3,384 articles · 57 videos found · page 67 of 115
Hodinkee
The two impressive releases deserve attention despite being in the shadow of the major release that caps Breguet's 250th Anniversary year.
Worn & Wound
James Cox (c.1723-1800) was a British jeweler, goldsmith and entrepreneur and the proprietor of Cox’s Museum. Cox produced lavishly ornamented automata for trade with the Far East, first with India and then with China, where the reception of his ‘toys’ or ‘sing-songs’, as the Chinese are believed to have called them, was at first a huge success. Cox was an extraordinary gentleman living in 18th century London. This was a time of great opulence with the wealthiest showing their status through objects they commissioned and owned. Cox was a clockmaker, jeweler, and entrepreneur known for creating elaborate and decorative timepieces, automata, and mechanical curiosities. He gained fame for his luxury goods, which were highly sought after by the elite. Cox’s work blended mechanical innovation with exquisite craftsmanship, producing items that were not just functional but also ornamental and artistic. Cox’s career as a jeweler began as early as 1751, and his automata were designed by leading artists including Johann Zoffany and Joseph Nollekens. In the 1760s, John Joseph Merlin became his apprentice. Though he declared himself a goldsmith, he employed several jewelers and manufacturers who would have done much of the work. Jewel cabinet with watch signed James Cox, c.1765-70. Image courtesy of the Met Museum This cabinet is an excellent example of an exquisite item made by Cox and bearing his signature. On its doors are enameled personifications of Winter and S...
Revolution
Monochrome
As you probably know by now, Audemars Piguet is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Last week, the Le Brassus-based brand released an array of new watches, predominantly focused on a new, clever and technically advanced perpetual calendar movement getting rid of recessed correctors (it is far more complex than you might imagine…) But that […]
Hodinkee
Could it take back the top spot as the most expensive independent wristwatch sold?
Quill & Pad
Denis has said of the 2015, that it “expresses more of the soul of a Bollinger millésimé than any other year. More opulent, more powerful, it exalts Pinot Noir. Uplifted by maturation in wooden casks, this champagne reveals the characteristics of an exceptional year.”
Monochrome
Blurring the lines between classical watchmaking, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, De Bethune offers collectors the best of all worlds. Spearheaded by master watchmaker Denis Flageollet, De Bethune’s latest masterpiece is a compendium of the core technical and aesthetic markers accumulated by the brand over the past 22 years. The eight complications of this impressive […]
Hodinkee
What better way to appreciate so many of De Bethune's technical innovations than to wear them all at once?
Revolution
Monochrome
After a career in financial technology, the Festa-Bianchet couple embarked on a new entrepreneurial project driven by their passion and desire to create their own watches. As evident from their inaugural timepiece, the B 1.618 Openwork, they have specialized in crafting ultra-modern tourbillons, with the number 1.618 serving as a reference to the golden ratio, […]
Worn & Wound
Every year, the Tour de France captivates the imagination and competitive spirit of those who are interested in cycling. While many Americans probably associate the sport with Lance Armstrong, there is an entire population of cycling enthusiasts who watch with bated breath as some of the top athletes in the sport traverse 2,115 miles over 23 days across France. It’s a spectacle of dedication, athleticism, and, yes, a bit of national pride. Swedish watch brand Bravur has tapped into the enthusiasm of the sport with the release of their series of watches dedicated to the Grand Tours, the top three most prestigious cycling events of the year. With the 2023 Tour de France upon us, Bravur has just released their third edition of Le Grand Boucle. The latest in the series to honor the Gallic event, Bravur has taken design elements of previous versions, while making the Le Grand Boucle III entirely new. Starting with the visuals, the latest from Bravur is a vibrant pairing of yellow (long associated with the Tour winner) and a ceramic black coating on the case, giving it a sporty look that still remains sophisticated. The small details of this watch show that Bravur has done their homework, including the frosted white dial features and dot markers, reminiscent of the legendary polka dot patterns found on the King of the Mountains jersey, awarded to the race’s top climber. Further design themes that nod to the Tour’s history include an inverted “13” on the chapter ring,...
Hodinkee
Hova may have been late to the ceremony, but the complication was right on time.
Hodinkee
It's yet another under-the-radar stunner from Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Deployant
The Krypton™ collection is gets a new model inspired by the Vanguard Racing Skeleton collection. The collection is known for its stylish engine-turned skeletonized dial, and is fit with two complications, a chronograph and a large date.
Quill & Pad
Chimay is a Belgian Trappist beer fermented in oak barrels. Whether you drink it soon after purchase or cellar it for extra richness and complexity, this is a cracking beer and definitely one that should be on your radar. And it is a brilliant match if you want a full-flavored cigar, says Ken Gargett.
Hodinkee
The tourbillon achieves escape velocity.
Quill & Pad
The Phillips' Geneva Watch Auction: XIV in November 2021 was one of the watch auctions of the decade. Here are the eye-watering results raised by the four historical Philippe Dufour watches.
Quill & Pad
In November 2021 collectors have the chance to see (and possibly buy) all four Philippe Dufour watches in one place, making Phillips' Geneva Watch Auction: XIV what could well be the watch auction of the decade. Joshua Munchow takes a look at each of the four Philippe Dufour models on the block and examines why this is likely to leave its mark on the auction world for years to come.
Deployant
Jaquet Droz adds the tourbillon to its skeleton Skelet-One line. Press Release details with commentary in italics within.
Revolution
The evolution Jaquet Droz’s skeletonized watch continues with three new colorful and limited editions, ready for springtime.
Hodinkee
Upsized asymmetry in radiant blue.
Hodinkee
The grandest of complications, with a dial by world-renowned enamelist Anita Porchet.
Hodinkee
JLC quietly introduces a new version of one of its classic high complications.
Deployant
Eberhard collaborates with fotofever Paris, a photography show where the show's competition winner will be presented a new Eberhard watch. Details within.
Hodinkee
Bulgari's most over-the-top watch gets even more impressive.
Monochrome
Under Manuel Emch’s capable and creative leadership, Louis Erard has evolved from relative obscurity to become an exciting player on the watch scene, offering original timepieces by contemporary artists, designers and watchmakers. However, what makes Louis Erard’s doubly attractive is the combination of original content with accessible prices. The notion that a handcrafted Grand Feu […]
Worn & Wound
Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of all the new micro-brand news we’re following, from concepts that show promise, to Kickstarter launches to restocks, and everything in between. Small independents, and affordable micro-brands spurred the creation of Worn & Wound over 10 years ago, and they still drive our enthusiasm in a big way. Here’s what’s caught our eye this month. If you’ve come across a project you think qualifies, hit us up at info@wornandwound.com for inclusion. Supra Rub Having grown up in the south of France, surrounded by fishermen, sailors and divers, Supra Rub’s founder was frequently regaled by stories of unusual journeys and adventures. Epic tales of freedom and the courage to face the seas. That is when he noticed that all these men had one thing in common: a reliable, robust, and well-worn watch on their wrists. He understood then that not all watches could withstand these hostile environments and that is how his two passions were born. The Sea and the world of watches. With the creation of his brand Supra Rub, he is merging these two passions to offer his inaugural watch, the Aurora, named after his grandfather’s fishing boat. More than the sum of its parts, the Aurora is quite the dive watch. Made entirely of 904L stainless steel, which has higher corrosion resistance than standard 316L. It features a flush mounted automatic helium escape valve; it is water-resistant to 300m and has a ceramic unidirecti...
Worn & Wound
Something I’ve observed over the last few years is that watches as a hobby have grown to a point where you could make an argument that they’re really no longer a niche any longer. It used to be that watch collecting was thought of as strange, or misunderstood, but we are so many steps beyond that point that there are experienced collectors in the hobby who don’t even remember it. That means that the landscape is increasingly competitive, and brands need to work harder and harder to set themselves apart from the pack. Increasingly, we see brands incorporating unique experiences into the watch purchasing process, and a new brand with roots in French watch media, Balmont, has taken this to an unexpected new level. Balmont is the product of a collaboration between a group of watch industry veterans based in France, including Benjamin Chamfeuil, founder of the watch brand Vasco, and Ludovic Barrois, who is behind Le Petit Poussoir, a leading French language watch blog. At first glance, the initial collection from the brand, the BDX series, would appear to be a fairly standard issue sports watch. They are nice looking in a kind of classic way, with clean dials in white, gray, silver and black, and a 40mm stainless steel case. There are small premium details here and there that underscore the pedigree of the people behind the brand – they know what enthusiasts will appreciate. The white dial, for example, has a ceramic coating, and hand applied indices have been physica...
SJX Watches
True to form, Patek Philippe has debuted more than a dozen new timepieces from its Rare Handcrafts collection at the brand’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo. Reserved exclusively for the Japanese market, the new collection includes dome clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches. Featuring traditional Japanese motifs, the new releases reflect Patek Philippe’s expertise in a range of precious crafts and techniques, including marquetry, guilloché, and various forms of enamelling including Grand Feu cloisonné, paillonné, flinqué, and grisaille enamel. The event is taking place at the Sankaku Hiroba expo centre in Shinjuku and runs from now until June 25, 2023. Admission is free and no registration is required to attend. Detail of the ref. 995/134G-001 “Shizuoka and Mount Fuji” pocket watch Dome clocks and table clocks When it comes to Patek’s Rare Handcrafts, nothing serves as a better backdrop for an artist’s skills than the brand’s iconic dome clocks. Measuring 213.5 mm tall and 128 mm in diameter, each clock is powered by the mechanical cal. 17’’’ PEND, which is conveniently rewound by an electric motor. While I often find that miniature paintings on wristwatch dials can look cramped at such a small scale, the large panels of a dome clock provide ample space for more dynamic compositions. Case in point is the Dome Clock ref. 20137M-001 “Hanami”, which uses Grand Feu cloisonné enamel to depict the Japanese custom of appreciatin...
SJX Watches
Amongst the special editions created for the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo is the World Time Minute Repeater Limited Edition Tokyo 2023 ref. 5531R-014. The ref. 5531R-014 is the more complicated of the two world time models that mark the event – the other is the ref. 5330G – and features a cloisonné enamel dial. The dial continues with the motif first found on the ref. 5531R-010 made for the Grand Exhibition 2019 that took place in Singapore. Its centre is cloisonné enamel depicting a stylised map of the Chuo ward in central Tokyo, including the expansive grounds of Imperial Palace on the upper left. Initial thoughts Unlike the other two Grand Exhibition Tokyo 2023 complications – Quad Comp ref. 5308P and World Time ref. 5330G – that are new references containing new calibres, the ref. 5531R is a variant of a regular-production model. So while it less interesting from that perspective, the ref. 5531R-014 is still an compelling watch. The cloisonné map is an unusual motif for a dial, and almost abstract at a distance, but interesting and appealing. The watch does have intrinsic appeal, however, it also does look similar to the ref. 5531R-010 made for the 2019 Grand Exhibition in Singapore. In fact, the two are probably indistinguishable from across a room. Doing something more distinctive, for instance another case metal and dial colour, would have made this more unique. A bird’s eye view of Tokyo The cloisonné enamel dial captures the Ch...
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