Author Archives

• Sold : John Wayne’s Rolex King Midas

  By horologium on October 11, 2011 • ( 2 )

  

  (Photo from Heritage Auctions) The “Personal Property of John Wayne Signature Auction”, conducted by Heritage Auctions, has just closed, with an astonishing total of $5,382,492 for the sale. Amongst the items sold was Lot 44182, described as follows : “An… Read More ›

• IWC watchmaking workshop & lunch at Becasse

  By horologium on October 4, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  Steady hand, sharp eye-sight…the invitation to attend a IWC Watchmaking Master Class seemed a tad beyond my capabilities, as those who know me can affirm. (umm…’loupe’, heh) Never let it be said that I am not prepared to give watchmaking… Read More ›

• Made in China : Sea-Gull

  By horologium on September 26, 2011 • ( 2 )

  

  Founded in January 1955 by the PRC government, Tianjin Sea-Gull Corporation (天津海鸥) was originally called the Tianjin Sea-Gull Watch Factory, with only four watchmakers at its inception. By 2005, Sea-Gull were making more than 25% of the world’s mechanical movements…. Read More ›

• The Double Red Sea-Dweller (DRSD)

  By horologium on September 23, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  We have previously written about the Rolex Ref. 5510. Today, we look at another iconic and highly collectable Rolex, the Double Red Sea-Dweller. The Reference 1655, known as the “DRSD” by Rolex fans, commenced production in the late 1960s. Very… Read More ›

• Girard-Perregaux seeks to reduce dependence on Chinese market

  By horologium on September 14, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  Unlike what seems like an increasing number of brands unabashedly wooing the financially important mainland Chinese market with varying degrees of directness, Girard-Perregaux has decided that it wants to expand in the U.S. and South America, and to reduce its… Read More ›

• Italian police seize 800,000 fake watches

  By horologium on September 7, 2011 • ( 0 )

  Agence France-Presse report that Italian police have seized approximately 800,000 fake luxury watches worth 10 million Euros from a shop run by five Chinese nationals in the textile town of Prato, south of Bologna. As well as finding unfinished replicas… Read More ›

• Swatch’s Trésor Magique

  By horologium on September 2, 2011 • ( 6 )

  

  Back in the early-mid 1990s, there was what I think of as the height of Swatch limited edition madness, when the release of special models would lead to overnight queues at Swatch boutiques, and it would get a little crazy…. Read More ›

• Panamera Flieger 47

  By horologium on August 20, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  Pilots’ watches, whether they be B-Uhr heritage fliegers from the ‘knowns’ or one of the plethora of small brands which you only hear about through word of mouth or on watch fora, are one of the constants in the watch… Read More ›

• Plastic Fantastic – Swatch teams up with Kidrobot

  By horologium on August 12, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  For anyone who has had even a pasing interest in designer (vinyl) toys, the name of Kidrobot is a familiar one. Not just a shop, but also the world’s major creator of limited edition art toys, Kidrobot also regularly collaborates… Read More ›

• Judge rules against collector in $50K watch lawsuit

  By horologium on August 9, 2011 • ( 0 )

  It’s a watch collector’s worst nightmare. A German collector is stuck with a $50,000 dud after a Canadian Supreme Court judge ruled against him in a case he brought against the West Vancouver family who sold it to him on… Read More ›