Portrait: Audemars Piguets New CEO Ilaria Resta Speaks About Her Arrival and the Future of AP
Five months in as CEO of one of the most luxurious watch brands, Audemars Piguet, Mrs Ilaria Resta offers her view on the current market and how she sees the future of the esteemed Le Brassus-based Maison.Dressed in a green suit with a 38mm purple dial Code 11:59 on the wrist, Italian-Swiss Ilaria Resta looks relaxed and concentrated when I meet her in the Armani Hotel in Milan. We are here for the opening of one of the most important AP houses, a novel retail concept by Audemars Piguet that already has 19 of its kind around the world.? Ad - Scroll to continue with article However, the Milan AP house, which is situated in the iconic parking house, Garage Traversi, on Via Bagutta that was in service from 1939-2003, is important as the first ideas of this new retailing concept were born in Milan in 2017 and have been replicated to all the AP houses. A concept that

Hands-On: The Ice-Blue Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph
When it comes to 1970s-inspired elegant sports watches, those equipped with a shaped case and an integrated bracelet, most people tend to look back at 1972 and the Royal Oak, before quickly jumping to 1976 with the Nautilus and the Ingenieur, and then 1977 with the 222. Yet, we have to keep in mind that one of the earliest representatives of the genre was Girard-Perregaux, which released its take on the luxury sports watch in 1975 with the Laureato. The watch has not been as consistent during its lifespan as some of the big names, though, but it came back strong in 2017 in a historically relevant shape. We’ve seen many attractive editions since then, but the latest one, an ice-blue Laureato Chronograph, strikes hard.Looking at our past articles covering the Laureato collection of Girard-Perregaux, you’ll find dozens of variants, ranging from classic time-and-date in a masculine size to more compact editions, all the way up to high-end models and, regarding today’s mat

The Petrolhead Corner: Auto Union Type 52 Schnellsportwagen
Ninety years in the making, Audi has done something extremely cool! They’ve taken a concept that was never brought to life and finally built it. It’s called the Auto Union Type 52 Schnellsportwagen, and it’s basically the wildest Autobahn cruiser you can ever imagine! It’s a bit of an exaggeration saying it was ’90 years in the making’ as they haven’t actually spent that long building the actual car. But, in reality, it has taken almost a century for the Type 52 to make it from an abandoned concept to an actual working and driving road car. The original idea for this, you ask? To create the most powerful, fastest and wildest sports car! And now, after all that time, they’ve just gone and built it!If you’re not familiar with Auto Union’s rather complex origin story, here’s a quick history lesson before we dive into this fabulous machine. Auto Union is pretty much the coming together of several other German car manufacture

Industry News: Chanel Takes a 25% Stake in Independent Watchmaker MB&F
Independent and creative high-end watchmaking is more than ever at the centre stage of the watch industry. The interest of collectors in such rare and exclusive watches, produced by small-scale companies and infused with the soul of their creators, has been on the rise for several years now. And as a consequence, large luxury groups have also started to show increasing interest in these companies, potentially highly profitable investments. Chanel, the French fashion powerhouse, has long been involved in indie watchmaking with minority stakes in Romain Gauthier (2011) and F.P. Journe (2018). It’s now time for MB&F to join its portfolio, and in return, for Max Busser and his friends to secure the future of the company.?In recent news, we have seen LVMH acquiring L’Epee 1839 (the clockmaker, close collaborator to MB&F, and responsible for most of the co-created clocks by the brand) but also reviving Daniel Roth, one of the most important names in independent watchmakin

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
Last week, when we reviewed the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar with its sexy, sleek grey dial, we asked whether Vacheron Constantin was getting hipper in its old age? Looking at what the world's oldest manufacture has pulled off today, a Complete Calendar with an openworked dial, it seems like some of the more complicated models in the traditional Traditionnelle family are getting a 21st-century makeover. However, it's not the first Traditionnelle model with an openworked dial and sapphire crystal peepholes. In 2019, Vacheron flexed its horological muscles with its impressive Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar with a 65-day power reserve, an openworked section of the dial and radically contemporary looks. Taking the edgy avant-garde aesthetics of the Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar one step further, the brand unveils its latest openworked sapphire dial version of its classic calendar watch, the new Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface available in 18k p