And another interesting new name in the world of watches - also launched at Baselworld two weeks ago: the elegant new watch journal named The Hour. Exploring the culture of watches in the broadest sense of the word, The Hour not only focusses on the creation process of the finer timepieces produced but also sheds light on the people behind these intricate processes - under the creative direction of editor-in-chief Josh Sims, author of 'Vintage Menswear', which we wrote about in 2013. The first issue features an interview with Stephen Urquhart – president of Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, Omega – in addition to conversations with individuals beyond the watch industry, including chef Wolfgang Puck, Brioni‘s Umberto Angeloni, artist Gemma Champ and designer Andrew Pemberton. Providing both candid insight into the production of watches and reflections on the watch industry’s cultural influences on other creative fields, from fashion, photography to the culinary arts. Keep an eye on this beautiful new magazine. [ Continue reading ]

A little under two weeks ago, the impressive next-generation smartwatch brand Vector Watch officially launched for the public in what other city then Basel - where at that moment Baselworld took place. With an aim to provide a more personalized and intuitive experience on a smartwatch device, the Vector brand is supported by a strong team of developers as well as the ex CEO of Timex Joe Santana, ex Nike Designer Steve Jarvis and Vector CTO Andrei Pitis. The launch event took place in the beautiful surroundings of the Gare du Nord venue - the old train station for Basel - a fitting location for a product that looks to meld traditional watch design with intuitive technology. With the vast amount of information and notifications we receive on our connected devices now a days, the London-based brand has developed the smartwatch device to simplify day-to-day activities and routines to give users the power to choose what they wish to focus on. Introduced as a stylish and desirable piece of jewelry rather than a gadget, the Vector smartwatch looks to fill the gap in the market left by fashion-focused smartwatches lacking technological innovation, and technology-orientated wearables. [ Continue reading ]

It took around three years to develop - and it became ready just in time for the Baselworld show: NOMOS Glashütte presents the so called DUW 3001, a super impressive new standard caliber from its Glashütte watchmaking workshops. At only 3.2 millimeters, this motor is incredibly flat - flatter than almost anything else that selfwinds and is produced in series in the watch industry - and also extremely accurate. The few other automatic calibers available are either less accurate or extremely expensive. But NOMOS Glashütte will remain in its established price category. Nearly all the parts in DUW 3001 are placed between the base plate and the three-quarter plate.The ratchet wheel, for example, is now placed entirely under the three-quarter plate - and so needed to be made flatter than before. To avoid friction between the wafer-thin parts, a special new material was used; it has excellent, low friction properties, is extremely even, and is easy to form and harden. So impressive! [ Continue reading ]

We have slowly been moving into the fascinating world of hand-made watches over the last two years, and this 'Look over the Watchmaker's Shoulders' by German watchmaker NOMOS Glashütte inhabits everything we love about the beautiful craft. Since 2005 NOMOS has been building all its movements and watches, among which are the beautiful Tangente, Orion and Zürich models, in-house in its facilities in Glashütte, Saxony which is located in the South of Germany. The year 1845 marks an important year for that city, as it was the moment when Ferdinand Adolph Lange settled in Glashütte as the first master watchmaker, following a call to the Royal Saxon government, after which he received 7000 'Taler' start-up funding and began training the first watchmaker. Since then the watches and fine mechanical industry has been the economic backbone of the city. Some of the more renowned watch company operating from Glashütte at the moment are A. Lange & Söhne, Bruno Söhnle Uhrenatelier Glashütte and ofcourse NOMOS Glashütte, who has given this beautiful insight into its Chronometrie. [ Continue reading ]

The Long Distance Watch by Hong Kong-based designer Kitmen Keung explores how people’s perception can be diverted into an everyday object. The clarity of the secondary clock face has been delicately dimmed to appear like a shadow on the interface, acting as a quiet conscious reminder of the distance between the user and someone on the other side of the globe. [ Continue reading ]

I just found this amazing watch, a Tudor Prince Oyster from around the 1950s. The silver dial with beautiful patina, applied gold arabic even numerals and dot markers, the gold needle hands, and a lovely brown suede strap… Dear beauty… Buy before I do! (Available at Park & Bond)… [ Continue reading ]

Last week I came across this amazing watch. A 1950’s Rolex SS Datejust with an antique white dial is one of the early models with a calibre 745 movement with sweep seconds and red and black date wheel. The baton indexes are gold applied and the hands are… [ Continue reading ]

Started with the Single Red Deepsea project by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard, son of legendary Jacques Piccard who dove 10 kms into the Pacific ocean, Philipp Stahl from Maastricht now moved to the highest point on earth, the Mount Everest. In a tribute to… [ Continue reading ]

As Menno mentioned in a previous post we love the personal stories vintage watches are telling us. After a few weeks looking for these engravings on the back of a vintage watch I found a few to share. (And I’m happy to say one of… [ Continue reading ]

The beauty of vintage watches is that each timepiece tells a unique story. By the way the watch aged you can tell if the previous owner treated it well, what kind of job he probably had and if he or she was really in love with it. Sometimes… [ Continue reading ]

This is a beauty! This is a 1954 Vacheron & Constantin made of 18K Yellow Gold with an engraving on the back: “To Marlon, Love Zsa Zsa June 24, 1954”. It was a present from Zsa Zsa Gabor to Marlon Brando, at the release of ‘On the Waterfront’ and… [ Continue reading ]

Too bad they’re not for sale, but this is a very nice collection of vintage military watches. But see it as a good inspiration for purchase… Check Hyunsuk. [ Continue reading ]