Trends rule a larger part of our lives than many of us wish to admit. Sometimes we follow trends consciously, but often we are subconsciously influenced in the choices we make. All brands perform a delicate tightrope walk, but they differ in how successful they are. Let's take a look at how trends affect or don't affect now-iconic timepieces.

Let's be honest: nobody needs a high-end mechanical watch. That we want one is based on the different levels of how a particular watch appeals to our emotions. And in the heat of passion, we sometimes tend to forget that, as in any normal industry, companies sometimes cease to exist for a panoply of reasons. What should you consider if you own, or would still like to own, a watch made by a now-defunct brand?

You may be familiar with numbers such as 18,000 vph, 28,800 vph, and even 36,000 vph describing the frequency of a watch’s hairspring regulator, but few really know what those numbers mean. Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains why watch frequencies matter, but he oscillates in choosing a winner. Follow the discussion here.

The history of the world time complication is intimately connected to Patek Philippe. Due to its pedigree, this brand is often considered to offer the ultimate in world time watches. And when Patek Philippe introduced the 5231J World Timer at Baselworld in 2019, many applauded the continuation of the tradition since it’s a perennial favorite. Joshua Munchow explains what makes this model so special.