Watches NEWS
Beautiful Breitling, the Transocean Chronograph - Monochrome Watches
I know, i hardly write about Breitling. After seeing a few posts on Hodinkee and The Prodigal Guide I realized this new Breitling looks absolutely stunning. Breitling is on a roll with limited editions using their in-house calibre 01. My friend Kyle Stults of Perpetuelle.com wrote about all the limited editions using Calibre 01, starting with the Breitling Navitimer Calibre 01. After seeing the Talking Hands video on The Prodigal Guide and seeing some live photos at Hodinkee I just need to say I really like this Breitling. Ad - Scroll to continue with article The black dial and white registers on the Transocean Chronograph look absolutely stunning and has this all over vintage charm. With a diameter of 43mm is has a more contemporary size. This steel version (photo above) of the Transocean is limited to 2000 pieces and there is also a rose gold version, limited
Chris Grainger-Herr on the New 2020 IWC Portugieser Collection, the Big Pilot Safari and COVID-19 (warning: long read) - Monochrome Watches
I guess I need to start this interview with an apology. Sorry, this interview is long, very long, comprising close to 3,000 words. However, the conversation with Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, was great and there was just so much to say about the new Portugiesers. We had the conversation two weeks ago, in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. Chris was in his office, in Schaffhausen, and we had a zoom meeting. It’s weird, not sitting together for a talk, but it is what it is and I guess for the foreseeable future this is going to be the new normal.?Personally I am quite pleased with the new Portugieser line-up; there’s a lot to like! Of course, I’d love to put the new Portugieser Perpetual Calendar on the wrist and see/feel how the 42mm diameter works with such a classic beauty. And the Portugieser Automatic 40 with its small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock looks fabulous and I’m curious how the old Portugieser and the new one with in-house move
Industry News: Swatch Group 2023 Results Show Growth, Positive Outlook for 2024
Following the announcement in July 2023 of its half-year results showing an impressive growth of 18% in sales, Swatch Group has just issued its key figures for the entire year 2023. The Biel-based conglomerate, owner of brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot or Breguet, reports sales up by 12.6% at constant exchange rates, or 5.2% at current rates to CHF 7,888 million. Despite a slightly slower pace during the fourth quarter of the year, which might indicate a switch in the overall state of the business and industry, the Group remains positive in its 2024 outlook and expects “excellent growth prospects” for the year to come.?While not reaching the pre-pandemic sales levels – the Group reported sales of CHF 8,475 million in 2018 – Swatch Group can report strong sales in 2023 with close to CHF 8 billion turnover. That being said, the group also indicated a huge exchange rate impact and a challenging currency environment, with a hugely negative currency impact that
Hands-On - The Raketa Baikonur Watch For Cosmonauts (Specs & Price)
When having in mind the association between space exploration and watchmaking, many will think about the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, the Bulova Moon Chronograph the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph. And rightfully so, as these watches are probably the most popular space watches. Yet, there were many more timepieces to make it into space, or specifically designed for astronauts/cosmonauts. One of them comes from a country that has been a pioneer in everything related to space, Russia. Developed in 2016 with cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, one of the men who contributed the most to the space conquest, this piece is the Raketa Baikonur Watch and today we go hands-on with it.60 years of space conquestA couple of weeks ago, mankind celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first-ever manned spaceflight. Indeed, on 12 April 1961, right in the middle of what will be known as the space race, Russia, through the Vostok program, will be the first nation worldwide to send a man into outer s
Introducing: The Favre Leuba Chief Tourbillon Limited Edition
Favre Leuba is among the oldest of watchmakers, founded in 1737 and ultimately sold by the family in the mid-1980s following the quartz crisis. Although ownership changed multiple times, it's latest and perhaps most compelling relaunch happened last year when Patrik Hoffmann, former CEO of Ulysse Nardin took the helm and the new Chief Tourbillon is the brand's most ambitious piece to date. Made in partnership with movement maker Jean-Fran?ois Mojon of Chronode, the limited edition is the first tourbillon for the brand and relatively well priced for such a development.The stainless steel cushion case is brushed and polished, coming in at 41mm in diameter and 11.45mm in height. Cutouts on both sides add an interesting detail, while the signed and slightly oversized crown is easy to manipulate. A slightly curved AR sapphire crystal protects the dial, while a sapphire exhibition case back displays the new tourbillon movement from Chronode, Mojon's atelier. Water resistance is rated at 100
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