Cartier Tank à Guichets: I hardly dare to say the name out loud. This is the Tank I have always dreamed of handling, but something I have never been able to do in all the years that I have been following “La Maison” to any possible event. But now I’ve been given an incredible opportunity to photograph one of these rare watches.
“I have no secrets as past watchmakers had. There are graveyards full of secrets and that’s enough.” –Philippe Dufour, 2014
Have you heard of Philippe Dufour?
Chances are, if you have been collecting watches for any significant period of time, his name is well known to you. If not, let me enlighten you.
The ultra-clean styling reflecting Jaquet Droz’s typical figure eight dial thematic, which symbolizes infinity and completeness, glows against the backdrop of a rich red mineral dial on the unique piece Grande Seconde Off-Centered Cuprite for Only Watch 2017.
Considered by many to be the first true dive watch as we know the genre today, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, first launched in 1953, became a hit around the world with militaries and professional divers alike. Now, more than 60 years later, Blancpain has chosen to commemorate the early years of the Fifty Fathoms by releasing a tribute to a specific model from 1957/1958 called the Mil-SPEC 1.
The Watches TV founder Marc-André Deschoux shares his own thoughts on brand ambassadors, starting with the Tudor/David Beckham association, which he personally felt was counterproductive: so much so that the announcement pushed him to not make a Tudor purchase he was leaning toward.
Here is an entertaining little story about me, my Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and a bunch of guys around a poker table – a story I’m sure many watch guys and gals can relate to.
Once in a while on the collector forums, a question is posed: is there anyone in the collector community who has never, ever, owned a Rolex? As a general rule, respondents to these queries tend to express disbelief that such a creature could possibly exist given the quality and ubiquity of the brand’s watches. Well, folks, I’m here to tell you that such people do exist, and that I’m one of them. How could it be?
While “normal” classic watches feature the hours, minutes, and perhaps even seconds in the center of the dial, some timepieces step out of line with off-center indications. Check out these five modern classics introduced in 2017 with interesting off-center configurations.
The Geo. Graham Orrery Tourbillon is one of less than a handful of mechanical watches ever made to display the orbits of planets, and it’s the only one with a tourbillon rotating behind the sun. Come with me on a journey to discover a brief history of the orrery right up to this wrist-sized marvel.
New York, New York! Teeming metropolis, center of commerce and culture, and for two dizzying weeks in July 2017 the epicenter of the watch-related world as Patek Philippe’s Grand Exhibition shone a spotlight on the past, present, and future of haute horlogerie. Read on to find out why I think this exhibition was so important.