1. F.P. JOURNE SELLS 20% OWNERSHIP TO CHANEL: THE TRUE COST OF INDEPENDENCE
One of the biggest stories in the past month was that of Chanel taking a minority 20% stake in F.P. Journe. F.P. Journe is a brand synonymous with creativity and independence. The company’s tagline – Invenit et Fecit – loosely translates to “he invented it and made it.” It’s a clear indication of how the company operates – with the utmost freedom and autonomy. Thus, the sale of shares to Chanel, one of the world’s largest fashion houses, was surprising and alarming. Would this affect the company’s watches? And why would Journe suddenly sell shares of his company? Is he cashing out? This article reveals the real reasons behind the sale. Without revealing too much, the sale to Chanel is good news for Journe collectors and enthusiasts.
Source: The Journe Guy
2. KRAYON EVERYWHERE: WHO KNEW MECHANICALLY CALCULATING SUNRISE/SUNSET (NEARLY) ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET WOULD BE A MENTAL WORKOUT?
Unless you are a savant of independent watchmaking, you might be scratching your head at the name Krayon. Krayon was founded by engineer Rémi Maillat who thought that it was a pity that a watch could only show sunrise and sunset times in one specific location and wanted to make a watch that was capable of doing so around the world. It is an extremely difficult task as sunrise and sunset times change according to the season and location. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn then that this watch has a movement that is made up of a whopping 595 components. What’s really amazing to me isn’t just that this watch can tell the sunrise and sunset times across the world, but it does so in a watch that is actually very sensibly sized. The Everywhere has a 42mm case that is just 11.7mm thick. It’s no dainty fairy but it isn’t some oversized troll either. Find out how the Krayon Everywhere works in the link below.
Source: Quill and Pad
3. IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE IWC PORTUGIESER CHRONOGRAPH 3714 – THE MODERN SCHAFFHAUSEN ICON
You can find some of IWC’s most recognizable watches in the brand’s Portugieser collection. The first watch that comes to mind is probably the Portugieser Automatic but equally important is the Portugieser Chronograph Ref. 3714. It is one of IWC’s best-selling watches and it is not hard to see why. At 40.9mm wide, it is neither too big nor too small, and it has a dial design that is the epitome of balance, harmony, and legibility. Which explains why the design of the watch has remained largely unchanged for the past 20 years. Yes, the Portugieser Chronograph Ref. 3714 celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and not many watches can say that. This is the story of one of IWC’s modern icons.
Source: Monochrome Watches
4. NEW AND REVIEWED: MB&F HM9 FLOW (LIVE PICS)
It is hard to continually surprise, amaze, and delight fans, but that is exactly what MB&F has done with its Horological Machine collection. The HM collection is now 11 years old and it welcomes its newest member, the HM9. Crafted out of titanium, the HM9 looks like a cross between the HM6 and HM4. It will come in two variants, the only differences being the dial and color of the movement. The HM9 Air features a pilot watch style dial, whereas the HM9 Road has a dial inspired by vintage speedometers. Get a better look at these two new creations from MB&F in the link below.
Source: Deployant
5. YOU ASKED US: SHOULD I KEEP MY WATCHES RUNNING WHEN I DON’T WEAR THEM? FOUR WATCHMAKERS ANSWER!
This is an often asked question by many watch collectors. Some believe that if you leave them alone for too long, the lubricants will dry and harden and that will cause damage to the watch. The other school of thought is that running the watches continuously will wear down the watches faster. Which is right? To find out, the author of this article sought the opinions of four watchmakers. Their responses might surprise you.
Source: Fratello Watches