New releases – Exaequo Melting Watch Polyhedron

  

Each 55 mm by 35 mm 925 sterling silver case, water resistant to 30 metres, features 62 surfaces and requires over two days of work. The 101 numbered pieces are a tribute to the 101th anniversary of the Surrealist Manifesto. Inside beats the Ronda 751.1 quartz movement indicating hours and minutes. The handmade Italian leather strap is fitted with a silver pin buckle whose shape echoes the “melting”  theme.

 

 

COMING SOON! ROLEX 1961-2025

The long-awaited Volume 2 of Rolex's history is on its way!

 

 

Here are the cover and an excerpt from the introduction of the 320-page book:

"(...) Most of the book replicates the formula of Rolex 1905-1960. Each chapter on the decades from 1961 to 2000 opens with a chronology of significant events and a table of movements developed during the period. This is followed by a gallery of timepieces, accompanied by photographs, texts illustrating their genesis, and technical data sheets. A wide selection of annotated advertisements allows readers to follow the evolution of the brand from an image perspective. Technical innovation receives the attention it deserves through a review of patents. The final sections present documents ranging from the company's publications to articles in the specialist press. The years from 2001 to 2025 are treated differently. After the dates and movements, the reader finds a comprehensive narrative that includes all the subjects analyzed separately in the previous chapters. (...)"

The book will be available at physical and online bookshops at the end of February. Stay tuned for updates!

In the meantime, if you are looking for something to read during the Christmas break, the Watch Books by Marco Strazzi ensure you are spoilt for choice.

 

The Museum Collection is a selection of 100 milestones of 20^th Century watchmaking. The technology, design and style of the more and less well-known models that made the history of timekeeping from 1900 to 2000. Click here to learn more.

Watch Ads 1900-1959 and Watch Ads 1960-2000 take the reader through a century of communication. The thousand or so featured images are living history and a faithful testimony of how design, styling and the public’s tastes evolved. Click here to learn more.

Rolex 1905-1960 focuses on the company’s first half-century - the years that shaped its identity and paved the way to worldwide success. Timeline, watches, movements, ads, patents, documents. Click here to learn more.

 

 

The publisher has a recommendation for fiction lovers, as well. The historical novel Wingwatch tells the story of a wristwatch, lost on D-Day and rediscovered 70 years later in an auction house catalog. Click here to learn more.

 

PROSSIMAMENTE: ROLEX 1961-2025

Sta per arrivare l'attesissimo Volume 2 della storia Rolex! 

 

Ecco la copertina e un estratto dall'introduzione del libro (320 pagine) :

"(...) La maggior parte del libro replica la formula di Rolex 1905-1960. Ciascuno dei capitoli sui decenni dal 1961 al 2000 si apre con la cronologia degli eventi significativi e la tabella dei movimenti sviluppati nel periodo. Segue la galleria degli orologi, accompagnati da fotografie, testi che ne illustrano la genesi e schede tecniche. Un’ampia selezione di annunci pubblicitari commentati permette di seguire l’evoluzione della marca dal punto di vista dell’immagine. L’innovazione tecnica riceve l’attenzione che merita attraverso la rassegna dei brevetti. Le sezioni finali presentano documenti che vanno dalle pubblicazioni della Casa agli articoli della stampa specializzata. Gli anni dal 2001 al 2025 sono trattati diversamente. Dopo le date e i movimenti, il lettore trova un racconto globale che comprende tutti i temi analizzati separatamente nei capitoli precedenti. (...)"

Il libro sarà disponibile nelle librerie fisiche e online alla fine di febbraio. Continua a seguire 10e10.ch per gli aggiornamenti!

Nel frattempo, se desideri qualcosa da leggere durante le vacanze di Natale i Watch Books di Marco Strazzi ti garantiscono l'imbarazzo della scelta.

 

Orologi da Polso 1900-1959 è la prima parte della nuova storia enciclopedica dell’orologio da polso. Lo stravagante braccialetto con orologio deriso dai conformisti diventa uno strumento indispensabile. Clicca qui per saperne di più.

Orologi da polso 1960-2000 conclude la cronistoria del Ventesimo Secolo. Dall’orologio elettrico al rinascimento della meccanica, passando attraverso la crisi del quarzo. Con un’appendice sul ventennio 2001-2021. Clicca qui per saperne di più.

Watch Ads 1900-1959 e Watch Ads 1960-2000 accompagnano il lettore lungo un secolo di comunicazione. Un migliaio di annunci pubblicitari raccontano l’evoluzione del design e dei gusti attraverso i decenni. Clicca qui per saperne di più.

Rolex 1905-1960 è dedicato al primo mezzo secolo della Casa: gli anni che ne hanno definito l’identità creando le premesse di un successo planetario. Cronologia, orologi, movimenti, pubblicità, brevetti, documenti originali. Clicca qui per saperne di più.

 

 

L’editore ha un consiglio anche per gli amanti della narrativa. L’Orologio con le Ali racconta la storia di un orologio smarrito il 6 giugno 1944 (D-Day) e riscoperto 70 anni più tardi nel catalogo di una casa d’aste. Clicca qui per saperne di più.

 

 

Watches at auction

Here are a few highlights of the upcoming auction held by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo on 6-7 December in New York.

 

This 67-year-old Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538 has never been polished. Its case retains the original bevels and facets. The “four liner” glossy dial makes it particularly desirable. Estimate: $160,000-320,000

 

This Omega Constellation Grand Luxe is one of only two known examples in platinum. It is believed to have been specially commissioned for a member of the Kuwaiti royal family in the late 1950s. Estimate: $100,000-200,000

 

Known as the “Padellone” (Italian for large frying pan) by collectors, this triple date Ref. 8171 dates back to 1952. Hardly ever worn and never polished, it features a dial with original grainé surface in outstanding condition with minor signs of aging. Estimate: $250,000-500,000

 

 Accompanied by its original Certificate of Origin, purchase receipt, and presentation box, this Patek Philippe perpetual calendar Ref. 3940J features a doré dial that was produced exclusively during the first and early second series of the 1980s iconic model. Estimate: $120,000-140,000.

 

This Omega Tourbillon 30 I houses one of only twelve experimental movements created by Omega in 1947 for observatory chronometer trials, and one of just three known to be cased in 18K yellow gold. Estimate: $60,000-120,000

 

Recently inherited by the grandson of the original owner, this Rolex Ref. 6036 Dato-Compax features a clean grené dial with strongly inked blue numerals, a crisp Oyster case, and a stretch riveted bracelet with matching engravings. Estimate: 120,000-240,000 

 

 

New releases – Aera C-1 Chrono

 

With its reverse panda dial, and red detailing, this timepiece references the classic mid-century chronograph most closely associated with motorsport. The 42 mm 904L stainless steel case houses a Swiss-made Sellita SW510 BH Bi-compax Elabore grade automatic movement, delivering a 56-hour power reserve. The domed sapphire crystal features two coats of anti-reflective coating. The C-1 Chrono comes in an edition of 300 pieces, launched in phased releases. Price: USD 2’475.

New releases – Swan & Edgar Horizon

 

This limited edition timepiece by the British brand evokes the meeting of the White Cliffs of Dover and the blue sky and sea – a landscape rooted in the country’s past as a symbol of the Battle of Britain during World War II. This version features a fumé enamel dial kiln-fired at high temperatures and a gold-plated triangle at 12 o’clock referencing RAF plotting clocks. Assembled in the UK, the Horizon houses a Miyota 9015 automatic movement. A 3D rendering of the Cliffs is sculpted on the caseback. Price: £ 795. 

Watches at auction

The sale celebrating the 10th anniversary of both the Phillips Watch Department and the company in Asia features over 300 lots. Here are some of the highlights.

 

The Jaeger‑LeCoultre Atmos Marqueterie “Gustav Klimt,” created in 2008 to celebrate the Atmos clock’s 80th anniversary, is a limited edition of ten pieces. It is encased in a marquetry cabinet recreating Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch‑Bauer I with over 1,200 fragments of rare woods and gold leaf. Estimate: 100,000-200,000 USD.

 

The Patek Philippe ref. 3971, launched alongside the 3970 in 1986, is nearly identical but distinguished by its sapphire snap-on caseback. This 1990-purchased piece represents one of the rarest expressions of the reference. Estimate : 500,000-1,000,000 USD.

 

Introduced in 1958, the Patek Philippe ref. 2597 was the brand’s first dual time zone watch based on Louis Cottier’s patented “Heures Sautantes” system. The present second-series ref. 2597/1 in pink gold has remained in the same family collection for 45 years. Estimate: 250,000-500,000 USD.

 

This Patek Philippe one-minute tourbillon pocket watch with up/down indicator won First Prize at the 1921 Geneva Astronomical Observatory contest. The movement features a one-minute tourbillon carriage with Guillaume balance and Breguet balance spring. Estimate: 100,000-200,000 USD.

 

  

New releases – Behrens KWH Watch

The Chinese brand and the independent watchmaker Vianney Halter translated the aesthetics of vintage industrial instruments into a modern watch design. The hour display takes cues from the classic video game Snake, using Behrens’patented ruby-bearing micro-chain mechanical System. The movement is constructed from 870 components and includes a temperature-compensation adjustment system, ensuring the stability of the micro-chain mechanism in all environments. Price : 44,800 USD.

New releases – Stollenwurm Tarot Metiers d’Art

Limited edition of 5 pieces for each Major Arcana. Hannah Perry Saucier reimagined the Tarot as worlds of archetype and intuition. The enamellers of Donzé Cadrans gave those visions permanence in fire. Télôs Watch and TMH SA designed and built a micro-rotor caliber exclusively for Stollenwurm. ABProduct in La Chaux-de-Fonds forged the cases and bracelets and performed final assembly. Price: 100,000 CHF.

Watches at auction

On 8 & 9 November, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will celebrate ten years of watch auctions with the Decade One (2015-2025) thematic sale in Geneva. Here are a few highlights.

 

The first steel Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 ever made and one of only four known. When last offered by Phillips in 2016, it realized CHF 11,002,000, becoming the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction at the time and the first to surpass the eight-figure threshold. Estimate in excess of CHF 8,000,000.

 

This 18k yellow-gold “Paul Newman” Daytona Ref. 6239 with Omani provenience, nicknamed the “Golden Pagoda”, is among the best-preserved champagne-dial Paul Newman examples known. Estimate : CHF 500,000-1,000,000.

 

Delivered in 1913 to John Pierpont Morgan, Jr (the bank founder’s son), this is the very first Cartier ‘Model A’ Mystery Clock, devised in 1912 by clockmaker Maurice Coüet. Estimate: CHF 300,000-600,000.

 

A Patek Philippe Ref. 1436 Split-Seconds Chronograph in yellow gold with Tiffany & Co.-signed dial. Estimate : CHF 150,000 – 300,000.

 

A Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in yellow gold with Gübelin-signed dial Estimate: 400,000-800,000.

 

A  platinum and diamond-set Patek Philippe Ref. 3424/1 designed by Gilbert Albert. Estimate: CHF 100,000-200,000. 

 

This white gold piece is one of around 50 jump-hour wristwatches believed to have been produced by Breguet in the 20th century. Estimate : CHF 20,000-40,000.

 

Made for Esso Standard circa 1957, this Breguet Type XX chronograph in stainless steel is engraved with the oil company’s name on the caseback. Estimate: CHF 30,000-60,000.

 

 

New releases – Bianchet UltraFino Sapphire

At 9.8 mm thick, this timepiece is the thinnest full-sapphire tourbillon on the market. Its curved tonneau case is complemented by a white rubber joint that ensures a 5ATM water resistance and creates a graphic line around the case. The UT01 automatic caliber is 3.85 mm thick yet shock-resistant to 5000 Gs. The grade 5 titanium bridges are satin-brushed, polished and hand-chamfered. The rotor is shaped into twelve interlacing spirals. Fitted with a white natural vulcanized rubber strap, the watch is priced at CHF 85,500.

 

New releases – ZRC Grands Fonds Heritage

The latest reinterpretation of the diver’s watch originally developed for the French Navy in the 1960s features a ‘tropicalised’ dial whose patina conveys the effects of time. The strap in sand-coloured FKM rubber completes its look. The hexagonal steel case houses the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, offering a power reserve of 38 hours and an accuracy of +/- 7 seconds per day.

 

 

Mini-documentary - The Geneva Seal

From our YouTube channel: a history of the oldest certification in watchmaking.

Enjoy ... and do not forget to subscribe to the Channel 10e10.ch by Marco Strazzi. 

Mini-documentario - Il Punzone di Ginevra

Dal nostro Canale YouTube: storia e attualità della certificazione più antica.

Buona visione ... e non dimenticare di iscriverti al Canale 10e10.ch by Marco Strazzi! 

New releases – Renaud Tixier Monday Organica

The dial crafted by Ateliers Olivier Vaucher brings together the multi-level hand engraving, the grand feu enamel, and textural effects that transform the surface into a miniature landscape. Is serves as an artistic counterpoint to the mechanical innovation brought about by the patented system that enhances the efficiency of micro-rotor through an inertia wheel and a “dancer” spring. Limited to 7 pieces, this timekeeper is priced at CHF 125,000. 

New releases - Maurice de Mauriac L3 Les Clefs d’Or

Les Clefs d’Or (aka The Golden Keys) is a professional association of hotel concierges, with approximately 4.000 members working in over 80 countries and 530 destinations around the globe. The organization partnered with the Zurich brand to create its own official timepiece, based on the L3 Sphériques Blue tricompax chronograph with fumé blue dial, available  in a 40.5 mm stainless steel case with gold PVD coating or in a regular stainless steel case. The movement is an automatic Concepto C8100-A, custom-refined for the Maurice de Mauriac.

The Rolex founder’s burial site

 

Rolex enthusiasts visiting Geneva might be interested in paying their respect to the tomb of the brand’s founder. Hans Wilsdorf passed away in 1960 and was buried along with his wife May in the Cimetière des Rois (Kings’ Cemetery), located at number 10 Rue des Rois. It was precisely after May’s death in 1944 that Mr. Wilsdorf decided to create the Foundation that still owns Rolex.

 

 

New releases – Titan Jalsa

 

India’s premier watch group enters the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève with a timepiece uniting miniature painting with a flying tourbillon. On the dial the artist Shakir Ali, one of India’s most revered miniature painters, has rendered a royal procession in front of Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds. The movement was entirely conceived, engineered and assembled by Titan’s watchmaking division – in partnership with Swiss experts to meet global standards of haute horlogerie. Jalsa is limited to 10 numbered pieces, each priced at approx. € 45,000.