Bronze, an age-old material used since antiquity, has had quite a run as a case material in the world of luxury watches in recent years. Whether its bronze case changes over time or keeps its pristine appearance, these five debutantes from 2019 each have an unmistakable charisma all their own.
Makin’ a list, checking it twice . . . The holiday season is upon us, and while “’tis the season to be jolly,” it is often also a time to hustle to find the perfect gifts for loved ones. In case you needed another reason for watch shopping (and Sabine doesn’t), a watch certainly would help navigate through stores to find everything on time. Here are five wallet-friendly suggestions that might just be the ultimate “tra la la la.”
1969 marked the introduction of the world’s first self-winding chronographs. These were presented by Zenith with its El Primero, Seiko with the 5 Speedtimer, and an illustrious group consisting of Breitling, Heuer/Leonidas, and Hamilton/Büren, with the Chronomatic Caliber 11. Sabine Zwettler takes us through the history and looks at three of the latest-generation commemorative automatic chronographs by these early pioneers.
There were many highlights setting new benchmarks in terms of technology and design in 2019; unfortunately most of these statement pieces are quite expensive, often out of reach, and not made for everyday wear. Taking a look beyond the limelight, Sabine Zwettler spotted three intriguing variations of existing timepieces from Montblanc, Baume & Mercier, and Nomos Glashütte that make a serious statement on the wrist without breaking the bank.
Only Watch by Christie’s will be held in Geneva on November 9, 2019, and a surprisingly high number of skeleton watches are among the 50 unique pieces for sale. Skeletonizing is a technical and aesthetic art that allows for fascinating insights into the movements’ inner workings. Which pieces might you be interested in bidding on?
If you are into watches and in the New York area, you’ll want to check out WatchTime New York held in Manhattan’s stylish Gotham Hall on Saturday and Sunday, 25-26 October, 2019. Here Sabine Zwettler highlights a few of her favorite pieces on show there.
What qualifies a watch to be “made in Glashütte” or “made in Germany”? Sabine Zwettler explains exactly that right here.
Elegant steel dress watches indicating the time and possibly date also make a serious statement on the wrist as the new crop of great models in 2019 highlight. Here are three of Sabine Zwettler’s personal favorites from Chopard, Omega, and Montblanc.
For watch aficionados, GMT may as well mean “grand, magnificent, and timeless” for it offers the convenience of indicating two time zones on one dial. While today we can see all 36 time zones from every mobile phone, that doesn’t diminish the joy of a dual time zone timepiece. Here Sabine Zwettler highlights three no-nonsense GMT watches that each represent the sophistication of second time zone indications in their very own way. Enjoy their classic travel-time designs pared down to the essential!
The TAG Heuer Monaco’s square case, the deep-blue dial with square chronograph counters and elongated hour indexes, and the crown on the left side (to show that it didn’t require winding) stood out at its introduction in 1969. While some strongly disliked the unusual appearance others were entirely taken by it, and the Monaco quickly gained momentum. Now TAG Heuer commemorates 50 years of the bold Monaco with a handful of celebratory limited editions..
