I do recall saying in my review of Unimatic’s inaugural watch, the Modello Uno U1-A, that I didn’t know what was next for the brand but was intrigued to find out. Well, I’ve now been satisfied with an answer, as Unimatic recently announced the release of four new watches that we introduce to you in an aBlogtoWatch exclusive.
As the Patek Philippe Nautilus is celebrating this year its 40th anniversary, it was time for two events: the launch of a dedicated collection by the Geneva-based Maison and, for us, it was the perfect moment to bring you a complete retrospective on this icon. Last week was part 1 and, of course, it was entirely focused on the one that started it all; the iconic reference 3700 “Jumbo”. This week, we’ll mainly focus on the evolution of the model into a proper collection, with the introduction of new versions, new sizes and new complications. And that, just before we look at the present collection… but that will come later.
We spotted Ellen DeGeneres sporting a Patek Philippe Ref 5960 Chronograph Annual Calendar previously on the Ellen Show. Last week she had Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton on the show. Hillary Clinton was not wearing a watch during her appearance, but we do know her husband former President of the United…
We’ve told you (and told you, and told you) that the smartwatch wars are just getting started. Not only don’t we know whether or not smartwatches will win long term adoption, but also we don’t even know what a device called a “smartwatch” will actually be in six months or a year’s time. Today, Misfit has announced the Phase Hybrid Smartwatch, the wearable technology company’s first product actually labeled a smartwatch and probably something different from what you’d expect. There are two hands, normal hour markers, and a tiny window at six o’clock to show you notifications. Could this be the future of smartwatches?
Micromégas is a short story by Voltaire about a giant who visits Saturn, which is populated by smaller folk. The Manufacture Royale 1770 Micromegas Revolution wristwatch also relies on dichotomy for novelty, with a pair of flying tourbillons on the dial rotating at vastly different speeds. The Voltaire connection continues with Manufacture Royale, a pocket watch factory that Voltaire […]
Travelling is rarely a relaxed affair. There’s the packing, the rushing to the airport or train station, losing your passport, finding it again, running the gauntlet through security. By the time you get to your destination you’re pretty much guaranteed to be exhausted (and let’s face it probably a little buzzed). The last thing you want to be doing is fiddling around trying to adjust your watch to a new time-zone. Enter the Laurent Ferrier Galet Traveller, a watch as attractive as it is easy to use. When haute horlogerie meets functionality…
At Baselworld 2016, I had a sneak peak at this new limited-edition Zenith Heritage Cronometro Tipo CP-2 watch that is based on a set of 2,500 timepieces Zenith made for the Italian military in the 1960s.
Omega’s remarkable first automatic chronograph In 1971, Omega launched the Speedmaster Mark III Automatic, the first automatic chronograph of the brand. It was presented as the next step in the Speedmaster-series: a self-winding Speedmaster. The watch featured the new, automatic chronograph movement c 1040, housed in a funky chunk of steel. In retrospect, there is […]
By Roberta Naas For those in the know, it may come as no surprise that Swiss watch brand IWC was actually founded by an American: Florentine Ariosto Jones. Jones traveled from Boston to Switzerland, where he planned to harness the power of the Rhine River and build affordable watches and he founded The International Watch Company (IWC) in 1868. Today, in honor of Jones and his work, the brand is unveiling a limited-edition Portugieser Tourbillon Hand-Wound
As many watch aficionados know, IWC is in the unique position of being the only Swiss watchmaking firm to have been founded by an American, Florentine Ariosto Jones, who left the United States after the end of the Civil War. Jones went to Switzerland hoping to introduce American production line manufacturing techniques and to take advantage of both Switzerland’s home-grown watchmaking knowledge and lower labor costs, in order to produce high quality watches that could be sold into the U.S. market. From the beginning, Jones insisted on making very high-grade, accurate timepieces, and some of the earliest, and best quality, “Jones caliber” pocket watch movements were marked “D. H. Craig,” – it’s thought, in honor of Daniel Hastings Craig, who IWC historian Dr. David Seyffer believes may have been Jones’s principle start-up investor. The Portugieser Hand Wound Tourbillon Edition “D.H. Craig USA,” is a limited edition tourbillon intended to commemorate both Jones and Craig, who helped make IWC a reality, and it’s a variation on the existing Portuguiser Tourbillon Hand-Wound.