New releases – Schwarz Etienne 1902 Synergy by Peter Speake

The brand’s latest “co-authored” timepiece is dedicated to the Manufacture’s power reserve complication. This interpretation by the English watchmaker features a multi-level dial construction conceived to enhance depth and create a floating effect through shaped sapphire crystal. The 39 mm Grade 5 titanium case houses the Manufacture manual calibre with twin barrels MSE 311.00, offering a 120-hour power reserve.

 

Vintage boxes - Longines (1950s)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

Longines presentation boxes were among the richest in information. The English text printed inside the lid suggests that the relevant timepiece was meant for the leading market of the time, that of the United States - “The world’s most honored watch – 10 Worlds Fair Great Prizes – 28 Gold Medals Awards – Classified “first” by the Great Government Observatories – Official watch for Championship Sports the world over – The premier watch of Aviation, Exploration, & Science”. Both sides of the lid feature some of the medals mentioned in the text. A color catalog of the time is shown above the box.  
Do you like vintage boxes? Then The Museum Collection is a must-read for you. The book about 100 milestones of 20^th Century watchmaking features a wide selection of presentation boxes in the Appendixes. Watch the video clip about the publication and download the 15-page preview.
The vintage boxes presented in this Blog are not featured in The Museum Collection.

ITALIANO
Le scatole Longines erano tra le più ricche d’informazioni. Il testo inglese all’interno del coperchio indica che questo esemplare era destinato al mercato più importante dell’epoca, quello americano. “L’orologio più premiato del mondo – 10 Gran Premi nelle Fiere Mondiali – 28 Medaglie d’Oro – Classificato “primo” dai Grandi Osservatori Governativi – Orologio ufficiale dei grandi eventi sportivi in tutto il mondo – L’orologio preferito dall’Aviazione, dall’Esplorazione e dalla Scienza”. Su entrambi i lati del coperchio sono riprodotte alcune delle medaglie citate nel testo. Sopra la scatola appare un catalogo a colori dello stesso periodo.

Ti piacciono le scatole d'epoca? Allora The Museum Collection è la lettura che fa per te. Il libro (in inglese) su 100 icone dell’orologeria del Novecento contiene un’ampia selezione di scatole vintage nelle Appendici. Guarda il video sull'opera e scarica l'anteprima di 20 pagine del Volume 1.
Le scatole vintage presentate in questo Blog non appaiono in The Museum Collection.

New releases – Awake Son Mài – Guilloché main

These three limited editions of 200 pieces each bring together two crafts spanning two continents – the Guilloché Main, perpetuated in Italy by the Renzetti family using 19th-century machines guided by human skill, and the Vietnamese art of Son Mài lacquer, applied in multiple ultra-thin layers and subsequently polished. Inspired by the colors and reflections of celestial phenomena, the Sunset, Alba and Borealis models feature 38 mm stainless steel cases that house the automatic La Joux-Perret Caliber G101, offering a 68-hour power reserve. Price : € 2,650 excl. taxes.

 

New releases - Niton Prima

Designed as a contemporary interpretation of the brand’s heritage, this timepiece connects past and present through the brand’s signature jump-hour display, registered in 1928, a shaped movement crafted to Geneva Seal standards, and an architecture echoing historic creations. The inaugural Souscription series, limited to 19 pieces in platinum and 19 in rose gold, has been fully allocated. Niton is now transitioning into a small production series for the end of the year, representing the total capacity for 2026.

 

Vintage Rolex library - Part 3: The World of Rolex (1987)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

This is the third and final instalment of the mini-series about documents I could not include in Rolex 1961-2025 for lack of space. I posted instalments 1 and 2 on 16 April and 16 May, respectively.

 

Published in 1987, The World of Rolex details several aspects of the activities performed at the Geneva site. At the time, the latter and Rolex Bienne, the company in charge of designing and manufacturing movements, were still independent entities.

 

“The human touch”. Two pages are devoted to “the skilled craftsman who, patiently, builds the movement.” His hand “must be steady but flexible (…) This masterly touch (…) is the product of years of rigorous training.”

 

“Bringing a dream to life”. The pictures show draughtsmen working at Computer-Aided Design desks. “The Rolex workshops are clean, spacious, quiet and well-lit to offer the watchmaker and ideal ergonomic environment in which to practice his craft.”

 

“The case”. “Forged, machined, polished and repolished, the original block of metal is patiently converted with skill and delicacy into a rugged but elegant case (…) The Oyster case is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of at least 100 m.”

 

“The right training”. The Geneva site houses a training centre “operated for the benefit of the watchmakers employed by the jewellers that are Rolex agents, and its aim is to give them a thorough knowledge of Rolex watches (…) In this way, after-sales service can be obtained with confidence throughout the world.”

ITALIANO

Questa è la terza e ultima puntata della mini-serie sui documenti che non ho potuto inserire in Rolex 1961-2025 per mancanza di spazio Trovi le prime due puntate nei post del 16 aprile e 16 maggio scorsi.

Pubblicato nel 1987, Il mondo di Rolex tratta diversi aspetti delle attività svolte presso il sito di Ginevra. All’epoca, quest’ultimo e Rolex Bienne, società incaricata di progettare e produrre i movimenti, erano ancora entità indipendenti.

“L’aspetto umano”. Due pagine sono dedicate al “tecnico competente che monta pazientemente il movimento.” La sua mano “deve essere ferma ma flessibile (…) Questa perizia magistrale (…) è il prodotto di anni di formazione rigorosa.”

“Trasformare il sogno in realtà”. Le immagini mostrano i progettisti al lavoro nel reparto del design computerizzato. “I laboratory Rolex sono puliti, spaziosi, silenziosi e ben illuminati, in modo che l’orologiaio possa svolgere la propria attività in un ambiente ergonomico ideale.”

“La cassa”. “Forgiato, lavorato e lucidato più volte, il blocco metallico originale è trasformato pazientemente in una cassa robusta ma elegante (…) La cassa Oyster è garantita impermeabile a una profondità subacquea di almeno 100 m.”

“La formazione giusta”. Il sito di Ginevra ospita un centro di formazione “destinato agli orologiai impiegati presso I punti vendita Rolex. Il suo scopo è fornire una conoscenza perfetta degli orologi Rolex (…) In tal modo, è possible garantire un servizio post-vendita affidabile in tutto il mondo.”

    

New releases – U-Boat Classico Polarized Dark Mistery

 

The timepiece’s most distinctive feature lies in a system of polarized lenses that, through the rotation of the bezel, shifts from absolute black to a visible dial. When the latter reveals itself, it appears in a three-level beige tone. The 47 mm case is offered either in satin-finished steel or in a black version enhanced by a DLC treatment. On the left side sits the brand’s characteristic crown cover. The Sellita SW200 automatic movement is visible through a distinctive U-shaped crystal.

New releases – Angelus Tinkler 1958

This tribute to the original repeater model is available in a double limited edition of 15 gold and 25 steel pieces. The 38 mm case houses the in-house A600 caliber, a self-winding movement offering a 70-hour power reserve. By pressing the pusher at 9 o’clock, it strikes the hours and quarters. Each hour is marked by a strike on the first gong. If necessary, the calibre then performs a double strike on two gongs to signal each quarter hour, up to a maximum of three sequences.  

Vintage Ads – IWC (1961)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine)

‘YES – IT IS … an INTERNATIONAL – technically perfect, unexelled for accurate timekeeping. As dependable as it is handsome – that is the INTERNATIONAL’. ‘International’ is the name publicity used in the 1960s when dealing with the brand now commonly known with the acronym IWC (International Watch Company). The model seen in the left bottom corner of the ad is the De Luxe Automatic Ref. 601, featuring the universally praised in-house movement with date and a 18 ct. gold dial with raised gold numerals and gold hands.

Do you like vintage watch ads? Visit the page about Watch Ads, the one and only two-volume pictorial history of communication and design in 20th Century watchmaking. Do you wish to know more? Watch the video clip about the publication and download the preview of Volume 1. 

The vintage ads presented in this website are not featured in the Watch Ads books.

 

 

ITALIANO

"SÌ – È … un INTERNATIONAL – tecnicamente perfetto, ineguagliato nella precisione. Tanto affidabile quanto attraente – INTERNATIONAL è tutto questo". Negli Anni 60 la pubblicità usava il nome “International” quando trattava la marca oggi generalmente conosciuta con la sigla IWC (International Watch Company). Il modello illustrato nell’angolo in basso a sinistra è il De Luxe Automatic Ref. 601, con il celebre movimento di manifattura dotato di datario e con un quadrante in oro 18 carati con indici d’oro in rilievo e lancette d’oro.    

Ti piacciono le pubblicità d'epoca? Visita la pagina su Watch Ads, l'unica storia illustrata in due volumi della comunicazione e del design nell'orologeria del Novecento. Vuoi saperne di più? Guarda il video sull'opera e scarica l'anteprima del Volume 1.

 Gli annunci vintage presentati in questo sito non appaiono nei due volumi Watch Ads.

New Releases – Van Bergen 1795 Heero

The brand’s first wristwatch features an acoustic complication that strikes the hour and the half hour, sounded by an oversized hammer drawn from the Heero family’s bell-founding past against a substantial gong that runs to the perimeter of the caseback. The 41 mm titanium or white gold case houses an in-house, self-winding ultra-thin caliber co-developed with a Swiss independent movement atelier. The 230 numbered pieces are available in five dial colors, among which the Monaco Red paying tribute to the Principality. Price: € 32,500 (titanium), € 79,000 (white gold).

 

Oyster Story - The Film

 

"Rolex presents Oyster Story. An icon celebrates its 100 years". This ad taken from a Swiss magazine invites readers to watch the 23-minute official film about the story of the brand's most famous timepiece. A pleasant sight for any watch enthusiast ... and a familiar topic for those who have Rolex 1905-1960 and Rolex 1961-2025 in their private library 😉

New releases – M.A.D.2 REDemption

Designed by Eric Giroud and inspired by the ’90s club scene, with its smooth pebble-like case, spinning vinyl-like dial and jumping hours, this edition is reserved for fans of the brand who have participated in at least four M.A.D. Editions raffles but never won. The 42 mm stainless steel case houses a base movement by La Joux-Perret, fitted with the bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minutes module developed by MB&F. The turntable-like winding rotor on the back carries an engraving saluting the perseverance of those fans who didn’t give up: “They say I’m stubborn, I’d say persistent.”

 

The statue and the watch

Among the passengers waiting for the tram at a stop in downtown Geneva, there's this elegant and silent gentleman, who patiently tolerates any delays and the outrage of vandals who stain the collar of his jacket. He has nerves of steel, or rather, bronze, like everything else: the hat, the glasses, the jacket, the tie, the trousers, the shoes… 

 

... and the watch. I thought it was something generic as I got closer to take a better look. However, I had underestimated the sculptor and his attention to detail. The watch is the unmistakable Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet. Unbelievable: a creation from the Vallée de Joux celebrated in the home of Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Vacheron Constantin!
Jokes aside, the statue—one of three displayed at the Plainpalais stop, all created by Gérald Ducimitière and inaugurated in 1982—depicts a real person, just like the watch he evidently loved to wear: André L'Huillier, a prominent Geneva collector and patron of artists, who passed away in 1998.

New releases – Greubel Forsey 24 Secondes Architecture

The design of the watch, first presented in 2022 and now launched in its final edition of 11 pieces, is the movement itself, displayed and visible from all angles. The conical-frustum titanium case integrates sapphire crystal around the full periphery. At the heart of the calibre lies the tourbillon, positioned at 6 o’clock and rotating once every 24 seconds at a 25° inclination. The movement comprises 354 components, including an 86-part tourbillon cage weighing only 0.38 grams. In this final version the contrasts between surfaces are slightly reinforced, enhancing legibility and depth. 

 

Watches at auction

Here are a few highlights from the upcoming auctions held by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo in Hong Kong (30-31 May) and New York (13-14 June).

 

The Patek Philippe Ref. 3448 was the world’s first self‑winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. This white gold example from 1972 features, pearly minute divisions, rare “reversed” date numerals, an unusual Patek Philippe signature placement, and a dial double‑signed by Beyer Chronometrie, the historic Zurich store recently acquired by Patek Philippe. Hong Kong, estimate: $ 765,000-1,500.000

 

This pink gold Patek Philippe timepiece is the only known Ref. 2499 First Series in pink gold stamped with British hallmarks. Manufactured in 1951, imported to London in 1955, and sold in 1956, the case back bears both a British import mark and a Swiss hallmark. Hong Kong, estimate: $ 3,000,000-6,000.000

 

This oversized yellow gold rectangular wristwatch with engraved caseband and Breguet numerals was made by Patek Philippe in 1929 and retailed by Tiffany & Co. Its original owner was Paul Starrett, builder of Iconic New York Landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, and The Plaza Hotel. New York, estimate: $ 15,000-30,000

 

Fresh to the auction market, this Ref. 1518 from 1948 is one of only around 58 to be have been cased in pink gold. This version of the world’s first serially produced perpetual calendar cronograph wristwatch festures Portuguese calendar discs. New York, estimate: $ 1,200,000-2,400,000

 

Made around 1967, this yellow gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6239 is one among only a handful known with a creamy champagne “Paul Newman” dial. This is its second appearance after it was offered at Phillips New York by the family of the original owner in 2020. New York, Estimate: $ 600,000-1,200,000

 

New releases – David Candaux DC6 Night Forest

 

 

Produced in a limited edition of eight pieces, the lightest watch in the independent watchmaker’s collection (45 grams on the wrist) features a 45 mm case in UD carbon and natural titanium with a smoky topaz green dial, and the retractable “Magic Crown” at 6 o’clock. UD stands for unidirectional, which means that the sheets of continuous fiber run through the entire thickness of the material. The in-house Caliber H74 features a flying tourbillon inclined at 30°, completing a revolution in 60 seconds, and a 55-hour power reserve. Price: CHF 248,000.

Vintage Rolex Library - Part 2: What is necessary to know (1982)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

This is instalment 2 of the mini-series dealing with publications I could not include in the Documents sections of Rolex 1961-2025 for lack of space. Instalment 1 was posted last month.

 

Dating back to 1982, this brochure in Italian is of particular interest because it is meant for the sales staff of Rolex agents rather than the public. As the title suggests, its 32 pages highlight “What is necessary to know” about a number of Rolex-related topics

 

The booklet opens with an introduction by Director General André Heiniger: “This brochure, dedicated to you, will give you an even better understanding of Rolex watches, and in particular the technical qualities that have made them so prestigious”

 

Several pages are devoted to the unique features of the Oyster case, its record-breaking performances, and the state-of-the-art technology that enables to achieve and test its waterproofness

 

The section about the Perpetual movement and accuracy explains the meaning of the Chronometer certification, underscored by the Red Seal that comes with each Rolex Superlative Chronometer

 

A few “tool” models are covered in detail, as their functions need some clarifications. The pages about the GMT-Master feature two examples of how to use it

 

The next pages point out that “Rolex watches also have their shop windows” and urge sales managers to ask for branded display stands

 

ITALIANO

Questa è la seconda parte della mini-serie dedicata alle pubblicazioni che non ho potuto inserire nelle sezioni Documenti di Rolex1961-2025 per mancanza di spazio. La prima puntata è stata pubblicata il mese scorso.

Questa brochure del 1982 questa brochure in Italiano ha un interesse particolare perché si dirige al personale di vendita degli agenti Rolex e non al pubblico. Come indica il titolo, le sue 32 pagine mettono in evidenza “Quello che è necessario sapere” su numerosi argomenti legati alla Casa

Il libretto si apre con un messaggio del Direttore Generale André Heiniger: “Questa brochure, che Le è dedicate, Le permetterà di conoscere ancora meglio gli orologi Rolex, e in particolare le qualità tecniche che li hanno resi prestigiosi”

Diverse pagine trattano le caratteristiche uniche della cassa Oyster, le sue imprese da record e la tecnologia all’avanguardia che permette di raggiungerne e testarne l’impermeabilità

La sezione sulla precisione e il movimento Perpetual spiega il significato della certificazione cronometrica, evidenziata dal Sigillo Rosso che accompagna ciascuno dei “Cronometri Superlativi” Rolex

Alcuni modelli professionali sono descritti in dettaglio poiché le loro funzioni richiedono dei chiarimenti. Le pagine sul GMT-Master contengono due esempi del suo uso.

Le pagine seguenti fanno notare che “Gli orologi Rolex hanno anche le loro vetrine” e incoraggiano i responsabili dei punti vendita a richiedere gli espositori ufficiali