Swiss watch giant Swatch has launched a redesigned generation of its chip-embedded mobile-payment enabled watches for trade in China. The technology enabled timepieces can be linked to credit cards issued by 11 partner banks, in addition to debit cards. Swatch unveiled its first-generation watches in 2015, offers payment functions in partnership with China Unionpay. China […]
Posted inCOLLECTIONS, LEAD STORY, NEWS
Piaget launches limited edition timepiece to mark business milestone
Piaget is celebrating 60 years since the ultra-thin icon made its debut with the release of new limited editions that infuse the Altiplano with new colours and state-of-the-art movements. The brand has just unveiled its latest edition to join the birthday celebrations, the Altiplano 60th Anniversary Manual 38mm with diamond-set bezel, dial in the historical […]
Posted inNEWS
Historic day for Omega as it reflects on watch landmark
48 years on from man-kind’s first steps on the moon, the watch industry is also celebrating a monumental achievement, the first watch on the moon. July 20 marks the 48th anniversary of the first human steps on the lunar surface, taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969. It was in this moment, the […]
Posted inIN DEPTH
Q&A: Panzera’s Roger Cooper on the pros and cons of being a watch brand Down Under
Panzera is an Australian watch brand established in 2009, specialising in the production of mechanical watches at an affordable price point. One of the brand’s co-owners, Roger Cooper, talks to WatchPro about the benefits and drawbacks of being an Australian brand trying to make a mark in the global watch industry. WatchPro: How hard is […]
Posted inIN DEPTH
Q&A: David Hare discusses the challenges a modern auctioneer faces
Gardiner Houlgate is one of the premier firms of auctioneers in the UK, handling thousands of lots a year in 46 specialist auctions. David Hare, director at the Wiltshire-based auction house, spoke to WatchPro about the challenges a modern auctioneer faces. WatchPro: How many watch auctions does Gardiner Houlgate hold on average every year? David […]
Posted inNEW PRODUCTS, NEWS
A. Lange & Sohne reveals its fifth watch with the appellation Pour le Merite
Watchmaker A. Lange & Sohne has expanded its offering of Pour le Merite with the addition of its fifth watch with the appellation Pour le Merite The 684-part timepiece Tourbograph Perpetual unites five complications and looks to pay tribute to classic watch-making. Two of its five complications serve the sole purpose of improving rate accuracy. The […]
Posted inNEW PRODUCTS, UK
Paulin unveils newly designed signature typeface alongside Commuter collection
Paulin has revealed its own typeface today, designed by its in-house typographer and featuring on its latest range of watches. The bespoke font, which will feature on the brand’s newest range Commuter Numerical, was developed in-house as a numerical only font. The numeric designs were created by its typographer before being expanded into a full […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Carl F. Bucherer ramps up involvement with movie industry
Swiss timepiece manufacturer Carl F. Bucherer is hitting the silver screen in Atomic Blonde, a new film starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy and John Goodman. Two of Carl F. Bucherer brand ambassadors took roles in the David Leitch action thriller. David Leitch, who was named a Carl F. Bucherer ambassador in 2014, directed the action […]
Posted inLEAD STORY, NEWS, UK
Henry London expands route to market by taking timepieces to sea
Watchmaker Henry London has has opened up a new sales channel after striking a deal to take its collections aboard luxury cruise liner Queen Victoria. Henry London will be partnering with Harding Retail, a commercial retailer that operates on high-end cruise ships, and British-American cruise line Cunard. The partnership will expand the timepiece offering […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Swiss Aviator watches land in WatchShop.com
Britain’s biggest online watch retailer, WatchShop.com, has added Aviator watches to its portfolio. Aviator, a brand born in Russia that makes its watches in Switzerland, designs its timepieces to appeal to aviation enthusiasts. The company unveiled two new models this year, the MiG-29 and Airacobra, which will sit alongside existing collections on WatchShop.com. “Aviator watches […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, LEAD STORY, NEWS, UK
EXCLUSIVE: Fraser Hart’s ‘Chosen with Love’ campaign is arrowhead of root and branch re-positioning
Fraser Hart will add the phrase ‘Chosen with Love’ to all promotional activity later this year as a visible sign of a root and branch re-positioning of the retail brand. At the heart of the strategy is a move to cement Fraser Hart’s position as a mid- to high-end retailer, and stop competing for all […]
Posted inNEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
Wolf expands from watch winders into a range of fashionable storage and travel accessories
Wolf is expanding the range of styles and the number of products that it offers to retailers in 2017. One of the most eye-catching, and British, in its styling is the Howard collection, which uses a bold and colourful striped pattern across a range of watch winders, watch rolls and other leather accessories. The collection […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, LEAD STORY, NEWS, Research, UK
Growth in watch sales slows but London and luxury segment remains hot
The total value of watch sales in Great Britain rose is rising at its slowest pace since February, but still notched an impressive annual hike of 12.8% in June, according to monthly analysis by GfK. The average price of every watch sold in June was up by 23.6%, reflecting a series of price rises by […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL, NEWS, UK
Rolex enjoys slam of slams as ambassadors win men’s and ladies’ titles at Wimbledon
Rolex ran back-to-back full page adverts in The Times today with pictures of Roger Federer and Garbine Muguruza clutching their trophies for winning the men’s and ladies’ singles titles at Wimbledon. Rolex has also been the official timekeeper at Wimbledon since 1978, so you could call this a hat-trick of wins. The partnership between Rolex […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, INTERNATIONAL, NEWS, UK
Signet Jewelers appoints first female CEO after Mark Light retires due to ill health
Signet Jewelers has appointed Gina Drosos as CEO in a smooth transition from Mark Light, who has announced he will retire at the end of July. Signet Jewelers is the US-based owner of Ernest Jones and H. Samuel in the UK. Ms Drosos, who has served as an independent director of Signet’s Board since 2012 […]
Posted inLEAD STORY, NEWS, Others, UK
BREAKING NEWS: Watchfinder hit in smash and grab raid
Watchfinder is warning retailers in the Leeds area that it had 46 high value pre-owned watches stolen this morning (July 17), and to alert police if they are offered them for sale. The Leeds Watchfinder boutique, which is located in the historic Victoria Quarter shopping arcade, was hit by a smash and grab raid at […]
Posted inNEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
CJR returns to Kickstarter to raise funds for its third watch collection
Microbrand CJR has unveiled its third collection. Following the success of its two initial Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns, the company has launched its Commander Series that takes inspiration from aviation industry. The collection, which uses Citizen Miyota movements, makes a virtue of its design cues linked to air travel including a wheel representing the spinning turbine on […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Harrods hosts Jaeger-LeCoultre pop-up with a number of global exclusives
Jaeger-LeCoultre has its own pop-up in Harrods Fine Watch Room this month, presenting a number of pieces never before seen in the UK. This showcase includes the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Duetto Jewelry which has launched as part of Harrods Fine Watch campaign, Re-editions. Harrods will be the only place in the world to buy the […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, NEWS, Research, UK
Insurance firm finds Omega owners are considerably younger than Rolex owners in the UK
Omega watch owners in the UK are considerably younger than Rolex owners, according to research from insurance company Home Protect. The company has analysed the timepieces listed as items of value on household insurance paperwork. Its first report found 11% of households listed a Rolex, with an average purchase price of £5000 and an average […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL, NEWS
Khloé Kardashian reported to have bought $50,000 Patek Philippe timepiece
Khloé Kardashian may not be precisely target market for Patek Philippe, but the reality TV star, model and entrepreneur’s 70 million Instagram followers eagerly gobble up her style advice. So it will do the Swiss watchmaker little harm that Ms Kardashian has taken to social media to show her boyfriend, the basketball star Tristan Thompson […]