“NEW” MATERIALS

Europa Star

“NEW” MATERIALS

Innovation, a never-ending race for Hublot

Innovation, a never-ending race for Hublot

INTERVIEW

Hublot is pushing the envelope again this year in terms of bringing new materials into watchmaking, creating a model made entirely of sapphire – even the (...)

A new facility for the recycling of self-luminous watches

A new facility for the recycling of self-luminous watches

INNOVATION

The Swiss microtechnology company mb-microtec is the inventor of a unique self-powered illumination technology called “trigalight”, used in watches. It is (...)

Hublot, material matters

Hublot, material matters

THE LONG INTERVIEW

Contrary to preconceived ideas, behind the success of Hublot is not only the vocal and charismatic Jean-Claude Biver but a veritable double act, (...)

Some fake news about magnetism

Some fake news about magnetism

TRUE-FALSE

In the digital age, we hear a lot of scare stories about magnetic fields and the damage they can cause to our watches. Let’s untangle the real from the (...)

Oris: turning trash into treasure

Oris: turning trash into treasure

CONSERVATION

Further to the Great Barrier Reef III and the Clean Ocean watches, the independent Swiss watch brand introduces a new limited edition, the Blue Whale. The (...)

Ulysse Nardin unveils its new Freak concept

Ulysse Nardin unveils its new Freak concept

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The latest model in a lineage of innovative watches, the Ulysse Nardin Freak Next features a 3D flying oscillator.

Taming the light

Taming the light

SWISS SUPER-LUMINOVA®

If you’re looking for something to brighten up your nights, this is it! Invisible during the day, Swiss Super-LumiNova® becomes apparent when the light dims. (...)

HYT, the flow of time

HYT, the flow of time

A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY

Inspired by the ancient water clock, fluid-driven time-telling required ten years of development to finally appear in the Neuchâtel-based brand’s watches. (...)

Patek Philippe: pioneers of silicon

Patek Philippe: pioneers of silicon

INNOVATION

Alongside Rolex and the Swatch Group, Patek Philippe was one of the pioneers of silicon. Jean-Pierre Musy sets out the details of the different phases in (...)

A closer look at the Harry Winston Project Z12

A closer look at the Harry Winston Project Z12

A modern timepiece with a highly architectural design, the relatively sporty Project Z12 wristwatch boasts a new complication that highlights the (...)

CSEM and the pundits of materials research

CSEM and the pundits of materials research

INNOVATION

It was in the Neuchâtel-based research institute that research workers developed watchmaking applications for a material that is fast gaining popularity: (...)

The magic of composites

The magic of composites

NEW MATERIALS

Author and co-author of over 180 scientific articles, two monographs and the holder of twelve patents, Professor Andreas Mortensen, vice president for (...)

Watchmaking materials: a historical primer

Watchmaking materials: a historical primer

Ever since the dawn of mechanical watchmaking, its base materials have been copper alloys and ferrous materials. As evidenced by the astrarium completed by (...)

Approaches to innovation

Approaches to innovation

COMPARING THE EXAMPLES OF PANERAI AND ROGER DUBUIS

Although both part of the same group, Officine Panerai and Roger Dubuis have two very different approaches to research and to innovation in general, (...)

Making sense of Ulysse Nardin's Marine Torpilleur Collection

Making sense of Ulysse Nardin’s Marine Torpilleur Collection

The luxury watchmaker has released two new timepieces in classic black and gunmetal grey. They are clean, contemporary, and priced very differently - a (...)

Portfolio 'New materials'

Portfolio ’New materials’

New materials free the imagination and offer new creative fields to the watchmaking industry. They bring color, impose transparency, offer lightness (...)

Richard Mille: material boy

Richard Mille: material boy

NEW MATERIALS

The recurring theme at Richard Mille is the reconciliation of lightness and toughness. And that they achieve by bringing new materials to watchmaking, from (...)

New materials: a strategic challenge

New materials: a strategic challenge

The Swiss mechanical watchmaking “revival” has essentially entailed a process of renewing existing mechanical skills. The task was to show that mechanical (...)

New materials: genuine progress or marketing hype?

New materials: genuine progress or marketing hype?

EDITORIAL

Suddenly, an anxiety installs: and if the multiples announcements about new materials, particular applied for watch casing, constituted actually a watch (...)