The creators of the popular DiamondShark.com, the website that sells luxury jewelry in a “bargain-a-day” format,  has just announced the launch of their latest deal per day website, ChronoShark.com.

ChronoShark.com was launched the day after Christmas and offers high quality and name brand watches at low prices… that means a different watch per day for a limited time at a limited price.

Other online watch retailers don’t seem to mind the competition too much…if someone wants to really buy a specific watch; they are not going to wait for days for it to pop up on a daily deals site.  ChronoShark.com is more of a bargain shopper’s haven, where you don’t know what the inventory will be today, but you know whatever it is, it’ll be a great price.

ChronoShark.com features a number of luxury watch brands for men and women including, Movado, Seiko, Techonomarine, Bulova, Citizen, ESQ, Invitca, etc.  However, compared to other deal-a-day sites, we really have to take our hats off to ChornoShark.com.  The website actually has exact item descriptions and links to other sites so you can comparison shop for that particular deal.  Also, by signing up for the email newsletter, you don’t have to go to the website everyday, the deals along with coupons will come directly to your inbox.

It’s a great idea for a luxury watch industry retailers, especially during this economy because consumers are looking for price cuts and bargains for their favorite luxury products.  According to ChornoShark.com:

“ChronoShark.com was created by experts in the jewelry industry that have used their extensive connections and network of suppliers to provide consumers with the absolute lowest prices possible on exquisite watches.”

Definitely a bargain!

Boy, have we come a long way when it comes to telling time.  You wouldn’t believe what some of our ancestors were wearing back in the day.  In the 1500’s the first timepieces to be worn were called clock-watches. A clock-watch got its name for obvious reasons; it was the perfect size between a clock and a watch.  Could you imagine how big those things were?  They only had an hour hand and they had to be wound twice a day.  One thing that stayed the same was the fact that the good watches were expensive and the rich and the famous usually had the chance to play with new fashions before it hit mainstream.

So after the failure of the clock-watch (inaccuracy and poor movement) the pocket watch was born in the 1600’s.  Of course fashion influenced the invention of the pocket watch.  According to history, pocket watches were created when Charles II of England introduced the waistcoat to gentlemen around the world.  The pocket watch was pretty popular, they are still around today, but accuracy came in 1657 when the balance spring was invented, 1765 when temperature compensations and chronometers came to light, 1800 when the lever escapement was invented by Thomas Mudge, 1850 when humanity realized mass production could cause pop culture obsessions, and 1900 when materials got a little more creative.

All this lead to the invention of the wristwatch, which women had been wearing for a long time before it became “manly”.  The first wristwatches were called trench watches and they had the same movements as pocket watches and were larger than what we know wrist watches to be today. In the 1930’s pocket watches finally became history as John Harwood created the self-winding system in 1923 and changed watch making forever.

Since the first wristwatch, Electric watches were created in 1950 and Quartz watches were created in 1969. Even though we’ve made wrist watches better through digital technology, we still haven’t really derived from the original design.

However, some say the cell phone is the new watch, which is an arguable point…but with so many watch enthusiast out there; I doubt we really give up their wristwatches and stick with cell phones.

Sometimes at the Watch Digest, we just love to admire luxury watches; we are talking about over the top luxury watches.  Luxury watches that even a celebrity may hesitate before buying.  So what brand embodies the ultimate in luxurious excess and over the top luxury?  Why Dior of course!

As a tribute to all things excessive and over the top, here are three of our favorite Dior luxury watches.  Just like Dior, we torture ourselves and our readers with over the top diamonds and glitz in the middle of a recession… but just because you look, doesn’t mean you have to buy.

First up is a watch form Dior’s  “La D de Dior” collection;  a stainless steel watch with a mother of pearl dial, bezel, and 38 mm case.  Doesn’t sound too extravagant?  How about 61 diamonds on the dial in a spiral design, 60 diamonds on the bezel and a pearl grey crocodile strap?  This watch is also available in a number of designs including my favorite, a leopard print dial with 135 diamond dial, black crocodile strap, and 60 diamond bezel.

This watch is from the very popular Dior Christal collection and is entitled the Dior Christal Black 28 mm for obvious reasons including its 28 mm case diameter, bracelet with 1 row of black sapphire crystals, black lacquered dial, 16 diamonds, and 50 meter water resistance.

How expensive can a man’s watch get? You’d be surprised.  This is the Dior Homme Chiffre Rouge A05 Black Time Automatic Chronograph and its technical specification will tell its story. This Dior watch comes with a Swiss made movement, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 42 minimum hours of power reserve, stainless steel coating, stainless steel crown with Guilloche pattern, automatic chronograph, 41 mm case diameter, black sun brushed dials, silver snailed counters, tachymeter scale, convex sapphire crystal face, luminous indexes, polished silver hands, enlarged hour and minute markers, read push button dater, 50 m of water resistance, and a 2 year warranty.

So don’t let the recession get you too down… remind yourself that timepieces are pieces of art, so its okay to admire them from afar until you start your own collection

Today Amazon.com released that its 14th holiday season was its best ever.  It’s really amazing that regardless of the economic concerns over the holiday, online shopping came up strong.  Amazon.com released that over 6.3 million items were ordered worldwide on online shopper’s busiest day; December 15th…. that’s 72.9 items per second!
(Source:  weltonline.com)

However, the most exciting part of Amazon.com statistics are the top selling watches.  It’s like opening a Christmas present here at the Watch Digest… what watches sold the best?  Well, here’s a closer look at all the best watch sellers this holiday season at Amazon.com.

1. Invicta Men’s Pro Diver Stainless Steel Watch was one of Amazon.com’s top selling watches this holiday season.  The Invicta Men’s Pro diver Stainless Steel watch is designed for divers and is water resistant for up to 100 meters.  It has a stainless steel 44.5 diameter case with a white dial, luminous hands and markers, glare proofed sapphire crystal, day and date function, Swiss quartz movement, and a unidirectional bezel.

2. Citizen’s Eco-Drive Men’s Chronograph Canvas Watch was also a top seller with Amazon.com online shoppers this holiday season.  The Citizen’s watch is a big favorite of “green movement”.  Not only is the citizen Eco-Drive Men’s Chronograph Canvas watch ecologically friendly, it’s also solar powered with a military green nylon strap.  This top selling watch features a date calendar, luminous hands and markers, and a stainless steel bezel polished case.

3. Last, but not least, the Movado Men’s Juro Stainless Steel Watch rounded out the top selling online watches at Amazon.com.  The Movado Men’s Juro (Read more at Movado Watch Blog) has a Swiss quartz movement, scratch resistant sapphire crystal, stainless steel case with black dial, stainless steel bracelet, and 99 feet of water resistance.
Well, that rounds out the top watches this holiday sold at Amazon.com.

Hopefully, this will give Movado, and others, the boost they need to make it through these economic times…

Happy Holidays

We are not exactly sure why this watch appeals to us on so many levels; maybe it’s the unique design that catches our eye, not necessarily out of awe… but out of confusion.  When we first saw this watch we asked ourselves, what are the numbers for, what is the moving black dot for, and why do we like it so much?

We couldn’t answer all the questions but we can admit that a.b.art’s Swiss Made Serie O Watch 101 is pretty awesome.  a.b.art Swiss Made is a watch brand that boast “unostentatious design” for men and women.  In their exact words:

“a.b.art is different. a.b.art is authentic. We’re not about glitter and glamour but much rather about sophisticated beauty, low-key shapes and materials as well as high Swiss quality. a.b.art is an expression of the passion and care with which watches are being produced in this Swiss company day in and day out.
a.b.art – authentic and basic art.”

The company was started in 1991 by Alexander Burhans in Germany and has produced watches that should be in art museums, heads tilted and all.

But, let’s talk about this particular watch.   This is the O101 from the a.b.art’s men’s collection. The first thing you notice about the watch is all the dots. The dots represent the quartz movement with 31 hole date indicator.  The black dot rotates to the number with the correct day.  The a.b.art O101 also has a silver steel brushed case with a silver dial and sapphire glare proofed crystal.  It comes in a black or brown leather strap with a stainless steel buckle.

Desperate times call for desperate measures; I guess the old saying is true.  It seems that the best opportunities and show of human ingenuity come at the times when it’s not so easy.  To be honest, the watch industry has been really struggling with the state of the current economy for many reasons.  First, luxury items are the first to go in a recession and two, bargain shopping is aggressive for those who are still shopping luxury items… so the lowest price wins.  However, WatchChoice.com has launched a new luxury watch website that help retailers get a little closer to consumers and help consumers get a little closer to the bargains they are so desperately seeking.

And consumers are seeking choices that why WatchChoice.com is a site that displays luxury watch inventories from watch dealers in US, Europe, and Asia.  Right now, approximately 30 dealers have signed up and about 16,000 new luxury watches and used luxury watches are listed for sale.   The site is a great opportunity for watch retailers for a number of reasons.  First, it gives them a chance to highlight their inventory compared to other dealers; secondly, it gives them a chance to tap into customers that otherwise may not have came across their boutique or site, and thirdly it gives them a chance to keep an eye on the competition.  Glenn Palmer, the Managing Director of WatchChoice.com had these things to say:

“With the economy placing increasing pressure on buyer’s wallets, choosing the right luxury watch at the right price has become even more important than ever…”

“A sign that value is becoming more important is that we are seeing that good quality second hand luxury watches have become even more attractive as an affordable alternative to a new luxury watch as a way of having the watch you want on your wrist, at a price you can afford. For example, thousands of dollars can be saved by buying something like a second hand rather than new Rolex in perfect condition…”

“WatchChoice.com attributes part of its success to watch dealers looking for cost effective ways to highlight their luxury watch stock in a slowing market where buyers are becoming harder to come by. We are very pleased with the quality of dealers that have signed with WatchChoice.com at this early stage and we are working hard to build the variety of luxury watches and dealers represented on the site….”

We definitely agree with Mr. Palmer; retailers are so behind when it comes to online technologies and social shopping, it’s about time the watch industry decided to take a closer look at the internet and how they could leverage it to increase sales.  But don’t take our word for it; check it out for yourself at www.watchchoice.com.

I really want to talk about Marc Newson’s brand, Ikepod, and its new watch collection, Solaris revealed at Art Basel Miami Beach.  Mike Newson has had the same watch design for years and the Solaris steps out the box and brings us innovation, sleekness, artistic touches, and awe inspiring designs.

Unfortunately my dilemma is that not much is known about Mike Newson’s Solaris, however, we do know that only about 600 will be made, it features a two-faced ceramic case design and different colors of gold mesh bracelets.  We also know that the wearer can flip the whole thing over.  The more I find out I will let you know!

Happy Holidays

1. The fact that it took Rodolphe 7 years create the Instinct watch
2. How watchmakers around the globe seem to constantly copy his design… imitation is the best form of flattery
3. The way the instinct looks! It makes us feel all special in the inside, a mix between James Bond and The Terminator
4. The passion that seeps from the watch.  You can tell just by looking at it that Rodulphe loved this watch and put his heart into making it
5. The way the bezel is perfectly visible under the watch case, especially for those of us who love to try and figure out how things work
6. The way the crown is perfectly visible under the watch case
7. The tonneau shape of the watch case, the way it resembles a rounded rectangle and bulges sleekly away from the strap
8. The elegant contours, curves, and nooks of the watch
9. The fact that every time we look at this watch we find something new
10. How every watch in the Instinct collection is shocking different and slightly the same
11. The vertical electronic time display on the IN.5456.T102 (above)
12. The strap on the IN.5053.CC.TT.118, which we like to call “starry night”
    
13. The three connected dials on the IN.5053.CC.TT.110
    
14. The basket motif like squares on the IN.5053.T.103
    
15. The complexity of the dials on the IN.5053.CC.QZ.123.  Three dials overlap in one larger dial while the actual time sits of to the side in a separate dial.
    

Linde Werdelin has designed the perfect Christmas watch this holiday season, right on time for The Watch Digest to suggest our first last minute holiday gift idea; The Hard Green DLC Watch.

The Hard Green DLC Watch by Linde Werdelin is a limited edition watch of 22 pieces marked with unique numbers.  And these are not just any numbers, these numbers have been blasted onto the Hard Green DLC Watch by carbon which would make them the hardest numbers around; well almost, only numbers made with diamonds would be stronger.  However, most importantly, the combination of carbon blasting and watch making makes the Hard Green DLC durable and perfect for hard core sports.

Although the Hard Green DLC Watch by Linde Werdelin is available with a silver dial design… the green bracelet and case with the red dial and silver hour markers and hands make this watch perfect for Christmas.

For those of you who have not heard of Linde Werdelin, here is a little background.  The company was started by Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin in 2002 as a way to develop a luxury sports watch that sports enthusiast could clip digital instruments onto for timing and measuring.  Both guys were pretty well established before the partnership.  Morten Linde was a famous Danish designer who created the Copenhagen public park chairs and Jorn Werdelin came from a family of jewelry professionals whose grandfather opened the family boutique. However, Jorn’s success came in investment banking and off-psite skiing which eventually led to his obsession with luxury sports watches.

According to europa star, Rolex has designed a new training for watchmakers that will be required at all Rolex sponsored schools in the United States. Rolex is a leader in watch education with over 200 students graduating from Rolex programs and with over 1.6 million dollars of endowments annually.

The new Rolex watchmaking program was constructed to up the principles of watchmaking training and education in the United States.  The new curriculum will be overseen by Swiss American Watchmakers Training Alliance (SAWTA) that includes representatives from Rolex, Rolex sponsored schools, Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Education Program (WOSTEP) and the American Watchamkers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI).  SAWTA is a newly formed alliance owned
by Rolex. The new curriculum was also created to make sure students are able to acquire the skills needed to achieve AWCI and WOSTEP certification.

The AWCI, a member of the SAWTA, offers a number of credentials to students including Certified Watchmaker 21, Certified Clockmaker 21, and Certified Master of the Institute.  They also have a number of certification in development including Certified Master Watchmaker 21, Certified Master Clockmaker 21, Watch Specialist, and Watch Technician.  The organization was founded in 1960 and by the American Watchmakers Institute, which was the first unified horological organization. The WOSTEP, the other collaborative representative in SAWTA, also offers a number of certifications and courses including the Chronographs Course, Turning Course, Train the Trainers, Introduction to Precision Timing, and many more.

The new Rolex curriculum will culminate to a comprehensive final examine where students who pass will receive individual certifications from AWCI, WOSTEP, and SAWTA.