The full-pavé R822 calibre "Predator" buckle by Roland Iten

Photo Essay: Making Of The R822 Predator By Roland Iten, The World’s Most Expensive Belt Buckle

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While $450,000 (give or take a bit of change) isn’t a sum that even the richest among us is likely to scoff at, it’s quite possible that a more expensive belt buckle exists that I don’t know about. However, it’s very unlikely that any buckle exists that comes even close to the high levels of sophistication and engineering found in the Roland Iten R822 Predator. The diamonds really are just the icing on the cake.

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The Zenith Academy Favre Jacot

Monthly News Roundup: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, IWC, Vogard, Zenith, Nomos, Armin Strom, Linde Werdelin And More

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This month’s news roundup includes a big announcement by Vogard; an unexpectedly high auction sale of a 1958 Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Chronomètre; a beautifully enameled Classico Cloisonné Amerigo Vespucci by Ulysse Nardin; a complicated timepiece by Zenith; Nomos CEO Uwe Ahrendt wins an important award; a Pure Skeleton by Armin Strom; and a high-tech carbon case from Linde Werdelin.

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Carefully placing the movement of the Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 into its case from the back

Photo Essay: Casing A Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 Chocolate

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The days getting shorter and the nights much cooler remind us that the holidays are fast approaching, so it’s the perfect time to have a close look at a watch that would look great under under any angel-topped, tinsel-covered tree: the Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 Chocolate.

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Vintage watch specialist, Boris Pjanic

Meet Quill & Pad’s Vintage Virtuoso: Boris Pjanic, An Expert In ‘Pre-Loved’ Rolex

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Boris Pjanic does not come from a family of retailers or jewelers, the watch collecting bug simply bit him at some point. “I carried this passion deep inside me for years before finally admitting to collecting rare vintage watches and even trading them among a very knowledgeable clientele out loud,” he confesses.

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Hermès watch display case at SalonQP 2014

Heartbeat: Hermès’ Eye-Catching Displays At SalonQP 2014

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SalonQP isn’t simply a watch exhibition: it’s a watch exhibition inside an art gallery (the Saatchi Gallery), a setting that both the defines and enriches the brands and watches on display. And Hermès, very cleverly and very creatively, especially attracted visitors’ attention at SalonQP.

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Philippe Dufour (left) and Henry-John Belmont

Philippe Dufour And Henry-John Belmont Win FHH Homage To ‘Passion’ And ‘Talent’ Awards

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This young award is just barely three years old, but indeed it has already managed to reward some of the greatest personalities in the world of watches for their “passion” and “talent” – which are undeniably the most essential ingredients for the finest watchmaking. A jury from the Cultural Council of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) honored two exceptional personalities in 2014: Philippe Dufour for his “talent” and Henry-John Belmont for his “passion.”

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"Le Vautour" and "Le Chef" Petite Heure Minutes by Jaquet Droz in homage to the Bejart Ballet

Béjart Ballet Glissades Its Way Onto The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute In Tokyo

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Earlier in 2014, Jaquet Droz announced a partnership with Lausanne’s Béjart Ballet. A ballet dancer perfectly masters the movements of his or her body, which makes for perfect allegory to Pierre Jaquet Droz’s lifelike mechanical androids using flow, flux, movement, and human expression through motion. Meet The Vulture and The Chief, two extraordinarily artistic Jaquet Droz timepieces paying homage to the dance.

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SalonQP 2014

Roundup of SalonQP 2014: London’s Premier Watch Exhibition

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SalonQP, London’s premier watch exhibition, ran from the 6th through the 8th of November 2014 at the prestigious Saatchi Art Gallery in central London. It was bigger and better than ever in terms of both size and visitor numbers.

Read on for more than just a few reasons (and lots of photos) why SalonQP is my favorite watch exhibition.

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Richard Mille RM-07-01 (photo courtesy Alice Keehn)

Richard Mille And Diana Luna: Feminine Power And The RM 007

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Follow us on a day spent with professional golfer and Richard Mille ambassador Diana Luna at the Ladies Lacoste Open de France. The picturesquely-situated Chantaco Golf Club near Biarritz, France, set the sunny scene for golf, watches, and champagne: the perfect environment for Richard Mille timepieces such as the RM 007, the brand-new RM 07-01 and the RM 016.

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Pre-selected Mechanical Exception watches in the 2014 Grand Prix

Mechanical Exception Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

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While this category in the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is called “Mechanical Exception,” it could well be titled “exceptionally difficult to pick a winner.” And that’s because of the incredible selection of exceptional watches to choose from: Urwerk EMC, Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater, TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon, MB&F Legacy Machine No. 2, Hublot, MP-05 LaFerrari, and Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Lune Perpétuelle.

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