Most watches feature some deliberate degree of decoration. On the other hand, there is architecture, but very few watches elevate architecture to the level of decoration. The Lang & Heyne Friedrich III stands among that elite.
The Lang & Heyne Hektor is a complicated watch. No, it’s not a mechanical complication, but its place in the L&H universe requires some explaining.
Next to their highly refined character. all watches from Lang & Heyne have had one thing in common throughout the boutique brand’s history: round cases. Until now. And Georg, the first rectangular watch from Lang & Heyne, is in a class of its own.
The year 2017 wasn’t just good for both interesting and exciting new wristwatches at Baselworld: I’d go so far to rate it as a vintage year. This article started as a pure Top 5 rundown, but the sheer number of superb watches soon had us reaching for our “Special Mention” over spill. And that’s all without the really big surprises. So without further ado, welcome to our team’s top picks of Baselworld 2017.
It occurred to me one day, while explaining to a visitor to my “office” how the machine “knows” where the part is, that many people have very little exposure to the machinery that literally builds so many wristwatch components today. So for your reading pleasure, I break down the basics of milling machines and turning centers, the multi-axis machines that have become a cornerstone of modern fabrication in the watch industry.
In 2015, the AHCI celebrates thirty years of existence. This is a genuine milestone for any organization, and is really a grand, grand accomplishment for a loose grouping of more than 30 artisans of varying nationality, background, and level of accomplishment. Here we present five beautiful watches by AHCI members we saw at Baselworld.
A completely new indication, or indications, within an existing category of complications comes up only once in a blue moon. Until the Augustus, calendar complications consisted of indications for date, day, month, moon phase, annual calendars and perpetual calendars/leap year, tides, and astronomical elements such as star charts. That reads like a fairly comprehensive list, but none until now help to avoid the disappointment of forgetting a wedding anniversary or birthday.
While the two most well known German brands are A. Lange & Söhne and Glashütte Original, there are quite a few smaller German brands deserving our attention. Some with names you may have heard of, a few you may not have: Nomos, Lange & Heyne, Tutima, Kudoke and Leinfelder among them.
History has a way of repeating itself, so it should not come as a huge surprise that something is brewing in Dresden, once the seat of central Europe’s progressive fascination with fine mechanics. That this particular seat (a throne, really) has moved to Glashütte along with A. Lange & Söhne is not news. Today’s story is remarkable in that it comes from perhaps an unexpected corner: the A.H.C.I.’s only member in the Saxon capital city.