Independent watchmakers and the ‘BIG name’ brands are very different. Yet they all aim for the same goal, which is making (and selling) beautiful watches. In a series of articles i will share some?observations and thoughts.In my first chronicle about Independent Watchmakers & the ‘BIG name’ brands I wrote about the diffe.................. 2009-11-28 More

Calibre 11 is the first automatic chronograph and the name of a new weblog dedicated to Vintage Heuer watches. If you’re into vintage Heuer watches, you might want to check it out. Since my first ‘expensive’ watch, a vintage Heuer Autavia, i’m a huge fan of vintage Heuer watches. Especially their chronographs. The fact they .................. 2009-10-28 More

Once a year Lange und Sohne and a LOG member host a dinner for a number of watch collectors and aficionados. A few weeks ago i was invited for this dinner and had the chance to see the Zeitwerk, Pour Le Merite Tourbillon and Double Split in the metal. LOG stands for Lange Owners Group. The name doesn’t leave much to explain. Once a year A.Lan.................. 2009-10-11 More

The pocket watch movement Unitas 6497 is a reliable workhorse. It’s being used in numerous watches… not only pocket watches! It actually got the most fame because it was used by Panerai. Since Panerai gained name and fame among watch collectors, so did the movement Panerai used in most of their watches of that time, Unitas caliber 6497................... 2009-10-07 More

Sometimes you see a watch that immediately grabs your attention. For me the Audemars Piguet Millenary Piano Forte is such a watch. Is this the perfect dress watch? I can still remember the first time i saw an advertisement for the Millenary Piano Forte. Deeply impressed…?A few days ago i was looking through the catalog of the upcoming Antiquo.................. 2009-09-06 More

When astronauts are orbiting the world things that break down have to be repaired, even a watch. Here’s a great video showing repair of an Omega SpeedmasterX-33. The Omega Speedmaster X-33 collection is completely unique from all of the other Speedmasters, starting with the movement. The Speedmaster X-33 features an analog and digital display.................. 2009-08-16 More

On September 24th the charity auction Only Watch will be held in Monaco. Many of the most prestigious Swiss watch brands created a unique watch for this charity event that is held during the Monaco Yacht Show.?All the proceeds of the Only Watch charity auction will be donated to the research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The next Only Watch aucti.................. 2009-08-10 More

Portero Private is a luxury sales website, offering special sales for members only. Right now they have an amazing Panerai sale! Portero Private - special Panerai sale for membersPortero Private is a members-only private sale site for luxury goods like watches, pens & jewelery. The special sales are only for a limited time, which could be from .................. 2009-08-03 More

Raymond Weil releases a new model in the Don Giovanni Cosi Grande collection, the Jumping Hour. Watches with jumping hours exist since 1830 but it took until 1921 before the first wrist watches with this complication was available.Raymond Weil is one of those watch brands that somehow does not get that much attention on the internet. While their av.................. 2009-07-11 More

Omega released a new model in the Seamaster Aqua Terra collection, the Seamaster Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra GMT Chronograph. Of course another Omega with their famous co-axial escapement, but did you know how the co-axial escapement ended up in Omega’s watches?Since the introduction of the new Seamaster Aqua Terra collection, these watches ha.................. 2009-06-29 More

Vacheron Constantin released a re-issue of a 1920’s watch at SIHH 2009. The Historique American 1921 is probably one of the most beautiful watches Vacheron Constantin ever made, but it also has something weird…In 1919 Vacheron Constantin made a watch in a cushion shape case with a crown placed at the upper left corner, at the 11 ‘.................. 2009-06-28 More

Today my new chronicle was published at World Tempus. Well in time for the holiday season you can find out about the combination of watches and attachable instruments Linde Werdelin offers. Last week i already blogged about my search for a perfect vacation watch and in my recent chronicle you can read about my ongoing search for the perfect vacatio.................. 2009-06-12 More

June 11th Antiquorum will auction watches of famous people from the 20th century. Among them two watches worn by Steven McQueen and even his motorbike will be on auction. The upcoming Anitquorum auction will include timepieces from twentieth century icons President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Steve McQueen. Of course t.................. 2009-06-07 More

Finding a watch that meets your requirements is hard enough, but finding an ultimate vacation watch seems even more difficult. Yummie....I’m looking for the ultimate vacation watch and for the first time i find it hard, nearly impossible, to find what i’m looking for.Of course i’m not looking for a watch with a battery! My search .................. 2009-06-06 More

Independent watchmakers are in many ways different from other watch companies. But in the end they all make wristwatches we enjoy wearing and collecting. Watch lovers who frequent watchforums like Horomundi, The PuristS Pro, Timezone and Watchuseek may have seen or read something about independent watchmaking. But?for most of them (you?) the indepe.................. 2009-06-03 More

Re-issues seem to be popular the last few years. Especially the revival of the super compressor dive watches is quite remarkable. In my ‘chronicle‘ on Worldtempus.com i write about the popularity of the re-issues the last few years. Although TAG Heuer already started with re-issues in the late nineties, most other brands are catching up.................. 2009-05-29 More

The newest TAG Heuer Monaco Classic Chronograph is the first Monaco, since March of 1969 when the first Monaco was released, to have a sapphire crystal. Why… have they forgotten that PLEXI IS SEXY….?Since the first Heuer Monaco was released in March of 1969, all of them had a plexi crystal. The Heuer Monaco reference 1133 was the first .................. 2009-05-24 More

Here’s a report about a personal journey, picking up my new watch at the watchmaker’s atelier. Since there have been some big changes in my personal life, I decided to buy a ‘special watch’. Not just the next cool watch, but a watch that is at the top of my budgetary means, and that will become an important watch for me. Aft.................. 2009-05-21 More

Sometimes a watch really grasps your attention and doesn’t let go. What is it that sets this watch apart from the rest? Is it the looks or maybe the brand’s name and fame appeals to you? Or did your father or favourite movie star had a watch that made a deep impression? Or maybe it is mainly about the technical aspects?Since the reason .................. 2009-05-20 More

This weekend i’m going to pick up my dream watch in Finland. After selling quite a few of my watches to get enough funds it’s finally time. Airplane tickets and a hotel room are booked, so next week i’ll show you my new watch.Daniel Craig coming from the Omega dealerYou can buy a used watch online or even a new one. Most of my fri.................. 2009-05-15 More

A Lange & Sohne just released a new watch, the Lange Zeitwerk. Time is displayed not with hands, but with digits. Although this is not something completely new, A Lange & Sohne made a pretty new watch with impressive complications. A Lange & Sohne’s new Zeitwerk, or translated Timework, features jumping hours and minutes, a small .................. 2009-05-12 More

Since my passion for watches began, the Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso has always been one of my favorites. Even during times when I was wearing watches with the average size of 44mm (like the Panerai PAM00001 ?I owned), I still considered it as very desirable. And I still do…To explain the title of this story I have to go back to a week in septemb.................. 2009-05-06 More

Last year Robert-Jan from Fratellowatches and Gerard from Horlogeplatform Nederland initiated an informal meeting of local watch enthousiasts. The idea was to make the Watches and Espresso meeting into a returning event in different locations in the neighborhood. Recently we met at a place near the sea, where it was very quiet due to the lousy weat.................. 2009-05-03 More

The MIH Watch was released in september 2005 and has become a famous watch among watch enthusiasts in those past 3.5 years. With clean looks that do not immediately give away the complexity of the watch, it flies nicely under the radar.?The concept was developed by Ludwig Oechslin who is well known for creating remarkable watches like the Freak?for.................. 2009-04-26 More

More about my quest for a watch from my year of birth. A few days ago i already blogged about this quest, now the story continues. I’m considering (a reasonably priced) GMT Master 1675 or Submariner no-date ref. 5512 or 5513. But there are of course other options. Heuer and Omega also had some incredibly nice watches in that time. And altho.................. 2009-04-21 More

After the loads of information from the SIHH and Baselworld i am taking a break from blogging about news, more news and even more news. I still have lots of photos and a lot of information about the novelties released at Baselworld. No worries, i will blog about it later.One things that’s been keeping me busy for a long time already, is findi.................. 2009-04-18 More

During Baselworld i had a meeting with Ma?tres du Temps. After a warm welcome, Margaret Pane (vice president of Ma?tres du Temps) showed us the movie that was made for Chapter Two. I can really recommend watching this movie (around 10 minutes) as it really captures the essence of this collaboration of the greatest minds of modern watchmaking. The m.................. 2009-04-09 More

Robert-Jan and i are making a report of our trip to Baselworld. The report will be posted at Perpetuelle.com. Take a look at Perpetuelle’s Baselworld 2009 forum.Baselworld 2009 entranceThanx to Kyle @ Perpetuelle.com for the press cards, Robert-Jan for the excellent company. On his website Fratellowatches he just wrote a post of our experienc.................. 2009-04-03 More

I just got back from Basel where Robert-Jan (Fratellowatches) and i visited Baselworld. The watches and juwelry show was totally overwhelming! Last friday, saturday and today (sunday) i’ve seen a LOT of watches, met a lot of nice and interesting people and talked to some of the most famous watchmakers alive. Mindblowing…During the comin.................. 2009-03-29 More

Baselworld 2009Together with my friend and watchbuddy Robert-Jan, who also runs a watch weblog named Fratellowatches, i’m going to visit Baselworld. Coming friday, saturday and sunday we will have meetings with a lot of watch brands. From Basel we will report about our meetings, the watch and jewelry show in general and lots of other new watc.................. 2009-03-25 More

Not a watch brand i would immediately think of, but Hermes surprises me this year with 2 interesting pre releases. Like Richard Mille last year, Hermes comes with a pocket watch. Is this a start of a new pocket watches hype? I don’t know… I know i can’t afford the Richard Mille pocket watch and since the pocket watch from Hermes i.................. 2009-03-21 More

Chopard Elton John CollectionChopard released no less than 6 new watches in the weeks before Baselworld. For me only 2 of the 6 are interesting, as the other 4 are ladies models. Although… one of the ladies models really jumps out, because it’s made for a man. the Chopard Elton John Collection. ICE, ICE, BABY… that’s some se.................. 2009-03-19 More

I recently blogged about the world’s first automatic chronograph, Calibre 11, developped by Heuer, Breitling, Buren en Dubois-Depraz. Not much later Zenith launched their first automatic chronograph, the famous El Primero. This means that the Zenith also celebrates the 40th of the El Primero. To celebrate this Zenith comes with 5 Anniversary .................. 2009-03-11 More

Ulysse Nardin - The ChairmanYes, this is really what it looks like! Ulysse Nardin will lauch a very luxurious smart phone with an unusual power supply… an automatic movement.To make this possible they teamed up with SCI Innovations.? This hybrid smart phone is actually the world’s most ‘green’ smartphone, no recharging is re.................. 2009-03-08 More

Like every year, Timezone held an election for the watch of the year. The forums moderators made a selection of 6 ultimate watches, released in 2008, and the ultimate choice is made by the forum member’s votes. The six selected watches where the Blancpain Carrousel Volant Une Minute, F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain, Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso.................. 2009-03-05 More

40 Years ago, on 3 March 1969, the first automatic chronograph movement was introduced. This movement,?nick-named Chronomatic, was developed by a joint venture of Heuer, Breitling, Buren and Dubois-Depraz. The Chronomatic was used by Heuer, Breitling and Buren under the name of caliber 11.Cover of Swiss Watch and Jewelry Journal – nr.2 1969It.................. 2009-03-04 More

Dear readers,The past week i’ve been busy upgrading the software and design?of Monochrome.nl . Although the design changes are not complete yet, I hope you like the new looks of monochrome. Within a few days i’ll start posting about watches again. It’s an exiting time in this month before the start of Baselworld. Brands like Glash.................. 2009-02-24 More

Well the title says it all….The Salon International Haute Horlogery has hardly ended and the first Baselworld pre releases are already out. The Salon International Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is over and it seems there is almost no time to talk and discuss all new releases from the Richemont brands. Press releases of new creations that will be sh.................. 2009-02-10 More

Some of you guys might already know Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam. It’s an Authorised Dealer of brands like IWC, Longines, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Omega, Oris and many more. Ace Jewelers has three shops in the centre of Amsterdam and always offers a warm welcome and time to share the passion for fine watches. Today Ace Juwelers opened a new shop.................. 2009-02-02 More

One of the most remarkable news this year is the end of Collection Privee?Cartier Paris. This remarkable collection of timelessly designed wristwatches will be replaced by the bigger and bolder Fine Watchmaking Collection.?This year the special editions known as ‘Collection Privee Cartier Paris’ or CPCP, and known for the word ‘Pa.................. 2009-01-25 More