It has been two weeks since Apple announced its smart watch – the Apple Watch. We have weighed in with our thoughts, and so have many others. Let us revisit the Apple Watch by taking a look at what some of the top names in the watch industry think. And in this roundup, you will find watch luminaries such as Jean-Claude Biver, François-Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen, and more sharing their thoughts and opinions on the Apple Watch. You wouldn’t want to miss it.
Apart from the Apple Watch, we also visit the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair to see how the massive Chinese watch industry is doing. China is of course the largest producer of watches and some of the watches that we saw might just surprise you. Moving on, we check out new watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre and Breguet, and we also tell you why Orient might just be your best bet for affordable dress watches. We also check out the new Genequand System Regulator to find out how it can and might revolutionize watch movements. And finally, we find out from other watch lovers and collectors what are their number one rules when it comes to buying used watches.
1. Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre à Chronographe Watch Review
Jaeger-LeCoultre, or La Grande Maison, as it is sometimes known, makes some supremely technical watches and their Duomètre line-up is one of the most interesting. The idea behind these watches is the Dual-wing concept, which means it has two mainspring barrels – one for timekeeping and the other to power the complication. In the case of the Duomètre à Chronographe, Jaeger-LeCoultre claims this concept will prevent amplitude and torque changes when the chronograph is enabled and this consistency can enable more precision and accuracy. In many ways, this is a true watch lovers’ watch, and if this is the sort of watch that you fancy, check out our review.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2014: The Progress Of The Chinese Watch Industry
While it is true that the Swiss watch industry remains the largest in terms of value, the Asian watch industry, particularly that of China and Hong Kong, is still king when it comes to sheer quantity. In fact, if you don’t already know, China and Hong Kong are both responsible for 85% of the total volume of watches produced in the past year. Although the bulk of these watches are cheap quartz pieces, the Chinese watch industry is also responsible for much of the “boutique brand” watches that some of us love. Here, we visit the Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and provide an overview of how the Chinese watch industry is doing.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1948 Watches Review
For me, when I think of iconic dress watches, the Reverso from Jaeger-LeCoultre comes to mind, which is strange, really, because the Reverso was really designed as a sports watch – the reversible case allowed polo players to protect their watches from damage during play. Since 2011, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been tapping into its rich history and began releasing vintage-inspired Reverso models, and the latest model, the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1948, draws design cues from a (surprise, surprise) 1948 model.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. Will The Genequand System Regulator Disrupt The Traditional Balance Wheel? 30 Days Of Power Reserve With Traditional Mainspring
The balance wheel and escapement are often referred to as the heart of a watch, and the Swiss lever escapement system is currently the most widely used. The reason for that is that, apart from being a tried-and-tested system, completely new systems that actually work are incredibly hard to invent. The new Genequand System Regulator, however, could very well be the most innovative yet, that promises incredible breakthroughs if Vaucher, the company behinds this, successfully commercializes it. How does 30 days of power reserve and a beat rate of 86,400 bph sound to you?
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. Orient Dress Watches: The Best Budget Option?
If your workplace has a lax dress code, you perhaps just head to work in a t-shirt and jeans. As a result, you also may find yourself gravitating towards tool watches. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, once in a while, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to put on your suit and shirt, heck, or maybe even a tuxedo. For instances like these, a tool watch won’t cut it. Sure, some tool watches can be passed off as dress pieces, but what you really want for times like these is a classic dress watch – preferably in gold, definitely thin, and absolutely on a classy leather strap. For situations like these, you might want to check out Orient, who make some seriously affordable and well-made dress watches.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5377 Watch Hands-On
If Patek Philippe is all about honoring traditions and longevity, and Audemars Piguet is all about breaking the mold and standing out, what, then, does Breguet represent? Well, I would say that they do a good job of mixing classic designs with modern technical innovations. For example, here is the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5377, which has a high-tech silicon escapement that is put in a classic Breguet-style case and dial. Speaking of the dial, just look at the guilloche on it!
Source: aBlogtoWatch