Rolex Automatic Vintage Watches, Copy Rolex Automatic Watch

Rolex Datejust 36 Yellow Gold White Roman (116238 White Roman)

I compare this watch to the Michele watch line in their jelly line. Love the bezel, band adjustable, color great.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by William Johnson, From Sri Lanka Kandana

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Black Dial Men's Watch 115200BKRO

we need to return the Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch we can not get it to set on central standard timehow do we returnthanksmarie

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by BENJAMIN LARSON, From France La Baule

Rolex Day-Date Black Dial Automatic 18kt Rose Gold President Mens Watch 118235BKSP

Good value, great Rolex watch, worth to buy, Quick.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by NARCITA AVILA, From United Kingdom Taunton

I was lucky enough to work with Aurel Bacs at Christie's and I recognize his particular position in the marketplace. He is an extraordinary expert and a trusted advisor to most of the top watch collectors in the world. So when I found out that he was thinking of setting up his own company I thought we should have a conversation. Because I want to build up an auction house at Phillips that builds on what we have already established and looks at specific areas of the market and attempts to be the best it possibly can.

I am determined to set the highest possible standards and Phillips has just opened a new sales room at Berkley Square in London which has had a similar sort of impact because it gives us a viewing capability that is unmatched by any of the traditional auction houses in London. It is spectacular and it gives an idea of our aspirations and the standards we are setting. We want to offer the best environment for people to sell and buy in.

We are currently developing a spectacular space in Geneva for our auctions and brokerage business, about which we will be making some announcements in the coming weeks. But we definitely feel that an important part of our business will be private brokerage and auctions. What we are hoping is to become the trusted brokerage at the top end of the watch business.

  
It will be important. We can offer the key watch collectors the best possible service and the best possible access to watches. The brokerage and private sale side of the business will allow us to develop this kind of relationship and give people opportunities that they might not otherwise get. It's a key part of our business plan.

Yes, over the next couple of years, possibly as soon as November in Hong Kong, we will roll out a series of auctions worldwide. The final auction plan will be Geneva, Hong Kong, New York and London.

We have set ourselves some aspirational goals. We want to lead the market in vintage watches but at the high end. We are not about volume and we will be dealing with relatively low volumes but high values. Who knows how we will stack up against our competitors? They may decide to go into a much higher volume, low value business. Actually, you can see that already and we think this is the wrong way to go and we are going in the opposite direction and I think it is the right strategy for us.

I believe generally for Phillips that we need to give clients more choice and I think we will make a big impact.

I am always amazed at how low some of the estimates are and how well they compare with retail. If you look at some of the watches in the Rolex Day-Date sale they are below today's retail price, so to someone thinking about buying a watch this is an interesting alternative to buying from a jewellers. The watch may well maintain its value better than a new watch.

I have a small collection but coincidentally one of the watches I don't have is a Rolex Day-Date, so this is the perfect opportunity for me and there are a number in the sale that I like. Aurel always manages to get a bid out of me somehow.

 
No, we are allowed to bid but the way we do it is governed in a special way. We have to leave bids in writing before the sale. 

Our Venezuelan contributor Rafael Fernandez was astonished at the efficiency of the Swiss customs when he arrived at Zurich airport to cover Baselworld. He and his wife were politely screened at the airport and asked whether they were carrying any watches. Like any self-respecting watch journalist, Rafael had brought with him a small collection to last him through the show, which he offered for inspection. He was impressed when the customs official could instantly tell from the serial number of his Rolex that it had indeed been shipped originally to his home country of Venezuela.

Last week I discovered that this highly knowledgeable "customs inspector" was in fact one of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry Federation's team of roving experts, who were stationed at the cargo and passenger terminals at Basel and Zurich airports and prowling the halls of Baselworld during the show, looking for violations of the Swiss Made label, misleading customs declarations and breaches of trademark law. With the kind permission of the Federation Horlogere we have just reproduced the detailed report on this highly coordinated surveillance operation.

We also delve behind the scenes of another story this week, as Olivier Muller reveals the secret history of Carl F. Bucherer's Patravi TravelTec model, which ultimately led to the brand becoming a genuine manufacture. The leading figures of the industry continue to share their thoughts with WorldTempus. After today's profile of Longines CEO Walter von Känel, Bulgari's Guido Terreni and Romain Gauthier take the floor later on this week.

WordTempus: What sets Ball watches apart from the competition?

Daniel Alioth: Ball Watch has always been linked to the history of railways and the establishment of railroad standard time but nowadays we communicate around the kind of exploration that was first made possible by the railways connecting the world.
If you take a piece such as the one Olivier Muller tested on his trip, you can see that it is extremely robust, shock-resistant and has very masculine qualities. We are not afraid of saying that we have a collection that is 95 per cent masculine.
Unlike many brands who work exclusively on developing the movement, we work on both the interior and the exterior, aiming to improve precision by eliminating the impact of factors that can affect it, such as shocks and magnetism. We have a reputation for working a lot on cases. If we consider the two major new launches this year, the Slide Chronograph and the Magneto S, both have patented improvements to the case.

Tell us more about the new Magneto S…
With the Magneto we worked on the anti-magnetic properties of the case. We did not want to enter the titanic battle in which Omega and Rolex are already engaged and we felt that the customer is already a little lost when we start to talk about resistance to magnetic fields (or even sometimes about water resistance). We like to remain down to earth and honest.
The concept of an anti-magnetic watch is not something new. The Rolex Milgauss has been around for a decade, I think. What we wanted to do was introduce a more playful element to it. The idea behind the Magneto S was for the customer to understand the concept of anti-magnetism by playing with the watch.

What are the important markets for Ball Watch Co.?
Asia is by far our biggest market, with the USA in second place. But we have done things a little differently. A lot of brands started with their Swiss Made philosophy and initially targeted Europe, then expanded to Asia and the USA. We are an American brand but with a philosophy that remains very Swiss. So the idea was to redevelop the brand in the USA and take a bet on Asia long before other brands.
We have been present in Asia since the early 2000s so for us it is an established market. It may sound surprising, but our investment to develop the brand is now being made in Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

And what about the local market in Mexico?
As you may have seen the level of watchmaking knowledge here is very high. But there is also an important aspect related to notoriety. Customers have a high purchasing power and not only do they want something different, they often want something that meets their needs for a mechanical watch but is perhaps not as well known. I had a customer here who purchased a watch from me because it was less well-known than some of the bigger brands and he was worried that if he wore one of the more recognizable brands he would be exposing himself to robbers.

What can we expect from Ball Watch Co. over the next twelve months?
This year we worked on anti-shock and anti-magnetism. I think next year we will continue along these lines but perhaps adding other functions. We will also work on reducing the size of some of our robust watches and adding the Magneto function to a chronograph, for example.

The boutique was open for three months ending on September 1, in time to take advantage of the summer tourist season. In a crisp decor bathing in the signature black and white colors of Coco Chanel, the boutique showcased some of the house's iconic models, immortalized by the talents of the photographer Patrick Demarchelier who shot Chanel's most recent publicity campaign titled "L'Instant Chanel."

The boutique offered museum visitors, on their way to see Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, a chance to admire Chanel's new J12-365, the new Premiere with its triple row bracelet, and the J12 Blue Light, a version of the J12 in white "hi-tech" ceramic and luminescent blue numerals.

"The idea of the pop-up store was a reference to 1987 when we first opened a boutique dedicated to watches on Avenue Montaigne that launched a new era in watchmaking for Chanel," said Nicolas Beau, international director of Chanel Horlogerie. "Our goal has always been to make beautiful watches where mechanics are at the service of aesthetics," Mr. Beau said.

For a brand that places a high value on creativity and aesthetics, the enclosure of Musee du Louvre, one of France's most revered cultural venues, offers the means to combine the experience of a luxury boutique with that of an art museum. For Chanel, it is a means to intimate the association between luxury and cultural heritage, inscribing its luxury products in the long-term tradition of culture.

"The appeal of Chanel's products is their lasting appeal," Mr. Beau explained.  "The Chanel no. 5 perfume has been around since 1921. It is not a trend-based product. The same is true of the little black dress and the quilted Chanel bag."

The relationship to art allows luxury products to acquire the characteristics of art by association, including uniqueness, legitimacy and permanence. "Chanel makes products that last and remain desirable," Mr. Beau said. "Few luxury brands have a portfolio of products with an endless lifetime. That is what lives in the Chanel name and was invented by Gabriel Chanel."

Over the years, Chanel has experimented with the idea of connecting art to its luxury products. In 2008, for instance, it commissioned the Mobile Art Pavilion, a 700-square meter futuristic structure designed by the Pritzker-award winning architect, Zaha Hadid, filled with works commissioned from 20 international contemporary artists asked to interpret the brand's iconic quilted 2.55 handbag, the black, stitched-leather purse designed by Coco Chanel in 1955.

Establishing a presence, ephemeral or not, in close proximity to the Louvre, a prime international cultural destination, also enables luxury brands to benefit from the rising trend in cultural tourism.

Last year, the Louvre welcomed 9.3 million visitors making it not just the most visited attraction in Paris, but also the most visited museum in the world, ahead of the British Museum in London (with 6.7 million visitors) and the Metropolitan Museum in New York (with 6.3 million visitors), according to figures published last April by the Art Newspaper.  

According to Paolo de Cesare, Le Printemps's president, a luxury goods department in the commercial area of the museum enables tourists to satisfy their two principal reasons for being there, luxury shopping and culture.  

The Louvre expects attendance numbers to rise by 30 percent over the next decade, forecasting some 12 million visitors by 2025. Le Printemps du Louvre estimates its revenues to top €20 million this year alone.

 A number of high-end watch brands including Chopard, Rolex, Montblanc, Hermes and Parmigiani are already present in the Carrousel du Louvre. With the 2014 edition of the Salon des Belles Montres set to take place in the same venue next November, the list is likely to grow.

On 11 May 2013, Sotheby's Geneva first Saturday auction of Important Watches will present worldwide collectors with a rich selection of over 400 horological creations. Covering two centuries of watch history, the sale has been curated to include some of the finest timepieces from the 19th century through the present day. The impressive group of vintage and modern wristwatches is led by renowned manufacturers, such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, as well as timeless legendary models, such as the IWC Ingenieur and Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak, which have been constantly reinvented over the past several decades.
 

Highlights of the sale include a very fine example of the reference 5029 by Patek Philippe from 1997 (est. CHF 350,000-450,000/ $371,000-477,000), the No.10 Royal Oak Chronograph Leo Messi sold to benefit the Leo Messi Foundation, as well as an entire section dedicated to rare vintage examples and limited editions of the Ingenieur watch, tracing almost 50 years of its history. The group of vintage wristwatches is also highlighted by illustrious provenance, with two Patek Philippe timepieces that belonged to Georges Simenon (1903-1989) - the masterly Belgian novelist whose Inspector Maigret Mysteries made him one of the most widely published authors of the 20th century. The total sale is expected to achieve in excess of CHF 6.5 million. 

HODINKEE - 15 October 2012

Turn down a side street off one of London's most famous roads, and you'll find yourself on a block that could be nearly anywhere in central London. Rows of identical townhouses in faded brick line both sides of the narrow paved lane, and there is something sleepy about the place. But hidden on an upper floor of one of these nondescript residences sits the Bamford Watch Department.
The Bamford Watch Department is the brainchild of George Bamford, a charming, amiable Londoner with a love of spy novels (which inspired the semi-hidden headquarters) and a very earnest telling of the inspiration for his company. For his eighteenth birthday, George was given a Rolex Daytona and thought he had received the coolest watch on the planet. But quickly, after finding numerous friends with the same Daytona on their wrist, he started thinking of ways to make his watch more "his."

George is passionate about Rolex and historic sport watches, and collects them feverishly. He wanted to work within this framework while also creating something personal and unique for himself (and now his customers). Rather than designing new watches from the ground up, George decided to take the classics he loves so much and customize them.
The foundation of a Bamford watch is the super high quality PVD coating. But on top of this there are numerous options. Dial finish, hours/minutes markers, hand configurations, bezel treatments, and a number of other things can be tweaked and adjusted to suit the customer's preferences. The goal is to deliver a watch that is unique and personal to the wearer. It is important to note that Bamford was indeed the first to customize a Rolex, and is considered to be the highest quality of the now many after-market customizers. No expense is spared. To give you an idea, Bamford is currently working on a special engraved case for a client, and they've hired ex-Purdey engravers to do the work. If you know Purdey, you know what that means - the absolute best.

Entering the discrete Bamford Watch Department headquarters feels like stepping into a Bond novel. Up the plush stairs and through a heavy door is a watch lover's dream lounge. Outfitted with chalk-striped Ralph Lauren furniture, photographs of BWD watches, white orchids, a model Ferrari, decades-old watch books, and even a few bottles of Rolex's Perpetually Yours cologne, the room feels more like your cool best friend's living room than a place to buy watches. And Bamford's love of Rolex is more apparent nowhere than in this room.
During our recent trip to London, George was kind enough to sit down with team HODINKEE to walk us through his latest offerings. Opening the sleek case he brought with him, George showed us a California Dial Submariner, a Sonar Milgauss, a Ghost Milgauss, a Paul Newman-esque Daytona, and a handful of other interesting BWD watches. The quality of every details was extremely high across the board - these are a far cry from most after-market modifications. Very cool indeed.

George gets excited when he talks about meeting clients with interesting ideas (whether they share his particular taste or not), listens more than he speaks, and seems genuinely excited about giving people a product for which they can feel a real sense of ownership. The "I did it for myself and it just happened to become a business" story doesn't sound contrived or fake at all when George tells it, and by the end of our afternoon together, I was already trying to figure out which configuration I might want most.
Click here to check out more from the Bamford Watch Department, and view their recently redesigned website.

WORLDTEMPUS - 20 August 2012
When I am evaluating the condition of a watch, I always examine the case's lugs for thickness and uniformity. With experience after studying lots of watches, you will learn what a case looks like before it is refinished. For example: on complicated Patek Philippe models, especially perpetual calendar chronographs starting with the second-series 2499 models, the lugs have steps. Study these watches closely to learn what the steps look like when they are new. Stay away from cases with soft lugs or request a deep discount for a soft case. The metal can never again be made whole once it is polished away.
In the previous three parts of this series, we have learned that the dial is the most important and valuable part of a vintage watch. Accordingly, the condition of the dial is paramount. Ideally, there will be no imperfections like flaking paint, no rust, or missing applied pieces. Many vintage watch dials have lacquer on them; after many years lacquer can craze or crack. This is actually a desirable effect on some watches like the glossy dial of the Rolex 5513 Submariner. Spotting on a dial that is a few decades or more in age is normal, and as long as it doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the watch, it is normally acceptable. The hands, usually included with the dial in grading condition, are frequently in different condition than the dial. Oxidation or pitting can often be found on hands. If there is luminous substance on the hands, it can be cracked or have completely fallen out. In this regard, original hands, regardless of their condition, are more valuable than replacement hands, even if the latter are like new.

In terms of dial condition, there are some specific discolorations that enhance the value of the watch. Most common is patina, which is the word used for something whose color changes over time. The luminous hour markers on Rolex dials are the most useful example. Study the dials of, say, Reference 5513 Submariners. You will find hour markers from snow white (no patina) to deep butterscotch color. The important thing, in terms of value, is that the patina is uniform across all luminous elements. Another permutation in hue is the so called Color Change (or "Patrizzi") dials on the Rolex 16520 Daytona models. This only occurs on the black dials and, specifically, on the chapter rings around the subdials. Originally, the chapter rings were white or pale silver. Some, over time, develop a brown coloration. For many collectors, this is a pleasing effect and makes the watch more valuable. Incidentally, dials with a propensity for having chapter rings turn brown usually also have an inverted 6 on the chronograph hour totalizer subdial. One last example of a desirable color change is the Rolex Explorer II reference number 16550, whose white dials have turned to a deep cream color.

Bracelets hopefully stand the test of time without stretching or losing links, however this is not as important as replacement bracelets are usually fairly easy to find, though likely expensive. Nothing is more personally disgusting than a used strap, much less a really old used strap. A new strap is preferred, as no one likes to wear a strap that someone else has sweated on. An exception to this is certain vintage pilot's watches with special straps or even ankle straps, which are basically almost as historic as the watch itself.
The last variable in determining the value of a vintage watch is provenance: the old "box and papers" thing. Without exception or qualification, it is always better to get as many of the elements that were originally delivered with the watch as possible. For many high-end vintage watches, the presence of the original box, documents and other paraphernalia can enhance the value of the watch by as much as 25 to 35 percent.
Interestingly, what was given out with the watch was often different depending on where in the world the watch was purchased. Let's face it, we all like to get as much as possible for our money, and the goodies and extras are important and quite valuable. The original guarantee or chronometer certificate for a watch also proves authenticity. There is an active market for vintage watch boxes, product booklets, hang tags and the like. Buyer beware, however: these items can also be faked. You can never be too careful in learning about the paraphernalia, what to look for to know if you are looking at genuine artifacts or fakes.
A final thought when it comes to finding a watch with its original elements: the original owner and perhaps subsequent owners who cared enough to keep the watch and its things together was probably an owner who took good care of the watch itself. Easily 90 percent of vintage watches have no box and papers, so finding a complete package is rare, exciting and valuable. Good luck!

Related stories:

COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (1)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (2)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (3)

WORLDTEMPUS - 16 August 2012

Dials deserve special mention when talking about the originality of vintage watches because, in my opinion, an original dial comprises approximately half to three-quarters of the watch's overall value. For example, a vintage Rolex Daytona with a normal original dial is worth only half of the same watch with an original Paul Newman dial. A Rolex Submariner from the 1950s with its original unmodified dial is worth double the same watch with a later Rolex replacement dial. Naturally, very few such early watches survive to this day with original perfect-condition dials, but such pristine original dials exist. These perfect watches command a substantial price premium over watches with degraded, but otherwise original, dials. Degraded original dials command more value than OEM (original equipment maker) replacement dials.

I mentioned last week how dials can be modified for aesthetic or functional reasons - known in the jargon as re-painted, as re-dialed, re-lumed, etc. - and dials that fall into this category have the least value. Fake dials, fairly prevalent on otherwise valuable original watches, have no value and are considered a serious demerit to the watch for obvious reasons. However, the other real parts of the watch have value, which is to be remembered for the serious collector who may have a collection of original parts accumulated over many years, which he or she can combine to form a watch comprising all original parts. So-called "put-together" watches are less than optimal because they are not original. As the years go by, however, and parts and/or entire watches get damaged, discarded or become otherwise unavailable, these spare original parts can result in a complete original watch that would otherwise be a broken or less-than-original watch. 

It's not surprising that the dial is the most important part of the watch because the dial is how the wearer interacts with the watch. A compromise with the dial is a compromise in the enjoyment of the watch, and ultimately in its value.
Cases and movements are also often less than completely original and, again, this can be for various reasons. Both are still critical factors in arriving at the value of a watch, however. Ideally, both the entirety of the case and movement will be original. Hopefully, the movement will have been serviced over the years and be running. If the movement needed or needs parts, OEM parts are preferred. However, the bottom line is that the watch is running. An original movement with some non-original parts is preferred to a broken movement that doesn't run. In more complicated watches, especially vintage Rolex Daytonas, the movements are sometimes not original. Vintage Daytonas were powered by Valjoux movements that were commonly found in other quality chronographs of the era. A vintage Daytona may have the Valjoux movement numbers 72B, 722, 722-1 or 727. Rolex made their own modifications to these movements and, of course, engraved the bridges. Given the value of vintage Daytonas, resourceful crooks have "put together" vintage Daytonas using real Valjoux movements from non-Rolex watches (without the Rolex modifications or with faked modifications), and a combination of other real or faked parts. Watch cases are not usually counterfeited, but you may find a Universal Geneve case masquerading as a Daytona case.

One other point needs to be made about cases and movements: Rolex stocks replacement cases and replacement movements for watches received for servicing with irretrievably compromised parts. These cases often have a distinct serial number starting with the numeral 44. Likewise, the movement in a vintage watch may be a replacement movement if the original was rusted or somehow destroyed. Knowing which movements belong in which watch is a matter of experience and building an excellent resource library; so many part numbers can get confusing for anyone.
The condition of the watch is the next most important variable in determining the watch's value, and sellers grade condition. Some sellers will use a number scale with 100 percent condition meaning the watch is as perfect as new. Other sellers use words like mint, mint+, near mint, excellent, etc. I like to believe most sellers make an honest attempt to describe their watches accurately. Not surprisingly, the seller often describes the condition of the watch more optimistically than the buyer will describe it once receiving it. So if you are buying a watch, make the guarded assumption that the seller's condition assessment is probably optimistic.
Obviously, the better the condition of the watch, the more valuable it is. As such, there are some specific things to pay attention to and there are tradeoffs. Every collector has to decide what is most important to him or her in this regard.

Specifically, when a watch case leaves a factory it is new, shiny and not diminished from being polished. Some collectors put a premium on a watch that has been polished so that its surfaces are clean enough to give the appearance of being like new. Other collectors prioritize originality over appearance. A watch case has a specific finish when it is new, and many watches have a combination of alternating finishes like mirror-polished, matte, sandblasted, or brushed surfaces. If a watch returns to its manufacturer for service, the watchmakers will restore the original finish, which is important. Using Rolex once again as an example, many Oyster cases are brushed on the top surfaces of the case, mirror-polished on the sides, and the case back is mirror-polished on its outer ring and brushed in the center. The center may be concentrically or laterally brushed. Send a watch to Rolex for service and it will come back looking perfect.
However, careless watchmakers have ruined hundreds of thousands of watches by applying a mono-finish when working on a case. I have seen far too many fully mirror-polished Rolex cases and all brush-finished Panerai cases that should have been polished. Fortunately, this is reversible, but remember: each and every time a watch case is polished, metal is eroded and lost forever. Also, check the case for serial and model numbers and other engraving or printing that should be on the watch. All should be crisp and legible. Many cases have been polished to the point where original markings are either illegible or removed altogether. On precious metal watch cases, look to make sure that the metal's hallmarks are present. If you are looking at what appears to be a gold or platinum watch, the case should have hallmarks. Finding a crisp, deep hallmark means the case is both made of the metal it purports to be made from and has only been lightly or never polished.

Related stories:

COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (1)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (2)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (4)

Revue FH - 5 July 2012

The 2012 Rolex Awards for Enterprise aroused keen interest. Indeed around 3,500 names were put forward - more than double that of recent editions - originating from 154 different countries (126 at the last edition). The average age of participants was down from 46 to 41. The percentage of women meanwhile rose from 23 to 28%, a record high.
Members of the interdisciplinary jury, which included renowned scientists, explorers, environmental campaigners, doctors, educationalists and entrepreneurs, made their selection as follows:
Sergei Bereznuk (51), Russia

The Russian Far East is home to 95 per cent of the remaining population of the Amur, the biggest of the world's tigers (also known as the Siberian tiger), which weighs on average 200 kg. Today, an estimated 350 to 500 of this subspecies (Panthera tigris altaica) roam the frontier region bordering China and the Sea of Japan. Although sustained conservation efforts over recent years have moved the Amur tigers from «critically endangered» to «endangered» on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, they still remain at risk - mainly due to poaching.
For the past 17 years, Sergei Bereznuk, a staunch Russian conservationist and ecologist, has been working valiantly to save the Amur tiger. Based on his experience since 1995 with a tiger anti-poaching brigade in the Primorsky Krai, the Russian Far East province commonly known as Primorye, Bereznuk is convinced that saving the Amur tiger depends on both the efficiency of anti-poaching measures and the education of the local people, two elements at the core of his Rolex Awardwinning project. Moreover, he considers the Amur tiger as a powerful driver for the general conservation of its ecosystem, the taiga forest.

As director of the Phoenix Fund, a small, environmental NGO that he has headed for 12 years, Bereznuk and his team of six people are carrying out an impressive range of activities to preserve the Amur tiger over a territory of 166,000 km2. These include support of anti-poaching units, awareness-raising among local people, reversing habitat reduction due to fires and logging and resolution of humananimal conflicts, along with providing compensation for damage and monitoring invasive industrial projects in the region.
Barbara Block (54), United States

Large marine predators such as sharks and tunas are essential to maintaining the delicate balance of our ocean ecosystems, but overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution have caused reductions of populations worldwide. Measures advocated by scientists to reverse this decline include the creation of large marine protected areas in the open ocean that preserve feeding and breeding grounds. A major challenge has been to identify the best locations for these sanctuaries, since these species are highly migratory and difficult to follow.
Barbara Block, a professor of marine biology, has developed innovative electronic tagging techniques that enable following fish beneath the sea. In the late 1990s, she helped develop the first pop-up satellite archival tag, a device that detaches itself from the fish on a pre-programmed date and floats to the surface of the sea where it transmits archived data via satellite.
Block's aim is to build the technology that will enable monitoring of these ocean hotspots and to engage the public on the plight of marine predators that roam along the west coast of North America - a crucial prelude to their conservation.
Her team conducts «conservation oceanography» incorporating the latest advances in sensor technology, ocean observing systems and computational methods to provide resource managers and policy-makers with data on the sustainability of both exploited and protected marine predators.
Erika Cuellard (40), Bolivia

The largest of Bolivia's national parks, the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco, boasts the unlikely combination of South America's hottest, driest weather and 70 species of large mammals, including jaguars, pumas and giant armadillos, living in the largest protected tropical dry forest in the world. This harsh and inhospitable environment has been the workplace of Erika Cuellar for more than a decade. The scientist has spearheaded participatory conservation with the indigenous Guaraní people who live on the boundaries of the park. She has worked towards improving grassland management and local capacity building by training local people to take ownership of the conservation of their habitat.
Encouraged by her successes in the national park, Cuellar's sights are now set on the wider Gran Chaco region, which spans parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. The Gran Chaco counts a variety of indigenous tribes, nomadic hunters, gatherers, fishing communities, farmers and cattle ranchers as its human inhabitants. The forests and scrublands are also home to 3,400 plant species, 500 bird and 150 mammal species, many of which are unique to the region.
But for more than a century, the Gran Chaco's natural wealth has been systematically eroded. A notable casualty of these man-made factors has been the guanaco, the wild ancestor of domesticated llamas. In 2007, to help protect this species and its habitat, Cuellar devised a course to train members of three ethnic groups native to the Gran Chaco (Guaraní, Ayoreode and Chiquitano) as parabiologists. As native inhabitants, parabiologists are also an influential means of conveying the value of conservation to indigenous communities. Cuellar now wants to extend her approach in Argentina and Paraguay and formalize the model to make conservation a viable long-term local employment option.
Mark Kendall (40), Australia

Mark Kendall is developing an inexpensive and highly efficient way to reduce the annual death toll of millions of people worldwide from infectious diseases. Many of these fatalities can be prevented by vaccines, but the traditional syringe-and needle method - invented in 1853 - is holding vaccines back. First, this method injects vaccine into muscle, which has few immune cells, missing our immune «sweet spot». It is expensive and presents numerous difficulties - with vaccines requiring refrigeration in many countries where electricity supplies are uncertain.
With the «Nanopatch» that Professor Kendall is developing at a cutting-edge bio-engineering research institute at the University of Queensland, in Australia, a host of problems linked to the traditional needle and syringe will be swept away. The syringe-free method developed by Kendall uses an applicator which propels the Nanopatch and its microprojections - painlessly - onto a superficial layer of the skin where target immune cells are most numerous. The process does not draw blood, so the risk of infection is greatly reduced.
The Nanopatch is coated with dry vaccine, so no refrigeration is required. This, together with lower vaccine doses, drastically reduces all costs, including transport. In the long term, Nanopatches could probably be administered by community workers or teachers, thus avoiding the need for medical staff to be present.
Aggrey Otieno (34), Kenya

Korogocho, Nairobi's fourth-largest slum, is home to an estimated 200,000 people in an area of only 1.5 km2, which is troubled by widespread insecurity, substandard sanitation and deep poverty. An estimated 300 women experience postpartum haemorrhage and 200 newborn babies die there every year due to the lack of obstetric medical facilities and a means of getting to hospital, as well as the fact that the local birth attendants need assistance during emergencies. In Korogocho, the maternal mortality ratio is roughly 700 women out of 100,000, compared with 13 out of 100,000 in the United States.
After studying in the United States, Aggrey Otieno returned to the slum, his birthplace, to improve the health of his community by empowering its people. With his knowledge of the area, Otieno, who has gained a well-deserved reputation as a valiant champion of the poor and vulnerable residents of Korogocho, is well placed to drive forward his project to build a telemedicine centre with a 24- hour, on-call doctor and van, thereby helping to prevent many deaths.
Under the auspices of the non-profit organization Pambazuko Mashinani - of which he is founder and executive director - Otieno will use his Rolex Award funds to train birth attendants to recognize when complications are occurring so that they can alert staff at the centre by text message when an emergency arises. These qualified workers and doctors will give instant medical advice and, if needed, dispatch a van to transport the woman to hospital.

A Timely Perspective - 28 March 2012

Jason Heaton is passionate about diving and has even achieved Rescue Diver Certification. Heaton, who lives in Minneapolis, grew up around Lake Michigan, where there are pristine ship wrecks thanks to the cold water. He has spent years diving in top spots around the world - in water ranging from Lake Michigan to the Honduras, Bonaire, Sri Lanka and even Boston Harbor (a murky site that wasn't his favorite). Heaton has found way to combine his love of diving with real-world dive-watch reviews for a variety of publications. Here he shares his thoughts with Atimelyperspective on what makes a good dive watch.

Jason Heaton somewhere off of Roatan, Honduras, wearing a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Geographic Navy SEALs in rose gold. "Crazy watch in all respects!""The truth is that you don't really need a dive watch today because there are so many other dive instruments you can use, but there is a saying in the dive world that is critical: 'two is one and one is none'. If you have two pieces of equipment, it's like having one, and if you have one, it's like having nothing because anything can happen to a single instrument. You always need backup, and for me, that's a great dive watch," says Heaton.
Several times, Heaton has had to rely only on his watch when diving. In fact, he refers to a trip in Sri Lanka, where a diving buddy's dive computer died. Heaton lent his computer to that diver, and relied on his watch to track his own time and depth.

 Heaton uses his dive watch to track intermediate things he is doing under water, and asserts it's a valuable timing tool, as well. He especially notes that since underwater navigation is tricky, using the watch to time how long you are swimming in one direction, helps you to assess when you need to turn around in order to get back in time before using up air. Thus, says Heaton, the most important feature on a dive watch is a one-way ratcheted bezel for the ability to track elapsed time. Also, in keeping with the ISO dive standards, the watch should be water resistant to at least 100 meters and have minute and hour hands that are distinctively different from each other.
"Additionally, when looking to buy a diver's watch, one really needs to look at the strap. It's the first thing you have to deal with after putting on your wetsuit, so it's good to have a rubber or Velcro strap that fits over the suit, or a quick change bracelet. Divers also want a bezel that's grippy and turns easily enough to set. Luminescence is so important because you need ease of telling time under water, and finally the big clunker watches can get hung up on gear and snagged on things, so a lower profile watch is better."
Among Heaton's favorites: Rolex, Citizen, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Doxa.

The archetype of the diver's watch, the Oyster Perpetual SUBMARINER presented at Baselworld 2012 sports a new look to complement its iconic personality. with its subtly redesigned case and its new bezel and bracelet both benefitting from recent Rolex innovations, this latest generation SUBMARINER is firmly in line with the tradition of the historic model launched in 1953. It sets new standards in terms of robustness, legibility and reliability, strengthening its status as a watch of action with timeless allure.

Ceramic bezel and long-lasting luminescent display 

The unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel of this new SUBMARINER is equipped with a black CERACHROM insert made of virtually scratchproof, non-fading, corrosion-resistant ceramic. The graduations are coated via a PVd process with a thin layer of platinum. The sleek black dial harbours large CHROMALIGHT hour markers and hands filled with luminescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow. This exclusive display offers exceptional legibility in the dark. 

The OYSTER case, symbol of waterproofness 

The SUBMARINER's 40 mm OYSTER case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 300 metres (1,000 feet), is a paragon of robustness. The middle case is crafted from a solid block of particularly corrosion-resistant 904L steel. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented TRIPLOCK triple waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case in a manner akin to a submarine's hatch. It is protected by a crown guard that is an integral part of the middle case. The crystal is made of virtually scratchproof synthetic sapphire. The waterproof OYSTER case ensures optimal protection for the SUBMARINER's high-precision movement.

Calibre 3130, a superlative chronometer 

The new SUBMARINER is equipped with calibre 3130, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all PERPETUAL movements, the 3130 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its architecture, like that of all OYSTER watch movements, makes it singularly precise and reliable. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue PARACHROM hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the PARACHROM hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. 

The OYSTERLOCK clasp, functional and secure 

This SUBMARINER is fitted with a solid-link OYSTER bracelet in 904L steel. It features a new-generation OYSTERLOCK safety clasp and GLIdELOCK extension system. The ingenious patented system, located beneath the clasp cover, allows fine adjustments of the bracelet length in 2 mm increments for a total of approximately 20 mm - without using any tools. This allows the watch to be worn over a diving suit up to 3 mm thick and provides additional comfort in any circumstance.

Asia Tatler - 15. November 2011

Last month, DKSH Holdings held its first Swiss watch auction in Hong Kong with a promising total of HK$23.4 million worth of luxury timepieces sold at the auction. With the growing number of luxury watch boutiques populating the streets of Hong Kong, it is without a doubt that the watch market has grown exponentially, and that now there are more not only willing to purchase luxury timepieces but more than ever before, there is a growing market for watch investment. We talk to Gonpo Tsering, head operations support and member of group management of DKSH in hope to learn more about the value of watches and the booming watch market.

According to Tsering, the Swiss Auctions, an activity of DKSH's business segment in luxury and lifestyle, was held in Hong Kong for the first time because the company saw the need for a platform to bridge the gap between owners of rare and important timepieces and collectors hunting for rare collectible timepieces.
"DKSH identified this niche market and is catering to this demand with a very high-end auction for watches. Hong Kong - this thriving and throbbing city - was our immediate first choice for obvious reasons. Hong Kong is becoming highly attractive to watch collectors from all over the world - and the fact that there are no sales or luxury tax here is of course very conducive to promote this trend."
Read about Boucheron's exquisite craftsmanship here.
For those who want to start their own watch collection or begin investing in watches, it is crucial to give a timepiece its rightful value. Tsering recommends a few ways to determine a watch's value:
1) Take note of the brand of the watch
2) Take into account the condition of the timepiece
3) Find out when it was manufactured
Second, potential buyers should also refer to a watch price guide and appraisal information to find out where the value ranges for the watch. Last, but not least, work with a professional watch appraisers who can value the watch and provide an appraisal certificate.
 

"I would suggest that new watch collectors learn more about the watch market and the techniques on how watches are being appreciated and valued. The internet is a good first starting point to gather knowledge about watches. Besides, they should also attend auctions so that they can get firsthand information about the value of the watch and the trend of the market. My personal advice: focus on either a brand, on a certain period, or on a special category of timepieces. My personal favourite is pocket watches, which are not so popular currently and therefore very affordable," he advised.
Apart from looking at the new watches released by major brands and manufactures, watch investors are advised to go to watch auctions to source possible investment pieces. Watch auctions does not only give collectors the choice of the best collectables at a single location, but it gives the guarantee that the watches are authentic and are in good condition while it also reduces the amount of extensive research.
 

 
Tsering shares his belief that there is a clear sign that the watch market will definitely continue to blossom with an Asian force.
"The potential growth of the market for timepieces and watch collection is indisputable. Asia's remarkable growth and the rapidly emerging middle class will lead to a significant increase in demand for luxury and lifestyle goods, driving further growth in the luxury market."
Black rolexes are a hit in the auction houses, find out where you can get your own black Rolex here.
With such new force in the watch industry, Tsering said there is also one more thing that investors should bear in mind: Asian consumers trends have now changed. In the past, Asian consumers usually follow global trends. Now, a new wealthy class with more international exposure is coming up from developing Asian countries, they tend to know more about the market and are interestingly becoming fonder of simpler and more conservative designs. So, when investors are selecting potential investment pieces, they should also be aware of which sector of the industry they are targeting.

For example, among the top lots sold at the auction was a Historie de Tourbillion, a Zalium manual-winding tourbillion from Harry Winston. This 18k white gold timepiece was manufactured in 2009 and was sold for an impressive HK$2.55 million.

Amongst the exceptional highlights being offered are a recently discovered Patek Philippe full 24-hour repeating, quarter and special type five-minute repeating 24- hours in one revolution pocket watch and a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold. In addition, the auction will offer over 603 exceptional modern and vintage timepieces. Previews will be held in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Geneva.

The highlight of the sale is the recently discovered Patek Philippe full 24-hour repeating, quarter and special-type five-minute repeating 24-hours in one revolution pocket watch. This exceptional watch was originally sold to Monsieur E. Hoesch, Villa Barbaia, Mergellina, Naples, on November 27, 1894 for 3750 Swiss Francs. It is a highly important 18K pink gold, keyless pocket watch with perpetual calendar, chronograph, moon phases, and lunar calendar accompanied by the original certificate of origin and Patek Philippe sales receipt.

Another outstanding timepiece included in the sale is the Patek Philippe, ref. 1518, 1st Series. Made in 1948, it is an extremely rare, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, square button chronograph, register and tachometer accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Also offered is a Patek Philippe ref. 5959. Sold on October 3, 2007, it is a very rare, platinum and diamond wristwatch with coaxial round button split-seconds chronograph and register. The watch is accompanied by a Patek Philippe fitted box, certificate of origin and instructions.

Another patek Philippe that is sure to attract collectors around the globe is the Patek Philippe "World Time," ref 5131G. Sold on April 13, 2010, it is a self-winding, water-resistant, 18K white gold wristwatch with world-time system and cloisonne enamel dial offered with a fitted box, certificate of origin, booklets and hang tag.

 In addition, the auction will include a Patek Philippe ref. 844, movement made in 1947, completed and cased in 1973 and sold on December 1st, 1980. This exceptional piece is an elegant, 18K yellow gold, keyless, minute repeating dress watch with digital "American" perpetual calendar and moon phases accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Another exquisite piece offered in the sale is the Rolex ref. 6284 "Two Americas" with cloisonne dial by Marguerite Koch, made in only six examples circa 1950. From the property of the original owner, it is an exceptionally rare self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with cloisonne enamel map of the two Americas.

Antiquorum experts are also pleased to offer an A. Lange & Söhne minute repeater with Lange double-chronograph system, produced in 1884 and sold on September 30, 1884 for 1,750 Marks. One of three examples made, this is a large and heavy, 18K red gold, minute-repeating, keyless, hunting-cased pocket watch with 1st Quality movement with precision balance, Lange double-chronograph system with single push-piece for all four functions via one column wheel and split-seconds calipers on the dial side. This outstanding watch is accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Another noteworthy Rolex included in the sale is the Rolex , "Oyster Perpetual, COMEX, 660ft=200m, Submariner", Ref. 5514/5513 formerly belonging to Patrick Raude. Produced in 1972, it is a water-resistant, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with first generation helium escape valve. The watch is accompanied by a Rolex Geneva service invoice (now void, dated 2005), a photocopy of Mr Raude's passport, the original sale invoice from Mr Raude to the previous owner in 2002 and an original Rolex advertisement from circa 1985.

Antiquorum experts are also delighted to offer a Patek Philippe, ref. 1339 "Piece Unique - Pendulette Dome", "Musique de Chambre Quator". This magnificent timepiece is a unique, solar-powered and electro-mechanical, brass table clock with polychrome cloisonne enamel panels depicting an orchestral quartet. It is accompanied by the Patek Philippe box, certificate of origin, hang tag and Patek Philippe (Japan) service guarantee card.

For the miniature collector, Antiquorum experts are pleased to offer a Patek Philippe Ref. 866/8 retailed by Gubelin with unique enamel miniature "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" by Suzanne Rohr after Christian Leberecht Vogel (1759-1816), signed and dated 1971.  It is accompanied by the original Patek Philippe fitted box and Certificate of Origin.

Patek collectors will also want to bid on the Patek Philippe "Calatrava observatory type", Produced in 1903, cased in 1936 and sold on February 5, 1936. It is a possibly unique and extremely fine stainless steel Staybrite gentleman's wristwatch with sector dial and subsidiary dial at 9. Recently overhauled by Patek Philippe Geneva, it is accompanied by an extract from the archives and the original Patek Philippe fitted box.

__________________________________________________

 
Preview & Auction Schedule
Auction: Sunday, November 13
Session 1: (lots 1-176) at 10:00 am
Session 2: (lots 177 - 603) at 1:30 pm
Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhone
Salon Saint-Gervais
Quai Turrettini1
1201 Geneva
 
Hong Kong Preview
Friday, November 4: 11 am - 7 pm
Antiquorum Auctioneers (HK) Ltd.
Room 704, No. 9 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong, China
Tel + 852 2522 4168
 
Shanghai Preview
Sunday, November 6: 10 am - 6pm
Antiquorum Shanghai
Room 4106B
Bund Centre Office Tower
222 Yan An Road East
Shanghai 200002,China
Tel. + 86 21 6335 1268
 
Geneva Preview
Thursday, November 10 to Saturday, November 12: 10 am - 7pm
Sunday, November 13: 10 am - 6pm
Antiquorum Showroom
3, rue du Mont-Blanc
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. + 41 (0) 22 909 28 50

WORLDTEMPUS - 8 June 2011

The world-class tennis tournament in the heart of Paris seems to be the stage that tennis has set to show off players' and spectators' love of watches.
Rafael Nadal's spectacular win over Roger Federer in the finals of the tournament - his sixth French Open championship on the slow red clay in seven years - represents a continuation of Richard Mille's foray into high-profile ambassadorships. Confirming Mille's ever-accurate nose, world number one Nadal has been on a serious winning streak since first strapping the controversial RM 027 tourbillon to his sweaty wrist last spring.

As the start draws near, the skipper's pulse quickens. Already visualizing the action of the race, he manoeuvres as close as possible to the line.

The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II embodies all of the intense emotion a regatta arouses. By its impressive size, evocative power and sleek design, this unique regatta chronograph echoes directly the Maxi Yachts built to brave the oceans. The new version is the first Professional watch in the Oyster collection to be available in EVEROSE ROLESOR - an exclusive combination of the 904L steel superalloy and 18 ct EVEROSE gold.

Sights on the horizon
Equipped with a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II is an innovative and pioneering watchmaking complication, based on interaction between the movement and the bezel. It allows the skipper to programme a regatta countdown sequence from 1 to 10 minutes. Once the countdown has been launched, the skipper can, if necessary, synchronize his chronograph to the official race countdown. Thanks to the Yacht-Master II, experienced sailors and yachting enthusiasts have at their disposal an efficient tool to assist in crossing the starting line at the very moment the horn sounds.

Regatta meets watchmaking technology
With its numerous innovative watchmaking features, the Yacht-Master II model, launched in 2007, is the epitome of the brand's creative force and technology. Its functions depend on a major innovation: the exclusive RING COMMAND bezel, designed and developed by Rolex. Rotatable through 90° and interacting with the movement, it serves to initialize and then lock the countdown programming.

The model's 4160 movement, entirely designed and developed by Rolex, is fitted with a PARACHROM hairspring, 10 times more resistant to shocks and insensitive to magnetic fields. The countdown is operated by a column wheel and a vertical clutch. A number of microcomponents in this unique movement are produced by UV-LiGA - a new technology, entirely mastered in-house by Rolex, which enables the production of components whose fineness or geometry makes them impossible to manufacture by traditional means.

The Yacht-Master II's case, stamped from a block of 904L steel extremely resistant to corrosion, offers all the qualities of waterproofness that have made the reputation of Oyster watches. Not least thanks to its TRIPLOCK winding crown, which screws down tightly against the case like the hatch of a submarine. The pink gold of the bezel and the bracelet's centre links is 18 ct EVEROSE gold, an exclusive alloy developed by Rolex and manufactured in its own foundry. The blue CERACHROM bezel insert, virtually impervious to scratches, corrosion-resistant and non-fading, is also patented and manufactured by Rolex.

The excellent legibility of the Yacht-Master II's dial demonstrates the constant attention to functionality in the Oyster Professional collection. The red countdown minute and seconds hands are readable at a glance against the graduations on the dial or bezel.

The bracelet, in 904L steel and 18 ct EVEROSE, is fitted with an EASYLINK 5 mm comfort extension link and an OYSTERLOCK clasp with a safety catch, two further Rolex innovations.

The horn has sounded. The course is set. The Yacht-Master II forges ever forward, sailing towards new horizons.

This bold incarnation of a feminine classic, in its 34 mm 18 ct EVEROSE gold case, enriches a collection already offered in yellow and white gold.

Seductive charm of EVEROSE gold
The 18 ct Everose gold of the case, bracelet and bezel sets the tone from the outset: an exclusive Rolex alloy, captivating in its inherent lustre and nobility. A mixture of serenity and vitality, sobriety and audacity, it exerts an irresistible power of seduction and gives the watch its b personality. Around the bezel sparkle 12 brilliant-cut diamonds, elegantly showcased in 18 ct white gold settings. The effect is luminous, exquisite, enchanting.

Dream dials
Dazzlingly delicate, the Goldust Dream dial is a subtle, refined marriage of white or black mother-of-pearl and gold dust. The mother-of-pearl is embellished with a new nature-inspired motif and an exquisite design in pink gold dust applied in a fine layer via a patented PVD process which preserves the mother-of-pearl's natural structure while giving it a highly original metallic sheen. The slightest ray of light illuminates this magical dial with iridescent reflections that make the fine strata of the mother-of-pearl shimmer in a subtle play of light. Each of these dials, with a large gem-set numeral at 6 o'clock, is a unique, refined work of art, striking in its delicate splendour.

Distinction and precision
The new Oyster Perpetual Datejust Special Edition stands out thanks to its gracious, curved lines, its feminine form and its new, elegant invisible clasp. It is also an Oyster with peerless precision and reliability, a waterproof chronometer equipped with a Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanical movement. A trusted companion under all circumstances.

The lady who wears this watch looks ahead, stepping confidently towards her future. She glances at her watch, living the present to the full, her sights already set on expanding horizons.

Exploration is a state of mind. It takes courage, resolve and an unquenchable thirst for discovery to always seek to go higher, farther, where no one has trod before. To mountain tops. To the extremities of the poles. To the depths of the Earth. To the edge of volcanic craters.

The watch of adventure
The Oyster Perpetual Explorer model was born of this very state of mind. On 29 May 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest in the course of an expedition equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches. The Explorer model was created in homage to this historic achievement - and to accompany other such achievements. Since then, Rolex has continuously tested and improved the precision, robustness and reliability of its watches in the most extreme environments on the planet. Pushing technical boundaries to accommodate ever more demanding human adventures.
From polar ice to the magma of the Earth
Another step forward was taken in 1971 with the creation of the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II. With its highly legible dial, the introduction of the date, a 24-hour hand and a fixed graduated bezel, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II opened new horizons for exploration and became the new reference for professional adventurers and explorers of our planet. It proved itself on the wrist of volcanologist Haroun Tazieff and formed an essential part of the equipment of numerous polar expeditions. Its 24-hour display allows speleologists and polar explorers to distinguish day from night, making the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II an indispensable timekeeper.

Rebirth 40 years later
Exactly 40 years after its launch, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II has been updated to reach new heights of dependability. This new model combines technical innovations and a return to aesthetic sources. Its case, enlarged to 42 mm, houses the new calibre 3187 entirely designed and manufactured by Rolex. The movement includes the most recently patented technologies of the brand, such as the PARAFLLEX shock absorbers and the non-magnetic PARACHROM hairspring, ensuring unparalleled reliability and shock resistance. The bracelet is equipped with a new OYSTERLLOCK clasp with safety catch and the EASYLLINK comfort extension link. On the dial, the 24-hour hand has returned to the arrow shape and the orange colour of the original 1971 model. The hour and minute hands are broader and more legible, and, on the black-dial version, their black base blends with the black dial to create a "phantom effect". The luminescent sections of the hands seem to float over the dial - another nod to the historic model.
The "jumping" hour hand can be set independently, providing a GMT function (second time zone), in conjunction with the 24-hour hand and bezel.
With its extremely robust construction, its exceptional chronometric performance and its legendary reliability, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II is the ideal instrument to push the boundaries of the world. And continually expand your own horizons.

swisster.ch - November 12, 2010

Hillary's son and daughter obtain a legal injunction, saying the timepieces consigned by their stepmother for bids rightly belong to them, while the New Zealand government also expresses concerns.
A New Zealand court is blocking the planned auction in Geneva this Sunday of Rolex watches originally owned by the late legendary mountain climber Sir Edmund Hillary as members of his family feud over who owns them.
Antiquorum has advertised several of the luxury timepieces consigned for sale by Lady June Hillary, widow and second wife of the late adventurer, who died in 2008.
But a high court from Hillary's native country granted an injunction this week at the request of lawyers acting on behalf of the climber's son Peter and daughter Sarah, who claim they own the watches.
In addition, the New Zealand government said it regards the watches of national cultural importance.
The injunction instructs Lady Hillary to ask Antiquorum to withdraw them from sale.
The auctioneer continued on Friday to include the watches in advertising for its weekend auctions on its website.
An Antiquorum representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
The collection is part of a group of 643 "important modern and vintage timepieces" to be sold under the hammer by Antiquorum during a two-day sale this weekend at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

One of them is a Rolex "Oyster Perpetual" chronometer dating from 1953 that was presented to Edmund Hillary in India after his descent from Mount Everest in honour of his achievement the same year.
At the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have climbed the summit of the world's highest mountain.
Hillary subsequently wore the watch on a trans-Antarctic expedition from 1955 to 1958, the first overland crossing of Antarctica and the first expedition to reach the South Pole since British explorer Robert Scott in 1912.
"It has immense historic significance," Antiquroum says in its online catalogue, noting that the caseback is engraved "Sir E. Hillary".
The watch is valued at between 10,000 and 20,000 francs.
Another timepiece in the collection is an 18-carat yellow gold Rolex bought on May 29, 2003 by Hillary on the 50th anniversary of the day he reached the summit of Everest.
Its estimated value is between 8,000 and 10,000 francs.
Among the other Rolexes are ones bought by Hillary to commemorate the 20th anniversaries of the Everest climb and his attempted ascent of Himalayan peak Cho Oyu from the Nepal side in 1952.
The estimated value of the watches is not in the upper reaches often seen at Geneva auctions.
The headline watch in Antiquorum's weekend sale, for example, is a rare Patek Philippe "pink gold" wristwatch valued at between 800,000 and 1.2 million francs, and the auction house says it has sold 49 watches valued at more than a million francs.
But the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage said at least one of the Hillary watches has legal protection under the country's Legal Objects Act.
According to press reports from New Zealand the government wrote to Lady Hillary's lawyers on Friday to inform her of the watch's protected status.
Under the country's law, protected objects cannot by exported without the permission of the culture and heritage ministry.
However, its is not clear whether the injunction has any legal bearing in Switzerland.
It is possible that officials New Zealand government may have to contact Bern in order to intervene.
Hillary's son and daughter said their stepmother put the watches up for sale without asking them, according to a report from the New Zealand Press Association.
Peter Hillary said it was "very sad" he and his sister had had to take court action to stop Lady Hillary from going ahead with the sale, but it was the straw which had broken the camel's back.
"There have been a number of very significant items from the Ed Hillary collection that do belong to Sarah and I, that have been disposed of inappropriately," he said.
"I believe that it has been stopped for the time being and we are hopeful we can preserve these legacy items," Peter Hillary added.
"They, along with a lot of other items, are of great significance to this family and I would suggest in some respects to New Zealand, in terms of being important items from the Ed Hillary collection."
Neither Lady Hillary nor her lawyer were available to the press for comment.
June Hillary married the climber in 1989 after his first wife and one of his two daughters died in a plane crash in Nepal in 1975.

WORLDTEMPUS - 19 April 2010

I decided to extend my annual trip to Geneva's S.I.H.H. in January and visit any car buff's Holy Grails: the Porsche and Mercedes Benz museums in Stuttgart as well as a personal tour through the AMG factory in Affalterbach. I was actually welcomed there with a proudly displayed American flag—now that's attention to detail. As if that wasn't enough, I ventured on to partake in the Mercedes AMG Winter Driving event in Arjeplog, Sweden, and a few weeks later the Porsche Ice Force in Ivalo, Finland.

The experience was incredible: the Mercedes AMG E63, C63 and SLK55 and the Cayman S, 911 C2S, C4S, Turbo and Panamera 4S are all equipped with studded winter tires to gain traction on the giant frozen lakes' endless tracks. I basically drove sideways from 9:30 am until 5:00 pm for three days straight, only interrupted by coffee breaks and sumptuous lunches with 40 other car enthusiasts from all over the world.
Being in the watch business, I thought it would also be a great opportunity to test a few of the world's best sports watches under these frigid conditions—so I left a Rolex Deepsea, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, a Panerai Marina Diver, and our very own limited edition Wempe Zeitmeister ceramic chronograph outside overnight at -24°F. Needless to say, I slept a little uneasy having watches worth over $55,000 lying in the snow on my balcony unattended, but then again, nobody would have suspected these kinds of treasures there either.

This was an experiment I wouldn't have dared to pull off in New York. All watches performed well, by the way, and even the rubber straps survived the night in the cold without becoming brittle. As for the driving experience, it was exhilarating and certainly has greatly increased my car control skills. We kept the Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes ML drivers busy as we overshot corners and turns just to find ourselves in two feet of snow.
The beautiful thing was that you couldn't get hurt or damage the cars. I'm not quite ready to initiate the drift with the brake when I turn on Fifth Avenue into 55th Street in front of the Wempe store, but it sure is tempting.

50 years later, this deep dive into uncharted waters not only remains an unmatched record but constitutes a milestone in underwater exploration and in increasing awareness of the need to better protect the oceans.

Fifty years ago, Rolex and the bathyscaphe Trieste made history when US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh, accompanied by Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard, piloted the US Navy vessel to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in the heart of the Mariana Trench, some 200 miles off the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. Strapped to the outside of the Swissdesigned submersible was a Rolex watch. A third-generation Rolex prototype of the Deep Sea Special was specifically engineered to withstand the tremendous pressure that would be encountered, approximately eight tons per square inch, at a depth of over 10,900 meters (35,000 feet) in the Challenger Deep.
When the Trieste and her intrepid crew of two surfaced over eight and a half hours later, they had completed the deepest dive ever undertaken by a vessel - manned or unmanned - and the Rolex Deep Sea Special was in perfect working condition. "Happy to announce that your watch works as well at 11,000 meters as it does on the surface", Piccard wrote in a telegram addressed several days after the dive to the Rolex headquarters in Geneva.
Their successful voyage to the still deepest known place in the Earth's oceans not only set a record that has never been broken, but also constituted an important milestone in the exploration and knowledge of the underwater world, an environment that was little known at the time despite its crucial role for man and his survival on earth.
Nearly seven miles below the surface, Walsh and Piccard used the light from their mercury vapor lamps to witness something never seen before: marine life at the very bottom of the ocean, previously believed to be unsustainable under such pressure and in the total absence of light. A discovery that astonished the global scientific community and contributed to increasing awareness of the need to better preserve our oceans.
Protecting the "blue heart of the planet"
"We are very dependent on the natural systems that sustain us. If we take care of the ocean and the rest of the natural world, we're really taking care of ourselves", said Sylvia Earle, the pioneering US marine biologist and Rolex Testimonee who has dedicated her life to the protection of what she calls the "blue heart of the planet".
Walsh and Piccard's achievement brought Rolex and its extraordinary technology into the public consciousness for its scientific value. Moreover, special notice of the feat was also taken by the elite diving community who would come to treasure Rolex watches as essential tools of their trade. In water, Rolex is in its element and the name of its iconic waterproof wristwatch, the Oyster, is no accident.

In the years following the Trieste's "deepest dive", the Rolex Submariner was the watch of choice for the US Naval School for Deep Sea Divers and for the US Navy's SEA-LAB program which also provided robust developmental testing, in advance of the Rolex Sea-Dweller's introduction in 1967.
From the creation of the Oyster in 1926 to the utmost test of its prowess in Mercedes Gleitze's 1927 English Channel swim, on to the introduction of more and more sophisticated waterproof models since then to the present, Rolex has continuously sustained its commitment to being at the forefront of manufacturing watches that resist water and are ultimately compatible with water-related activities and underwater research.
Rolex milestones include: the Submariner created in 1953, originally waterproof to a depth of 100 meters and today to 300 meters (100 feet); the Deep Sea Special prototype of 1960 that withstood the pressure at Earth's deepest point; the Sea-Dweller presented in 1967, waterproof to 610 meters (300 feet) and featuring a helium valve to protect it during deep dives; the 1978 Sea-Dweller 4000, waterproof to 1,220 meters (4,000 feet); the revolutionary Rolex Deepsea of 2008, waterproof to 3,900 meters (12,800 feet).
The world's most noteworthy exploits
Rolex has always been proud to be associated with some of the world's most noteworthy exploits: Sir Edmund Hillary's ascent of Everest, Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, Roger Federer becoming the champion of champions in tennis, the many victories of Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, the legendary "Big Three" in the golf world, the triumphs of sailors in major races like the Rolex Sydney Hobart, to name but a few.
The integrity of these champions and their achievements go hand in hand with the outstanding quality and precision of the Rolex watches they were wearing and the well-earned reputation of the company that stands behind these exceptional timepieces.

"With a total of SFr. 19,032,388, nearly twice its pre-sale low estimate, the Geneva Important Watches Sale achieved the highest result for any watch auction offered in 2009 worldwide, selling 97% by value and 94% by lot.

In a thrilling atmosphere, almost 900 bidders from 5 continents competed enthusiastically in the room, as well as on Christie's Live and by telephone. The extraordinary performance of this Christie's sale confirms the undisputed leadership of the company in Geneva and in the international Watch market.

A Connoisseur's Vision, a collection of ten Patek Philippe watches was 100% sold, totaling SFr.5,835,600 and nearly doubling its pre-sale low-estimate. Nine world record prices have been achieved for numerous models manufactured by Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Top Ten

Lot 84 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold perpetual calendar wristwatch, ref. 1526  
Estimate: SFr. 1,000,000-1,500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 2,400,000 ($ 2,773,065, € 1,847,781)  
Buyer: Swiss Private Museum
Lot 159 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold single button chronograph wristwatch, 1924  
Estimate: SFr. 200,000-300,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 939,000 ($ 934,305, € 622,557)  
Buyer: Swiss Private Museum
Lot 161 - Patek Philippe. A platinum wristwatch, ref. 3448/100, with extra dial  
Estimate: SFr. 500,000-800,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 783,000 ($ 779,085, € 519,129)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 219 - Patek Philippe. An 18K pink gold perpetual calendar wristwatch, ref. 2438/1  
Estimate: SFr. 500,000-800,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 711,000 ($ 707,445, € 471,393)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 335 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold wristwatch, black enamel numerals, ref. 1579  
Estimate: SFr. 300,000-500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 675,000
$ 671,625
€ 447,525  
Buyer: American Private
Lot 47 - Rolex. An 18K pink gold wristwatch, ref. 6062, with gold bracelet  
Estimate: SFr. 250,000-350,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 597,000
$ 594,015
€ 395,811  
Buyer: European Collector
Lot 380 - Patek Philippe. A stainless steel wristwatch, ref. 1579  
Estimate: SFr. 400,000-600,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 591,000 ($ 588,045, € 391,833)  
Buyer: Asian Private
Lot 218 - Patek Philippe. An 18K pink gold wristwatch, ref. 1436  
Estimate: SFr. 350,000-550,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 507,000 ($ 504,465, € 336,141)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 85 - Patek Philippe. A stainless steel chronograph wristwatch, ref. 1463  
Estimate: SFr. 300,000-500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 459,000 ($ 456,705, € 304,317)  
Buyer: European Private
Lot 160 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold wristwatch, ref. 2499/100  
Estimate: SFr. 250,000-350,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 435,000 ($ 432,825, € 288,405  
Buyer: American Private