(Note: This is the translation of an article I wrote for the Japanese watch magazine - "World Wrist Watch", with its written permission. The article was written before Basel and therefore I made some modification.) In October 2011, Hublot announced at Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris a movement, "Antikythera", created by the completely unique approach. "Antikythera" movement - to be precise, it is a movement tribute to the ancient "machine" from the ancient Greek (between BC 1st and ... more

What determines the longevity of a watch within a collection? By Ping Tsai © January 2012 There is a question that I have been contemplating for a long time – What distinguishes a watch that is kept from one that is sold? To put it another way, what exactly determines the longevity of a watch within an individual's collection? I have seen watches of which some were kept for a lifetime and others sold within a year, both purchased with equal enthusiasm and fondness. Why does one p... more

Grand Seiko VFA and Observatory Chronometer Competition in 60s. As I posted briefly a few months ago, I have acquired a Grand Seiko VFA by pure luck.   I love Grand Seiko and the VFA was/is THE ultimate Grand Seiko.  Many of you may be wondering “what is the fuss?” understandably.  I did some research and the summary of the history of SEIKO's endeavor in 60s to improve itself by entering the Competition and the surprising result, and the story of VFA pieces.  VFA stand... more

The DeWitt Manufacture in Perspective  By Art "Dr No" Dakessian   © September 2011  Our moderator Dr. Magnus Bosse wrote about The Manufacture DeWitt in "A Pandorean box of creativity - a visit to the manufacture DeWitt" , which was posted on May 24th, 2011 (link to article: home.watchprosite.com).   There is little of substance one can add to Magnus's magisterial article, which describes the Manufacture in requisite detail. There is, though, a lingering se... more

Take it from me: this is the watch of the year! I saw it first at SIHH in January; and then again, just the other week when I was introduced to the rose gold/charcoal ruthenium version. In my (perhaps) jaded and tired view of most of the watch industry, the watches that really ‘rock the boat’, are far and few between. All too often there is the hyperbol and the sound bites that this is now the "latest and the greatest" and "how could we have had any watch other than this before now!" Most a... more

[The Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Contemporaine: The beginning and the end of the model) Even before Greubel Forsey as a watch firm existed in Robert and Stephen's minds, they had an idea for a Double Tourbillon where the angle of rotation (for the first cage) was pitched at 30 degrees. The two horological innovators had considered the possibility of developing it with a watch company but realized that this idea, and the scope for developing new tourbillon systems, was suffici... more

Earlier in my epic 13-part post on the Cartier manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds I took a look at the enamelling department of the manufacture (click here to see the post). This post will provide a more detailed look - with 42 never seen before photos - at the enamel atelier.     Atelier emaillage - "enamel workshop"   The enamel workshop was set up three years ago. Not many watch companies have in-house enamel artists, it is expensive and there are absolutely no economies of sca... more

A visit to Manufacture Roger Dubuis By Su Jia Xian (SJX)   The trajectory Roger Dubuis has taken in its 15 years is remarkable. Founded in 1995 by Carlos Dias, Roger Dubuis started out as a maker of makers in the classic Geneva style – with a twist. Movements were finished to a high degree, consecrated with the Geneva Seal and blessed with an Observatory certificate. Even when the brand used new old stock movements, they were modified for that distinctively elaborate Geneva look with separat... more

A visit to the Lange manufactory in Glashütte An tour of the Lange Uhren factory in Glashütte covering the manufacturing and finishing of parts, assembly and testing, including in-house hairspring production    By Su Jia Xian (SJX)   Lange watches are today made at the Lange I and Lange II buildings on Altenberger Straße. Originally the premises of clockmaker Strasser & Rohde, Lange set up here after the company was re-established in 1990 because the original Lan... more

Denis Giguet founded Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) after leaving Harry Winston Rare Timepieces (HWRT), where he was Production Director. There are hints of the Opus watches in MCT; Giguet only focuses on novel displays of time and other functions. In the distant future there may be an MCT perpetual calendar with an innovative display according to Giguet. Prior to HWRT, Giguet was at Rolex for six years where he was head of special projects. His tenure there was a “very interesting expe... more

Maxence Van Der Bauwede is the scion of a family of jewellers originally hailing from Bruges in Belgium. The family has been in jewellery and watchmaking since 1873, but admirably his namesake brand Van Der Bauwede (VDB) does not devote too much energy into expounding on its history. VDB makes a surprisingly large range of watches, including some truly offbeat pieces that are memorable and original. And despite the designs, there is little pretense in most of the timepieces.    ... more

The Horological Machine No. 4 is the most radical creation from Maximilian Busser, which is saying a lot given his track record. And based on anecdotal evidence gathering from collectors and potential buyers, the MB&F HM4 Thunderbolt has certainly elicited the strongest reactions.       The HM4 reminds me of the pod racer from Star Wars, while the movement is reminiscent of the USS Enterprise. But unlike the previous Machines, the HM4 is not in the traditional form of a watch – a fl... more

Bulgari watches have experienced a long and dynamic history of iconic creations, creative interpretations and constant strives toward technological improvement.  The instantly recognizable BVLGARI-BVLGARI watch is a mainstay, anchoring the collection from a historical and design perspective.  It also serves to billboard one of Bulgari's most ubiquitous and prominent design elements, its own company logo.  Bulgari design has also seen inspiration from classical ancient Greek and Roman motifs s... more

Louis Cartier established the now famous Cartier boutique at 13 Rue de la Paix in 1899. Running between the Place Vendôme and Opéra Garnier, Rue de la Paix is the most expensive property on the French version of Monopoly. Cartier at 13 Rue de la Paix has seen countless notable personalities stroll through its elaborate entrance over the years, including various members of royalty, celebrities and even internet forum moderators. click here  to see the report. - SJX ... more

is the TAG Heuer Carrera 1887. I mention this in the upcoming Business Times watch supplement to be published on 27 August in Singapore. When the 1887 calibre went online in December 2009, it caused an uproar. Beginning on certain French watch forums and spreading quickly, the news got out that the new Calibre 1887 from TAG Heuer was not what it was cracked up to be. Nowhere in the press release did it state that the movement was based on a Seiko movement, the 6S37. Even though TAG Heuer would manufa... more

Cartier has five facilities in Switzerland, but Manufacture Cartier is in La Chaux-de-Fonds; everything from the Cartier High Watchmaking tourbillon to the Santos 100 is made there in one way or other. This provides an overview of the Cartier manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds and the processes in creating a watch; each department will be explored in more detail in later posts. This report also provides exclusive peeks into certain areas of the manufacture never seen before anywhere else. cli... more