independent watchmaking Archives - Page 138 of 159

American Brand RGM celebrates 25th Anniversary and invites you to visit their Pennsylvanian Manufacture

For those lovers of American horology, RGM has something very special going on in Mount Joy, PA, next month that you may not want to miss. The American brand, founded by watchmaker Roland Murphy in 1992, celebrates its 25^th anniversary with an open house on September 15 and 16, 2017. Additionally, on Saturday the 16^th, following the morning open house, visitors will join Murphy for a three-hour private tour of the nearby National Watch and Clock Museum (NAWCC) in Columbia, PA. There, RGM will unveil several new watches made to celebrate the quarter-of-a-century birthday.

Introducing The Ming 17.01, An Affordable Watch Created by Famed Watch Photographer Ming Thein

Today, I have the privilege of introducing a new brand and watch from a man I’m proud to call a friend and fellow watch enthusiast; the Ming 17.01, from photographer extraordinaire Ming Thein. Simple, yet over-engineered and with a painstaking attention to detail, this new watch reflects the attitude and ethos of its designer and namesake. Plus, the price point will really give you something to smile about. Read on for all the details and to find out where you can get your hands on one.

Hands-On – Schwartz-Etienne ‘La Chaux-de-Fonds’ Tourbillon

Presented in 2016, the La Chaux-de-Fonds Tourbillon was named in tribute to the city where the brand was founded in 1902 by Paul Arthur Schwarz and Olga Etienne. After exploring some of their watches (such as the Tourbillon Seconde Retrograde) and the manufacture, we now go hands-on with this dial-side micro-rotor flying tourbillon watch.

Value Proposition: Balticus Automatic Bronze Watches

If you’re looking for a great looking and very well priced watch, our ‘Value Propositions‘ will give you a lot to choose from. Apart from the usual suspects (the well known brands) these young start-ups often create watches that they would love to see themselves. And since the major brands do not offer the desired watch (either in terms of style/design and/or price) they give it a go themselves. However without funding they won’t make it, so platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are ideal for these young entrepreneurs, who are often watch lovers before business men. So is the Polish based brand Balticus who are now launching two bronze dive watches through Indiegogo. One limited edition named the Big Wave, and one non limited edition named the Grey Seal.

Miki Eleta And Marc Jenni Present The Timeburner – A Kinetic Sculpture For Your Wrist

You’re looking at what is quite possibly one of the most unusual watches I’ve ever strapped to my wrist, and I’ve worn quite a few in my time! The Timeburner, created by Miki Eleta and Marc Jenni, isn’t so much a timepiece as it is a lifestyle choice. Its industrial, steampunk style is not for the faint of heart or slim of wrist and yet there is so much more to this watch than first meets the eye. Join us as we take a deep dive into what makes this bad boy tick.

Hands-On – Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Tourbillon Dual with Open Dial

Laurent Ferrier is first and foremost a watch passionate and watch designer (he has spent 37 years at Patek Philippe, ending his career as creative director). He’s not one to show off or boast about his achievements, preferring instead to let his exceptional work speak for itself. Even then, he likes to keep things understated, at least on the dial side, ensuring the focus remains primarily on functionality and practicality (although the watches are gorgeous to look at too.) This year, however, he has finally bowed to the wishes of some of his passionate collectors and, for the first time ever, created a watch where the tourbillon is visible from the dial side – stocking for some, desired by others… Today, we’re going hands on with this beauty, which still features all the technical hallmarks of a wonderfully elegant Laurent Ferrier timepiece.

What is it to wear a unique and configured watch by Armin Strom?

Recently, at Baselworld 2017, Armin Strom surprised the world of collectors (and certainly some of the industry participants…) by launching something that, besides being ultra-cool, felt like a natural development, knowing upcoming changes in customers behavior. What they created is an online configurator, in order to imagine, choose, create and order your watch just like you want it. Not a single element can’t be personalized, making sure that your future watch represents exactly your own wishes and personality. Today, we go one step further by playing with one Armin Strom watch that has been entirely configured, to show you how far you can actually go.

Only Watch 2017 – The Unique H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Only Watch

Not only large brands, such as Patek or Tudor, are participating to the Only Watch 2017 auction… There are many more watch companies, including some of the very best independent watchmakers who will also donate one unique, purpose-built timepiece to help research on muscular dystrophy. One of them is a favorite amongst Monochrome team: H. Moser & Cie, and for the 7th edition of the charity auction, they are coming with a one-of-a-kind piece, featuring their now classical “nude” style, and a few details to make it special. Here is the H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Only Watch.

Born independent, Combating gravity – 5 Original Tourbillon Watches from “Indie” watchmakers

Changes of positions have a negative influence on the way watches keep time. In 1801, Breguet patented a mechanism to negate the effects of earth attraction. A mobile carriage rotating at slow speed which houses the regulating organ of the watch, with the aim to average out positional errors. If the tourbillon has become more and more common in recent years, it remains an achievement for most watchmakers and the opportunity to demonstrate their skill and creativity.

Behind-the-Scenes – How Urban Jürgensen detail-obsessed watchmakers manufacture hands, turning raw material into works of art

The Swiss/Danish high-end watch manufacturer has just unveiled its new “ateliers” in the center of Biel / Bienne. The brand was already headquartered in the city and it is now based in a superb 1920 mansion, which has been tastefully renovated to provide the perfect setting for its detail obsessed craftsmen. We took the opportunity of our recent visit to their new home to take a close look at the way they manufacture hands. If fine craftsmanship and a meticulous attention to details are evident with the brand’s watches, it is nonetheless captivating to see their watchmakers at work – because without doubt it is one of the last and very few places where things are still made this way…

Watch Dandy

Category: independent watchmaking