Opinions

Europa Star

Opinions

Of dolphins and oils

Of dolphins and oils

EDITORIAL

“A massacre? They sell the heads to manufacturers who pay a fortune for dolphin brains because they’re essential. (...) With this appalling, explosive (...)

Ceralume or Purple Rain?

Ceralume or Purple Rain?

EDITORIAL

What these recently developed or reinvented materials have in common – as we explore in our latest issue 5/24 (read it here) – is that they show watchmaking (...)

The Greenwich Time Lady

The Greenwich Time Lady

EDITORIAL

Malcolm Lakin, whose column Freely Speaking (one of the very few humourous columns in the entire watchmaking press) occupied this page for many years, and (...)

A year of symbols for Japan

A year of symbols for Japan

EDITORIAL

An interesting development, perhaps even a major shift, is taking place in Japanese watchmaking. The Japanese watch industry has long set itself up to be (...)

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Corsairs and pirates

Corsairs and pirates

EDITORIAL

It’s important not to confuse pirates, “outlawed freebooters who sailed and pillaged ships for their own personal gain,” with corsairs, “mandated by a (...)

Both sides of the border

Both sides of the border

EDITORIAL

In our latest issue (3/24), we bring you a comprehensive report on the French watchmaking industry, which has gained momentum in recent years – welcome (...)

Should we colourise the past?

Should we colourise the past?

EDITORIAL

A kind reader* recently sent us this photograph, which shows Europa Star’s founder, our ancestor Hugo Buchser, in a new light. While we’re used to seeing (...)

“Every clock is a cop”

“Every clock is a cop”

EDITORIAL

Police, prison, boredom, work, drudgery – these things exist because our lives are ruled by the implacable rigidity of Time. They are under its control, (...)

The fragmentation of watch fairs is a reflection of the market

The fragmentation of watch fairs is a reflection of the market

COLUMN

In the 1990s, journalist Pascal Brandt reported Alain-Dominique Perrin’s memorable comment on “the smell of grilled sausages” at Baselworld, signalling the (...)

Time, with or without a capital T?

Time, with or without a capital T?

EDITORIAL

Should “time” be written with a capital T, or without? Behind this apparently innocuous question lie many subtle considerations.

Short-term thinking: the paradox facing the “masters of time”

Short-term thinking: the paradox facing the “masters of time”

EDITORIAL

The image of a watch brand is built over decades, not quarters – a fact made even more apparent with the rise of the secondary market, which brings a (...)

The Doomsday Clock

The Doomsday Clock

EDITORIAL

We’ve all heard of the Doomsday Clock, which counts down the minutes or – very soon – seconds remaining until the end of everything we know. At the beginning (...)

What will be remembered of 2023?

What will be remembered of 2023?

EDITORIAL

Thanks to the fact that we’ve digitised all our issues going back almost a century, I often find myself browsing through writings from the time when my (...)

Will the real Haute Horlogerie please stand up (again)?

Will the real Haute Horlogerie please stand up (again)?

FEATURE

In the 1990s, the respected journalist and watch expert Pascal Brandt was a regular contributor to Europa Star. Three decades later, he’s back to review (...)

Oil, metal and noise

Oil, metal and noise

EDITORIAL

You will indulge me in my use of the first person, for once. For two months, my sole occupation has been visiting the factories that make watch movements – (...)

The guardians of watchmaking diversity

The guardians of watchmaking diversity

EDITORIAL

Our new issue contains probably one of the most comprehensive dossiers on watch movements that you’re likely to find in a publication of this size. While (...)

Rolex and Bucherer: a shared history

Rolex and Bucherer: a shared history

The recent announcement of Rolex’s acquisition of prestigious watch and jewellery retailer Bucherer marks the culmination of nearly a century of shared (...)

Smash and grab

Smash and grab

EDITORIAL

Not a day goes by without the Italian newspapers reporting a luxury watch theft – in Rome, Naples, Milan (mostly) and elsewhere. Watches are in fashion; (...)

New waves

New waves

EDITORIAL

In our latest issue we offer a series of portraits of some of these new-generation artisans, who will certainly make some waves. You’ll enjoy reading about (...)

The spirit of Basel, in Geneva?

The spirit of Basel, in Geneva?

EDITORIAL

The demise of the Basel fair left a void. It felt as if the watchmaking community had been cast adrift. And yet, it would seem that the “spirit of Basel” is (...)

Web3: dream or delusion?

Web3: dream or delusion?

EDITORIAL

The new version of the internet that we’re told will be immersive and decentralised, encompasses such a broad range of realities (or “virtualities”, perhaps) (...)

Are you ready for radical solutions?

Are you ready for radical solutions?

EDITORIAL

Only radical solutions can create real change. But how do you steer an iceberg the size of Ireland, for example, never mind the entire world? What are (...)

From ego to eco

From ego to eco

EDITORIAL

The 2000s were all about tourbillons; the 2010s were a race for vintage; the decade that has just begun looks set to be all about who can be greenest. But (...)

The second life of watch archives

The second life of watch archives

EDITORIAL

Just imagine: a new, horological Library of Alexandria, accessible at the click of a button to journalists, collectors, designers, historians and (...)