Introducing – American Pride with the new Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon “Stars and Stripes”

Today is an important day for our American readers (and there are many of them…) If you read this watch magazine, you probably have a certain interest in all things watches. Thus, if you want to combine your American pride with your love for watchmaking, Ulysse Nardin might have a solution for you, with this limited edition launched on Independence Day – the 4th of July. “Stars and Stripes” meet flying tourbillon with the new Ulysse Nardin Executive Skeleton Tourbillon “Stars and Stripes” Edition.

7 years ago

Interview – Davide Cerrato of Montblanc on the Brand and What’s Coming Next (incl. a teaser of a new Goodwood watch)

We’re in Switzerland quite often – according to my wife, who keeps track, I’ve spent a quarter of last year in the land of watchmaking – for all kind of events. Whether for the videos that we make, or events organised by watch brands, or manufacture visits, or the GPHG award night, it always means you’re meeting a lot of people from the watch industry and the good chance to run into a friend. Recently I met with my good friend Davide Cerrato, Managing Director Of Montblanc Watch Division, and we talked about how things are at Montblanc, what’s going to happen at Goodwood and more.

7 years ago

Women’s Watch Wednesday – The New Frederique Constant Ladies Automatic Collection

Recently, in London, Frederique Constant unveiled the all-new Ladies Automatic collection of timepieces, with its global charity ambassador, Gwyneth Paltrow. The new, softly colored Ladies Automatic watches also have a charitable side. According to Peter and Aletta Stas of Frederique Constant, USD 50 of the sale of each watch will benefit Paltrow’s charity of choice: DonorsChoose.org. This new Frederique Constant Ladies Automatic Collection isn’t only good looking, it also has good intentions.

7 years ago

Introducing – US-based Watchmaker RGM Reissues the Limited-Edition William Penn Series

RGM Watch Co., based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and founded in 1992 by Roland G. Murphy, is quite literally the only true American watch company standing. Unlike other brands that might build cases, dials or straps in America, RGM manufactures their own high-grade, in-house calibres that rival comparable movements from Switzerland. They’re a complete watch manufacturer. My first serious mechanical watch was a Model 107-P Pilot, an entry-level RGM piece (with an ETA 2892-A2) that’s also the oldest in their portfolio, produced since the mid-1990’s. They often use antique, hand-operated machinery to craft dials and to hand-polish components, mixing modern and traditional techniques to produce luxury watches that are often limited editions. Many have advanced complications, such as the Pennsylvania Tourbillon or Caliber 20 (with a 2nd type motor barrel and “Precise Moonphase”), and are painstakingly adorned with elaborate engine-turned (guilloché) dials and movements like the Model 801-EE. One of their most popular watch series was the Model 121-M William Penn line from the years 1999 to 2000, and in RGM style, they have reissued the watches in a very limited series of 10.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Junghans Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau Limited Edition

It’s not often that a watch brand can celebrate the centenary of a milestone in their history, but Junghans is doing just that with a pair of watches that commemorate a nine-stepped terrace building in Schramberg, Germany. This industrial building by Philipp Jakob Manz, considered to be an architectural masterpiece, was the centrepiece of the Junghans factory for decades. Junghans was the largest clock manufacturer in the world at the start of the 20thcentury and the terrace building was erected out of necessity to increase factory space in the crowded valley of Schramberg. Built directly on a slope and resembling a staircase, the building provided direct daylight into the windows of each ascending floor, with the top floor reserved for the painstaking assembly and regulation of chronometers. Today we have two limited edition Meister Chronoscope Terrassenbau timepieces to pay homage to Junghans’ renowned structure.

7 years ago

Buying Guide – Deep Divers – Dive Watches that go 1000m and beyond

Dive watches are some of the most beloved timepieces. In the 1960s, the military and professional diving requirements, together with the growing popularity of scuba diving, made the importance of trustworthy subaquatic instruments paramount. The first modern dive watches were born to monitor dive time in the briny deep. The hardiest can withstand even the pressure at the bottom of the Marianas Trench (even though we talk concept watches here). Their depth rating by far exceeds your most extreme needs but there is something fascinating about their extreme engineering. And a rugged dive watch has always been a symbol of the adventurer in all of us. Here are 6 dive watches that go 1000m and beyond released in the past few years.

7 years ago

In-Depth – Re-Examining the Underestimated Tudor North Flag

When it comes to Tudor Watch, everybody knows and talks about the Black Bay – and in all fairness, rightfully so, as most BB editions deserve to be loved, especially the latest GMT or Fifty Eight versions. Yet, Tudor has other collections and there is a watch, which we believe deserves revisiting. One that is […]

7 years ago

Hands-on – The Surprisingly Affordable Longines Master Collection Annual Calendar

If you want to dip your toe into the world of sophisticated complications, it usually comes at a price. A tourbillon, for example, can easily add CHF 20,000 or more to the price of a watch. The Longines Master Collection has been around since 2005 and serves as a contemporary alternative to their revered Heritage Collection (with more traditional designs). The Master Collection has a wide variety of complications, from power reserve displays to calendar chronographs with moonphase and more, but these new models are the first for Longines to have an annual calendar. The Longines Master Collection Annual Calendar not only offers a more sophisticated calendar complication than the norm but does so at an impressively affordable price.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Bell & Ross Vintage BR V2-94 R.S.18 for Renault F1

It is no news anymore for most of us. Paris-based watchmaker Bell & Ross is teaming up with French F1 team Renault. This partnership, which started in 2016 (and that we’ve explained here and here), mostly gave birth to squared watches – after all, the shape that made the brand successful. However, not all of us want to sport such a bold watch on the wrist. This is why, in order to celebrate the reopening the French Grand Prix this year, Bell & Ross unveils the Vintage BR V2-94 R.S.18 for Renault F1. And this time, it is a (not so) classic round watch.

7 years ago

Hands-on – The New, 2018 models of the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur

Last year, Ulysse Nardin introduced the Marine Torpilleur (and later its sportier version, the Marine Torpilleur Military), a well-thought, tasteful and well-priced take on the iconic Marine DNA of the brand. Classical but not too much, simplified but still with great horological content, well manufactured… It quickly proved to the be a winning formula, as it is the brand’s current bestseller. After the white and blue inaugural editions, it is time for the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur collection to grow, with new 2018 models.

7 years ago