The Watch Collectors' Club runs regular events where we teach members a little about watches, watchmakers, watch

A club for everyone who likes watches.

Breitling are a company we keep returning to on the Blog Series because we really like the watches and there are so many stories to tell. At our event this week we are focussing on their long history of innovative chronographs. This Blog Post will run through some of their most interesting historical watches so you can see the inspiration in today's range. 

Breitling was founded in 1884 as a manufacturer of timing instruments such as stopwatches for industrial and leisure use. They went on to create pocket watches and then wrist watches beginning in the early 20th century.

During the 19th-century various designs for pocket watch chronographs, or stopwatches, featured separate buttons, or pushers to control the timing mechanism of the stopwatch part of the watch. Making this idea small enough to fit into a wristwatch case was very difficult, but Breitling were one of the first to achieve success and patented their invention in 1915.

Willy Breitling took over the firm in 1932, and the story of his leadership of the firm is one of a long string of successes. In 1934 they were the first to patent and launch a chronograph as we know it today, with two pushers in the positions we are familiar with them today, at 2 O'Clock and 4 O'Clock, with one to start and stop the mechanism and the other to reset it. This was highly convenient and was a great success. These watches were called the Montbrilliant series after the name of the factory. 

Launched in the early 1940s the Premier line was a line of very smart dress chronographs. They later included interesting complications such as the Duograph split-seconds chronograph and a calendar chronograph named the Datora. In recent years Breitling has relaunched versions of these watches in an amazing array of dial colours. We've written previously on different types of chronograph, and Breitling has made them all at some point.

This is the first watch that included a technology that was revolutionary at it's time but today baffles most of us; a circular slide rule. It was added to a watch by Breitling's designers in 1942, so right in the middle of WWII.

A slide rule is a device that facilitates calculations, and in this case it facilitates multiplication and division so that a pilot can convert speed into distance and calculate fuel usage etc. The Chronomat was a success, but nothing like the later Navitimer. It came in different metals and styles and is a much more all-round watch and was sold widely right through until the 1960s.

This is one of the most iconic watches of the 20th century and has been ridiculously popular since it's original launch in 1954 on sale to the American Owners and Pilots Association. It went on global general sale in 1955.

This was a bigger version of the Chronomat, with a larger scale allowing for large calculations, as well as the chronograph function. The manual and operating guide from the first series is great, and it really is a fascinatingly complex tool. At first, the watch was only available to members of this organisation, but Breitling swiftly made it available for general sale. It has been on sale almost continuously since then, with a recently expanded and updated range launched just this year.

These were a new departure for Breitling. They essentially took the Premier, Datora and Duograph ranges and updated them for the 1960s. They made something very sleek and slick. These were made from 1964 through to the mid-1970s and evolved slightly, but had a cushion case as well, which apparently were more popular.

There was also a version with three registers, or sub-dials called the Top Time Long Playing as the third dial was to register elapsed hours, which is useful for timing motor racing or other long events.

Breitling have always had chronographs as the core of their offering, and the current range offers a huge number of different models. Most of them are powered by in-house movements, and all of them are Chronometer rated to demonstrate a high standard of accuracy and reliability.

The modern Navitimers are still as popular as ever and now come in a great range of colours, suiting the current fashion for colourful dials in the watch world. You can even buy a re-creation of an original 1950s model that is entirely faithful to the first series design, but built to modern standards.

Breitling has a long and innovative history when it comes to making chronographs. We at The Watch Collectors' Club do not have a favourite brand or type of watch, but love exploring the heritage that stands behind watches currently available today. Join us to explore brands old and new across the watch world, by signing up to our Blog Posts and attending one of our events. 

We explore a few of the historic Breitling chronographs and their modern reissues.

Watch shows are a really fun and exciting way to learn more about the watch world, and the largest in the UK is happening soon. This week we want to highlight what happens at a watch show, why you should attend, and what to expect from the brands when you are there.

Watch Shows take two forms. Those for established brands selling and promoting new watches, and those for second-hand and vintage watch dealers and buyers. Both of these types of show have been held for decades around the world, but the largest number can be found in the USA, Germany, and Switzerland. There have been fewer shows in the UK, but currently there are a selection of both types held throughout the year, and The Watch Collectors' Club will be attending the WatchPro Live Salon on November 12th, 2022

These shows serve two purposes; to educate retailers like jewellers who might be looking for new and interesting brands to stock in their store, and to show off (but not necessarily sell) watches to the general public. They usually sell tickets to attend, run for a couple of days and are held in a large hotel ballroom in a city centre. In the UK this is almost always in London.

There is usually a large range of brands showing their timepieces, from very small companies that may make very high-end or hand-crafted watches, to large global brands who want a large presence at the show to show their new releases or educate people on certain ranges. This means attendees can see an amazing range of watches in the same place, with more brands than even the largest watch store may have. There may be watches that cost £100,000 in the same place as some that cost a few hundred. The brands also bring their own staff who are able to explain the ideas behind the design, materials, history and technology of the watches.

A Watch Show is a great place to get up close with watches you may have never seen before and try them on! There may be brands there with no retail presence in the UK, brands that only take commissions, brands that are very famous with long waiting lists, as well as brands just starting out. You can try all these watches on at a watch show. It's entirely about learning and exploring these brands and their watches. We've written more about evaluating watch brands here.

At the stand of a brand you know already, a good question to ask is "Which are your newest pieces?" or "Do you have anything special to show off at this show?" and the staff will point you to what they are most excited about. 

If you don't know anything about a brand but are interested in what they are displaying, maybe say "Please introduce me to your brand and show me your most popular watches." You can then see if you connect with what they are trying to do. You might not like their most popular models but might like something else they have. Do not hesitate to ask to try on the things you like the look of.

Always be confident to ask the price. Sometimes it is not obvious how much a watch might be, as there is so much variety and difference in manufacturing techniques. If you really like something and then discover it is way out of your price range that's fine. The brand will not mind and you can say something like "Oh well that's more than my normal budget, but maybe one day!". If a watch is lower in price than you expected then that is a wonderful surprise and you can ask "How do get this quality at such a good price?". They will be flattered and help you understand more about the brand's areas of expertise.

If you want to buy one of the watches at the show you should ask if that is possible. Sometimes it will not be for logistical reasons and they will take your details to arrange a follow-up appointment or call to complete the transaction. Do not be put off; hopefully, you will enjoy the process of reconnecting with them after the show, especially if they invite you to their store or arrange a personal meeting somewhere. It also gives you time to do more research online, and prepare any further questions you might have before you make the purchase.

At antique fairs and specialist vintage watch and clock shows there is a very different atmosphere to those shows that sell new watches. The stands will be full of specialist dealers in watches and clocks and much of their interest in being there is in dealing or swapping with each other. Specialists will attend very early in the morning to see what bargains can be had, and many people will know each other well. 

They are open to the public and can be fun to attend. You will see watches you've never seen before and probably encounter an extraordinary variety of timepieces. You can ask to try everything on, and it is usually the case that everything is for sale. 

If you are interested in vintage watches, these kinds of shows are for you, and you will be able to see a range of vintage timepieces and start to get to know the dealers. We always recommend being extra careful when it comes to vintage watches, and following the rule: "Buy the Seller, not the Watch". You can read more in our guide to buying vintage watches.

Watch Shows and fairs are great places to go to see and try on a lot of watches and learn more about watch brands. While they can be large, busy, and confusing, a few simple questions can get you started and should lead to a really fun experience. The Watch Collectors' Club hope to attend most watch fairs in the UK to help members make the most of them, find the watches that they are most interested in, and connect them with brands they might love. Please let us know if there is a watch show you think we should be going to, and keep an eye on our watch events page for details of all our other events.

We explain what to expect at a Watch Show or Watch Fair

What is a Watch Show?

We explain what happens at a watch show and how to enjoy it

It is common for us today to think about Men's watches and Women's watches, but this is a relatively recent invention. Before the early 1900s, there were only watches, and men and women wore similar types. They did of course come in different sizes, but since they were all what we now know as pocket watches, there was no need to discriminate by sex. Many women used and wore pocket watches, and they were just as much of a status symbol then as they sometimes are now. Today we will explore the long history of women's watches.

Notable early watch owners include Queen Elizabeth I of the United Kingdom, who was known to have a range of watches and they are mentioned in her estate at her death. By modern standards, these watches were small and highly unreliable, often featuring only hour hands, and only ran for around ten hours a day. They were often beautifully crafted, and for a Queen, the watch would have been made of gold. 

Possibly the most famous watch made for a queen is the Breguet "Super Complication" made for Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France who was executed during the revolution in 1793. Marie Antoinette bought many watches from Breguet, who was the world's finest watchmaker at the time. In 1783 it is thought that a mysterious admirer ordered the most spectacular watch ever made for her as a gift. It was expressly ordered with no limits on cost, should be made of gold where possible, and include the fullest range of complications, or functions, known to watchmakers at the time. It still exists, and Breguet themselves have made a replica to explore the historical methods of the time. 

Around the same time another watch was ordered, this time it was a wristwatch! Caroline Murat was the Queen of Naples, the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, and is known to have ordered 34 watches from Breguet. These included a wrist-mounted timepiece that she wore on a bracelet made with hair, which was a common practice of the day. The hair was usually taken from family members or loved ones, including those who had passed away as a memento. The other interesting fact about this watch was that it was Oblong, not round. Today it inspires the Breguet Reine de Naples line of watches.

The high-end Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe got started in the 1840s and also received an order for a women's bracelet watch, which still exists. It was made in 1868, and is tiny, with a small key wound movement within a jewelled setting and on a rigid gold bracelet. The watch is now in the Patek Philippe museum. Many watches similar to this were made throughout the 19th century but very few are recorded and preserved like this one and few are famous. Portraits and pictures and photographs of the time however often feature ladies wearing wristwatches, mostly on simple bracelets. Women wore pocket watches on chains, and watch chains went through huge numbers of fashion cycles over the 18th and 19th centuries.

At the dawn of the 20th century, wristlets and wristwatches were almost exclusively worn by women and were seen as effeminate. Almost all men who could afford one used a pocket watch. In 1904 the first Men's wristwatch was ordered by Alberto du Santos-Dumos, a  pilot who wanted an accurate watch that wasn't in his pocket. The First World War accelerated demand for Men's wristwatches and boosted the market for those for women. 

These watches remained jewellery inspired by jewellery and were often small and not particularly robust. The invention of waterproof watches, automatic watches and watches with multiple complications were all first sold to men. 

However, since the size of almost all wristwatches remained small by modern standards, it is likely that women bought and wore watches with these features when they wanted to. Right up until the 1960s anything over 36mm was considered a large watch, whereas today that is very much a standard size for a women's watch and plenty of men wear watches of that size too.

Women have something that men don't when it comes to watches, and that is a staggering lineup of interesting, varied and colourful jewellery watches. Men's watches mostly come in traditional shapes and focus on functions. Women's watches have had no such restrictions, especially since the Second World War. Large jewellery houses with famous names competed to make fine jewellery watches, and more modest brands and affordable mass-market women's watches are often much more about the case shape designs and materials. They may have gems included, interesting bracelets, or covered dials. The time-telling function is secondary and often the dials are very small and the mechanisms very simple or of quartz. Incredible examples can be found from the great jewellery houses, but also watchmakers such as Omega and Piaget, famous for their use of coloured stones.

Some women's watches have gone onto become icons, most notably those from Jewellers such as Cartier, with their Panthere range, and Bulgari with their Serpenti. The Rolex Lady Datejust debuted in 1954 and is still incredibly popular. We also have many icons that are famous for famous women wearing them but they are actually available in men's and women's sizes and loved by both almost equally, such as the Cartier Tank and the Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso.

It is extremely common now to see women wearing watches originally designed and sold as men's watches, in particular from Rolex, where the incredible increase in popularity of the Rolex Daytona has led to high demand from women. The trend for larger watches that has been in place since the 1990s means that many women are happy wearing watches with a case diameter of 36mm or above. This takes them into the same territory as many models sold as men's watches, and opens up an enormous range of vintage watches they could consider. Watch companies are responding by making their marketing material gender-neutral and also marketing their larger models to women.

We at The Watch Collectors' Club don't think that any watch is solely for men or women. People can wear whatever size of design they like, and we have members who wear small vintage pieces that could be for ladies as well as huge modern digital timepieces, sometimes even on the same day. We have female members who wear men's watches every day. We have people exploring mid-century vintage as well as modern fashion watches. The world of watches is huge and we can help you explore it, whatever you are into. 

Women's Watches through History

A Short history of Women's Watches

Join us online for a fun and friendly watch quiz. We'll have four rounds of watch-related questions and you can battle for honour, glory, and the ability to tell your family you won a watch quiz. It'll be on Zoom, it's free and just a bit of fun. It will start at 8:00PM sharp, last for one hour, and is completely free.

A short, fun, free watch world related quiz.

Online Watch World Quiz and trivia event for Christmas 2022

WCC Online Watch Quiz

Our next General Meetup will be on Tuesday December 6th at 6:30pm in Central London, and we will release the venue details early in the week of the event. It will be a relaxed evening in a private space where you can come and share your passion for watches with like-minded people. We will give two short talks to help you learn more about this fascinating space, and there will be refreshments available.

We assure you that the venue will be COVID-compliant, and there will be plenty of sanitiser available. We ask that you please either be double vaccinated or have a negative test result from earlier on the day.

Everyone is welcome, whether you have been collecting for years or are just getting started. We are creating a place to share knowledge and help each other out, and you don't even need to own a watch.

Please register using the link and if you have any friends who might like to come, also ask them to register here.

Join us for our final event of the year, a Watch Meetup in Central London

The Watch Collectors' Club Meetup December 2022

Join us to explore Oris' fantastic in house mechanical movement, the Calibre 400. This recently introduced movement is designed and made entirely by Oris and we will help you understand what makes it so interesting. 

Expect warm hospitality, a really cool virtual reality experience, two short talks to help you appreciate what's going on with the new Calibre, and of course many amazing watches to try on.

We are very excited to work with Oris, who have remained independent makers of Swiss mechanical watches since 1904. Join us to learn more about them, their classic ranges, and their fantastic new movement.

Join us for an evening exporing the Calibre 400 with Oris

The WCC at Oris South Audley Street

Hamish Robertson

In recent years there has been much more experimentation with watch case materials. From interesting composites to carbon fibre, and then from innovative new alloys to good old-fashioned bronze, we've seen many options for watch lovers who want something different from the usual stainless steel. Now many watch companies have added Titanium-cased watches to their catalogue.

Titanium is a metal that is mined from various minerals and formed using a special chemical process. It has three particularly useful properties: it is 45% lighter than steel but equally as strong, it does not tarnish, and it is not corroded by water or many chemicals. It can also be polished to a dull grey lustre. This combination makes for watches that are light on the wrist with an interesting metallic finish.

The simplest answer is it lets a big watch feel like a small watch. Titanium really feels light on the wrist. If you get a Titanium bracelet as well, then the combination is extraordinary. If you are used to wearing stainless steel sports watches on steel bracelets you will notice the difference immediately. 

The case colour is also different. It is a darker grey than steel. There are a large variety of steel alloys and Titanium alloys and they all have very slightly different colours of grey when polished, but Titanium really is noticeable. It is also less shiny than Stainless steel. For people who want something more subtle than steel, titanium is a great option. 

Some companies offer a surface treatment that makes it even more of a matt finish. This is particularly interesting, and the Tag Heuer Aquaracer in Green is a good example.

 Unfortunately, they are definitely more expensive than similar steel-cased watches in a given range. This is because the material is harder to form into the required watch's case shape, and there are fewer of them. It is the reduction in machining costs for titanium that has led to it becoming available in modern watches, previously it was so expensive to produce it was only used for things like aeroplane parts and medical implants. On one hand, it is good that watch lovers now have this option, on the other, they should expect to pay more for it. 

The good news is that many different brands use Titanium and it is available at lower price points than you might think. The Japanese brand Citizen has a good range of dive watches available in an alloy they call Super Titanium, known as the Promaster Tough series. 

Microbrands have been using Titanium to create very reasonably priced watches for a few years now. Often choosing dive or adventure watches to highlight, there are many interesting options available. 

Like many big Swiss brands, Omega has not been afraid to use titanium in their range, including Seamasters, Planet Ocean models, and even the smart Aqua Terra Ultra Light. It made sense for the latest James Bond watch to feature a Titanium case and Milanese strap, which makes it surprisingly smart and easy to wear. We have written about James Bond watches before, and recently held two James Bond watch events. If you don't really know what this fuss is about, this version of the Seamaster Professional 300 is well worth seeing up close.

There is one downside to Titanium cases, and that is they are much harder to repair if they get scratched or damaged. Many local watch repair places or polishing places will not have the required tools, and you may need to return the watch to the manufacturer for repair. One way to avoid this is to look for grades of Titanium that are advertised as extra hard. Many people will of course see such marks or scratches as general wear and tear and part of the enjoyment of wearing a watch. 

Titanium is one of many interesting case materials available in the watch world today. Its growing use across many different brands and price points gives you many options to explore. The Watch Collectors' Club exists to help you explore the watch world and if you have any further questions about Titanium watches just ask. If you'd like a personalised shortlist of Titanium watches then you can fill out our Watch Shortlist form, and mention your interest in Titanium, we can help find the right watch for you. We also run regular watch events where you might encounter a Titanium cased watch, we never know what people are going to be bringing along! You can find all the event details here.

An overview of Titanium watch cases, the good points and downsides

What's special about Titanium Watch Cases?

We explore the benefits of Titanium for watch cases and bracelets

What's Special about Titanium Watch cases?

It's been a while since we have provided an updated on our Club Plans, so this week is the perfect time to tell you what's coming next and more about the amazing events we have coming up! We'll also give you an early insight into our plans for 2023.

There is still time to sign up for the incredibly exciting event with Watches of Switzerland focussing on the Omega Watches of James Bond. This is in partnership with Britain's biggest James Bond collector, and will feature props, memorabilia and watches from the Daniel Craig films. You are welcome to join us anytime from 5:00PM on Wednesday, October 12th, but you must sign up.

There'll be plenty to look at, watches from the latest Omega range to try on, and three short talks to help you explore more about the world of Omega watches and James Bond.

This month we are also hosting two further exciting events; 

On Thursday 20th October we are having our first event solely for Women who are interested in watches. There are now enough women who come to our events to allow us to put on an event just for them, and we'd greatly appreciate it if you could highlight this event to anyone you know who might be interested. It'll follow our usual fun, friendly and informative Meetup structure, and whether you are new to watches or a seasoned collector, it'll be a great chance to come and learn more about the watch world. Sign up here.


On Thursday 27th November we are hosting a small and intimate event with IWC Schaffhausen. We have only 12 spaces for this so if you are interested let us know ASAP by signing up here.

We have a fun and varied series of events lined up for November, including with Bremont, Breitling and Oris, and a day at WatchPro Salon, where we'll be hosting tours of the show for our members.

We'll help you get up close and personal with as many watches as possible, from the simplest dive watches to the finest handmade timepieces. 

    Oris South Molton Street Store: November 24th

The Holiday Season is coming up and you might be thinking of buying someone a watch as a gift, but you aren't exactly sure what to buy them. We can help! Fill in our short online form and we will send you a list of watches that fit what you've asked for. It's called The Watch Shortlist, it's completely free, and we have had great feedback on the watches we recommend. If you'd like to try it, you can find it here.

Finally, we have mentioned it a few times already, but we will be undertaking a fundraising round over the next few months. This is to enable us to build the Club further in 2023, with the main goal of launching a paid membership. We always want your feedback so if you have any thoughts or ideas around this please let us know! We will also be conducting some more deliberate surveys to find out what you will find most useful and valuable from a watch club. 

The best thing you can do for us right now is to tell people who might be interested in our events, bring them along, and spread the word. We are here to provide accessible, fun and friendly events focussing on watches. If you know of any event partners who might like to work with us, please let us know or put us in touch with them.

Thanks for helping us build such a fun Club, we hope to see you at an event soon,

read more about upcoming events and club plans for The WCC

Upcoming Events and Club Plans September 2022

What to look our for from The Watch Collectors' Club

Many people want a watch they never have to worry about, even if they are doing something really quite adventurous where the watch may get wet, muddy, or even take a few knocks. Today's Blog Post will highlight some of the watches that will remain waterproof, take a battering, and deliver reliable performance throughout.

Military Watches and Military-Inspired Tough Watches

The evolution and adoption of the Wristwatch were driven by the needs of soldiers in World War I, and timepieces designed for military uses have a very interesting history. The common format was landed upon in the 1930s, with a dark dial and matt finish case to prevent unwanted reflections, large luminous numerals and hands to allow for easy use at night, and often a very strong strap that sometimes wrapped twice around the wrist.

There was ongoing development for military and commercial pilots that shared similar features, and these directly led to the Pilot's watches we see today. In World War II the invention of Scuba diving led to the need for specific tough watches for underwater missions. Both pilot's watches and diving watches are very interesting places to look for tough and rugged watches that could be used for all sorts of adventurous activities. 

Some brands still make watches issued by the military, such as CWC of the UK and Marathon of Canada, and some brands create watches in partnership with the military, such as Bremont. The most recent watch developed for James Bond in the film No Time to Die draws on many of these military influences, while still remaining a Dive Watch from Omega's Seamaster Professional Range. If you join our events this month with Omega and Bremont, you can see these watches up close.

The term field watch literally means a watch that can be used in the field, meaning the field of battle. This tradition comes from watches issued in the Second World War and afterwards to soldiers serving in various wars from the 1950s to the 1970s. 

The design has similar hallmarks of military use, with the main distinction being the addition of the 24 hour numbers on the dial, and increased use of luminous material. 

Today we see a variety of watches available with the Field Watch Design from multiple brands. Arguably the most famous are from the US brand Hamilton, which manufactured and produced a huge number of them for issue to US Soldiers in the Vietnam war, and today sell an up to date example. These watches remain very popular and are often seen as a very affordable everyday watch.

Today's watchmakers have a huge amount of different technologies and tactics they can use to make their watches stand up to any activity. Some even market themselves as unbreakable watches. We see Dive watches that can reach incredible depths, and these would also stand up to most activities above ground. The last few decades have seen many new approaches to making a watch tough, such as the famous Casio G-Shock which encases the entire movement in rubber. 

Some companies make extra tough cases, using a single piece design known as a Monocoque case. One very famous example of this is the Citizen ProMaster Tough, well-loved by outdoor enthusiasts and divers since its introduction, and it has a high-grade Titanium case. Many watch brands offer extra tough titanium cases for their more adventurous watches, often with high water resistance ratings to reassure buyers that the watch can withstand anything that can be thrown at it.

Today, some brands such as Rolex, Montblanc, IWC and Bremont sponsor endurance athletes and mountaineers who take their watches into the most extreme environments.

While smartwatches are only the latest evolution of nearly 50 years of digital watches, they are still regarded as fragile by many. We have now reached the point where even the most complicated smartwatches are made to be tough and suitable for many outdoor activities.

The new Apple Watch Ultra has a titanium case, a new bezel designed to help protect the screen, larger and sturdier buttons, and an amazing array of features. These include a depth gauge down to 40m allowing its use as a Dive computer, microphones designed to be used in bad weather, and a speaker to sound an alarm in an emergency. 

Samsung also makes a Pro version of their top Smartwatch, also with a Titanium case and increased protective crystal thickness. Other brands such as Suunto and Garmin make very complex smartwatches for specific sports, and these are tested to destruction by their featured athletes. 

Modern watches from reputable brands are often very well made, with high standards of reliability and able to withstand knocks and blows pretty well thanks to good movement and case design. If you want a tough timepiece to accompany you through all kinds of outdoors activities, then we recommend exploring the types of watch mentioned above. At our Meetups we often see watches of all kinds from the toughest field watch to a fancy gold dress watch, and many digital watches too. You can find more details on our Events page, and if you found this article interesting, please share it with anyone else you know who likes watches.

Which watches are tough? Which watches are good for outdoors activity?

Adventure Watches for Any Activity

We explore watches that can take a beating.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland sadly passed away last week. We at The Watch Collectors' Club offer our deepest condolences to her family and we want to add our deepest respect and admiration for her legacy and hard work over a lifetime of service.

Her Majesty the Queen was rarely seen without a watch on her wrist. On both formal occasions and on daily outings throughout her life, she was known for wearing some very fine timepieces. Today's Blog Post will look at some of her most famous watches. 

This watch is not just interesting because it was worn for Her Majesty's coronation in 1953, but also because it is a technological masterpiece. Created by Jaeger LeCoultre in 1929, it was for a long time the smallest mechanical movement ever made for a watch. It measures just 14mm long, 4.8mm wide and 3.4mm high. It is hand wound and despite it's tiny size has a power reserve of 33 hours. 

Her Majesty's example is a fabulous example that highlights the watch's incredible thinness by matching it with an elegant gold bracelet with applied round diamonds. Queen Elizabeth wore this watch on her coronation day as the white diamonds complimented her regalia (and the crown once it was on her head!), and she wanted to keep an eye on the time. Presumably this was because the coronation day schedule was so long!

Over the years of her reign, the Queen has been pictured wearing Cartier watches on many occasions. Since they are often regular occasions such as visits to watch horse races, one of her favourite hobbies, or visits to various places around the country, good pictures are not easy to find. One recently rediscovered photo was of the queen wearing a fantastic Cartier Cintree Dual Time Zone in Gold, which is both a classic piece of 1980s jewellery and a Classic Cartier watch. She is also known to have worn various Cartier Tanks and gifted them to other family members.

Queen Victoria was one of the first Royal customers of Patek Philippe buying a fantastic blue enamelled pocket watch for herself at the Great Exhibition of 1851. 

Queen Elizabeth is famous for wearing a pearl and diamond set Patek Wristwatch on many State occasions, as it suits the fine diamonds and white dresses she most often wore. This watch is the reference 4975/1G. Here is a fantastic image of it created by a friend of The Watch Collectors Club, InkDial, who can be found at www.inkdial.co.uk

Queen Elizabeth is famous for many things, and her outstanding watch collection befit her status and majesty. It will be interesting to see if the future King Charles is as adventurous as he begins his reign. We wish him all the best wishes and hope that you have enjoyed this Blog Post. If you know anyone else who might find it interesting, please send it to them.

We explore some of the watches in Her Makesty's Collection

Almost everyone wants their watch to be waterproof. We all expect that a new watch will be waterproof whatever the price point or watch type. But what makes a watch waterproof? 

Modern advertising laws mean watch companies cannot advertise their watches as waterproof. A watch made of lots of different case parts means there are gaps that water can get into, especially if the watch is old or hasn't been serviced for a while. Watch companies instead use the term Water Resistant. Use of this term is now limited only to those watches which conform to the International Standard 22810, explained further below.

Water Resistance ratings are measured in units of Atmospheric Pressure, known as Bar. When you stand at sea level on the surface of the Earth you are experiencing, on average, 1 Atmosphere of pressure. The Symbol for this is "atm". Since pressure is measured with a device called a Barometer, units of pressure are also often called "Bar", and you experience 1 Bar of pressure from the atmosphere.

Very roughly speaking, there is a ratio of atmospheric pressure to water pressure of 10m equals 1 atm. So if you go 10 metres underwater you are experiencing an additional 1 atm or Bar of pressure.

Watch designers can choose how waterproof to make their watch. The design requires the case construction and gaskets to create a very tight seal, whatever its shape. It is the strength of the case material and the use of these gaskets (usually made of rubber), that determine the water resistance of the watch. A gasket is usually just a rubber ring that helps press into the gaps between the metal and create the seal. The important thing to know is that these gaskets degrade over time and need replacing regularly to ensure your watch remains fully water resistant.

Here is a table of use that people have traditionally referred to when thinking about the different uses, which will apply to vintage watches that have been fully serviced and tested. For example, Rolex will service a 60-year-old Submariner that is rated at 200m so that it is equal to that rating today if it can. However, if you have a vintage watch and do not know its service history, it is a very bad idea to use it as the table lays out below. Rolex is an interesting example as there are many professional divers who successfully used the same Submariner dive watch across their whole career without problems, although they did get it regularly serviced.

To clear up the confusion that historical water resistance ratings created, and also to make sure that watch companies do not claim their watches are fully waterproof, the industry adopted two ISO standards for water resistance. These standards are now required for any watchmaker to meet to claim their watch is water resistant. The standard applies regardless of what the watchmaker writes on the dial. 

The ISO Standard for Water Resistance and Divers Watches

The International Standards Organisation exists to set industry-wide standards for all aspects of manufacturing and services. It has a range of standards for watchmakers including some on Water Resistance. They are very helpful and were last updated in 2010. Most notably, they include tests of activity, and the watches are tested up to 2 Bar. This means that they will be useful for almost any water-based activity other than deep scuba diving. The Standard for Water Resistance is ISO 22810:2010.

The Divers Watch ISO standard is conducted including activity to a depth of 10 Bar, or 100m or below, thus also including almost all leisure and commercial diving activities. The Standard for Diving watches is ISO 6425: 2018

You can ask a manufacturer if they make these watches to these standards, and if they do then you can be sure your watch will be water resistant for almost any activity you require. If the watchmaker claims it has a Depth rating of 1000m for a Dive Watch but it does not also claim the watch meets the Divers' Watch standard, then caution is advised if you wanted to use the watch for diving.

Almost any watch that is sold with a water resistance rating today should be held to a decent waterproof standard. You should ask if you are unsure, and if you want to really make sure of a Dive Watch's status, look for one expressly marked Diver's 200m on the dial. There are an enormous range of different watch designs and water resistance ratings out there, and a small amount of action could save you a lot of money. We at The Watch Collectors' Club recommend you check before you dive! If you are interested in learning more about how watches are made waterproof and what dive watches look like, please join one of our regular watch events, or send us any questions you may have.

Learn what water resistant means on a watch, and what different depth ratings mean for a Dive Watch.

We explain how waterproof your watch is and what activities are safe to do while wearing it.

The humble case of your watch is far more complicated than you may realise. It is the result of hundreds of years of hard work improving designs and construction techniques to produce something that protects a very delicate movement from shocks, water, dust, and damage. This week's Blog Post will examine the different types of cases and how you can find one that suits your needs.

Watches are simply small clocks, and all clocks and watches have always had some kind of case. In the 15th century, they were made small enough to be carried around as travel clocks or pocket clocks, and it was then that metal cases became really necessary. Previously they were contained in wooden cases or had none at all.

Over the following 400 years, case making got pretty sophisticated and as advanced manufacturing techniques were developed to make the cases and movements very cheaply, and pocket watches became mass market items. Expensive cases in precious metals were always made by hand to avoid waste.

By modern standards, these cases were not very good. They weren't sealed against water access, which meant they could also allow dirt and dust inside. The First World War led to the widespread adoption of wristwatches as the conditions on the battlefield made them much more convenient than pocket watches. As a result, innovations in new types of sealed cases sprang up all over the place.

Following World War One, demand for men's wristwatches boomed, and this increased the demand for both hand made and machine made cases, in volume, of many different types. There was great demand for rectangular cases, and the most famous of those from the 1930s is found on the world's first sports watch, the Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso. This case is reversible to protect the glass, and is such an iconic design it is still sold today.

We'll save a discussion on what waterproof really means for a future Blog Post, but the demands of war led to the urgent search for reliably waterproof wristwatches. A watch worn on the wrist is exposed to so much more dust, dirt and water than when kept safely in a coat pocket. The first attempts were labelled Submarine or similar, and companies such as Rolex sold them. The cases were multi-part cases that slid together or screwed together. However, they were not particularly reliable and did not take off at this point.

The Rolex Oyster was the first waterproof watch to hit the mainstream and it came about because of Rolex Founder Hans Wilsdorf's determination to create a much more robust case to house his high-quality movements. He knew his customers would love a properly sealed case, and he was right. Using stunts such as putting fish tanks in jewellery store windows with his watch ticking away in the middle, the Oyster was a great success from its launch in 1927. 

Companies such as Omega also launched their own version, in this case called the Marine. They did not have Rolex's marketing flair and these watches were not as successful. The Rolex Oyster is still the core of the Rolex brand today.

World War Two transformed the watch industry, both for the watchmaking companies and the demand for types of watch. Military watches were ordered with ever increasing standards of toughness and reliability. This required thicker cases and more screw-down backs or bezels. The famous Dirty Dozen set of watches were ordered by the British Army in 1944, where the W.W.W on the back stands for Watch Wrist Waterproof.

Following the war, there were many developments in watch functions, including the emergence in the early 1950s of Diving watches. These required thick cases with very strong seals, in order to withstand the pressure of deep dives. The first was the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and along with the Rolex Submariner it set the marker with 200 metres of water pressure resistance, and things only got stronger and deeper from there. 

The ultra-deepwater watches required separate devices such as strengthening inner gaskets and helium pressure valves to protect the watch. Making these was a huge technical challenge but broadly by the late 1960 watches were tough enough to withstand almost anything. 

In the 1960s the race was on to create a reliable automatic chronograph, and one of the winners was Heuer. They created a waterproof square case to contain their new Monaco watch, and it was a big hit. It is still the most famous and one of the most popular square watches on the market.

Demand for watches to accompany the explosion of new leisure activities such as mountaineering (the Rolex Explorer), dangerous hobbies like cave diving (the Rolex Explorer II), or scientific experiments like withstanding the vacuum of Space (the Omega Speedmaster) saw watch case development accelerate rapidly. 

Broadly speaking, what we call a watch case has three parts: a core case with integrated lugs, a caseback, and a bezel to secure the crystal or provide a useful function. Almost every case you'll find today is engineered like this, however some notable alternatives exist.

These watch cases do not have a detachable caseback, so the case is all in "one block" which is what the word Monocoque means. The watch movement is placed in from the front and the crystal and Bezel then screwed down onto the case to create the seal. This makes for very very strong cases, but is not a particularly common design.

 Some case makers split the case further, so that the mid part which holds everything in place is separate to a frame that includes the lugs. This allows for more varied and innovative lug designs (the lugs are the parts which stick out and the strap is attached to). It also allows the different parts to be made of different materials, or be in contrasting colours and finishes.

    Cases with cut-out or see-through sections

Modern case materials are extremely sophisticated, and the development of ever stronger sapphire crystals has allowed watchmakers to have see-through parts to their cases to allow the appreciation of the movement or other watch functions. This has been seen mostly at the high end of watchmaking, but clear and see-through casebacks are now available even for microbrands and the low end of the mechanical watch market.

Fortunately for the modern watch lover, there are cases of every conceivable shape size, material and finish available on the market today. From precious metal cases on dive watches, to carbon fibre curves, to see-through sapphire, ultra-strong titanium, and environmentally friendly plastic, anything is possible for watch designers. 

Some brands have made case design part of their DNA. The fascinating Trip Tick case from British watch brand Bremont is a good example of what an innovative design-led watch brand can do. It has a central barrel section that can be customised and finished in different ways and textures, to either stand out or blend in. It is flexible enough to be used in many different styles of watch and still be a signature of the brand. This exploded image shows the parts which combine to protect the watch movement in a Trip-tick case.

Watch cases are often praised for their beauty but under-appreciated for their variety. There is as much to focus on case design as there is when we talk about dial design and manufacture. We at The Watch Collectors' Club enjoy looking in-depth at all aspects of the watches we love, and hope to help you learn about every part of them. Find out more by joining one of our watch events, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! 

What makes watch cases so interesting? What makes for a good watch case?

A history and guide to different watch case designs, including some historic lots of examples and different styles.

Watches have been important since the earliest days of flight. When in the air, timing is crucial for navigation, and early experiments in balloons and airships showed that timing distances accurately while in the air would be crucial to getting to where you wanted to go. With the invention and rapid of aeroplanes in the early years of the 20th century, the distance they could fly increased.

This dramatically increased the risk of getting lost and travelling past the place you were trying to reach, especially if visibility was limited. Timing distance travelled at set speeds on certain headings, or directions, was crucial. You might think the obvious thing to do was to strap a clock or pocket watch to the dashboard of the aeroplane. Unfortunately, the machinery at this time had a very high rate of vibration, which made it a difficult place to put a delicate watch mechanism, it just wouldn't have been very accurate. The device was also often hard to read if mounted in a difficult position. 

The First Men's Wristwatch was a Pilot's Watch

The watch that is most famous for being the first regularly produced Men's wristwatch is the Cartier Santos-Dumas. Santos-Dumas was a rich playboy aviator trying to push the boundaries of flight in France in the first few years of the 20th Century. The problem he had was that he couldn't get his pocket watch out to read it while keeping control of the plane. He asked for a small wristwatch, and Cartier duly delivered it in 1904. In 1911 it was launched for sale and is still available today as the Santos du Cartier.

World War I changed the landscape for Men's wristwatches as they became much more widely used both during and after the war. While men had worn watches on their wrists while soldiering since roughly the 1880s, the huge number of men involved in the battles of the First World War saw huge demand for wristwatches. 

The war also led to huge improvements in aircraft technology, and this level of innovation continued into the 1920s and 1930s.

Ambitious flying adventures and the realisation of the increased importance of air forces in military conflict led to a wave of innovation in pilot's watches. In 1927 the famous celebrity aviator Charles Lindberg flew from New York to Paris. This achievement was made more incredible by the fact that he didn't navigate and arrived almost entirely due to luck. Lindberg knew this and the following year went to the pioneer of aeronautical navigation, a member of the US Navy called Philip Van Horn Weems.

Weems invented two watch functions we now see as completely standard; the ability to stop the seconds hand moving while you set the watch, so that timing can be set to the second, and also the rotating bezel. The full explanation of how these help pilots can be found in this article, but the main thing to know is that both of these started in pilot's watches to help with navigation in the air when landmarks are not visible, such as at night or over the Ocean.

Weems watches were often made by Longines, who still make much of their association today. They were also often very large, up to 55mm in diameter, so they could be easily read at night. Another watch that was created in the 1930 and 40s for pilots was made in Germany and is famous for its size and design. It's known as the Calibre 52. This watch was ordered from a variety of German manufacturers, such as Glashutte, Lange & Sohne, and IWC.

The Navitimer is the Ultimate Pilot's Watch

Another watch company closely linked with Pilot's watches and aviation is Breitling. In 1942 they introduced a world first, which was a watch with a Slide Rule Bezel. A slide rule is a type of calculator, and this function allowed pilots to make complicated calculations while in the air. It was first introduced on the Chronomat model, but in 1954 they launched the Navitimer.

This watch was designed for the American Owners and Pilots Association of civilian pilots in the USA. It features an updated and more sophisticated Slide Rule than the Chronomat and a Chronograph or stopwatch. Using these two features, the watch manual instructs a pilot how to calculate 14 different things, including how much fuel is left, distances, time at a speed, etc. You can see how useful these are to a pilot, especially if something has gone wrong. This watch was also very large at the time, measuring 41mm across.

Despite both Longines and IWC using the name Pilot as an officially trademarked name for their watch ranges, many watch brands today feature a line of watches inspired by these watches and aviation in general. 

British Watch brand Bremont started only 15 years ago and is dedicated to aviation-inspired watches. They have been incredibly successful in building their brand and have a fascinating collaboration with ejector-seat maker Martin Baker to make their super tough MB range of watches. These have been tested to the same stresses as a pilot goes through if they are forced to eject in an emergency.

They have also created an interesting series of watches linked to historical aeroplanes. Breitling chose to do this with its Super AVI range celebrating American warplanes. Longines has recreated some of their most important watches from the 1930s, and IWC has made watches celebrating interesting feats of flying, such as a recent trip by a World War II Spitfire plane around the whole world!

If you want a useful and easy to read watch with a lot of heritage, many brands offer something of interest. Modern brands such as Bremont offer a more up-to-date take on what a Pilot's watch can bring. We at The Watch Collectors' Club don't have a favourite Pilot's watch, but are here to help you explore them more widely. If you have any further questions please just ask, and we hope to hold events focussing on Pilot's watches in the near future.

We look at Pilot's watches from 1904 up to the present day.

For the Swiss Watch industry, the period of the 1970s is most commonly known as the Quartz Crisis. It is commonly understood to be a time period when inexpensive quartz movement powered watches led to a rapid decline in the sales of mechanical watches, which led to huge trouble amongst many Swiss watch companies and suppliers. In actual fact, the rapid adoption of quartz movements was only one part of the Swiss industry's troubles, and this article will explore what happened.

At the start of the 1970s, the industry had an unusual structure, designed in the 1930s to save the industry from the Great Depression that followed the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The industry was made up of thousands of small parts suppliers and fairly small brands, all organised under umbrella organisations backed by the government and the Swiss banking sector. The largest of these was called Ebauches SA, which later became ETA SA, and then Swatch Group.

This worked very well for the industry in the years after World War II. The watch companies in the USA and Europe that had switched to manufacturing material for the war effort struggled to move back into watchmaking after the war ended. This allowed the Swiss companies to dominate booming post-war economies, firstly in the United States and then in Europe. In 1960 Swiss companies had a 60% share of the US market. Unfortunately for the Swiss, this industry structure was poorly positioned to move from manufacturing mechanical watches to electronic watches in the 1970s.

The Japanese watch companies benefitted from the restructuring of the Japanese economy after their defeat in the war. Across Japan companies focussed on becoming low-cost producers of all kinds of manufactured goods, and then shipping those goods to new markets in the Americas and Europe. The watch industry was no exception. Japan was also a dominant player in the rise of the electronics industry in the 1950s and 1960s. While America led in the invention and production of electronic watches, with the Hamilton Ventura (1957) and Bulova Accutron (1960) and world leaders in their niche, the Japanese were very close behind. 

At some point in the early 1960s, watch companies realised the most successful elecrtonic watch was going to involve a movement powered by a quartz crystal, which had been used to power electric clocks since its invention in 1927. It took until 1969 for the first quartz wristwatch to be launched, the Seiko Astron. It was very expensive and only available in Japan. 

The Swiss had formed a consortium of the top watchmakers in 1962 to work on a quartz movement and succeeded. It launched only a few months after the Astron, and was known as the Beta 21. 

Unfortunately for the Swiss, the movement was much larger, heavier and power hungry than those made by the Japanese. Within only a few years the Japanese continued to improve their movements at a rate that the Swiss couldn't match. Despite the introduction of the Beta 22 movement which was much thinner, the whole project was cancelled in 1975. Unfortunately for the Swiss, by 1975 Seiko alone managed to ship 1.7 million quartz watches and an astonishing 25 million by 1980.

The Japanese succeeded at a much faster rate than the others for three reasons. Firstly, the associated micro-electronics industry booming at that time in Japan, allowing for easy sourcing of parts and expertise. Secondly, the US watch companies focused more on high-end electronic and digital watches like the Pulsar. Finally, Switzerland had little to no experience building the electronic components required to put into the quartz movement, so their movements were big, bulky, and lower quality with higher power consumption. Seiko vertically integrated the production, making every part themselves. They still do this, and this led to their success at bringing the costs down (as well as improving the mechanism and patenting their improvements).

Unfortunately for the Swiss, two other things hit the watchmaking industry at the same time; a sharp rise in interest rates and a sharply appreciating currency against the US Dollar. Swiss interest rates had been around 3% and the currency was pegged at a fixed rate to the US Dollar until 1971. This was a very stable period for the Swiss watchmaking industry and it was able to sell into the United States with great success. 

In the late 1960s, Governments around the world were struggling to deal with bouts of high inflation after nearly 20 years of relatively low inflation. The decision to de-peg currencies and for each country to regain full control over monetary policy is known as the "end of Bretton Woods", and had dramatic consequences.

When the Swiss Franc de-pegged from the US Dollar, the Swiss National Bank, in charge of the money supply and interest rates, decided to fight inflation very sharply. This raised interest rates and the Swiss Franc appreciated quickly. This meant that anything exported from Switzerland to other countries was much more expensive. The scale of the rise was extraordinary. In the first 18 months from the start of 1972, the Swiss Franc gained 29% against the dollar. By the start of 1975 it was another 14% higher, and by 1978 it was another 38% higher. Interest rates reached 10% in 1974 in Switzerland and the country experienced a recession. 

This combination of technological change, high interest rates, and a severe loss of price competitiveness in their largest market saw many Swiss companies go bankrupt. The brands folded and many of the suppliers. Over the course of the decade employment in the industry fell 60%, and over 40k people lost their jobs. Many famous brands closed down almost entirely, and while some have been resurrected today, many are still gone. 

The history of the watchmaking industry has many fascinating periods, but like all history is complicated and always depends on the viewpoint of the historian. Making it simple to understand is a key aim for The Watch Collectors' Club, as understanding brand history is often very important for watch collectors. Many people enjoy learning about where watches have come from, what inspired them, and how the technology was developed. We hope to bring more historical information to you in an easy-to-understand manner. If you liked this article, please let us know, and also tell anyone else you know who might be interested. Our events always include some informative content, and all the details can be found on our events page.

What was the quartz crisis? Was the quartz crisis the only problem for the Swiss watch industry?

What happened to the Swiss Watch Industry in the 1970s

An explanation of why the Swiss Watch Industry collapsed in the 1970s.

The Swatch watch is an icon for many reasons. It is a design icon. A low cost option who need to wear a watch as a tool to tell the time. It helped save the largest watch company in the world, and it has pioneered the display of radical modern artwork on watch faces and straps. It has inspired young people to love watches and collect interesting models. It introduced rubber straps which are now being sold by the very finest watchmakers on earth. It comes in more colours and designs than you can imagine, is sold everywhere, and the best thing of all? When the battery runs out they will replace it for free in store.

The Swatch was launched in 1983 and was an instant hit. The simple looks, accurate quartz mechanism, waterproof case and comfortable rubber strap all at a low price, were very appealing to the public. Bright advertising with Red and Blue watches, and brochures full of fun activities showed this was an exciting watch for all ages. 

Lightness on the wrist and a range of small sizes made it very easy to wear. Within a couple of years of launch, the company responsible for this watch, then called ETA, were producing all kinds of crazy designs. They were limited edition, often in conjunction with up and coming young artists, and were released in what today we call "drops", launch events at swatch stores where people queued for hours to get one.

The watch has been hugely popular ever since, selling over 100 million in itd first 10 years.

The goal of the ETA company was to produce a low-cost watch that was still Swiss Made. At the time the industry was under intense competition from very low-cost digital and quartz watches that flooded onto the world market in the 1970s from Japanese companies such as Seiko and Citizen . The Swiss watch industry struggled and consolidated. To get the price down they had to not just make something powered by a quartz electric movement, they had to be able to make it cheaply too. 

The answer was to make it out of plastic. This was radical at the time as Switzerland was a country famous for centuries of case making, but a plastic injection moulding machine was cutting edge and extremely expensive. The ETA company (now Swatch Group) bought one and it took them 15 months to make a prototype work.

They welded the case together and reduced the whole thing to 51 parts, far lower than any other watch made in Switzerland. The original design was all black with a black dial, but the most obvious way to stand out was to use different colours of plastics. This led to the explosion of designs that are the hallmark of the range.

Swatch remains an enormous watch brand, with a range of products across different price points. Over the last 40 years, they have added Chronographs, all metal versions, new movements, other interesting functions, and of course, numerous limited editions are on sale at any one time.

Most interestingly, they now have a service where you can design your own Swatch. Using the template of a see-through Swatch in two sizes, they provide different imagery for you to move around until you get exactly the design you want on your watch. They do collaborations and have both geometric and visual images to choose from. This is a fantastic way to get a unique watch at a reasonable cost. The images available change regularly, so it is worth checking every now and again to see if something catches your eye.

How did Swatch watches get made? What made Swatch so popular?

Articles by Hamish Robertson