New Releases – Raymond Weil Millesime

First prize winner in the ‘Challenge’ category at GPHG 2023, the new collection offers two time display variants: reference 2925 with a central seconds hand; and reference 2930 sporting a small seconds counter at 6 o'clock. The textured-finish dial is protected by a ‘Glassbox’ sapphire crystal with dual-sided antireflective treatment. The 39.5 mm stainless steel case hosts the self-winding Caliber RW4251, featuring a 38-hour power reserve.

 

 

Icons at auction / 2

Two top lots from the catalog of the upcoming Antiquorum auction (Geneva, 11-12 May). Watch the video clips.

 

Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Ref. 6265 - ca. 1975 - Estimate: CHF80'000-140'000

 

 

Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 2523 - 1953 - Estimate: CHF1'000'000-2'000'000

 

Icons at auction / 1

The upcoming Christie’s auctions feature a few remarkable Rolex and Patek Philippe timepieces. 

 

 

Previously owned by Gordon Bethune, the CEO of Continental Airlines 1994-20024 and a world-renowned collector, this triple date Oyster Perpetual Ref. 6062 features the much coveted “Stelline” dial. Geneva, 12 May. Estimate: CHF 350,000-700,000.

 

 

This Reference 6036 ‘Jean-Claude Killy’ triple date chronograph also belonged to Gordon Bethune. It was named after the French Olympic skier, a Rolex ambassador for 40 years. Geneva, 13 May. Estimate: CHF 160,000-200,000.

 

 

This Reference 6100 is one of three Rolex wristwatches featuring a cloisonné enamel dial decorated with a coat of arms known to date. Vintage cloisonné dials exhibit a certain colour palette which is more tonal and characterful than modern enamels, due to materials such as lead, mercury and cyanide still allowed to be used in the enameling process in the 1950s. Geneva, 13 May. Estimate: CHF 220,000-440,000.

 

 

This Yellow gold Patek Philippe Reference 2523 features a world time dial with the names of 41 cities in French, and a cloisonné enamel map of Eurasia attributed to Marguerite Koch. It is one of only three examples known to still exist today. Hong Kong, 26 May. Estimate: EUR 4,600,000-9,200,000.

 

 

Novità – Aerowatch Régulateur Automatique 1942

Proposto in serie limitata di 100 pezzi, il modello ha una cassa impermeabile da 42 mm in acciaio inossidabile. Sotto il vetro zaffiro bombato il quadrante decorato a “clous de Paris” visualizza l’ora in alto, i minuti al centro, i secondi in basso e la data a ore 3. Il movimento automatico Sellita visibile attraverso il fondo cassa trasparente presenta una massa oscillante decorata.

 

 

Vintage Press - Revue Internationale de l'Horlogerie (1952)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

The Revue Internationale de l’Horlogerie (RIH) was a trade magazine published monthly in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland). Its April 1952 issue was fully devoted to the self-winding wristwatch, a product that over twenty years after its debut still struggled to gain widespread acceptance among the public. As the Bales Watch Fair was approaching, the obvious intent of the RIH was to promote the sales of a timepiece that customers still found unreliable and too expensive.

The brief history of the self-winding watch is the work of Alfred Chapuis, the most reputed historian of watchmaking at the time. Abraham-Louis Perrelet is mentioned as the inventor of the “Perpetuel” timepiece in the 1770s. A few years later, such great watchmakers as Abraham-Louis Breguet and Louis Recordon patented their own ingenious systems. The British John Harwood was the first to create an automatic wristwatch in the late 1920s. In the mid-1930s, the Perpetual by Rolex paved the way to the modern automatic watch.

The following pages feature a wide selection of contemporary self-winding movements presented by their manufacturers. Photo above: calibers by ETA and AS.

Most exhibitors at the upcoming Basel Watch Show were presenting automatic watches. These pages feature products by Rolex, Movado, Omega and Breitling among others.

The final pages are devoted to the impact of the self-winding watch on world markets. Retailers from all over the globe were invited to write about their experiences. Photo above: reports from Brazil and Canada.

ITALIANO

La Revue Internationale de l’Horlogerie (RIH) era una rivista specializzata pubblicata mensilmente a La Chaux-de-Fonds (Svizzera). Il numero di aprile 1952 fu interamente consacrato all’orologio da polso automatico, prodotto che a oltre vent’anni dal debutto stentava a conquistare il grande pubblico. Con l’avvicinarsi della Fiera di Basilea, la finalità della RIH era ovviamente di favorire le vendite di un segnatempo che il pubblico percepiva ancora come inaffidabile e troppo caro.

La breve storia dell’orologio automatico fu affidata ad Alfred Chapuis, lo storico dell’orologeria più prestigioso dell’epoca. Abraham-Louis Perrelet è citato come inventore negli Anni 70 del 18esimo secolo. Alcuni anni più tardi, grandi orologiai come Abraham-Louis Breguet e Louis Recordon brevettarono a loro volta sistemi ingegnosi. Il britannico John Harwood fu il primo a creare un orologio da polso automatico verso la fine degli Anni 20. A metà degli Anni 30, il Perpetual di Rolex aprì la strada all’automatico moderno.
Le pagine successive presentano un’ampia gamma di movimenti automatici contemporanei descritti dai loro fabbricanti. Nella terza foto dall’alto, calibri di produzione ETA e AS.
La maggior parte delle Case partecipanti all’imminente Fiera di Basilea esponeva orologi automatici. In queste pagine (quarta foto dall’alto) appaiono prodotti firmati Rolex, Movado, Omega e Breitling fra gli altri.
La sezione finale è dedicata all’impatto dell’orologio automatico sui mercati mondiali. La rivista invitò commercianti di ogni parte del globo a condividere le loro impressioni sul tema. Nell’ultima foto, i rapporti dal Brasile e dal Canada.

Bibliography / Bibliografia

ENGLISH

Click here for a summary of the print sources - books, magazines, catalogs, manuals, brochures, yearbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias - from which I drew to write my historical books. I hope it will prove useful to those who wish to delve into one or more themes related to the history and technology of watchmaking. Happy hunting!

 

ITALIANO

Clicca qui per consultare una sintesi delle fonti cartacee - libri, riviste, cataloghi, manuali, opuscoli, annuari, dizionari, enciclopedie - alle quali ho attinto per scrivere i miei libri storici. Spero che possa risultare utile a quanti desiderano approfondire uno o più temi legati alla storia e alla tecnica dell’orologeria. Buona ricerca!

 

New releases – Vulcain Cricket André Didixein

 

The brand and CronotempVs Collectors present a limited edition Cricket watch created as a tribute to André Didisheim, descendant of the founder of Vulcain and Real Madrid football player. The 39 mm stainless steel case houses the Vulcain caliber V-10 manually wound with double barrel, a result of the evolution of the 1947 original movement. The dial features Arabic numerals coated with Superluminova and a chromatographic effect created to simulate its aging.