New releases - Arnold & Son 38 HM Steel Amber

The Baltic amber used for the dial comes from a block weighing 1.6 kilograms, fossilized more than 30 million years ago. No two pieces have exactly the same pattern of streaks. The 39.5 mm steel case hosts the extra thin Caliber A&S1001, an in-house hand-wound movement with a 90-hour power reserve. Its price is CHF 19,500 incl. VAT.

 

Vintage ads - Patek Philippe (ca. 1955)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine) 

“Patek Philippe (…) considers this PERPETUAL Calendar Watch among its greatest achievements. (…) This normal-size wrist watch has the amazing ability of telling you not only the correct day, date and month of the year – but changes completely on its own for 28, 30 and 31 day months. (…) Only a few can own this Patek Philippe – because only a few are made!” The pictured timepiece is the Ref. 2438, which in the early 1950s replaced the Ref. 1526. The new perpetual calendar featured a sweep second hand rather than the subsidiary second dial of its predecessor. According to this ad, Patek Philippe “gave the world the first stem-winding watch” in 1840. This is incorrect, as in 1840 Adrien Philippe had not patented his invention yet and – more importantly – his first meeting with Norbert de Patek took place a few years later.

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

“Patek Philippe (…) considera questo orologio con calendario PERPETUO uno dei suoi successi più grandi. (…) Questo orologio da polso di dimensioni normali ha la straordinaria capacità di indicare con esattezza non solo il giorno, la data e il mese dell’anno, ma anche di tenere conto dei mesi di 28, 30 e 31 giorni. (…) Pochi possono indossare questo Patek Philippe … perché ne facciamo pochi!” Il modello illustrato è la Ref. 2438, che nei primi Anni 50 sostituì la Ref. 1526. Nel nuovo calendario perpetuo la lancetta dei secondi si trovava al centro, mentre nel suo predecessore era a ore 6. Secondo il testo, Patek Philippe “diede al mondo il primo orologio con corona di carica” nel 1840. Affermazione inesatta: nel 1840 Adrien Philippe non aveva ancora brevettato la sua invenzione e, soprattutto, il primo incontro con Norbert de Patek ebbe luogo alcuni anni più tardi.

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 pubblicati in questo sito non appaiono nei due volumi Watch Ads.

 

 

 

New releases – Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture

Two new limited editions complete the collection’s color range with the green of forests. Available in a 42mm stainless steel case (718 pieces) or an 18K rose gold case (36 pieces), the watch features a world map dial, a date window, and a green leather strap. Its Manufacture caliber allows the wearer to read the time zones of 24 reference cities via a 24-hour disc, complemented by a date hand. All functions are adjusted using a single crown.

 

New releases - Cedric Bellon CB01 Small Seconds

This second collaboration between Ace Jewelers and Cedric Bellon features a case, dial, and buckle crafted from 100% repurposed grade 5 titanium, sourced from factory leftovers, which contributes to a sustainability score of 84.44%. The Dubois Dépraz movement DD10460 is also repurposed, sourced from unused stock rather than newly manufactured, and delivers a power reserve of 44 hours. The ton-sur-ton, monochrome look is complemented by Superluminova on the hands and indexes, ensuring legibility in low light.

Jean Lassale: ultra-thin wonders

A 1970s story - record-breaking watches with an unhappy fate.

Enjoy the brand-new mini documentary from the 10e10.ch by Marco Strazzi You Tube channel. 

And do not forget to subscribe!

 

 

Jean Lassale: ultrapiatti da record

Una storia degli Anni 70: orologi da primato con un destino infelice. 

Guarda l'ultimo mini-documentario dal canale YouTube di 10e10.ch by Marco Strazzi.

E non dimenticare di iscriverti!

New releases – Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916

Created in collaboration with the Italian motorcycle manufacturer and released as a limited edition of 250 pieces, this model celebrates the 30^th anniversary of the Ducati 916 motorcycle. Its features include a mat black ceramic bezel on a marbled-black Carbon Forged case body, integrated with Grade 5 Titanium crown, case-back and buckle. The proprietary developed calibre supports a two-level dial with the jumping hours disk on top.

 

 

New releases – Ralph Lauren Polo Sport Collection

Waterproof to 50 m, the 42 mm steel case features an aluminium rotating bezel. The dial’s azure matte blue and black lacquered base is adorned with white super luminova indexes. Made by Selllita, the self-winding Caliber RL200 has a 38-hour power reserve. A version with a green bezel and an orange rubber strap is also available.

 

 

Vintage library - La Suisse Horlogère (1949)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina) 

This 32-page brochure was created by the Swiss Chamber of Watchmaking - the employers’ association that also published the quarterly magazine “La Suisse Horlogère”.

 

 

The author is Pierre Huguenin, who starts by telling a brief history of watchmaking since the Middle Ages. 

The following sections deal with materials, style, waterproofness, movements, accuracy, and servicing.

 

All in all, a fine and richly illustrated example of popularization aimed at both the sales people and the general public. Its only defect being a common practice of the contemporary trade press: the brand names of the watchmakers were erased from the dials of the featured timepieces, presumably to avoid free advertising. No harm done: the modern-day collector will be more than happy to guess the missing names …

 

ITALIANO 

Questo opuscolo di 32 pagine fu realizzato dalla Camera Svizzera dell’Orologeria, l’organizzazione padronale che pubblicava anche la rivista trimestrale “La Suisse Horlogère”. L’autore è Pierre Huguenin, che comincia con una breve storia dell’artigianato orologiero dal Medio Evo. Le sezioni seguenti trattano i materiali, lo stile, l’impermeabilità, i movimenti, la precisione e la manutenzione. Nel complesso, un esempio di divulgazione riuscito, riccamente illustrato e diretto sia al personale di vendita sia al pubblico. L’unico difetto è una pratica diffusa nella stampa specializzata dell’epoca: i nomi delle marche sono stati cancellati dai quadranti degli esemplari illustrati, presumibilmente per evitare la pubblicità gratuita. Poco male: il collezionista di oggi sarà felice di provare a indovinare i nomi mancanti…

 

 

New releases – Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription

This model pays homage to the brand’s roots and founder. Limited to 20 pieces, this edition is faithful to the original model of the 1990s in style and craft, but new in terms of mechanics, with the DR002 movement within having been developed and manufactured in house at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. The latter also made the solid gold dials, engine turned by a single artisan in a process that required 10 hours of work per dial. The 18k yellow gold case retains the double ellipse form, but with a centered godron along its outline for a balanced profile. 

 

 

New releases- Anywhere Arborea

This limited edition of 15 platinum pieces reinterprets Henri Rousseau’s iconic painting "The Virgin Forest at Sunset." Each one of the 575 miniature alveola – unique in size and shape – is hand-painted. The watch allows its wearer to know the length of the day and the times of sunrise and sunset for a location of their choice, anywhere in the world. The 39 mm case hosts the manual winding Caliber C030, featuring a 72-hour power reserve.

 

 

Watches at auction - World records

In 2024, Phillips Watches sold 1,790 lots at auction with 25 timepieces selling above US$1 million. Among them were the three examples pictured below.

 

This 18ct gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with ‘Paul Newman Lemon dial’, brown ‘tropical’ subsidiary registers and outer track sold for over US$2.8 million and set the world auction record for Reference 6264. The Geneva Watch Auction XX, November 2024.

 

 

This world time Patek Philippe Ref. 2523/1 in yellow gold features two crowns, a guilloche dial and metallic city ring. It sold for US$1,934,840. The Geneva Watch Auction, May 2024.

 

 

This magnetic ‘water clock’ by Cartier dates to circa 1929 and came with the original presentation box. It is made of marble, silver, lapis lazuli, nephrite, coral, mother-of-pearl, enamel and jade. It sold for US$1,917,657, setting a world record for this kind of timepiece. The Hong Kong Watch Auction XVIII, May 2024.

New releases – Suchy & Söhne Belvedere

The Champagne & Bordeaux models are the latest additions to the Belvedere collection. The moving date window advances day by day. The 40.8 mm 316L, pearl-blasted steel case is water resistant to 10 ATM and hosts the automatic Caliber CSS201, based on a Dubois-Dépraz movement and equipped with a gold-plated oscillating weight. The latter features a micro engraving of the Vienna Belvedere Palace.

 

 

New releases - ZRC Q157 Phénix

This 200-piece limited edition of the GF42168PH diving watch was made to celebrate the brand’s partnership with the expedition aiming to find the wreck of a French Navy a submarine disappeared on June 15th, 1939. The machined 316L stainless steel case is waterproof up to 300 meters depth. A luminescent SLN Old radium X1 paint adorns the hour and minute hands as well as the hour markers on the unidirectional bezel with a bright blue insert coordinated with the dial. Its case back is decorated with an engraving representing a mythical phoenix. The movement is the Sellita SW-300 caliber. 

 

 

The Watch Library

 

A short video story of watch design by The Watch Library, the new online research tool. From the homepage: 'By digitizing and mobilizing the resources and archives of all watchmaking actors (museums, brands, institutions, media, retailers, suppliers, libraries), the initiative can exploit the capabilities of Big Data - the collection and publication of vast amounts of information - in this case about the watchmaking industry. The Watch Library aims to demonstrate how shared data and knowledge foster innovation, creativity and thus feed the imagination of experts, current and future professionals and watch enthusiasts. It reconciles heritage and digital technology to help increase the appeal of watchmaking to the public, especially to the younger generations of collectors.'

 

 

New Releases – Awake Son Mai

The French brand’s first Swiss Made permanent collection features dials combining two Metiers d’Art: the centuries-old Vietnamese art of sanded lacquer, and silver leaf gilding. The construction of the indexes and hands, wrapped in Super-LumiNova® BGW9, generates backlighting effects that magnify the depth and reflections of the lacquer. The 39 mm stainless steel case hosts the automatic Caliber La Joux-Perret G101.

 

 

New releases - TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Oracle Red Bull Racing

This limited edition quartz chronograph celebrates the 20^th season of Red Bull Racing in Formula 1. The black DLC-coated case is paired with an asphalt-textured dial in the Oracle Red Bull Racing blue. The Team’s logo appears between 7 and 10 o’clock. The caseback is engraved with the 20^th season and Team logos, as well as the inscription ‘One of 3000’.

 

 

New releases – Airain Type 20 ACE

Founded in the mid-20th century, the brand was revived by Tom van Wijlick in 2020. This modern take on the classic Airain aviation watch is the result of a partnership with the Amsterdam-based retailer Ace Jewelers. The silver-white dial is highlighted by orange accents and a roulette minute counter. The 39.5 mm stainless steel case hosts the hand-wound column-wheel AM2 caliber, which features the flyback function allowing for rapid resetting. A fabric NATO strap comes with the watch, in addition to the leather strap. 

 

 

Christmas 2024 / Natale 2024

 

VERY BEST WISHES TO ALL READERS!

AUGURI DI CUORE A TUTTI I LETTORI!

 

Watches at auction

The top lot of the Christie’s New York auction held on December 9 was a Richard Mille conceptual ultra-flat titanium, limited edition timepiece with function selector and visible titanium balance. Created in partnership with Ferrari, it achieved $1.4 million.

 

A 1986 Cartier London Crash sold for $819,000.

 

Another notable result came for a 1940 Patek Philippe 18k Yellow and Pink Gold ‘Chameleon’ Hinged Bangle Bracelet Watch, which sold for $378,000, more than three times its high estimate.