"
Marketing is fear, marketing is mediocrity"
Oliviero Toscani
Zénith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Bronze: There's one following
Before the PAM382, Gerald Genta with the Gefica & Anonimo was the first to have regularly proposed bronze models, which were in fact brand's best sellers.
Moreover, the difficulties encountered by...
De Bethune DB25 Quetzalcóatl : the mysterious city of gold
I get closer to the cargo bay door, which opens once the security checks have passed ; despite the space suit and the oxygen mask, the frigid air of altitude freezes me.
The ground is so far...
Omega Speedmaster Professional: the Legend 1/4
It is hard to make another presentation of a watch as legendary as the Speedmaster. It's been impossible to keep track of all the articles that have been written on the subject. But that doesn't...
Blue Tudor Pelagos, the ultimate industrial watch ?
Now, in March 2015, it turns out that my article was more than visionnary, it was prophetic (80€ for the clairvoyance session).
Indeed, not only Tudor presents a new declension of Pelagos, but...
Apple Watch, or the damp squib.
A danger so big that Apple looks like kind of an horological islamic state, the eschatological Nemesis of traditional Swiss watchmaking.
In those days (see some back articles by the late Cavanna,...
Philippe Dufour Simplicity: In search of the lost time 1/3: Introduction
After ten years spent on the watchmaking web and after one year spent working with Philippe on the project “La naissance d’une montre”, my opinion about the Simplicity and on the work of...
Recent Articles
De Bethune DB28 Digitale
Publié le 2 April 2019
DB28 case (mobile lugs) titanium grade 5. 45 mm * 11.60 mm
DB 2144 caliber 30mm diameter
Frequency at 28800 bph for 120h of power reserve
355 components; 32 jewels
Digital display: minutes between 9h and 3h, time below 12h
3D central moonphase
Silicium/white gold balance wheel silicium escapement wheel, flat terminal curved spiral, triple shock absorber
Price: 180000CHF
News from the second subscription Vicenterra Luna
Publié le 24 September 2015
As I predicted, it is obviously the Luna open dial which succeed with approximately 80% of subscribed watches. The prediction was not too risky; in my opinion the open dial is a bomb that outperforms other Luna.
The watch costs 11900chf representing a discount of 44% with a Vaucher caliber Seed VMF 3002.
For the record, the rare combination of a Vaucher caliber & a barrel case is only used by Richard Mille, Parmigiani Fleurier and Vicenterra. The relative rarity of these movements can be explained by their price, about six times the price of an...
07 BIO NM JF Erard. The watchmaking farmer : medieval methods, modern contraints 3-7
Publié le 25 August 2015
Hi everyone, It should be borne in mind that until the industrial revolution (and contrary to common beliefs) serfs in traditional society did not work a lot. Three days a week in avarage, according to our modern standards. The rest of the time was dedicated to celebrations, religious or not, household activities, collection in the […]
The watchmaking farmer : the wild Jura 2-7
Publié le 20 August 2015
But in 1384, our « Franc montagnard » had to become established. As he often does, man changed his environment, and watchmaking farmer's ancestors organised vast slash-and-burn, in order to increase the building and arable surfaces (villages such as Les Enfers or Breleux derive their name from those slash-and-burn).
It was thus that a multi-thousand-year-old hardwood forest disappeared; The inhabitants of Jura planted coniferous trees that grow much faster in extreme montain conditions. This choice of essences made them precursors of sustainable...
The watchmaking farmer: survivor of the Middle adges 1-7
Publié le 12 August 2015
From the 10th century, Europe’s economy was based on the clearance of vasts hardwood forests that covered the continent.
In these times of relative stability (at the time, the medieval conflicts were latent and mostly drew on mercenaries and noblemen, hence professionnal soldiers), European population increased sharply until the end of the 13th century. It is considered that clearing came to an end by 1280. Contemporary Europe was less wooded than it is today (the situation was quite similar in 1789, during the French Revolution).
Clearings in...
Vortex: Hautlence, the return
Publié le 23 July 2015
Early 2010, I went to Hautlence’s. They had just developped some crazy stuff that I was going to have the privilege of being the first blogger to see: a new movement that displayed the time via chain and had a jumping retrograde minutes. A large movement, super complicated, reminiscent of a miniature tank chassis, complex and heavy. I loved it right away.
Guillaume Tetu also presented me the prototype of the case: I liked it less, the watch is rectangular but vertically, and I did quiz Guillaume on this: “when are you going to make it...
Omega Speedmaster Professional: the Legend 3/4
Publié le 19 July 2015
Hei alle sammen, Needless to say, the solid construction of this watch has strongly associated it with the conquest of space. To better understand, let’s get into the details of its official punishment : a smack on the bottom worthy of the Père Fouettard (Father Whipper), finalised for the first time around 1965.I recall that […]
Jeager leCoultre Master Compressor Diving GMT
Publié le 7 July 2015
Very detailed finish
Water resistant at 1000 m
Flange at the level of the dial
Chamfering lugs at joints case
Screen printing and engravings details
Real deep Black dial
No ugly helium soupape
Working indicator less stressing than a hand of second
Lugs drawn
Comfort
Thickness /diameter for a 1000m
Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Bronze
Publié le 6 July 2015
Bronze !!!
The most beautiful bronze watch since the PAM382.
Among the top three of Baselworld 2015 watches.
Coherence dial/hand/case.
Index and hands.
Large crown.
Presence on the wrist.
Rolex Day Date 18039B "Three gold" @ Phillips Auction – Bacs – Russo
Publié le 4 July 2015
Awesome « Miami Vice » 80's look..
Exuberant and highly qualitative bracelet.
Demonstration of rolex' goldsmithery know-how.
Emerald index.