Vintage ads - Doxa (1945)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine)
"At the peak of perfection – Self-winding – Antimagnetic – Waterproof”. Doxa chose climbing, a typical Swiss activity, to highlight the reliability and sturdiness of its sports watches.       
Do you like vintage watch ads? Please visit the page about Watch Ads, my two-volume pictorial history of communication and design in 20th Century watchmaking. You can also watch the video about the publication and download a 20-page preview of Volume 1. 

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

 

 

ITALIANO
"In vetta alla qualità – Automatico – Antimagnetico – Impermeabile”. Doxa ha scelto l’alpinismo, tipica attività svizzera, per evidenziare l’affidabilità e la robustezza dei suoi modelli sportivi.
Ti piacciono le pubblicità d'epoca? Visita la pagina su Watch Ads, la mia storia illustrata in due volumi della comunicazione e del design nell'orologeria del Novecento. Puoi anche guardare il video sull'opera e scaricare l'anteprima di 20 pagine del Volume 1.
Gli annunci pubblicitari d'epoca presentati in questo Blog non sono inseriti nei volumi Watch Ads.

 

 

New releases – Bianchet Carbon Orange Tourbillon B1.618 Openwork

 

The architecture of the movement, the design of the case and all the proportions have been thought out and designed according to the principles defined by the Golden Ratio 1.618. The Titanium-Dust-Infused Carbon used for the case is a new composite consisting of carbon fibre interlayered with titanium powder. Shock-resistant to 6000G and water resistant to 5ATM, the watch has a 105-hour power reserve and ensures a running precision of ± 4 second per day. The plate, wheel bridges and tourbillon cage are all made of titanium. 

 

 

Geneva Watch Days

 

The third edition of the Geneva Watch Days welcomes the watch fans from Tuesday August 30 to Thursday September 1. Visitors to the show’s Pavilion will be able to discover the new releases of the 33 participating brands in an exhibition of more than 50 display cases. Guided tours will be organized every day at 1 p.m. and a daily TV show will be broadcast on Worldtempus.com, live from a boat moored on the lake next to the Pavilion. During the week there will be a series of symposiums open to the public: “Legends of independent watchmakers” (August 30, 5 p.m.), “Bulgari Octo Finissimo, the new icon” (August 31, 5 p.m.), “New generation watchmaking leadership” (September 1, 4 p.m.). Click here if you wish to learn more about the Geneva Watch Days.

 

 

Art & Time - Caroline Dechamby

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

It is not often you come across someone who actually made a unique watch or an essential part of it. While in Crans-Montana, I made the acquaintance of Caroline Dechamby, a Dutch self-taught painter and fashion designer based in Switzerland who turned to timepieces in 2014 and came up with objects such as the one featured in these pictures. You might assume – as I did myself – that the dial is the work of a skilled enamel specialist, but that is not the case. Caroline paints her dials in oil on brass, a highly unusual technique in watchmaking and a painstaking process that requires months of dedication under the lens of a microscope and, of course, plenty of talent.

All of Caroline’s dials and paintings are inspired by her passion for contemporary art. This one, named Blue Dream, features a work by the French street artist Weeno and the superposed silhouette of a pretty blonde who seems to be looking on. That is Caroline herself and a constant presence in her paintings.

The case is made in rhodium-plated silver 925, encrusted with diamonds totaling 5.5 carats, and its crown is set with a blue sapphire cabochon. It houses the reliable self-winding Caliber ETA 2892. Each one of the 25 unique pieces making up Caroline’s 100% Swiss Made collection comes with a calfskin handbag featuring the very same motif painted on the dial. Click here if you wish to learn more.

 

ITALIANO

Non capita spesso di incontrare chi ha creato un orologio realmente unico o una parte essenziale di quest'ultimo. Mentre mi trovavo a Crans-Montana, ho conosciuto Caroline Dechamby, pittrice e stilista olandese autodidatta con atelier in Svizzera che nel 2014 si è dedicata anche agli orologi e ha realizzato pezzi come quello illustrato in questo articolo. Si potrebbe pensare – com’è accaduto a me – che il quadrante sia opera di un raffinato specialista dello smalto, ma non è così. Caroline dipinge a olio su ottone i suoi quadranti, tecnica estremamente insolita in orologeria e processo minuzioso che richiede mesi di dedizione con l’ausilio di un microscopio, oltre a un talento non comune.

Tutti i quadranti e i dipinti di Caroline sono ispirati dalla sua passione per l’arte contemporanea. Questo orologio, battezzato Blue Dream, presenta un’opera dello street artist francese Weeno e la sagoma sovrapposta di una bionda carina che sembra osservare. Si tratta della stessa Caroline, presenza costante nei suoi quadri.

La cassa è d’argento 925 rodiato e incastonato di diamanti per un totale di 5,5 carati, con uno zaffiro cabochon blu nella corona. Il movimento è l’affidabile Calibro ETA 2892 automatico. Ciascuno dei 25 pezzi unici che compongono la collezione 100% Swiss Made di Caroline è abbinato con una borsetta di vitello che presenta lo stesso motivo dipinto sul quadrante. Clicca qui se vuoi saperne di più.

 

 

New releases – Frederique Constant Vintage Healey

Frederique Constant celebrates the 70^th anniversary of its automotive partner, Austin Healey, with two limited editions. The Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic has adopted the British racing green colour of the vintage car with the NOJ393 number plate. With a bicompax dial and two racing red hands, this timepiece is produced in two versions: the first, limited to 10 pieces with the 70 figure visible at midday, and the second, with a run of 700 watches, with the “12” in its normal place. The 42 mm steel case houses the FC-397 self-winding movement.

 

 

I dispositivi antiurto

 

Dal canale YouTube di 10e10.ch: breve relazione sulle invenzioni che hanno consentito di proteggere i movimenti degli orologi.

AVAILABLE IN A FEW DAYS!

 THE MUSEUM COLLECTION

100 MILESTONES OF 20^TH CENTURY WATCHMAKING

A UNIQUE GUIDE TO WATCH COLLECTING – HISTORY, TECHNOLOGY, DESIGN AND STYLE OF THE MORE AND LESS WELL-KNOWN MODELS THAT MADE THE HISTORY OF TIMEKEEPING FROM 1900 TO 2000

If you wish to learn more, watch the video clip above, visit the book's page or download the PDF preview file

The Museum Collection will shortly be available for purchase here