Urban Jürgensen Reference 1140L in platinum

Urban Jürgensen & Sønner’s 2015 Rebirth With Five New Watches

Urban Jürgensen & Sønner has had quite an exciting twelve months: perhaps the most exciting of its 240-year history. In 2014 the brand’s Central Second took home the prize for Best Men’s Watch at the GPHG. Then we were astounded to already see the first results of new ownership: in just eleven weeks the new team managed to revamp the existing collection to present five “new” models at Baselworld 2015.

Particle physicist Harry Cliff at the 7th Forum de la Haute Horlogerie (photo courtesy www.point-of-views.ch)

Einstein’s Theory Of Relativity, The Future In Progress, And Watchmaking At The 2015 Fondation De La Haute Horlogerie Forum

On November 25, 1915 Albert Einstein introduced his general theory of relativity to the scientific community in Berlin.

Now, on the 100th anniversary of this scientific milestone, the Federation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) poses the question through its seventh forum, entitled “The Future in Progress,” as to whether this theory is still relevant as a metaphor for out-of-the-box thinking in watchmaking.

The Urwerk EMC Pistol on the wrist

Urwerk Of Art: The EMC Pistol

The Urwerk EMC Pistol, an extremely limited edition of just five pieces, features a very intricate mix of hand-engraved artistry and groundbreaking technology. The EMC Pistol is an edition of the watch that closes the EMC line, which is really a test bed for the hybrid technology inside rather than a fully finished wristwatch.

The H. Moser & Cie zero gravity flight was packed with testing instruments and experiements

Groundbreaking Or Bunk? Talking Zero Gravity And Pioneer Collection With Edouard Meylan, CEO Of H. Moser & Cie

I was invited by H. Moser & Cie to attend a most atypical press conference in Zürich. The occasion was the first parabolic flight in Switzerland, during which Moser, along with its escapement-making sister company Precision Engineering, tested movements and components in zero gravity. H. Moser & Cie also launched the new Pioneer collection, its most contemporary yet.

1994 George Daniels co-axial four-minute tourbillon with Daniel's compact chronograph mechanism

Inside A Second: Chronograph Exhibition Featuring Many Of The Most Important Chronographs Ever Made

Among the many highlights of SalonQP 2015 was the “Inside a Second” exhibition of chronographs presented in partnership with the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie. The exhibition included the George Daniels co-axial four-minute tourbillon with Daniels’ compact chronograph mechanism. And that would have been enough chronograph for me all by itself, but there were many more highlights.

570S McLaren road car

You Are There: A Day With McLaren And The 570S Supercar

My highly anticipated McLaren experience started one Thursday morning in late June . . . and ended on a sunny afternoon in mid-October, when as soon as I climbed into the contoured green Alcantara stitched seat, pulled down the Mantis-green door, and adjusted the seat and mirrors, I set off down the A22 toward Portimao and the Algarve Race Circuit. The noise of the 3.8-liter V8 would be my soundtrack for this journey.

Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar on the wrist of Montblanc CEO Jerome Lambert

Montblanc Creates New Watch Division Headed By Davide Cerrato, Previous Head Of Marketing, Design And Product Development Of Tudor

Montblanc has announced the creation of the Montblanc Watch Division, headed by Davide Cerrato, the man who chiefly steered Tudor to its current renaissance as its vice-president of marketing, design, and product development. Cerrato joins Montblanc as its new managing director for the fresh “watch division” and will be based at the Montblanc Manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland.

Reference 57260 by Vacheron Constantin

‘The Witnesses’: Film About Vacheron Constantin’s Reference 57260, The Most Complicated Watch In The World

On September 17, 2015 Vacheron Constantin presented a milestone in the history of timekeeping: Reference 57260, the world’s most complicated portable timepiece to date with an incredible 57 functions and indications. And to commemorate it, Vacheron Constantin released a very special film called “The Witnesses.”

H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Black Tourbillon at SalonQP 2015

SalonQP 2015 Roundup With A Few Of My Favorite Watches From The Fair

The Saatchi Gallery on Kings Road in trendy Chelsea has played host to SalonQP in London for the past four years. It is a fantastic venue and a great place for the brands attending to showcase their wares.

What an eclectic mix of brands and watches on show this year, too! Come with me on a virtual tour.

Grönefeld unique piece Parallax Tourbillon in platinum with blackened silver dial and striking red accents

Heartbeat: Unique Piece Platinum Parallax Tourbillon by Grönefeld

I’m just back from an excellent SalonQP 2015. The exhibition was awash with fantastic timepieces, but here’s one that caught my eye: a unique piece Parallax Tourbillon in platinum with black dial and bright red highlights by Bart and Tim Grönefeld, two excellent fraternal watchmakers from the Netherlands.