Author Archives

• Hands-on with the Rolex Explorer II

  By horologium on January 17, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  One of Rolex’s most talked about announcements at Basel World 2011 was an updated Explorer II (Ref. 216570), with a 24-hour arrow hand in orange, harking back to the original 1971 Ref.1655 Explorer II, which was an addition to the… Read More ›

• Liquid time keeping – welcome to the H1

  By horologium on January 15, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  So the watch chatter in the last week has increased, with pre-SIHH announcements, Peter Speake-Marin’s astonishing new Renaissance tourbillon minute repeater, and a fun piece that has piqued my interest – a new brand called HYT (Hydro Mechanical Horologists), whose… Read More ›

• Breguet acquires important Turkish pocket watch at auction

  By horologium on January 10, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  The Breguet Museum at Place Vendôme has acquired a historically important watch made in 1808 for a dignitary of the Ottoman Empire for CHF 650,000 (approx US$695,000), a record for a Turkish-style Breguet watch, and also a record for a… Read More ›

• Glashütte Original Senator Observer 1911 Julius Assmann

  By horologium on January 7, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

    The newly announced Glashütte Original Senator Observer 1911 Julius Assmann, limited to 25 pieces (the age at which Assmann founded his watch ‘manufacture’), pays homage to the founder of GO, Julius Assmann, and famed Polar explorer Roald Amundsen. Why… Read More ›

• The Gigantis

  By horologium on January 5, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  Are Kudoe, Schli & Matz the MB&F of luxury watchwinders? K, S & M are – Bernd Kussmaul and Uwe Matzner with a history in an engineering business that counts Aston-Martin or Bugatti amongst its customers, and Markus Döttling and… Read More ›

• 2011 Chinese outbound tourism spending expected to reach $55 billion

  By horologium on December 31, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  One of the most consistent themes in the world of luxury watches today is the importance of the Chinese market. I have written about it here, and mentioned the importance of this market both domestically, and in terms of the… Read More ›

• Cartier Grand Complication Skeleton pocket watch

  By horologium on December 25, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  In recent years Cartier has unveiled a “grande complication” for each SIHH, featuring a tourbillon, perpetual calendar and monopusher chrono. In 2012, Cartier’s piece won’t be a wristwatch, but a pocket watch. Visually similar to both the caliber 9362 MC… Read More ›

• Pre-owned watch shops : Melbourne

  By horologium on December 23, 2011 • ( 1 )

  

  Recently in Melbourne for horological and other assorted activities, visits to the main pre-owned watch dealers were, of course, on the agenda. Unlike the compilation of my Hong Kong list of pre-owned watch shops, this was an easy task, as… Read More ›

• TAG LINK smartphone – yours for $6,400

  By horologium on December 20, 2011 • ( 0 )

  

  Announced in July, TAG’s entry into the pricey-smartphone market, the LINK, has just been relased in Australia with a starting price of a whopping $6400 and yes, one has been ‘sold’. The presence of TAG brand ambassador Di Caprio in… Read More ›

• An early Omega Bumper

  By horologium on December 14, 2011 • ( 1 )

  

  Amongst many vintage watch enthusiasts, Omega has a strong hold both aesthetically, and because of the mechanical innovations made by the brand. One of these is the calibre 28.10. Introduced in 1943, it was Omega’s first commercialised automatic moment, and… Read More ›