Four Chronographs That Earned their Place In History

One of the most popular complications is the chronograph. This can be explained because the complication adds extra dynamic elements to the watch. Measuring the passing of time requires an extra seconds hand, subdials to show the minutes and hours, and pushers to operate it all. Aviation, car racing, and the exploration of space are just three areas in which (mechanical) chronographs made their mark, adding to their appeal. While there are a great many to choose from, the following four have earned their place in history:

By Adrienne Faurote

Throwback Thursday: Rolex Ref. 6269 “Le Hibou Grand-Duc”

Gemstone set Daytona's made from precious metal are nothing new today, but in the 1980s, it was quite trailblazing for Rolex to offer its sports models in such a configuration. When you like that, it doesn't get much better than this Ref. 6269 "Le Hibou Grand-Duc." Made for the French market, it features on the caseback the French import marks and Rolex France's logo. Its name, meaning "the owl Grand Duke" is also inspired by the image shown in the French import mark.

Rolex Continues The Subtle Art Of Evolution In All Of Its New 2021 Models

Rolex has always been a brand that honors evolution. For this, they have a good reason, given the fact that many, if not all, of their watches have become the benchmark in their category. In 2021, they further refine their offerings, proving that evolution can be very exciting.

Rolex Continues Its High-Speed Legacy At Daytona

For Rolex, the beach at Daytona plays an intricate part in their history. It was there that Sir Malcolm Campbell initially did his high-speed runs, breaking the world land speed record five times. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, was already in a very early stage interested in Sir Malcolm Campbell's achievements and recognized the potential of collaborating. They teamed up, and Campbell joined the Rolex family, achieving the vast majority of his records with a Rolex around his wrist. In 1965, Rolex officially named their chronograph Daytona, and it would become quickly more famous than the beach it got its name from.

The Magic Of Owning A Celebrity’s Wristwatch

Owning a rare watch of exquisite quality is one of life's true pleasures. Most of these watches have been made by brands with a history spanning decades, if not centuries. This gives it quite a bit of pedigree, but if the previous owner of such a watch was also a well-known celebrity, its appeal increases on all levels.

Proprietary Red And Rose Gold On A Rise

Gold prices have, in recent weeks, reached new record highs. In times of uncertainty, people tend to go back to old standards. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, we already saw a renewed interest in gold-cased watches. This trend was, to some extent, also fueled by watch brands creating their own alloys, which gave them a unique edge in a very competitive market.

Four Must-Have Chronographs

The chronograph is among the most popular complications. Many of them have reached the status of being an icon, often for very different reasons. As there are so many chronographs to choose from, here is a short-list of four that any serious watch collector should consider adding to its collection.

Four Colorful Watches For These Dark Times

The times we are currently facing are challenging for many of us, and for a variety of different reasons. Yet no matter what the reason is, it is essential to maintain hope. Only then can we find the strength to come together, be creative, and work our way productively through the problems. Watches can then be seen as a trivial thing, but apart from being an industry by itself which fuels our economies, can they also serve as an inspiration. When we are capable of making mechanical watches that can measure time with an accuracy of 99.994% (the worst rating with which a watch can still be Chronometer-certified), it serves as a testimony that human ingenuity knows no bounds and that we can persevere. Therefor four mechanical timepieces that can not only inspire but also brighten our day with their colorful appearance.

Hip Hop’s Top Watch Connoisseurs And Their Amazing Collections

Overcoming adversity is one of the main ingredients that makes hip-hop such a highly popular genre. Many of the leading artists worked their way up from very modest beginnings, using their considerable talents to translate their struggles and experiences into music that inspires millions. They gave a voice to people who had none, and are a shining example that faith and hard work can make dreams come true. As they realized their own dreams, they also gained the ability to build impressive watch collections. Many of hip-hop's finest have shown that they have bold taste in watches, and combine this with a great understanding of quality and heritage, as the following four artists show:

A New Breed Of A Rare Cat: Rolex Daytona ‘Leopard’

When you say Rolex Daytona, the image that this invokes in the mind of most people is that of a sportive, functional chronograph with a touch of classic flair. This watch has become one of the benchmarks in its category, with an instantly recognizable look. Rolex is often a brand of evolution instead of revolution, and the Daytona has most certainly benefited from that approach. But there is always the exception to the rule, as in 2004 the brand launched the much talked about Daytona “leopard” (reference 116598 SACO).

Everybody Loves Rainbows

Watches that use a spectrum of colored gemstones to create a rainbow effect have become a modest trend in recent years. Most brands use sapphires to create this effect, often in addition with amethysts, tsavorites and other colored gemstones. With sapphires, most people immediately think of the blue colored stones, while they come in nearly the complete color spectrum. Rubies are, just like all the other sapphires, a variety of the mineral corundum as well, only did in the past the red version of these stones got a name of their own. Because they are available in so many different hues, they play an important role to create the perfect rainbow effect.

Cherry-Picking: Diamond and Ruby Rolex Daytona With Garnet Dial

Long before all the hype surrounding Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” watches, the Crown already had a history of producing special gem-set Daytona chronographs using a mix of precious and semi-precious gemstones. Case in point is this exceptional diamond and ruby Rolex Daytona with a rich garnet dial—a piece hardly ever seen out in the wild due to its scarcity.

The Best Men’s Watches From Baselworld 2019 Part I

When it comes to men's watches, most brands expanded their lineup during the 2019 edition of Baselworld with some solid additions. Some of them favoured evolution over revolution, further perfecting what are already great watches, while others developed breathtaking technical novelties. One of the great difficulties of any fair, and especially Baselworld, is to pick from this wide array of often very different watches the favorites that truly stand out.

What Current Watches Will Be Tomorrows Auction Favorites?

It has happened to many watch collectors; they look over a list of watches that have been auctioned off only to realise that they didn't buy a specific model years ago when its prices were much more modest. It remains very complex to determine beforehand which watches will show a strong value over the years. Rarity plays a role, as well who made the watch, but as the Paul Newman Daytona probably proofs best, they might currently not even be among the most popular timepieces available! These four watches might be up there one day:

Christmas Carols & Casebacks

Opened all your gifts, ate enough sweets and need a break from the Christmas carols? Then check out some stunning casebacks. The time that the back of a watch was nothing but a plain piece of metal is long gone. The vast majority of high-end watch brands now utilize the back of their watches to give you an insight into their technical capabilities.

Artisans de Geneve And Juan Pablo Montoya Take On A Legendary Chronograph

In the world of car racing, Juan Pablo Montoya is a man whose accomplishments are not limited to a single championship. He won the prestigious CART title in his rookie year, as Formula One Driver he won among others the Grand Prix of Monaco and Silverstone, and on top of that, he was also three times victorious in the 24 Hours of Daytona and also won the Indianapolis 500. He now follows in the footsteps of Spike Lee and Lenny Kravitz, by joining Artisans de Genève to create an exclusive watch; 'La Montoya'

The Power Of Platinum

Among all the metals used in watchmaking, platinum is among the rarest. Even the top brands often only craft very limited numbers of their platinum cased watches, which is part of the answer why they sell with a significant premium when compared to the same watch in 18 karat gold. There was a time when this higher price could also be explained by the more expensive price of platinum itself, but that has for a while not been the case anymore. However, processing platinum, as well as finishing it, requires special craftsmanship, because it is very dense, malleable and ductile. With the few watches made the investment in this cannot be spread out over so many pieces.