Leather and Lugs: The Making of a Herm��s Watch Strap
Watch straps usually play second fiddle to the watches they hold in place. Not at La Montre Herm��s, which takes its leather goods as seriously as it does its watchmaking. In this feature from the WatchTime archives, Gisbert Brunner explores how a fine leather watch strap is crafted.For many watch fans, connoisseurship stops at the case lugs; the watch strap, a temporary, easily replaced accompaniment, is no more worthy of study than a paper napkin. That isn't fair. Fine watch straps reward scrutiny the same way fine watch movements and cases do. Equipped with a little knowledge of leather-crafting techniques, a connoisseur can become as expert a judge of the former as of the latter.A good place to start one's study is at the world-famous, cr��me-de-la cr��me leather goods company Herm��s. The company makes some 120,000 straps per year, not only for its own collection of Herm��s-brand watches but for those of Parmigiani Fleurier as well.Hermes makes some 120,000 leather straps per year. Eac

Hublot La Cl�� Du Temps Watch, For Time Control Freaks
Pretty wild right? This is the new version of the La Clef du Temps watch. From "La Clef" to "La Cl��," funny enough they both mean "the key of time." The original La Clef du Temps was never originally meant to be an Hublot watch. It was designed for the Confrerie Horlogere under BNB Concept before it went bankrupt. When Hublot bought up the Confrerie and Mathias Buttet, it got the La Clef du Temps with it. I wasn't really too enthused on that watch - writing about the La Clef du Temps here. I later learned that Mathias designed it with the Predator in mind, and the dial was meant to look like a brain.Now the weird movement that is able to speed up and slow down time is back in a new watch called the La Cle du Temps - and it is part of the Hublot Confrerie (a division of exclusive, very high-end Hublot watches). It is in a brand new case to hold the movement (which is a reworked version of the one from a couple of years ago). The watch is now much more futuristic and feels more in line w

Omega Memomatic Alarm Watch Pickup Today...
Here is a reasonably nice and all original example of a 1970's (actually 1969 I think) Omega Memomatic Alarm Watch. I had not heard of this reference previous to finding this one today...very cool history for sure.This watch has a Lemania cal. 2980 derivative movement that is an Omega cal. 980 with a very unique auto winding movement AND alarm and a 48 hour power reserve. This example is case reference 166-072 and comes with the original Omega stainless steel 1170 / 618 bracelet and end pieces. Super cool piece from the very early Seventies!

The $108200.00 Omega Tourbillon Ltd 88 Pieces
A nice TRF member from Australia came to visit in the Washington DC area and I took the opportunity to show him some AD's in our area.We went to the Omega Boutique in Tyson Corner II.And saw this Omega Tourbillon beauty.She is a beauty to behold.

Planet Ocean strap help
I currently have the 45.5 size w/ orange bezel and black rubber strap with the orange stitch.(pic) I was curious if anyone knows how the other straps and bracelets compare.The rubber is extremely comfortable , are the leather straps just as or even more comfortable?How about the steel bracelet?Are the lengths the same? I am currently 2 notches out, so there is not too much room to give.Just wanted to get an overall opinion on the different strap / bracelet options.Thanks for the help !