Business Swatch Group Half-Year Report 2017 Shows Signs of Recovery
After two years of consecutive decline and an overall negative mood over the watchmaking industry, it seems that 2017 could be the pivotal year for the watch segment – at least for Swatch Group, as we have seen that Richemont Group 2016-2017 results were showing again a decline. In its?Half-Year Report 2017, Swatch Group contains a number positive indicators, including slightly increased sales and mainly, a reinforced profitability, with a strong increase in operating margin and net income. Overview.While the 2016 Annual Report of Swatch Group was showing signs of decline, with sales dropping by 10.6% and profitability massively decreasing, with 47% less net income than what the group achieved in 2015, the 2017?Half-Year Report unveiled by Swatch Group today is showing signs of recovery. Overall, the Biel-based powerhouse, which includes brand such as Omega, Breguet, Blancpain, Jaquet Droz, Tissot, Longines and many more, has positive results for the first half-year 2017. All ind

Introducing: The new Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified
While the Speedmaster started its life as a racing chronograph destined to measure average speeds (hence its name), it quickly changed vocation when, during the 1960s, it became the watch of choice for US Air Force pilots and, of course, NASA astronauts. From there, the Speedmaster became one of the most famous pilot’s chronographs and this Omega watch enjoyed a long history in the skies. Now, there is a new model in the collection that will somehow look familiar, not only due to its resemblance with the vintage Flightmaster?but also because some might have seen a US military-issued model on Instagram and forums. It’s time to discover the new Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified.?This new Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified doesn’t come out of the blue. As said, it is clearly inspired by the Flightmaster, a watch launched in 1969 as a variant of the Speedmaster line, yet engineered and marketed towards pilots exclusively, with its easily identifiable sections and a

Is changing straps a Paneristi addiction? - Monochrome Watches
Paneristi, people who own a Panerai, are known to change straps on their Panerai often. Having owned a Panerai I know everything about the strap-changing-disease. But is wearing a watch on different straps only a Paneristi addiction? I asked myself this question, especially because I change straps on my watches all the time. I guess for me changing straps started with my Panerai, but soon I was changing straps on almost every watch I own. Let me give you some examples.When I saw an aftermarket 22 mm Panerai strap for sale at a Dutch watch forum, I just couldn’t resist. The idea was actually inspired by the?TAG Heuer Monaco with brown dial and python strap. This combination looks awesome on a sunny day, wearing a white shirt and jeans! Besides this aftermarket strap, I also have three OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer ¨C? TAG Heuer straps for the Monaco. Originally it came on a black calf strap with folding buckle and later I bought the brown calf strap and the black alli

Five Super-Stylish Dress Watches To Get You Through Gloomy Days
Subtlety, refinement and elegance in watchmaking is an art form in itself. It’s very easy to overdo it and end up with a watch that is just a bit, well, off. Then again, delivering a discerning little twist to an otherwise super-refined watch can work absolutely wonderfully. Incorporating a certain dial colour, pattern, or even material can truly elevate a watch. And it doesn’t even have to cost a literal fortune, as this episode of our weekly Buying Guide starts below EUR 2,000. With that in mind, we’re taking a closer look at five dress(y) watches that are destined to become favourites among enthusiasts and collections.?Vacheron Constantin TraditionNelleAs the oldest manufacture in continuous production, Vacheron Constantin has a long history of elegant dress watches. The aptly named Traditionnelle collection, for instance, is home to plenty of gorgeous examples, such as this rose gold and green one released during the Shanghai Edition of Watches & Wonders 2023.

The Petrolhead Corner: A Pair Of Exquisite Jaguar Cars
Jaguar is one of the great British car manufacturers, perhaps only rivalled by Aston Martin when it comes to style, class, and heritage. It started out as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, making motorcycle sidecars before moving into the production of cars in the mid-1930s, with the first-ever car being the SS Jaguar 2.5L Saloon. For obvious reasons, the SS name wouldn’t stick for long, as immediately after WWII, the company’s name was changed to Jaguar. The brand has a very rich history both on the road and in racing, winning Le Mans no less than seven times, for instance. Many cars can be called iconic, and just recently, two of those made headlines in the automotive industry!?The contrast couldn’t be bigger between the two, as on one end, we have a pure handcrafted beauty in the Jaguar Classic E-Type Commemoratives, and on the other, we have a concept-car-turned-stunt-car-turned-road-car in the Callum Designs C-X75. The story of the latter is rather unexpected,