Category: independent watchmaking

Live from SIHH 2017 – The so-nice Laurent Ferrier Galet Tourbillon Open Sector Dial

We continue our live blogging, live from SIHH 2017. Laurent Ferrier, as you might know, is a favorite of ours, with their superb, understated, slightly vintage-inspired watches and the highly decorated and technical movements that goes along. This year, they have a tourbillon to show, but on the contrary of previous creations, this tourbillon double-spiral is now visible from the dial (and that is not Laurent Ferrier’s habits).

8 years ago

SIHH 2017 – MB&F HM7 Aquapod – The Machine Turned Aquatic Sports Watch

Figure out this situation. Beginning of last week, I was working in front of my computer, writing about upcoming SIHH 2017 watches, headphones glued to my ears, listening to a Quartet for Strings by Gustav Mahler – so-to-say, a quiet situation. Then arrived an email from MB&F, entitled “Horological Machine N°7“. This was already a drastic change of music. I switched to rock and roll. And then, I had to change to alternative-punk-rock when I looked at what basically was a huge “jellyfish-like-aquatic-sports-watch” with MB&F printed on the dial. Yes, you read perfectly, what you look at is the brand’s first attempt of a sports watch. But hey, you’re at Max Bûsser & Friends, so of course we had to expect something hyper-creative again. And that’s exactly what this new MB&F HM7 Aquapod is.

8 years ago

SIHH 2017: Greubel Forsey Introduces the Time-Only Signature 1 in Platinum

First introduced in stainless steel and then gold last year, the Signature 1 is Greubel Forsey‘s most accessibly priced wristwatch, showing only the time, with no other complications. Now the Signature 1 gets a bit more luxe, with the third and final version in platinum making its debut at SIHH 2017. Mechanically identical to the earlier versions of […]

8 years ago

SIHH 2017 – URWERK UR-T8, The New Concept For The 20th Anniversary

As you might know, this year is the 20th anniversary of a rather unique and disruptive brand named URWERK. As we already showed to you in a dedicated movie, this independent watchmakers started with their first watch at Baselworld 1997, as they were still almost kids. However, even if they just turned 20, don’t believe that Frei & Baumgartner are now old men who are sleeping behind their desks… And as proof of the strong vitality and creativity of URWERK, here is their latest creation, the impressive URWERK UR-T8, which renew the concept of satellite complication and of traditional case.

8 years ago

SIHH 2017 – Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision now in Platinum with 4 Dial Options

Launched in 2015, the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision is the brand’s vision (pun intended) of a pure and clean watch, a piece that doesn’t scream too loud its noble origins and that discreetly display the time, a small second and a tourbillon. All of that was encased in a very round watch (not usual for the brand) and, well, it is just as plain as a Greubel Forsey can be. Still, turn it back and you’ll see an incredible level of finish and a fast-rotating tourbillon. The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision will see new versions for the SIHH 2017 and will now be offered with 4 dials options, including the very appealing Salmon version on top of this article (and I know someone at the Monochrome redaction who’ll love it).

8 years ago

SIHH 2017 – Ressence Type 1 “Squared”, the new Cushion-Shaped Version of The Minimalistic Watch

With Ressence, everything started with a style, a shape and a perception of the watch that were rather different from the traditional codes of watchmaking. Very round, almost void of case, smooth, without crown, almost entirely focused on the dial and the display, this concept used on the Type 1, and even emphasized on the Type 3, was the hallmark of the brand. Then came the Type 5, a dive watch which combined the Orbital Convex display with what was a proper materialized case. Today, Ressence comes with its fourth watch, the Type 12 (or Type 1 “Squared”), less dematerialized and more horological than before, in an assertive cushion-shaped case. Still, the fantastic “Beyond Hands” display of the brand has been kept.

8 years ago

Hands-On With The Impressive Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel Rose Gold

Recently, our contributor Peter took an in-depth look (to say the least) at a watch, and he immediately loved it. Presented at Baselworld 2016, later reviewed in our lines, the Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel, in its first execution (in black PVD-coated steel), is a robust sports watch combined with a real, technical and impressive haute horlogerie movement – as usual for the brand, with a high degree of skeletonization and of decoration. Later this year, the brand introduced the rose gold version, and today we take a closer look at it – and you’d be surprised how a change of material can transform a watch…

8 years ago