Since a few days, WatchUseek (considered to be the no.1 interactive watch portal) has a blog of its own! I am more than happy to announce that I am participating in that blog as well. Ernie Romers and I go a few years back already, and I feel honoured to be able to make some contributions to WatchUseek.

So, keep an eye on the WatchUseek Blog section!

Furthermore, please read my latest contribution to WorldTempus about online communities and their value to collectors/aficionados.

Click here to read my latest chronicle at WorldTempus!

Monaco is one of those cities you really have to visit once every while, just to breathe the atmosphere of luxury lifestyle and jet-setters. Fans of independent watchmaking now have a new (or other) excuse to pay Monaco a visit…  The launch of independent watch manufacturer Les Ateliers deMonaco!

The Ateliers DeMonaco Carré d’Or is a watch that should remind us of the famous and most exclusive squares in the world, located in Monaco between the famous Royal Casino and a number of five star hotels. The Carré d’Or has a convex case design, a patentend Grand Tourbillon movement that uses a sapphire bridge that makes it look like the one minute tourbillon is floating inside the watch.

This watch measures a whopping 44.3mm x 48mm x 15.3mm which demonstrates that the big watches are here to stay! The watch is available in both yellow and white gold.

Les Ateliers DeMonaco have a magnificent website, including their own blog. It covers the recent presentation of the watch (with Prince Albert II of Monaco) and the prototyping of the watch movement. An interesting read for all you die hard watchmaking fans! Click here to visit the Les Ateliers DeMonaco blog!

Pim Koeslag, master horloger of Les Ateliers DeMonaco writes on their website:

“We have always dreamt about making a mechanical watch movement that is the most precise in the world and will keep generations of scientists busy to figure out how we did it”

Hoping to see their watches in the flesh soon, I at least will keep an eye on their blog to keep track of their activities in the world of independent watchmaking and haute horlogerie..

As I wrote in my WorldTempus article last week, Linde Werdelin is one of the few brands that actually listens to its clientele. And even better, they want to give the LW enthusiasts some insight in the things that happen over at this watch company with Danish roots. One of the founders of Linde Werdelin, Morten Linde, is the editor of The Lab blog.  This blog enables you to read about what’s happening behind-the-scene of a watch manufacturer. New product ideas, improvements and even the testing of their watches and instruments. You can provide LW some input by commenting on the posts, like you can here at FratelloWatches!

On the left you’ll see Morten Linde (standing) and on the right (sitting) is Jorn Werdelin, with whom I had the pleasure to meet a few times. After all these posts here at FW, it goes without saying that I am really impressed by this brand. This initiative, The Lab, is just again one of the reasons that I like this brand so much.

As Morten Werdelin puts it in his own words:

“I wanted to establish a direct window of communication between the brand, my creations and those who love the watch industry and like Linde Werdelin watches. There is nothing more satisfying for a designer than to get immediate feedback on his/her thoughts from the person who is ultimately buying those creations. With The Lab, the end consumer is being offered a front seat to observe and interact with the LW universe,” says Morten Linde.

For instance, you are being kept up to date on the progress of the development of their new models, such as the Oktopus. If you have some feedback to give on that, don’t hesitate to use the comments option on The Lab.

I think this is unique for a watch manufacturer. Just as unique as their offer to go and try one of their watches and instruments for five days at no cost or obligation (go here for detailed information).

These are the kind of things that makes it worthwhile for you as a watch aficionado, to check them out! As I have written many times now, their watches are not only unique in terms of design, look & feel, but also for their pro-active marketing strategy. This includes actual listening to their (potential) customers.

After having seen their new collection during the BaselWorld 2009 show, having talked/mailed with some of their staff about their watches, ideas on (e-)marketing and handled some of their watches a few times in the flesh, I ordered a LW 3-Timer (brown dial) myself and I can’t say I have been more excited with any other watch I purchased so far. The pictures of the brown dial version on The Lab help me to get through the waiting time

Related Linde Werdelin posts on FW:

• 2-Timer Review
• Video interview with Morten and Jorn
• The LW collection shown at BaselWorld 2009
• Introduction of the LW Oktopus
• LW SpidoLite Sneak-preview
• LW: A suggestion for the next James Bond movie

I am curious about your opinions on watch manufacturer’s initiatives like these. Please share your thoughts with me by using the comments option below.

Martin, Paneristi and moderator of the Dutch Panerai Forum, started a blog on watches (Panerai mainly) and watch photography, http://www.wristwatchphoto.com The pictures he shows on the various forums are always fabulous, like the picture of the Panerain Submersible (PAM243) below.

To be able to take this shot, Martin had to set the shutter speed of his camera to 1/100th, using two speedlights wrapped into plastic to protect them for the splashing Submersible. Ofcourse, the camera was mounted on a tripod for a steady shot.

To read more about this particular shot and how it was done, please click this link.