Nico Bandl

In 1972, Audemars Piguet launched its Royal Oak, which is considered the first luxury sports watch to have been made of steel. In 1976, Patek Philippe followed suit by introducing its first Nautilus. Over the years, the hype surrounding both models has led to a lack of availability at any official retailer, let alone the…

Anyone who is interested in tennis and has ever watched a match by Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal will have noticed something extraordinary: the intimidating brutality inherent in the sportsman's body language, which is expressed through several characteristics; the intense moaning every time he hits a ball, or his aggressive hits, which are so powerful that…

It was exactly 70 years ago that Panerai first presented its watches equipped with a tritium-based luminous material. “Luminor” was the name of this innovative substance of the hour, and it then promptly appeared in Panerai’s collection of the same name. In the 60 or so years that followed, the iconic line hardly changed, and…

When Patek Philippe created a pilot's watch with the Reference 5524G back in 2015, the watch world was in for a surprise. For such a classic manufacture, such a striking watch seemed somewhat unusual. But the surprising new piece did not appear by chance. Patek Philippe had already developed hour-angle watches for the military back…

Every fan of Breguet will be well aware of the background to the horology house’s Tradition line. After all, it’s a story that has been shared extensively across the years. Meanwhile, for all those who are new and unaware, it is worth taking a quick trip back to the 18th century, before we get to…

If you wanted to put a positive spin on the current crisis, you could point out the new-found desire we have to be impulsive. Ever since the first crisis management was put in place, the time came for us all to reflect, press the reset button, or to face up to long-avoided challenges and put…

The last couple of years have been quiet for Carl F. Bucherer’s Manero Flyback. Now, the chronograph is back, and, it seems, better than ever. It was in 2016 that the Manero collection first introduced a new series of watches featuring a chronograph movement with a flyback function. Then, at Baselworld 2017, three models equipped…

Amidst the sound of birds chattering and water splashing comes the sound of soft chimes, sounding repeatedly – almost as though someone was soulfully playing percussion, while wandering through tranquil surroundings. But it's not a musical instrument we can hear – it’s acoustic watches. Catherine Rénier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, is playing us a video via…

What makes the young Swiss brand and its new chrono so special? It was almost two years ago that I first stumbled across Norqain watches, while skiing in Switzerland – whether on posters in the winter sports resort, or on the advertising windows of the ski lifts. Since then, however, particularly as a close observer…

How the Black Bay lives on through its most popular diver’s watch If he were alive today, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf would be tremendously proud to see the legacy of his life’s work in the 21st century. Temporarily removing Rolex from the picture, he would have been equally proud to discover how its sister brand,…

On this afternoon, Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith, is treating himself to a glass of rosé. Not because it is part of his daily routine, but because he wants to propose a toast with his guests in the small digital session taking place. But what, in these current times, are we celebrating? First and foremost,…

Exactly 80 years ago, Willy Breitling received a patent for a chronograph with a circular slide rule. It was the birth of the now age-old Chronomat that two years later, in 1942, was first presented to the public with Reference 769. The name Chronomat is derived from the words chronograph and mathematics. This is because,…