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Jewels

Synthetic ruby bearings at movement pivots; patented by Nicolas Fatio in 1704.

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SIHH 2013: Cartier Panther…the jewels bekons Deployant
Cartier Panther…the jewels bekons DEPLOYANT Feb 21, 2013

SIHH 2013: Cartier Panther…the jewels bekons

On Tuesday, I featured the high horology side of Cartier…with their Mysterious series…but most know Cartier as a jewellery company, excelling in miniature sculptures which are indeed works of art. I feature in today’s post, the famous Cartier panther…in two guises…both watches, both extremely beautiful, both real works of art. The timekeeping on these wonderful bejewelledRead More

Watch Jewels: What Do They Do and Why Do They Matter? Teddy Baldassarre
Feb 24, 2023

Watch Jewels: What Do They Do and Why Do They Matter?

Those who are very new to appreciating watches may be surprised, and a bit confused, upon reading about a watch that boasts “21 jewels” and afterward looking it over and finding no diamonds or emeralds or any other precious stones on its dial or case. Many watches do, in fact, offer such adornments, but those are not what’s being referred to on a watch’s spec sheet in the “jewels” column; to clarify, “jewels” in horological parlance are not shorthand for “jewelry.” A watch’s jewels are, in fact, not even really intended to be seen and admired. Like the screws and gears and tiny wheels inside a watch’s movement, they are there to do a job, to play a vital and functional role in the smooth operation of a watch’s timekeeping.  So what are jewels in a watch movement, anyway, and what are they for? And do watchmakers really use valuable, precious gems as workhorse components inside these micromechanical engines? On the latter question, well, yes and no. As to the former question, read on.  The movement in a mechanical watch is a machine with lots of moving metal parts that tend to rub and grind against one another, creating friction that can wear down these components, adversely affecting the performance of the watch and ultimately shortening its functional life. The challenge in the early days of watchmaking was finding a substance harder than these metal parts to place at the vital pivot points to reduce metal-on-metal wear and tear. The answer pr...

Britain runs the risk of losing another of its crown jewels – King George’s Breguet pocket watch Time+Tide
Breguet pocket watch Monarchists Feb 26, 2021

Britain runs the risk of losing another of its crown jewels – King George’s Breguet pocket watch

Monarchists in Britain have endured a tough time of late.  Just before coronavirus went literally viral, there was a right royal rumble as Prince Harry and Meghan quit the royal family. As if that wasn’t bad enough, 2021 now sees the royal family in danger of losing another of its crown jewels, the King George … ContinuedThe post Britain runs the risk of losing another of its crown jewels – King George’s Breguet pocket watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

T+T Highlights: Sotheby’s Australia Important Jewels Auction Time+Tide
Jul 27, 2019

T+T Highlights: Sotheby’s Australia Important Jewels Auction

Next month, Sotheby’s Australia are hosting their Important Jewels Auction in Melbourne, with a catalogue that includes a small collection of watches. The focus of the offering is obviously heavily on jewellery, however it is great to see a large local auction house include a few interesting watches, too. After passing the catalogue around the … ContinuedThe post T+T Highlights: Sotheby’s Australia Important Jewels Auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Jewels in the Desert: Visiting the Seddiqi Rolex CPO Boutique SJX Watches
Rolex CPO Boutique Dubai has Nov 28, 2025

Jewels in the Desert: Visiting the Seddiqi Rolex CPO Boutique

Dubai has become one of the world’s most important meeting points for collectors. Its role as a crossroads is hardly new - the city sits at the intersection of historic trade routes, benefits from a strategic position between East and West, and is anchored by one of the world’s most connected airports. Within this landscape, Ahmed Seddiqi stands as a long-established pillar of the region’s horological landscape and remains a destination for collectors from around the world. Even after the conclusion of Dubai Watch Week (DWW), the city retains a sense of momentum. Within this landscape, one destination stands out for its significance and ambition: the Ahmed Seddiqi Rolex Certified Pre-Owned boutique. During DWW, we had the opportunity to visit the boutique and view some of the extraordinary pieces currently available. Understanding CPO Rolex launched its CPO programme in late 2022 and it remains one of the most strategically important evolutions in modern watch retail. The secondary market has been growing in importance for both collectors and industry leaders, but until recently it existed largely outside the brand’s official mandate. Since the launch of the programme nearly three years ago, there are now 148 participating retailers around the world, according to WatchCharts, a data provider that tracks Rolex CPO pricing and volume. As of late 2025, these retailers carry a total inventory of about 9,000 CPO Rolex watches. That’s either a lot of watches or not t...

Our Predictions In The Ladies Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): A Sprinkling Of Jewels, A Mismatched Date, And The Ever-Raging Debate On Quartz Quill & Pad
Sep 29, 2020

Our Predictions In The Ladies Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): A Sprinkling Of Jewels, A Mismatched Date, And The Ever-Raging Debate On Quartz

The GPHG foundation describes the Ladies category for watches entered as “comprising only the following indications: hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve, and/or classic moon phase. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of eight carats’ worth of gemstones.” While our panelists aren't quite unanimous, we do have a clear favorite as a winner here. Read on to find out why.

Watches & Wonders: Bremont Goes Upmarket With the Supernova Tourbillon and a Vintage-Styled Chronograph With a Historic Movement Worn & Wound
Bremont Goes Upmarket Apr 22, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Bremont Goes Upmarket With the Supernova Tourbillon and a Vintage-Styled Chronograph With a Historic Movement

For Watches and Wonders 2026, Bremont is aiming for the stars: not only with the Supernova Chronograph, a new space-oriented lineup that will actually go to the moon, but also showcasing what the British brand can do with a pair of upmarket, collectible chronographs. One of them features an in-house tourbillon movement, while the other resurrects an vaunted historic movement in an elegant, limited-edition, and vintage-inspired design.  The Supernova Chronograph, also making its debut in Geneva at Watches & Wonders, is the first of a new line for Bremont, a steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet and a generously-sized 41mm case. But Bremont is also using its architecture to debut the brand’s second tourbillon movement, following 2024’s Terra Nova Dual Time Tourbillon. This time around, the Supernova Tourbillon exhibits a skeleton design with all of its movement bridges and tourbillon cage displayed around a black ceramic bezel and a sapphire crystal, with red jewels as the Supernova’s only exhibition of color.  Dramatically, the markers, bridges, Dauphine hands, and the tourbillon’s three markers glow with a bright blue Super-LumiNova, a nod to the space theme that the Supernova is aiming for.  If the Supernova Tourbillon is aimed at the future, Bremont’s other release has a distinctly vintage feel-starting from its movement. Bremont is resurrecting the Valjoux 23 two-register chronograph movement into its new Altitude Chronograph Pulsometer: a restor...

Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs Worn & Wound
Hublot Big Bangs Hublot has Apr 16, 2026

Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs

Hublot has never trafficked in subtlety. The Big Bang chronograph first made its presence known with a 44mm size, hefty ceramic bezel with contrasting screws, and a rare combination of rose gold and rubber, which contrasted different textures with clashing case finishes. So what if it had an ETA movement-which, at the time, seemed more plebeian than the in-house movements of rival luxury chronographs? In that maximalist, McBling era, the stance and the presence were all that mattered.  Hublot has only taken its flagship model to more audacious heights. At this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, the Big Bang Reloaded enters the collection, following the 20-year anniversary of the Big Bang, by combining the intricate case with Hublot’s in-house chronograph movement, the Unico calibre, bringing together all the things that Big Bang enthusiasts love.  The Reloaded exemplifies Hublot’s adherence to high-tech materials: available in titanium, scratch-resistant 18-karat “Magic Gold,” and three options of ceramic: black, blue, and dark green. The strap, still in textured rubber, matches the case colors.    Hublot introduced its Unico calibre in 2010, and now the HUB 1280 UNICO makes an appearance from behind a skeletonized and multi-layered dial: redesigned to match the stencil-style numbers, a date window at between 4 and 5 o’clock, and horizontally-placed chronograph registers. It’s an automatic flyback chronograph, with 43 jewels and a power reserve of 72 hour...

Watches & Wonders: TAG Heuer Reinvents (a part of) the Chronograph with the Monaco Evergraph Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Reinvents Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: TAG Heuer Reinvents (a part of) the Chronograph with the Monaco Evergraph

When I think of Heuer, or TAG, or TAG Heuer, for that matter, I think of chronographs. You probably do too. Carreras, Monacos, Autavias, Monzas, Veronas, Montreals, etc… All iconic models, their pursuit of the stop-watch-in-a-wrist-watch goes far beyond just that of aesthetics. Famously, in 1969, they were among the first three brands to introduce an automatic chronograph with the Caliber 11. Then, in the 2010s, they pushed chronograph innovation to its limits with high-concept, high-frequency calibers like the Mikrograph, Mikrotimer, and Mikrogirder. In the last few years, TAG has focused more on the commercial side, honing in on a contemporary design language with the glass box Carreras, as well as a workhorse caliber of their own, the 80-hour, column-wheel, automatic TH20. 2026, however, marks a return to more innovative, if high-end times. Earlier this year, they introduced the six-figure Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph, a 36,000bph rattrapante made in collaboration with Vaucher, under the category of “avant-garde horlogerie.” A curious development that was perhaps undermined by having such a daunting price, it did serve as an amuse-bouche to their big Watches & Wonders novelty: the Monaco Evergraph, which includes at least one first in watchmaking. There is a lot to unpack with the Evergraph, but the movement is a good place to start. Inside is a new caliber called the TH80-00. An integrated chronometer-certified automatic chronograph with 47-jewels, it featur...

A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Apr 14, 2026

A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns

A. Lange & Söhne has introduced the Saxonia Annual Calendar, the brand’s most compact annual calendar to date. Available in 18k white or pink gold, the Saxonia Annual Calendar plays to the strengths of Germany’s foremost watchmaker, combining a compact 36 mm case with an intuitive and legible ‘outsize date’ design reminiscent of the brand’s famed perpetual calendars. The new cal. L207.1 hints at future developments while incorporating refined details such as gold chatons around the going train jewels - a finishing touch that has been absent from the brand’s ‘entry-level’ automatic movements until now. Initial thoughts There’s been a palpable trend toward smaller watches in recent years - Lange’s 34 mm 1815 released last year was a major hit, and it seems like there’s more of a focus on dimensions and thickness than at any other time in the past decade or so. In this context, the Saxonia Annual Calendar should be well-received. At just 36 mm in diameter and under 10 mm thick, the watch is compact even by the standards of time-only watches. In fact, it’s the most compact annual calendar yet from Lange, and the small size of the dial makes the big date format especially convenient for those, like myself, who have trouble reading pointer dates at arm’s length. In fact, I’d argue the enhanced legibility and differentiated design of the big date makes the Saxonia Annual Calendar competitive with more complicated (but equally compact) perpetual ca...

Ruby Resonance from Armin Strom SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Mar 2, 2026

Ruby Resonance from Armin Strom

Independent watchmaker Armin Strom has upgraded its flagship complication with a precious stone dial. The Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby is a five-piece limited edition with a dial cut from natural ruby. Initial thoughts Armin Strom is arguably the second-most prominent watchmaker (after F.P. Journe) to successfully bring “resonance” watches to market. We extensively covered the subject of coupled oscillator watches recently, which examines Armin Strom’s unique approach to achieving this mysterious effect.  Within this narrow niche, Armin Strom’s Mirrored Force series is certainly the broadest collection of resonance watches on the market, with multiple movements and many variations exploiting the almost magic coupling between two sprung balances. This new limited edition employs the familiar in-house caliber ARF21, which connects the two hairspring by a long, swivelling blade spring - dubbed the Resonance Clutch Spring. While the movement is certainly well known, this particular iteration of the watch is quite surprising: a thin slice of natural ruby serves as the dial, with all the imperfections and liveliness of a natural mineral.  Using a ruby dial is not only aesthetically appealing but poetic for a mechanical watch. The jewels serving as bearings inside every movement are synthetic rubies - a fancy sort of industrial mineral glass. The uneven bright pink and violet shades of the Mirrored Force Resonance Ruby’s dial assure us there is nothing artificial...

First Look – The Bulgari Tubogas Manchette and Octo Finissimo Tribute to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Monochrome
Bulgari Tubogas Manchette Oct 21, 2025

First Look – The Bulgari Tubogas Manchette and Octo Finissimo Tribute to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Some of the most passionate love affairs of the 20th century have had their stories written in Bulgari jewels. One of the most conspicuous affairs consecrated with Bulgari gemstones was Liz Taylor and Richard Burton’s passionate romance, sparked on set while filming Cleopatra in Rome. As any upscale luxury brand knows, there is nothing like […]

Craft, Precision, and the Future of American Watchmaking: an Interview with Josh Shapiro Worn & Wound
Jul 17, 2025

Craft, Precision, and the Future of American Watchmaking: an Interview with Josh Shapiro

To pursue the level of watchmaking American independent brand J.N. Shapiro has, you need more than a bit of talent and a dash of ambition. Even if you manage to master the skills required to craft the impressively detailed neo-vintage watches J.N. Shapiro makes, having a unique enough take on a traditional aesthetic and the business savvy to compete on the world’s stage of independent watchmaking is another story altogether. It demands a near-monastic lifestyle to pull off. J.N. Shapiro’s founder and visionary, Josh Shapiro, hasn’t just answered the call – he’s actually making it work.  More remarkable still, Shapiro produces his premier line of watches, the Resurgence, entirely in the United States and almost entirely in-house. Notably, “in-house” is used in the literal sense here, meaning under one roof – a very different thing from what that term has come to mean as a shadowy marketing tool that tends to gloss over some subcontracting and outside manufacturing. Every component in the Resurgence, save for jewels and springs, is entirely produced and finished by Shapiro and his team in California.  While a watch of the Resurgence’s caliber being produced both in-house and domestically is as impressive as it is unexpected, there’s more at play here than just an inflated sense of national pride. Bootstrapping high-level American watchmaking and parts manufacturing certainly benefits Shapiro’s operation first and foremost, but it’s also part of a la...

The Entry-Level Ulysse Nardin Freak Gains a Grand Feu Enamel Dial SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Freak Gains Jun 4, 2025

The Entry-Level Ulysse Nardin Freak Gains a Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Ulysse Nardin gives its most affordable Freak a new look with a blue flinqué enamel dial and rose gold case. The brand has launched three other Freaks with enamel dials over the past two years, but all were small-run, retailer-exclusive limited editions. The Freak X Gold Enamel, on the other hand, is not retailer-specific and will be limited to 120 examples. The watch puts Ulysse Nardin’s investments in silicon fabrication and dial making to good use, and with good results. The combination of traditional métiers d’art with state-of-the-art technology also makes it more approachable to traditionalists than a typical Freak. Initial Thoughts Even as it nears 25 years on the market, Ulysse Nardin’s Freak remains avant-garde in aesthetics and technology. The Freak looks and feels like a small-batch concept watch, rather than the collection staple it’s become. It’s hard to believe you can walk into a retailer and walk out with something like this from a major Swiss brand for less than six figures. A rarely mentioned refinement is the use of clear sapphire jewels, rather than the typical reddish-purple rubies. It’s rare for brands to harmonize jewel colors with the rest of the watch, but it always results in a more cohesive look. Besides striking looks, its also a surprisingly practical watch, with a reasonably sized case, respectable lume, and 50 m water resistance. Overall, a well-rounded package, though the US$10,300 premium for the enamel dial over the regular ...

ochs und junior’s two timezones + date Gets the “Ochs Line” Treatment Worn & Wound
Apr 22, 2025

ochs und junior’s two timezones + date Gets the “Ochs Line” Treatment

It’s easy in this job to get into the habit of casually skimming press releases as they hit our inbox. We get a lot of new release announcements, and most of them, for one reason or another, never make it to the website. There’s a certain formula to these press releases that makes it easy for us to identify the key features and attributes of a new watch with a cursory glance, but there are certain releases where it really pays to slow down and drink it all in. For example, any new release from ochs und junior really demands your full attention simply because their creations are so deeply unusual and require a rethinking of watches and timetelling itself actually work. Such is the case with the new two time zones + date, the latest watch to be featured in the brand’s “ochs line” of series produced watches (as opposed to the fully customized watches that put them on the map).  Besides a commitment to stylizing their brand with entirely lower case letters, the thing that has always set ochs und junior apart is their commitment to creating complications that are as mechanically simple as possible. You see a lot of high end watch brands proudly announce that their ultra-complicated grand complications, for example, have untold hundreds of components and jewels under the hood. These stats are worn like a badge of honor. I can imagine Ludwig Oechslin and his team looking at these announcements and shrugging their shoulders – they simply have a completely different ph...

Ulysse Nardin Debuts Lightest Diver’s Watch SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Lightest Diver’s Watch Mar 31, 2025

Ulysse Nardin Debuts Lightest Diver’s Watch

At Watches & Wonders 2025, Ulysse Nardin is taking the covers off the lightest ever mechanical dive watch, the Diver [Air]. Weighing only 52 grams, strap included, UN’s newest diver is unexpected and impressive in a number of ways.  Initial thoughts UN’s engineers have succeeded in marrying lightness with utility in the Diver Air. The case, strap, and the movement in particular, have all been developed to carry as little weight as possible - without compromising structural reliability. At 52 g with the strap, and 46 g without, the Diver Air weighs about as much as 10 sheets of A4 paper. Impressive as it is, however, the Diver Air doesn’t really look the part, which is arguably its biggest weakness. Visually the Diver Air is almost undistinguishable from the standard Diver X Skeleton, which is a shame given that this is entirely different. The result is a missed opportunity in creating something that looks like what it is, an ultra-light performance watch.  The movement, however, looks good in a contemporary manner, with clear sapphire jewels and a clean, industrial finish. The seven grams UN-374 movement At the core of this ultra-light diver lies an in-house movement engineered for both lightness and sturdiness - the UN-374, with 90% recycled titanium bridges. The UN-374 only weighs a staggering 7 g and yet can run for 90 hours on a full wind at a 3 Hz frequency. Based off Diver X Skeleton’s UN-372, the new UN-374 was tweaked to keep its structural stability ...

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Responds Feb 20, 2025

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection

“Through constant emails, face-to-face requests at events, and in the comments of our social posts, it has been impossible to ignore the requests for this ‘Goldilocks’ case size. We are a brand that listens to our customers––you asked and we delivered.”  –Christopher Ward’s CEO and Co-Founder Mike France It’s always refreshing when the feedback of the watch community is recognized by at least one company or representative within the watchmaking industry. To hear Mike France and Christopher Ward directly address their customer’s concerns is exactly what makes the microbrand/indie sphere so great. Whether you believe they’ve expanded beyond their microbrand status to “legacy micro,” “independent,” or some other higher level of categorization, the brand’s acknowledgement of customer input speaks volumes about their character and ability to take and utilize constructive criticism––perhaps a result of their humble beginnings as a true microbrand. After the critical acclaim the 36mm and 40mm Twelve models received, Christopher Ward is set to release a fresh take on their popular design with the new Twelve 38. The stainless-steel case, which made its limited edition debut last year in the “Ice Cream” collection, measures 38mm across, 43.3mm lug-to-lug, and 9.95mm thick, thanks to its ultra-slim Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. With 26 jewels, a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a 38-hour power reserve, these reliable and durable automatic move...

The Rose Gold SBGH368 Enters Grand Seiko’s Permanent Collection Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko s Permanent Collection Perhaps Feb 12, 2025

The Rose Gold SBGH368 Enters Grand Seiko’s Permanent Collection

Perhaps the crown jewel of Grand Seiko’s automatic watches, the 62GS was the brand’s first to feature an automatic movement. Vintage 62GS pieces championed subtlety with small crowns, “bezel-less” crystals, and smooth, polished edges. The 62GS has lived on through many contemporary iterations, and most hold on to that understated elegance as a key design feature. The current lineup of Heritage Collection pieces reflects almost all the hallmarks of the 62GS that it’s based on, albeit with dials themed for the 24 solar terms of the Japanese sekki.  Grand Seiko’s newest 62GS piece continues the seasonal motif of the Heritage Collection lineup but adds even more color by enveloping it in 18-karat rose gold. This rose gold reference, SBGH368 in the Grand Seiko catalog, is meant to symbolize cherry blossoms covered in snow, featuring a textured copper pink dial encased in a dual curve sapphire crystal. The indices, dauphine hands, date window frame, and screw-down crown match the case material, as does Grand Seiko’s logo positioned just above the brand’s name, below the double-thick 12 marker. An exhibition case back showcases the Hi-Beat 9S85 automatic movement, which features 37 jewels and a 55-hour power reserve, as well as 100-meter water resistance.  In terms of sizing, the SBGH368’s case measures 38mm in diameter and 12.9mm in thickness, maintaining the standard specs of the 62GS line. The 20mm lug width promises easy strap-swapping, though the included...

The Doxa Sub 200T Diamonds: What Happens When You Shrink It, Pink It, and Bling It Worn & Wound
Doxa Sub 200T Diamonds What Dec 12, 2024

The Doxa Sub 200T Diamonds: What Happens When You Shrink It, Pink It, and Bling It

Late last month, Doxa – the reigning cushion case champ and many divers’ brand of choice – released a dazzling new line of Sub 200T references. Media coverage has been sparse. This isn’t really surprising, as the new drop is… a lot to take in. Even though many journalists in the industry appear to be reserving their judgment thus far of the new Doxa Diamonds, social media users are happy to fill in the vacuum with their no-holds-barred opinions. There seem to be a few discussions happening on various watch forums, but the real heartbeat of public opinion can be found amongst the Instagram comments on Doxa’s official brand posts.  In case anyone is removed from the world of the socials, allow me to pick a few gems for your reading pleasure: “This is an abomination.” “April fool’s territory.” And, my personal favorite, “Cousteau and Cussler are rolling in their graves.” These are found, of course, in between a punctuating handful of green seasick emojis that really work to tie together the whole sentiment. In sum, Doxa fans think this new series is a swing and a miss for the brand. The drop is clearly reaching for a different market segment than Doxa’s typical consumer base. Though the move into jewels may bring more female buyers into the fold, it’s important to mention that some of the models wearing the Diamonds watches in Doxa’s marketing materials are men. This indicates the new line is meant for all and shouldn’t be relegated to the d...

Exhibition: ‘Cartier, The Power of Magic’ in Shanghai SJX Watches
Cartier Nov 29, 2024

Exhibition: ‘Cartier, The Power of Magic’ in Shanghai

Now open at the Shanghai Museum East, Cartier, the Power of Magic is an exhibition that comes exactly two decades after the jeweller’s first-ever exhibition in China. Made up of over 300 jewels and objects from the Cartier Collection and museums around the world, the exhibition explores Chinese art, Cartier’s history, and the influence of Chinese culture on the jeweller’s creations. Pierre Rainero, Cartier Image, Style and Heritage Director, describes the exhibition as “distinctly more analytical, taking a fresh look at the bonds uniting China and Cartier, and also at a relatively unexplored yet intrinsic aspect of jewellery: magic.” A desk clock with an imperial dragon motif sold by Cartier New York in 1925 A pair of 1920s Cartier screen clocks flanking a Qing Qianlong period jade table screen Chu Xiaobao, the Director of the Shanghai Museum, highlighted the significance of the exhibition, “The concept of Cartier, which goes beyond the art of jewellery to capture the eternal beauty, bears a striking resemblance to the timeless value of ancient Chinese art”. Notably, the aesthetics for the exhibition were devised by the artificial intelligence model cAI, which was created by Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang and his studio. The backdrop of the exhibitions are traditional Chinese landscapes combined with Chinese courtyard manuscripts generated by the AI. But Mr Cai’s presentation also encompasses physical objects, which were crafted in ceramic and st...

Andreas Strehler Debuts Hand Engraved Faune et Flore SJX Watches
Nov 11, 2024

Andreas Strehler Debuts Hand Engraved Faune et Flore

Andreas Strehler, known for his complex movements, recruited master engraver Roman Houdek for a collection of floral-themed watches, the Faune et Flore. With each made to order, the timepieces of Faune et Flore are presented in Strehler’s signature ovoid Papillon case and powered by an in-house calibre. The dials are open worked and intricately hand engraved by Mr Houdek. Initial thoughts Though the new line is a departure from the brand’s usual focus on complications, free-hand engraving is no less of an achievement. An art that requires tremendous skill, it is refreshing to see Strehler attempt something different. Elaborate in style, the Faune et Flore departs from Strehler’s traditional aesthetic. While that may not appeal to technical-minded enthusiasts at first glance, the quality of the engraving is easily apparent and complements the case shape. Unsurprisingly given Mr Strehler’s technical talent, the engraved dials are not actually traditional dials. The engraved 18k gold plate serves as a functional bridge for the movement, supporting part of the going train and the two barrels. As a result, there are jewels set into the plate, which form decorative elements in the engraving. Because the engraved plate is functional as well as decorative, this construction requires even more careful work than a conventional engraved dial, in order to ensure the open-worked sections don’t compromise with integrity or flatness of the bridge. That in turn has to be balance...