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

40,814 articles · 229 videos found · page 80 of 1369

Interview: Marc Michel-Amadry, Managing Director of Girard-Perregaux SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Appointed Managing Director Nov 11, 2025

Interview: Marc Michel-Amadry, Managing Director of Girard-Perregaux

Appointed Managing Director of Girard-Perregaux (GP) in early 2025, Marc Michel-Amadry has over two decades of leadership experience spanning both the auction world and fine watchmaking. A former head of Sotheby’s Switzerland and Chief Commercial Officer of IWC, he steps into the role at a pivotal moment for GP, which has spent the past three years refining its identity as an independent brand, alongside its sister brand Ulysse Nardin in the Sowind Group. I sat down with Mr Michel-Amadry not long after he took office to discuss what he has in store. Our conversation touched on the enduring relevance of the Laureato, the renewed importance of in-house innovation, and his plans to restore GP to its former glory. The interview was edited for length and clarity. SJX: You’ve covered a wide range of the industry, having worked with niche brands, major brands, and big groups. Tell us how you ended up at GP. MMA: People often tell me I don’t have a typical career path. Usually, you start somewhere and stay within the same group. But for me, every step has to have a purpose. I’ve always wanted to work for a brand that means something. By coincidence, I was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds - the home of GP. It’s a brand I’ve always followed. I met Luigi Macaluso early in my career and was struck by the sophistication and beauty of the brand. Beyond its know-how and history, GP has always expressed its own design because everything is in-house. Luigi “Gino” Macaluso, forme...

10 Of The Most Complicated Watches For Every Budget Teddy Baldassarre
Christopher Ward Bel Canto  Case 41mm Nov 5, 2025

10 Of The Most Complicated Watches For Every Budget

In the wild world of watches, the words “affordable” and “complicated” are most often mutually exclusive. The more complicated a piece is, I think, the more we all brace ourselves to expect the correlation of a dramatic surge in price. It’s par for the course. But in recent years, there have been some watchmakers out there that have dared to do the unexpected, to bring high complications down to the realm of mortal purchasing power. As always, measuring affordability remains a personal conundrum, but there is no denying that there are now options for perpetual calendars, jump hours, and the like that are now paired with a more easily digestible price tag.  In today’s guide, I’m tipping my hat to the various watch brands out there that have invested time and resources into leveling the playing field, crafting pieces of high horology that are more accessible than ever before. Across 10 pieces, we’re running the gamut of style and utility, but each piece is unique in its own way, and definitely worthy of your consideration if you’re looking for a complicated watch at a not-so-complicated price point.  Christopher Ward Bel Canto  Case: 41mm Material: Grade 5 Titanium Movement: Caliber FS01 Automatic Water Resistance: Price: Starts at $3,995 The only logical jumping off point for a guide such as this is with the watch that revolutionized haute-horology bells and whistles at an unheard-of price tag: the Bel Canto from British maker Christopher Ward. You’ve...

Introducing: A Complicated Trio Of One-Offs From Vacheron Constantin With Astronomical Themes Fratello
Vacheron Constantin Nov 4, 2025

Introducing: A Complicated Trio Of One-Offs From Vacheron Constantin With Astronomical Themes

If you’re celebrating 270 years of uninterrupted watchmaking history, you’ve seen it all, and sometimes you need to find new challenges to keep things exciting. A new collection of Les Cabinotiers timepieces titled La Quête (The Quest) keeps the watchmakers at the world’s longest continually operating watch brand on their toes and the collectors happy. […] Visit Introducing: A Complicated Trio Of One-Offs From Vacheron Constantin With Astronomical Themes to read the full article.

Farer Introduces Two New Moonphase References Featuring Eisenkiesel Quartz and Eastern Arabic Numerals Worn & Wound
Farer Introduces Two New Moonphase Oct 31, 2025

Farer Introduces Two New Moonphase References Featuring Eisenkiesel Quartz and Eastern Arabic Numerals

Ah, the moon. Romantic, mysterious, and the subject of many Creative Writing 101 poems, our closest celestial body has also wormed its way onto many a watch face over the years. Moonphase watches evoke a sense of sophistication and elegance, and tend to decorate watchmakers’ dressier lines, despite their somewhat subversive practicality. Farer’s moonphase collection is no exception; first launched in 2023, it took one of watchmaking’s oldest complications and applied it to the British brand’s own design ethos. Here in 2025, we have two new references to pad out that lineup: The Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic Editions.  Taking the same basic design of the rest of the line, the new Moonphase models are wrapped in a 38.5mm cushion case with curved sides that wear a “grain twist” texture. The case scallops in the 43.8mm between the lugs to make the strap sit flush, and a rounded crown with a solid bronze cap finishes the vintage-adjacent case look. Inside, both Moonphase models are powered by a Sellita SW288-1 M Elabore Grade movement, with blued screws and a Farer-embossed bridge. The Sellita movement allows for a 45-hour power reserve, and hour, minute, seconds, date, and of course, moonphase functions.  Where the models differ is in their case material and dial design. The Stratton Edition-named for Frederick Stratton, a WWI veteran, mathematician, and astronomer who would eventually serve as Director of the Solar Physics Observatory, among many other ...

A History and Guide to Bulova Worn & Wound
Bulova Joseph Bulova was just Oct 19, 2025

A History and Guide to Bulova

Joseph Bulova was just twenty-four when he founded a company that would revolutionize American watchmaking. Immigrating to the United States from Bohemia in 1870, he founded the J. Bulova Company in 1875 on New York City’s Maiden Lane, specializing in jewelry and watch and clock repair. The business grew, and by 1911 the Bulova Company began producing table clocks and pocket watches. The next year, Joseph Bulova opened a Biel, Switzerland plant for the mass production of watches. The J. Bulova Company was reincorporated as the Bulova Watch Company in 1923, symbolizing its shift into watch production. Joseph Bulova was just twenty-four when he founded a company that would revolutionize American watchmaking. Immigrating to the United States from Bohemia in 1870, he founded the J. Bulova Company in 1875 on New York City’s Maiden Lane, specializing in jewelry and watch and clock repair. The business grew, and by 1911 the Bulova Company began producing table clocks and pocket watches. The next year, Joseph Bulova opened a Biel, Switzerland plant for the mass production of watches. The J. Bulova Company was reincorporated as the Bulova Watch Company in 1923, symbolizing its shift into watch production. The post A History and Guide to Bulova appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Ceratanium Vs. Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black/Black” Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Oct 19, 2025

Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Ceratanium Vs. Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black/Black”

Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. We’ve had a couple of battles between dressy watches in the previous weeks, so we thought it would be good to return to our more regular program of proper sports watches. This week, Omega launched its updated Dark Side of the Moon collection, which we couldn’t […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Ceratanium Vs. Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black/Black” to read the full article.

Rock On! Stone-Dial Watches For Every Budget - Including Dennison, Piaget, Baltic, And Rolex Fratello
Piaget Baltic Oct 4, 2025

Rock On! Stone-Dial Watches For Every Budget - Including Dennison, Piaget, Baltic, And Rolex

Would you rock a stone-dial watch? I would. And I also could. Previously, only a handful of brands ventured into stone dials, and those that did reserved them for highly expensive pieces. Today, however, technological advancements have made stone dials far more accessible to produce. This benefits watchmakers and watch fans: smaller brands can now […] Visit Rock On! Stone-Dial Watches For Every Budget - Including Dennison, Piaget, Baltic, And Rolex to read the full article.

Introducing: The Kiwame Tokyo Kurotsuki And Usuki Models Fratello
Kurono Tokyo Hajime Asaoka Kikuchi […] Sep 27, 2025

Introducing: The Kiwame Tokyo Kurotsuki And Usuki Models

Switzerland, Germany, and Japan make up my “big three” of the watchmaking world, with France on the rise. Yet, of all these hubs, Japan has been slow to embrace the microbrand trend. Big brands, including Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, Orient, and Casio, dominate the market. Recently, however, independents such as Kurono Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka, Kikuchi […] Visit Introducing: The Kiwame Tokyo Kurotsuki And Usuki Models to read the full article.

Portrait - Everything about The Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow Monochrome
Cartier Prize Sep 24, 2025

Portrait - Everything about The Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow

For three decades, the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow (or Prix des Talents Horlogers de Demain in French) has been a unique opportunity for aspiring young watchmakers, offering them both recognition and a platform to shape the future of the craft. Launched in 1995, the Prize embodies Cartier’s commitment to preserving centuries-old savoir-faire […]

My Highlights From A Week In Switzerland For Geneva Watch Days Fratello
Ming together make it feel Sep 20, 2025

My Highlights From A Week In Switzerland For Geneva Watch Days

It’s always a pleasure to return to Geneva. The lake, the atmosphere, and, of course, the watch industry coming together make it feel like home for a week. Compared to Watches and Wonders, Geneva Watch Days has a different rhythm, feeling a little more relaxed but no less important. For me, it’s as much about […] Visit My Highlights From A Week In Switzerland For Geneva Watch Days to read the full article.

Introducing - The Micromechanical Embroidery Dial of the Fil d’Or Louis Erard x Wire Art Monochrome
Louis Erard x Wire Art There’s Sep 1, 2025

Introducing - The Micromechanical Embroidery Dial of the Fil d’Or Louis Erard x Wire Art

There’s no stopping Manuel Emch’s relentless drive to democratise watchmaking by producing highly original content and métiers d’art dials, thanks to collaborations with designers, artists, studios and artisans for Louis Erard. The latest collaboration is a surprising marriage of traditional embroidery executed with a machine designed to bond microcircuits reprogrammed by Wire Art, Switzerland, to […]

First Look - The Bovet Récital 12 with Malachite and Tiger’s Eye Dials Monochrome
Bovet Aug 22, 2025

First Look - The Bovet Récital 12 with Malachite and Tiger’s Eye Dials

Bovet is a name synonymous with artistry and haute horlogerie, its timepieces often balancing traditional decorative crafts with very complex mechanics. Under the guidance of Pascal Raffy, the company has become one of the most vertically integrated manufactures in Switzerland, producing everything from cases and dials to hairsprings in-house. In 2023, the brand took a […]

US Import Tariffs On Swiss Watches-How They Affect Watch Brands And Enthusiasts Fratello
Aug 13, 2025

US Import Tariffs On Swiss Watches-How They Affect Watch Brands And Enthusiasts

I am sure that most of you have read about Switzerland being hit with the harshest tariffs of all European countries last week. A whopping 39% tariff on goods imported to the US from the Alpine country came into effect on August 7th. The watch world is shaking as a result. Today, I would like […] Visit US Import Tariffs On Swiss Watches-How They Affect Watch Brands And Enthusiasts to read the full article.

Insight: Hairspring Materials and Evolution Part II SJX Watches
Seiko SPRON 610 hairspring Lastly Aug 8, 2025

Insight: Hairspring Materials and Evolution Part II

Part I of our story on the evolution of hairspring materials covered temperature compensation along with the development of the first specialised balance spring alloy, Elinvar. The story brought us to the 1920s, when scientist and horologist Charles-Edouard Guillaume (1861-1938) finished his work on nickel-iron alloys and watchmakers begun embracing Elinvar springs paired with mono-metallic balances. In this second part we turn to newer hairspring alloys, like the now-ubiquitous Nivarox. Then we look at today’s landscape and the future, touching on research done by the Swatch Group with alternative, niobium-based alloys and also the specialised but obscure Seiko SPRON 610 hairspring. Lastly we discuss silicon springs, which are growing more prevalent across a range of timepieces. Elinvar’s weaknesses Elinvar was by far the greatest breakthrough in self-compensating alloy hairsprings at the time. Guillaume considered Elinvar good enough and not needing further improvement - unsurprisingly since he was its inventor - but other watchmakers and engineers continued to experiment with iron-nickel compounds because Elinvar’s inherent properties made it a good, but imperfect, material. Even though the alloy behaved predictably with temperature changes, its physical properties were not ideal to begin with. Elinvar was a soft metal, which posed its own suite of problems for spring applications. The importance of softness in terms of hairspring performance is not related ...

Inside the Watchmaking Journey of Dann Phimphrachanh SJX Watches
Citizen Aug 5, 2025

Inside the Watchmaking Journey of Dann Phimphrachanh

In the world of independent watchmaking, Phimphrachanh – pronounced “fin-fra-chan” – is a name worth learning. Born in France, Dann Phimphrachanh is a Portuguese citizen with Laotian heritage who produces watches in Switzerland. That multicultural heritage that informs his approach to horology, personified by the Seconde Vive, his first wristwatch. The Phimphrachanh surname, inherited from his Laotian grandfather, a political figure in Laos, speaks to this lineage, but Dann’s professional and personal identity is firmly rooted in Portugal. After training in Lisbon’s watchmaking school and working at traditional Swiss watch brands, Dann set out to build his first watch on his own terms: by hand, with minimal industrial tools, and a commitment to preserving classical methods in a modern context. In a world where “independent watchmaking” can sometimes feel like just another label, Dann reminds us what it really means. The Seconde Vive, the result of years of solitary work, is both a technical achievement and a reflection of a deeper pursuit, a journey shaped by tradition, silence, and the slow mastery of time itself. The Seconde Vive Origins When Dann first left for Switzerland, he carried with him an image shaped by the glossy pages of watchmaking magazines, a world where the watchmaker was portrayed as a solitary figure, pursuing perfection in a quiet, idyllic workshop. “It was that image I went looking for,” he recalls. Reality, of course, was more co...

New Watch Releases You May Have Missed from IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bremont, and Minase Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Bremont Aug 3, 2025

New Watch Releases You May Have Missed from IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bremont, and Minase

Happy first weekend of August, and welcome to another new release summary! Would that make it a “summery” summary? Bad alliterative jokes aside, we’ve seen some exciting new pieces from big-name watchmakers and microbrands alike. Rounding out this release list are a colorful new IWC Top Gun collab, a Jaeger-LeCoulture that shoots for the stars, a meteoric Bremont with lofty aspirations, and a Minase that brings a little winter chill to the summer sun.  Read on, and let us know if there is a new release that you think we missed out on in the comments! IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Miramar Far from their first Top Gun release, IWC’s new chronograph may not seem that exciting at first glance. But the new Miramar edition has a secret weapon: a Pantone hue of the same name. Other Top Gun IWCs have been made available in shades of black, gray, and beige, which although appropriate for the military-theme, aren’t terribly exciting from a color perspective. The Miramar, then, stands out with its unapologetically cheery blue, inspired by the light blue t-shirts worn by TOPGUN flight instructors under their flight suits.  It’s not just the color that gives the Miramar an edge, though. Design-wise, the left-leaning subdials at the 12, 6, and 9 o’clock positions, balanced out by the dual date and day windows, provide for a handsomely readable aesthetic. The typeface is characteristic of other IWC Top Gun watches, with rounded sans serif numeral...

Introducing - The Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Limited Edition GBCF999 Captures The Mesmerising Dance Of A Flock Of Birds Monochrome
Seiko corporation Credor represents Jul 24, 2025

Introducing - The Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Limited Edition GBCF999 Captures The Mesmerising Dance Of A Flock Of Birds

Credor is often regarded as being a connaisseur’s brand, one of those beguiling watchmakers known and appreciated by a small group of deeply devoted watch collectors and enthusiasts. Part of the Seiko corporation, Credor represents the high-end side of the company, combining the most special traditional craftsmanship techniques with Japanese watchmaking artistry. Although it has […]

The Collector's Series - An Italian Collector on His Bespoke OISA 1937 Watch, Marking the Return of Movements Made in Italy Monochrome
May 29, 2025

The Collector's Series - An Italian Collector on His Bespoke OISA 1937 Watch, Marking the Return of Movements Made in Italy

It’s something we’ve told over and over again. Watchmaking isn’t only Swiss. Watchmaking is global and has, historically, been present all over the world. Surely, with industrialisation and the effects of the Quartz crisis, three giant hubs have emerged: Switzerland for high-end watches, Japan with its immense conglomerates and China, the silent factory… Italy surely […]

Hands-on - A Personal Take on the Tudor Black Bay Pro Polar, From a Fan of the Explorer II Monochrome
Tudor Black Bay Pro Polar May 28, 2025

Hands-on - A Personal Take on the Tudor Black Bay Pro Polar, From a Fan of the Explorer II

Here, at MONOCHROME, we write about watches. That’s our job. However, before that became what we do on a daily basis, we all shared a sheer passion for watches, with, of course, our personal preferences. Our founder, Frank, is well known to be a fan of independent watchmakers and monochromatic watches (obviously…) I, for instance, […]

Fratello On Air: Imagining Current Brands As Independent Watchmakers Fratello
May 6, 2025

Fratello On Air: Imagining Current Brands As Independent Watchmakers

Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we imagine certain current brands as independent watchmakers. The topic was a lot of fun to discuss and came as a suggestion from two of our listeners. Enjoy the show! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie […] Visit Fratello On Air: Imagining Current Brands As Independent Watchmakers to read the full article.

Obituary: René Beyer, Owner of the World’s Oldest Watch Store SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Apr 16, 2025

Obituary: René Beyer, Owner of the World’s Oldest Watch Store

René Beyer, the eighth-generation owner of Beyer Chronometrie in Zurich, died suddenly on April 13, 2025, at the age of 61​. Beyer was a towering figure in Swiss watchmaking circles, known not only for helming his family’s 260-year-old business, but also for his passionate stewardship of its famed clock and watch museum, his warm ties with independent watchmakers, and his family’s close relationship with Patek Philippe. He is survived by his wife. Beyer’s passing was first reported by Zurich newspaper Inside Paradeplatz. Born in 1963 into the Beyer dynasty that began in Germany in 1760, Beyer grew up surrounded by clocks and watches. Like his father, Theodor “Teddy” René Beyer, he qualified as a watchmaker himself​, learning the business from the ground up. Beyer’s role in the family business started in 1986 when his father suffered a heart attack and was forced to step back. A decade later, Beyer had formally taken over as managing director and proprietor of Beyer Chronometrie, becoming the eighth generation to run the venerable retailer​, which first opened in Zurich in 1822. Unlike many of its peers that expanded nationally and internationally, the business remained a local operation in Zurich. Like many watch retailers of the old-school, Beyer was synonymous with his store. The store on Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street of Zurich A retailer and curator During his nearly three decades at the helm, Beyer carried on his father’s legacy and bol...

Introducing - Fresh Dial Colours and Textures for the Delma 1924 Tourbillon Monochrome
Mar 25, 2025

Introducing - Fresh Dial Colours and Textures for the Delma 1924 Tourbillon

Delma, founded in 1924, is a family-owned brand based in Lengnau, Switzerland, with a solid track record of rugged, high-performance sports watches adapted to racing, airborne and diving pursuits. Last year, Delma surprised its fan base with the release of a tourbillon to celebrate its 100th anniversary powered by the brand’s first proprietary movement. Following […]

Our Favorite Watches from British Watchmakers’ Day Worn & Wound
Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Mar 13, 2025

Our Favorite Watches from British Watchmakers’ Day

Over the weekend, Worn & Wound’s Zach Kazan and Devin Pennypacker attended the second annual British Watchmakers’ Day event at Lindley Hall in London, England. British Watchmakers’ Day is the main public facing event for the British Watch and Clock Makers Alliance, formed in 2020 to encourage and guide a new generation of British watchmakers. Over 40 brands exhibited at the single day event, which was packed with watch lovers from all over the world. One of the unique things about British Watchmakers’ Day is that brands are truly incentivized to launch limited editions available on the day of the show. It generates interest in the ticketed event, giving watch lovers a specific reason to show up early to Lindley Hall, and proceeds from both watch sales and tickets benefit the Alliance. To that end, one of the most fun aspects of the show is going from brand to brand to see what kind of limited edition release they came up with for the big day (we’ve already told you about a few).  Here, as a recap to the show, Zach and Devin pick three of their favorite British Watchmakers’ Day limited editions that they saw at the show. It was tough to limit these choices to just three. If you attended the show, be sure to drop your favorites in the comments below.  Zach Kazan  Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Visiting with José Miranda at the Isotope display was a highlight of the show for me. Not only did he have an excellent BWD limited edition on display (and another...