Lebeau-Courally: From Gunsmithing To Haute Horlogerie
Founded in 1865 by Auguste Lebeau in Liège, Belgium, Lebeau-Courally was then first and foremost a high-end hunting rifle manufacturer. So how did it get to the watch sector? Read on to find out.
The On- And Off-Screen Watches Of Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan’s personal and professional timepieces have included big names like Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Panerai, but also intriguingly Speake-Marin. What influence do the roles he plays have on his personal watch taste? Martin Green provides the answer.
The Ute’s A Beaute: Arnold & Son UTTE Skeleton
At Baselworld 2016, Arnold & Son unveiled the UTTE Skeleton ultra-thin tourbillon, a new world record holder and a darn good looking watch. Discover how Arnold & Son did more with less to make this the thinnest skeleton tourbillon watch on the market.
Forget Ploughs To Ploughshares: Fonderie 47 Transforms AK-47s Into Haute Horlogerie (Archive)
“A mechanical Swiss watch was the first thing on the drawing board for Fonderie 47,” says co-founder Peter Thum. “Work on this project had begun even before I filed the papers to set up the company; I knew that it would take us a long time to do this and it would be pivotal for us to make this watch.”
Ghostbusting & The Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante
The special attributes of the Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante center around the double column wheel split-seconds chronograph function, which is partially visible from the dial side. The other major feature of the movement is on the opposite side of the dial, near 10:30: the tourbillon. And all of this for a more-than-fair price that is bound to catapult this brand deep into the hearts of watch enthusiasts.
Alexandre Meerson’s Altitude Collection: Skeptical To Believer
l was highly skeptical before my first presentation of the Alexandre Meerson Altitude. This felt like a small new brand wanting to waltz into a market dominated by venerated old names with sky-high reputations. Good luck with that, I thought. To my surprise, though, I was quite impressed by the sense of dramatic subtleties and eye for detail these watches display.
Why Jaquet Droz’s Support Of The Béjart Ballet Is Important In The Larger Scheme Of Things
I had the extremely good fortune to be a guest of Jaquet Droz at a stunning Béjart Ballet performance in Tokyo in late 2014, where I became a huge fan of the extraordinary troupe. But why do I find it so important for luxury brands to support the arts? Jaquet Droz and the Béjart Ballet provide an excellent example.
4 Record-Setting Stainless Steel Patek Philippe Models Auctioned At Phillips. Is A Fifth Coming?
Patek Philippe watches in stainless steel are the hot thing among vintage collectibles. Phillips’s auction house, whose watch division is spearheaded by Bacs & Russo, has set four world records for stainless steel Patek Philippe watches over the last two years. A new find coming up in the Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR could possibly break the current record of almost $4 million. Check out that Patek Philippe Reference 1518 right here.
Can Nothing Be Something? Andreas Strehler And The Time Shadow
Time Shadow, the latest timepiece by Andreas Strehler, uses the concept of shadow in a fun and unique way. When a numeral on the hour ring passes in front of the bright orange circle, it appears as if a shadow is moving across a brightly sunlit field. But don’t be fooled into thinking that this piece is only fun; it is also serious horology as befits a watchmaker of Strehler’s stature and creativity.
Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Antiqua
A piece that for me is a long-term keeper, is the wonderful Antiqua by Vianney Halter. The truth is that I fell for the Antiqua when I first saw one more than a dozen years ago; while many of my friends will freely confess that at the time they were at first put off by its looks, I was smitten from the start. But that’s not all that I love about this watch.