1. A MEDIOCRE PATEK PHILIPPE 1518 SUPERCHARGED BY “KING FAROUK” HOT AIR

The world of vintage watches is fraught with dangers. Just because a particular piece is offered by a reputable auction house counts for little — you absolutely must do your own research. This is the story of a particular Patek Philippe 1518 that was most recently offered by Christie’s in Dubai. On its own, the Ref. 1518 is a pretty remarkable watch. It was the world’s first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph and less than 300 were ever made. However, this particular piece is interesting because it was claimed to have been owned by King Farouk of Egypt. However, as this article shows, there’s more than meets the eye.

Source: Perezcope

2. IN-DEPTH: GREUBEL FORSEY TOURBILLON 24 SECONDES ARCHITECTURE

The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture is an important watch for Greubel Forsey because it exemplifies what the brand has been going through for the past couple of months. To start, it has a new CEO in Antonio Calce. Furthermore, the brand has successfully reacquired all externally held shares. The company is now shared among the two founders, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, and Calce, the new CEO. And as for the watch, the 24 Secondes Tourbillon contains a signature inclined tourbillon, but in an entirely new case, and it contains a redesigned movement that’s more three-dimensional. Feast your eyes on this incredible watch in the link below.

Source: Watches by SJX

3 .VISITING REXHEP REXHEPI

In the span of a couple of years, Rexhep Rexhepi has catapulted to fame, and in the process became one of the leading stars of independent watchmaking. And unlike many of his contemporaries, Rexhep is very young. He is only in his mid-thirties, which makes him a bit of an anomaly. However, his philosophy and approach to watchmaking are very traditional. Perhaps he was influenced by the time he spent working at Patek Philippe and F.P. Journe, or maybe he is just an old soul in a young man’s body. And while traditions certainly weigh heavily on his mind, Rexhep is also thinking about the future. Here is an interesting account of a day spent with the rockstar watchmaker.

Source: ScrewDownCrown

4. At 11, ALREADY MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF IN WATCHES

 

If you spend a lot of time looking at watches on Instagram, you might have already heard of Amandine. If you don’t, let me introduce her. She’s only 11, and yet she has already become a bit of an online watch celebrity, thanks to her refreshingly candid and uninhibited comments on watches. Earlier this year, she appeared in a video alongside the legendary auctioneer Aurel Bacs and has been interviewed by numerous other websites covering watches. If you want a completely different and unfiltered take on watches, you’ll want to follow her.

Source: The New York Times

5. A VISUAL GUIDE TO RARE PATEK PHILIPPE CALATRAVAS

For better or worse, mention Patek Philippe and most people will think of the Nautilus. That distinctive case shape, designed in 1976 by the legendary watch designer Gerald Genta, has become one of the most sought-after watches in the world. But it wasn’t always like that. From the Thirties up until the Seventies, the humble Calatrava was the watch most representative of Patek. Elegant, classic, and timeless, the Calatrava is now enjoying a tiny bit of resurgence as collectors and lovers of the brand look outside of the Nautilus to get their Patek fix. If you are new to the Calatrava, this is one article you won’t want to miss.

Source: A Collected Man