For the past thirty years, he has taken inspiration from the great master watchmakers. Winner of the Hommage au Talent award, presented by Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, François-Paul Journe opens the doors to his Geneva workshop.

There's always a good reason to take a trip down memory lane, starting with the many icons that celebrate a special birthday this year. And as the community of old-school fans grows, it's clear that there is no business like vintage business.

If it's true that behind every great man, there is a great woman, Baselworld 2017 showed that there is a woman behind every watchmaker too, particularly now brands have realised the potential of a demographic that is just as appreciate of a bi-axial tourbillon as a skeleton movement.

The most laidback of all Patek Philippe watches lends itself to a new anniversary model in white gold. At 42 mm in diameter, it is also the largest in the Aquanaut line.

Twenty months of ailing exports have put watchmakers in search of a remedy. Slimmer, lighter, more svelte, extra-thin models appear to be just what the doctor ordered, and an opportunity to set new records into the bargain.

Some see it as a complication in the horological sense. For others, it brings out watchmaking's dreamier side. Either way, the moon-phase display has become as popular a "function" as the chronograph and, for women's timepieces in particular, almost mandatory.