The Value Of Rarity: Christie’s Auctions A Black-Dialed A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 In Stainless Steel (Exclusive And Never-Seen Photos)
As we approach the upcoming Christie’s New York auction on June 7, 2016 the ultra-rare stainless steel Lange 1 with a killer black dial has already enticed a lot of buzz among my collector friends. A. Lange & Söhne does not regularly produce watches in steel, only in precious metals and this watch is one of only three with a black dial and stainless steel case.
Nomos Glashütte Tetra Neomatik: Reinventing The Square
At Baselworld 2016, Nomos Glashütte introduced its new automatic DUW 3001 caliber in the familiar (but usually manually wound) Tetra case, turning it into part of the Neomatik line. Big deal? Yes, big deal! Tetra is square, which is unusual in today’s watch world. The result is an unusual watch that appeals to people looking for something out of the ordinary.
Calling On The Village: Czapek & Cie. And The Quai Des Bergues Collection
Introducing Czapek & Cie., a nascent watch brand that is looking to the village to help it grow. The first interesting thing to learn about Czapek is that it is a brand not atypically reviving a historical name with some pretty serious horological street cred for the purists out there. But first let’s take a good look at the Czapek Quai des Bergues collection.
Ralph Lauren’s Italian Palazzo: The Ultimate Private Club For Fashionistas (And There Are Watches, Too)
There is a very special place in Milan, Italy that few locals even know exists. Casa Campanini is a quiet place, deliberately so, but it has recently become well known to fashionistas the world over since its opening in September 2015 as the Ralph Lauren Palazzo. Follow me in for a visit!
Photo Caption Competition No. 19: A Horological Fairground
Believe it or not, this Rube Goldberg/Jean Tinguely-style contraption is actually an astronomical clock by A.H.C.I. member Miki Eleta that displays retrograde minutes, jumping hours, day of the week, a three-dimensional moon phase, and world time. And it’s all regulated by Eleta’s own constant force gravity tourbillon with chronometer escapement.
But the question I’m asking here is: what might this assembly of gears be and/or be doing if it wasn’t a clock? Please leave your ideas (fun or funny also welcome) in the comments.
Give Me Five! Righteous Rainbows From Kari Voutilainen, De Grisogono, Chopard, Ulysse Nardin, And Fabergé At Baselworld 2016
The prevailing financial atmosphere may be pointing toward Spartan classicism in some areas of life, but fortunately for us the worlds of art and beauty – which include haute horlogerie – still express joyful color. Enjoy the bursts of vivid hue in these five time-telling rainbows we found at Baselworld 2016 from Kari Voutilainen, de Grisogono, Chopard, Ulysse Nardin, and Fabergé.
Objects Of Desire: Independent Watches At Baselworld 2016
It is with a bit of trepidation that I turn my attention to independent watches from Baselworld 2016 that are now on my “desire” list; we’ll see whether any of these watches from Sarpaneva, Grönefeld, Voutilainen, Akriva or even Renaud & Papi make it onto my wrist as a result! In the meantime, enjoy these gorgeous timepieces.
A Richard Mille Boutique In Germany? Yes, And It’s About Time
I recently went to a boutique opening thrown by Richard Mille in Munich. Sounds like fun, but think about it for a minute: who opens a standalone boutique in a country filled with really, really traditionally minded collectors – in this financial atmosphere? And, there was a surprise in store, in this case it was a new ambassador. Meet world rally champion Sébastien Ogier.
Piaget Emperador Coussin XL 700P: Hybrid Performance, Piaget Perfection
Hybrids in the watch world are rare, but in general perform the same way as hybrid automobiles, with chronometric performance improved significantly thanks to the quartz. For many it was a bit unexpected for Piaget, the “king of ultra-thin watches,” to introduce the Emperador Coussin XL 700P in 2016, but it did not emerge from thin air; it is the latest in a 40-year legacy of quartz innovation.
Clockwise, Sunwise, & Reverse: Introducing The Bélier Reverse By Kim Djapri
Kim Djapri, a watchmaker with Lang & Heyne and boutique manager at Tempus Arte in Dresden, exhibited at the A.H.C.I.’s Baselworld 2016 booth a micro-brand and a timepiece all his own. His new brand Bélier is the banner under which his new watch, christened Reverse, has been built. This watch is perfect allegory for reflection in a timepiece.