Introducing The New Gerald Charles Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon
Creating a brand that revolves around a single watch design takes a lot of bravado. However, if the design is by the late Gerald Genta, one of the most successful watch designers of the 20th century, it is feasible. The brand Gerald Charles was founded by Gerald Charles Genta in 2000. Following his death in 2011, Genta’s asymmetrical Maestro watch was selected as the face of the brand and returns this year with a flying tourbillon equipped with a bespoke manufacture movement made by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, with the new Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon.As the brainchild of the luxury sports watch, Gerald Genta’s career is intimately linked to his iconic Royal Oak design for Audemars Piguet in 1972. The AP connection continues today with the appointment of Octavio Garcia, ex-artistic director of AP, as Gerald Charles’ artistic director and the designer behind the impressive skeletonised Maestro. The new Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon is inspired by an original Maestro skeletonised

Collector's Corner - Chopard L.U.C 16/1860 and The Calibre 96
After a brief hiatus, we return to The Collector's Corner, with an entry that is as far removed from the Omega Seamaster Professional 300M?and the Explorer II Polar 16570?we last looked at, in both form and function. At Watches & Wonders 2022 (check out our full coverage here), Chopard presented not one, but three chiming watches to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the jeweller's haute horlogerie ambitions under the L.U.C line. We thought it would thus be relevant to take a closer look at the beginnings of L.U.C and, more importantly, the groundbreaking movement powering it, the superb calibre 96.01… and of course, the ultra-desirable and elegant watches that came equipped with it.The Calibre 96.01 was launched in 1996 as Chopard's first in-house, automatic movement, and was developed over three years with a clear goal: establish Chopard as a serious contender was so forward-looking that its derivative movements still continue to power Chopard's latest cr

Hands-On Grand Seiko Heritage Shunbun Spring Drive Pink Dial SBGA413
The highlight of 2021 for Grand Seiko has been, without a doubt, the White Birch Hi-Beat SLGH005, a watch that came on the market with a stunning silvery-white textured dial, a relatively new case design (sharper and slimmer) and an impressive movement with multiple mechanical innovations, including the Dual Impulse escapement. For a couple of years now, Grand Seiko is definitely hot and its watches are becoming highly sought-after. Now that the year 2021 has ended, it seems that another watch is slowly taking the White Birch’s place on the throne, a watch that isn’t new as it came on the market in June 2019… But for the US only. We’re talking about the Grand Seiko “Shunbun” SBGA413 and its surprising pink dial. And since it will soon be available worldwide, alongside 3 other Season editions, it might well be on its way to becoming the new hottest GS on the market.?The trend for coloured dials…For long, luxury watches have mostly been available

Introducing Jaeger-LeCoultre's The Collectibles Collection of Vintage Watches
Old is gold. Rounding out a collection with some pre-owned timepieces is a very special feeling, especially if we are talking about emblematic or rare models As the trend for vintage watches consolidates, the market for second-hand luxury watches is growing fast. In its 2022 Swiss Industry Report, Deloitte estimates that the pre-owned market accounts for CHF 20 billion and is likely to reach CHF 35 billion, making up for more than half of the primary market. The second-hand business has transformed dramatically and professionalised over the past few years, with a proliferation of players, including brands that are launching their own CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) programmes to capture part of this market and positively influence the perception and value of their watches. Among these is the recent initiative of allowing its retailers to certify and sell models with a two-year international warranty. Now, Jaeger-LeCoultre announces The Collectibles, a programme covering watches from a ca

Hands-On TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary Panda
In sports timing, few chronographs have compelling stories like the Heuer Carrera Chronograph. It was created sixty years ago and responded to changing tastes over time with numerous variations. The original Heuer Carrera Reference 2447 from 1963 looks as young as if it was born yesterday. Conceived by Jack Heuer and “designed for legible, accurate reading under any conditions,” produced by the company that made “nothing but stopwatches,” Carrera chronographs have since become iconic and responsible for how we look at and judge chronographs now. And Carrera is a great name, no matter what language you speak, so let us remember how Reference 2447, which was in the Heuer and TAG Heuer catalogues since the 1960s, got its historical identity – and status. It all started with the race Carrera Panamericana.Background – The 60th anniversary of the legendJack Heuer, in 1963 (on the right)The Carrera Panamericana in the 1950s was an open road, 3507 km car rac