Ball Engineer II Magneto S Watch With Iris Anti-Magnetic Caseback
Perhaps the most exciting new Ball watch from Baselworld 2014 was not yet complete, but we did get to play with a prototype. It is the Engineer II Magneto S watch, and it offers a distinct approach to offering a modern anti-magnetic timepiece. In a nutshell, here is how it works. The bezel of the watch actually operates an iris-style shield that opens and closes over the movement. Ball calls this new system "A-PROOF" and it is being debuted here in the Engineer II Magneto watch.Of course, A-PROOF comes at a time when anti-magnetic is "hot" thanks to Omega's >15,000 Gauss watch and new Master Co-Axial movements. Omega's approach is more passive and automatic in the sense that their movements aren't really magnetic at all, so therefore they simply don't react to most magnetic fields. Ball takes a more interactive approach that, while perhaps a bit less practical, makes for a good tool tech toy. Ball claims that most of their anti-magnetic watches are resistant to about 12,000 A/m, whi

BEST FROM: watches-dealer & Friends August 30th
It's the end of August and we take a close look at Panerai's new tourbillon pocket watch and also what some diehard Paneristis think about the direction the brand is taking. Elsewhere, we review IWC's very classy new Portuguese Chronograph Classic, Schofield's exquisite Signalman DLC and Chanel's very shiny J12 Chromatic. Lastly, we check out Ball's stealthy Engineer Hydrocarbon Black and Harry Winston's new watches for this year.1. IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic Watch Review2013 is the year of the Ingenieur for IWC, but that has not stopped them from updating their Portuguese collection. New for this year is the Portuguese Chronograph Classic, which should not be seen as a replacement for the standard Portuguese Chronograph, but rather as a higher-end alternative. In this article, we detail the differences between the two and tell you all you need to know about this new offering from IWC.Source: watches-dealer2. Chanel J12 Chromatic Watch ReviewAlthough Chanel was not the first to

Swarovski Octea Sport Ladies' Watch
Swarovski is making bold moves, ladies! (Guys, be at least idly aware).While other brands are scaling back and trying to focus on how to stay relevant in these times - Swarovski is taking their beloved crystals and developing their own line of watches, to properly exhibit the beauty - on a timepiece.My initial thought upon seeing the new line of watches from Swarovski was that it looks so familiar I tried to think of the exact predominantly women's brands that it reminded me of, and then I realized - all of them. Chanel - Dior - Nixon - Tag Heuer.You cannot escape those immediate parallels. The comparisons to the Dior Christal Collection and the Chanel J12 are too clear. But, with changing markets and a severe change in consumer spending, it is adaptations like this - with crystal instead of sapphires or diamonds - that will really help people and brands carry through to the other side of this recession. Give them what they want - compromise a little it - and still get a great prod

Which Geneva Location?
Hi all,I'm headed to Geneva next week and plan on stopping by AP and Patek (Museum and boutique). I see that AP has a few locations, which one is the one not to miss?Thanks as always!!

How do ROO's look when used/abused? Please help with pics or info
Hi everyone,I'm thinking of picking up my very first Audemars Piguet. In a separate thread, I was discussing which of the ROO models to get and I have yet to try them on to decide on which one to settle for. However, looking forward, I wanted to know how these watches look after a little bit of abuse. I have seen Rolex submariners/Explorers being used hardI have seen Panerai's being used like they should I have also seen some Aquanauts and Nautilus' used hard and lovedThese all (to me) look good when they are abused, and little hairline scratches here and there only give character to the watch. I vaguely recall seeing a few Royal Oak Offshores being used hard. But cannot locate those threads or pictures anymore (that was some years ago) I have heard that ROO's, like any AP (even the RO) get scratches pretty easily due to the numerous polishings and finishings on the watch. I was just wondering if anyone could kindly provide some photos/or point me towards photos or threads which show j