Entries by Elizabeth Doerr

The Naked Watchmaker Deconstructs 71-Year-Old Vintage Vacheron Constantin World Time Pocket Watch (Video)

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Our friends at The Watches TV entertained a visit from Peter Speake, The Naked Watchmaker, as he took apart a Vacheron Constantin world time pocket watch from 1949 – a feat firmly categorized in the “don’t do this at home” rubric. This World Timer is 71 years old, displays the time in 41 reference cities, is housed in a yellow gold case, and is completely original with all of its original parts and even the dial.

Our Predictions In The Artistic Crafts Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): 6 Watches, 5 Panelists, And 3 Picks For Winner

/2 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

Watches in the Artistic Crafts category demonstrate exceptional mastery of one or several artistic techniques such as enameling, lacquering, engraving, guilloche (engine turning), skeletonizing, and more. Which make comparisons between the different crafts extremely difficult. But our five panelists accept the challenge and come up with three predicted winners.

Our Predictions In The Jewellery Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panelists Are Split For A Winner (Again)

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , , , /by

The GPHG foundation’s rules for the Jewellery category state that the watches must demonstrate exceptional mastery of the art of jewelry and gem setting. This is an especially difficult category to judge from still photos as you really need to touch and manipulate the jewelry and see the gems reflecting from different angles. Our panelists settle on two favorites as top contenders despite the fact that they haven’t had a chance to handle these treasures.

Our Predictions In The Divers Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): We Have An Unexpected Favorite

/3 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

The GPHG Diver’s category contains watches linked to the field of diving, whose functions, materials, and design are suited to this activity. Diver’s watches are fairly straightforward and the most successful ones tend look very much alike. However most of our panelists selected a winner from the outfield that looked very different to the norm.

Halloween Heartbeat: MB&F Arachnophobia – Reprise

/0 Comments/in , /by

Halloween, a word contracted from “All Hallow’s Eve,” is a predominately American celebration whose traditions come from late nineteenth-century Celtic origins. And along comes a modern mechanical time-telling spider in celebration, the MB&F Arachnophobia – a realistic-looking arachnid made of metal and other materials traditionally used in watchmaking. Look upon it if you dare!

Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de L’Horloge: How Two Tourbillons Rotate Within A Revolving Dial

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de l’Horloge features two separate tourbillons – but that isn’t all: the hour wheel moves a plate that makes a rotation once every twelve hours, taking the hour hand (and everything else on the dial) with it. The open movement on the dial side puts everything beautifully on display. But possibly it’s the hand-engraved case back, a poetic story in itself, that is Elizabeth Doerr’s favorite detail of this new watch.

Our Predictions In The Chronograph Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Limited Editions Rule The Roost

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , /by

Is the universal attraction of a chronograph found in the ability to control part of the timekeeping yourself using the often-dynamic-looking extra dials and hands? For the GPHG, at any rate, this is an important category with, as usual, a very strong lineup. So how is our panel leaning when it comes to picking a winner? Find out here.

Our Predictions In The Mechanical Exception Category Of The 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Exceptional Circumstances Split Down The Middle

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , /by

The Mechanical Exception category features men’s or ladies’ watches with a special mechanism such as an innovative or sophisticated display, an automaton, a belt-driven movement, a striking or other acoustic function, or any other original and/or exceptional horological concept. And we surely have an intriguing set of finalists in the Mechanical Exception category this year: everything from a tumbling triple-axis tourbillon to an electronically controlled hybrid timepiece to a paper-thin mechanical watch and an automaton minutely replicating a 16-cylinder engine. And even more!