1. A Year Later, Owner To Be Reunited With Stolen $10,000 Watch

Here’s a piece of news that would warm the cockles of a watch lover’s heart. A man who lost what appears to be a Panerai Luminor Daylight Chrono a year ago, recently got reunited with his watch after spotting it being put on sale on eBay. The man was determined to get his watch back and spent every day checking eBay, Craigslist and other sites in the hopes that he would find it. His hard work eventually paid off. Folks, never lose hope and always, always make sure you have your papers!

Source: CBS Los Angeles

2. WatchAnish x Chronopassion: Instabook

If you are a frequent reader of this blog and have an Instagram account, chances are you have heard of WatchAnish. WatchAnish’s meteoric rise to become one of the most well known “watch instagrammers” is only matched by his ability to frame and take unique photos of watches in various settings. Here, he teams up with the famous Chronopassion watch boutique in Paris to come up with some photos of some of our favorite watches in all kinds of unexpected settings.

Source: Watch Anish

3. Watch Brand Ambassadors – Does It Work?

The idea and concept of brand ambassadors or celebrity spokespeople are not new. Today, just about every brand has their own, for a lack of a better word, “team” of such ambassadors. For example, Audermars Piguet can count on the likes of Lionel Messi and Serena Williams; while Rolex is often associated with Roger Federer and Tiger Woods; meanwhile, IWC’s ambassadors include F1 racers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. However, just how effective are they in influencing purchasing decisions? And is there ever a time where even seasoned collectors and watch lovers can be swayed by them?

Source: Fratellowatches

4. World Wide Price Drop for PP hurts

Following the Swiss National Bank’s decision to remove the cap on the Swiss Franc’s value against the Euro, most people were readying themselves for the inevitable price hikes from brands. Already, we have seen some of this happening at certain brands. However, Patek Philippe did the unthinkable, it actually reduced prices in most parts of the world – Switzerland, Asia-Pacific, the Americas all received price reductions. Why did it do so? And what does this mean for Patek Philippe and collectors? This thread I stumbled across had some really good answers.

Source: TimeZone

5. Interview On Making The Batteryless Cardiac Pacemaker Powered By An Automatic Watch Movement

I think one of the reasons why so many of us prefer and love mechanical watches over quartz or digital ones is because they require no electricity to run. If it is a hand wound watch, you simply turn the crown and wind the mainspring. If it is an automatic, things are even easier, just give the watch a good shake. For people who are completely new to mechanical watches, it seems almost magical. Imagine, then, if you can apply this technology in other areas. Right now a PhD candidate at the University of Bern in Switzerland is working on a cardiac pacemaker that can be powered using the same technology and principles that drive mechanical watches.

Source: Forbes

6. Dominique Renaud and HYT Immersion… Of Skulls, Fluids & Revolution!

If you have been following my round-ups closely, you would probably know that I’m a big fan of HYT. Though the brand is young – it was founded only in 2012 – it has a certain look and vibe that distinguishes it from the rest of the haute horology crowd. Of course, it also helps that they call themselves hydro-mechanical horologists and insist on using liquid in their watches to tell time. The HYT watchmaking department is now headed by the renowned Dominique Renaud (previously from APRP), and in this interview, he shares his experience of his early days as a watchmaker and his thoughts on some of the most exciting innovations in horology today.

Source: Time Tapestry