Wingwatch - The novel

A tale of courage and a voyage through time. Click here to learn more and here to read the first three chapters.

The eBook is on sale at amazon and at the retailers listed here.
The paperback version is  available at amazon. This edition includes over 130 pictures and additional contents.

L'orologio con le ali - Romanzo

Una favola sul coraggio e un viaggio nel tempo. Clicca qui per saperne di più e qui per leggere i primi tre capitoli del romanzo.

Se desideri acquistare il testo integrale, lo trovi in formato digitale (eBook) su Amazon.it e presso i rivenditori elencati qui.
Se preferisci la versione stampata (paperback), puoi acquistarla su Amazon.it.

La montre ailée - Roman

Un récit sur le courage et un voyage à travers le temps. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus et ici pour lire les trois premiers chapitres.

Cliquez ici pour commander la version papier du livre. 
La version numérique est disponible chez amazon et chez les vendeurs en ligne indiqués ici.

 

Vintage Ads - Alpina (1939)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine)

"A waterproof watch that has proven its worth – Water resistant – Incabloc shock absorber – Antimagnetic - Stainless steel". In the 1930s, humidity was still a major concern for watchmakers. Having started production of watertight timepieces as early as in 1928, Alpina was more experienced than most competitors in the field. This ad features the Alpina 4 model, a sports watch that offered protection against water, as well as shocks, magnetic fields and rust. Moreover, its case was fitted with the recently introduced spring lugs that made strap changing easier.              

Do you like vintage watch ads? 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

“Un orologio impermeabile che ha dimostrato la propria validità – Tenuta stagna – dispositivo antiurto Incabloc – Antimagnetico – Inossidabile”. Negli Anni 30, l’umidità era ancora una preoccupazione significativa per i fabbricanti d’orologi. Avendo avviato la produzione di orologi impermeabili fin dal 1928, in questo ambito Alpina vantava un’esperienza superiore a quella di molti concorrenti. Questo annuncio presenta il modello Alpina 4, orologio sportivo protetto non solo contrro l’acqua ma anche contro gli urti, i campi magnetici e la ruggine. Inoltre, le anse erano provviste di barrette a molla, invenzione recente che agevolava la sostituzione del cinturino.   
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 presentati nei volumi Watch Ads.

Orologi vintage - Vulcain Cricket

La storia dell'orologio da polso con suoneria più famoso di tutti i tempi.
Visita il nostro canale YouTube per guardare altri video sugli orologi vintage e iscriviti se non l'hai già fatto!

The history of the most popular alarm wrist watch of all times (Italian only).
Check out our YouTube channel for more video clips about vintage watches and subscribe if you haven't already!

Vintage timepieces - Longines Conquest (1960s)

ENGLISH

This Conquest dating back to the mid-1960s is fitted with a movement that Longines developed in 1958 and manufactured in three versions, all of which featured a sweep-second hand - with or without date, and with and additional running reserve indication.

Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, date.

Size Diameter 34 mm, thickness 11 mm.
Case 18k pink gold, screw down back. 
Movement Calibre 291, self-winding, diameter 25,6 mm, thickness 6 mm, 24 jewels, rotor winding in both directions, Glucydur balance, flat hairspring, Incabloc shock absorber, 19,800 vibrations per hour.

ITALIANO

Questo Conquest degli Anni 60 è equipaggiato con un movimento che Longines sviluppò nel 1958 e produsse in tre versioni, tutte con secondi centrali: con o senza datario, e con l'indicazione supplementare dell'autonomia.

Funzioni Ore, minuti, secondi, data.

Misure Diametro 34 mm, spessore 11 mm.
Cassa Oro rosa 18k, fondo chiuso a vite 
Movimento Calibro 291, automatico, diametro 25,6 mm, spessore 6 mm, 24 rubini, massa oscillante a carica bidirezionale, bilanciere Glucydur, spirale piana, antiurto Incabloc, 19'800 alternanze/ora.

 

Baselworld 2019 (6)

This is the sixth of a series of posts featuring the new models on display at the world’s biggest watch show.

CARL F. BUCHERER

Heritage Bicompax Annual – This chronograph featuring a large date display, an annual cal­endar, and a BiCompax dial design comes in two versions, each limited to 888 pieces – one in stainless steel, the other with bezel, crown and pushers in rose gold. Both are powered by the CFB 1972 self-winding caliber.

FRANCK DUBARRY

Crazy Wheel 2 Gravitational GMT – Fitted with an in-house movement, the timepiece offers a graphically engineered second time zone that gravitates around the dial with local time in order to immediately tell the owner, what time it is at home. The case is made of Titanium Grade 5 and different types of colored carbon.

JACOB & CO.

Epic X Chrono “Messi” – This timepiece marking the beginning of a three-year partnership between Leo Messi and the company features a polished grade-5 titanium case, anti-reflection sapphire glass, white ceramic chronograph bezel and buttons, titanium and blue-rubber horns, and red-rubber crowns.

KERBEDANZ

Koï – The model owes its name to a vegetarian sub-species of carp, which is a symbol of life, fecundity and wealth in the Far Eastern culture. The 46 mm white gold case hosts a sapphire tourbillon caliber designed, manufactured and decorated by the company. The white gold dial features bas-relief with Koï figure.

TAVANNES WATCH COMPANY

Submarine Commander 1917 – This watch is the contemporary version of a model developed for the British Navy during World War I. Its 41 mm case is water resistant to 100 m and available in two finishes: polished steel or PVD matte black. A choice of four NATO G-10 straps is available.

 

Vintage timepieces - Enicar Sherpa Graph (1960s)

A legendary chronograph of the 1960s (English).
Check out our YouTube channel for more video clips about vintage watches and subscribe if you haven't already!

Un leggendario cronografo degli Anni 60 (italiano)
Visita il nostro canale YouTube per guardare altri video sugli orologi vintage e iscriviti se non l'hai già fatto!

Vintage ads - ARSA (1950)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine)

"Calendar with moon phase – Self-winding". ARSA (Auguste Reymond S.A.) was a successful mid-range brand in the post-war years. Equipped with movements supplied by the manufacturers of the Ebauches SA holding, its timepieces usually featured a rather classic design. The one seen here built on the period’s appreciation for triple calendar watches and was an interesting alternative to most models on the market. Its movement – the newly introduced Caliber 693 by Felsa – offered the double advantage of automatic winding and separate correction push pieces for adjusting the date, day, month and moon phase.            
Do you like vintage watch ads? 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
“Calendario con fasi lunari – Automatico”. Nel dopoguerra, ARSA (Auguste Reymond S.A.) era un produttore di successo nel segmento medio del mercato. Provvisti di movimenti forniti dai fabbricanti del gruppo Ebauches SA, i suoi orologi avevano per lo più un aspetto classico. Qui ne appare uno che sfruttava l’apprezzamento del pubblico per i segnatempo con calendario completo. Si trattava di un’interessante alternativa alla maggior parte dei modelli presenti sul mercato. Il suo movimento – Calibro Felsa 693, una novità – offriva il duplice vantaggio della carica automatica e dei quattro pulsanti che permettevano la correzione separata della data, del giorno, del mese e delle fasi lunari.
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 presentati nei volumi Watch Ads.

Rolex Datejust - A comparison study

A turning point in the history of Rolex's most iconic model

Una svolta nella storia del Rolex più emblematico

 

New watches 2019 (1)

This post features a few noteworthy new releases of this year.

BLANCPAIN

Air Command – This 500-piece limited edition of the chronograph developed in the 1950s for U.S. Air Force pilots features a 42.5mm steel case, a ratcheted "countdown" rotating bezel, a box-type sapphire crystal, numerals and markers coated with orange "old radium"-type Super-LumiNova®.

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL

SeaQ Date Panorama – Inspired by a model from 1969, this divers’ watch features a 43.2mm steel case with 300-metre water-resistance, a sunray blue dial, a tone-on-tone rotating bezel, hands and markers highlighted with Super-LumiNova®, a large date window and a 100-hours power reserve.

HYT

H²0– HYT uses a patented micro-fluidic module to display the passage of time. Inscribed on the flange, "Time is Fluid", this model features a 51mm case which has banished straight lines. The dial opens wide onto the mechanism and the flow of time, captured by the movement of red and transparent liquids through a circular capillary tube.

LOUIS VUITTON

Tambour Spin Time – Instead of a conventional central hand, hours are shown by way of 12 rotating cubes. Every 60 minutes, one of the cubes instantly flips to show a "neutral" side, handing over to its neighbor which spins to show its "distinctive" side. This tenth anniversary model concentrates the movement into a much smaller area.

OMEGA

Seamaster Aqua Terra – Global destinations are inscribed on an inner ring and on the flange. There is a 24-hour hesalite crystal ring in the centre of the dial, half in light blue for daytime and half in dark blue for night. Earth is depicted on a grade 5 titanium plate which is laser-ablated to create a relief map of the continents against blue ocean.

The must-reads for watch lovers - Watch Ads (Part 1 & 2)

A pictorial history of communication and design in 20th Century watchmaking - Volumes 2 and 3 of the Watch Books series. Click here for more details on the contents.

PART 1 - WATCH ADS 1900-1959

Page count: 360
Binding type: paperback
Trim Size: 8.5" x 11"
Languages: English and Italian
Color: Full color
Price: $ 99
ISBN: 978-88-941704-1-2
Click here to download and display the 20-page preview file.
Click here to order the book.

PART 2 - WATCH ADS 1960-2000

Page count: 314
Binding type: paperback
Trim Size: 8.5" x 11"
Languages: English and Italian
Color: Full color
Price: $ 89
ISBN: 978-88-941704-2-9
Click here to download and display the 20-page preview file.
Click here to order the book.

Le letture per chi non si accontenta del web - Watch Ads (Parti 1 e 2)

Storia illustrata della comunicazione e del design nell'orologeria del Novecento - Volumi 2 e 3 della collezione Watch Books. Clicca qui per i dettagli sui contenuti.

PARTE 1 - WATCH ADS 1900-1959
Pagine: 360
Rilegatura: brossura
Dimensioni: cm 21,59 x 27,94
Lingue: italiano e inglese  
Tutto a colori
Prezzo: $ 99
ISBN: 978-88-941704-1-2
Clicca qui per scaricare e visualizzare le prime 20 pagine (formato PDF).
Clicca qui per ordinare il libro.

PARTE 2 - WATCH ADS 1960-2000
Pagine: 314
Rilegatura: brossura
Dimensioni: cm 21,59 x 27,94
Lingue: italiano e inglese  
Tutto a colori
Prezzo: $ 89
ISBN: 978-88-941704-2-9
Clicca qui per scaricare e visualizzare le prime 20 pagine (formato PDF).
Clicca qui per ordinare il libro.

Vintage watches - Zodiac Olympos (1960s)

 

A distinctive model of the early 1960s
Check out our YouTube channel for more video clips about vintage watches and subscribe if you haven't already!

Un modello emblematico dei primi Anni 60
Visita il nostro canale YouTube per guardare altri video sugli orologi vintage e iscriviti se non l'hai già fatto!

Vintage ads - Eterna (1980)

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è sotto l'immagine)
"The difference – Sophisticated quartz electronics, incredibly miniaturized movements – today, Eterna watch technology ranks second to none. To prove it, a handful of world records". Thanks to its movement suppliers ETA and Ebauches SA, Eterna could market the world’s thinnest quartz watches starting in 1979, along with Concord and Longines. The 1.98 mm Quartz, seen at the bottom left of this 1980 ad, was soon joined by the Royal Quartz KonTiki, water-resistant to 100 m and fitted with calendar, and the Estrellita Quartz, “the most compact ladies’ quartz watch made”.

Do you like vintage watch ads? 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 books 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  
“La differenza – Sofisticata elettronica al quarzo, movimenti incredibilmente miniaturizzati – oggi la tecnologia orologiera Eterna non è seconda a nessun’altra. Lo prova una serie di record mondiali”. Grazie ai suoi fornitori di movimenti ETA e Ebauches SA, a partire dal 1979 Eterna fu in grado di commercializzare gli orologi al quarzo più sottili del mondo, insieme con Concord e Longines. Al modello Quartz da 1,98 mm, visibile in basso a sinistra nell’immagine, si aggiunsero rapidamente il Royal Quartz KonTiki, impermeabile a 100 m e provvisto di datario, e l’Estrellita Quartz, “l’orologio al quarzo per signora più piccolo sul mercato”.
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 appaiono nei volumi Watch Ads.

 

The must-reads for watch lovers - The Museum Collection

100 milestones of 20th Century watchmaking - Volume 1 of the Watch Books series. Click here for more details on the contents. 

Page count: 364, full color. 
Binding Type: paperback. 
Trim Size: 8.5" x 11". 
Languages: English and Italian. 
Price: $ 99.
ISBN: 978-88-941704-0-5. 
Click here to download and display the 20-page preview file.  
Click here to order the book.

Le letture per chi non si accontenta del web - The Museum Collection

100 pietre miliari dell'orologeria del Novecento - Volume 1 della collezione Watch Books. Clicca qui per i dettagli sui contenuti.

Pagine: 364 a colori.  
Rilegatura: brossura. 
Dimensioni: cm 21,59 x 27,94.  
Lingue: italiano e inglese.

Prezzo: $ 99.
ISBN: 978-88-941704-0-5.

Clicca qui per scaricare a visualizzare le prime 20 pagine (formato PDF).
Clicca qui per ordinare il libro.

Baselworld 2019 (5)

This is the fifth of a series of posts featuring the new models on display at the world’s biggest watch show.

  AEROWATCH

Lépine Hebdomas – The brand pays tribute to the era of 8-Days movements with a pocket watch that shows the beat of the balance wheel and the manually decorated bridge in yellow gold beneath the dial with sunburst finish and off-center subdials displaying the time, date and day.

FERDINAND BERTHOUD

Chronomètre FB 1L – The in-house tourbillon movement is combined with a new display of the age and phases of the moon. Available in two ten-piece limited editions, the new collection displays the moon phases by means of a large hand at 6 o’clock – a patent-pending complication.

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT

Slimline 50-hours Power Reserve – The 40mm case hosts the 28^th in-house movement of the brand’s collection. The new FC-723 automatic caliber adds the power reserve module to the FC-703 base. The indicator is displayed at 10 o’clock with a red sector indicating that it is time to put the watch on or wind it.

IKEPOD

Duopod – Twenty-five years after its creation, Ikepod is back with the same cases and crown but with the dials revisited by watch designer Emmanuel Gueit. “Duo” hints to the two hands of a 42mm quartz timepiece that is technically simplified in the interests of practicality and affordability.

SWISS MILITARY

SM34079 Chronograph – The 42.5mm case in stainless steel with PVD plating hosts a Ronda quartz movement and is waterproof up to 100 meters. The glass is in extra hardened K1 mineral crystal with sapphire coating. A vintage style leather strap is available instead of the stainless steel bracelet.