2020: a strong year for watch auctions
A difficult year for brands, 2020 was full of positives for auction houses, in particular online, with a raft of record prices. A look at some of the top lots to have crossed the block.
Culture
Articles on the subject: History & Masterpieces
A year of Grande Sonneries
Patek Philippe is the latest of the Manufactures to present a Grand Sonnerie this year, joining Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. Given the intricacy of this melodious complication, three such launches constitute an exceptional event.
The powerful roar of the Grand Seiko lion at 60
Grand Seiko has put together a dazzling agenda for its 60th anniversary, marked by the opening of new manufacturing facilities, the inauguration of a flagship boutique on Place Vendôme, a dozen limited editions fitted with new calibres, and the unveiling of a concept movement.
Can anyone beat Piaget at ultra-thin?
With the release of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, now commercially available, Piaget has raised the stakes in ultra-thin watches – and the question of whether makers have reached the limit of what is physically possible.
Vacheron Constantin speaks collectors' language with Les Cabinotiers
Opened in 2006, Vacheron Constantin's Les Cabinotiers department is something of a world apart. It renews with the tradition of bespoke watches and one-of-a-kind pieces, offered as a service to collectors.
Brittany Cox, an exceptional horological conservator - Part two
Brittany Nicole Cox is one of the foremost horological conservators in the world. From studies to today’s accomplishment, she explains her thoughts and visions.
Brittany Cox, an exceptional horological conservator - Part one
Brittany Nicole Cox is one of the foremost horological conservators in the world. From studies to today’s accomplishment, she explains her thoughts and visions.
The extra-thin tourbillon, by Breguet
That Abraham-Louis Breguet sold just 35 tourbillon watches in his lifetime gives some idea of the extreme complexity of this mechanism. Introduced in 2013 and returning this year as a skeletonised version, the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Thin Automatic 5377 celebrates this legacy.
