3,646 articles · 18 videos found · page 43 of 123
Monochrome
Appointed director of Louis Vuitton Watches in 2021, Jean Arnault’s strategy to reposition the brand as an elite player involves a combination of technical audacity, refreshing design and an incredible devotion to traditional decorative techniques. Wielding the best tools, Arnault can count on the watchmaking wizardry of the brand’s in-house La Fabrique du Temps atelier […]
Revolution
Driven by an unwavering passion for innovation in watchmaking and a dedication to daring design, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton is delighted to unveil the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. Join Wei and Jean Arnault, Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton, on an exclusive discussion during LVMH Watch Week as they delve […]
Time+Tide
Dior has relaunched the Chiffre Rouge with movements from La Fabrique du Temps and Zenith - an intriguing move.The post Dior is taking watchmaking more seriously again – but what does this mean for the rest of the LVMH stable? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Congratulations to Raúl Pagès for winning the 2024 Louis Vuitton Prize for Independent Creatives with his RP1 Régulateur à Détente. The prize comes with a substantial grant of 150,000 euros and a 12-month mentorship with La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Here's why he won.
Monochrome
Piaget’s CEO, Benjamin Comar, sits at the helm of the company at a momentous point in its history, its 150th anniversary. Georges Edouard Piaget set up his workshop in 1874 in the small village of La Côte-aux-Fées in the Swiss Jura mountains. There, Piaget made a name for himself first focusing on manufacturing parts and […]
SJX Watches
With Daniel Roth’s revival having become official last year, the brand has just taken the covers off the prototype of the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription at LVMH Watch Week 2024. Retaining the style and dimensions of its 1990s inspiration, the Tourbillon Souscription is, however, an entirely new creation in mechanical terms, with the DR001 movement inside having been developed specifically for it by Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). Initial thoughts The prototype of the Tourbillon Souscription arrives with subtle refinements compared to the images released last year. The aesthetics largely replicate the design of the 1990s originals, which was the brand’s goal from the beginning, at least for this opening act in its revival. Where the Tourbillon Souscription does better than the original is in the execution and mechanics. The guilloche dial is evidently top quality and also on a solid-gold base. More notably, the recessed area around the tourbillon, which is the actually the base plate, is finished with Côtes de Genève. On the originals this area was unfinished except for a rudimentary micro-blasting. But the calibre within is a more substantive achievement. The DR001 movement was conceived for this watch (though perhaps borrowing elements from LFT’s existing constructions) with aesthetics and traditional detailing in mind, explaining elements like the black-polished steel cock and linear winding click. In contrast, the originals relie...
Fratello
Today, we’ll take a look at a vintage IWC 309, a watch that attracted me due to its likeness to another watch. This classic is no copycat, though, as it brings enough unique styling flourishes to the party. We also have the chance to discuss one of the more heralded movements in history. At the […] Visit Vintage Watches: The IWC 309 Brings Calatrava Looks At A Fraction Of The Price to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
There is a particular appeal to a stealthed-out tool watch. Maybe it’s the idea that the original design has been placed on the backburner for a more urgent, clandestine, reason. Or the ironic low-key aesthetic that often makes even more of a visual impact. We’ve seen various brands take the “blackout” approach, from Omega to Tudor, and the results are typically pretty intriguing. Seiko currently has a trio of black and orange watches under the Prospex collection that it calls “The Black Series”, but today it infuses the lineup with two new references that take things a step further by eliminating any colored accents and going for an (almost) all-out black look. These are the new 2024 Black Series SRPK43 and SSC923. The first of the new references, the SRPK43 is a familiar form but with a new face. It is 45mm wide but with a stout 47.4mm lug to lug measurement. Thickness is 13.2mm. The turtle-style stainless steel case and accompanying bracelet are, naturally, all black, as is the unidirectional ceramic bezel. In a nice touch, the day and date wheels have matching black backgrounds. The only use of color is in the lume, which Seiko calls “Green Lumibrite Pro”. In the light, it is a pale green; at night it shines a more vivid green. The intended effect is to give the impression of peering through night vision goggles, and we’ll have to see the watches in person to assess how well Seiko has hit their mark. The SRPK43 is powered by the automatically-windin...
Worn & Wound
Pretty much since the first day of taking up the financially ruinous hobby of watches in early 2022, I’ve had a bit of a thing for tool and sports watches. Granted, I haven’t been scuba diving and I’ll certainly not be scaling Mount Everest any time soon, but there is – to me at least – something romantic about wearing a watch that offers a sense of genuine utility, especially in the age of the smartwatch. What’s more, I believe that a watch should tell something about its wearer; a glimpse into their personality rather than just be a status symbol and a source of bragging rights. When the opportunity for my first ‘proper’ watch arose in January 2023, I chose a Tudor Black Bay GMT. It was a belated 30th birthday gift and whenever I look at it, it reminds me that firstly, my knees hurt more often than they don’t, and secondly, reconciliation exists and hope springs eternal no matter how rough things may seem at certain times. There are also another two reasons unrelated to age as to why this watch is special to me. Several millennia ago as a student, I was fortunate to spend an academic year in St. Petersburg. That’s the Russian one, FYI, and that period from September 2010 to July 2011 kicked off a fascination with the awesome-yet-frightening city on Neva. In 2015, having also developed a love affair with the history of the Baltic States, I moved to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, to try my luck at Eastern Europe without the paternal hand of the un...
SJX Watches
One of the most talked-about sales at last month’s Geneva auction season was Passion for Time at Christie’s, the dispersal of a collection belonging to Mohammed Zaman, an Omani businessman. The auction started almost an hour late with new estimates revised upwards, and majority of the lots sold to a third-party guarantor at the new low estimates. The guarantees and new estimates were announced by the auctioneer just before the start of the sale, as they should be, though it did little to dispel the confusion in the room. The proceedings immediately set off a frenzy online, some of it alleging misdeeds on the part of Christie’s. Most of it was unschooled speculation. Perhaps swayed by this, Mr Zaman quickly filed a lawsuit against Christie’s, leading to the watches being frozen. Two weeks on, the lawsuit has been withdrawn and Mr Zaman has resolved his dispute with Christie’s – a shrewd move in my opinion because he did well out of the sale. The 113 lots belonging to Mr Zaman achieved just under CHF38 million including fees – a result worthy of a standing ovation in the current market. Proof of the sale’s success was found two weeks later at the Hong Kong sales where prices were notably weaker than the results at Passion for Time, a testimony to the current market. The top lot at Passion for Time, the Philippe Dufour Grand Sonnerie wristwatch no. 1 that sold for CHF5.13 million including fees All’s well that ends well According to people familiar with the ...
Monochrome
About a year ago, Louis Vuitton, through its manufacture of watches La Fabrique du Temps, announced the establishment of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, a biennial prize that celebrates the creative talent, savoir-faire and audacity of the independent watchmaking industry, to support and encourage artisans and entrepreneurs and accompany future generations. Since […]
Time+Tide
Wow… Nobody expected much in terms of watch releases this week, but some of the biggest brands in the industry unexpectedly decided to present very special pieces. In particular, Vacheron Constantin, for the first time ever, allowed the media direct access to the releases of Les Cabinotiers, the brand’s crème de la crème, usually only … ContinuedThe post New releases from Vacheron Constantin, Fears, Audemars Piguet and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
One could argue that the core of a modern watch company is a competent sports watch. If that were true, it would be no surprise that LA-based Nodus Watches has really found its stride by building a strong catalog of durable, interesting models under $1,000. The so-called Sector Series encompasses – among others – Dive, GMT, and Pilot’s watches. The foundation of this line is simply called the Sector Sport, and today Nodus is adding a limited Sector Sport in steel and bronze. Based on the platonic ideal of a “sports watch” as it was defined in the mid-century, the Sector philosophy is grounded in two defining tenets: 1) an adaptable midcase amenable to varying finishes and future add-ons and 2) a sector dial demarcated by differences in texture and finishing. Specs-wise it means a 38mm x 12.5mm x 47mm case with 20mm lugs, accompanied by an H-link bracelet that tapers from 20 to 18mm. The bracelet also includes the proprietary Nodus NodeX clasp for on-the-fly adjustments. Inside is the Seiko NH38. While Nodus has historically iterated on the Sport with bold colors like Glacial and Marigold, it is taking a new approach with this bronze and steel reference. The anthracite dial is composed of two brass plates. One is the inner sector where the hour hand neatly terminates; the outer sector is home to gilt PVD-coated hour markers. The hands have the same gilt treatment and, paired with the dial, make for a warm and subdued aesthetic. The most noteworthy update here is t...
Deployant
Louis Erard releases yet another triptych with Alain Silberstein in an exclusive 3 watch set with La Semaine Louis, Le Régulateur & Tourbillon Régulateur.
Deployant
Louis Vuitton, along with its watchmaking arm La Fabrique du Temps, redefines the Tambour, as it becomes the brand's first integrated bracelet sports watch.
Revolution
Join Wei and Alain Schiesser, Co-founder of Le Cercle des Horlogers SA, as they delve into the extraordinary Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Minute Repeater. This exceptional timepiece is a part of the Opera Collection, where the realms of high watchmaking seamlessly blend with the enchanting world of music. The 49mm Opera timepiece stands as […]
Worn & Wound
Subtlety will never go out of style and the new Pioneer Silva, from Swiss-German watch brand Hanhart, exemplifies this. With its low-profile design and simple aesthetic, the Silva has a presence without ever veering into the ostentatious. It’s a watch that’s just as comfortable paired with a suit as with jeans and a t-shirt. To accomplish this, Hanhart married modern design trends with classic elements. The watch itself is based on an archival reference, the Kal 36/39, which was reinterpreted for the modern age. Updates have included an uncluttered broad dial with an emphasis on sleek lines and readability. With that, there are still charming nods to Hanhart’s heritage models, including the white dots between numerals and the vintage Hanhart logo that’s recognized on a few Pioneer models. The Pioneer Silva isn’t just a watch that looks good, but functions well, too. The Silva has an automatic movement that runs on a Sellita SW200, offering a 38-hour power reserve. The SW200 can be seen in action through the sapphire glass backing on the Silva, adding another level of eye candy to this watch. As mentioned, the case of this watch has a low profile, making it a great watch for everyday wear. Coming in at just 10mm in height, the 38mm stainless steel case has presence on the wrist without the bulk. With the option of either a black or white dial, and a black calfskin or steel bracelet, Hanhart has embraced the minimalism of this watch to show off the versatility ...
Worn & Wound
When you see press release after press release hit your inbox, with nearly every news item celebrating an anniversary, or honoring somebody who may or may not have anything at all to do with watches, it’s easy to become cynical. Watch companies, after all, exist in part to make money, and highlighting an association with the past, or a synergy with a partner, is relatively low hanging fruit to get your name, and watch, out there in front of the public, potentially grabbing fresh eyeballs that might not be familiar a brand’s particular story. Some brands navigate these waters with all the tact of a late night infomercial, but others have a knack for doing it gracefully, and authentically, and that was made evident over the course of the multi day launch event around the new Oris Hank Aaron Limited Edition in Atlanta. One of the first things to know about Oris is that VJ Geronimo, CEO of the Americas for the brand, is a massive baseball fan. I mean, he’s really into it. Find him on Instagram, and you’ll see that his profile picture has him in a Yankees cap, posed in what I assume is the home team’s dugout. Oris Day at Yankee Stadium (and other major league ballparks) is an annual event, and once you experience a game with Oris, it all just kind of makes sense. Baseball is an old fashioned, uniquely American tradition in the same way that watchmaking is loaded with history and predominantly Swiss. In a contemporary context, the things that bind them together are c...
Time+Tide
At lunchtime on Wednesday, two men and a woman walked into the Piaget store in Paris’ Rue de la Paix, situated just around the corner from the Place Vendôme. The trio were described by eyewitnesses as being “smarty dressed” – the men wearing grey suits and the woman in a green dress. Once inside the … ContinuedThe post Gun-toting thieves steal up to US$16 million worth of watches and jewellery from Piaget store in Paris appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Our Friday Wind-Down usually serves as a restful, fun read after a week of slaving away beneath fluorescent bulbs and drop ceilings. This week, however, catastrophic news from La Chaux-de-Fonds has put a dampener on things, as inclement weather ripped through the region, causing significant damage to buildings, more than a dozen injured people, and, … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Movement maker giant Sellita caught up in Swiss super-storm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey has revealed plans for a significant expansion of its manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Set to nearly triple the current size of the distinctive, sloping building, the CHF20 million project signals a broader strategic move for the brand as it seeks a larger share of the high-end sports watch sector. The expansion, scheduled to commence next year, will not only increase Greubel Forsey’s research and development capacity and provide additional amenities for guests and staff, but it will also enable the brand to increase production. This move aligns with the brand’s recent shift from producing mainly complex tourbillon watches to introducing simpler, sportier watches that target the segment dominated by Richard Mille. In addition to the expansion, the brand is poised to launch its eighth “Fundamental Invention” this year. Nearly tripling in size The manufacture expansion is a key pillar of chief executive Antonio Calce’s ten-year vision for growing the brand and professionalising its operations. According to Mr Calce, the expansion will enable Greubel Forsey to pursue “ever greater creativity and excellence in hand finishing.” Antonio Calce The planned expansion of the manufacture is ambitious; the floorplan is set to nearly triple in size, from 2,000 m2 to 5,460 m2. Fortunately, the expansion will not alter the current building’s recognisable architecture of a glass box rising out of the grass. Instead, the expansion will build on and around...
SJX Watches
The Gérald Genta brand, which has recently been revived by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watchmaking manufacture of Louis Vuitton, makes its debut with a unique creation for Only Watch 2023. The Gérald Genta Only Watch 2023 retains the brand’s signature octagonal case, a shape historically known as the “Success”, while showcasing the whimsical side of the brand with a champlevé enamel dial featuring Mickey Mouse carrying a birthday cake. And like many past Gérald Genta watches, it tells the time with a retrograde minutes and jumping hours – along with a minute repeater. Initial thoughts The long awaited comeback of Gérald Genta, a given after its sister brand Daniel Roth was resurrected, raised expectations given the brand’s elaborate complications of the 1990s as well as the current technical prowess of LFT. Unsurprisingly, the brand has combined two of the best known themes from its short history, the Fantasy line of Disney-licensed watches and striking complications. The watch is essentially a homage to Gérald Genta’s best hits of the 1990s. The Mickey House dial is a nod to the Fantasy watches, most of which had retrograde displays. And the octagonal case is modelled on the Success, a bestseller for the brand at the time. That said, the new case design has the addition of lugs that feel slightly out of place. The original Success designs either did without lugs entirely or had simple horizontal bar lugs, both of which arguably work better with the o...
Hodinkee
Big news out of La Fabrique du Temps as Jean Arnault and LV release a totally new take on the Tambour.
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) is taking part in Only Watch for the fourth time with the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked 41 mm “Only Watch”. In contrast to the low-key Royal Oak “Jumbo” made for the 2021 instalment of the charity auction, this year’s one-off creation is exceptionally striking in blue and white. The latest Royal Oak “Only Watch” is based on the regular-production Royal Oak skeleton tourbillon but made unique with a white ceramic case and bracelet along with a movement featuring blued titanium bridges and plates. The case and bracelet material is notably uncommon for AP. While the brand has a fair number of Royal Oak models in black ceramic, there are fewer in white ceramic. In fact, there is only one regular production model in white ceramic, the perpetual calendar. In the past, there were also a handful of Royal Oak Offshore models in white ceramic, including a chronograph and Diver. According to AP, one of the notable features of the bracelet is not only the material, but also that fact that is secured with “invisible pins”. This presumably means the pins holding the bracelet together are concealed with ceramic caps. The cal. 2972 inside is open worked in an angular, stylised manner that is very much AP’s house style. The bridges and base plate are blued titanium, while the bevels of the movement retain the natural grey colour of titanium for contrast, giving each of the bridges a pronounced outline. The rotor is 22k gold but ...
Worn & Wound
The week’s episode of A Week In Watches takes a look at new releases from Longines, Seiko, Rolex, MB&F;, and …Seiko. Yes we’ve got multiple Seiko watches to discuss here and yes, they are both pretty awesome. The sporty theme continues with a new Daytona released by Rolex during the 100th running of the 24 hour race of Le Mans. It brings back the exotic dial and nails a lot of details in the process. In what may prove to be more relevant news, Longines has introduced a smaller Spirit Zulu Time GMT, now available in a trim-ish 39mm case. The newest Spirit Zulu Time comes at a perfect time, sitting alongside the 42mm variant we saw released last year. More choices is always better for enthusiasts, and we think you’ll find a lot to love in not just this release from Longines, but what’s yet to come. Don’t miss out live pics of the 39mm Zulu Time in our introduction right here. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop. For an excellent and ever-growing catalog of watches, straps, clocks, and more, head to windupwatchshop.com. The post A Week In Watches Ep. 54: Throwbacks Galore; Speedtimers & Daytonas; Longines Dials In the Zulu Time appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
Isotope has unveiled a new limited edition, made in collaboration with Seconde/Seconde/ to celebrate the former’s seventh anniversary. I’ve become a pretty big fan of the Isotope design language over the years – brand founder José Miranda has a good eye for color, and is one of only a handful in the industry who dares to inject a bit of humor into his watch designs. Seconde/Seconde/, of course, is all about the jokes, so when I heard there was a collaboration in the works, I was pretty excited to see what would come of it. The end result, the Hydrium Seconde/Seconde/, is surprisingly subtle, but better for it. The high level brief here is “a Memento Mori watch, without a skull.” That, in and of itself, is kind of funny, at least if you’ve been tracking recent watches that take the Memento Mori as design inspiration. Why a death obsessed watch for a seven year anniversary? Isotope has retired their old logo, and just like life itself, the end of a logo is inevitable. The new logo takes the focus from Isotope’s “i” hand and shifts it toward the lacrima, the tear shape that has become a defining characteristic of the design of every watch they’ve made. The new logo is bolder and more sophisticated to my eye, so yeah, good riddance to the old. A fresh start never hurt anyone. The design itself makes a few small changes to the familiar Hydrium dive watch platform. The (new) logo now reads “OTOPSIE” (autopsy) rather than “ISOTOPE,” with arrows sh...
Hodinkee
Daniel Roth has been revived with the help of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton – but you cannot fully appreciate the present until you understand the past.
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton has been steadily growing its presence in the realm of serious watchmaking, an endeavour that began with its purchase of movement specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFT) a decade ago. While its recent launches have been extravagant in typical Louis Vuitton style – ranging from a gothic automaton to the casino-inspired jump hours – the brand’s latest is contemporary and low key. Enter the Voyager Skeleton, an open-worked timepiece that incorporates Louis Vuitton’s design language in an unexpectedly minimalist design. Initial thoughts While Louis Vuitton’s top-of-the-line complications are certainly showstoppers, its simpler, regular production watches have historically been a mixed bag. But with a clear change in direction at its watch division, changes seem to be afoot, beginning with the Voyager Skeleton. Granted, it is hardly an affordable watch at over US$50,000, but it is a good looking time-only watch. The highlight is the styling of the open-worked LV60 movement that is both striking and restrained. The bridges possesses a distinctive, geometric style that is decidedly architectural. Although the automatic-winding bridge clearly forms a large “LV”, the branding is surprisingly discreet. In fact, the face of the watch has no overt branding, save for the open-worked barrel. Overall, the execution of the movement is appealing and lives up to expectations, save for one detail – the Etachron regulator looks out of place considering the ...
Time+Tide
In the world of horological journalism, where centuries-old companies lord over a multi-billion dollar industry and push the boundaries of mechanical engineering and art simultaneously, it’s pretty much considered a crime to write a pun into your articles. If you ask me, it’s a total waste of time. Most writers would never stoop that low, … ContinuedThe post Why watch puns tick me off appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, takes Wei Koh, Founder of Revolution, through the Watches and Wonders 2023 novelties of Jaeger-LeCoultre. Timepieces that La Grande Maison presented at this preeminent watch fair included the Reverso Tribute Chronograph, Reverso Tribute Duoface Tourbillon, Reverso Tribute Small Seconds and the 10-piece limited edition Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179. The […]
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