BUSINESS MONTRES, the watch industry newsletter, has released the results of their poll on the leaders of the watch industry. Editor Gregory Pons has collated the thoughts of 75 key journalists from 22 different countries who gave their opinions on the best bosses in the watch field.Business Montres is published in French.

CHARRIOL ACTOR XXL AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH L’art de vivre la difference. For Charriol, it’s an actor’s life for the XXL Automatic Chronograph. Exposed side screws and a shackle crown make Charriol’s Actor XXL Automatic Chronograph memorably unique.

Patek Philippe brings us something this year that tells of both complication and creation of beauty, of heart, mind and hand, of body and soul. Of something old, but not of something new. The “new” World Time watch Ref. 5131 has been seen before, and is familiar to enthusiasts, collectors and the industry. Maybe though we should be clearer. It is well known mainly to extremely well-funded enthusiasts and collectors, and a very jealous industry. These watches began appearing over half a century ago, and when they have changed hands in auction since, prices generally start with seven figures. The most immediately eye-catching detail you will notice on the Ref. 5131 is the artwork on the dial. It is a beautiful vision of the map of the world, in cloisonné enamel miniature. Cloisonné is a classic technique of decoration for important, historic and expensive pieces of artwork and craftsmanship.

HAMILTON AMERICAN CLASSIC BROOKE XS  Inspired by a series of watches from the 1930s, Hamilton’s American Classic Brooke XS carries with it the free, giddy spirit of the olden days. Hamilton’s American Classic Brooke XS collection beats with a 980.163 quartz movement water-resistant to 50 meters. Hamilton American Classic Brooke XSSeries: American ClassicCase: Stainless steelCalibre: 980.163Movement: QuartzWater Resistance: 50mBracelet Strap: Leather THE 1930S was a period of breakthroughs in style--led by the invention of nylon and significant developments in women’s liberation.

CHOPARD The red carpet at the 79th annual academy awards ceremony. Naomi Watts Naomi will glow tonight in Chopard’s triple strand diamond necklace (85 carats), cushion cut diamond earrings on a French wire (12 carats) and an oval blue sapphire and diamond cocktail ring (16 carats). Penelope CruzNomineeNominated as Best Actress for her performance in Volver, Penelope selected to wear Chopard for her first Oscar nomination.

CONCORD REBIRTH On the eve of its 100th year anniversary, Concord is staging--not just a rebirth--but a metamorphosis. THE WATCH COMPANY is preparing to unveil a brand new face as part of what they are calling a daring repositioning strategy. A new international headquarters in Bienne, Switzerland is combining with a fresh new team. Vincent Perriard was appointed President of Concord in June 2006, having previously worked with Audemars Piguet, Swatch Group, and his own agency “BRAND DNA.

ORANGE, simply put is a color between red and yellow. But what has this got to do with diving or the DOXA SUB? It has been tested and proven that when you go diving, the color that is most visible underwater is the color orange. The DOXA SUB has built its reputation on this fact and the color orange. Few non-divers have heard of the watch company DOXA, but if ever a definitive history of the dive watch is written, one manufacturer will stand along side the likes of Rolex, Blancpain, and Omega as being a great dive watch. DOXA S.A. Is a small company from Bienne, Switzerland, but it did more to push the boundaries of submersible watches than many bigger competitors. DOXA was founded in 1889 in the heart of Switzerland’s Canton District of Neuchatel’s Jura mountains by George Ducommun (1868-1936). In 1910, he registered the name DOXA, which in Greek means glory, and began to use it on all his timepieces.

Branding. The current byword for the watch industry, the luxury industry and just about everything else nowadays. We see the power, effect and use of branding regularly of course, and the Baselworld and SIHH shows bring it to the forefront. I had two rather strong reactions to a branding of product at the shows, in two different directions. One brand, which I shall not name, has taken an iconic brand image or logo and expanded with it like crazy. The brand is increasing in just about every way, but I personally feel that they are now overdoing it. They have taken one of the best logo uses in the world and beaten it to death. It was perfect where it was in their core product. It was clean, smart and immediately communicated what they wanted to their buyers and to those who saw the products on their buyers. They have expanded now into other products including watches, and here is where I think it has gone too far.

We enter a small shop on Jermyn Street, and we can’t leave … Jones’s ‘New Portable Orrery’ English, 1794 Signed ‘Designed for the New Portable Orreries by W. Jones and made & sold by W. & S. Jones, 30 Holborn, London’. ‘A table of the principal affections of the Planets. January 1st 1794. Published as the Act directs by W & S Jones’. The base is supported on three wooden turned legs and mounted with Jones’s printed and hand coloured paper calendrical ring, with twelve fine illustrations of the Zodiacal, compass and degree scale and the Saturn and Jupiter Satellites, a lacquered brass structure comprising of the two planets Mercury and Venus and an earth globe with its moon. The mechanism is operated by means of a handle. It shows the position of the Moon and the Earth in relation to the sun, and the position of the Earth in the Zodiac.

The assault of technology obviously failed to completely subvert the traditional mechanical watch. PLAYGROUND OF THE MIND FUTURE SHOCK Sometime in the seventies, Alvin Toffler wrote a book by that title to describe the situation where people would feel that technological progress was so swift that people couldn’t handle it. No one would have the time to get used to the present benefits of technological progress before it becameobsolete.“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.