The ‘70s icon that kept its cool May 3, 2012 WHEN we decided to launch the Royal Oak 40 years ago,” Olivier Audemars explains animatedly, “it was the start of the worst crisis ever to hit the Swiss watchmaking industry. People were throwing themselves from windows… But luckily,” he adds with a glint in his eye, “watch factories tend to be just one storey high, [...]
Bremont to unveil victorious tribute to England’s naval past May 3, 2012 YOU think you have a brand pegged, and then it spins on its heel and does something completely unexpected. In the case of Bremont, a company that has fast become Britain’s leading producer of luxury watches, the proposition has been pretty simple: super-tough, sweetly-designed modern chronographs that reflect the aviation passion of the brand’s founders, [...]
Cameron Diaz brings the glitz to TAG Heuer May 3, 2012 TAG Heuer is a company renowned for its ultra-sporty watches, with a history heavily bound up with the glamour and speed of motor sports (see the feature on page 26). It may not seem the most obviously ladylike brand, therefore, but things have got very ladylike indeed with the arrival of the movie star, Cameron [...]
MOVIE STARS AND THEIR WATCHES May 3, 2012 1 Nicole Kidman The Oscar-winning star of films including Moulin Rouge, To Die For and the Hours is a brand ambassador for Omega. As such, she’s often seen on the red carpet sporting Omega’s impressive latest women’s watch, the De Ville Ladymatic. 2 Clive Owen The British actor, whose films include Duplicity, Closer and the [...]
LAP TIMES May 3, 2012 YOU don’t have to be a petrol head to like watches, but it helps. Thanks to shared interests in cutting-edge technology, compelling design, glamorous exclusivity and the importance of time, watch companies produce a multitude of pieces inspired by the beauty of fast cars and the speed and drama of the racetrack. Which is why [...]
Basel stories: the best of the new May 3, 2012 Timothy Barber picks the highlights from BaselWorld 2012, the watch industry’s love-in EVERY spring the Swiss city of Basel hosts the great gathering of the watch industry, at which thousands of luxury brands coalesce to impress retailers, distributors, collectors and journalists with their latest creations. Venerable Patek Philippe is always a star attraction, with a [...]
Omega takes to space with a multi-function wonder May 3, 2012 OMEGA is famous for its classic Speedmaster Professional chronograph which is known as the Moon Watch for having been picked by NASA in the 1960s to be worn by astronauts, and for having been worn on the moon by Buzz Aldrin. NASA’s space programme may be on the back foot at the moment, but Omega [...]
Feathers take on diamonds as the ultimate chic decoration May 3, 2012 Thought diamonds were a girl’s best friend? Well, it’s possible you were wrong, given the buzz created by two brands incorporating feathers as decorative elements into their watches this year. Although fair enough – there’s a fair few shining stones on these watches as well. Harry Winston’s feathered friends included the stunner that is the [...]
Bell & Ross goes for old school cool with its latest releases May 3, 2012 THE French brand Bell & Ross has built a terrific reputation over the years for its sturdy-cut-chic squareform watches inspired by instruments from aeroplane cockpits. Those watches were particularly on song during the big watch craze of the boom years – and they still sell well, particularly in the City – but lately Bell & [...]
Chopard and Hermes mix elegance with in-house tech May 3, 2012 THE holy grail of watch manufacturing is for a company to be able to make its own movements in-house. This is no mean thing – Breitling, one of the most famous brands around, only released its first in-house movement in 2009 and spent years of research and millions of dollars of investment in the process. [...]
