Thomas Wojtowicz

Rolex may produce over a million watches a year, but this doesn’t stop mystery from shrouding it in many aspects. One such aspect is the off-catalogue Rolex models, reserved for VIP clients and usually covered in a variety of different coloured gemstones. Gem-set pieces would have once been one off commissions for extremely important clients…

You may have read our previous article on what a chronometer is. If so then you’ll know there are many different laboratories that test and certify chronometers. In the meantime, however, other brands have also established their own test criteria and quality seals. In this article, we will break down the main ones and what…

If you happen to have spent even the smallest amount of time interested in watches, you have probably already come across the term ‘chronometer’, and perhaps even confused it with chronograph. If like me however, you spend far too long researching watches, then you no doubt have glazed over it more times than you could…

Jean-Claude Biver is a figurehead which many know and associate with watchmaking in this day and age. A huge collector in his own right, he was integral in the turnaround of the Blancpain brand, as well has having held positions of power at the likes of Omega and Hublot. Eventually he went on to create…

Most of the thinnest watches out there are time and date only right? I mean if you’re trying to prove how thin your brand can make watches, why would you go and add a complication which makes it more difficult to reach that achievement? Well, whilst that mindset makes sense, these are the greatest and…

Building the thinnest watch in the world is undeniably one of the most competitive and impressive record chases in modern day horological engineering. Whilst many brands have produced thin watches, only a few brands have ever been truly in competition for the trophy – predominantly Bulgari, Richard Mille and Piaget. In this article, I will…

Building the thinnest watch in the world is undeniably one of the most competitive and impressive record chases in modern day horological engineering. Whilst many brands have produced thin watches, only a few brands have ever been truly in competition for the trophy – predominantly Bulgari, Richard Mille and Piaget. In this article, we will…

The IWC Portugieser's origins go back a long way to the 1930s – longer than you would perhaps expect. Over the course of the Portugieser’s existence, IWC Schaffhausen has brought many small incremental upgrades, with today being no different during the novelties presentation at Watches & Wonders 2024. These new releases from IWC continue the…

Audemars Piguet dropped some crazy new Royal Oaks this month, and whilst they did take the spotlight, there were other releases too. Seven new watches were added to the Code 11.59 collection, which this year celebrates its fifth anniversary.  Over the last five years, AP has been slowly refining the Code 11.59 collection by playing with a number of different variables,…

The time we spend the rest of the year waiting for is nearly here – Watches and Wonders. Audemars Piguet, however, does things according to its own set of rules. On Thursday at the new AP House in Milan, CEO Ilaria Resta hosted the unveiling of over ten new models to the catalogue. The highlights…

For quite some time, Dior watches have predominantly been considered ‘fashion watches’ by the majority of the watch community. Recently however, the brand launched five new watches to add to its Chiffre Rouge range, a line-up which was first unveiled back in 2004 under heavy influence from Hedi Slimane, the then designer for Dior Homme. Introduced in…

Collecting is certainly more of a journey than a destination as tastes, among other things, change over time. One thing which changes significantly, yet is scarcely talked about, is the underlying motive for making a purchase. At the beginning, starting out with little knowledge, you tend to make a purchase based on one sole factor:…