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The Louis Moinet Cosmopolis includes pieces from 12 different, and very rare, meteorites from Jean-Marie Schaller's own collection. And this earned him the Guinness World Records™ title for the "most meteorite inserts in a watch." Martin Green takes a closer look.
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Old wine is always a lottery. The provenance, the chances of the wine being a fake, did the cork hold up, how was the storage, and so on. But sometimes the Gods smile and you taste history!
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In Martin Green's view, the Piaget Polo Skeleton in pink gold with blue PVD-coated movement and matching alligator skin strap is quite the attention seeker, displaying a pleasant luxurious-sporty dynamic. He explains why here.
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The Wyler Vetta Beaux Arts collection’s design language is firmly rooted in its Italian origins. Love it or hate it, one glance will confirm you’re in the presence of something decidedly different.
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Ask any watchmaker about the Rolex 31 family of calibers and the story will be the same: it has stood the test of time. Ashton Tracy hasn’t met a single watchmaker who doesn’t love working on these workhorse Rolex movements. They are easy to service, keep great time, and stand up to abuse. Put simply: they work. So how does it stand up to big brother, Find out right here!
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Held every two years, the Only Watch charity auction of exclusively unique pieces has grown into THE most anticipated watch auction worldwide and features some of the most creative and innovative horology on the planet. For the 2023 Only Watch auction, the theme is ‘Rainbow’. However, while there are an incredible 62 unique piece timekeepers on offer, only a fraction of them really ran with the rainbow theme. Ian Skellern shares his favorite rainbow watches from Only Watch 2023 here.
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Whether you are a desk pilot who enjoys aviation-themed watches or a jetsetter who flies the friendly skies in private Gulfstreams, these 5 watches will deliver the perfect flair of sophistication with an abundance of horological clout. And a price tag to match!
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For the two new 2022 models in the Classique Calendrier Reference 7337 collection, one in pink gold and the other one in white gold, Breguet opted for a blue background on the day and date disks. What seems to be a mere detail has quite an impact on the watch's overall look as this color contrast makes these functions more pronounced.
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When Joshua Munchow first saw the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture, he was surprised. But now, in the full context of everything happening with the brand, his main reaction is, "Greubel Forsey is dead, long live Greubel Forsey!"
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Sometimes, people have really good ideas. Not something I normally say about marketing departments of any kind, but whoever first came up with the concept of the annual Diageo Special Releases deserves all the credit which can be showered upon them. A fabulous idea and one that other regions, spirits, producers could adopt and adapt.
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While tastes and fashions are constantly changing and continuously evolving in the field of mechanical wristwatches, they seem to be at a standstill in the field of table clocks and wall clocks. Master enameler Vanessa Lecci hopes to change that with her modern take on Pendules Neuchâteloises clocks.
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Quentin R. Bufogle loves being wrong. Especially about watches.He loves it when his snobbery, short-sightedness and completely unsupported preconceived notions are suddenly imploded by a brand or a particular piece he only thought he knew. As was the case with the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec GMT Chronograph.
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Hairsprings are miniscule. Generally no more than one centimeter in overall diameter when coiled, they are roughly 50 microns thick and 150 microns wide. Tiny they may be, but insignificant they are not. In fact, they are so significant that Rolex refers to them as “the guardians of time.” But what do silicon hairsprings bring to the table? Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains why he went from skeptic to fan.
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In Tim Mosso's opinion, the Moser Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel certainly appeals to the rational mind. It’s technically impressive, performs useful functions, and features sensible engineering. But selecting tantalum and enamel casts practical considerations to the wind. It's simply stunning!
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The H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton has a cylindrical tourbillon reminiscent of an exploded image. The fact that it's in motion makes it all the better. But that's not all, as Martin Green discovers.
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Bell & Ross turns its aviation watch “DNA” toward the urban man. Chris Malburg spent a week with the BR 05 with gray dial in stainless steel and has a lot to say about this everyday city-dweller’s timepiece.
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Ken Gargett thought that his Montecristo Churchill Añejados cigar was stunning. But things could never be that simple. His fellow video smoker had a completely opposite experience, so variation is the name of the game.
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The classic design of the Akrivia RRCC II’s dial has roots in founder Rexhep Rexhepi’s vision of high-quality nineteenth-century pocket watch dials adorned with high-fire enamel and combined with a modern twist based on “sector” dials of the 1930s and '40s. But there's much more to this brand-new watch than that as Elizabeth Doerr explains.
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The first time Bhanu Chopra strapped a borrowed BR 03-92 Black Matte Ceramic on his wrist, he thought that it was the perfect Bell & Ross watch for him, checking all the boxes for the characteristics he expected from an aviation-style instrument watch. He bought one and it has been part of his core pilot’s watch collection ever since. This is why.
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After seven decades carefully stored away in the Zenith archives, ten of the original chronometry competition-winning movements find their way into a limited set of new watches thanks to Phillips, legendary independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, and Zenith's current management.
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The framed aventurine central dial of this bespoke Sartory Billard SB05 has a depth that allows us to easily imagine we are looking through a maze of galaxies toward the far edges of the universe. And framing that is a ring of meteorite, a true space material. What else makes this watch so unique?
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A brand's progress is often seen in how their watches evolve. Armin Strom, which had the delicate task of reinventing the 'One Week,' the watch with their very first full manufacture movement.
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The Slim d'Hermès Squelette Lune is a prime example of contemporary skeletonization as the bridges offer an elegant appeal with their almost organically flowing lines and subtle decorations. Martin Green tells us what else he likes (and maybe doesn't) about this watch.
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One of the best things about dealing with independent watchmakers is the ability to request unique touches on your watch. That’s just what happened after GaryG's new friend first saw Kari Voutilainen’s Sport28, a titanium-encased watch that itself is quite rare with only eight examples made in total.
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Having worked with both Bovet and Philippe Dufour, Hervé Schlüchter was able to become a master at the more traditional horology aesthetic since neither could be confused with a brand focusing on modern design. The caliber HS-01 is a smorgasbord of classical elements all finished to perfection to highlight the skills of the watchmaker.
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There are no photos (either real or CAD) nor sketches of the McGonigle Ogma, and there’s been no public announcement; however (surprise, surpise!), most of the watches have already been reserved. How times have changed. In the words of Dorothy to her dog in The Wizard of Oz after being sucked up by a tornado, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
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As a collector, and a fairly visible one at that, GaryG has been paying attention to reports of muggings and thefts of watches and wondering whether it makes sense these days to wear valuable pieces in public. He polled a group of 20 watch enthusiast friends on their personal safety while wearing watches to learn what steps they take to keep safe.
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An exceptional tasting of vintage champagnes provides great insight into the enormous differences between the styles made by the various houses, variations in vintages and also in the different versions of champagne available. Ken Gargett took one for the team and lets us know what he thought of these superlative wines.
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The large date complication is always a favorite. And with the variety of details on the dial of the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Master Grande Date, including exposed mechanics and varying textures, it seems clear that the brand has found its new flagship for this line.
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G-Shock is a sub-brand of Casio that is designed to withstand mechanical stress, vibrations, and shocks. It's a great affordable watch, but is it still worth buying? Raman Kalra certainly thinks so and explains why.
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