representation from a new generation of watch brands that will be present. “The vast majority of our trade members are outside of traditional horology,” Smith told me in an interview. “That’s very exciting to me, it means we’re going to have lots of innovation, lots of ideas, and new stories taking place.”  One of those new stories is a watch Smith himself will be presenting at British Watchmakers’ Day, which is loosely organized around participating brands bringing limited edition pieces to sell for one day and one day only at the fair. For Smith, this presents a challenge and an opportunity. His watches are largely made by hand...

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A Minimalist, All-Gold Cartier Tank LC for Watches of Switzerland SJX Watches
Cartier Tank LC Feb 28, 2024

A Minimalist, All-Gold Cartier Tank LC for Watches of Switzerland

To mark the 100th anniversary of the biggest retailer in the United Kingdom, Cartier is introducing the Tank Louis Cartier Watches of Switzerland 100th Anniversary. Clad entirely in gold, the 100-piece limited edition features the classic Tank LC case matched with a minimalist dial featuring a sunburst brushing and a pair of mirrored Roman numerals along with blued steel sword hands, while the movement is mechanical, specifically, hand wind. Initial Thoughts The Tank LC is an undoubtedly a classic dress watch, perhaps even iconic, but not all Tank LCs are created equal. While all share the same case, the dials vary substantially. The Watches of Switzerland (WOS) edition stands out, even amongst the numerous recent iterations of the model. Here the dial manages to be both minimalist and extravagant because it has barely anything markings yet is entirely in gold, with the reflective numerals adding extra shine. Because this is identical to the standard model aside from the dial, some might find it too small at 25.5 mm wide. It does, however, make an excellent black tie watch, particularly in this all-gold guise. The WOS edition costs £12,700 including taxes, which is about the same as the equivalent standard version of the Tank LC. In fact, it’s £100 less expensive than the multi-tone dial. This certainly makes this a compelling proposition since it is looks very much like a classic Cartier yet different from the other versions of the model. Just gold The WOS edition is ...

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Hands-on - The Edouard Koehn World Heritage II, a Rare Combination of Worldtime and Alarm Functions Monochrome
Feb 26, 2024

Hands-on - The Edouard Koehn World Heritage II, a Rare Combination of Worldtime and Alarm Functions

Operating out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, for several years now, the brand Edouard Koehn carries four distinct collections. Of particular interest is the model introduced in 2021 as part of the World Heritage line, blending two practical complications: world time and alarm functions. While several mechanical watches offer combinations of an alarm with a GMT […]

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Dubai Watch Week Begins November 16, 2023 SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet while independent watchmakers continue Nov 12, 2023

Dubai Watch Week Begins November 16, 2023

Dubai Watch Week (DWW) is the last major international event of the year’s horological calendar. Organised by Middle East retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, DWW takes place from November 16-20 at its traditional venue of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The event promises to be bigger and better than before, with exhibitors spanning the spectrum of watchmaking, from Rolex to Rexhep Rexhepi. From its origins as an event focused on niche and independent brands, DWW has grown to involve major marques. The exhibitors this year include Rolex and Audemars Piguet, while independent watchmakers continue to have a major presence. F.P. Journe, MB&F;, Urwerk, and Rexhepi Rexhepi are amongst the indies taking part. DWW founder Hind Seddiqi Many of the industry’s notable personalities will be Dubai Watch Week, with speakers including Frederic Grangie, head of Chanel’s watch and jewellery division; Francois-Henry Bennahmias, the outgoing chief executive of Audemars Piguet; and Jean Arnault, director of watches at Louis Vuitton. And independent watchmaking will have an equal share of the limelight, with Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, as well as Maximilian Büsser and Stephen McDonnell of MB&F; amongst the speakers. The event includes classes intended to give the public a taste of the watchmaking crafts. These include a gem setting workshop by Audemars Piguet and a miniature painting class by Louis Vuitton. DWW takes place from November 16-20, 2023 at DIFC. Entry is free but...

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In Praise of Anglage: Exceptional Hand-Finished Anglage is Difficult, Slow, and Expensive so the Big Brands have Given Up and Few Seem to Have Noticed (or Seem to Care): Thank God for the Indies! - Reprise Quill & Pad
Aug 6, 2023

In Praise of Anglage: Exceptional Hand-Finished Anglage is Difficult, Slow, and Expensive so the Big Brands have Given Up and Few Seem to Have Noticed (or Seem to Care): Thank God for the Indies! - Reprise

Big brands are now making beautiful, reliable, and relatively accurate “traditional” mechanical watches, but the handcrafted work many of us value is disappearing. Highly skilled watchmakers and artisans are rare and expensive: there just aren’t enough of them available to churn out the large quantity of nice watches now being sold. And why bother when nobody seems to have noticed?

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Victor Monnin And Alexander Hazemann’s School Watches: Two Talented Next Generation Watchmakers To Look Out For Quill & Pad
Ming Feb 24, 2023

Victor Monnin And Alexander Hazemann’s School Watches: Two Talented Next Generation Watchmakers To Look Out For

One of the most important things for the watchmaking industry is to ensure that today's watchmakers have successors that can repair old watches, make new watches, and develop the next generation of watches. Fortunately, the next generation is coming on and is coming in hot, as Victor Monnin and Alexander Hazemann, two young watchmaking students, highlight as they take things to the next level with their school watches. 

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In Praise of Anglage: Exceptional Hand-Finished Anglage Is Difficult, Slow, And Expensive So The Big Brands Have Given Up And Few Seem To Have Noticed (Or Seem To Care) - Thank God For The Indies! Quill & Pad
Aug 21, 2022

In Praise of Anglage: Exceptional Hand-Finished Anglage Is Difficult, Slow, And Expensive So The Big Brands Have Given Up And Few Seem To Have Noticed (Or Seem To Care) - Thank God For The Indies!

Big brands are now making beautiful, reliable, and relatively accurate “traditional” mechanical watches, but the handcrafted work many of us value is disappearing. Highly skilled watchmakers and artisans are rare and expensive: there just aren’t enough of them available to churn out the large quantity of nice watches now being sold. And why bother when nobody seems to have noticed?

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