A Technical Perspective - New Devices to Optimize Minute Repeaters
Repeater clocks were invented well before electric lighting, in order to be able to consult the time in the dead of night. By activating a trigger or a pusher, a repeater chimes the time on demand and is often regarded, and rightfully so, as one of the pinnacles of mechanical watchmaking. Dozens of components, manufactured to exact tolerances, must be combined to orchestrate these extremely complex mechanisms. The quality of a minute repeater is also judged by the sound that it produces. Watchmakers pay utmost attention to their acoustic quality, patiently adjusting various parameters to reach the loudest, clearest and richest sound possible. The pace of the chime or the eventual background noise (the buzzing noise produced by the regulator) are also particularly important. In their quest to produce the ultimate minute repeater, watchmakers conduct sound research programs to optimise the chime of their watches.In a minute repeater, sound is most of the time produced by small hammers st

Industry News: The Geneva Watch Days Return In 2023 With Nearly 40 Brands
If Watches & Wonders is, by far, the most important event of the year for the watch industry (because of the sheer number of exhibiting brands, participants and new models presented), another smaller yet highly interesting event has been taking place in watch-town since 2020. A different take on the watch salon, more relaxed, staged in lakeshore locations and open to the public, Geneva Watch Days will return again this year (29 August – 2 September) with almost 40 brands showcasing their latest releases at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc pavilion on Lake Geneva, as well as at boutiques and venues throughout the city.?Geneva Watch Days started in 2020 as a modern, less institutional watch salon designed to give companies of all sizes a collaborative platform to showcase their work side by side. Created as an answer to lockdowns and the cancellation of Baselworld and SIHH-W&W, an antidote to (back then) difficult times for the watch industry, it was organised on the initiative of

Panerai's desire to move up - Monochrome Watches
Panerai’s desire to move up? That’s at least what it seems like, now they’ve come with a bunch of new models featuring their new in-house movements.Over the last few months Panerai has introduced a number of new models, featuring their own new in-house movements… and a new price list. And since I’ve been planning to buy a new brother for my old PAM 00001 B series (1999), I had a good look at the new price list. Ad - Scroll to continue with article I don’t want to buy another Panerai with the same movement as my beloved old PAM 00001, which is a ETA/Unitas 6497 with reworked bridges and a much better finish. So the in-house movements sound interesting… A few weeks ago I already showed photos of one of the new Panerai models and now I finally know the price… which was a bit of a shock. As usual, my taste transcends m

Introducing The Green Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Limited For The FWC
The Fine Watch Club is an international multi-brand watch club aimed at anyone with an interest in luxury mechanical watches. The Club offers different programs and experiences for Watch Aficionados and, also releases limited-edition watches. With their latest collaboration, the Fine Watch Club has put their own spin on the Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea.Launched at Watches and Wonders 2022, the Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea is the brand's dive watch collection. This classic, no-nonsense diver stands out with its modern dials inspired by glacial ice. Its texture was achieved using a traditional technique called gratte-boise. Presented in a green colourway, the Fine Watch Club limited edition features a 23 numeral (with green lume) on its textured dial. Ad - Scroll to continue with article The model is presented in a 41mm stainless steel case with a unidirectional steel and c

The new Piaget Polo Date Black Automatic 42 - Hands-on, Specs & Price
Dazzled by the extravagant high jewellery Limelight Gala watches or the extreme thinness of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, The new Piaget Polo Date Black model was somewhat eclipsed during the latest edition of Watches & Wonders. Piaget's interpretation of the luxury sports watch, the Polo made its debut in 1979 and underwent a radical makeover in 2016. Unlike the ultra-thin gold Polo Skeleton set with 1,478 diamonds that was also unveiled during Watches & Wonders 2022, the latest 42mm Polo Date is a solid entry-level watch designed for everyday use with a sleek black dial and matching black rubber strap.BackgroundYves G. Piaget, the fourth generation of the Piaget dynasty, was the brainchild of the Polo. Harnessing the brand's expertise in watchmaking and jewellery, the Polo was a sleek bracelet watch with a contemporary sporty/chic vibe. Introduced in 1979, the watch’s design was a continuous stream of solid sculpted gold bars that wrapped around the wrist. Fitted with