A whirlwind weekend in Geneva of auction sales, Only Watch and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève has confirmed the rise and rise of independent watchmakers.
Philippe Dufour is setting salerooms alight; WatchBox has invested in De Bethune; Chrono24 has secured LVMH-backed funding; Watchfinder is presenting all the James Bond watches in its Paris showroom; Richard Mille has launched a certified network for its pre-owned watches… for watch fans, the moving and shaking is on the pre-owned market.
A once forgotten art, engraving is enjoying a renaissance in watchmaking. Watches released in 2020 offer a superb panorama of the different techniques and the many marvels they can achieve.
Geneva Watch Days helped make up for the absence of the industry's traditional fairs, albeit on a much smaller scale. The 16 exhibiting brands showed watches for men of taste and men of action.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, the countdown has begun. Only a few more days to go until Christmas. This year, Santa has swapped his red suit for a watchmaker's white coat, and filled his sack with mechanical treasures that will reawaken the child in us all.
Independents and smaller brands must build a special relation with collectors in order to exist. Singer Reimagined and De Bethune are two of those putting in the extra time.
Now held every two years, the fourth Dubai Watch Week is the biggest yet, with masterclasses, panels, exhibitions and 44 exhibitors showcasing their collections at this non-commercial event.
Eleven years ago, the American superhero machine launched one of the most profitable movie franchises ever. Twenty-one films and $18.5 billion in box-office takings later, the Avengers are back for a monumental goodbye.