Chronograph

For some people travelling is the epitome of freedom – for others it is just normal daily business. “Once a year you should visit a place you have never been before” Dalai Lama said and points out a desire that is deeply rooted in many people. In this growing connected world people don’t only travel…

BY FRED S. MANDELBAUM There has been some controversy among collectors if that widely quoted birthyear 1952 was correct - it may be the year the design work on the Navitimer began, but all available evidence points to 1954 as the year mass production started - although its roots lead much deeper into BREITLING's history. The…

Shortly after the watch community started to calm down again, BREITLING CEO Georges Kern comes up with the next surprise. A collection that at first sight doesn’t seem to fit to the usual look of BREITLING watches, as the ‘Premier’ line is simple and elegant. No slide ruler, no oversized bezel as we know them…

Jaeger-LeCoultre is much more then just ‘Reverso’, an icon that most watch enthusiasts might instantly have in mind thinking about the brand. Jaeger-LeCoultre also characterizes a deeply rooted passion for extreme sports watches. After all, the Reverso was originally made for sports too – for Polo players, but it can more likely be regarded as…

There is always some anniversary to be celebrated in the watch industry. And although the history of Montblanc watches is comparatively young, the Hamburg based brand yet already celebrates a very special anniversary – Minerva turns 160 years. The Maison was founded 1858 by Charles-Yvan Robert in Villeret and was acquired by Montblanc in 2007.…

You cannot just write about a Nautilus watch without mentioning its extraordinary story. In the 1970s, Patek Philippe dared something that was risky and somehow unusual for such a traditional brand, which had, until then, exclusively focused on elegant, slim gold watches and complications – the epitome of Haute Horlogerie. Suddenly, a man called Gérald Genta (yes, the…

If there is one certain field that always strives for new material to make their products lighter (and hence more performing) then it is that of racing cars. And if there is a watch brand that strives for these same goals then it must be Richard Mille. So it is quite obvious that both fields…

For almost a year now Georges Kern is CEO of BREITLING and has turned the brand inside out. We met the realist and visionary at the restaurant Napa Grill in Zürich near the new BREITLING offices for an exclusive interview for Swisswatches and found out, why currently all brands return to their roots, why BREITLING despite…

A modern timepiece powered by an original movement from 1913 OMEGA is a company known for its craftsmanship. Now, for its latest creation, the brand has reintroduced a piece of technology from its past. The “First OMEGA Wrist-Chronograph Limited Edition” is a new collection comprising of just 18 watches, which house an original “18’’’ CHRO…

It was in 1972 when Ferdinand Alexander Porsche decided to establish a design company for watches (and other products) after he retired from the operating business at Porsche. Ever since he has been a designer, not only was it him who developed the 911, but he was also in charge of all design aspects of…

The American Florentine Ariosto Jones founded the brand IWC in 1868 and he wanted to pair Swiss craftsmanship in watchmaking with American manufacturing technologies. IWC became a specialist in creating excellent pocket watches. Even though the brand’s initials stand for ‘International’ Watch Company and was founded by an American citizen, it always was – and…

It has recently become quite obvious throughout the watch industry that many brands dig deep in their archives and recall on their heritage. But why does everyone seem to wallow in memory of the old times? It is probably just an instinctively reaction in times of change, and without doubt the watch industry – just…