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La Chaux-de-Fonds

Industrial capital of Swiss watchmaking. Birthplace of Omega and Girard-Perregaux, home of Greubel Forsey, the MIH, and UNESCO-listed with Le Locle.

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Introducing: The TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 Hodinkee
Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco Jun 5, 2026

Introducing: The TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12

What We Know TAG Heuer has said this is the year of the chronograph. In reality, for the storied brand from La Chaux-de-Fonds, that means it's the year of the Monaco. With a series of new releases for 2026, including updated versions of the core Monaco collection with an in-house chronograph movement and updated titanium case, as well as tweaked dial design and, most significantly, the innovative and bar-raising movement tech of the new Evergraf, TAG has leaned into the square-shaped timepiece that debuted back in 1969 and affirmed its position as the brand's flagship and iconic model.  So for the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco 2026 this weekend, it shouldn't be a surprise that TAG is unveiling a new limited edition version of the Monaco to mark the occasion. The surprise here is that it isn't a chronograph. Rather, it's a time-only jump hour, utilizing the noted Spin Time movement from fellow LVMH property La Fabrique du Temps. It's called the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12, and it is certainly a unique and unprecedented interpretation of the mighty Monaco.  Measuring 40 millimeters in diameter, the brushed case is made of grade 5 titanium, with the crown on the right rather than the left, which is now obligatory on the Monaco chronograph. It features a sapphire crystal on both sides, meaning the skeletonized case is effectively transparent outside of the dial architecture at the center.  The design inspiration here is a 12-cylinder combustion motor, and the ...

Introducing: Girard-Perregaux Introduces Four New Laureato Models In 36mm And 39mm (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Girard-Perregaux Introduces Four New Laureato Jun 4, 2026

Introducing: Girard-Perregaux Introduces Four New Laureato Models In 36mm And 39mm (Live Pics)

What We Know Last September, Girard-Perregaux released the Laureato Fifty, a 200-piece limited edition marking the collection's 50th anniversary. Continuing to build on that, the La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture has announced four new Laureato references today, in 36mm and 39mm sizes. All four share the same octagonal case and GP4800 movement—the 39mm options are a rose gold-toned 18k dial with Clous de Paris motif and date display, and a deep blue in-house enamel dial over the same pattern. The 36mm gets the same rose gold-toned dial minus the date, and a silver-toned Clous de Paris dial with a gem-set bezel carrying 64 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 0.55 carats. Everything comes on a steel integrated bracelet with a triple-folding clasp and 4mm micro-adjustment. Water resistance is 150 meters. The GP4800, first introduced last year, is an automatic movement running at 4 Hz with a 60-hour power reserve. Its architecture draws from GP's Three Bridges lineage, with the balance bridge crafted in rose gold. All four are available now, with pricing as follows: the 39mm blue enamel is $24,500; the 39mm rose gold-toned dial is $23,100; the 36mm rose gold-toned dial is $23,100; and the 36mm diamond-set is $24,200. What We Think When I covered the Laureato Fifty last October, my main critique was that GP had only offered a grey dial. That's now been addressed, with the brand offering a variety of options. Another improvement worth noting: the two-tone bracelet has be...

Highlights: Artistic Horology at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
May 29, 2026

Highlights: Artistic Horology at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ spring auction season heads east for The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XXII on May 30 – 31. In addition to a strong roster of complications from big brands, and interesting indies as usual, there is a strong showing from the more artistic side of watchmaking spanning gemsetting, enamelling, hand engraving, and wood marquetry. Lot 1010 – Jaquet Droz Magic Lotus Automaton Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721 – 1790) was an extraordinarily skilled automata maker from La Chaux-de-Fonds, his most famous work being The Writer, which can write up to 40 pre-programmed characters, dipping his quill into an ink pot at intervals. Today, Swatch Group uses his name for métiers d’art watches and automata; this watch is both. The onyx dial adds lapidary into the mix. It is a two-train watch — turning the crown one direction winds the movement, while the other winds the animation, which is tripped by a button in the crown and runs for an unusually long four minutes on a full wind. The koi swims around the dial, moving its tail back and forth and dives slightly to pass underneath the floating foliage (which is made of gold). A floating lotus flower opposite the koi acts as a visual counterweight. The petals clutch a yellow sapphire — or is it a red ruby, or a blue sapphire? It changes as the flower passes under the leaves or dial. Finally, while the koi is cavorting around the dial, the dragonfly is hard at work keeping track of the movement’s 68-hour power reserve. That movement...

Visiting Roventa-Henex SJX Watches
Longines May 28, 2026

Visiting Roventa-Henex

Jérôme Biard is good at keeping secrets. As chief executive of Roventa-Henex (Roventa), he needs to be. The historic manufacture in the sleepy Swiss village of Tavannes builds watches for dozens of watch brands — some are internet-native ‘micro-brands’ while others are historic names with 19th-century roots. Naturally, few of the firm’s customers choose to reveal this arrangement, preferring the unstated implication of in-house expertise. We went inside this secretive manufacture to see a different side of the Swiss watch industry. Roventa-Henex CEO Jérôme Biard in his office in Tavannes. A short history of Roventa-Henex To better understand Roventa, it’s worth examining the history of watchmaking in Tavannes, a small village in the canton of Bern just 16 km from Biel/Bienne. Watchmaking came to Tavannes relatively late — in the 1860s — nearly two centuries after the first Swiss watches were made. Despite its late start, Tavannes quickly became a major centre of industrial watchmaking in the 1890s when Henri Sandoz — with the backing of two prominent families from La Chaux-de-Fonds — opened an industrialised factory based on the American model of production, complete with the latest American machine tools. By 1905, Tavannes Watch Co.’s factory employed more than 600 workers, making it Switzerland’s third-largest watch factory after Longines and Omega. By 1914 its staff had doubled, and the factory was producing more than 3,000 watches per day. Tav...

The Business of Watches Podcast: Angelus and Arnold & Son Chief Executive Officer Pascal Béchu Hodinkee
Arnold & Son Chief Executive Officer Pascal May 27, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Angelus and Arnold & Son Chief Executive Officer Pascal Béchu

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in La Chaux-de-Fonds to speak to Pascal Béchu, who heads not one, but two Swiss watchmaking brands, Angelus and Arnold & Son.  Pascal Béchu, the CEO of Angelus and Arnold & Son They're both specialized, low-production, high-horology watchmakers, with very different back stories. While Angelus is a historic Swiss brand known for its repeaters, chronographs, and long power reserve movements, Arnold & Son celebrates the work and innovation of one of history's most important (British) watchmakers, John Arnold. While quite different in their product and strategies, the two brands share the same parent company in Japan's Citizen Group, and both work closely with movement maker La Joux-Perret, with whom they share manufacturing and office space in La Chaux-de-Fonds.  Pascal Béchu is in charge of both marques. He talks about the history and the future for both brands, some recent successes in the form of celebrity clients for Arnold & Son, and a GPHG prize for Angelus. He also discusses prices and the impact the strong Swiss franc and the soaring price of precious metals are having on corporate strategy and planning.  And a quick bit of housekeeping, this conversation was recorded just before Watches & Wonders and the new novelties launched by both brands, including the Angelus 'Tinkler' quarter repeater, so these new watches are not discussed on the podcast.  But first, we round up the latest business news with the most recent ...

Early Audemars Piguet Single-Button Chronograph Wristwatch Emerges at Christie’s Geneva SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Single-Button Chronograph Wristwatch Emerges Apr 28, 2026

Early Audemars Piguet Single-Button Chronograph Wristwatch Emerges at Christie’s Geneva

One of the highlights in Christie’s upcoming Geneva auctions taking place on May 11, 2026, is the Audemars Piguet “Coussin Tortue” single-button chronograph wristwatch, serial number 41’849. It is an exceedingly rare watch, being one of a batch of three examples that were the first ever chronograph wristwatches made by Audemars Piguet (AP). Moreover, the watch has been in the same family since new, and is consigned by a descendent of the original owner who bought the watch in 1943. Also notably is the fact that this watch has been comprehensively – but sympathetically and artfully – restored by AP. This “cushion turtle” wristwatch has a platinum case and two-tone, solid gold dial, while the movement is a LeCoultre, just like the others in the batch of three watches. The first of the three was in white gold, following by two in platinum, including this example. Interestingly, this watch was delivered to retailer Veuve Louis Goering in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1937, but only sold six years later. The tepid demand for such watches perhaps explains why, according to Christie’s, AP made a total of six single-button chronograph wristwatch movements, but the remaining three were only cased and sold over a decade after this one. Restored perfectly Besides being extremely rare and also unexpectedly beautiful, this watch stands out for having been enjoyed “extensive” restoration at Audemars Piguet. Ordinarily restoration would be frowned upon, but the watch was pre...

Hands On: Imaginative Automata from Jacob & Co. SJX Watches
Jacob & Co. Apr 24, 2026

Hands On: Imaginative Automata from Jacob & Co.

It is somewhat counterintuitive to think that New York-based jeweller Jacob & Co. is one of the fastest growing brands in the mostly stagnant Swiss watch industry. In fact, Jacob & Co. is now a watchmaker first and a jeweller second by turnover – watches account for 75% of the brand’s revenue today. This success is party due to the brand’s open-minded approach to movement making and the surprising (and often risky) projects it has produced, from the first 31-day wristwatch in 2006 to the world’s fastest tourbillon in 2026. One of Jacob & Co.’s specialties is dial-side automata - micro-mechanical sculptures that that can be activated on demand. Alongside the launch of the flagship Godfather II, Jacob & Co. expanded its range of automata watches with new sapphire editions of the Bugatti Tourbillon, a malachite-dialled Casino, and new editions of the provocative Oil Pump. The Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Jacob & Co. is not the first watch brand to collaborate with celebrated carmaker Bugatti, but the collaboration is more than a mere commercial tie-up. In fact, the two companies share a manufacturing partner - Concepto - a La Chaux-de-Fonds-based specialist in components and white-label movements. Bugatti enlisted Concepto to produce the fully analogue instrument cluster of its latest hypercar - the aptly named Tourbillon. This was a delightful return to tactility in a world of digital displays and ubiquitous touchscreens. This three-way collaboration contin...

Greubel Forsey’s Beach-Ready Balancier 3 SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey s Beach-Ready Balancier 3 Apr 8, 2026

Greubel Forsey’s Beach-Ready Balancier 3

Greubel Forsey’s Balancier Convexe S² recently took its final bow, making way for the ‘baby blue’ edition of the Balancier 3. Positioned as the brand’s entry level model now that production of the the dressier Balancier Contemporain has concluded, the Balancier 3 is a 22-piece limited edition that introduces a novel finishing technique for the Y-shaped titanium bridge that transverses the dial. Initial thoughts For fans of sport watches who thought the end of the Convexe S² might be a signal that Greubel Forsey is backing away from its Convexe collection, the launch of a new - albeit limited - series of the Balancier 3 is welcome. The brand’s sporty case format debuted shortly before controversial tenure of former CEO Antonio Calce, who seemed to see the Convexe case as a vehicle for rapid growth akin to that of Richard Mille. But his efforts at scaling production ran into the immutable limits of hand craftsmanship. His ouster was followed by something of a return to form for one of the leading lights of La Chaux-de-Fonds, which subsequently backed away from some of the more simplified watches launched under Mr Calce. The Balancier 3 manages the difficult task of being a casual watch built with utmost dignity. While this is technically the brand’s entry level watch, and a sport watch at that, it is finished more thoroughly and to a higher level than most grand complications from the great houses of Geneva. If we’re splitting hairs - and at this price ...

The Audible Joy of Alarm Watches Worn & Wound
Vulcain Feb 20, 2026

The Audible Joy of Alarm Watches

One of the most useful watch complications in horological history is also one of its most forgotten.  The ring of a mechanical alarm may seem like a lost artifact, like a rotary phone dial or a manual transmission, all once the necessities of 20th century civilization. And yet, functionality of a settable and mechanical-winding alarm into the tiny confines of a wristwatch is an impressive mechanical feat, one underrated among dive bezels, world timers, pulsations scales, and tachymeters.  The alarm watch was meant for the everyman, whether they’re travelers, titans of industry, or merely early risers. Just like there is appreciation for a watch’s ability to do more than just tell time, there is the aural sensation for a watch to produce something more for the senses than just sight. Eterna was the first to patent an alarm caliber as early as 1908, eventually introducing an alarm wristwatch in 1914 at the Swiss National Exhibition in Berne. It was an impressive achievement, but it wouldn’t last: there was the problem that the alarm could only sound for less than 10 seconds, barely enough to rouse a moderate sleeper, as well as the fact that when the alarm was set, accuracy suffered.  However, the Eterna did achieve something significant: it spurred Vulcain, in nearby La Chaux-de-Fonds, to begin developing its own alarm mechanism in 1942. The resulting Vulcain Cricket, debuting in 1947, fixed its predecessor’s shortcomings: namely, separate barrels for the alarm s...

Hugues’ Accomplishment: The Story of Hugues Bürki SJX Watches
Longines can actually trace their Feb 9, 2026

Hugues’ Accomplishment: The Story of Hugues Bürki

Nestled in the Jura Mountains, La Chaux-de-Fonds has been a cradle of Swiss watchmaking ever since its watchmaking school, the Technicum, opened in 1865. For aspiring watchmakers, the climax of their training was traditionally the creation of a montre école – or what’s known as a school watch. This is the story of Hugues Bürki, a Technicum alumnus, who built what would become a record-breaking school watch, and who would later make horological history as a movement engineer. Hugues Bürki. Image – author The Technicum The watchmaking school of La Chaux-de-Fonds was founded in 1865. In its early days, the school occupied rooms inside the modestly named ‘Technicum’, a local vocational-technical school. By 1885, the school’s own building had been inaugurated, yet the name Technicum stuck. In 1933, in the wake of the global economic crisis, the nearby watchmaking schools in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle were merged to form the Technicum Neuchâtelois. The Technicum in the 1960s. Image – author It demands attention that both divisions of the Technicum Neuchâtelois had a particularly strong focus on high-precision chronometry at the time compared to other watchmaking schools in Switzerland, which specialised in other domains, such as the construction of complications and traditional finishing techniques. In fact, some of the innovations in chronometry we associate with brands like Longines can actually trace their roots to the Technicum Neuchâtelois, including...

Hands-on – The Featherweight Bianchet B 1.618 UltraFino Carbon Monochrome
Jan 28, 2026

Hands-on – The Featherweight Bianchet B 1.618 UltraFino Carbon

Founded in 2021, Bianchet is a young independent brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, specialising in contemporary tonneau-shaped timepieces that merge advanced materials with architectural mechanics. The brand’s designs are rooted in the Golden Ratio (1.618), which influences the proportions of its cases, bridges, and even its rotors. Last year’s model B 1.618 UltraFino Carbon […]

Introducing – Twenty Years and Going Strong, the Ochs und Junior Settimana PVD Monochrome
Jan 26, 2026

Introducing – Twenty Years and Going Strong, the Ochs und Junior Settimana PVD

Simple solutions to complex problems could well be Dr Ludwig Oechslin’s overriding philosophy. Former curator of the Musée international d’horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Oechslin studied archaeology as an undergraduate and obtained a PhD in Philosophy – with a scholarship to study theoretical physics and astronomy – and became a Swiss master watchmaker in 1983. Bringing […]

Omega Co-Axial Movement Explained: A Radical Invention Teddy Baldassarre
Omega Dec 7, 2025

Omega Co-Axial Movement Explained: A Radical Invention

What is a Co-Axial Movement? More specifically, what is the now-famous Co-Axial Escapement that has become a standard feature on most all Omega watches? In short, it's both a radical concept by one of the modern era's most revered watchmaking geniuses and the culmination of a Swiss watch brand's longtime dedication to improving watchmaking accuracy. Here is the story of Omega's co-axial movements.  [toc-section heading="Early Omega Movements"]  While it is best known these days for its signature watch models, like the Speedmaster “Moonwatch” and the James Bond-worn Seamaster, Omega has also been a pioneer in movement-making since nearly the beginning. The company was founded in 1848 by 23-year-old watchmaker Louis Brandt (with family, above) in the Swiss village of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Originally called La Genérale Watch Company, and eventually renamed Louis Brandt et Fils after Brandt’s sons joined the business, it originally produced key-wound pocket watches from parts supplied by local artisans, After the growing company moved from La Chaux-de-Fonds to the more bustling town of Bienne, in the Swiss Canton of Bern, it pioneered a series of industrial watchmaking techniques and also began making its own in-house movements. The first one, called the Labrador, launched in 1885 in a now-legendary series of pocket watches. Nearly a decade later, in 1894, came the company’s chef d’oeuvre, the 19-ligne Omega Caliber, which was notable at the time for its enviable acc...

How a Summer Job While Pursuing a Degree in Anthropology Turned into a Decade-Long Career as Heritage Director at Zenith Worn & Wound
Zenith Laurence Bodenmann has served Dec 1, 2025

How a Summer Job While Pursuing a Degree in Anthropology Turned into a Decade-Long Career as Heritage Director at Zenith

Laurence Bodenmann has served as the Heritage Director of Zenith for a decade. She’s also a member of the scientific committee for The Watch Library, a non-profit public interest foundation established in 2021 to document, preserve, and share watchmaking archives. While Bodenmann has become a staple of the industry, her role in watches was mere happenstance or rather came out of necessity. It spurred from a summer job at the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds while trying to earn some extra money during her pursuit of a degree in anthropology. “I was always interested in logic – when I was young, I first thought I wanted to be a math teacher,” she recalls. “But as I got older, I realized what interested me most was how different people approached reasoning,” Bodenmann continues, “and how factors like cultural context and economical or sociological diversity informed their thought process. I found it fascinating to observe how one person would approach an object or problem in one way and another person would do it completely differently.”  While Bodenmann didn’t initially expect to find herself in the world of horology, we can see why it’s been such a natural fit. The entire watch industry revolves around her astute observations as a teenager. Every person within a manufacturer – from the watchmaker sitting at a bench to the executives running the brand – is faced with the same object – a timepiece – and many of the same probl...

First Look – The New Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT Monochrome
Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT Schwarz Etienne Nov 19, 2025

First Look – The New Schwarz Etienne 1902 GMT

Schwarz Etienne is one of the rare independent manufactures that does everything under one roof: design, movement development, finishing and assembly in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Since Florian Brossard took the helm in 2024, the brand has sharpened a clear, contemporary identity built on technical depth. That work was visible earlier this year with the launch of […]

Tokyo Retailer Shellman Celebrates Christiaan Huygens SJX Watches
Nov 17, 2025

Tokyo Retailer Shellman Celebrates Christiaan Huygens

In order to mark the spiral hairspring’s 350th anniversary and celebrate its inventor Christiaan Huygens (1629 – 1695), Japanese watch retailer Shellman presents a two-week exhibition event in Tokyo, The Origins of Time = Astronomy. Opening November 19 and slated to run through December 2, the Shellman exhibit is a collaboration with the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and showcases the larger extent of Huygens’ work, from horology to optical observation devices. Themed around the Dutch scientist credited with building the first pendulum clock and with inventing the hairspring, the exhibit also explores larger fields of horology, with a focus on astronomy and modern independent watchmaking. Original drawings showing early attempts at making a sprung balance. Beyond his practical applications in horology, Huygens left marks on many other scientific fields, from geometry to physics and astronomy. He notably discovered Saturn’s largest moon Titan and cemented the wave theory of light propagation. One could say that he was interested in the celestial bodies as much as he was in understanding motion and measuring time here on Earth. In his honour, the exhibit leans on the astronomical theme as well.  The exhibition is accompanied by a selection of special watches available for sale. Visitors will have the chance to acquire the world’s smallest wristwatch planetarium, the Planetarium Christiaan Huygens Limited Edition, created by the Du...

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...

Prix Gaïa 2025 Awarded to Dr Helmut Crott for Scholarship SJX Watches
Aug 25, 2025

Prix Gaïa 2025 Awarded to Dr Helmut Crott for Scholarship

Awarded annually by the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH), one of Switzerland’s leading timekeeping museums, the Prix Gaïa recognises individuals who have contributed to watchmaking in three categories. This year’s winner in the “History [and] Research” category is Dr Helmut Crott. Best known for having founded the eponymous auction house, Dr Crott is also an author, scholar, and former owner of Urban Jürgensen, amongst other roles. In 2021 he authored Le Cadran, an in-depth study of dials and dial making techniques of 20th century wristwatches. Le Cadran by Dr Helmut Crott Past winners of the Prix Gaïa include Reinhard Meis, Jonathan Betts, Pierre-Yves Donzé, Kathleen Pritschard, and Ludwig Oechslin, all scholars and authors who have contributed substantively to the body of knowledge in the field. Alongside Dr Crott, this year’s winners are Jean-Jacques Paolini for “Entrepreneurship”, and Roger W. Smith for “Craftsmanship [and] Creation”. As the successor to Georges Daniels’ brand of English watchmaking, Mr Smith now produces watches under his own name, with his achievements and timepieces well known. Jean-Jacques Paolini Mr Paolini, on the other hand, is less known outside the industry, but he is arguably most responsible for building the enterprise that’s the largest employer in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1980, Mr Paolini took over his family’s case and bracelet manufacturing business, developing its operations sufficiently that it was acq...

Hands-on – The Dashing Retro Allure of the Eberhard & Co. Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée Monochrome
Eberhard & Co. Jul 27, 2025

Hands-on – The Dashing Retro Allure of the Eberhard & Co. Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée

Founded by Georges Eberhard in 1887 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Eberhard & Co. had established itself as a purveyor of innovative, technically advanced chronographs by 1919. Although the independent brand is well-known among Italian collectors, and its Chrono 4 model, with four separate counters inspired by the dashboard of race cars, might resonate with some readers, […]