Recent content by Pifpaf

At first glance, it is a bit surprising to see a brand like Concord, with its super-modern designs and its cyberpunk inspirations, featured in our "Savoir Faire and Heritage" summer-school. But it is the first time I can access such comprehensive information, regarding the production of a...

At the beginning of the 2000's, one witnessed an explosion of creativity, which borrowed from Steampunk, Cyberpunk and Punk-rock trends; an explosion of style influenced by the geek culture, which nursed a new generation of watchmaking. But since this crazy era (which will remain a case study...

The main buzz at Baselworld was of course HYT. Launching a buzz successfully is like putting a spaceship into orbit, it takes a thruster, but it also takes an astronaut. Yet, most of time the buzz fails, because one of the elements is missing… The pre-Basel marketing campaign was indeed...

This is the first topic of our summer serie: Summer school, heritage & Savoir Faire. Watch out: here comes a spoiler! The following text reveals most of the content that will be seen at the exhibition Automatons & Marvels; so if you plan to attend, (as you should, since it has become so easy...

At the beginning of each Baselworld, the commentators frenetically split their attention between two booths: Rolex's and Patek's. Yet, in order to see the 2012 edition's future best-sellers, one only had to slightly turn one's head to the right when facing the Rolex booth. Indeed, even if the...

The Fusion concept was one of the 2000's horologic bubble's stylistic drivers. It was initiated by Hublot and much of the watchmaking industry followed suit. Yet, for many brands, "Fusion" merely meant "superimposition", superimposition of materials, of styles, of complications…. In order to...

I will present in the next few days & weeks, a series of topics on the Geneva auctions of May 2012. This is some extracts of the first photo-report, full texts & pictures on Watchonista. Patek 2523 & Patek 605 North America at Christie's: 687.000chf for the Patek 605 & 2.771.000chf for...

When you write during Baselworld 2012, you don't have time for reading, and you sometimes have some very good surprises when you discover some watches, as it was the case on Chopard's booth. Unexpectedly, Chopard achieves an excellent show in a globally dull Baselworld 2012. As our most loyal...

Tonda 1950 The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 fits into a big trend of the Sinophile watchmaking; the (colossal) Chinese market is fond of plain Hours-minute-second with a classic diameter. Yet, in this field, there were a tremendous number of reissues of pieces from the 50’-60’s; many brands...

These last months had become unbearable, I had the state of mind of a five year old on Christmas Eve. At the beginning of November, a clusterf#ck about the delivery address made me blow a fuse. After two extra weeks of waiting, (a kind of double penalty), the watch eventually arrived at the...

Any category of watch has its «Grail» complication. If the sounding complications are the Grail of the dressed-up watches, the chronograph is that of the sports watches, the diver’s Grail is undoubtedly the depth gauge. 2007 was somewhat the year of the depth gauge wristwatch: Yet, throughout...

To attend a Sandoz collection exhibition, one of the finest old automat & timepiece collections, is like transcending one’s horologic culture. Very often, when one sees the phenomenal prices reached during some horologic auctions, the question to be answered is the question of the sense...

I'd take pictures of this vintage Panerai: A tritico from the Egyptian navy from the late 50'. A big "Egyziano" 60mm with the Angelus 8 days, and the Radiomir dial. With the compass and the profondimeter. The dial of the Egyziano is unbelievable, final bid @ Christie's 147000 chf...

« La Monegasque » is a new collection created under Georges Kern’s leadership. It is Kern’s first accomplishment since he became CEO of the brand, in 2010. The collection was presented during the SIHH2011, in order to promote the renewal while remaining in the aesthetic path of Roger Dubuis. A...

Marketing: The Digital IQ of horological (and Jewelry) brands on the net, first, Jeager leCoultre, last Patek Philippe, just before Patek, Panerai... L2: A Think Tank for Digital Innovation ? Research