Some Of The Best Watch Information Ever Posted On The Forums...

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 12:07 PM

He admits Rolex scam on eBay!

Time to come clean: He admits Rolex scam on eBay

Saturday, February 28, 2004

A Holland resident faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines after admitting he and a friend sold fake Rolex watches on eBay.

Daniel Lemmen said he was strapped for cash when he bought into a buddy's get-rich-quick scheme involving the popular Internet auction site.

It didn't pay.

On Friday, he was in front of U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell on felony fraud charges. Lemmen admitted that he and a co-defendant duped a South Carolina resident into paying $3,000 for a Rolex replica and pleaded guilty to a charge of mail fraud. He is to be sentenced in June.

Two others, David Rendleman, of Hamilton, and Craig Warden, of West Olive, await trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Murray said. Rendleman has filed notice of an insanity defense, records showed.

Lemmen said Rendleman approached him in late 2002 with the plan. He said Rendleman wanted him to set up an eBay account and use his name, address and bank account for transactions.

"Dave already had things on eBay," Lemmen told the judge. "He said in order to make money, we had to have it in my name. I was the registered seller."

He acknowledged they purposely misled potential buyers to believe they were buying a genuine Rolex watch. Lemmen did not elaborate, but the indictment said the sellers pitched one watch by saying it had belonged to his grandfather but didn't fit his wrist. Another eBay posting said: "(I'm) not a Rolex dealer, just an individual who buys authentic watches and sells them for a modest profit."

Lemmen, who has held the same job the past 10 years, said he decided to take part after his wife was in a car crash in late 2001, and they got behind on bills.

"We were financially strapped," he told the judge.

His attorney, Sharon Turek, said after the hearing, "He's accepted his role in this. He's doing all he can to correct his mistakes. He readily admitted as soon as he did it it was not a good thing to be involved with."

Authorities say the defendants collected $2,000 to $3,000 for watches worth only a few hundred dollars.

eBay brings Internet buyers and sellers together at www.ebay.com. The Web site offers safe-buying tips, and does not allow sales of replicas. It urges people to use common sense and encourages checks of buyers' and sellers' histories.

The allegations about the Rolexes are a reminder that scams are everywhere on the Internet. But that has not discouraged Sue Livingston, of Holland, from using eBay.

Livingston won't get rich selling on eBay, but she has covered the cost her Christmas presents the past few years.

Once, she believed a buyer paid too much. "I later sent her some of her money back because I felt bad," said Livingston, a retail manager.

"It's a wonderful place to find something you can't find anywhere else."

She had heard about the allegations of fake Rolexes, but they didn't concern her.

"I've had only one time where I paid for something that I didn't receive. Other than that, it's been great. I've bought a lot of stuff."

Article by: John Agar The Grand Rapids Press

Source: http://www.connectingwatches.com/forum/new...ssages/105.html

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 12:10 PM

Rolex is out as Asians develop taste for rare, high-end timepieces

SINGAPORE: Forget about Rolex. How about a Richard Mille, or a Vacheron Constantin perhaps? Asian watch aficionados are increasingly going for exotic brands as they develop a growing appreciation for more complicated and costlier timepieces.

So said experts at the Tempus industry fair that ended in Singapore over the weekend.

While Rolex remains popular, the growing presence of other Swiss watchmakers like Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux in the display windows of the region's upmarket shopping malls reflects a shift in tastes.

These watches are still hand-made and only limited quantities are produced, thereby enhancing their appeal to collectors.

Before another show visitor could make a grab for it, a Patek Philippe men's wristwatch worth 220,472 US dollars was snapped up by a Singaporean buyer almost as soon as the show opened.

"It is a very exciting market," said Oliviero Bottinelli, chief executive officer of Audemars Piguet for Southeast Asia.

"Europe was setting the trend, not quantity but quality, and Asia caught up very fast," he told AFP on the sidelines of the five-day watch exhibit organised by Singapore-based high-end watch retailer Hour Glass.

"At one point it was Rolex, Rolex, Rolex ... Rolex has helped people to appreciate a watch," Bottinelli said.

The 115-year old Audemars Piguet, one of the few remaining watch brands still under the control of its founding family, produces only 18,000 timepieces a year and almost half of the sales are from Asia, Bottinelli said.

He declined to disclose revenues because the privately-held company prefers to keep its sales figures confidential. As a guide however, the average price of an Audemars Piguet watch is 14,705 dollars, Bottinelli said.

Audemars Piguet and more than 30 other watchmakers, mainly from Switzerland, took part in the exhibition with the aim of expanding their reach to Asian collectors who are seen as the most enthusiastic buyers of limited-edition timepieces.

Figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry showed six Asian economies, led by Hong Kong, among the top 15 export markets for Swiss watches in the first seven months of 2004.

Altogether they bought 1.61 billion dollars' worth of Swiss timepieces in the January-July 2004 period. In 2003, their purchases totalled 2.65 billion dollars.

An estimated 50,000 visitors from Asia and other regions were expected to have walked through the exhibit of 71 million dollars' worth of watches by the time it was to end Sunday, Hour Glass executives said.

Hublot, a favorite with European royal families, was among the exhibit participants hoping to further raise their profile among Asian watch connoisseurs, Yvan Arpa, director of global marketing and sales, told AFP.

"We don't want to do any hard selling," Arpa said.

"We want to build our image ... we are not aiming to be a mass market brand, we are aiming to be a niche brand," he said.

Executives from Hour Glass, which has an extensive regional presence from Tokyo to Sydney, confirmed growing demand from Asian clients for timepieces produced by independent Swiss watchmakers.

"People are starting to invest in these timepieces simply because they understand the creative philosophies behind why these products are priced relatively higher than most major brands because of the exclusivity, because of the workmanship, the rarity of the products and the labour hours involved," said Michael Tay, Hour Glass's deputy general manager.

Tay also said it reflected the maturity of the average Asian watch collector.

"There's a lot more creativity injected into these brands and we find that the consumers have evolved and developed enough to appreciate them, because to find a nice timepiece you have to have the confidence in order to go for the lesser known brands," Tay said.

"It's moving away from just branding ... a lot of the collectors go for (particular) products now in this part of the world," he said.

Article by: Channel News Asia - 29 August 2004

Source: http://www.connectingwatches.com/forum/new...ssages/177.html

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 01:59 PM

Watches "An irrational purchase"

What does it take to make us want to buy a watch?

A few years ago, a reputable name, a distinctive design, solid mechanics and a picture of the product in an advertisement in the appropriate magazine would have done the job. Now, it seems, watchmakers have to go to extremes.

Earlier this month, in an attempt to make his fledgling watch brand stand out, Jorgen Amundsen, an intrepid Norwegian explorer/watchmaker, literally went to the end of the world - the North Pole to be precise - with 250 of his watches.

A resourceful young man, he decided to use the fact that he is the great-nephew of Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach both the North and South Poles, and followed in his footsteps with a sledge loaded with 250 watches and weighing 40kg (each "Polar Timepiece" will be sold for £5,000 on his return).

So why did Amundsen feel the need to go to such lengths? Over the past five years those Goliaths of luxury goods, the Swatch Group, Richemont and LVMH, have increased their presence in the watch world alongside old hands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. So the ante has been raised as the world of luxury does its magic for the wristwatch, transforming it from timekeeping instrument into the ultimate must-have accessory and lifestyle badge.

Baselworld and the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, held in April most years, are the annual watch shows where over 340 brands strut their stuff. A visit to these shows leaves no doubt that watch brands and their positioning are carefully managed assets. Outdoing each other in degrees of opulence and originality, watch promotions are big-budget and big-impact events.

Chopard sponsors one of the highest-voltage celeb events of the year, the Cannes Film Festival, all in the name of promoting its brand. Hermès presented the new Dressage watch range last year in the equestrian school in Versailles, with a private show and candelabra-lit banquet reminiscent of the splendour of the Sun King himself.

Breitling started life making cockpit instruments, and has always maintained links with the aviation world. Today it sponsors the Reno Air Races in the US where aircraft, including Mustangs and fighter jets, dodge death as they race around pylons. (For those not content to be mere spectators, Breitling will be happy to throw them out of an aircraft at 11,000ft or zip them into a G suit for a spin in its private fleet of fighter jets.)

Then there's TAG Heuer, which sponsors Formula One racer Kimi Raikkonen as well as Tanya Streeter, world free-diving champion. According to Jean-Marc Lacave, chief executive of LVMH UK: "Buying a watch is no longer about telling the time, it is aspirational. We buy watches like we buy cars. They all basically carry out the same function but one expresses more about yourself than the other. Our ambassadors are a very efficient way of getting our message across."

In the same vein, Bell & Ross has plunged its Hydromax into the dark waters of the Mariana Trench to be able to claim the record of the deepest a watch has ever been submerged - 11,100 metres - and Panerai, too, are sponsoring polar exploration. Omega sends its watches into space as the official Space Shuttle crew watch, straps them on to James Bond and has Cindy Crawford beaming out from posters across the world with the watch of her choice. Indeed, the Cindy campaign has become so successful that in Asia the Omega Constellation is simply known as the "Cindy watch."

Stephen Urquhart, Omega's president, says: "You don't need a watch to tell the time; . . . you can buy a watch to tell the time for $5. It is an emotional product. People are buying a lifestyle, a dream."

Fashion houses such as Dior, Gucci, Armani and Burberry are muscling in on the watch sector. Dior knows the appeal of products sprinkled with the fairy-dust of haute couture and under John Galliano's direction, catwalk cool is beginning to make its presence felt in an industry long cocooned from the vagaries of fashion. Watches or, more precisely, the strap, must be seasonally updated.

And it's all working. According to the Federation Horlogère Suisse, the total export value of the Swiss watch industry rose from SFr8bn (€5.3bn) in 1998 to SFr10.6bn in 2002. Real profits for the watch industry are on a par with other luxury goods, so the advertising and promotional spend seems to be bringing results.

So where does this leave Amundsen? On his way to the South Pole later on in the year - perhaps not such a mad idea after all. As Urquhart says, "a watch is still a very irrational purchase."

Article By: Financial Times

Source: http://www.connectingwatches.com/forum/new...ssages/146.html

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 02:28 PM

CONTEMPORARY (05/1998)

LUMINOR Power Reserve / GMT / Submersible.

CONTEMPORARY (05/1998)

LUMINOR Power Reserve / GMT / Submersible.

___________________________________________________________________________

Officine Panerai - Pre-Vendome Panerai Watches:- 5218-201/A Luminor Logo Watch – 5218-202/A Luminor Marina Militare PVD – 5218-203/A Luminor Marina PVD – 5218-205/A Luminor Submersible Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) – 5218-207/A Luminor Daylight Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) – 5218-209 Luminor Logo Watch – 5218-210 Luminor Marina PVD - 5218-218/A Black Seal (Watches never produced by Panerai) – 5218-301/A Mare Nostrum – 5218-302 Mare Nostrum Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) with graduated bezel - 5218-301/A Mare Nostrum – 5218-302 Mare Nostrum Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) with smooth bezel.

Panerai (Richemond Group) – Post-Vendome Watches:- All watches from 1997 onwards are produced by Panerai (Richemond Group). All watches, HISTORIC: Luminor and Luminor Marina Watches CONTEMPORARY: Luminor Marina Automatic, Luminor Submersible, Luminor GMT, Luminor Power Reserve, Luminor Chrono, Radiomir, Radiomir Alarm Alarm/GMT, have a starting reference: PAM ????? and you can find all related info at:

http://www.panerai.com or http://www.officinepanerai.com

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 02:31 PM

LUMINOR HISTORIC (05/1998)

MARE NOSTRUM HISTORIC (05/1998)

_________________________________________________________________________

Officine Panerai - Pre-Vendome Panerai Watches: - 5218-201/A Luminor Logo Watch – 5218-202/A Luminor Marina Militare PVD – 5218-203/A Luminor Marina PVD – 5218-205/A Luminor Submersible Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) – 5218-207/A Luminor Daylight Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) – 5218-209 Luminor Logo Watch – 5218-210 Luminor Marina PVD - 5218-218/A Black Seal (Watches never produced by Panerai) – 5218-301/A Mare Nostrum – 5218-302 Mare Nostrum Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) with graduated bezel - 5218-301/A Mare Nostrum – 5218-302 Mare Nostrum Slytech (Sylvester Stallone) with smooth bezel.

Panerai (Richemond Group) – Post-Vendome Watches: - All watches from 1997 onwards are produce by Panerai (Richemond Group). All watches, HISTORIC: Luminor and Luminor Marina Watches CONTEMPORARY: Luminor Marina Automatic, Luminor Submersible, Luminor GMT, Luminor Power Reserve, Luminor Chrono, Radiomir, Radiomir Alarm Alarm/GMT, have a starting reference: PAM ????? and you can find all related info at:

http://www.panerai.com or http://www.officinepanerai.com

Posted by: Neo Nov 8 2004, 02:45 PM

Old PANERAI Time on your PC

Panerai Vintage Egyptian ( Egiziano )

Click on the link below to save or run this final version of a Panerai Vintage Egiziano as a desktop watch.

http://www.connectingwatches.com/Watches/O...es/panerai2.exe

ENJOY!

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: offshore Nov 13 2004, 01:31 AM

Found this as an intro to "Finer Times"

Some interesting observations!

Watch Market Report

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s official: thanks to the Internet and a robust world economy, collecting vintage and modern pre-owned wristwatches has become more popular than ever before.

Traditional auction houses such as Sotheby’s regularly conduct sales in New York, Geneva and Hong Kong which generate millions of dollars in revenue and are attended by the world’s most prominent dealers and collectors. Indeed, it was at a Sotheby’s auction in December of 1999 that an ultra-complicated Patek Philippe pocket watch commissioned by American businessman Henry Graves in 1933 sold for an astonishing $11 million – a new world record.

On the Internet, "cyber-auctions" such as eBay have generated enormous interest in collecting fine wristwatches as well. It’s a big business: last year, over $37 million worth of watches were sold on-line. Because the start-up costs associated with selling on the Internet are relatively modest – no need to rent office space or pay employees – a new generation of collector/dealers has emerged to help meet the demand for vintage wristwatches.

In addition, several Internet sites are now devoted to serving watch collectors with content ranging from discussion forums to product reviews. Needless to say, the wealth of information offered by these sites has allowed collectors to gain a horological education much faster than ever before and has resulted in a new breed of watch buyer – sophisticated, educated, focused and market-savvy.

Last but not least, watch shows and traditional watch dealers remain popular with those consumers still uncomfortable in the ways of E-commerce. Of course, watches purchased from retail stores will always cost more than buying from dealers who conduct business on the Internet, but many collectors prefer human interaction. However you prefer to do your shopping, whether it be in person or on-line, vintage watches can be found everywhere it seems, from the pages of fashion magazines to your local neighborhood jewelry store.

Yes, vintage and pre-owned modern wristwatches have undoubtedly emerged as one of the hottest collectibles of the 21st Century, but this was not always the case. As early as 1982, in fact, wristwatches were not considered collectible at all. Many industry insiders point to the 1982 NAWCC (National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors) National Convention in Boston as the first time that wristwatches were actively bought and sold. Prior to 1982, watch collectors focused mainly on pocket watches. American railroad watches and gold dress pocket watches were most avidly collected back then. However, as European collectors and dealers began snapping up wristwatches by high-end makers such as Patek Philippe and Rolex, prices skyrocketed and the vintage wristwatch hobby was born.

The Internet changed the rules of the game once again in the mid-late 1990’s by allowing collectors and dealers to communicate more efficiently. With the advent of inexpensive scanners and sophisticated Web site design software, it became possible for dealers and collectors to post crisp, full-color digital images of vintage and modern wristwatches they had for sale. As a result, whereas a dealer might have once needed several weeks to find the right buyer for a watch, now that same watch could be sold in a matter of hours or days.

While collectors were growing more sophisticated than ever, a new breed of watch dealer entered the industry via the Internet. Although many of these dealers were qualified to deal in vintage watches, others proved themselves amateurish and unprofessional. On a more ominous note, the Internet, with the anonymity it offers, became a magnet for criminals.

Now that some historical context has been provided, perhaps you will understand why finding a trustworthy, knowledgeable dealer has become so crucial for collectors. Even legitimate and well-intentioned dealers, however, lack extensive experience buying and selling watches. This should come as no surprise, given that collecting wristwatches is still in its infancy. Unlike more established hobbies such as numismatics, there is no such thing as third-party grading or weekly price lists for watches, and information on a particular model is often hard to come by. Price guides do exist, but the values can be inaccurate and/or outdated

In short, becoming a top-notch dealer requires more than just a price guide, a scanner and a computer: it requires knowledge of the marketplace, a passion for watches, and many years of experience.

Regarding cyber-auctions and watch shows: they can sometimes be a useful means of acquiring watches for a collection, but a collector must always proceed with caution. If you ask any experienced collector his or her advice about buying on eBay or at a local watch show, the reply will usually be: Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware). Here are a few thoughts concerning eBay and watch shows (these guidelines are especially true if one is new to collecting wristwatches):

eBay

To its enormous credit, eBay has revolutionized the way collectibles are bought and sold all over the world. With over half a million auctions every day, individuals, businesses and dealers can use eBay to buy and sell virtually anything – coins, stamps, Pokeman cards, Beanie babies, and of course, watches. Most people selling on eBay, however, also sell a variety of different things: there are few eBay sellers who specialize only in watches. As a result, when you buy a watch off eBay, there is not always the guarantee that you will get what you paid for. Furthermore, because most eBay sellers do not offer a return policy, if the watch needs an expensive repair or has been otherwise misrepresented, the collector is usually out of luck.

The issue of replicas is an even more serious problem. Replicas, especially of high-end makers such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, are often encountered on eBay. In all fairness, many of these replica watches are truthfully represented as fakes and fill a niche within the eBay universe. However, many sellers unknowingly sell fakes as originals due to the fact that counterfeiters in Asia and Europe have gotten so good at what they do, that they are producing counterfeit watches capable of fooling even the experts.

With vintage watches, the problem is even more acute. There have been many instances in which a movement from watch A is "married" to a case from watch B. When the watch is discovered to be a "recase", its value drops dramatically. No matter what the situation, common sense dictates that no seller in his right mind sells a genuine Rolex bubbleback for $329 with no reserve. So if you see the telltale, "I don’t know if it is real," guess what? It’s not.

Watch shows

Watch shows can be a great place to meet fellow collectors and learn more about the hobby, but they can also be a frustrating experience. For one thing, "bargains" usually turn out to be anything but. Refinished dials, damaged cases and movements requiring expensive overhauls are just a few of the pitfalls that can turn your "bargain" into a money pit. Moreover, dealers typically have first shot at each other’s inventory the night before the show opens to the public. As a result, any under priced Rolexes will be long gone or sporting higher price tags by the time you arrive at the show.

In addition, because the majority of the desirable vintage watches are being sold via the Internet, you’ll find fewer quality vintage watches at shows as collectors purchase these fine collectibles and dealer inventories are depleted. Attending a watch show is most productive when you know what you are looking for, but the pickings are slim these days, even for the professionals who make their living buying and selling watches.

More grist for the mill!!!!!

Offshore

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 13 2004, 02:05 AM

The watch that became a legend …again !

November 12, 2004

The launch of the LANGE 1 ten years ago, on 24 October 1994, marked the start of the second success story of the traditional Saxon company Lange – and the comeback of German precision watchmaking.

Without any doubt, this watch made horological history and gave new prestige to the “Made in Germany” label. Prizes and awards were literally heaped on it, and not without reason: it has collected 16 awards in the ten years since its world premiere in 1994 in Dresden's palace.

Its very name is a programme: LANGE 1. Together with three other new watch models (LANGE-TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”, SAXONIA and ARKADE) it was the flagship with which the traditional Saxon watchmaking company Lange in the town of Glashütte set out on 24 October ten years ago to conquer the world for the second time. Ever since then, more than any other watch, the LANGE 1 has symbolised something that no-one had dared to define for 50 years: a luxury watch from Germany. It is the most German of all prestige watches, and from 1990 onwards, that was the intention that shaped its development.

The LANGE 1 was and is the company's best-selling watch and is frequently called the “visiting card” of A. Lange & Söhne. However, this is only half the story. In addition to its impressive appearance it is also the ideal within the company and the impetus behind every new horological creation. In a certain sense, it fulfils the promise made in 1994 by Walter Lange, great-grandson of the company founder Adolph Lange, when he proclaimed: “We intend once again to make the best watches in the world.”

The LANGE 1 was designed to be different from any other mechanical watch up to that time. In the broad wake of the mechanical luxury watch segment – dominated at that time exclusively by Swiss brand names – it would have been well-nigh impossible to make a successful top name out of the Lange legend, and to turn the old location of Glashütte once again into the centre of fine German watchmaking.

During the four years of its development, the LANGE 1 was given characteristics and qualities that had been lost in the field of watchmaking, or which had been sacrificed in the interest of efficient manufacture. Characteristics such as the Glashütte three-quarter plate made of untreated German silver, gold chatons held by blued steel screws, the hand-engraved balance cock with whiplash precision index adjuster, the glucydur screw balance, or the traditional Glashütte decoration of the movement. All this plus a large number of technical innovation, such as the twin mainspring barrels with over 72 hours power reserve and a patented outsize date, which has in the meantime opened the eyes of the whole industry to the beauty of this formerly neglected display item.

All of this, as well as the highly unusual decentralised design of the dial with a clear, harmonious distribution of all the display figures, has contributed to make the LANGE 1 – in the face of the fiercest competition – a credible successor to the old Lange traditions, and capable of a successful comeback. Such a strongly individual watch also maintained its unique, inimitable personality in spite of new dial variations, the integration of a beautifully crafted tourbillon or the addition of an indicator showing the phases of the moon. There is no doubt that the LANGE 1 occupies a very special position in the extremely handsome collection by the traditional manufacturer from Saxony, which ranges from the purist Lange “1815” to the recently presented world-first LANGE DOUBLE SPLIT with a double rattrapante.

And so the legend that saw time come home has itself matured into something of a watch legend: in the form of the LANGE 1.

Data sheet LANGE 1

Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L901.0, manually wound, crafted, assembled, and decorated almost entirely by hand to the highest Lange quality standards; precision-adjusted in five positions; twin mainspring barrels; patented outsize date; power-reserve indicator; plates and bridges made of untreated cross-laminated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand

Number of parts: 365
Frequency: 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour
Jewels: 53
Screwed gold chatons: 9
Escapement: Lever escapement
Balance: Shock-proofed Glucydur screw balance, Nivarox balance spring, patented micrometer-screw index adjuster with whiplash spring
Power reserve: More than 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds with stop seconds, patented outsize date, power-reserve indicator
Operating elements: Crown for winding the movement and setting the time, push-piece for switching the outsize date
Case: Diameter 38,5 millimetres, 18-carat yellow, white or pink gold or platinum
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (hardness 9)
Dial: Solid silver in champagne, argenté, rhodié, black or grey; gold appliques
Hands: Blued steel, gold or rhodiumed gold
Water resistance: 30 metres
Strap: Hand-stitched crocodile strap with precious-metal Lange prong buckle in gold or platinum

Source: Lange Uhren GmbH Press Release (www.lange-soehne.com)

Courtesy of Europastar

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 16 2004, 10:29 PM

Base Movement Information for Omega Calibers

Omega Calibre <> Base Movement

1108 <> ETA 2892-A2
1120 <> ETA 2892-A2
1128 <> Omega 1120 (ETA 2892-A2)
1138 <> ETA 2890-A2 & Dubois-Dépraz 2030 Chrono Module
1143 <> ETA 2890-A2 & Dubois-Dépraz 2020 Chrono Module
1151 <> ETA 7751
1152 <> ETA 7750
1164 <> ETA 7750
1221 <> ETA 2892-A2
1270 <> Piguet 1270
1376 <> ETA 280.002
1400 <> ETA 205.111 Rhodium Plated
1424 <> ETA 256.461
1426 <> ETA 256.111 Yellow Gold Plated
1440 <> ETA 255.441
1456 <> ETA 976.001
1471 <> ETA 282.001
1479 <> ETA 210.011
1530 <> ETA 255.411
1532 <> ETA 255.111
1538 <> ETA 255.461
1665 <> ETA 988.431
1666 <> Exclusive Omega Development (Speedmaster X-33)
1680 <> ETA 252.511
1861 <> Lemania 1873 Rhodium Plated Version of c.861
1863 <> Lemania 1873 Rhodium Plated Version of c.863
1866 <> Lemania 1874 Rhodium Plated Version of c.866
2400 <> Skeleton Omega 1012 Yellow Gold Plated
2401 <> Skeleton Omega 1012 White Rhodium Plated
2402 <> Omega 2500 (ETA 2892-A2) Skeleton/White Rhodium Plated
2500 <> Omega 1120 (ETA 2892-A2)
2600 <> Omega 2600 (Central tourbillion)

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 17 2004, 06:26 AM

Monsieur Arpels and the new triumvirate

Van Cleef & Arpels revisits its PA 49, but the brand’s three innovative Monsieur Arpels mechanical timepieces steal the headlines and also look destined to become modern classics.

November 01, 2004

By D. Malcolm Lakin

In 1949, Pierre Arpels, the son of one of the founders of Van Cleef & Arpels, created the PA 49, a round, ultra-flat classical watch with a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement and innovative central strap attachments. 55 years later, at this year’s SIHH, the brand offered a reinterpreted and modernized model using a 35 mm stainless steel case with a curved bezel, slightly elongated Roman numerals and a date window at 4.30. The watch is still equipped with a Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic Calibre movement that is visible through the sapphire caseback.

However, it is the three new Monsieur Arpels models that have grabbed the limelight and taken the brand into the more rarefied technical universe of watch complications. The new models are the Monsieur Arpels Dual Time, the Monsieur Arpels Alarm and the Monsieur Arpels Chronograph. Each watch has its own personality, its own specific complications illustrating that the brand is capable of creating timepieces with complications that offer something different to today’s consumer. These additions to the Van Cleef & Arpels collections also highlight the fact that the brand, by broadening its offer to the male of the species, is taking the necessary steps to complement and balance its fine, innovative ladies’ collections with exceptional men’s wristwatches.

Front, back and side view of MONSIEUR ARPELS DUAL TIME.

The triumvirate

The Monsieur Arpels Dual Time watch is available in either stainless steel or 18 carat yellow gold and has a white lacquered dial with three mother-of-pearl counters. The hour, minutes and seconds hands are placed centrally. At 10 o’clock there is a power reserve indicator with a hand that duplicates the shape of the piece within the movement. The date dial is at 2 o’clock and is adjusted from a very discrete push button at 2 o’clock. The bi-directional second time zone dial is at 6 o’clock and is adjusted from the crown at 3 o’clock. Both dials slightly overlap the larger power reserve indicator offering a pleasing fusion of dials within the dial. The movement is an automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre JLC 939 with a 40-hour power reserve.

However, the Monsieur Arpels Dual Time has two additional subtleties. The first is a small window on the side of the case at 9 o’clock that reveals the movement and the second is a ‘generational’ calendar engraved on a disc at the back of the case. The calendar shows months, days and date from 2004 to 2092 – which makes it valid for 88 years. However, to personalize the feature, Van Cleef & Arpels will engrave the calendar to begin with the year of the owner’s choice.

MONSIEUR ARPELS ALARM

PA49

The Monsieur Arpels Alarm is much more than a mere alarm. Available in either 18 carat yellow gold or stainless steel, the watch is equipped with an automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre JLC 918 movement with a power reserve of 44 hours and has a central mother-of-pearl disc that shows the time in 24 cities around the world.

The alarm has a pleasing sound and is amplified by the vibrating caseback and the indi-cator for setting the alarm is a red triangle within the central disc. There are Roman numerals set within a large circle of white lacquer and there is a date aperture at 4.30. To add a further dimension to the appearance of this timepiece, the movement can be observed through two elegant windows on the side of the case at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock.

Adjustments for hours, minutes and the date are made from the crown at 4 o’clock and the alarm and the central disc showing the cities are regulated from the crown at 2 o’clock.

MONSIEUR ARPELS CHRONOGRAPH

The Monsieur Arpels Chronograph is a Limited Edition of just 49 pieces (as a homage to Pierre Arpels). The case is in 18 carat pink gold and is equipped with a Swiss mechanical VCA (M47) movement with a 38-hour power reserve. The white lacquer dial has two Roman numerals, XII and a VI, with indices for the other hours and a graduating scale for the chronograph and the tachometer. The seconds and minute counters are placed at 9 and 3 o’clock and the movement can be seen through the sapphire caseback. All the functions are activated from the crown at 3 o’clock.

The triumvirate of new watches are water-resistant to 30 metres and come with either a black crocodile deployant strap for those models in stainless steel and a mink-brown crocodile deployant strap for the gold versions.

The spirit of the brand

“Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its jewellery, it’s the heart of the brand,” explains Philippe Belais, Managing Director of the brand’s Watch Division, “and jewellery is the domain of the ladies. But obviously that does not stop us creating for men - and jewellery for men is generally considered to be the watch.

“The spirit of the brand is innovation, and since we hadn’t created any new timepieces for men for around fifty years, obviously we had to create innovative watches.

“Despite only having the same basic men’s watch collection for all those years (the PA 49 round and square versions), men’s watches remained around twenty per cent of our watch turnover. Consequently, when we decided to develop a new watch collection we had to create something that was different, not only different from our own existing models, but also from the watches the other brands offer,” Belais stressed.

“The three watches we have now introduced are therefore innovative with their complications and also very elegant in appearance in keeping with the house style. These watches are addressed to those people who enjoy beautiful objects, but who also appreciate the various mechanical functions that a watch can offer.”

The new triumvirate of timepieces offer five different possibilities – in gold and stainless steel – and as Philippe Belais underlines, “the important factor is that there is a lot of room for us to develop.”

Article courtesy of Europastar

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 21 2004, 03:23 AM

Watch firm agrees to supply competitors

November 19, 2004, 23:45

The Swiss Competition Commission says a subsidiary of the Swatch Group will continue to deliver movement blanks to other watchmakers.

The announcement ends a two-year investigation into the dispute which started after ETA announced plans to produce exclusively for the Swatch Group. The Competition Commission said ETA had agreed to deliver movement blanks, which are key elements for watches, for another six years.

In a statement released on Friday, the regulator said ETA had a dominant market position for movement blanks in the price range of up to SFr300 ($256) and that there were currently no alternatives. The Commission therefore concluded that ETA’s announcement in 2002 that it would stop the delivery of movement blanks to third parties until 2006 was in breach of the law on cartels.

Nicolas Hayek, the head of the Swatch Group, had argued that ETA was overwhelmed with orders and that its movement blanks were sometimes ending up in fake watches. But the regulator said that stopping deliveries to third parties would have threatened the future of many small watchmakers in Switzerland.

Compromise

Under a compromise, ETA pledged to keep up the delivery of movement blanks up to 2008 and gradually reduce it until 2010. The regulator said the agreement gave small watchmaking companies in Switzerland enough time to adapt to the market and look for new producers.

Movement blanks are used as a base material for watch producers who then add their own components.

ETA is the leading producer of movement blanks in the world and is considered a key element of the Swiss watchmaking industry.

The Swatch Group is the largest watchmaking concern in the world and includes the Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Longines and Swatch brands.

Source: http://www.nzz.ch/2004/11/19/english/page-synd5350365.html

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 25 2004, 06:01 PM

Patek Philippe Museum

Now is the time to see the most prestigious and comprehensive collection of timepieces ever compiled.

Reflecting the tradition of excellence of the Genevan watchmaking community, the Patek Philippe Museum presents about two thousand exceptional timepieces, automata, miniature portraits on enamel, and rare exhibits which trace a fantastic journey through five hundred years of European horology; at the same time, they showcase the 160-year heritage of a watchmaker which connoisseurs agree is the finest in the world. The collection consists of two complementary departments. One is dedicated to rare timepieces of European and mostly of Genevan provenance, the other is devoted exclusively to Patek Philippe watches, spanning the workshops’ history from its beginnings to the present day.

An exceptional museum called for an exceptional building. Number 7 on the « rue des Vieux-Grenadiers »

Located in Geneva’s Plainpalais district, the building which today houses the Patek Philippe Museum dates back to 1920. Over the century, it housed a number of jewelers, beginning with the gem cutters of Heller & Son, then the Italian jeweler Ponti Gennari, followed by the Piaget jewelers. Philippe Stern bought the building in 1975 to house the Ateliers Réunis SA. This small production unit manufactured watchcases, bracelets and chains for Patek Philippe. In 1995, after this workshop moved to the new Patek Philippe premises at Plan-les-Ouates, the building remained vacant. The idea then sprang to light of opening a museum to present to the public the two fabulous watch collections acquired by Philippe Stern over more than 30 years.

The objective was to renovate and enlarge this building, respecting the old walls and their history, while at the same time creating a contemporary expression. Under the supervision of Gerdi Stern, the wife of the president of Patek Philippe, the challenge was significant : to refurbish, remodel, redecorate and provide appropriate lighting to four floors of 7,560 square feet each (700 sqm), in an original yet coherent manner.

The Museum

The visit begins on the ground floor and continues on to the third, the second, and finally the first floor.

1. Ground floor: reception, collection of antique tools, watch restoration workshop and auditorium

2. Third floor: library, Patek Philippe archives

3. Second floor: the antique collection, from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries

4. First floor: the Patek Philippe collection from 1839 to the present day

THE COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE TOOLS

Visitors to the PateK PHILIPPE MUSEUM are greeted on the ground floor, where the workshops of the past have been recreated, just as they were used by the watchmakers, jewelers, engravers and enamellers, with a collection of over 400 tools from the period between the second half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century.

A watchmaker specialized in the restoration of antique watches will work in the visitor’s presence, in a glassed-in cabinet recalling those of the original Genevan cabinetries.

LIBRARY AND PATEK PHILIPPE ARCHIVES

The third floor is where the Museum’s documentary section is located. Visitors will discover eight presentation cases of Patek Philippe archives, a horological library containing over 4000 works, and a faithful re-creation of the office of Mr Henri Stern, father of the firm’s President.

THE ANTIQUE COLLECTION FROM THE SIXTEENTH TO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

The second floor of the PATEK PHILIPPE MUSEUM invites the visitor to discover the first three centuries of the horological art, through five hundred of the most important pieces from Geneva’s and Europe’s heritage, together with a splendid collection of miniature portraits on enamel, created by the great Geneva masters.

Audiovisual multilingual presentations of selected masterpieces animate the exhibit.

THE PATEK PHILIPPE COLLECTION FROM 1839 TO THE PRESENT DAY

Watches had existed for almost three centuries and a half when the Polish Count Antoine Norbert de Patek founded the future watchmaking firm of Patek Philippe with his fellow countryman, François Czapek, in Geneva in 1839. In just a few years, with the arrival of a new partner, the talented French horologist, Adrien Philippe, in 1845, the Geneva firm acquired a reputation for excellence. Through 163 years of uninterrupted production it has built on that reputation, which continues to flourish. The PATEK PHILIPPE MUSEUM retraces the history of the most creative watchmaking firm of our times, a history filled with technical and aesthetic innovations and illustrated by over 1000 exceptional timepieces.

The Patek Philippe Museum is a new highlight on the cultural agenda of the city of Geneva and a tribute to the city’s watchmaking heritage.

PATEK PHILIPPE MUSEUM

Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 7 - CH - 1205 Geneva

Tel. (004122) 807-09-10

www.patekmuseum.com

Opening Hours

Tuesday to Friday 14h00 - 17h00 and Saturday 10h00 - 17h00

Closed on national holidays. Guided tours by appointment

Public transport and parking

Buses: 1 and 4. Bus stop: Ecole-de-Médecine

Trams:12 and 13. Tram stop: Plainpalais.

Parking: Plainpalais

Entrance fee

Adult CHF. 10.- / student, AVS, AI CHF 7.- / groups (minimum 10 persons)

CHF 5.-Children until 18 years : no admission fee

Helpful resources:

GENEVA TOURISM

Tel. 0041 22 909 70 83 / Fax 0041 22 909 70 69

e-mail : schibli@geneva-tourism.ch

www.geneva-tourism.ch

www.switzerlandclub.com

www.MySwitzerland.com

Photo's courtesy of chronometrie

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 25 2004, 06:48 PM

TIMELINE OF WATCH MAKING

Circa 1370 The first mechanical clocks with driving-weights, gear-train and escapement appeared.
Circa 1410 Invention of the mainspring leading to the first portable clocks.
Late 15th century The first watches appeared.
Galileo Galilei discovered the isochronism of the pendulum.
1656/57 Christiaan Huygens made the first pendulum clock as imagined by Galileo in 1637.
1675 Christiaan Huygens, the father of scientific clockmaking, invented the balance-spring for watches.
1755 VACHERON CONSTANTIN was established.
John Harrison solved the problem of plotting longitude at sea through the exceptional accuracy of his timepieces.
1760/70 Jean-Antoine L?ne invented and produced a calibre with bars.
1770 Abraham-Louis Perrelet invented the self-winding watch.
1795 Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the tourbillon, which he patented in 1801.
1821 Nicholas Mathieu Rieussec developed the chronograph, which Joseph Thaddeus Winnerl perfected in 1831 (split-seconds chronograph).
1833 LECOULTRE was established (later JAEGER-LECOULTRE).
1834 BAUME was established (later BAUME & MERCIER).
1845 LANGE was established
1847 Charles Antoine LeCoultre invented a system to wind and adjust a watch using the crown.
1847 CARTIER was established.
1860 PANERAI was established.
1868 IWC was established.
1874 PIAGET was established.
From 1880 Wristwatches grew in popularity.
1883/84 The Greenwich meridian was adopted as the prime meridian, and time zones were introduced, first in the USA then throughout the world.
1893 DUNHILL was established.
1906 MONTBLANC was established.
1923/1931 John Harwood patented the first self-winding system for a wristwatch, followed by that of Hans Wilsdorf.
1926 Hans Wilsdorf filed a patent for a water-resistant watch (Oyster).
1966 First prototype for a quartz wristwatch.
1980 The revival of traditional mechanical watches.

Source : Richemont

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 26 2004, 06:17 PM

WATCH CRYSTALS

What is a watch crystal?
What are watch crystals made of?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each material?
What exactly is synthetic sapphire?
Can you tell if a crystal is made of sapphire by looking at it?
Are scratch-resistant crystals new?
Are all scratch-resistant crystals made of synthetic sapphire?
The terms "lunette," "bombé", "chevé" and "boule" are sometimes used to describe watch crystals. What do they mean?
What are "anti-reflective" or "glare-resistant" crystals?
How much do watch crystals cost to replace?

1.What is a watch crystal?

A watch crystal is a transparent cover that protects the watch face. Note that, coincidently, the word "crystal" is also used to denote the tiny piece of quartz that serves as an oscillator in a quartz watch. These two types of crystals have nothing to do with each other. The latter is usually called a "quartz crystal" to prevent confusion.

2. What are watch crystals made of?

They can be made of any of three materials: 1- plexiglass (a clear, lightweight type of plastic), 2- ordinary glass - like that used for windows, and usually referred to in the watch business as "mineral glass" or 3- synthetic sapphire (see question 4). Some crystals are made of both mineral and sapphire glass. Seiko, for example, makes some watches with crystals made of mineral glass covered with a layer of synthetic sapphire. Seiko calls this composite material "Sapphlex".

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each material?

Plexiglass, as you would expect, is the least expensive. It is also the least likely to shatter and the most likely to become scratched. Mineral glass, even though it has been hardened by a tempering process, is more likely to break than plexiglass. But it is also more scratch-resistant than that material. Synthetic sapphire is the most expensive glass crystal material and the most scratch resistant. Because it is so hard, it is also brittle, and shatters more easily than mineral glass or plexiglass.

4. What exactly is synthetic sapphire?

It is a very hard, transparent material made of crystallizing aluminum oxide at very high temperatures. Chemically, synthetic sapphire is the same as the natural sapphire used in jewelry, but without the coloring agents that give the gemstone its various hues.

When it is heated, the synthetic sapphire forms round masses that are sliced into pieces with diamond-coated saws. These disks are then ground and polished into watch crystals. (One reason sapphire crystals are relatively expensive is that the tools required to make them are costly.)

Sapphire (whether natural or synthetic) is one of the hardest substances on earth. It measures 9 on the Mohs scale, which is a system for rating the relative hardness of various materials. (Diamond measures 10, the highest rating.) Watch crystals made of synthetic sapphire are often marketed as "scratch resistant", meaning they are very difficult - but not impossible - to scratch. Diamond can scratch them; so can man-made materials that incorporate silicon carbide, with, with a Mohs rating of between 9 and 10, is, like diamond, harder than sapphire. These materials are sometimes used to make simulated-stone surfaces for furniture or walls. The watch wearer should note that accidentally scraping a sapphire crystal against such a surface could cause a scratch.

5. Can you tell if a crystal is made of sapphire by looking at it?

No. Mineral glass and sapphire generally look the same. A surefire way to tell them apart (albeit an often impractical one) is with a scratch test, says Johann Jorgo, technical director at Baume & Mercier Inc. New York. A stainless steel knife or screwdriver will scratch a mineral-glass crystal but not a sapphire one.

6. Are Scratch-resistant crystals new?

No. Synthetic sapphire was invented in the 19th century and first used for watch crystals in the 1960s. Now really all high-end watch brands use synthetic sapphire crystals in at least some of their models.

7. Are all scratch-resistant crystals made of synthetic sapphire?

No. Some mineral-glass crystals are also marketed as "scratch resistant." These crystals have a hard coating that makes them less likely to get scratched.

8. The terms "lunette", "bombé", "chevé", and "boule" are sometimes used to describe watch crystals. What do they mean?

All are French words that refer to the shape of the crystal. "Lunette" simply means round - like a full moon (lune means "moon" in French). Bombé, chevé and boule all mean concave, or dome-shaped.

There are other words used to describe watch-crystal shapes. A "raised" crystal is flat on top but raised up, like a birthday cake. "Shaped crystals" are any that aren't circular - rectangles, square and ovals being the most common. "Cocktail" shapes are the more exotic and extreme examples of shaped crystals. They include elongated baguette and octahedral (eight-sided) crystals.

9. What are "anti-reflective" or "glare-resistant" crystals?

This type of crystal has been coated on one or both sides with a substance - the same one used on anti-reflective eyeglasses - that lessens reflections and glare and makes it easier to read the watch face. Anti-reflective crystals can be made of either mineral glass or synthetic sapphire. One interesting feature of these crystals is that, viewed from the front, they are virtually invisible because they aren't reflecting any light. In some instances, the coating gives the crystal a telltale bluish tint, as it does on eyeglasses. This tint is easiest to see if the watch has a light-colored dial.

10. How much do watch crystals cost to replace?

Consumers can expect to pay anything from perhaps $20 to $25 for a plexiglass crystal to more than $100 for a shaped synthetic sapphire one. (At Baume & Mercier, for example, synthetic sapphire crystals range from $65 to $135.) The average cost of a round mineral crystal is about $30 to $60. An anti-reflective coating adds to the cost of any crystal. In general, the more expensive the watch, the more the consumer will have to pay to replace its crystal.

Courtesy of Europa Star

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 26 2004, 06:24 PM

SUBDIALS

Subdials are busting out all over this year as manufacturers increase their offerings of chronographs and other multifunction watches. What do all those whirling doodads do?

What is a subdial?
What kind of information do they give?
Explain the various subdials on a chronograph
How do you set subdials?
How can you tell what a subdial is used for?
Some non-chronograph watches have their seconds hand set in a subdial instead of in the center of the dial. Why?
Why do so many watches have subdials these days?
Are they so fashionable because they're new?

1. What is a subdial?

A subdial, or subsidiary dial, is a small dial placed inside the main dial on a watch face. Watches can have as many as four of them. Subdials, also called auxiliary dials, give information not provided by the main watch dial. They are a common features of multifunction watches such as chronographs, alarm watches, dual-time-zone watches and calendar watches.

2. What kind of information do they give?

Many kinds. Chronograph watches, those with a stopwatch function, use subdials to keep track of seconds and of elapsed minutes and hours. Calendar watches often have subdials with pointers indicating the month, date and sometimes day of the week. A moon phase subdial shows what phase the moon is in by means of a disk that rotates beneath a small aperture. On the disk are painted two full moon faces. As the day of the month pass, the painted moon (only one is visible at a time) either waxes or wanes in synchrony with the phase of the real moon.

In a mechanical watch, one that is powered by a mainspring rather than a battery, a subdial can also be used to show how much power remains before the watch stops running. Such a subdial is called a "power reserve indicator". (Quartz watches also sometimes have similar devices, showing how much power is left in the battery or energy cell. These devices, however, are usually incorporated into the watch's main dial rather than a separate subdial.)

On an alarm watch, one that rings at a specified time, a subdial is sometimes used to set the alarm. Dual-time-zone watches often have subdials that show the time in another time zone. Sometimes these subdials express the time in military fashion, on a 24-hour, rather than 12-hour, basis. (Dual-time-zone watches are sometimes called GMT watches - short for Greenwich mean time- because their second-time-zone subdials can be set to the local time at the prime meridian, which passes through Greenwich, England. Of course, the wearer can set the second-time-zone indicator to give the time in any time zone in the world, not just at the prime meridian.)

Some subdials do double-duty, using two scales and two hands. For example, one hand might point to the day of the week while the other keeps track of the seconds. Or a moon phase subdial might also have a pointer that shows the date. Note that not all subdials are round. Some are designed in what is called the bras en l'air /French for "arm in the air) design, in which the hand moves through an arc rather than in a circle. Power-reserve indicators are sometimes designed in this way; as sometimes are date indicators.

3. Explain the various subdials on a chronograph

One subdial is used for the seconds hand. In most models, the seconds subdial shows continuously running seconds. The stop-start seconds hand, controlled by the chronograph button, is placed at the center of the main dial. This is done for reasons of readability- the main dial is easier to see than a small subdial. In some watches, those with tachymeter and telemeter scales (used for measuring speed and distance, respectively), placing the chronograph seconds hand in the center serves another purpose as well. These scales are printed along the circumference of the main watch dial, and can only be used if the elapsed-seconds hand is in the middle of the watch.

Some chronographs also have subdials that show the fraction of a second - most often 1/10s of a second. Chronographs often have other types of subdials as well, called "counters", "registers", or "totalizers," which keep track of the minutes and hours that have elapsed since the wearer pushed the chronograph button. Most minute registers are graduated in 30 segments; most hour registers in 12 segments. If the wearer wants to measure a longer period of time than the subdial permits, say 45 minutes, he adds the time recorded on the minute register's first revolution, 30 minutes, to the time that has elapsed on its second revolution, 15 minutes. The reason most counter only go up to 30 minutes is that they are small. If they were marked in 60 increments, a full hour, they would be difficult to read.

Some chronographs use a subdial to show the "real" time, the current hours and minutes, while the large main dial is dedicated entirely to the chronograph function.

4. How do you set subdials?

In a chronograph, the counter start and stop recording time when you push the chronograph button, the same button starts and stops the chronograph seconds hand. When you want to reset all the dials to zero, you push another button. A system of levers underneath the watch daily returns all the subdial hands to their original position simultaneously. Other types of subdials - calendars and alarms, for instance - are set using the watch crown or a separate button on the watch case.

5. How can you tell what a subdial is used for?

It's not as complicated as it seems. If a subdial has a 60 at the top, it's probably a continuously running seconds hand (if the watch is working, this hand will be moving). But a few subdials with 60 at the top are actually 60-minute counters.

If the subdial has a 30 at the top, its most likely a 30-minute counter. If it has a 12 at the top, it's probably a 12-hour counter (although if the watch is a dual-time-zone model, its probably a second-time-zone indicator). If it has a 10 at the top, it probably measures 1/10th of a second.

Date subdials have a 31 at the top for the maximum number of days in a month. Moon phase subdials are obvious - they have a picture of a moon showing through the aperture - as are month and day-of-the-week subdials, which are labeled either Jan. through Dec. or Sun. through Sat.

6. Some non-chronograph watches have their seconds hand set in a subdial instead of in the center of the dial. Why?

It's purely for cosmetic reasons. A main dial with just two hands is sometimes easier to read than one with three, and the subdial give the watch added visual interest.

7. Why do so many watches have subdials these days?

There are two reasons. First, multifunction watches are extremely popular, and subdials are useful, and often necessary, in displaying the various types of data they measure. Second, subdials give a watch a high-tech and/or sporty look - which is extremely fashionable nowadays. That's why some watches that don't really need subdials -ones that simply show the day of the month, for example, or incorporate a seconds hand - have them anyway. Subdials have become extraordinarily important in watch design.

8. Are they so fashionable because they're new?

Not by a long shot - hundreds of year, in fact. Subdials can be seen on some of the earliest watches in existence, dating back to the 17th century. In those days, watches weren't accurate enough to count seconds (they could barely keep track of hours), so subdials were used to display the day, date and moon phase.

Courtesy of Europa Star

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 26 2004, 06:29 PM

WATER-RESISTANCE

Thanks to the sports watch boom, water resistance has become so common in watches that we often take it for granted. But a closer look at this popular feature reveals some uncommon ingenuity.

What makes a watch water-resistant?
Why aren't watches ever labeled or described in advertising as "waterproof" even if they can be worn deep-sea diving?
My watch is labeled "water-resistant to 50 meters" but the manufacturer's instructions say I can only wear it swimming, not snorkeling or diving. Why is that?
What are the various levels of water-resistance?
I've seen the abbreviation ATM used in labeling degrees of water resistance. What does it mean?
Is water resistance permanent?
How often does water resistance need to be checked?
How is water resistance tested?
Can I wear my water resistant watch in the hot tub?
What besides extreme temperatures will jeopardize my watch's water-resistance?
My divers' watch came with a leather strap. Will the water harm it?

There are several features that help make a watch water-resistant. The most important is the gaskets, or 0 rings-made of rubber, nylon or Teflon which form watertight seals at the joints where the crystal, case back and crown meet the watch case. if the watch is a chronograph, the chronograph pushers will also have gaskets.

In addition, water-resistant watch cases are lined with a sealant, applied in the form of a quick-hardening liquid, which helps keep water out.

The thickness and material of the case is also a big factor in determining whether a watch can safely be worn underwater. The case must be sturdy enough to withstand pressure without caving in says John Sokol, technical directors at TAG-Heuer USA in general, this means a steel or titanium case or a steel case plated with gold, manufacturers say. Solid gold cases can be water resistant provided they are sufficiently thick.

A screw-in case back, as opposed to one that pushes in, also contributes to a watch's water resistance. A screw-in crown, a feature of many divers' watches, helps prevent water getting into the case through the watch-stem hole. When it is screwed down it forms a water tight seal much like the seal between a jar and its lid.

2. Why aren't watches ever labeled or described in advertising as "waterproof" even if they can be worn deep-sea diving?
According to guidelines issued by the Federal Trade Commission, watch marketers are not allowed to label their watches "water-proof." Even watches designed for deep-sea diving cannot claim to be water-proof.

3. My watch is labeled "water-resistant to 50 meters" but the manufacturer's instructions say I can only wear it swimming, not snorkeling or diving. Why is that?
The different levels of water resistance as expressed in meters are only theoretical. They refer to the depth at which a watch will keep out water if both watch and the water are perfectly motionless, says Scott Chou, technical director at Seiko Corp. of America. These conditions, of course, are never met in the real swimmer's or diver's world. in real life, the movement of the wearer's arm through the water increases the pressure on the watch dramatically; so it can't be worn to the depths indicated by lab testing machines.

4. What are the various levels of water-resistance?
Watches with the lowest level of water resistance are labeled simply "water-resistant." They can withstand splashes of water but should not be submerged. Above that (or below it, literally speaking), the most common designations are
- -50 meters (1 meter is about 3.3 feet), which means the watch is suitable for swimming;
- -100 meters; indicating it can be worn snorkeling;
- -200 meters, suitable for recreational scuba diving and, believe it or not,
- -1,000 meters (roughly three-fifths of a mile).

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 26 2004, 06:34 PM

SWISS CHRONOMETERS

Switzerland's mechanical watch boom has brought a surge in watches bearing a special designation on the dial: chronometer. What are chronometers? How are they different from regular watches? Why are they important? Why are they mostly mechanical watches? And what should you tell customers about them? For the answers to these and other questions, read on.

What is a chronometer?
What does a watch have to do to earn the title of chronometer?
Who conducts the tests?
What tests are run on the watch?
How many movements does COSC test each year and how many certificates are issued?
Why are most chronometers mechanical watches?
Do many companies apply for chronometer certificates for their watches?
How is the demand for chronometers?
Which firm is the leader in production of Swiss chronometers?
What is the difference between a chronometer and a chronograph?
So what is a marine chronometer?

A chronometer is an extremely accurate watch or clock. It takes its name from the Greek words (chronos + metron) meaning to measure time. A Swiss chronometer is a watch, usually mechanical, whose precision has been tested and verified by an official Swiss watch testing bureau. The watch comes with a ratings certificate issued by the institute. The chronometer designation is a badge of honor, proof that the watch is of superior quality.

2. What does a watch have to do to earn the title of chronometer?
The watch's movement must pass a battery of severe tests conducted for 15 days and nights. The movement's accuracy is checked in five different positions and at various temperatures which simulate conditions under which the watch will be worn.

3. Who conducts the tests?
The Swiss Official Chronometer Control (Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometeres, or COSC, in French). COSC is an independent association governed by the Swiss Civil Code.

Watch companies desiring the chronometer designation on their best pieces send movements to COSC. (COSC tests uncased movements; the companies case the movements after the tests.) COSC issues a performance certificate for each timepiece which successfully passes the tests.

There are three COSC centers in Switzerland where watch companies send movements to be tested--in Geneva, Bienne and Le Locle.

Switzerland has been officially testing chronometers since 1878. COSC as it exists today was founded in 1973.

4. What tests are run on the watch?
COSC conducts elaborate precision tests on the movements using cameras and computers, which analyze the data. COSC performs seven different tests. Failure to meet the minimum standard in any one of the tests means that a movement is rejected. The tests are complicated. Here is an attempt at a simple summary:
- Test 1: Mean Daily Rate: After 10 days of tests, the mean daily rate of the movement must be within the range of -4 to +6 seconds per day. COSC determines the mean daily rate by subtracting the time indicated by the movement 24 hours earlier from the time indicated on the day of observation.
- Test 2: Mean Variation in Rates: COSC observes the movement's rate in five different positions (two horizontal, three vertical) each day over 10 days for a total of 50 rates. The mean variation in rates can be no more than 2 seconds.
- Test 3: Greatest Variation in Rates: The greatest of the five variations in rates in the five positions can be no more than 5 seconds per day.
- Test 4: Horizontal and Vertical Difference: COSC subtracts the average of the rates in the vertical position (on the first and second days) from the average of the rates in the horizontal position (on the ninth and tenth days). The difference must be no more than -6 to +8 seconds.
- Test 5: Greatest Deviation in Rates: The difference between the greatest daily rate and the mean daily test rate can be no more than 10 seconds per day.
- Test 6: Rate Variation Due to Temperature: COSC tests the movement's rate at 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit) and at 38 degrees C (100 degrees F). It subtracts the cold temperature rate from the hot temperature rate and divides by 30. The variation must be no more than 0.6 seconds per day.
- Test 7: Resumption of the rate: This is obtained by subtracting the average mean daily rate of the first two days of testing from the mean daily rate of the last test day. The resumption of rate can be no more than 5 seconds. Simple, isn't it? If a movement meets the standards, COSC issues a certificate designating it as a "chronometer."

offshore · February 2, 2007

Just spotted you posting this TT, Great stuff.

I might add that I transferred some of the more salient articles into our Knowledge Bank some time back, but it would be great to see the whole thread again.

Offshore

AMK000 · February 2, 2007

:thumbsupsmileyanim:

Like the good old days.

Great effort on recovering this TT.

This worths a pinned thread in to the Knowledge Subsection or a specific subforum.

NRG · February 2, 2007

Wow! Stunning amount of information, thanks TT! Shame it's not indexed in some way....

b16a2 · February 2, 2007

Great post! Lots of useful information in there!

offshore · February 2, 2007

Guys, Thats only 2 of 52 pages.... this was a fabulous thread, that ran for over 12 months.

Some of the info is now way outdated... Gee we have become so much more knowleageable of late... but its due to this kind of input.

I cringe at some of the info.......even mine:)

But well worth the read.

Only hope TT has the stamina to repost it all.

Alan

jonthebhoy · February 2, 2007

Didn't he go a bit weird in the end and spat the dummy out when we suggested moving and setting up a new board!!!

I think he even had a pop at a few of the "well intentioned" among us in his second resignation letter.

JTB

offshore · February 2, 2007

Don't really remember all that John, however it should not detract from the 52 pages of useful info. IMHO

Offshore

Watchmeister · February 2, 2007

What a fabulous flashback. The general watch info is priceless. The rep info is helpful as well but it also gives you a sense of how far the higher end of the rep market has come. Neo and the other posters in the original loop deserve a big thank you. :thumbsupsmileyanim: I don't think I could read the whole loop again though. :lol:

Secondbaseman12 · February 2, 2007

this is really great, good to read all the nice stuff when I wasn't around yet.

I really like this

"One... buy the most expensive suit you can afford. It is much better to own one $600 dollar suit than six $100 suits if you are trying sell anything, and in business we are all trying to sell something.

Two… shine your shoes.

And three, wear NO jewelry except a wedding band (if you are married) , a college ring (especially if from post graduate level or a fraternity) and wear a GOOD watch!"

Niels

TwoTone · February 2, 2007

Posted by: Neo Nov 26 2004, 06:39 PM

AUTOMATIC WATCHES

Automatic watches are hot in the United States. Between 1993 and 1995, U.S. imports of Swiss luxury automatics jumped 95%. Just what are automatics? How do they work? How accurate are they? How often should they be serviced? For answers to these and other questions, read on.

What is an automatic watch?
Is that the same as a hand-wound watch?
Why do they call it "automatic?"
What is the difference between an automatic and a self-winding watch?
Is that the same thing as a "perpetual" watch, like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual?
How does an automatic watch work?
Who invented the automatic watch?
Why do we see more automatics these days?
How popular are they in the United States?
Why are they so popular?
Are they expensive?
How much motion does an automatic need to work properly?
Is it safe to wind an automatic watch?
How long will an automatic watch keep turning off the wrist?
How often does an automatic need to be serviced?

1. What is an automatic watch?

An automatic is a mechanical watch whose mainspring is wound as a result of the wearer's arm motion.

2. Is that the same as a hand-wound watch?

No. Hand-wound is a mechanical watch that the wearer winds by turning the crown by hand.

3. Why do they call it "automatic?"

Because instead of the wearer having to wind the watch to generate power, the watch winds itself "automatically" when worn.

4. What is the difference between an automatic and a self-winding watch?

Nothing. The terms are synonymous. Self-winding means that the watch winds itself.

5. Is that the same thing as a "perpetual" watch, like a Rolex Oyster Perpetual?

Right. Rolex refers to its automatic watches as "perpetuals." Automatic, self-winding and perpetual all mean the same thing: the watch winds itself. (A perpetual calendar, however, is something else.)

6. How does an automatic watch work?

The movement of the wrist and body causes the rotor, a metal weight attached to a winding mechanism, to pivot freely on its staff in the center of the movement. The rotor rotates back and forth in a circular motion at the slightest action of the wrist. The rotor's movement winds the mainspring, a flat coiled spring that powers mechanical watches.

7. Who invented the automatic watch?

The modern rotor system was developed and patented by Rolex and introduced into the Oyster line as the Oyster Perpetual in 1931. Emile Borer, Rolex's technical chief at the time, is credited with inventing the modern rotor system.

The person who first developed a rotor, however, was Abraham-Louis Perrelet (1729-1826), one of Switzerland's greatest watchmakers. Perrelet is considered the father of the automatic watch. He introduced the concept in 1770 and was way ahead of his time since the invention was better suited to wristwatches. Perrelet lived in the pocket watch era and, because the watches did not move much in pockets, the rotor system did not perform so well. The rotor did not move around enough to wind the mainspring sufficiently.

Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) improved self-winding watches; he called them "perpetuelles" (the likely source of Rolex's term). Other watchmaking greats of the 19th century advanced the concept. But it wasn't until wristwatches became popular after World War I and Rolex perfected its system that automatics came into their own.

8. Why do we see more automatics these days?

Like all mechanical watches, automatics fell out of style during the quartz watch revolution of the 1970s. Electronic watches were the rage then and were far more accurate than mechanicals. In the mid-1980s, however, as quartz watch production soared to hundreds of millions of pieces each year, some people, mostly watch collectors, began to appreciate the value of a fine mechanical watch. In the past 10 years, fine mechanical watches have staged a comeback on world markets. Automatics have rebounded as part of the mechanical counter-revolution.

9. How popular are they in the United States?

Very. Between 1993 and 1995, U.S. imports of Swiss luxury mechanical watches jumped 95% in units and 87% in value, according to the American Watch Association. This data also includes hand-wound watches, but the majority are automatics. Data for 1996 is not available yet.

10. Why are they so popular?

Many people appreciate the craft involved in making a mechanical automatic movement. They like the fact that this technology is hundreds of years old, involves many moving parts, yet keeps very accurate time. (Many automatics come with glass backs which enable the wearer to view the action of the rotor and other moving parts.) They appreciate the human element involved in an automatic watch, that the movement is assembled by hand. Others like the fact that automatics run on so-called "clean," natural energy--wrist power--and that there are no polluting batteries to dispose of.

11. How accurate are they?

Mechanical technology, by definition, is inferior to the extreme accuracy of an electronic watch. Automatics are plenty accurate for normal daily timekeeping, though. A normal automatic is accurate to within +30/-5 seconds a day, depending on the quality of the movement.

12. Are they expensive?

They can be, but they are not necessarily. Automatics are available in every price range, starting with Swatch automatics.

13. How much motion does an automatic need to work properly?

A person's normal arm and wrist motion will keep an automatic watch properly wound. People who are inactive--the elderly or patients confined to beds--may need to wind their watch to keep it powered.

14. Is it safe to wind an automatic watch?

Sure. Winding the watch won't hurt it at all. If you haven't worn an automatic in a while, it is best to wind the stopped watch before putting it on. Ten to 15 turns of the crown is usually enough to give full power to the mainspring. Some companies recommend more: Breitling, for example, suggests turning the crown on its automatics 30 to 40 times. But be aware that the barrel in an automatic movement doesn't have a hook so that you won't feel any resistance when the mainspring is fully wound. Don't worry; you can't overwind the watch.

15. How long will an automatic watch keep turning off the wrist?

That depends on the type of movement in the watch and how much power is left in the mainspring when you take it off.

A normal, fully wound automatic movement will keep running from 36 to 48 hours. Frederic Piguet, the Swiss movement manufacturer which specializes in complicated movements, produces an automatic movement which stores 100 hours of power. Bernhard Stoeber, vice president of technical services at the Movado Group, recommends winding an automatic watch when one takes it off so that it will keep running as long as possible when not worn. Stoeber also suggests occasionally winding an automatic that is not worn for an extended period of time in order to keep the oils properly lubricated and distributed.

16. How often does an automatic need to be serviced?

Most companies recommend the watch be checked and relubricated every three to five years. If the wearer regularly subjects a water-resistant automatic to water, the seals should be checked annually.

Courtesy of Europa Star

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