Breguet Grande Complication No. 1160

Let Them Eat Cake: The Intriguing Story Of Marie Antoinette And Her Legendary Breguet Pocket Watch No. 160

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In 1783, just as the queen of France, Marie Antoinette, was sitting for a portrait an officer of the queen’s guard visited Abraham-Louis Breguet’s workshop: Queen Marie Antoinette desired a pocket watch containing all known horological complications at the time. It took 44 years to complete and is perhaps the most famous watch in history; as much for its intriguing story as its ingenious mechanics.

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Manufacture Royale 1770 Micromegas in orange

Manufacture Royale’s Creative Spirit Of Enlightened Horology

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The first Manufacture Royale was founded during the Age of Enlightenment by French writer, historian, and philosopher Voltaire (1694–1778). Launched in 2010, the modern Manufacture Royale inherited Voltaire’s independent spirit: the aim was to create a brand ahead of its time while expressing the same sort of offbeat humor the great poet was famous for.

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Romain Jerome Tattoo DNA by Xoil on the wrist

Permanent Art Gets Inside You: Romain Jerome Tattoo-DNA By Xoil

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People are always finding new outlets to express creativity because that is what humans do . . . right down to tattoo artists seeking new ways to create, leading to unusual collaborations. This is exactly the kind of thing that led to the creation of a watch featuring unique, hand-tattooed straps and a rather incredible juxtaposition of classic and modern watchmaking. I give you the Romain Jerome Tattoo-DNA by Xoil.

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A. Lange & Söhne Double Split after refurbishment

Why You Can’t Afford To Buy Your Watch If You Can’t Afford To Break It (Archive)

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My first rule when it comes to collecting is to avoid setting too many exclusionary rules. If, however, I force myself to set criteria for what constitutes collecting to me, I keep coming back to passion and enjoyment. Nevertheless, there are lots of “safe queens” in the watch world. Yes, I’m looking at you, Mr. “Triple Sealed In Its Own Original Geneva Air And Never Wound Let Alone Chimed Patek Minute Repeater.”

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A few of the tourbillons entered in the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)

All Watches (With Photos) Competing In The 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

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It’s that time of year again when the list of watches entered in the next edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) is published. The GPHG is the “Oscars” of the watchmaking industry, and 2016 is the sixteenth edition of the red carpet event.

This list comprises all of the watches competing in the first round of the competition from which the jury will pre-select six in each of the 12 categories.

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Close look at the intricate, colorful dial of the Hermès Arceau Pocket Ailes et Ecailles

Scarab Beetle Elytra Marquetry Makes The Hermès Arceau Pocket Ailes Et Ecailles Particularly Uncommon . . . And Beautiful

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During a recent trip to Paris, I stopped by Hermès’ Faubourg Saint-Honoré boutique to look at the Crafting Time exhibition. A highlight was the intriguing Hermès Arceau Pocket Ailes et Ecailles, whose dial is uniquely embellished with scarab beetle elytra fragments in a beautiful shimmering mosaic.

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Ulysse Nardin Marine Chrono Annual Calendar in red gold with eggshell dial

Celebrating 20 Years Of Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Line

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The first of the Ulysse Nardin Marine line arrived in 1996 in tribute to the 150th anniversary of the brand founded in 1846, and it was very simply christened with the words “Marine Chronometer 1846.” It marked the beginning of what has become one of the brand’s most recognized collections.

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Bovet OttantaSei by Pininfarina on the wrist of Paolo Pininfarina

Transparently Sublime Bovet Ottantasei By Pininfarina: Near Perfection

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I’ve been trying, but have not managed, to come up with a more diplomatic way of saying this, so I’ll just come out with it: up to now, I have not generally been a fan of Bovet 1822. So I was surprised by just how much I was impressed with the Ottantasei by Pininfarina and would be very happy to wear one daily. But there is one niggle that I just can’t shake off.

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Piaget Altiplano Ultra-Thin Self-Winding

Piaget 12P: The Birth Of An Ultra-Thin Legacy

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When Piaget introduced the manual wind Caliber 9P at the 1957 Basel Fair, at only 2 mm in height, it was considered an impossibility. Three years later, in 1960, Piaget stunned the watch world once again with Caliber 12P, an automatic movement that broke world records for its svelteness.

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Urwerk UR-105 T-Rex

Jurassic Looks To Kill: The Patina Of Urwerk’s UR-105 T-Rex

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The incredible UR-105 T-Rex is an extinct-reptile-inspired bronze creation using forced oxidation to create a dramatic patina on the surface, while the insides and the rear of the case remains crisp, black, and new as one would expect from Urwerk. My initial response was ‘whoa,’ but among observers there was no middle ground: the Urwerk UR-105 T-Rex is polarizing.

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