Introducing The Audemars Piguet x 1017 ALYX 9SM Collection Of RO and ROO Models
It is not a secret anymore… More and more watchmaking brands are collaborating with external designers. The mission is to reach out to new customers and to cater to a clientele more and more influenced by streetwear and high-end urban fashion. Modern, influenced by street art or urban fashion, we’re talking about merging luxury watchmaking with a contemporary approach to design. Today, Audemars Piguet announces a new collection of four Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore watches designed in collaboration with Matthew Williams’ fashion brand 1017 ALYX 9SM. It’s polarising all right, but there’s something oddly appealing in this sleek, minimalist and almost rough take on the emblematic luxury sports watch.?1017 ALYX 9SM (what a name…) is a fashion brand founded in 2015 by Matthew Williams, a Chicago-born creative director active in the world of art, music, photography and fashion throughout his decade-long career. On the other side is Audemars Piguet, whi

Hands-On Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm Black Ceramic
In addition to the 41mm chronograph white frosted gold Royal Oak we’ve just shown to you, Audemars Piguet is releasing today another model, which could be a bit more important than you might imagine. Indeed, AP has just launched a new black ceramic Royal Oak in its collection… You could argue that it isn’t a first for the brand, but actually, this watch is the first time black ceramic comes without high-end complications, and in a feminine size. And this new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm Black Ceramic could actually open the door to more of these time-and-date full ceramic models in the future (or at least, that’s what we wish).?The full black ceramic Royal Oak has first been introduced in early 2017, with the reference 26579CE, a highly desirable watch mixing the ultra-thin perpetual calendar movement with a RO case and bracelet entirely executed in black ceramic. Despite using this technical material, the watch retained everything it was famous fo

IN DEPTH: The Omega Seamaster Yachting - A Luxurious & Rare Regatta Chronograph from the 1970s - Monochrome Watches
Behind its visual appeal, its design and all those little things that jump out from its specifications sheet perhaps a wristwatch's essence is that it is a highly personal item which also can be used to measure time. Timing events can be for something as simple as making al dente pasta, or more complicated like sport events, aerial manoeuvres, diving time, military actions (artillery arm was the first exponent of watches/chronos usage), the start up of jet engines and so forth. So from critical events to simpler tasks, the watch was and still is a fundamental companion. The chronograph we are going to have a look at today belongs to a family of very specific timepieces: watches that are designed specifically for Yachting races. Yacht timers - also referred to as regatta timers, or yachting chronographs, - are watches specially designed and made for the countdown to the start of a sailing race. The Omega Yachting (ref 176.010) was the company's proposal in a market being flooded with de

Industry New: Richemont Reports Sales up by 8% For Third Quarter, Jewellery Taking the Lead over Watches
Switzerland-based luxury conglomerate Richemont Group has just issued its trading update for the nine months ended 31 December 2023. The group, which includes brands such as Cartier, IWC, JLC and Vacheron, reports sales up by 8% at constant exchange rates and by 4% at actual exchange rates to EUR 5.6 billion for the last quarter of 2023. At EUR 15.8 billion, sales over the nine-month period ending December 2023 increased by 11% at constant exchange rates and by 5% at actual exchange rates.In an uncertain macro-economic and geopolitical environment, Richemont reports growth for the last quarter of 2023 in almost all regions, business areas and channels at constant exchange rates. The growth was led by Japan (+18%) and Asia Pacific (+13%), Middle East & Africa (+10%) and the Americas (+8%) but contracted by 3% in Europe. The retail network had sales up +11% versus +4% for the wholesale network while online retail had sales down -5%.By business area, Jewellery Maisons (Bucellati, Cart

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon and Master Eight Days Perpetual 40 - Monochrome Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre has had a very busy year with many new releases. Earlier they released three new models in the Master Control collection and I didn’t have time to share these with you: the Master Ultra Thin Moon and the Master Eight Days Perpetual 40.?At the time Jaeger-LeCoultre officially launched three new models of the Master Control collection, we shared an extensive review of the new Master Geographic with you. We’re still very exited about the new, slightly smaller, dimensions and superb attention for detail. Now it’s time to take a look at the?Master Ultra Thin Moon and the Master Eight Days Perpetual 40.The new?Master Ultra Thin Moon is a sophisticated and classy dress watch, featuring a moon phase and an ultra-thin movement with automatic winding. The movement, caliber 925, is only 4.9 mm thick and indicates hours, minutes, seconds, moon phase and the date. This in-house developed and manufactured movement comprises of 246 parts, of which 30 jewels, and del