Thanks to a severe case of World Cup fever you probably haven’t kept up with your watch reading this past week. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Learning About Legends – Philippe Dufour
If you’re new to the world of high-end mechanical watches than chances are you’re probably not that familiar with the name Philippe Dufour. Heck, I’ve even met a few seasoned collectors who still scratched their heads at the mention of this celebrated independent watchmaker. This is in large part because Mr. Dufour’s work as a watchmaker is considered so significant that you need to work your way up to it, meaning that you need to spend a lot of time learning about and collecting other complicated watches before you’re ready to graduate to the level of Dufour. This may sound a little arrogant but the fact is that you require a level of sophistication that must be acquired over time to appreciate the significance of the many intricate details that would otherwise escape the attention of a novice observer (such as myself), much like a fine wine critic must develop a mature palette over time to really pick up on subtle flavors.
A great place to start though is learning about the legendary man himself, which is why I highly recommend you read this great article on Quill & Pad by extremely seasoned collector Gary G.
IWC In The Galápagos Islands
No doubt you are already be familiar with the new IWC Aquatimer collection unveiled this year, including the three models dedicated to the Galápagos Islands made to celebrate IWC’s ongoing partnership with the Charles Darwin Foundation. As you can see in the awesome video above from Hodkinee the scientific research organization, based on the island, actually played quite a significant role in the design and testing of the Aquatimer, putting the watches through their paces out in the Pacific Ocean.
Check out the original article here on Hodinkee for full reviews of each of the three watches.
Kari Voutilainen 28 Hisui Watch
Meanwhile over at ABlogToWatch, the team took a closer look at one of the recent (and colourful!) creations of another of my favorite independent watchmakers, Kari Voutilainen. Created in conjunction with the extremely talented Japaenese lacquer artist Kitamura Tatsuo, this new timepiece known as 28 Hisui – Hisui being Japanese for Jade – is nothing short of breathtaking. A one-of-a-kind piece, the dial of the 28 Hisui alone reportedly required thousands of hours of work to perfect.
Be sure to check out the original article on ABlogToWatch here to see all the pictures and read the full write-up.
Dietrich 1969
Given the steady increase in the prices of luxury watches over the past few years (some have already reached astronomical levels but that’s a discussion for another day) it’s not surprising that we continue to see more newcomers to the market promising value for money. One name that seems to keep popping up on my radar is Dietrich 1969. Powered by the Japanese Miyota 82-S-7 movement, the Dietrich 1969 watches are really turning heads thanks to their distinctive design and quality construction.
They certainly won’t suit all tastes but if you’re interested has been piqued head over to Monochrome Watches for the full story.
Cream Dial Rolex Explorer II Circa 1987
It was a relatively quiet week here last week on The Watch Lounge but one thing we did get really excited about what this gorgeous cream dial Rolex Explorer II from 1987. Although it originally started out with the ice-white dial we so commonly associate with the Explorer II, a defect in the paint meant that it has faded to this gorgeous beige/cream color you see before you now. Add to that the fact it is a rail dial with black surrounds and is in pretty much pristine condition and you quickly realize that this is one seriously desirable watch for Rolex collectors.
Check out the full article here.
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Many thanks for the kind mention and link, Tom! It’s great to get the word out about Mr. Dufour, and I’m really pleased that you liked the article enough to recommend it to your readers.