The iconic and legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubberclad ref. 25940 needs very little introduction and is for sure one of those watches that is worth explaining in-depth, especially since it marks the first use of rubber as a main component in the watch industry. The AP Rubberclad is a watch that we've seen on the wrists of dozen of celebrities and AP lovers and a watch that is living testament of the continued innovation that AP has brought to the watch industry since the launch of the Royal Oak in 1972.
Insider: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche. Hands-on with an Elegant, Classic and Timeless Timepiece.
This post is dedicated to all watchlifestylers that like classic brands and timepieces that are elegant and timeless. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche ref. 1378420 is a watch that you can wear in any setting and that is perfectly suited for the most demanding occasions. This watch, with its power-reserve register and pointer-type date display, is as elegant as it gets and a classic timepiece that you won't have a problem wearing with jeans or a bespoke suit.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26320OR on Alligator Strap. Hands-on with an 18K Pink Gold Beauty for those that Prefer a Less Flashy Look.
A few weeks ago, we brought you our in-depth hands-on review of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph with silvered dial ref. 26320ST.OO.1220ST.02 here. Also, we've published our hands-on review for the previous iteration of the Royal Oak Chrono ref. 26300ST with a 39 mm case here and for the latest iteration ref. 26320 with its 41 mm case and blue dial —boutique exclusive— here. And just as if those hands-on reviews weren't enough when it comes to the Royal Oak Chrono, we also brought you the Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26326ST 'Tribute to Italy' here.
Special Report: The State of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry. The Steepest Fall Since 2009.
As many of you know or have heard through the grapevine, 2016 has been a rough year for the Swiss watchmaking industry facing its steepest fall in exports since 2009. While 2015 wasn't a very good year either with the value of the watch industry exports being 3.3% lower than in 2014 and almost as low as 2012 —total value at 21.5 billion Swiss Francs—, 2016 aims to be one of the worst years the industry has had in the last five years.
Insider: Rolex Sky-Dweller Everose Sundust Dial ref. 326935. Hands-on with the Only Complication from the Green Giant.
Rolex is one of the few luxury brands out there that has mainly focused in offering time only or time/date watches through their history with the exception of the Daytona which is a chronograph and the GMT Master II and Explorer II dual time zone watches. Along with the triple calendars and triple calendars with chronograph released during the late 40s and through the very early 60s, this is in reality the very first modern Rolex complication.
Video: Watch Collecting Lifestyle x Hublot. The Dallas Collectors Night.
As promised last Friday, here's our Video recap of the special Collectors Night with hosted with Hublot last week. If you like the video, please drop us a line and let us know if you would like to see more of this type of content here at WCL. We will be beefing up our video library in the upcoming weeks. For those of you who might've missed our article about this event last week, you can check out our full write-up and photo recap here.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time ref. 26120. Hands-on with One of Our All-Time Favorite Royal Oak Models.
Designed and launched in 1990 for those that spend their lives traveling, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time ref. 26120OR.OO.D002CR.01 is one of the most convenient watches for globe trotters in terms of functionality, by displaying a second time zone along with a power reserve indicator, date and day/night indicator. Typically available in stainless steel —with blue, silver-toned or black dial—, 18K yellow gold with silver-toned dial and in 18K rose gold with black or silver-toned dial, the Royal Oak Dual Time ref. 26120 in stainless steel was slowly phased out in 2015 due to its lack of popularity among Royal Oak enthusiasts.
Experience: A Watch Collecting Lifestyle Collectors Night with Hublot in Dallas. An Evening to Remember.
Nothing beats an evening at the penthouse of The Joule Hotel here in Dallas surrounded by an exclusive group of watch collectors, the team at the Hublot Dallas Boutique, Rick De La Croix —Hublot's President for Latin America—, amazing watches and us. Yesterday evening, we gathered at this exclusive setting, to host a 'Watch Collectors Night' and a special viewing of all the Hublot Baselworld 2016 novelties in partnership with our friends from Hublot.
Insider: Bremont DH-88 Chronometer Limited Edition. Hands-on with the Watch that Celebrates the 'Greatest Air Race of All Time'.
To celebrate the 'Greatest Air Race of All Time' and the aircraft that captured the world’s imagination with a phenomenal record-breaking flight in 1934, our friends from Bremont recently released the new Bremont Comet DH-88 Chronometer Limited Edition in stainless steel —282 pieces— and in 18K rose gold —82 pieces. This new Bremont watch with a 43 mm case, immortalizes the De Havilland DH-88 Comet, Grosvenor House aircraft.
Insider: Rolex Yacht-Master 37 Everose Gold ref. 268655. Hands-on with the Watch of the Open Seas and Explanation on How to Size the Oysterflex.
Just released last year at Baselworld 2015, the Rolex Yacht-Master 37 Everose Gold ref. 268655 is the 37 mm sibling of the Yacht-Master 40 Everose Gold ref. 116655. Sporting the more rounded case construction of the Yacht-Master line, the Yacht-Master 37 Everose Gold ref. 268655 comes in a perfectly sized case for men with smaller wrists or for ladies not wanting to wear a watch that looks too small or too big.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Millenary 4101 ref. 15350ST. Hands-on with the Iconic AP with Oval Case and Off-Centered Dial.
The Millenary collection was launched by Audemars Piguet in 1995 to join the Royal Oak and the Jules Audemars collections and to provide a new three-dimensional approach on their movements. With its oval case, its off-centered dial and a truly neo-classical design, the Audemars Piguet Millenary quickly became an icon and a timepiece that is easily recognizable by watch collectors. In this particular watch, watchmaking art and design intertwine in a beautifully orchestrated play on perspective and balance.
Insider: Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari Sapphire. Hands-on with the $595,000 USD Sapphire Crystal Timepiece.
Last week we brought you our hands-on review of the Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari King Gold here. Since this watch is pretty much the exact same watch but with a fully polished sapphire crystal case, we'll keep the information relatively identical with some tweaks here and there. Next time you have the opportunity to see one of the Hublot MP or Key of Time creations in person, you'll understand much better the real strength behind this brand, especially when it comes to watches with full sapphire crystal cases.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44mm Forged Carbon ref. 26400AU. Hands-on and In-Depth Explanation of the use of Forged Carbon Cases by AP.
The Audemars Piguet Forged Carbon Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44 mm ref. 26400AU.OO.A002CA.01 is yet another AP forged carbon timepiece that has been discontinued by our friends from Le Brassus. While Audemars Piguet has always been a pioneer in the watchmaking industry by using new materials never used before by other watch companies, they are also well known for halting production of watches with these innovative materials after short periods of time.
Insider: New Vacheron Constantin Historiques Ultra-Fine 1955 Platinum. Hands-on with One of the Thinnest Manual Wound Watches in the World.
Previously only available in 18K 4N pink gold, the new Vacheron Constantin Historiques Ultra-Fine 1955 makes its appearance in 950 platinum. Testifying to Vacheron Constantin’s ancestral expertise in the making of ultra-thin watches, the new Historiques Ultra-Fine 1955 ref. 33155/000P-B169 stays true to its lineage with an ultra-thin case construction and powered by the same calibre that made its first appearance 61 years ago, during the golden era of watchmaking.
Insider: Panerai Radiomir 1940 10 Days GMT Automatic 'Oro Rosso' PAM 659. Hands-on with a Stunning Blue Dial and Red Gold Radiomir.
This year, has been a special year for Panerai with the release of four new watches fitted with strikingly beautiful blue sun-brushed dials. These four new watches are only available through the Panerai Boutique network and worthy of checking out. The new models sporting this gorgeous blue dials are the Radiomir 1940 3 Days PAM 690 —one of our favorites, and with hands-on review coming up soon—, the Radiomir 1940 10 Days GMT Automatic Oro Rosso PAM 659 we are now reviewing, the Luminor 1950 GMT 3 Days Automatic PAM 688 and lastly the Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT Automatic PAM 689 we reviewed here.
Insider: Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari King Gold. Hands-on with an Amazing 50-day Power Reserve Mechanical Timepiece.
Every once in a while, we get to peruse and review timepieces that seem too crazy to wear and too hard to explain with the use of just a few words. The Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari in King Gold we are reviewing here, is one of those crazy timepieces. Priced close to a half a million USD, this amazing mechanical timepiece with a 50-day power reserve, is a true horological feat in its own.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chrono ref. 26320ST.OO.1220ST.02. Hands-on with the Most Versatile Royal Oak Chrono Out There.
While in the past, we have already brought you our in-depth hands-on reviews of several of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronographs, the silvered dial Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26320ST.OO.1220ST.02 is one that deserves its own post as it is the most versatile Royal oak Chrono thanks to its clean year-round type of dial.
Insider: Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Skeleton. Hands-on with a Stunning Tourbillon with Column-Wheel Chronograph Priced Under $50K USD.
Released earlier this year at Baselworld 2016, the new Zenith El Primero Tourbillon Skeleton is one of those watches that packs a lot of bang for your buck. Equipped with a tourbillon and the legendary 12-hour Zenith El Primero column-wheel chronograph mechanism, this stealthy looking watch, is one that we absolutely enjoyed reviewing. Fitted with a matte black ceramic case, a partially skeletonized multi-layer dial and a perforated black rubber strap, this is one of those tourbillons that is made to be worn everywhere.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470ST.OO.A104CR.01. Hands-on with 'The Elephant' in the Room.
Released during the SIHH 2014, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470ST.OO.A104CR.01 is a watch that is not as popular as we now think it should be. This particular second generation Offshore —42 mm case with ceramic crown/pushers and display case back—, wasn't our cup of tea upon its release at the SIHH 2014; nevertheless, today, it is one of our favorite second generation Royal Oak Offshores.
Insider: Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 Platinum. Hands-on with a Watch that Offers a Very Unique Way of Reading the Time.
Now available in 950 platinum, the new Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 ref. 82035/000P-B168 is inspired by an original cushion-shaped model with its winding crown placed between 1 and 2 o’clock. The American 1921 was created by Vacheron Constantin in the 1920s for the American market, hence the name.
