VIDEO: Ulysse Nardin 2017 collection overview and their impressive SIHH debut

Le Locle-based Ulysse Nardin made their debut showing at SIHH this year, and we have to say, they brought the heat. We’re used to brands showing us one or two major novelties, but it’s safe to say UN went far beyond that. From technical tourbillons and regatta timers through to stunning dress pieces, vintage reissues and haute horlogerie wonders, the scale and substance of Ulysse Nardin’s offering meant their booth had a real buzz. What does this mean for Australian watch fans? Well, expect to see and hear a whole lot more about UN in the coming months as the brand makes inroads into the local market.

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9 years ago

Point Of Reference: The Standards Of The Geneva Seal

The Geneva Seal is very old, having been proposed on November 6, 1886 by the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva as a way to certify a level of quality for which the canton was becoming known. Every piece produced with the Geneva Seal is equally outstanding, so let’s have a look at what goes into attaining this coveted seal.

9 years ago

Throwback Sunday: Watches which define Purity and Simplicity

Many a collector’s journey has begun with either shortlist built with the stellar reputation of the finest watchmakers in the land: Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet; Or they can begin with the best marketed brands: Rolex, Omega or Longines. Alternatively, they can simply be lured by the most complicated…

9 years ago

How To Understand ‘Swiss Made’ & Switzerland’s Watchmaking Culture

The purpose of this guide is to help people better understand the culture that designs, manufactures, and sells high-end Swiss timepieces – ideally, in the most lighthearted and non-stuffy of ways. I’ve spent the better part of 15 years looking at the Swiss watch industry from the outside, and most of that time actually working directly with it.

9 years ago

MY WATCH STORY: Sebastian’s Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time (ref. 5524G)

If you like pilot’s watches, you need to head to the nearest airshow immediately. Irrespective of whether your eyeline lifts up to the craft in the air, or stays firmly on wrists, an airshow will give you more of a chance to spot aviation related watches than just about any other place. This setting – Avalon airshow, on the outskirts of Geelong – is where I spotted this dashing Patek Philippe 5524G, AKA the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. It’s a watch that Felix and I hotly debated when it was released a couple of years ago. To recap, the topline quote was this: “The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is the watch that’s confusing the most people at Baselworld 2015. While the familiar Patek quality is there, that is pretty much the only thing about this watch people are associating with the name on the dial.” We wondered, not only then, but several times throughout the year, whether it would be worn by real pilots, or by mere earthbound Patek collectors? This question was answered emphatically by the watch’s owner, Sebastian, who is not only a pilot, but who is authorised to fly in formation – and has done so with the Australian…

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9 years ago

HANDS-ON: the Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve – what a difference a grey makes

In the spectrum of colour, grey is quite the double agent. There it goes, trudging along amid notions of overcast skies, mind-numbing office cubicles, uncertainty. But just as we’re all stifling a yawn at its inherent dowdiness, what’s this we see? There goes grey playing its other hand in a realm populated by wolves and weimaraners, silver foxes with steely gazes, marble and moodiness. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the grey matter we’re interested in – executed perfectly, as it happens, in the anthracite hue of this Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Power Reserve. We’ve talked before about embracing colour at the wrist, but let’s be honest: though this is a world away from your usual black and brown options, it’s a far less daunting leap than anything genuinely bright. Adding to the style quota is the horizontally elliptical case at 37.84mm by 32.84mm, which, combined with the slender grey alligator strap, makes this watch an excellent choice for daintier arms. Sixty-four diamonds stand guard on the bezel, while eight more act as indices on the dial itself, dotted between Arabic numerals at 6, 9 and 12. Meanwhile, the backdrop of two contrasting textures – a smooth crescent hugging a guilloche section –  create…

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9 years ago

Orbita Piccolo Single Watch Winder Review

I’ve been using the Orbita Piccolo single watch winder for almost four months now, and I have to say that I am thrilled with it for a number of reasons. The quality of build, the manageable size, and how quiet it is are successes of the product and its design.

9 years ago

2,000-Kilometer Australian Road Trip With Two Friends: Ulysse Nardin Dual Time And De Bethune DB28

I’m an expat Aussie who has now lived longer out of Australia than in, but in a few years my (Swiss) wife and I are planning on moving from Switzerland to Airlie Beach in North Queensland, Australia. In September 2016, I flew to the region for a week’s worth of face-to-face meetings to help lay the groundwork for our move.
It was a tight schedule, especially as I was sure to be suffering from jetlag, but it was doable. Especially with the Ulysse Nardin Dual Time on my wrist to help keep track of time there and at home.

9 years ago

Reveiw: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Steel

Jaeger-LeCoultre released a pair of classic inspired timepieces at the latest SIHH. Two entry level watches in the Master Control line, the Master Control Date and the Master Control Chronograph Steel. Both watches are easily distinguished by their characteristic sector dial and hollow hands. Not to mention, the striking sky blue numerals.…

9 years ago