A Technical Perspective - The Peripheral Rotor, A Smart And Stylish Solution
Since 2009 and the introduction of the Carl F. Bucherer Calibre A1000, peripheral rotors are becoming more and more fashionable. With this smart and stylish solution, the winding mass is an annular segment mounted and swinging around the movement, instead of a centrally mounted oscillating weight rotating over the movement. This offers an unobstructed view of the movement along with providing the convenience of automatic winding. In addition, peripheral rotors allow watchmakers to design thinner self-winding watches, without adding to their thickness with an oscillating weight rotating over the movement.The calibre CFB A1000 series by Carl F. Bucherer. In 2009, it was the first movement with a peripheral rotor to be produced on a large scale.The 1950s - First attemptsThe idea of peripheral winding is not exactly new. We can refer to a patent applied in June 1955 by Paul Gosteli of Geneva, (Swiss patent N¡ã 322325 pictured below, filed on June 6th?1955, published on July 31st?1957) descr

H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Flying Hours (SIHH 2018) - Specs & Price
When we hear the name H. Moser & Cie., we usually have classic and clean design in mind – or sometimes a certain sense of provocation, with the Swiss Mad Watch or the recent?Swiss Icons Watch. Yet, for the first time in its history, the Schaffhausen-based manufacture has revisited its time display methods to create a new, disc-based system. Meet the?Endeavour Flying Hours with planetary display of hours and minutes.With the?Endeavour Flying Hours, Moser introduces a truly original display of the time, which has been conceived in association with sister-company Hautlence (which are known for their unusual displays). At first, we though this new Moser watch was inspired by the well-known Audemars Piguet Star Wheel. However, we were wrong. On the AP and the Golden Wheel by Arnold and Son, the time is indicated by the means of 3 hour discs that rotate first on a central axis and then on their own axis. The hour numeral is used as a pointer for the minutes when running along the f

Longines Avigation BigEye Titanium Blue Dial (Specs & Price)
The?Avigation BigEye is one of those great Heritage Longines watches that pay tribute to the rich aviation past of the brand. Launched in 2017 in steel with a black dial, it was modelled after an elusive 1930s watch with quite a resemblance with some glorious post-WWII pilot’s chronograph too. Also, as indicated by its name, the watch was characterized by its oversized minute counter, a design also known as “Big Eye chronographs.” This year, in addition to the black dial model, Longines adds a new and striking version with a gradient blue dial and even stronger vintage colours. And, most importantly, it now comes in titanium.?BackgroundThe actual vintage Longines BigEye watch from the 1930s that inspired the design of the modern AvigationAs explained in our review of the steel model, the story behind the Avigation BigEye Chronograph is anything but clear. The design is based on a 1930s pilot’s chronograph that a collector presented to the Longines museum, but th

Buying Guide - 5 Of The Most Striking Tourbillon Watches of 2019/2020
The Tourbillon is, without doubt, one of the most spectacular and prestigious complications – a must-have in the collection of a respectable watchmaker. Invented to counteract the effects of gravity on the regulating organ of mechanical watches, this now-ubiquitous mechanism has remained long the preserve of a few watchmakers. The past few months have brought their share of new tourbillon watches and here are five great options.Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5367PT Blue EnamelWhen thinking about tourbillon watches, Breguet, the inventor of this mechanism, immediately comes to mind. Among the latest creations of the brand, the visually striking combination of blue enamel and platinum ultra-thin tourbillon is unapologetically elegant. 41mm in diameter, the lithe case houses the Calibre 581, an ultra-thin, automatic tourbillon with a peripheral rotor. This superbly hand-decorated movement includes modern solutions with a titanium tourbillon carriage. The escapement and the

SIHH 2015 - Vacheron Constantin Metiers dArt Arca collection - Monochrome Watches
Vacheron Constantin is looking back on its remarkable 260 years of history, and offers a series of celebratory collections, such as the all-new Harmony collection and the two Metiers d'Art Mecaniques Gravees timepieces. The third offering cultivates on artisanal crafts gathered since their foundation in 1755. We give you the Vacheron Constatin Metiers d'Art Arca, a series of 12 unique table clocks.This collection, inspired by a 1933 Vacheron Constatin clock, is a culmination of the brand's artisanal crafts. Master watchmakers, crystal glassmakers, stone hunters and -cutters, guillocheurs, engravers and enamellists all put in work to create 12 unique table clocks. The series of clocks is gradually unveiled over the coming year, and an exclusive preview was granted at SIHH 2015. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Vacheron Constantin has spent over a year to unea