Watching Watches: A Visit With Chopard NYC [With Live Photos]

Today, I met with Chopard at the company's lavish boutique on Madison Avenue. Aside from their million-dollar jewels, Chopard has a lengthy history of producing many of Switzerland's finest mechanical timepieces. Being one of Switzerland's last independently owned manufacturers, carrying on old-world craftsmanship in their watchmaking is a cornerstone of their business. What I focus on here are two watches that I believe are of paramount quality, aesthetically simple yet striking, and deliver superior accuracy and precision.

HANDS-ON: Introducing The IWC Aquatimer Automatic

A short while ago, I visited with IWC to get a closer look at the watch I have just been dying to see, the Aquatimer Automatic from SIHH 2014. At a glimpse, this watch isn’t dissimilar to its predecessors, but when actually taking the time to sit down and further examine the watch, the modifications speedily become evident. As with most, if not all, professional diving watches, the case is constructed of super-durable stainless steel and, overall, is rugged in nature. To be honest, it wears a bit loudly on my wrist, but at 42 millimeters in diameter and 14 millimeter in height, it’s ideally sized for a modern dive watch, actually the smallest watch of the Aquatimer collection.

Hands-On, Review, SIHH, Richemont, IWCLuke RottmanJuly 16, 2014IWC, German watchmaking, Diver, dive watches, Boutique Visit, SIHH, RichemontComment

HANDS-ON: Contemporary World, Contemporary Beauty: Hublot @Timecrafters2014

As Timecrafters, here in New York City, approaches, over the next few days I’ll have to point out some of the year’s best watches from some of my favorite brands. Today, let’s delve into some of the newest, most exclusive pieces from Hublot’s Baselworld 2014 collection that will be featured at the Timecrafters watch exhibition. Hublot is not only a company of excellence and prestige, but also a company whose technology is worn on the wrists of a seemingly infinite number of athletes, performers, and world leaders. Today, I chose three wristwatches that I can assuredly say will turn-heads.