1. FROM ROLEX MANIA TO A NEW CROP OF COLLECTORS, 9 WATCH INDUSTRY PREDICTIONS FOR 2022

The new year is not only a time for reflection, it’s also a time for speculation. What will happen to the watch industry this year? Will the Rolex hype die? Will some brands become extinct? And will independent watchmaking continue to enjoy its time in the spotlight? To find out, we ask nine industry watch insiders for their predictions. Interestingly, some of their predictions have already come true, which must mean they are onto something.

Source: Robb Report

2. A QUESTIONABLE PATEK PHILIPPE 2481 AT CHRISTIE’S HONG KONG, HIDDEN CASE NUMBERS, AND THE BIGGER PICTURE

Where there’s money to be made, greed follows. This is especially true for vintage watches. After all, there are many naive collectors with more money than common sense. They take the extracts from brands to be gospel and do not follow up with their own research. This presents a golden opportunity for unscrupulous auction houses and dealers. This is the story of a dubious Patek Philippe Ref. 2481 which turned up at an auction in late 2020.

Source: Perezcope

3. UP CLOSE: BALTIC MICRO-ROTOR MR01

Up until last October, French micro-brand Baltic was most famous for its vintage-inspired dive watches. There was the Aquascaphe, whose success led to the Aquascaphe GMT. But late last year, the brand released the Micro-Rotor MR01, its take on a classic dress watch. As you can probably tell from the photo above, it was yet another success for the brand. In many ways, the Micro-Rotor MR01 is the brand’s most ambitious watch yet. It’s a mere 36mm large, which is small for a modern watch, regardless of its classic styling cues. In addition, it has a slim and quite well-finished micro-rotor movement. But perhaps most amazing of all is that it costs well under a thousand dollars. You know you want to see this watch up close.

Source: Watches by SJX

4. BUYING GUIDE: THE BEST SWATCH WATCHES FROM THE 2000s

 

Swatch was conceived in the Eighties as a response to the quartz crisis. The Swiss knew they could not beat the proliferation with quartz watches with its expensive mechanical ones, so the brand decided to embrace the new technology to its fullest. This resulted in a collection of affordable and fashionable quartz watches that would eventually rescue the Swiss watch industry. Therefore, their place in Swiss watchmaking history is assured, even though an overwhelming majority of them are powered by quartz movements. If your are new to collecting Swatches, here’s a guide on some highly collectible pieces from the 2000s.

Source: Fratello