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MB&F Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt is here!

Geneva, July 2010

A traditional wristwatch has a relatively straightforward role: to tell the time. All that is needed is a hand for the hours, another for the minutes and perhaps a power reserve indicator to keep track of running time. Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt has a hand for the hours, another for the minutes and a power reserve indicator. HM4 Thunderbolt tells the time.

HM4 Thunderbolt is not a traditional wristwatch.

The aviation-inspired case and engine of the Thunderbolt are one. Neither would, nor could, exist without the other, yet each is so transcendental as to be able to stand alone as a work of art in its own right.

The Thunderbolt's engine is the culmination of three long years of development. Each of the 300-plus components – including the regulator and even the screws – was developed specifically for ...

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“Wearing a Watch on Your Body…” – 500 Years of a New Feeling for Time

The German Watch Museum Glashütte opens first Special Exhibition

Glashutte, 2010-05-21

Under the title “Wearing a Watch on Your Body…”, the first special exhibition opened with a private viewing on 19th May in the German Watch Museum Glashütte.

Guests from local politics and business, from the artistic and cultural world, partners and friends, Glashütte contemporary witnesses, watch-lovers, exhibit lenders and representatives from the Glashütte watch companies, as well as representatives from the various museums in the region attended the vernissage.

The special exhibition illuminates the thematic issues of “Time – Measurement of Time – Feeling for Time” on the basis of the portable watch, and exhibits treasures from the inventory of the foundation of the German Watch Museum Glashütte, the Glashütte Original manufactory, as well as loans from the Swatch Group AG and the Mathematical-Physical Salon of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Beginning with the manufacture of the first mechanical watches in the ...

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A Radiant Presence: the GRAND LANGE 1 “Luminous”

With brightly glowing hands and appliques on its black dial, the GRAND LANGE 1 “Luminous” stands out prominently at night as well, showcased in a white-gold case with a diameter of nearly 42 millimetres.

Glashütte, April 2010

Since it had its debut more than 15 years ago, the LANGE 1 has been inspiring the iconic style of A. Lange & Söhne timepieces. Featuring a distinctively asymmetric dial configuration, the patented outsize date, and an immaculately crafted manufacture calibre with a power reserve of three days, it generated a fresh breeze in the global precision watchmaking community. Not surprisingly, it soon became one of the venerable manufactory’s most phenomenal bestsellers. It also ranks among the watches that received the most awards in the entire history of horology.

In 2003, the manufactory presented the GRAND LANGE 1 for enthusiasts of this design icon ...

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Here you can find tips and hints to some background articles in Watch-Wiki, especially conventient for all readers who want to get some deeper insight into the world of watches and clocks, its history and developments.

Overview

• Wrist watch · Automatic watch · Movement · Quartz watch · Chronometer · Chronometer certification · Chronograph
  Basic topics from the world of watches

• Abraham-Louis Breguet
  The most important clockmaker in the history of horology and great inventor

• Vacheron Constantin
  The oldest watch brand of the world; history and background

• Alpina
  Detailed description about the Union Horlogère (cooperative society of clockmakers and traders) and about the brand Alpina

• Patek Philippe and Rolex
  Interesting facts about two world known brands, which have both written watch history

• Junghans
  Detailed description of the traditional german brand and its checkered development

• Ébauches SA
  Influential holding company of the swiss clockwork industry

• Breitling and Omega
  Striking male watches with sporty appeal

• From SSIH (Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogére SA, affiliation of swiss watch companies) to Swatch Group, the world's greatest watch company

• Blancpain and Chronoswiss
  Rebirth of the mechanical watch at the beginning of the eighties

• From A. Lange & Söhne / Glashütte i. Sa. to Lange Uhren GmbH
  Watchmaking tradition in Glashütte under the brand name "A. Lange & Söhne"

• IWC - International Watch Co. Schaffhausen
  History of a well-known company

• Jaeger-LeCoultre und Zenith
  Two manufactures rich in tradition

• From UROFA and VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe (GUB) zo Glashütte Original
  Tradition before and after the german 'Wende'

• Longines and TAG Heuer
  Classics of time measurement

• Cartier
  Stylish luxury has a name: Cartier, best known house for luxury accessoires and timeless watch classics

• Audemars Piguet and Girard-Perregaux
  Two family-held manufactures rich in tradition, who both go their own independant way successfully

Nikolaus Rugendas wird am 31. Juli 1665 geboren.
Julius Assmann heiratet am 31. Juli 1853 die Schwester von Adolf Schneider.

We help you to regain your stolen watch or be safe when purchasing a used watch!

• Announced thefts: Wrist watches · Pocket watches · Other watches and accessories
• In order to investigate a watch directly, simply enter the needed serial number of the movement oder case under "Full Text".
• If you want to know, how the Watch-Wiki service "Clocks in search" functions, read the details here !

Quarzkrise

Als "Quarzkrise" wird gemeinhin die Krise benannt, in die sich die Schweizer Uhrenindustrie durch ihre angestrengten Bemühungen zur Entwicklung der neuesten Quarzuhren-Technologie selbst gestürzt hatte. Zuerst war diese neue Erfindung als bedeutender Fortschritt in bezug auf Genauigkeit und Vereinfachung gefeiert worden, bis sich binnen kürzester Zeit ihre fatale Kehrseite herausstellte: Die Uhren dieses Typs konnten nämlich in Fernost um einiges billiger produziert werden. Schlagartig sanken die Umsätze der Schweizer Hersteller, und viele in diesem Industriezweig Tätige verloren ihre Existenzgrundlage.

Nachdem es noch Ende der 70er und Anfang der 80er Jahre ganz danach ausgesehen hatte, als wäre die mechanische Armbanduhr vom Typ "Swiss Made" nicht mehr zu retten, erlebte sie nur kurze Zeit danach eine bemerkenswerte Wiedergeburt - mit der damals kaum jemand gerechnet hatte. Als erste brachten Hersteller wie Blancpain und Chronoswiss neue mechanische Modelle auf den Markt und erzielten damit verblüffende Erfolge - auch Rolex war der Mechanikuhr weitgehend treu geblieben. Daraufhin zogen nach und nach auch weitere Hersteller mit und brachten wieder Uhren mit mechanischen Werken heraus ...