Vianney Halter Antiqua perpetual calendar in white gold

Is Independent Creative Horology Dead?

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In the early 1990s, I was facing the same dilemma as today: should I buy modern or vintage? The problem was that the modern watches actually all looked vintage, right down to the sizes. There was something lacking, and watch shopping at times almost felt like perusing the yogurt section in a Soviet supermarket.

I’m obviously exaggerating here, but in general it seemed to me that creativity was more or less an afterthought.

Enter Vianney Halter in 1998 with the Antiqua Perpetual. And then what happened next: the birth of ICH (“independent creative horology”).

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Bulgari Head Over Tail Serpenti watch

Bulgari’s Beloved Serpenti: A Brief History

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Bulgari’s serpent theme, which began in the 1940s, has evolved into a creative symbol for the brand. Like a snake shedding its skin, since that decade dominated by war and recovery, the Bulgari Serpenti has metamorphosed, reinventing itself. However, the basic concept remains the same. In in both Greek and Roman mythology, snakes represented positive characteristics such as rebirth, healing, protection, strength, eternity, and seductiveness thanks to the elegance of the creatures’ soft, winding bodies.

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Slim d’Hermes Koma Kurabe "La femme aux semelles de vent" (photo courtesy Claude

Koma Kurabe: The Slim d’Hermès With Authentic Japanese Porcelain Enamel Dial

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La Montre Hermès announced its brand-new core collection called Slim d’Hermès at Baselworld 2015, which was an instant hit with critics and collectors alike. At the very same time this creative company co-announced a limited edition of 12 pieces decorated using a special artistic technique found in Japan. Called Koma Kurabe, the edition honors Kamo Kurabe Uma, a famous Japanese horse race. A talented Japanese artisan graces the elegant new timepieces with porcelain dials that reproduce scenes of the horse race that still takes place once a year in the spring when the picturesque cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

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Chopard Mille Miglia Jacky Ickx Edition No. 4

6 Chopard Watches Dedicated To Legendary Racecar Driver Jacky Ickx

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Jacky Ickx and Chopard co-president Karl-Friedirch Scheufele have been friends for 27 years. In 1989 Scheufele and Ickx drove the Mille Miglia together. “We got to know each other there. He turned up and said, ‘Well, I have no intention of driving. You’re driving; I’m going to watch the scenery’,” Scheufele recently laughed. It is such shared events in addition to the legendary race car driver’s achievements that have inspired Chopard to continue to dedicate timepieces to Ickx, honoring a man who can certainly be called one of the world’s very best drivers.

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Nixie Machine for MB&F by Frank Buchwald, idea and Nixie tubes by Alberto Schileo

Science Fiction Incarnate: Frank Buchwald’s Nixie Machine For MB&F

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When you think of fantasy and science fiction, what do you think of? I sometimes allow my imagination to drift into the paranormal and early twentieth-century years of discovery. This is the world that inspired the creation of Frank Buchwald’s latest creation for the M.A.D. Gallery, which is, of course, the Nixie Machine, a fantabulous clock featuring rare and giant Nixie tubes produced in the 1960s by the state-owned RFT in East Germany. I can imagine this clock in a variety of fictional settings from the worlds of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and even Isaac Asimov.

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Elvis Presley wearing the Hamilton Ventura in army dress

Elvis Is In The Building: In Honor Of The King And His Watches

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Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. This was a day of soulful heartbreak as I knew I would sorely miss his voice. Elvis owned a number of wristwatches. Good ones. He liked watches, which anyone can still guess because in almost any photo of The King it is not hard to spy an interesting timepiece on his wrist. So in honor of the day of Elvis’ passing in the year he would have turned 80 were he still alive, I’d like to take a peek at some of the watches he’s owned, as well as one watch he not only owned but helped make famous: the Hamilton Ventura.

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J.R. Laing clock at the Laing watch store in Edinburgh

Laing: The Oldest Jeweler In Scotland

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It was somewhat of a serendipitous coincidence. I had just been in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, a few hours on personal business when Twitter informed me that someone had mentioned Quill & Pad – from Edinburgh.

It turned out to be two young watch-fanatic sales associates from Laing, a branch of Edinburgh’s oldest jeweler. They had been perusing Quill & Pad’s Instagram and tweeting about it.

Since I was in the area, I went to visit the Laing boutique in the picturesque city the next day. And that’s where I found this antique clock.

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Imperial Black Visconti Millionaire

Visconti’s Marvelous Marble Pens: Look Out, Michelangelo!

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Dante Del Vecchio’s love of culture and innovation led him to found Visconti, an Italian brand with a remarkable assortment of pens, watches and accessories. Each of the collections tells a story – about art, archaeology, philosophy, literature or history – through the eyes the founder and, of course, his chosen city: Florence. Historically used as the material for creating sculpture, architecture, and objets d’art, Visconti is now using marble for its latest pen collection, Millionaire. Crafting a marble pen, however, is not simple.

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The marble-cased Carrara by Mazzuoli

Ten Years Of Giuliano Mazzuoli: An Independent Made In Italy

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Giuliano Mazzuoli comes from a line of Tuscan designers. First making a name for himself with agendas and pens, he turned to creating wristwatches ten years ago.

This run of cult hits began with the Manometro, a timepiece of unique design that looks like a pressure gauge. Its obvious, large dimensions, unusual and insistent design, and incredible legibility have made it popular among watch and design enthusiasts alike.

Now, ten years and four watches later, Mazzuoli celebrates a decade of watch design with a limited edition Manometro.

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Ulysse Nardin Freak with DIAMonSIL escapement from 2007

Ulysse Nardin’s R-Evolutionary Pierre Gygax

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A lot is changing at Ulysse Nardin, but then again a lot isn’t changing. What remains a constant at Ulysse Nardin are innovative products that continue to surprise and delight, getting better and better as the brand progresses deeper into its modern era. But, for me a big news item is what could be called the semi-retirement of Pierre Gygax from Ulysse Nardin, effective as of July 1, 2015. You may be surprised to learn just how important Gygax’s role at Ulysse Nardin was.

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