The Big Pilot's Watch: Supplied to the German Luftwaffe in 1940 in an edition of 1,000 watches. With a case diameter of 55mm, a height of 16.5mm and a weight of 183g, it was the most imposing IWC wristwatch ever built.  Let’s face it, most of us dream about becoming pilots or astronauts at some point in our lives. For the determined few, they fulfill their dream and become pilots, while for the uninitiated like me, I just like to wear the watches and leave the dream where it’s supposed to be. So when I came across pilot’s watches a few years ago, I started to learn more about their origins and histories. Many questions came up like “why is the design used by so many brands with no end in sight”? I will start with its early origins, its association with pilots and if you’re really interested, some B-uhr’s that are worth owning.The earliest known origin of the Navigator’s watch came in the form of the Longines Weems second-setting watch.

1839: On May 1, Antoine Norbert de Patek and Francois Czapek founded the firm Patek, Czapek & Co. in Geneva, with head offices located at 29 Quai Des Bergues.1842: Jean Adrien Philippe made the first watch which could be wound and set by means of crown. 1843: On May 29, Antoine Norbert de Patek obtains Swiss Citizenship. 1844: Antoine Norbert de Patek meets Jean Adrien Philippe at the universal Exhibition in Paris. 1844: Jean Adrien Philippe is awarded the gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris for his revolutionary system of keyless winding. 1845: On April 22, Philippe is accorded Patent no:1317 for his first system of winding by means of the crown. 1845: On May 1st, Antoine Norbert de Patek with his partners Jean Adrien Philippe and Vincent Gostkowski found in Geneva the firm Patek Philippe & Co, located at 15 quai Des Bergues. 1845: On May 17, The firm Patek, Czapek & Co changes name, officially adopting the name Patek & Co.

When one conjures up Russian creations, we tend to bring up familiar names like Igor Sikorsky (Sikorsky helicopters), Mikhail Koshkin (chief designer of T-34 Russian tanks) and Alexei Tupolev (designer of the Tupolev Tu-144 and the Boran space shuttle). With watch enthusiasts, Poljot is a brand that comes to mind as the company was the earliest watchmaking company formed in the Soviet federation.Poljot Moscow Nights ChronographThe Russian watch industry during the Czar Russia was focused on the assembly of imported movements mainly from Germany and Switzerland, but the supply of watch parts ran short therefore the USSR government decided on developing its own watch industry to satisfy the needs of the red army and the precision timing required by its railways. Machineries were purchased from the ailing Dueber- Hampden watch company based in Ohio, USA. Further technical training was done by the competent staff of Dueber- T Hampden and by German watchmakers.

The Breguet Type XX isn’t what most budding enthusiasts would consider typical of the storied name’s offerings. It doesn’t have many of the popular innovations and details of worksmanship you come to expect from the watchmaking company.The casework is simple, though it does carry the fluting on the side. The dial shows none of the legendary detailwork expertise for which Breguet has become known and popular, especially if you choose the unique carbon fiber dial that comes with the titanium case. You have no guillochage, no “secret number,” no signature. Even the byword “Breguet hands” only make an appearance on the Chronograph’s seconds hand.A Type XX from 1954 with flyback and straight line lever escapement. Note the similarity in details with the modern XX, including the shape of the subdial hand at 3 o’clock. Note the differences also, the central seconds hand uses a diamond shape rather than the recognized Breguet circle.

References to the super Irish rock band aside, the first thing you notice about your average U-Boat watch is its diminutive size…all 50mm of it on the average model! Yes, your typical U-Boat timepiece is not for the weak of disposition: conservative types need not apply. Indeed, the alpha male types of Hollywood royalty grace several pages of the manufactures’ equally oversized brochures and press kits. In case you haven’t figured it out, U-Boat watches, just like their original submarine namesake, are bold, aggressive and oversized. One model, the FLIGHTDECK ECLIPSE, is so masculine, it actually resembles a vintage German WWII hand grenade; definitely not for the faint hearted or, for that matter, the limp wristed (no pun intended).

Panerai was started in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai as a watchmaker’s workshop, selling Swiss manufactured timepieces in Florence on the Ponte Alle Grazie. In addition to selling prestigious Swiss timepieces, it also offered repairs and maintenance of watches. As their technical skills grew, tooling precision was enhanced and improved. Soon they started Guido Panerai Optics which eventually supplied equipment for the Ministry of Defense in Italy. These instruments included radiomir ronconi sights, depth gauges, aiming and signaling devices to name a few. After numerous successful tests by the Royal Italian Navy, deliveries started in the 1900’s with the patented “radiomir” tubes containing zincsulphide, radium bromide and mesothorium. The Ronconi sights were distinguished by their high luminescence that enabled weapons to be used even in total darkness. In 1915, the company received the patent for the radiomir – “fiat lux” in Italy, Britain and the United States.

Unlike the Maharajas whose time has spectacularly come and gone anti- climactically, blue blood still exists albeit more for symbolism. Vast fortunes have been made by private businessmen and women who historically made their wealth through Royal transactions and endorsements. Many of these fortunes have lasted longer than the monarchies that supported them. The key components of such longevity and resilience are quality and innovation. Every important jewel and Horological house that still exists today has had their coveted runins with royalty, but only a few have really grown and have their reaches, ironically, further than that ever achieved by any kingdom. From this short list only one has the immortal status of the supreme watch brand, Patek Philippe.Monument to Genius: The Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.The status of Patek Philippe is coveted by both customers and competitors. If there is any watch company that has permanent cross-hairs on it by its natural rivals, Patek is it.

TAG Heuer introduces the Grand Carrera Caliper Concept Chronograph with a sleek 50 second quicktime movie. Hit PLAY to view the movie directly from your browser.

Little did John Arnold who founded Arnold & Sons ever reckon that this company he started in London at 1764 will one day be a world-renowned watch company. The unique back of the Grand Tourbillon Perpetual and its moon phase indication. Appointed to join the Court of the British King George III, John Arnold quickly realized that his true talent lay in his ability to invent timepieces for the British ships. This discovery enabled John Arnold to invent the first ever pocket chronometer, (Nº36). He also invented many horological breakthroughs like the helical balance spring, the bimetallic spring, and the spring detent escapement. Arnold and Sons possesses a rich history of leading great achievements in the field of Marine chronometers enacting and passing strict rules in the manufacturing process of maritime timepieces, as well implementing strict guidelines on how each and every watch are tested on land and on water.

In 1953, Rolex successfully tested a prototype watch called the Deep Sea Special strapped outside the bathyscape FNRS-2 to a depth of 3,150m or 10,336ft. Rolex proved its design mantra with an ultra-rigid Oyster case. By Basel 1954, they had raised the depth rating on all Submariners to 180m or 600ft, in conjunction with the release of the Submariner model 6204. On January 23, 1960, Rolex pushed the envelope further with the Rolex Piccard (model 7205) attached to the bathyscape Trieste that successfully dived to a depth of 10,916m or 35,800ft. The submariner made a great reputation in professional diving circles that in 1967; Rolex released its first Sea Dweller (model 1665) with the collaboration of COMEX (a French professional deep sea diving company). Fast-forward forty years to Basel in 2008; Rolex has once again forged a technological breakthrough in the mould of their latest divers watch the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA (SDDS).