Time Is a Jewel
As one would expect, all kinds of creations, innovations and variations were revealed at Watches & Wonders 2023. New materials, new technologies, new designs… one could not stop taking notes and writing down article ideas while queuing to access Palexpo. At the risk of sounding superficial, I chose this year to focus on jewelled timepieces. […]
Standing ovation
Watches & Wonders 2023 has been a great show for the main maisons. Patek Philippe had new versions of the ref. 6300 Grandmaster Chime, Vacheron Constantin produced another wonder in their Cabinotiers series, and Roger Dubuis introduced a new idea into its hyper horology universe with some justification, re-thinking the tourbillon and micro-rotor winding system […]
Bovet 1822 Virtuoso XI
There is an art to producing a skeleton watch. The trick is to remove sufficient material to enhance the aesthetics and completely show the inner workings, while still keeping the movement robust enough to function. Take away too much metal from the bridges, for example, and they could deform and damage the performance of the […]
Disruptive Success
Towards the end of 2022, Edouard Meylan was awarded the Esprit d’entreprise Prix Gaïa; a prize presented annually – when candidate(s) of sufficient standing are deemed to be available – by the Musée international d’horlogerie. When presenting the award, which is recognised as one of the industry’s highest honours, Jean Claude Biver, horology’s venerated entrepreneur, […]
Her Time
Although ladies wristwatches date back to the mid 19th century (coincidently, Omega’s founder Louis Brandt started making watches in 1848), it wasn’t really until the early 1900s that women who were not from the upper-classes began to wear watches, which kick-started mass-production and the development of a complete new sector in the industry. By this […]
Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa
Belabouring the hoary old puns declaring that watches are “all about timing”, it is timing that graced Blancpain with not one but two matters to celebrate with the latest incarnation of the Fifty Fathoms. 2023 marks both the 70th anniversary of this pioneering diving watch and the 10th anniversary of Gombessa, an environmental project that […]
Joint Ecstasy
The 1970s, in the luxury world, were a time of excess. Fashion looked to exaggerate the bohemian style of the late 1960s with flared trousers, wide collars, and excessively patterned coloured fabrics. At the other extreme, the Halston, Missoni and Diane von Furstenberg-clad crowds were part of the disco era of dance floors and glitter, […]
The Gift of Time
My job as an editor means that my life is ruled by strict time boundaries and imminent deadlines, so I spend a lot of time looking at my watch. I imagine this happens to many of you and your partners, so I thought you may be interested in introducing a bit of variety into the […]
Bring Out The Jewels
The fourth week of advent is full of anticipation and joy at the proximity of Christmas Day. Myth has it that light gets brighter as we approach Christmas day, despite the days being the shortest in the year. Our Advent Time series aims at finishing in the brightest of lights with seven jewelled watches which […]
It’s Complicated
The third week of Advent starts on Gaudete Sunday, which can fall on any date between the 11th and the 17th of December. The term is derived from the Latin opening words of the introit antiphon, “Rejoice (Gaudete) in the Lord always.” It refers to the anticipation at the approach of the Christmas celebration. In […]
