German watch manufacturers

In my continuing curiosity about how many mechanical watches are produced in Europe, I have started to look at the German market.

It turns out that a large amount comes from a "big six" (Nomos, Sinn, Glasshuette Original, Meistersinger, A.Lange, Stowa) of manufacturers.

I am missing many German companies (like Nivrel, Schaumburg Watch, UTS, Damasko, Guinand, Tutima, Ickler, Alexander Shorokoff, Junghans, Junkers, Zeppelin, etc.) but these 6 have manufacturing numbers (somewhat) available and have established their brand names outside their home market.

Here is a chart with my first estimates of the amount of watches manufactured by the "big six" and comparing the size of the output ... any comments are very welcome..

Swiss Luxury Watch Manufacturers, units and market share, part 2.

I have looked at this again and now corrected some numbers and added some major manufacturers that I had forgotten (click on the graph for a larger view).

Swiss Luxury Watch manufacturers units and market share

Having been in marketing and strategy for many many years, I thought I could use the skills to look at the Swiss watch industry. The industry is very secretive, so most of the numbers are based on educated guesses and estimates... I still think I will be quite close to reality on most. I hope someone else than me finds this interesting.

European Watch Fairs and Events September 2011

September 2011 European Auctions Calendar

Buying a Submariner: date or no date?

The Submariner is an excellent first choice as a first "good" watch.

The date version was first produced as reference 1680 in the mid-sixties so it's hard to say if it’s more "classic" or not. Certainly Sean Connery in the Bond movies was wearing without date, but then again the first movie with a Rolex was Dr.No that came out in 1962.

I personally would prefer a new Rolex (or any watch) with a date function and especially with Rolex, the "Cyclops" date magnification is a unique look. Having said that, in my experience they scratch more easily because of course the glass sticks out (although today sapphire crystals are so hard that it's almost impossible to do).

The Sub Reference 14060M "No Date" was almost discontinued this year but Rolex decided to keep it alive. You won't find it on their official website though..It also doesn't have the Ceramic bezel which the new Rolex Submariner 116610LN with date has.

Whatever you choose, make sure you get the last reference numbers and not some older models..


In terms of "sensible price" - I'd say grab one quick, as the Swiss Frank is very strong... I haven't bought a Rolex for a while, but I would say that you should be able to get up to 10% if the dealer is keen and you can pay cash, there won't be much more "room" and in fact Rolex won't actually officially let them give any discounts or they'll lose the right to represent them.

Rolex is more available at various shops so there will be a lot of possible sources..I personally like Wempe on Bond Street. By the way, Rolex has opened their own Flagship store at One Hyde Park, might be worth a try as they may be more flexible on the price. Online you could try http://www.bankslyon.co.uk.

August 2011 European Auctions Calendar

July 2011 European Auctions Calendar

Breitling (still) for sale: Navitimer Limited Edition Patrouille de France

My beautiful 1990's Navitimer Limited Edition "Patrouille de France" is still for sale.

Copyright

The hand wind movement is a Lemania 1873, which is historically linked to the cal. 321 movement on the Omega Speedmaster and to the Breguet movements today.

It's been recently serviced.

It's a real classic and should part of any good collection...

Check it out at:

http://118i5.chronoads.com


Update 4th July 2011: SOLD!

Horology related (fun) events in June 2011

Photo Copyright: christina rutz

Here are some watch related events that I am aware of for June 2011:

5 June:

Eurotime Watch Fair – Hamburg, Germany (http://www.uhrenboerse-online.de)

8 to 12 June:

66th NAWCC National Convention – Kansas, USA  (http://www.nawcc.org/index.php/component/content/article/504)

10 to 12 June:

BHI Summer Show 2011 - Upton, Newark, NG23 5TE, UK (http://www.bhi.co.uk/update/PosterFinal.pdf)

12 June:

Brunel Clock and Watch fair – Uxbridge, UK (http://www.clockandwatchfairs.com/clock_fair_details.html)

26 June:

Uhren- und Schmuck Markt - Koeln (Cologne), Germany (http://www.koelnkongress.de)

Have fun!

The Watchman

Watch Auctions in Europe June 2011

(click through to full June view)

1 June:

Kaplans (Stockholm): Lilla Watches http://www.kaplans.se/kaplans/auctiongoods.aspx?AuktID=2137

4 June:

Kaplans (Stockholm): Watches http://www.kaplans.se/kaplans/auctiongoods.aspx?AuktID=2136

8 June:

Bonhams (London): Fine Watches & Wristwatches http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/18849/

9 June:

Fellows (Birmingham): Secondhand Jewells &Watches http://www.fellows.co.uk/wrist-watch-auctions

21 June:

Koller (Zurich): Watches http://www.kollerauktionen.ch/en/auktionen/auktionskalender.asp

23 June:

auction.fr (Geneva): Montres-Bracelets & Haute Joallerie  http://www.auction.fr/FR/v16814-hotel-des-ventes-de-geneve-montres-bracelets-haute-joaillerie/infos.html

Fellows (Birmingham): Secondhand Jewells &Watches  http://www.fellows.co.uk/wrist-watch-auctions

30 June:

auction.fr (Paris): Bijoux, Montres, Objets de Vitrine http://www.auction.fr/FR/v16796-rossini-bijoux-montres-objets-de-vitrine/infos.html

Have fun!

Breitling for sale: Navitimer Limited Edition Patrouille de France

As I like to rotate my collection, I am selling a beautiful 1990's Navitimer Limited Edition "Patrouille de France". The hand wind movement is a Lemania 1873, which is historically linked to the cal. 321 movement on the Omega Speedmaster and to the Breguet movements today.

It's been recently serviced.

It's a real classic and should part of any good collection...

Check it out at:

http://118i5.chronoads.com

Major wristwatch auctions - European calendar 2011

I spend a lot of my time trawling through auction catalogs. They give a fascinating insight into the history, rarity, and  value of wristwatches around the world.

I now have completed a list of the major auctions in Europe and will be listing these on a monthly basis.

May 2011 is a particularly busy month (best month just before the major holidays) and here are the scheduled auctions that I am aware of:

12 May:
Fellows (Birmingham): Secondhand Jewells and Watches http://www.fellows.co.uk/wrist-watch-auctions

15 May:
Antiquorum (Geneva): Important Collectors' Wristwatches, Pocket Watches & Clocks http://www.antiquorum.com
Sotheby's (Geneva):  Important Watches http://www.sothebys.com

16 May:
Christie's (Geneva): Important Watches http://www.christies.com/features/auctions/0511/important-watches/

19 May:
auction.fr (Paris): Bijoux, Montres, Argenterie, Objets de Vitrine http://www.auction.fr/FR/v16788-rossini-bijoux-montres-argenterie-objets-de-vitrine/infos.html

21 May:
Ineichen (Zurich): Uhren/Schmuck-Auktion No. 153  http://www.auktionshaus-ineichen.ch/aiag/index.php?id=52&L=2
Meeting Art (Milan): Modern and Vintage Watches, session I  http://www.meetingart.it

22 May:
Meeting Art (Milan): Modern and Vintage Watches, session II  http://www.meetingart.it

24 May:
Bonhams (London):  Clocks and Watches  http://www.bonhams.com/EUR/sale/18836/0/

25 May:
Meeting Art (Milan): Modern and Vintage Watches, session III  http://www.meetingart.it
Christie's (London):  Elegance: Jewels, Watches & Handbags  http://www.christies.com/calendar/

26 May:
Fellows (Birmingham): Secondhand Jewellery & Watches  http://www.fellows.co.uk/wrist-watch-auctions

27 May:
Millon associés (Paris): Horlogerie Montres de Collection  http://millon-associes.com/vo27052011/millon_27052011.pdf

28 May:
Meeting Art (Milan): Modern and Vintage Watches, session IV  http://www.meetingart.it

29 May:
Meeting Art (Milan): Modern and Vintage Watches, session V  http://www.meetingart.it

I will publish the June and July schedules toward end of May.

I hope you have as much fun with this as I do...

a simple app list

As an unabashed watch nerd, but also a technology geek (2 decades working in telecommunications will do that to you), I have been furiously collecting watch-themed apps for my iPhone.  My current “collection” has the following:

Watch producers:

Richemont group:

A. Lange, Paiget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, IWC, Montblanc Rieussac, Montblanc (multi product)

Swatch Group:

Omega, Longines, Tissot, Rado

LVMH: 

Hublot, Zenith, Monaco V4 (Tag Heuer), Chaumet (Dandy)

Other groups:

Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, Perrelet, Parmigiani, Chanel (J12), Bell & Ross, Boucheron, Hermes

Independents:

Chronomat (Breitling), Maurice Lacroix, Frederique Constant, Dewitt,  RJ Time (Romain Jerome), AirmanClock (Glycine), Black Moon (Sarpaneva), Time Zoner (Vogard), Stowa, Nienaber Bünde, Victorinox, Milus, Traser H3

Watch Media companies:

Uhren News, Chronos, Uhren Magazin, Heure-FR, Watch International, OdC LITE, MyWatch, Worldtempus News, HHMagazine

Watch Catalogues:

100 Years of Rolex, OdC PLUS, UhrenMagazine Neuheiten, Uhren2010, Uhrwerke, AnuarioTR, Wempe 2010

Second-hand and vintage watches for sale:

MMC Montres, Watchchrono, Meertz, watchsea24, Blowers

Auction houses:

Antiquorum, Christies, Fellows

Other:

Kronometry, 10hs10, HHGame, Kello, Rolex Explorer, FakeWatch, Watches

This is meant to be a simple list of some of the apps out there at the moment, but there will be a lot more available in the Apple App Store. For example, there are a lot apps that have been developed for specific Rolex models. They are quite expensive and I have not yet decided to purchase them.

I will be reviewing some of the apps on my machine  in the next months…

Watch manufacturers in unusual countries - The Netherlands

I have lately been interested in watches made in the "Western countries" outside of Switzerland and Germany.

And once you start researching what is out there, it becomes very surprising how many actually exist, from high-end movement manufacturers, through expensive "emboiteurs", to basic low-end quartz watch producers.

Four of the these western countries with the most watch manufacturers are the Netherlands, France, Italy, and the US.

The Netherlands itself alone has 7 producers that I know of:

- Christiaan van der Klaauw: this is a very interesting manufacturer in Heerenveen (Friesland), which bases his design on the heritage of Friesian Astronomer Eise Eisinga, who built a Planetarium near there in the city of Franeker. He uses ETA movements, but seems to have created his own as well, called KB 52824-2

- Van der Gang: based in Dokkum (also Friesland!), produces IWC Portuguese look-a-likes based on ETA 2992-A2 and Valjoux 775x.

- Steiner Limited: based in Maastricht, also produces Portuguese look-a-likes based on Valjoux 775x. Anecdote: I know someone who has one, and it is really impressive quality.

- Van Ree: is in Bussum, produces "the first watch ever to store the DNA of the owner"

- Dingemans: located near Rotterdam, makes 12 watches a year, customised to the future owner's wishes.

- Pelikaan Timing: in Utrecht, make a nice looking "Aviator" type watch based on a Unitas 6498-1 movement.

- Kiber: in Den Haag, seems to have a big collection of low cost watches, mostly on Japanese movements

I am in Friesland often for family reasons, and I certainly hope to go check out Christiaan van der Klaauw and one day buy one.

SIHH - what is it?

The SIHH in Geneva has kicked off today.. just for those who don't know, the SIHH stands for the "Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie" and it is the commercial fair set-up by those watch manufacturers that are part of the Richemont group, one of the world's leading luxury goods group. These watch manufacturers are for example Vacheron Constantin, A.Lange & Sohne, Roger Dubuis, Piaget, IWC, Panerai, Cartier, and Montblanc. In addition, there also a few "friendly" brands such as Gruebel-Forsey (Richemont is minority sharelholder), Ralph Lauren (who use Richemont group movements) and Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard (both belong to the Sowind group, of which another luxury good giant, PPR, owns a minority stake) at the SIHH.

Because this fair was so specific but nevertheless important, other manufacturers have set up parallel fairs in Geneva to "catch" the same buyers visiting SIHH, plus some brands have set up individual presence in hotels in Geneva at the same time. The "parallel" fairs are GTE (Geneva Time Exhibition), WPHH (World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie) and Horlogers Artisans d'Art.

In my opinion, GTE is the most interesting "parallel" fair with presence of high-end watches from Ateliers de Monaco, Alain Silberstein, Antoine Preziuso, Aquanautic, Artya, Aspen, BRM (Bernard Richard Manufacture, France), Cabestan, HD3, Ladoire Genève, Linde Werdelin, Louis Chevrolet, Magellan, MCT – Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, Peter Rebellion Timepieces, Snyper, Steenman Watches, Cargo Titanium, Volna, and Valbray..

Buying second hand

I have a rather large collection (maybe too large!) of vintage and second hand watches which I've bought these over various channels in Europe. I've bought over eBay, from Bonhams auction house, over Chrono24, and from watches.co.uk . All have different things to be aware of.

For eBay, the important thing is to "buy" the seller, so check out his credentials and satsifaction points. There are a lot of fakes on eBay.

Buying at Bonhams (the others auctions houses that sell watches in Europe are Antiquorum and Patrizzi) is easier than you think, but I do recommend viewing the watches first hand before bidding on anything.

For Chrono24, I'd only buy from someone who is identified as a "Trusted reseller".

There are many direct dealers who sell second-hand, and watches.co.uk is just one that I can recommend. I particularly like the way they rate their watches on a scale of 10, and if you buy one rated 10/10 (which they mostly have), you'll get a watch in pristine and almost new condition.

Some final points:

- second-hand and vintage watches may need to be serviced, so don't always expect these watches to keep perfect time! I would recommend budgeting the £200/EUR 240 -£300/EUR 360 for service in your calculations.

- Vintage watches usually have plexiglass which can scratch easily, they also might not be waterproof, and the lume might be worn off (hands and numbers won't be visible in the dark).

Watch info of the day:

A "chronometer" is a watch tested and certified to certain precision standards, for example, through the C.O.S.C. (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), the official Swiss Chronometre testing institute.

A "chronograph" is a watch with both timekeeping and stopwatch functions, which will typically have 2 or 3 sub-dials to enable this. A typical chronograph is the latest version of the Breitling Chronomat.

The watchman

First entry in the blog.. wearing my vintage 1966 Breitling Navitimer, known as the "806"