Results for Patek Philippe Nautilus History

ETA 2824: The History and Legacy of a Legendary Workhorse Caliber

The ETA 2824 caliber has been a presence in the world of mechanical wristwatches for more than 50 years, helping the Swiss watchmaking industry forge a path through the Quartz Crisis and serving as the engine for hundreds of three-handed timepieces from an array of brands, large and small. While it is a rarity here in the 21st Century, its legacy can still be seen across the horological world - from the proliferation of similar movements by makers like Sellita to the increasing ubiquity of the ETA 2824’s souped-up successor, the Powermatic 80. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the ETA 2824. A (Very Brief) History of ETA Nearly everyone that follows the wristwatch industry has heard of ETA, and most of those have probably worn a watch with an ETA movement, but few are likely aware of the Swiss movement maker’s long and convoluted history. We generally trace its origins back to the formation of the historical watchmaking firm Eterna, in 1856 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. But in reality its roots reach even deeper. Eterna is perhaps most famous today as the maker of the Kon-Tiki dive watch, and it is currently owned by the Hong Kong-based Citychamp Watch and Jewellery Group. Originally however, the firm was a manufacturer of ébauches - unassembled movements for sale to outside watchmakers - and was named “Dr. Girard & Schild” for its founders, Dr. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild. Renamed Schild Frères by the next generation of owners, the compan...

A History and Guide to Laco

Located in the southwest of Germany in Baden-Württemburg, Pforzheim is built at the confluence of three rivers. In the eighteenth century, the city became a hub of jewelry making, with watchmaking experiencing a pronounced revival in the early twentieth century, resulting in Pforzheim’s nickname of the “Goldstadt,” or “Golden City.” Founded by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel in 1925, Lacher & Co., today known as Laco Uhrenmanufaktur GmbH, played a significant role in this expansion of German watchmaking. Their aim was simple - produce watches of quality and reliability. The pair split a few years later, with Hummel remaining with the watch production side. While many German watchmakers relied on Swiss movements, Hummel chose a different direction. He founded Deutsche Uhren Roh Werke (Durowe) in 1933, dedicated to the manufacture of movements to become independent from Swiss calibers. Located in the southwest of Germany in Baden-Württemburg, Pforzheim is built at the confluence of three rivers. In the eighteenth century, the city became a hub of jewelry making, with watchmaking experiencing a pronounced revival in the early twentieth century, resulting in Pforzheim’s nickname of the “Goldstadt,” or “Golden City.” Founded by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel in 1925, Lacher & Co., today known as Laco Uhrenmanufaktur GmbH, played a significant role in this expansion of German watchmaking. Their aim was simple - produce watches of quality and reliabilit...

Portrait – Defying Gravity… A Conversation with Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director at Hermès Horloger

If there’s one brand – or rather, one house – that defies the laws of gravity, it’s Hermès. Just uttering the name evokes a reaction: it’s the embodiment of absolute luxury. Elegance, lightness, and discretion might be its keys, as Hermès stands as a unique case in a sector currently facing turbulence. No matter: the […]

The First Authorized History Of The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Arrives This Fall

The second installment of Nicholas Foulkes's Rolex series is to be released on September 29 by Wallpaper*.

A History and Guide to Hamilton

American watchmaking was, at one point in time, the largest in the world. In an era before Swiss domination, watches from the United States were prized for their accuracy and sophistication. Names like Waltham, Elgin, and Gruen - once prolific - have all but disappeared through the rapidly changing social and economic structures of the twentieth century. Then there is Hamilton. American watchmaking was, at one point in time, the largest in the world. In an era before Swiss domination, watches from the United States were prized for their accuracy and sophistication. Names like Waltham, Elgin, and Gruen - once prolific - have all but disappeared through the rapidly changing social and economic structures of the twentieth century. Then there is Hamilton. The post A History and Guide to Hamilton appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Introducing: The Roger Smith Series 6 Wristwatch, Plus A Detailed Review of Smith's History With Calendars

In some ways, a simplified version of Smith's Series 4 instantaneous calendar with moonphase, the new watch is no less an impressive example of some of the finest British watchmaking this century.

Auctions: Exclusive: The Pinnacle Of Holy Grails, A Patek 1518 In Steel Is Coming To Auction In November

Phillips to auction the same steel 1518 it sold for a record in 2016, complete with an estimate of CHF 8 to 16 million.

The Evergreens – The History of the Rolex Datejust, The Crown’s Quintessential Watch

Many companies have that one model that really epitomises the brand, even if it’s not the flagship product. Toyota has the Camry, Omega has the Speedmaster, and Rolex has the Datejust (you thought I was going to say Submariner). It’s among the longest running models in Rolex’s portfolio and boasts many of the signature features […]

A History and Guide – How to Use a Dive Bezel

John Scott Haldane had a problem. Britain’s Royal Navy had commissioned the Scottish physiologist to find a solution for a unique problem facing their divers: decompression. Known since the mid-19th century, decompression sickness (DCS) posed a serious risk for divers and laborers working in pressurized environments, such as caissons. It was his job to develop a set of decompression tables for safe diving operations. It boils down to how gases act under pressure. When breathing a gas mixture at depth - for the sake of simplicity, we will say compressed air, or approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with the rest being inert gases - the oxygen is used up by the body, and the nitrogen is absorbed into the bloodstream. This build-up will dissolve as it is effectively off-gassed, as it does when each of us breathes here on the surface. Enter pressure. Should a diver undergo a rapid change in pressure, such as by ascending too quickly, the nitrogen will separate from the blood and form bubbles in the tissues and joints. The resulting pain has a habit of contorting its victims, giving DCS its more readily-known nickname of “the bends.” John Scott Haldane had a problem. Britain’s Royal Navy had commissioned the Scottish physiologist to find a solution for a unique problem facing their divers: decompression. Known since the mid-19th century, decompression sickness (DCS) posed a serious risk for divers and laborers working in pressurized environments, such as caisso...

The Evergreens – The History of The IWC Aquatimer and Other Important IWC Dive Watches

Since its founding in 1868, IWC has built a reputation for producing instruments where precision engineering meets uncompromising functionality. This approach, a combination of Swiss watchmaking tradition with an emphasis on mechanical problem-solving, has consistently produced watches designed to serve a clear purpose. This philosophy is very much evident in IWC’s dive watches, also known […]

Bring a Loupe: A Movado With Breguet Numerals, A Water-Resistant Patek Calatrava, And A Rolex Zephyr

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

Bring a Loupe: A Black-Dialed Rose Gold Patek Ref. 96, A Movado Dial That Led To The Royal Oak, And A Pair Of French Auction Finds

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

In A Royal Oak and Nautilus World, Why I Love The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Deep Stream Chronograph

Ask and ye shall receive, dear readers! Well, within reason. Quill & Pad reader and frequent commenter Greg has been after GaryG for a while to write a piece on his Vacheron Constantin Overseas Deep Stream Chronograph, most recently in response to Gary's article on three “keepers” from his collection that don’t get a lot of wrist time. Gary didn’t include the Deep Stream on that list as it is a quite frequent wearer for him, but now its time in the spotlight has come.

eBay Finds: A Fun Digital Seiko from the Year Star Wars Premiered, a Hamilton with a Unique History, and a Zodiac Sea Wolf in Great Condition

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf  The Zodiac Sea Wolf is an absolute icon in the vintage dive watch world, and this early metal bezel version is a nice example. There were many iterations of the Sea Wolf, with various bezel materials, dial colors and date/no date versions. This black dial, date with metal bezel is an earlier combination, and definitely sought after. The plated bezel is usually pretty worn, and the lume can be degraded or re-done on these. This example has a nice clean black dial with great lume on the dial and hands, and the bezel is in top shape. The crown is also original and signed with the Zodiac logo as it should. No movement pictures but the seller states the watch runs well.  View auction here Vintage 1970s Bulova Jet Star  Here’s a wild vintage Bulova from 1974, that looks every bit the 70s watch. The 40mm gold plated UFO style case is excellent and unpolished, still showing the original radial brushed finish. The case may draw your eye, but it’s the bold two-tone orange dial that keeps you looking! The dial is a bright orange that turns darker at the outer edge. Applied markers outlined in brighter orange and steel and white hands with a day-date window at 3 o’...

The Evergreens – The Complete History of the IWC Portugieser Collection, the Icon from Schaffhausen

Last year marked the 85th anniversary of one of IWC Schaffhausen‘s most important collections, the Portugieser. Originally created in the late 1930s, the story of this wristwatch series begins with a special request from two Portuguese wholesalers, Rodrigues and Teixeira. They approached IWC with a simple but ambitious goal: to create a wristwatch with the […]

Bring a Loupe: A Fiery Gold GMT-Master, A Square 1950s Patek, And A Habring Limited Edition

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

Bring a Loupe: An Odd Duck Patek Perpetual Calendar, A Van Cleef & Arpels By Genta, And A Questionable Breguet

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

The Evergreens – The Complete History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar

In watchmaking, few complications command such reverence as the perpetual calendar, and few brands have woven it into their identity as thoroughly as Audemars Piguet. While the brand’s mastery of this calendar complication dates back to the early 20th century, its true renaissance came through a most unexpected path: the Royal Oak sports watch. Let […]

The Evergreens – The History of The Citizen Aqualand, The Diving Icon Celebrating 40 Years

Traditional dive watches have never waned in popularity, despite modern diving computers and even smart watches pushing them into technical obsolescence. The dawn of early divers in the 1950s is defined by two brands and two watches – the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. State of the art at the time and able […]

The Evergreens – The Complete History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Series

Is there anything new to say about the origins of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak? As the watch marked its 50th Anniversary in 2022, countless stories, insights, and personal accounts surfaced worldwide, deepening our understanding and enriching watchmaking culture. Yet to kick off today’s look into the ultra-thin 39mm “Jumbo” editions of this legendary series, […]

The Evergreens – The History of the Rolex Sea-Dweller, The Crown’s Ultimate Dive Watch

Rolex is no stranger to niche models, specifically ones that specialise in less-than-mainstream purposes. The Milgauss, for example, was designed for scientists at CERN in the 1950s to withstand magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss. Outside of this rather limited environment, it didn’t have much consumer appeal until its much later years and final models […]

The Evergreens – The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore – Redefining Luxury Sports Watches Since 1993

The story of the origins of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has been told many times, typically casting Stephen Urquhart, then co-CEO of Audemars Piguet, as the visionary mind behind the watch. According to the commonly accepted version, Urquhart’s sharp commercial instincts led him to assign a young designer, Emmanuel Gueit, the task of […]

Was the 1920s the Most Influential Decade in Wristwatch History?

Revolution’s Editor-at-Large Ken Kessler examines the birth pangs of the wristwatch during the Roaring Twenties.

A Closer Look: A Unique Philippe Dufour Simplicity with Butterfly Wings

A Brief History of the Tourbillon