Industry News: The Geneva Watch Days Return In 2023 With Nearly 40 Brands
If Watches & Wonders is, by far, the most important event of the year for the watch industry (because of the sheer number of exhibiting brands, participants and new models presented), another smaller yet highly interesting event has been taking place in watch-town since 2020. A different take on the watch salon, more relaxed, staged in lakeshore locations and open to the public, Geneva Watch Days will return again this year (29 August – 2 September) with almost 40 brands showcasing their latest releases at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc pavilion on Lake Geneva, as well as at boutiques and venues throughout the city.?Geneva Watch Days started in 2020 as a modern, less institutional watch salon designed to give companies of all sizes a collaborative platform to showcase their work side by side. Created as an answer to lockdowns and the cancellation of Baselworld and SIHH-W&W, an antidote to (back then) difficult times for the watch industry, it was organised on the initiative of

Hands-On - IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Bronze IW388109
A classic among the collection of Pilot’s Watches, almost as important as the Big Pilot (in fact, it’s a chronograph that relaunched the pilot range at IWC), the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph is the collection’s cornerstone. A staple for the brand, which has produced such a model since the mid-1990s. For long an oversized watch with a 43mm case and Valjoux-based movement, it was revamped in 2021 with the introduction of a smaller case and a manufacture movement. Following the classic steel editions and a Ceratanium model, the brand once again demonstrates its focus on materials with this new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Bronze IW388109, combining warm colours for the case and dial.?The current IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is the direct descendant of two significant watches: the mid-1990s references 3711 Doppelchronograph and the 3705, the classic chronograph housed in a ceramic case (and its steel counterpart, the 3706). These two watches were th

Value Proposition - William L. 1985 with one of The Most Affordable Automatic Chronographs On The Market (Specs & Price)
William L. 1985 was founded in 2015 by Guillaume Laidet (hence the name William L. – Guillaume is the French for William). A French entrepreneur with a passion for watchmaking, Guillaume used to work in Switzerland for high-end brands such as Zenith and Jaeger-LeCoultre. When he founded his own brand, his idea was to offer vintage-inspired timepieces that would be both functional and affordable. After the successful launch, William L. 1985 is now back on Kickstarter to unveil an automatic chronograph presented as the most affordable in the market' and priced just under EUR 500 (Kickstarter price).The William L. 1985 Automatic chronograph is a no-nonsense stopwatch that makes a good first impression?with its elegant,?vintage-inspired spirit. The round case is a well thought-out design with a sloped bezel, tapered lugs, mushroom-type push-pieces and a fluted crown engraved with the brand's logo. At 41 mm, it is (to me at least) perfectly sized and should fit comfortably on most wri

Introducing: The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy, Now In Stainless Steel
When Oris released a Divers Sixty-Five series with surprisingly bright-coloured dials a couple of years ago, it hit the right note, and the pink, light blue and green bronze models became successful and are still very much in trend. A year later, in 2022, the watchmaker from Holstein added equally bright-coloured Perlon straps to the assortment (first Cotton Candy Divers were offered on a multi-piece bronze metal bracelet or a leather strap), and it was only a question of time before we would see a stainless-steel version. Bronze and its patina have a great fan base, sure, but steel still rules, and we welcome the new stainless steel Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy references by Oris, just in time for summer.Inspired by the iconic Oris dive watch of the 1960s, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five collection combines vintage dive watch aesthetics with a modern touch. Until the Cotton Candy series, this collection evoked a sense of nostalgia and adventure. Fun, too, but never so sweet. While the Di

Bonham's and TAG to Offer a Unique Re-Edition of F1 Driver Ronnie Peterson's Gold Heuer Carrera Ref. 1158 CHN - Monochrome Watches
During the 1970s, Heuer was deeply involved in Formula One as the perfect communication tool to promote its racing chronographs. Some Carrera watches – rare ones with gold cases, under the reference 1158 CHN?– were gifted by Jack Heuer to successful drivers. In 1972, Jack gave Swedish F1 Driver Ronnie?Peterson such a watch – a watch that was recently?auctioned. If the original one is now part of the brand’s museum collection, an opportunity to get your hands on a 1:1 replica will be offered by TAG and?Bonham’s during the upcoming Monaco Auction “Les Grandes Marques”, with proceeds?going to the Peterson foundation.Ronnie Peterson and Jack HeuerRonnie Peterson or “SuperSwede” was a Swedish racing driver who?raced in Formula One from 1970 to 1978 for Lotus, Tyrell and March Racing. Over his long career, he won 10 Formula One Grand Prix, reached 26 podiums and?achieved the third place at the 1973 Drivers’ Championship. His career