A Technical Perspective – A Guide To The Hairspring, A Crucial Part Of The Movement (Technology, Manufacturing Process, Future Developments)
Sprung to life: who manufactures Hairsprings? An industry perspective on this key component whose production is still shrouded in secrecy – Barely one centimeter in diameter, the hairspring is the beating heart of a watch movement. It is a strategic component in several respects. Manufacturing hairsprings is a complex process and the whole Swiss watch industry has been relying on one supplier, Swatch Group’s Nivarox… at least, until very recently!
Editor’s Note: This year Hublot released several golden new Meca-10s, and we were surprised at just how different they looked to the original. Before we go into depth on those, we thought we’d take a second look at the OG version, a watch that is, in my humble opinion, one of the best evolutions of Hublot’s Big Bang in some years. The story in a second New movement + new look = new ball game? Hublot describe their Meccano-inspired Big Bang Meca-10 as a ‘transitional object’. It’s an interesting choice of phrase. You could take it literally and assume that Hublot are referring to the watch as a way for people who obsessed about Meccano and technical constructions when they were younger to move into some more grown up gadgets. Or you could interpret that it’s talking about a transitional object for Hublot the brand, and their design language. We are erring on the side of the latter. You see, we think the Big Bang Meca-10 is quite an important watch. With a deep new movement (that isn’t a chronograph) and a look that somehow seems even more confident and assured, we can’t help but wonder if this the start of the next chapter…
There are two reasons it is worth your while to watch this short video about Montblanc’s support of UNICEF. The first is purely selfish and very much in our/your wheelhouse. The watches in this year’s UNICEF collection are limited versions of the Orbis Terrarum, a watch ex-CEO Jérôme Lambert thought was the embodiment of the ‘new’ Montblanc. You know, the Montblanc that is a ‘contender brand’ in the watch world, with an increasingly visible presence at all price points, from high horology to compelling value propositions. The ‘Latin’ version, one of two – the other in Chinese characters – is as colourful, as curious and as eyecatching as ever, and there’s some gorgeous footage of it here. The second reason is that you might be moved by the cause here. It certainly struck a chord with David Bromley, who is one of Australia’s most collectible artists. We lay our scene in his studio, situated above a shop in a buzzing enclave of Melbourne – that swooping footage ascending the staircase is where the journey into the art of the space begins. As Felix said here, it is an Aladdin’s Cave of his and other famous artwork and artefacts. It was the perfect…
Being in the watch writing line of work it’s no great surprise that friends and acquaintances often ask me for watch-buying advice. Call it an occupational hazard, call it a compliment that they should consider my advice worth seeking but (unlike a doctor friend, who gets irritated by being asked for free clinical advice at dinner parties) I never tire of talking about watches. But something has changed: as watch auction prices have gone relentlessly up over the past few years (not to mention the retail prices of many brands), the two questions I’m most often asked are: “I’m tossing up between an X and a Y [pick any two modern watch brands]. Which one is going to hold its value better?” And: “I’d like to buy vintage and I can’t afford a Daytona or a Patek, so which other brands would make the best investment?” (To clarify: these are people with around $10,000 to $30,000 to spend. Not $100,000 plus – that’s a different planet.) Those two questions are essentially the same one in different clothes – and my answer to both is: “Stop. You’re asking the wrong question.” Not because I don’t have a crystal ball (I don’t)…
There are few things more frustrating than seeing pictures of an incredible watch, reading the news and reviews of just how great it is, only to discover that it won’t be hitting actual stores for months. It’s a very specific feeling (in fact there’s probably a word for it in German, uhrenverbotenangst or some such), and one we can relate to. Well, today we’re hoping to ease that pain just a little with five watches you can buy right now. And what’s more, they’re all under $5k. You’re welcome. Tudor Black Bay S&G It’s gold, it’s steel, it’s David Beckham’s choice. What more do you need to know? $4540 on leather Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Looks good, can handle everything you’d reasonably throw at it, comes on a neat strap. $2750 Raymond Weil Freelancer Calibre RW1212 Sick of having to take your watch off to look at the movement? Raymond Weil has got your back. $2950 Montblanc Summit Tempted to get into the smart game, but want something with a little more panache than Apple? Meet the Summit. From $1330 Rado Centrix Open Heart Got something against watch dials, and a penchant for avant-garde watch design? Try this Rado…