A Collected Man to Sell Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie
Monsieur Dufour, as I like to call him, is one of the most revered watchmakers of Switzerland. Sort of a legend of the independent watchmaking scene, a person who’s capable of manufacturing some of the most refined movements you’ll ever come to see… And a man with very limited production. Of course, this combination of desirability and rarity already had its effect on the prices of Philippe Dufour’s watches, since a Simplicity can reach over USD 1 Million, and even more for a Duality. But what has just surfaced today is even more exclusive, being one of the rarest and most complex modern watches; one of the 8 Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie wristwatches ever made. And A Collected Man, the London-based online platform specialized in high-end watches, has listed this example for public sale at… USD?7.63 million. And that could become a new world record.If the Simplicity can be seen as the purest expression of Dufour’s talent, and the Duality

The IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN, Now In Mojave Desert Style
Under the moniker of the ‘Colours of TOP GUN‘, IWC is producing boldly coloured editions of its famous (Big) Pilot’s Watch collection, all inspired by nature. For the past couple of years, we’ve seen some fascinating styles emerge. Whether it’s the formidable Big Pilot or lesser gargantuan editions, all share a common theme; ceramics! So far, there’s Lake Tahoe White, Woodland Green, Jet Black, and Oceana Blue, but perhaps the boldest choice is sand beige, which received the name Mojave Desert for quite obvious reasons. Following its 46mm and 44mm siblings, it’s now the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 to embrace the Mojave Desert style.The TOP GUN collection has been around for well over a decade now, as it was presented as a stand-alone collection in 2012 following multiple special series of watches designed for elite fighter pilots. The TOP GUN series has become well-known for its use of high-tech ceramic and ceratanium materials, as well

Hands-On - The Blue IWC Pilots Watch Automatic Laureus IWC328101
Last year IWC Schaffhausen unveiled its 15th special edition for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation with a watch taken from its popular Pilot's watch collection. The straightforward time-and-date pilot's model marked the occasion by flying the colours of the charitable organisation, which advocates sport as a means of transforming children and young people's lives. Following in the footsteps of watches like the Portugieser Monopusher Chronograph and the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase, the Pilot's Watch of 2021 is decked out in the trademark dark blue colour of the foundation. However, instead of just producing a blue dial, the brand went one step further and produced the first blue ceramic case for its Laureus special editions. With its relatively compact dimensions, resilient ceramic shell, instrumental and legible pilot’s dial coupled with a five-day power reserve, the IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic Laureus Sport for Good IW328101?is a perfect daily beater with IWC's bona fide

Kering Sells Girard-Perregaux & Ulysse Nardin to Management
As we’ve just entered the LVMH Watch Week, the other French luxury powerhouse, Kering (ex-PPR) has just announced the finalisation of the management buy-out of Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin, thus selling its watch activities to the current management of the brands. Following some talks that started a few months ago, it is now confirmed that Sowind Group SA, the umbrella above GP and UN, is out of the portfolio of Kering. The transaction, which has been conducted by the current CEO of both brands, Patrick Pruniaux, should be finalised this summer.As a reminder, Kering Group is a French conglomerate specialized in luxury goods, majorly owned by Fran?ois-Henri Pinault. Under this umbrella are brands such as Balenciaga,?Bottega Veneta,?Boucheron, Gucci or Yves Saint Laurent. Up until now, the group was also involved in watchmaking. In 2011, Kering took a majority stake in Girard-Perregaux (as well as the now-defunct brand JeanRichard, owned by the same company Sowind Group SA).

Tudor Goes Against the Trend with the Black Bay 68 in 43mm - Monochrome Watches
Expanding once more its emblematic live of dive watches, the Black Bay, Tudor makes a surprising move by releasing the new Black Bay 68. Indeed, while the watch started its life in 2012 in 41mm, the brand continuously reduced its size by launching the 39mm Black Bay 58 and then the 37mm Black Bay 54. And in 2025, against all odds but “meeting the demand for various case sizes to fit all types of wrists,” the brand releases a larger, 43mm edition named the Black Bay 68.No surprises regarding the design of this Black Bay 68. We’re in very, very well known territories. Basically, the same recipe as what the brand did when releasing the Black Bay 58, but now only in the opposite direction, becoming bigger. The case, with the familiar BB diver look, with its brushed surfaces and polished bevels on the side, now measures 43mm in diameter and 13.6mm in thickness – we’re awaiting for confirmation of the lug-to-lug. It relies on the same design elements as the Blac