Peter Speake-Marin was born in Essex, England in 1968.  By his own admission, studying horology at London's Hackney Technical College in 1985 was "an accident" a direction he had never new exisited and the result of a kindly careers offficer.  He made further studies in Switzerland and then "after-sales service " for a year; and following that experience, he spent 7 years in England restoring antique and vintage watches....

>>Read the full story

Across the road from the Patek Philippe boutique along London’s New Bond Street sits Asprey, jeweller to the Crown since the time of Queen Victoria. Founded in 1781, the firm built its reputation supplying jewellery and other luxury goods to kings, queens as well as the merely rich. Even the Cabinet Office of the British government lists “silver collections comprising… Asprey silver platter, silver box [and] cutlery” amongst its assets.
 

Since the sale of Asprey to Prince Jefri of Brunei in 1995, Asprey has ceased to be a family business. Its most recent owners are a pair of American private equity firms who acquired the jeweller last year. Under the new owners Asprey has been recast as contemporary and cool - the “ultimate authentic British luxury lifestyle house” according to its website - and counts Victoria and David Beckham amongst its clients....

>>Read the full story

Concord Watch Company S.A. was founded nearly 100 years ago in Bienne as a manufacturer of high-quality watches with thin movements, particularly for the American market. After World War I, Concord was known as a jeweler extraordinaire with private-label gem-encrusted platinum watches for Tiffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier.  President Harry Truman even presented a Concord Ring Clock – first portable eight-day winding travel alarm clock – to heads of state, including Churchill and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference.

Other horological achievements include the world's thinnest analogue watch in 1980 – the Delirium IV (<1mm) and one of the most expensive watches available in 1995 – Saratoga Exor. Since the late 1990s, Concord became perceived as just a glitzy watch brand, albeit with a glamorous profile on Hollywood red carpets and in the Oscar gift basket for Academy Award presenters and winners.

...

>>Read the full story

Ebel, the 'Architects of Time,' was for many years not the first brand that sprang to mind when dreaming of a top quality timepiece, but in recent years much has changed.  From a comfortable but undynamic position in the 1980's as a solid producer of distinctive quartz watches to today, Ebel has undergone dramatic changes.  Perhaps Ebel has always been somewhat underestimated and underappreciated by horological cognoscenti; high quality distinctive mechanical watches have long been part of the brand's output.  From its development of a perpetual calendar based on the Zenith El Primero in 1984, to the more recent development of in-house calibers 137, 139, 240 and 288, Ebel is indeed bidding to be seen as a manufactory rightfully proud of its technical accomplishments.  Retaining the distinctive Ebel look but reimagining it in a forward looking and fresh way, Ebel, now under the leadership of CEO Thomas van der Kallen since 2005 and also under a new corporate owner, the Movado group, is shaking lose its former image and staking out new ground.  Mr. van der Kallen kindly consented to share his thoughts about Ebel's future with PuristSPro.com....

>>Read the full story

Montres Jaquet Droz was relaunched by the SWATCH group at Basel in 2002.  This exclusive manufacturer's main focus is to preserve the traditional arts and crafts associated with haute horology.  Over the past six years Mr. Manuel Emch has successfully led a dedicated team of watchmakers, artisans, designers, and administrators.  The team's abundant energy and creative vision has allowed Montres Jaquet Droz to enjoy double digit sales growth despite a limited annual production of approximately two thousand timepieces.  Best known for the iconoclastic Grande Seconde model with its grand feu enamel or precious stone dial, Montres Jaquet Droz continues to surprise enthusiasts with their innovation and emotive designs....

>>Read the full story

Montres Delaloye, a new watchmaking firm established by watchmaker Nicolas Delaloye and his brother Christophe, is a guardian of the values of traditional watchmaking. Nicolas Delaloye, born in 1970, is still relatively young but has accumulated an impressive resume of experience in the industry, and has taken the daring step of striking out on his own with his own manufactory, as well as an in-house movement, Calibre ND01s. This movement is housed in Montres Delaloye's "Garde Temps" line of men's watches....

>>Read the full story

Severin is known to be a great turnaround artist with a golden touch. He built up the Gucci watch franchise from zero to the best selling brand (at one time, in number of pieces) and was known as the first brand to put diamond settings on stainless steel cases.

Corum has seen strong growth since his takeover of Montres Corum from the founding Banwart family although current tough economic conditions means he is unable to repeat his dramatic rapid expansion he is more accustomed to.

He is one of the boldest personalities in the industry and it is always a pleasure and a good educational experience to meet him on any occassion....

>>Read the full story

With a father who was once a machinist and now a clockmaker, it is no surprise Andreas Strehler is a watchmaker. Not in the generic use of the word, mind you, but in its purest, most literal form - Andreas Strehler makes watches. In his mind a concept is born, and through his skilled hands, the concept manifests into something rarely seen in today's horology, that is, something new and unique.

Andreas is the youngest and possibly most forward thinking member of the AHCI. After watchmaking school in Solothurn and repairing watches at a jewelers, Andreas left for LeLocle to hone his skills as a prototypist with Renaud & Papi. Andreas thrived in this creative and free environment, until 1995 when he left to work and create for himself. ...

>>Read the full story

When one speaks with watch collectors and aficionados one brand is consistently singled out as being "the Rolls-Royce of watches." Like the esteemed automobile manufacturer, it is a name that has become synonymous with perfection, exclusivity and the finest craftsmanship. The company is Patek Philippe, and its history offers a compelling insight into how this unique, family-held watch company has dominated the Swiss watch industry for over 160 years.

One has to wait until the finacial crisis of the 30s to witness the arrival of the Stern family at Patek Philipe....

>>Read the full story