The world of horology isn’t only located in Switzerland. There are talented watchmakers worldwide, and the Netherlands is no stranger to creating fine timepieces. One of the most prominent and enduring names on the Dutch scene is, without a doubt, Christiaan van der Klaauw. A man recognised by his peers for his involvement in astronomical […]
There is no surprise that nowadays, not only scientists, occultists, magicians and pagans display an exciting desire to follow planetary tracks. For one, Mercury in retrograde is a vital factor to consider by ordinary people. And unsurprisingly, astronomical indicators remain among our favourite watch complications and the Christiaan van der Klaauw Planetarium series we love. […]
Ineichen, the fast-growing auction house based in Zurich, seems to have a thing for both modern, important watches as well as something that is dear to us, independent watchmaking. Following thematic sales focused on one specific material or an iconic watch celebrating its 50th anniversary, we’ve seen an October sale dedicated to tourbillons and skeletonization. Today, […]
Even though the promise of a vaccine strikes a positive note in the current COVID-19 misery, the pandemic still holds everyone, and especially retailers, in a firm grip. However, this situation may also prove to be an opportunity for small and medium-sized jewellers and watch retailers to rethink the way they market their offer. Besides […]
Christiaan van der Klaauw will not only go down in history as the most famous Dutch watchmaker of handmade astronomical complications, but he will also be credited as the creator of the smallest mechanical planetarium in the world, so small that it fits inside a wristwatch. The latest mechanical wonder to emerge from the CVDK […]
Today, for another instalment of The Collector’s Series, we leave the stage to one of the finest watch enthusiasts we have encountered, a man with an impressive knowledge of independent watchmaking and, important in this column, a real strategy when it comes to collecting watches. @Watch_Time_It_Is presents a very unusual yet fascinating timepiece, made by […]
Christiaan van der Klaauw will go down in history as having the created the smallest mechanical planetarium in the world, condensed into the miniature arena of a wristwatch – or in fact, a portion of a wristwatch. His opus, the 40mm CVDK Planetarium, depicts the real-time orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as they rotate around the Sun. A mechanical miracle that unites horology and astronomy, the CVDK Planetarium – first launched in 1999 – is also a beautiful work of portable art. Just imagine if Copernicus could have got his hands on one of these and prove to his contemporaries that heliocentrism was really the way forward! In addition to the highly accurate representation of planetary motions, the Planetarium has an annual calendar complication.
There is no denying that when it comes to women’s watches (and jewelry), the famed house of Van Cleef & Arpels pretty much always gets it right. This year, at the SIHH 2018, the brand proved itself yet again – with a host of new feminine watches that could almost have women drooling. However, one watch set itself apart from all the others for a host of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it brings the world to the wrist in stunning fashion. The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planetarium Poetic Complication watch is an actual planetarium – a mechanical solar system model – on the wrist, the result of yet another collaboration with specialist Christiaan van der Klaauw.
In 1974 Dutch watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw founded his own workshop making astronomical clocks, then soon similar complications for wristwatches. He retired in 2009, passing his baton along to Daniel Reintjes, who is now in charge of the world’s only watch brand completely dedicated to astronomical watches. Quill & Pad’s Martin Green sat down with Reintjes to get a feel for where the brand is now.
Waxing poetically about moon phases has gotten me excited enough to take a trip through certain “phases” of engineering excellence . Here we bring you the eight most accurate moon phases currently fitted into a wristwatch. Join us on this odyssey through space and time.