American Watchmakers Help Iraq Veterans

The American watchmakers volunteered to help the ex-serviceman of Iraq.  The first brand which took the iniative was Rolex. It is known that the United States is the core market of Rolex, but the operation goes far beyond the opportunistic reasons.

Rolex sponsors the program of the fund Fisher House, which consists in helping the family of the wounded “veterans”, who were repatriated to the United States and hospitalized. Fisher House builds “hotels” for the families which want to remain close to their relatives, hospitalized in the specialized institutions. Rolex has opened several Fisher Houses, recently in Dallas (Texas) and Los Angeles (California).

The American Watch Guild took another interesting initiative. It has just launched a program especially intended for veterans: the Watchmaker and Technician Training Programm for Disabled War Veterans and War Veterans. As its name suggests, this initiative aims at reinstating in the universe of work the handicapped ex-serviceman.

Under the direction of Bob Filotei (local owner of Panerai), the AWG develops a campaign for veterans, giving them the possibility to make a career in watch industry.

Thus, the immobilized people on wheel chairs or the wounded servicemen with reduced mobility will be able to get good wages. The American schools of clock industry will ensure the logistic support (tools, materials) for this program of instruction and technical training.

The name of watch collection derives from a combination of the two words: Navigation and Timer. The watch was originally developed as a navigation tool for pilots, who could use its slide-rule bezel to calculate remaining distance and fuel consumption.
The Navitimer seriously put Breitling on the world map. It’s until today an iconic timepiece and remains the company’s most famous collection.

Today, our Replica Breitling  Navitimer watch collection includes lots of pieces to choose from.

These are watches for those who are captured by the spirit of flying and being up in the air.

On May 22, 2008, the German Watch Museum Glashütte opened its doors for international public. Conforming to the motto of the museum «The Fascination of Time – Bringing Time to Life», it throws light not only on the historic background of the fine art of watchmaking, but also on its emotional and philosophical sides.

In accordance with the aims of the Foundation German Watch Museum Glashütte - Nicolas G. Hayek, Glashütte Original has created an exhibition journey, conveying the rich history of Glashütte. It also helps the visitors to find out about the sensation of time and its measurement. The project got voluntary aid of Swatch Group and the town of Glashütte.

There are more than 400 unique exhibits on two floors with an exhibition space of 1000 m². With the help of multimedia, one can learn about Glashütte pocket watches, pendulum clocks and wristwatches, historical certificates and patents, escapement modelstools and marine chronometers, workbenches and astronomical models and many more.

Thematically, the exhibition is divided into historical rooms and time rooms.

The historical rooms convey the chronological background of the watch town and present, at the beginning, the celebrities and the founding fathers, thanks to whom Glashütte became an important centre of fine German watchmaking and watchmaker training. Throughout the exhibition, there are other major stages, such as the founding years, the First and Second World Wars, the time of disintegration and expropriation just like the German reunification and the new beginnings.

The time rooms do not fit in the chronological progression of the Glashütte watch history and get the visitors into the world of different kinds of clocks. In such a way the visitors can learn the precision and the interaction of hundreds of details. They can find out something interesting on their own in the multimedia time room with an interactive glossary of chronometry.

This «time world» is designed not only for watch connoisseurs but also to nonexperts, families and young people in order to transmit to the youth the admiration of the art of watchmaking and the knowledge of timekeeping.

The German Watch Museum Glashütte, a unique museum, is established in the completely renovated building of the former German School of Watchmaking. After the inauguration ceremony on May 22, the museum was open to the public.

Three exclusive Patek Philippe watches will be auctioned - Patek Philippe Ref. 5029, Ref. 5013, and Ref. 2499. All three timepieces are estimated to reach the amazing price range of about $ 400,000-$ 500,000.


The first highlight of the auction sale will become a Patek Philippe Ref. 5029. The watch is housed in rose gold case and equipped with a self-winding movement. It provides the complication of a minute-repeater. The watch was created as a part of a Patek Philippe limited edition of just ten pieces presented in 1997. The edition marked a memorable occasion in the brand’s history - the opening of the Patek Philippe Geneva factory.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5013 is also an extremely rare timekeeping device powered by a self-winding movement. Its platinum case is tonneau-shaped. The watch offers a variety of functions - retrograde perpetual calendar, 48-hour power reserve, minute-repeater and moon phase indicator.

Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 will no doubt get in the center of the Antiquorum bidders’ attention. The astronomic watch is presented in 18K yellow gold case. Among the functions provided by the timepiece there is a perpetual calendar, a round-button chronograph, a 30-minute register, and moon phase indicator.

The three above mentioned Patek Philippe watches are not the only valuable pieces developed by the company. Twenty most costly wristwatches sold at auction all belong to the Patek Philippe Company. Moreover, it is a Patek Philippe timepiece that holds the record for becoming the most complicated watch ever developed and most expensive watch ever sold. In December 1999 the brand’s creation was hammered down for $ 11 million at Sotheby’s auction house.

It was the Henry Graves super-complicated pocket watch developed back in 1933. The story of the most expensive timepiece ever sold is really amazing. The gold pocket watch offering 24 watchmaking complications appeared as the result of a continuous competition between Henry Graves Jr. , a financier from New York and James Ward Packard, a car engineer from Ohio. Both gentlemen dreamed of owning a watch with the greatest number of complicated functions. Packard commissioned the company to produce 13 complicated watches in the period of 1900 - 1927.

In his turn, Henry Graves Jr. asked the company to develop for him a series of complicated timepieces. The Patek Philippe watchmakers required 3 years to design and 5 years to produce the most complicated watch in the horology history. After the financier’s death, the timepiece was sold to the Time Museum in Rockford in 1968 and then, 31 years later, was auctioned at Sotheby’s. Its pre-sale price was in the range of $ 3-5 million. But the new owner of the complicated creation, an anonymous collector, acquired it for over $ 11 million.

The event will take place in the European Alps with the Swiss resort of Laax as the starting point and the Austrian city of Innsbruck as the finishing point. The competitors will fight for the E 60,000 prize purse.

The Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro will be held in a mobile contest format. It will provide all the participants with opportunity to demonstrate their snowboarding and skiing skills in the most suitable snow pack conditions, as well as enjoy the views of the most impressive mountain sites. It is noteworthy that all the riders and skiers will be provided with exceptional lift and helicopter access to have more chances for exploring the area.

The organizers of the event have scheduled three days of the competition to take place on three different mountains. Every chosen site will feature different terrain type with steeps, cliffs and surface more friendly for freestyle-lovers. They have also chosen five potential playgrounds. The event will comprise Graubuenden (St Moritz/Davos) and Grand St Bernard (Verbier) in Switzerland, Alagna (Monte Rosa) in Italy, and Chamonix in France( that is considered to be the home of free-riding). The list of stop-offs is finished by Arlberg in France.

The Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro 2007, promising to bring a new revolutionary stage into the realms of free-ride competitions, will gather sixteen internationally leading snowboarders and skiers. Just look through the celebrity list:

Among the professional snowboarders to participate in the contest there will be Jeremy Jones, five-time Big Mountain Rider of the Year, Steve Klassen, well-known US big mountain snowboarder, as well as freestyle stars - Stefan Gimpl from Austria and Jules Reymond from Switzerland.

As for the skiers, there will compete Eric Hjorleifson and Hugo Harrisson, three-time IFSA World Champion from Canada, Seb Michaud and Aurelien Ducroz from France, Loris Falquet and Phil Meier from Switzerland, and Kaj Zackrisson and Sverre Liliequiest from Sweden.

The organizers of the innovative Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro 2007 event, have planned to broadcast the course of the competition live and semi-live through the web to give everyone interested an opportunity to watch the ultimate free-ride event.

As the final stage of the event, all the participants of the competition will meet in Innsbruck to watch video recording of their performance and vote for the winners to get the money prize.
The Swatch Fun Boarder Special Edition watch has been created by Swatch to commemorate the inauguration of the Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro. The timepieces is equipped with a built-in altimeter and features exclusive Swatch Snowpass technology.

The participants of the event will use the Swatch watch not only for timekeeping - they will also find out how many meters above sea level they are at the moment and pass easily through lift access controls with no need for tickets. The Big Mountain Swatch Fun Boarder Special Edition has been elaborated specially to satisfy the needs of skiers and snowboarders. The timepiece also demonstrates an injected-molded silicon logo of the event on the 12 o’clock strap.

The BASELWORLD 2007 will be held in Basel between April, 12 and 19, 2007. This year about 2100 exhibiting companies from 45 countries involved in the production of luxury goods and watches and jewelery pieces in particular will display their products to the public.


A great number of famous watch makers and jewelers join the BASELWORLD Show as an exclusive event to display their innovative products and newest designs.

The stock of the exhibition is unique - you will hardly discover another place to witness such a wide variety of goods that reflect the present-day progress of the watch and jewelery industry as a single whole.

Retailers and wholesalers visit BASELWORLD to settle bargains. The six exhibition pavilions are strictly divided into separate exhibition halls to display watch brands, jewelery pieces or related goods. As for the exhibition area, it comprises 160,000 m2.

There is a great opportunity for the Show’s participants and visitors to communicate and establish contacts in an informal atmosphere outside the World Watch and Jewelery Show in the new “BASELWORLD Village”. It is located in the center of Basel and there are several bars, restaurants and lounges there.

The Village of the famous World Watch and Jewellery Show BASELWORLD 2007 will be open every evening during the exhibition from 6 pm to 2 am. It takes just 10 minutes to reach the BASELWORLD Village from the Show on a taxi, tram or bus.

The organizers of the BASELWORLD Show have put a lot of efforts to upgrade the design of the exhibition halls for the 2007 event.

The ticket’s price for BASELWORLD 2007 exhibition will be the following: CHF 45.00 - Students: CHF 30.00 Multiple-day ticket: CHF 120.00.

The story of the timepiece started back in 1994. Then, the creation of the brand paid tribute to the past era of pocket watches worn by our ancestors on the chain. The Grand Regulateur appeared in a limited edition of 300 pieces. In fact, the timepiece could be worn on a wrist as it was provided with one more case and a bayonet connector. It was powered by the hand-wound caliber C.1722 R produced by the Minerva movement manufacturer.


Grand Regulateur Chronometre launched in 2006 continues the tradition of hand-wound timepieces that started from developing the Regulateur introduced in 1987. Cronoswiss watchmakers decided to revive the Grand Regulateur as the new era in watchmaking implies new horological standards, and especially in relation to the case size.

Gerd-Rudiger Lang established the tradition of developing aesthetically appealing timepieces. The Regulateur Automatic equipped with the automatic caliber C. 122 implied the case size limitation. If the brand’s watchmakers enlarged the case’s diameter, it would lead to considerable empty space left inside the case. Moreover, the case’s growth would influence negatively the beauty of the watch’s dial - the hour- and seconds-scale would be shifted to the center. Having considered everything mentioned above, the Cronoswiss watchmakers made their mind to develop novel Grand Regulateur Chronometre.

The new Grand Regulateur Chronometre has been created in the distinctive style of the brand. It is housed inside an impressively over-sized case measuring 44 millimeters in diameter. The heart of the timepiece is the hand-wound movement C.673. It is noteworthy that the base of the movement is ETA. In addition to that, the movement of every Grand Regulateur Chronometre timepiece is subjected to the most rigorous tests to receive the prestigious COSC - the official Swiss Chronometer Control - that guarantees supreme and long-lasting accuracy of the movement. The movement is provided with Incabloc shock absorber. It comprises swan-neck precision regulator and Glycydur-balance. The pallet, pallet-wheel and screws are thoroughly polished, while the plate is circular grained , and the bridges feature Geneva-brush polish. The movement offers about 40-hour power reserve.

The novelty Regulateur has an advantageous peculiarity if compared to all other Cronoswiss Regulators produced earlier - its bezel features the Superluminova markings providing great visibility. If the watch’s owner turns the bezel, the timepiece will perform simple chronographic functions - it is necessary to position the marker across from the minute-hand and then it will be possible to see how much time has passed since the moment of setting.

The dial of the timepiece catches attention due to fine guilloche pattern. The hours are displayed in a separate counter with elegant Roman numerals in the upper half of the dial, while the seconds are featured in the counter in the lower half. The counters are embellished with their own guilloche. The minutes hand travels around the scale at the edge of the dial in conventional manner.

The original massive turnip-shaped crown catches attention in particular.

The Grand Regulateur Chronometre is available in platinum version in a limited edition of 99 pieces. There is also a variety of white gold, rose gold, gold and steel models.

The one-sided non-reflective sapphire crystal covers the dial and the screw-on case back. The case is 30 m water-resistant.

The Cronoswiss Grand Regulateur Chronometre is presented with Louisiana-crocodile strap that goes with folding clasp or metal bracelet. The timepiece has become a worthy successor of the preceding Cronoswiss Regulateur models, having remained devoted to the brand’s traditions yet corresponding to the latest standards of horology.

Design Award Winning

The winner has been voted for by the International Forum Design jury, one of the most prestigious panels worldwide. The jury is composed of the most experienced design experts coming from many countries of the world.

The iF award ceremony was initiated by the International Forum Design Hannover GMBH based in Hanover, Germany. Being introduced in 1953 , over time the award has become a superlative trademark to reflect the most innovative and avant-garde achievements in product design. The notable designs awards are related to a number of disciplines, including the horology field.

The Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 360 LS Concept Chronograph distinguished for being accurate to the 1/100th of a second, received the award in the Leisure/Lifestyle category. Among the timepiece’s competitors there were more than 2,200 items presented by 35 countries.

It should be mentioned that Tag Heuer is the only watch producer that develops 1/10th, 1/100th, 1/1000th of a second at the same time in chronographs to be worn on the wrist. Being the leading producer of sports timepieces, Tag Heuer maintains continuous research process and introduces new Concept Watches. To give the precise definition of a Concept Watch, it is enough to say that it serves as a prototype uniting principal techniques and/or novelty designs.

In fact, it is the second time in the period of two years that a TAG Heuer timekeeping creation has been given the celebrated award. The Monaco Caliber followed the success of the brand’s Professional Golf Watch that gained the iF Design Award for 2006, also in the Leisure/Lifestyle category. It is noteworthy that the award-winner was designed in close cooperation with Tiger Woods.

The iF Design Award is not the only victory recently achieved by Tag Heuer. In November, 2006 the Carrera Calibre 360 Limited Edition, featuring accuracy at the 1/100th of a second, won the coveted Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Geneve in the category Sports Watch. The both awards have once again strengthened Tag Heuer’s prestigious status of the brand highly appreciated for creative avant-garde design decisions. The brand keep devoted to its well-known motto - ‘Swiss Avant-Garde since 1860′.

Tag Heuer’s Concept Chronograph

The matchless Monaco Calibre 360 LS Concept Chronograph was initially launched into the horology world at BaselWorld in April, 2006. The timepiece reflects the new step in the evolution of the brand’s Calibre 360 chronograph movement. The mechanical movement, a genius mechanism, has become the first ever to enter the horology history as a timekeeping device that guarantees absolute precision of 1/100th of a second. The timepiece is also distinguished due to another world innovation - a Linear Second for the permanent second.

The idea of elaborating the Concept Chronograph has been suggested by the brand’s ground-breaking Monaco V4 that caused a real sensation at BaselWorld-2004. The watch is equipped with V4 movement where a number of toothed drive belts replaced the pinions of the traditional movement. An automatic watch usually applies the oscillating weight for its winding. However, V4 movement features a linear oscillating weight moving along a track between the four spring barrels of the watch. The barrels are paired and united by a V-shaped bridge. A gear system employs a cog before transforming the linear movement into a rotating one. The rotating parts use not common synthetic rubies but ceramic roller bearings.

The Monaco Calibre 360 LS features a square-shaped case. The chronograph reveals thoroughly hand-finished engine bridges finished by hand. The unconventional dial offering supreme readability exposes the major peculiarities of the overall construction:

- a quite big-sized 1/100th of a second chronograph counter outer to the chronograph engine featured at 6 o’clock;
- an embedded in the engine 15-minute chronograph counter at 9 o’clock;
- an embedded 100-minute power reserve indicator placed at 12 o’clock;
- an embedded linear second indicator placed at 3 o’clock.

The Monaco Calibre 360 LS catches the eye with its distinctively contemporary look. The timepiece is housed in a perfectly faceted steel case characterized by refined polishing. The dial is presented under an arched sapphire crystal glass with facets linked to the case.

The watch is supplied with some other one-of-a-kind details. The chronograph push buttons are provided with protective sleeves. The black rubber strap with big folding buckle is integrated into the case. The case back featuring two square-shaped sapphire crystal windows reveals a magnificent view on the movement.

Everyone interested to see Tag Heuer’s award-winning Monaco Calibre 360 LS Concept chronograph and lucky enough to find oneself not far away from the German city of Hanover, is invited to visit the iF design exhibition 2007 to take place in the period of March 15 - August, 2007.

At present day Tag Heuer is considered to be the most successful watch producer in transforming revolutionary horological ideas into the most accurate chronographs. The Monaco Calibre 360 LS is one more step in constant research and development work performed by the brand’s specialists day after day.

1) Swiss chronograph Chanel J12 Superleggera heads the list. The style of its dial reminds classic Italian super cars’ dash board. The watch is made of high quality materials and costs 6000 dollars.

2) Cartier Roadster ranks number 2 in the list due to its sporty design. And what is interesting about the Cartier watch, its creators did not collaborate with car producers as some other companies creating automobile-inspired timepieces. The model is sold in the range of 7000 dollars.

3) Chopard Mille Miglia is made in the style of sports cars of 1950’s that participated in the famous Mille Miglia race. The price of the watch is 3000 dollars.

4) TAG Heuer Carrera is the creation of a world known Swiss company that offers simple but very precise watch for 3000 dollars. Famous racers Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya are among their owners.

5) Pirelli Pzero is a unique watch from the tire producer. Besides its bright sporty design, the watch is offered at a very attractive price of 800 dollars.

6) Breitling for Bentley Flying B is a watch specially created for Bentley’s owners. The watch is really functional and stylish. Its price is about 10000 dollars.

7) Ferrari Granturismo GMT is a watch created by a Swiss watch company Officine Panerai that substituted Girard-Perregaux as the official Ferrari’s partner. As for the watch price, it is around 5000 dollars.

Rolex Oyster Professional Cosmograph Daytona is a watch dedicated to very popular American race series. It is a marvelous watch worn by many people related to races. And because the watch is so great, its price is corresponding - in the range of 10000 dollars.

9) Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti 370 is the most expensive watch in the list. Its price is 200 000 dollars. It is a limited edition series. There are 150 timepieces of this kind and they are meant for those who collect old cars.

10) The last in the list is Seiko Sportura Honda F1. It is a high-tech Japanese watch that in addition is the most expensive one - its price is 600 dollars.

Diamonds International has been chosen as the most successful and exclusive retail agent by an impressive list of other internationally appreciated watch brands, including Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Maurice Lacroix, Rado, Van Cleef & Arples, and Ebel, as well as the leading jewelry producers, such as Baraka, Alfieri and St.John, Mi Mi, Fope, Io Si Scavia, and many others. Vacheron Constantin, as the oldest and most prestigious watchmaker with glorious history of over 250 years, has perfectly matched this outstanding conglomeration.

The start of Vacheron Constantin and Diamonds International partnership was marked by the Timeless Exposition 2006 organized at the Hilton, Malta. The exposition made everyone interested acquainted with the chic Vacheron Constantin Malte collection. The timepieces from the collection serve as a nice embodiment of the distinctive style and spirit of the brand. Every Malte watch possesses charismatic personality and appealing design and demonstrates fine contemporary craftsmanship, creative approach and technical mastery of the brand to the highest degree.

Karl Micallef, the Director of Diamonds International, gladly shared his satisfaction over the established link with the prestigious watch manufacture. He mentioned that his company would be honored to represent exclusively the brand’s timekeeping creations on the Malta Island. The union with Vacheron Constantin strengthened Diamonds International’s position at the top of finest watchmaking and craftsmanship.

Watch aficionados and those interested in purchasing a prestigious Vacheron Constantin timepiece will discover the new company’s watch models exclusively at Diamonds International at Republic Street, Valletta and Luxe Pavilion, Portomaso. This is the newly opened company’s flag ship outlet found in the most exclusive shopping area on the island.

Diamonds International is internationally famous as a retailer dealing with high quality jewelry timepieces produced by the leading watchmakers, as well as pearls and diamonds. It was founded in 1999 with opening the first store in Sliema. This is a family owned company that belongs to its founder - Mr. Paul Fenech. The customers of Diamonds International will be pleased to witness a great variety of genuine and classy gifts, moreover if to take into account a personalized customer relationship maintained by the company and ideal shopping conditions.

In fact, the further success of Diamonds International is provided by the fact that the company represents manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers in one. It avoids dealing with intermediaries, thus being able to offer customers best items at affordable price. The company’s team of professionals comprises experienced watchmakers, designers, goldsmiths and gemologists.

The newly established partnership should bring greater international appreciation to both Vacheron Constantin and Diamonds International united by top quality products, reliable service and striving for perfection in every activity.