The Luxury Watch Blog

Sarcar produces limited and numbered pieces per year. The Managing Director, Maya Koenig, believes that is the right strategy for the company to continue. She explains: “That’s a perfect reason for us to stay small because that’s how we ensure our exclusivity and focus. At Sarcar, our mission is to create dreams for the most unique and most beautiful timepieces you will ever wish to possess and we then let you bring such dreams to reality.”

Guided by a keen sense of aesthetics, Carlo Sarzano, founder of Sarcar watches, started to conceive jewellery watches which, although naturally functional, were above all distinguished by their beauty and their exclusivity. Sarcar watches thus became known for ‘reflecting inner beauty’. The watch brand carries out strict quality controls at every stage of production and thus is known to offer something really different which also happens to be one of its sales arguments.

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Maori war canoe-inspired pair of cufflinks has struck gold by being the only fine jewelry bought at the NZ National Jewelry Show.

Their creator, Roley McIntyre, specializes in custom designing one-off cufflinks, rings, pendants and brooches that symbolize a story or an individual.

The Devonport jeweler says she is proud that her gem-studded, 18-carat white and yellow gold men’s cufflinks were snapped up within 20 minutes of being shown at the national competition recently.

“Even though I did not win, I did get great feedback from one of the judges who really loved them and it was great to see the public reaction when they sold so quickly afterwards.”

The white and black diamond studded cufflinks with a black onyx feature stone and subtle Maori designs sold for the set price of $8450.

“Design is very subjective and you can never be sure how the judges will react, so in choosing something that I believed would stand out from the 70 other entries I was taking a risk on whether I would appeal to the judges? Tastes”

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In response to many emails we have decided to include some information on Cufflinks! Enjoy!

It’s funny how until very recently, diamonds of considerably lower colors with brownish hues and yellowish overtones, were simply known as “low color diamonds”.

Lower colored diamonds, are not as scarce or valuable as diamonds of icy white colors and therefore command less of a premium than the diamonds of higher (better) color grades.

Problem was, certain diamond mines tended to only produce diamonds of substantially lower colors. Well these are diamonds too and they needed to be sold..right? Well, of course!

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History of the word “Mille Miglia”

The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles - pronounced “mee-lay meel-yah”) was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 (thirteen before the war, eleven from 1947).

The Chopard Company has developed a variety of watch collections, including quartz and mechanical timepieces, gem-set and technically complicated models, classic and sporty ones. The list of the leading Chopard collections is the following: Mille Miglia, L.U.C., Happy Diamonds, Happy Sport, Happy Spirit, Classiques, and Haute Horlogerie.

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 Some famous singers mention Audemars Piguet watches in there songs here some that i found.

1.) Rapper Jay-Z has referenced Audemars Piguet in several songs, including “Show You How” (”Damn you fadin’ hov, how you gave ‘em that? The Audemars Piguet, with the alligator strap”), Upgrade U by Beyonce (”Partner let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you”), and “Big Spender” by Freeway(”{Hey!} Rose gold, Royal Oak”).

   2.) Audemars Piguet is referenced in the song titled, “We Fly High” by Jim Jones (”100Gs worth of ice on da Audemars”).

   3.)  Audemars Piguet is referenced in the song titled, “Diamonds” by Fabolous featuring Young Jeezy (”I don’t do Breitlings, I do APs”).

There’s great interest in complications now among women and a growing women-watch-connoisseurs market,” notes Sue Rechner, former president of and now consultant to midprice Victorinox Swiss Army watches. “More and more women are interested in technical properties of watches, in complications and proprietary movements,” agrees Jenny Piaget, spokeswoman for high-end JeanRichard.

More of these are designed specifically for women, such as Milus’s Merea TriRetrograde Seconds, rather than being downsized men’s models. Franck Muller Geneve, for example, created the world’s smallest tourbillon—specifically for women watch connoisseurs. Audemars Piguet’s women’s automatic Millenary Starlit Sky uses its first complications movement created for a woman’s watch (and platform for future women’s watches), “because many women appreciate the subtleties of mechanical watchmaking,” says a company statement.

Other examples include Harry Winston’s platinum Ocean (seconds and days retrogrades); Pierre Kunz’s Tahiti Moon retrograde (minutes, hours), with Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial; and Rado’s Original automatic.

Citizen’s newest light-powered Eco-Drive calibre is for its women’s Riva chronograph. “More women want complications, and these [with full diamonds and mother-of-pearl inlays] are also feminine, making them more appealing to women,” says Stuart Zuckerman, senior vice president of Citizen Watch of America.

Wearing less jewelry pieces is more when it comes to the top jewelry trends for 2008, but the key ingredient for trend-setting fashionistas is larger, bolder styles that are gem-intensive.

That advice comes from Jesse Chao of Gems by Chao, a leading Houston fine jeweler. Chao specializes in advising her gala-minded clientele—a mix of socialites and philanthropists—and matching fine jewelry to their personal style.

In a statement, Chao said women who are already planning to attend galas will be wearing less fine jewelry but adorning themselves with larger, more impressive pieces, for a classic “Grace Kelly” look. Consumers can get the look by wearing a single, diamond-studded cuff bracelet or a one-of-a-kind cocktail ring, for example.

Cocktail rings have loomed on the trend radar for some time now, so the more unique the gemstone is, the better, Chao said.

As for men, sports stars and celebrities have long adorned themselves in diamonds, but the trend for 2008 is to incorporate large colored stones into bold pieces such as bracelets, cuff links and rings.

Chopard is a luxury watch, jewelry, and accessories company founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard at the age of 24. Today, the company is well-regarded in the watch-making field for creating luxury watches and mechanical complications.

History

Louis-Ulysse Chopard, a hereditary watchmaker, opened the first Chopard watchmaking workshop in 1860 (at the age of 24) in a small town of Sonvilier located in the Swiss Jura Mountains. Having maintained his family horological traditions, Louis-Ulysse concentrated on developing precise pocket watches and chronometers based upon innovative ideas.

In the 1960-s the Chopard Company was headed by Paul-Andre Chopard. Paul-Andre was the last master watchmaker who maintained the horological roots of the family . His sons followed another career and refused to manage the business. Paul-Andre agreed to sell the business to Karl Scheufele. Mr. Scheufele inherited his family’s jewelry business in Pforzheim, Germany. The new head of the company gained significant experience in both watch and jewelry making. He contributed to modernization of the company and added the jewelry segment into the Chopard watch production.

In 1975 the Chopard factory moved from the center of Geneva to Meyrin-Geneva. It marked a new stage for the company as it started producing ladies’ and jewelry timepieces. In 1976 Chopard introduced the Happy Diamonds collection. Watches from the collection featured mobile diamonds that floated freely between two transparent sapphire crystals.

In 1980 the Chopard Company debuted with sports watches on leather straps. The range of Happy Diamonds watches was enlarged by jewelry pieces. The first Chopard boutiques were opened in Hong Kong, Geneva and Vienna in the 1980-s.

In 1988 Chopard established the cooperation with the Mille Miglia, an annual Italian rally where vintage and classic cars take part. To mark the partnership, Chopard has maintained the tradition of developing a new special edition Mille Miglia timepiece every year.

The Chopard Happy Sport collection appeared in 1993. In 1996, the Chopard Company opened its independent movement factory in Fleurier. The first Chopard in-house movement was named L.U.C. It served as a base for other Chopard independently produced movements.

In 1998 the Company partnered with the annual Cannes International Film Festival. In 2000 the beginning of the new millennium was marked by the introduction of the Chopard L.U.C Quattro watch, powered by a technically advanced caliber with four barrels - an innovation that provided 9-day power reserve.

In 2001 the horology world was joined by the Chopard L.U.C Tonneau watch powered by the first-ever tonneau-shaped self-winding movement with off-centered micro-rotor. In 2002 Chopard new Golden Diamonds concept enlarged the jewelry range.

In 2003 the Chopard Tourbillon watch enlarged the Manufacture’s L.U.C. range and the Happy Spirit collection was born. In 2004 the Company unveiled the L.U.C. Regulateur watch and the Butterfly jewelry pieces collection. In 2005 ,Chopard presented the Copacabana and Golden Diamonds collections and introduced the L.U.C. Lunar 1. The brand became a part of the sailing world, having initiated the Grand Prix Chopard Decision 35 sailing regatta.

In 2006 the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of Happy Diamonds watch collection and the 10th anniversary of the movement factory in Fleurier.

Mr. Scheufele is still the president of the Chopard Company. He has kept the Company as a family business. In the 1990s his children joined the business. Caroline Scheufele is the head of the jewelry division, while Karl-Friedrich manages the watchmaking department.

Chopard holds three production sites located in Geneva, Fleurier in Switzerland and Pforzheim in Germany. The Company has organized its products distribution through 13 subsidiaries placed all over the world. In addition, the brand has opened over 90 brand boutiques.

Watch collections

The Chopard Company has developed a variety of watch collections, including quartz and mechanical timepieces, gem-set and technically complicated models, classic and sporty ones. The list of the leading Chopard collections is the following: Mille Miglia, L.U.C., Happy Diamonds, Happy Sport, Happy Spirit, Classiques, and Haute Horlogerie.

Chopard Mille Miglia watch collection comprises mechanical timepieces of sporty style. These timepieces appeared as a result of the brand’s partnership with Italian car rally, the Mille Miglia. The Chopard Happy Sport ladies’ collection features timepieces that unite sporty style with precious stones and bright colors. The L.U.C collection features massive sporty-styled chronometers and elegant classy men’s watches.

Partnership

The Chopard Company and New York William Goldberg Diamond Corporation have established a close partnership. William Goldberg is found among the major suppliers of precious stones worldwide.

William Goldberg Diamond Corporation is responsible for recreating a classic diamond cut named the Ashoka. The cut is based on the distinguished original Ashoka diamond that represented a 41.37K D flawless diamond. The gem inherited its name after Ashoka Maurya, the Buddhist warrior-emperor. It was mined in southern India. The diamond is special for its unique cut and superior aesthetic characteristics received legendary status over the years. The William Goldberg Ashoka trademarked was patented by William Goldberg Corp. in 2000. In 2006 Chopard initiated the production of a new line of luxury watches set with Ashoka diamonds to be supplied by William Goldberg Diamond Corp. The new Chopard Ashoka Watch Collection will comprise six timepieces set with the rare diamonds.

Breguet is a manufacturer of fine watches, founded by Abraham Louis Breguet in Paris in 1775. Currently part of The Swatch Group, its timepieces are now (since 1976) produced in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. Breguet is one of the oldest surviving watch-making establishments and is the pioneer of numerous watch-making technologies, the most famous being the tourbillon, invented by Abraham Louis Breguet. Breguet has recently introduced a line of writing instruments as a tribute to writers who mention or feature Breguet watches in their works. Breguet watches are often easily recognized for their coin-edge cases, fine guilloché dials and distinctive blue pomme hands (often now referred to as ‘Breguet hands’).

    * 1 History

          o 1.1 Beginnings

          o 1.2 Company Timeline

          o 1.3 Collections

          o 1.4 Notable owners

    * 2 Trivia

    * 3 External links

 

 History

 

 Beginnings

 

Breguet was founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet at the quai de l’Horloge on the Ile de la Cite following his marriage to the daughter of a prosperous French bourgeois. Her dowry provided the “financing” which allowed him to open his own workshop. The connections Breguet had made with scholarly people during his apprenticeship as a watchmaker and as a student of mathematics soon paid off with spectacular results. Following his introduction to the court, whereupon Queen Marie-Antoinette grew fascinated by Breguet’s unique self-winding watch, Louis XVI had bought several of his watches. Marie Antoinette would commission the famous watch that was to contain every single watch function known to man at the time, including the following:

 

    * A Clock

    * A Perpetual Calendar

    * A Repeater

    * A Thermometer

    * A Chronograph

    * A Power-Reserve

    * A Pare-Chute

 

Marie Antoinette never lived to see the watch, as it was completed 34 years later, long after she was executed.

 

 Company Timeline

 

    * 1775 - Founded in Paris by A. L. Breguet

    * 1780 - Launch of its first self winding watch known as the “Perpetuelle”

    * 1790 - Invention of the Pare-Chute, an anti-shock device

    * 1801 - Patent of the Tourbillon Regulator

    * 1870 - Bought from the descendants of Breguet by E. Brown Jewelers, London

 

    * 1970 - Bought by Chaumet Jewelers

    * 1987 - Bought from Chaumet, during bankruptcy, by Investcorp

    * 1991 - Valdar was bought, and folded into Groupe Horloger Breguet (GHB), still under the ownership of Investcorp

    * 1992 - Nouvelle Lemania, a manufacture of watch movements, was brought into GHB

    * 1999, September 4 - Swatch group announces plans for the purchase of GHB

 

 Collections

 

Gentleman’s:

 

    * Classique: Simple, Grandes Complications - popular round-bezel pieces

    * Marine - water-resistant, often with non-metal straps

    * Heritage - rectangular bezels

    * Type XX - sturdy, based on WWII-era pilots watches

    * La Tradition - similar to the long gone Souscription by Breguet

 

Lady’s:(many distinguished by diamonds)

 

    * Classique

    * Marine

    * Heritage

    * Type XX

    * Reine de Naples - oval bezels

 

Breguet also makes clocks, jewelry (for women), and writing instruments/cases, as a tribute to the authors who incorporated the watches into their works.

 

 Notable owners

 

    * Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France

    * Louis XVI, King of France

    * Louis Antoine de Bougainville, French Explorer

    * Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French

    * Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

    * Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento

    * Count Axel von Fersen, Swedish diplomat

    * Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French

    * Selim III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire

    * Caroline Murate, Queen of Naples

    * Tsar Alexander I of Russia

    * Michel Ney, Marshal of France

    * George Washington, 1st American President

    * Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom

    * Sir Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister

    * Arthur Rubinstein, Master pianist

    * Sergei Rachmaninoff, Composer

    * Lola Astanova, Virtuoso pianist

    * Nicolas Sarkozy, French president

    * Leo Tolstoy, Russian author

    * Maestro Valery Gergiev, Russian Conductor

 

Fictional owners:

 

    * Dr. Stephen Maturin in Patrick O’Brian’s Napoleonic War novels

    * Baron d’Anglars from Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo

    * Phileas Fogg from Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days

    * Eugene Onegin in Alexander Pushkin’s Onegin

    * Patrick Bateman in Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho

 

 Trivia

 

Breguet offered a piece to navigator Bougainville as he was organizing his great expedition to the North Pole.

It seems with in the past few years there has been explosive growth in the luxury watch sector. This means that people are looking to watches to “look sharp” is the business world. Now the watches these people are picking are off brand Gold and Diamond Watches found at sites like GoldWatches.com etc. Which give them a sense of security because they are getting a quality piece jewelery and not paying for the “name” of the brand name watches. These watches have the same movement (ETA) as the “brand name” watches and they are offered at a reduced price.

What is happening to the Brand Name Watch Companies?

When your company name is synonymous with the word “Luxury Watches” it means a lot in the fashion world! Ask any business man and they will tell you that they have a few Movado’s, Omega’s, or Rolex’s. So why are companies that are “entrenched” in the “Luxury Watches” market reassessing there image on the industry?

People like getting a good deal! For example some of top Google searches are for coupons! DealCatcher.com is one of the biggest most popular sites online. Now for people that can see through a “brand name” to the quality behind the watch and know that they can get the same if not a better watch without the “brand name”. You don’t need to tell them twice they will jump on it! This is the young and “Yuppie” crowd as well as the older “Hip” crowd.

Is this the death of the Brand Name Watch?

Never! Brand names will never die! They might lose some of them market however when a person is in doubt and wants to find a quality piece and has the money to pay for the “Name” then he will most certainly go with a Movado. Also every person enjoys that feeling when they go to a party and they see there friend wearing the same or a similar watch and they tell him “Hey we have the same watch!”

Conclusion!

Now for the big question! What is better a “Brand Name” Watch or a “non brand name” Watch? When looking at quality they are both the same. When looking at the price the “non-brand name” is probably cheaper. So it matters on what matters most to you! If you know what you want and are looking for a good quality watch but aren’t interested in getting a brand name you can feel safe in knowing that the watches out these are good quality! As for brand names if that is a must for you then go for it!

As usual GoldWatches.com offers all types of Gold Watches. Just head down to our site Here and look around!

James

Sources of watch pictures.

If you liked the Movado Watch Click Here If you are looking for some more Movado watches you can visit our Movado Watches section.

For the Audemars Piguet you can click here

If you want to see the Geneve Watch you can click here