How They Made It: Meet The Woman Mastering The Masters for Jaeger-LeCoultre
How enameler Sophie Quenaon crafts the Reverso's hidden treasures.
3,265 articles · 76 videos found · page 86 of 112
How enameler Sophie Quenaon crafts the Reverso's hidden treasures.
Quill & Pad
Konstantin Chaykin's Moscow Comptus Easter Clock masterpiece isn’t designed for the wrist but for the mantel. And it presents further evidence that the man Joshua Munchow dubs the “Wonderboy Russian Watchmaker” is one of the greatest watch- and clockmakers in the game today.
Revolution
Revolution
Revolution
It is said that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, but in the case of horology –especially nowadays –the past is constantly being mined enthusiastically for inspiration –sometimes with antecedents acknowledged, and credit given where it’s due, and sometimes not, with the hope that nobody will notice that […]
Monochrome
One of the most distinctive indie brands on the scene today, it’s impossible to mistake a De Bethune watch. Some of the signature aesthetic clues, developed by master watchmaker and co-founder Denis Flageollet, are heat-treated titanium components and random guilloché patterns. As a counterweight to the more futuristic and flagship DB28 family, the more classical […]
SJX Watches
Watches & Wonders, the world’s most important luxury watch fair, will return in 2027 from April 5-11 in its traditional venue of Palexpo, the cavernous exhibition complex beside Geneva’s airport. The event takes place over a week, with Monday to Thursday being invite-only days open to members of the trade, while Friday and the weekend are ticketed public days. All of the major luxury brands will return for the fair, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Tudor, and Chanel, alongside a range of independent marques. But 2027 will also see new exhibitors, including Breitling, Gallet and Universal Genève, the trio that make up the House of Brands, the entity set up to contain the three brands led by Georges Kern. Notably, niche Italian jeweller Damiani will also exhibit at W&W; 2027, joining giants like Cartier, Bulgari, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Hodinkee
One of the largest watch group holdouts is heading to Watches and Wonders in 2027 as Breitling's House of Brands will join the world's premier luxury watch fair for the first time. Scheduled to take place April 5 to 11 in Geneva at Palexpo, with supplementary programs and exhibitions including the In The City events that debuted at the most recent edition, brands including Breitling, Gallet, Universal Genève and Italy's Damiani will exhibit alongside founding partners Rolex, Patek Philippe and Richemont brands, among others, according to a statement from the non-profit Watches and Wonders Foundation. The inclusion of the House of Brands group marks a significant addition for Watches and Wonders, underscoring its position as the most important annual gathering of Swiss and international luxury watchmakers, retailers, media, and the public each spring. The announcement follows news that Basel will return to the watch fair schedule with a new watch and jewelry show called Basilia that will follow during the same month, and leaves Swatch Group as the only major Swiss watchmaking conglomerate not participating in Watches and Wonders. "The arrival of these new names represents an important milestone in the evolution of Watches and Wonders Geneva, and reflects the desire of major watchmaking Maisons to unite around a shared vision," Watches and Wonders organizers said in a prepared statement. A record 65 brands participated in the event in 2026, including, for the first time...
SJX Watches
Master gunsmith and independent watchmaker Dewey Vicknair returns with a bespoke retrograde hour wristwatch. The American craftsman is a self-taught watch restorer that recently started making timepieces of his own, using just basic tooling. His latest watch was commissioned by a client almost one year ago and the project was completed earlier this month. Initial thoughts There are relatively few artisanal watchmakers still active that limit their output to just a couple of pieces per year. Watchmaking at this scale is not a lucrative proposition, so most independent watchmakers today tend to build for some degree of expansion. This is not the case with Dewey Vicknair, a true artisan who starts with raw sheets of brass and steel and turns the metal into unique timepieces. Along with names like David E. Walter and Jacob Curtis, Dewey Vicknair is one of the few American artisan horologists. His latest delivery is a 39 mm Calatrava-style watch with a fully open-worked dial and endowed with a clever retrograde hour complication. Made at the request of an unnamed collector, the watch features a steel case and is powered by a movement of Mr Vicknair’s own making. The movement in the making. As it was the case with past creations, Mr. Vicknair put together an exhaustive photo essay of his work, which is a recommended read for anyone looking to understand the work required to build a watch from the ground up. Although the look of the watch might not be to everyone’s taste — ...
SJX Watches
Tudor marks its 100th birthday by reviving the Monarch with a completely new look — one that captures the spirit of the brand’s founding decade, reinterpreted for the 21st century. The Monarch manages to be both sporty and dressy, with a distinctive design and upmarket build that proves Tudor has aspirations beyond the Black Bay. Initial thoughts Tudor turns 100 stronger than it’s ever been. The brand that once trafficked in cheaper versions of Rolex models can now bring compelling products like this to market with impressive regularity. That said, the brand tends to be at its best when it comes to sports watches like the Black Bay — what Tudor calls its ‘classic watches’ have had less market impact. In this context, the Monarch represents a major step forward for Tudor. It’s dressy without looking derivative, and robust enough for everyday wear. In short, the Monarch rules. Image – Tudor Much of Tudor’s current collection takes heavy inspiration from its deep back catalogue. That isn’t the case for the Monarch, which shares nothing with the 1990s and 2000s Monarchs save for the name and shield at 12 o’clock. Instead, the Monarch’s design celebrates the earliest years of Tudor — the 1920s — which was a transitional period in which wristwatch production had not yet equalled that of pocket watches. Watchmakers at the time weren’t yet sure what kinds of wristwatches people wanted, and the era is marked by expressive and experimental designs. Beca...
Worn & Wound
Doxa is one of those watch brands where the lore is kind of hard to escape. Every release is the subject of intense enthusiast discussion as the watches are contextualized through a complex history. There’s real mystique to the brand, which I think largely stems from the fact that Doxa’s dive watches were always true enthusiast products, made for actual divers as tools of their trade. This sets them apart from Rolex, Omega, and many other Swiss luxury houses, not because they didn’t also make tools for real divers (they certainly did), but because they also focused their attention on more mainstream pursuits. Doxa, at least in the public imagination, 50+ years on, did not. They’re seen as a brand for purists, and still appreciated by them to a great extent, even if they sometimes do something that’s a little on trend. There’s perhaps no watch in their catalog with more lore attached to it than the Sub 200 T.Graph, a chronograph version of the Doxa’s iconic Sub 200 diver. This watch was briefly released in a very limited way all the way back in 2019, and, ever since, collectors and fans of the brand have been clamoring for a non-limited edition. This week, Doxa has given the people what they want, with the introduction of the Sub 200 T.Graph II. The new Sub 200 T.Graph II is, at least on the surface, exactly what you’d expect a modern, permanent version of the T.Graph to be. It is sized down just slightly from the 2019 limited edition, with a 42mm case in ...
Hodinkee
It felt inevitable. Just over six months after an F.P. Journe narrowly missed joining a certain historic list of wristwatches dominated by Patek Philippe and Rolex with the $10.75 million sale of Francis Ford Coppola's personal FFC at Phillips New York (a record for the brand), one finally reached that rarified air. François-Paul Journe invented it. He made it. The market made it historic. The F.P. Journe Souscription Chronomètre à Résonance no. 007 is now the fifth-most expensive wristwatch ever sold and the third-most expensive watch sold not for charity. Arguably Journe's most important and emblematic model, a confluence of details made this example—which crossed the auction block on Saturday, June 13—the one to own, at least according to bidders. To the tune of almost $14 million, no less. In some ways, it seems the perfect cap to a wild shift in the market where, in less than a year, F.P. Journe has become more closely watched than other previously preferred blue-chip brands and references. And yet, the market is so hot that there were a number of remarkable results from the New York, Geneva, and Hong Kong auctions. Not for nothing, but a Patek Philippe 5004 is now a $5 million watch, not only blowing out the previous non-charity record ($1.5 million for Michael Ovitz's platinum example, which was sold last fall), but eclipsing the 5004T for OnlyWatch (which sold for $4 million, give or take, back in 2013). And the fresh-to-market pink gold, satin-cased Pate...
Hodinkee
We've all been told at least once in life to stick to our own lane. It's an old trope that historically holds merit. Stick to one discipline, master it, and you'll succeed. But in 2026, the rulebook has changed in almost every aspect of life, and sometimes those one-trick ponies aren't the ones leading the charge; they're actually left in the stable. La Montre Hermès S.A in Brugg, Switzerland. In watchmaking, it transpires that the latest crop of brands to realize this are the names we most associate with being wider fashion houses. Empires sustained by hand-stitching legacy into cloth, amplified in the theatre of the catwalk, now play in the watchmaking arena. We've witnessed many of these names turn to watchmaking as an additional arm to their already bulletproof name, and crucially, they're delivering watches with real merit. For Hermès, despite having a presence in watchmaking since the early 20th century, with Universal Genève as the brand's watchmaking partner from the 1930s and the production of exclusively Hermès-signed pieces such as desk clocks, this rise has been built brick by brick since the 1970s. Outfitting horses came first, then their riders, and it quickly proved that true luxury comes from mastery, not scale. During the 1970s, the maison decided to build schools to train artisans the Hermès way, passing along hand-stitching, leather cutting, and scarf-printing techniques from master to apprentice. While other names pursued mass production or outsour...
Monochrome
There’s an old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That could easily apply to the lever escapement, a design so perfected that almost all mechanical watches rely on it today after its debut in 1754. It’s reliable, accurate and easily mass produced, and watchmakers like Rolex and Patek Philippe have lever escapement movements […]
Monochrome
It’s refreshing to come across a serious master watchmaker who knows how to have fun. Konstantin Chaykin, the Russian indie watchmaker, knows how to inject humour into his creations, including the anthropomorphic face of his smiling ThinKing, the world’s thinnest mechanical watch with a profile of just 1.65mm. His popular menagerie of Wristmons (wrist monsters) […]
Monochrome
After the impressively complex watches released by Jaeger-LeCoultre at Watches & Wonders 2026, including the Master Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon or the Master Hybris Mechanica Ultra Thin, the Grande Maison now presents a re-edition of its Duometre Heliotourbillon Perpetual, an ambitious creation uniting the brand’s Duometre concept with a triple-axis tourbillon and a perpetual calendar complemented […]
Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fascinating multi-axis Gyrotourbillon made its debut in 2004 inside a large round Master case. Four years later, the complication was adapted to fit inside the iconic swivelling case of the Reverso, followed in 2016 by an 85th anniversary edition powered by the thinner calibre 179. Fittingly for a watch with equestrian origins, the pink […]
Fratello
In the original James Bond books by Ian Fleming, the secret agent wore the same watch as the author himself, a Rolex Explorer ref. 1016. In the James Bond movies, however, he wore a variety of watches from different brands. Interestingly enough, it was never an Explorer. And as you know, Bond has worn Omega […] Visit James Bond And His Omega Seamaster Watches — An Overview to read the full article.
Citizen reinforces their commitment to yacht racing with a new Promaster Wave Tracker. Release details with pricing and commentary.
Hodinkee
What We Know If our ability to value our precious time is a gift, then the simplicity of the Mermont La Parfaite reminds us to slow down and savor it. The debut public model from the new Swiss brand is a study in elevated minimalism. A solo hour hand, polished and hand-finished by master watchmaker Nicolas Delaloye, is the centerpiece. Sculpted and curved with a heart or spade-shaped cutout, the heat-treated, single stainless steel hand has been hand-finished and sits high enough from the dial that it can be observed from multiple angles. It circles the slanted minute track dial once every twelve hours, making precise reading of the time more of a loose, approximate estimate than an exact by-the-second measurement. That's despite the fact that the hand-wound movement is regulated by Delaloye to high accuracy. And that's the point. The pared-down time telling demands one take stock and consider the few, but highly considered design choices from the brand, founded by Swiss-based collector and watch expert Sebastien Bey-Haut, that is produced and assembled in Geneva at Delaloye's facilities. The color-shifting blue dial features a colimaçon sunburst finish, achieved with colored pigments mixed with Zapon varnish. And indeed, seen in person, the colors of the dial can change dramatically depending on the light, from a bright blue to inky navy and even dark purple. The classic slanted minute track is surrounded by printed Breguet-style numerals. While the 'Mermont' brand lo...
Monochrome
To our regular readers, Armin Strom needs no introduction. To those new to watchmaking, let’s say that over the past decade, the independent brand has established itself as one of the (very) few manufacturers to truly master resonance in a wristwatch. The Dual Time GMT Resonance has become one of Armin Strom’s signature platforms, evolving […]
Hodinkee
What We Know Awake is launching three new watches today, along with a new visual identity for the young brand. The three references—"Sunset," "Alba," and "Borealis"—take their names and color palettes from celestial phenomena: an ocean sunset, an incandescent dawn, and the Northern Lights, respectively. "Alba" The dials are the story here, and the story behind them is quite fascinating. The process begins in Hanoi, Vietnam, where master lacquerers apply multiple ultra-thin layers of Sơn Mài lacquer—derived from the sap of the Rhus Verniciflua tree—then meticulously polish each coat to build up the dial's color. Sunset gets pink, violet, and blue. Alba gets red, yellow, and orange. Borealis gets green and yellow. Once the lacquer work is complete, the dials travel to Italy, where they're handed to the Renzetti family—one of the last workshops in Europe still practicing hand guilloché—who work them on traditional rose and straight-line engine lathes, entirely by hand, for approximately 15 hours per dial. Each groove is unique to the individual artisan and the individual piece. "Sunset" The hands and indices are constructed with a steel cap system finished in polished, brushed, and engraved textures, filled with Super-LumiNova BGW9. The result is a lume solution that's discreet in daylight but comes alive in the dark, casting a soft halo over the lacquer and guilloché beneath. All of this sits inside a new 38mm stainless steel case, a first for Awake. It fea...
Fratello
This year is a regal one indeed, as both Tudor and the Rolex Oyster case celebrate their 100th anniversary. For this grandiose occasion, Tudor presented a completely new model during Watches and Wonders 2026 to underline the significance of its century of existence. The Tudor Monarch is a hard-to-define watch, but when you look at […] Visit Hands-On With The Tudor Monarch — Are You Down With The New King? to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Year over year, it's becoming increasingly important for luxury brands to back their products with traceability for precious materials like gold and gemstones, both for regulatory and compliance bodies and for conscious consumers. Traceability has become a greater concern with the rise of counterfeiting and the growing demand for transparency in ethical material sourcing. We have seen several watch and jewelry brands taking matters into their own hands by establishing their own traceability programs, from Rolex to Breitling, as well as the entire LVMH group. Here, many brands are relying on the expansion of blockchain technology to create digital passports for their wares. However, one company is taking things even deeper to a forensic level. In 2016, Haelixa started with a mission to streamline traceability within supply chains by developing a patented DNA-based technology to verify product origin and authenticity. "The first application of our DNA markers started at the supply chain level with raw materials," explains Klemens Link, Haelixa's Director of Anti-Counterfeiting and Brand Protection. "We began with textiles but have since expanded into precious metals as well as gemstones. We can apply our DNA-based nanoparticles to rough stones directly at the mine or to rough gold directly at the refinery." On the other end of the spectrum, Haelixa can also implement its technology beyond raw materials and directly to finished goods. "Here, the value proposition is different...
Fratello
Mechanical watches were once essential tools for pilots, divers, scientists, race car drivers, etc. You’ve probably seen the advertisements in old National Geographic magazines, showing spelunkers proudly wearing their Rolex Explorers or a pilot checking his Breitling Navitimer, using it to calculate fuel consumption. For many years (decades) now, this has been handled digitally, as […] Visit Fratello Talks: There Are No Tool Watches Above €500 to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Last year's launch of a new Reverso Tribute Monoface "Or Deco" in pink gold (with a gorgeous Milanese mesh bracelet) was probably the most outstanding release from Jaeger-LeCoultre in a while. Its time in the sun was somewhat brief, though, as it was a bit upstaged this year by the new Master Control Chronometre line (for which a Hands-On is forthcoming soon, I promise). Yet, at Watches and Wonders last month, the brand showed it could do more with the "Or Deco" platform, introducing three new Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds "Or Deco Cocktail" watches, including two in a new material. Last year's release is still a stunner. You may have missed these new watches. That's in part because the brand is set to make a more complete announcement in a few weeks, with an immersive pop-up of its "Reverso Stories" series from May 21 to May 31 in the Miami Design District, ahead of the opening of a new boutique there this summer. The idea is to focus on rare pieces, including historic high-jewelry models, and to premiere some new Reverso pieces that play into that concept, including this trio. However, before the watches were shipped to South Beach, we got to see them in New York and get to spill the tea, as the kids say, before their Miami feature debut. The standouts, at least in terms of novelty, are the two new white-gold versions. The framework remains the same, a 45.6 x 27.4 x 7.56mm case, now in white gold, housing a manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 822 movement....
Worn & Wound
Part of the fun of Watches & Wonders (in fact, most of the fun of Watches & Wonders) is discovering things you didn’t expect to find, or that slip through the cracks and don’t get nearly the attention you think they should once you see them in person. Let’s face it: the event is dominated by a handful of huge brands that save their absolute best for the show. But for every Tudor, Cartier, and Rolex, there’s a Chronoswiss, Behrens, and Hautlence releasing incredibly impressive watches we simply don’t talk about enough. Here, Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss recap some of their favorite watches at this year’s Watches & Wonders that slipped under the radar for one reason or another. If there’s a release you saw or read about from the show that you think isn’t getting its fair shake, let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear about it. Zach Weiss Hautlence Kubera Hautlence isn’t a brand that does half-measures. Their watches are all in, featuring wild complications executed in intricate fashion, housed in massive, equally exotic cases. I take a meeting with them at Watches + Wonders every year because, while maybe not a brand that is quite in our wheelhouse, I personally find them fun and inspiring. Plus, the brand has a very self-aware attitude that’s refreshing. Well, this year was different because, for the first time ever, Hautlence launched a watch that, while thoroughly strange and unconventional, was also wearable, and priced, for Hautlence, in a ...
Fratello
Another Watches and Wonders in the books. The first two editions were online only, but since 2022, I’ve been attending them all with pleasure. Watches and Wonders 2026 had some wonderful releases in store, and today, I’ll share my favorites from A. Lange & Söhne, Chopard, Piaget, Rolex, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, as well as a few […] Visit RJ’s Best 5 Watches From Watches And Wonders 2026 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A tourbillon within a tourbillon, itself within yet another tourbillon. The Master Hybris Inventiva Gyrotourbillon à Stratosphère is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s sixth-generation multi-axis tourbillon, 22 years after the first Gyrotourbillon launched in 2004. The revised tourbillon architecture now covers close to 100% of possible positions in space to dilute the effects of gravity across nearly all possible orientations. But is it a genuine precision instrument, or an exploration of the limits of contemporary mechanics? Evolution or revolution? The calibre 178 that powers the Stratosphère builds on more than two decades of research into multi-axis tourbillons, during which Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) has explored variables such as axis multiplication, different hairspring geometries, miniaturisation, and new forms of energy management. This logical evolution of the Gyrotourbillon concept remained theoretical until recently. “Its realisation has only been possible thanks to the current maturity of the Manufacture’s expertise and technologies – it would have been difficult to envisage just a few years ago,” notes Takahiro Hamaguchi, Product & Innovation Director at JLC. This capability also stems from the brand’s internal structure, which enables the conception and production of a movement from scratch, and is reflected in the new Hybris Inventiva line, which will grow into a showcase of watches that isolate a single innovative complication developed through multi-year inte...
Monochrome
This year was a big one for the Rolex group, as the Crown was celebrating the 100th anniversary of its emblematic Oyster case, while Tudor turned 100 years, being founded in 1926. With this in mind, expectations were high, and some predicted fireworks of novelties, huge innovations, entirely new collections all around… And the celebrations […]
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