HANDS-ON: Introducing the F.P.Journe Elégante Collection

While collectors may cringe at the concept of quartz technology incorporated into traditional watchmaking, I was not at all dissatisfied when presented with F.P.Journe's highly-innovative, electromagnetic "Elégante" ladies' timepiece collection....

Pre-SIHH 2015: The Ultra-Thin Piaget Altiplano Chronograph

As next year's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie nears, we will be definitely seeing a myriad of interesting and innovative creations from all of Richemont's brands and the few independent brands that also attend this event. While there haven't been too many watch introductions thus far, Piaget has unveiled something spectacular: The Piaget Altiplano Chronograph, a.k.a. the world's thinnest....

HANDS-ON: Longines' 180th Anniversary Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph

I stopped by Manfredi Jewels today to take a look at a classic, cool, and amazingly well-priced column-wheel chronograph by Longines. This wristwatch isn't exactly brand new, as it was released last year, though it is a great representation of Longines' ability to produce superb chronographs....

HANDS-ON: Vacheron Constantin's Traditionnelle 14-Day Tourbillon At Wempe NYC

The tourbillon is the king of complications--do keep in mind, this is not an opinion, but a fact. And while stopping by Wempe's Fifth Avenue boutique, located just around the corner from the Peninsula, I had the pleasure to view a selection of tourbillons from various distinguished manufactures. Yes, all of the pieces were spectacular, but one was absolutely striking....

IN-DEPTH: The Lineage of the Longines Czech Aviator Chronometre

The so-called "Tartarugone" is a chronometer wristwatch that was produced by Longines for Czech aviators before, during, and after the Second World War. The Tartarugone features a unique case shape and has greatly evolved over time—utilizing three different movements. The second series, which was made in a very limited quantity, is seldom seen in good condition. While the other variations are not as rare, they are a financially-accessible alternative to the higher-priced Longines pilot's watches of the early 20th Century. Let's take an in-depth look at the history of this fascinating wristwatch.

Translated And Edited By Luke Rottman.

Watching Watches: A Visit With Chopard NYC [With Live Photos]

Today, I met with Chopard at the company's lavish boutique on Madison Avenue. Aside from their million-dollar jewels, Chopard has a lengthy history of producing many of Switzerland's finest mechanical timepieces. Being one of Switzerland's last independently owned manufacturers, carrying on old-world craftsmanship in their watchmaking is a cornerstone of their business. What I focus on here are two watches that I believe are of paramount quality, aesthetically simple yet striking, and deliver superior accuracy and precision.

VIDEO: Time Well Spent: A. Lange & Sohne's 1815

A.Lange & Sohne, Hands-On, Video Review, VideosLuke RottmanJune 23, 2014A Visit With, Video, A.Lange & Sohne, German watchmaking, Glashutte, Interviews, Hands-OnComment

HANDS-ON [WITH LIVE PICS]: Introducing the JLC Grand Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate

Today, I spent some time looking back at some of my favorite watches from this year’s shows. As I was sorting through my millions of wristies (no not selfies, wristies), I found a few awesome pictures of an also awesome Reverso. But this was not just any Reverso: this was the Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate Reverso, the watch that was under the spotlight at 2014’s SIHH. This irrefutably stunning wristwatch combines JLC’s technical sophistication as well as the brand’s appreciation of the icon’s (still referring to the watch) heritage.

HANDS-ON [WITH LIVE PICS]: Introducing The Pilot D’Aeronef Type 20 GMT 1903 by Zenith @Timecrafters2014

Timecrafters was so action-packed (and, yes a watch show can be action-packed, for those who don’t know) that I nearly forgot half of the watches that I saw at the show. But through all of this watch-mania, some very special watches found their way into a part of my mind where I would never be able to forget them. This was one of those watches.

Events, Review, Timecrafters, Zenith, Pilots Watch, BaselworldLuke RottmanMay 22, 2014Timecrafters, Baselworld 2014, Zenith, Hands-On, PVD/DLC, Pilots WatchComment

HANDS-ON: Dizzy Hands From Richard Mille @Timecrafters2014

Today, I spent time with one of the brands that has most inspired me in my watch-blogging journey. Richard Mille, the swiss company that sponsors many famous athletes such as Rafael Nadal, has recently introduced the new RM 63-01, known as “Dizzy Hands,” at SIHH 2014. Luckily, this watch made a stop at Timecrafters for me and many other journalists, who did not get the chance to attend SIHH, to see.

HANDS-ON: Spending An Hour With A Memorizing Wristwatch @Timecrafters2014

After a hectic, but exciting two days at Timecrafters, I stopped by one of my top-ten favorite watch booths, A. Lange & Sohne. While I was there, I viewed some of the newest additions to the collection, all from Geneva’s SIHH 2014. I found that I took a strong liking to the astonishingly complicated Richard Lange “Terraluna.” This exceptional piece features two important complications, including a perpetual calendar and a magnificent orbital moon-phase display that is almost reminiscent of Patek’s Sky Moon Tourbillon’s celestial dial, but much more accurate and, interestingly enough, much smaller (a more sensible size).