Journal

Notes from the bench

Christian writes about the pieces, the people and the ateliers behind them.

Close-up front view of a gold Patek Philippe with black dial, applied gold numerals, small seconds and brown strap
Collecting · Épargne – details of a black épargne dial on a Patek Philippe 2584 How a black épargne dial by Cadran Stern is made, shown on a Patek Philippe 2584, including the pickage and limage methods.
Urban Jürgensen reference 2 in yellow gold with cream dial, moon phase window and brown alligator strap
Auctions · Urban Jürgensen reference 2 in yellow gold at Bonhams Rasmussen An Urban Jürgensen reference 2 in yellow gold, with box and blank certificate, came up at Bonhams Rasmussen on 19 September as Lot 423.
Andersen Genève Rising Sun jumping hour with a guilloché dial, hour aperture and small seconds
Atelier · Andersen Genève Rising Sun – the jumping hour mechanism Details of the jumping hour module of the Andersen Genève Rising Sun, built on a Frédéric Piguet base movement finished at the Andersen atelier.
Omega Speedmaster Professional on a black strap, photographed for the Bonhams catalogue
Auctions · Anatoly Solovyev’s Omega Speedmaster at Bonhams A 1989 Omega Speedmaster Professional worn by cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev on two spacewalks, offered at Bonhams in July 2023.
Gold hunter-case pocket watch by Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen with perpetual calendar and moon phase
Collecting · Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen – perpetual calendar with pivoted detent escapement A Derek Pratt pocket watch for Urban Jürgensen with perpetual calendar, minute repeater and pivoted detent escapement.
Benzinger Unique Blue, blue guilloché dial with white subsidiary seconds ring
Collecting · Benzinger “Unique Blue” A Benzinger “Unique Blue” with a white gold guilloché bezel and a platinum blue guilloché dial and main plate.
Gold hunter pocket watch with silvered dial, sub-dials and moon phase, open on a white glove
Collecting · Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen – perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph and minute repeater A pocket watch by Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen with perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph and minute repeater, on a Louis-Elisée Piguet ébauche.
Urban Jürgensen tourbillon pocket watch by Derek Pratt, yellow gold case with white dial and Roman numerals
People · Derek Pratt – tourbillon pocket watch for Urban Jürgensen A tourbillon pocket watch for Urban Jürgensen made entirely by hand by Derek Pratt, who produced only about a dozen of them.
Pocket watch movement of around 1890 with minute repeater in a red-lined case
Atelier · Unique minute repeater project by Grieb & Benzinger A planned unique minute repeater built from a pocket watch movement of around 1890, rebuilt and redesigned by Hermann Grieb and Jochen Benzinger.
Square white-gold wristwatch with diamond-set bezel, held in the hand
Auctions · Geneva auctions, May 2023 – a personal selection A personal selection of watches sold at the May 2023 auctions in Geneva, from Rolex and Patek Philippe wristwatches to enamelled pocket watches.
Longines Calatrava in a yellow gold case with black épargne dial, gilt Arabic numerals and small seconds
Collecting · Longines Calatrava, 1938 – rare black épargne dial A 1938 Longines Calatrava in a 38 mm 14kt yellow gold case with a rarely seen black épargne dial made by Lemmerich.
Universal Genève Compax chronograph in steel with a silver dial, Arabic numerals, three sub-dials and tachymeter scale
Collecting · Universal Genève Compax, 1941 – 46mm, silver satin big radium dial by Stern A rare Universal Genève Compax from 1941 in a 46mm case, with a silver satin big radium dial by Cadran Stern in original, untouched condition.