Interview: John Simonian, Wrist Watch Entrepreneur, Owner of Westime Los Angeles
He pointed out the outline of tape on the floor. That will be my desk. He preferred I not take pictures of him at his temporary desk. A handyman was drilling audibly in the other room while on a ladder. This is John Simonian's new office space. A short stroll from the previous location, no doubt the shrewd businessman took advantage of depressed real estate market to upgrade his surroundings �� roughly tripling the size of his domain. Though most people who indirectly do business with John won't ever see it, save for a few select clients who are fortunate. Simonian is the owner of Westime, the popular luxury watch store situated around the corner off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Though he really does a lot more than that.The watch don is friendly at his desk. His own office includes a conference table and toys. I recognize the wisdom of having company meetings in the room he feels most comfortable in, that is him. Soft in his tone and extremely congenial, my impressions of John all b

MKII Vantage for Epaulet
I'll start this post with a disclaimer: by the time I had a chance to write about the watch that inspired this post, it was sold out. I decided it was worth writing about anyway, since it is a beautiful watch by an interesting brand, being sold at a fantastic store. That watch, of course, is the MKII Vantage for Epaulet. The now discontinued and sold out MKII Vantage is an homage to the timeless Rolex Explorer. There is a fairly thorough history of the Rolex here, but to briefly summarize the Explorer was designed to commemorate the Everest expedition by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. It was designed to be highly legible, extra durable and function in wide range of temperatures �� That is to say, be ready for adventure. The look of the watch just exudes purpose and elegance. It is the kind of watch that can be worn in any circumstance and with probably any piece of attire.The Vantage keeps the Explorer dial, but is quite different in some other ways. Here is a side-by-si

Zenith's New Lacquer Dial El Primero Offers A More Refined Take On A Sporty Classic
During the week of SIHH, Zenith took over a palatial suite at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Geneva, where we were shown an addition to the brand's iconic El Primero lineup. The new model features a lacquer dial, in either black or white (both equally attractive options, if I may say so myself). The fact that this model commands only a few hundred dollars more than its non-lacquered counterpart makes it a worthwhile choice for anyone with a penchant for in-house movements, refined sporty design, and modern watches with respectable lineage. 1 OF 6 First, let's take a quick look at some technical aspects. Inside the 42 mm (x 12.75 mm) stainless-steel case is Zenith's in-house El Primero 400 B, a self-winding movement that features 50 hours of power reserve. The movement measures 30 mm in diameter and contains a column-wheel chronograph mechanism as well as a date function (visible through an aperture between 4 and 5 o'clock). 2 OF 6 Caliber El Pr

Breaking News: The Swatch Group Announces Stephen Urquhart��s Decision To Retire, And Names Omega��s New President
Major news out of Biel, Switzerland, this morning: The Swatch Group has announced the appointment of a new president at Omega, following Stephen Urquhart's decision to retire.Mr. Urquhart, 69, had been Omega's president and CEO since 1999, and was an important member of the Swatch Group Extended Group Management Board. He retires in June, but will continue to work closely with Omega as a consultant on special projects. His decision comes during a crucial time for Omega, just weeks after Baselworld and months before the Summer Olympics in Rio, its single largest communications operation of the year.Replacing him at the top on June 1 will be Raynald Aeschlimann. Mr. Aeschlimann has been a member of the Extended Group Management Board since 2013, and currently serves as the Vice President and International Director of Sales at Omega.In a separate communiqu��, the Swatch Group announced the departure of another member of the Extended Group Management Board. Responsible for the group's legal

Yin and Yang
Separated at birth. I realize many collectors have a singular focus be it on brands, complications, military watches whatever. My own collection, while from time to time has been weighted towards certain brands, today spans a broad range. Patek holds just one position in the collection, this 5711. I have been thinking about adding another but up to now have not done so.I appreciate the knowledge shared here, thanks to all for their input.