Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie
With an ultra-thin perpetual calendar, an openworked tourbillon, a minute repeater Supersonnerie and more recently, a flying tourbillon chronograph, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet wasn’t short of complications… But the latest addition in the range goes a step further with a movement that features what’s probably the highest complication of them all, a grande sonnerie – something only a handful of watchmakers are capable of. So here’s the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie, which also pays tribute to the makers, featuring handcrafted enamel dials by master enameller Anita Porchet.The grande sonnerie at Audemars PiguetChiming watches, or watches that strike the time, take us back to the origins of watchmaking. Invented in the 14th century, striking clocks had no dials and announced the time with chimes. Audemars Piguet has specialised in chiming mechanisms since its establishment in 1875. Records show that more than half

Buying Guide - From Time & Date watches to Secular Calendars
As we’re coming up to the end of February, our nerdy watchmaking minds always tend to stray in the direction of Perpetual Calendar watches. And even though this year is not a leap year, the fact that a watch can switch from the 28th or the 29th of February to the 1st of March without any corrections is absolutely fascinating to us. But calendar watches, in general, not just QP’s, serve a very practical goal: keeping you informed of other calendar indications besides ‘just’ the passing of time. So from a basic time-and-date model as a start and a secular calendar at the end, today’s Buying Guide goes from the simplest calendar watch to the most complex.?Time & Date – Oris Big Crown Calibre 473One of the earliest time-and-date wristwatches, and quite an iconic one for that matter, is the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date. Born in 1938 and in production pretty much ever since, it has a strong following of fans. What started as an early pilot’s watch

2020 IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 IW3583 - Hands-On, Specs & Price
The Portugieser (no longer referred to as Portuguese or Portugaise) is probably IWC’s most emblematic collection. With a history dating back to the late 1930s with the reference 325, this nautical-inspired and elegant watch has been equipped with all possible complications. However, over the last couple of years, there have been no time-only models in the collection – somewhat surprising given that this format was the origin of the model. Well, those days are over as IWC introduces a new, compact, daily-oriented and ultra-clean version of its nautical icon, with a neatly organised dial with small seconds. Let’s have a look at the new IWC Portugieser Automatic 40.?No need to beat around the bush… This new version features all the classic traits of the IWC Portugieser family. Even without the logo on its dial, it would be recognizable as such. A thin bezel, a large dial with a railroad minute track, the signature applied Arabic numerals, the leaf-shaped hands, etc

Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture Review
Earlier this year, Frederique Constant, the brand known for its accessible luxury focus, entered the crowded and hyperactive market of the sports watch with its?Highlife collection. In addition to the classic time-and-date and Heart Beat models, a third and far more complex iteration was launched in the form of a perpetual calendar. In the rarefied world of perpetual calendars, the Frederique Constant Highlife positions itself as an accessible perpetual calendar watch. With a price tag below 10k euros, this is a model you can wear every day, everywhere. An interesting mix of sportiness, elegance, complex horology and fair price, we had to see this in the metal.?The perpetual calendar is often considered one of the most desirable complications one could wish for in a collection. It is regarded as the ultimate type of calendar movement since it automatically takes into account all the oddities of the Gregorian calendar that is used in almost all cultures. This means that no adjustments a

In-Depth: The Entire Tudor Black Bay Lineage, from 2012 to 2024
It is pretty impressive to see how Tudor’s Black Bay models have established themselves as more accessible options to the Submariner in a relatively short period of time without compromising on quality. But more than just being a more accessible Submariner, the Black Bay has gained its own status over the years, becoming an independent collection. The series also drastically helped redefine a brand that was struggling with an identity crisis at the time. Although only launched in 2012, there is now a sizable portfolio of Black Bay models, with the classic diving variants being the 41mm Black Bay, the 39mm Black Bay 58 and the 37mm Black Bay 54.From left to right - Tudor Submariner 7922 (1954) - Tudor Submariner 7923 (1955) - Tudor Submariner 7924 (1958)This group of three references belongs to Tudor's Heritage line, which follows the 1954 Oyster Prince Submariner (ref. 7922) in overall design – you can check this in-depth article to understand the connection between vinta