Million Dollar Club 2012: Watch Advertising at All-Time High
In an exclusive report in the upcoming May-June issue of WatchTime, we reveal which watch brands are spending the most on advertising in 2012, a record year for watch-company ad spending, and we provide a complete list of the 60 brands that spent more than $1 million on ads. Watch brands spent more on U.S. advertising in 2012 than ever before. Total spending reached $399.74 million, up 9.3 percent over 2011, according to Kantar Media, which tracks advertising across all media channels. Sixty watch brands spent more than $1 million on advertising, up from 54 brands in 2011. To make the list of the Top 25, a firm had to spend over $3.63 million compared to $3.43 million a year earlier.Ad spending was up for the third consecutive year, after falling sharply in the recession year of 2009. The 2012 total surpassed the previous record of $388 million set in 2007, and was a sign of a continuing recovery in the U.S. watch market.The big spender last year, as usual, was Rolex, with a U.S. ad bu

F.P. Journe Octa Sport
F.P. Journe's affinity for aluminum and its incredible lightness of being continues with the new Octa Sport �C the second creation in Journe's Sport line. It follows last year's Centigraphe Sport, the first watch created entirely from aluminum (movement, case, dial and bracelet). The new Octa Sport weighs in at a mere 53 grams, and its automatic movement tips the scale at only 11 grams. The Octa Sport does not use standard aluminum which is soft and which oxidizes. Rather, it uses an aluminum alloy used in aeronautics. To create fine timepieces using aluminum required Journe to perfect different methods of processing to make the aluminum scratch resistant and give it anti-corrosive and anti-allergic properties. Journe even produced alloys in appropriate colors to produce desired contrasts.Like all Journe watches, the Octa Sport movement maintains high horology standards. Though fashioned from aluminum alloy, the automatic caliber FPJ 1300-3 offers an adjustable-intertia, free-sprung bal

Swatch Group Acquires Harry Winston
The Swatch Group and Harry Winston announced today, January 14th, 2013, that Swiss Swatch Group has acquired the entirety of the Harry Winston jewelry and timepiece division. That is all of Harry Winston except its diamond mining division which was not acquired by Swatch Group (nor sold as far as we know). Back in October Reuters announced that Harry Winston was searching for a buyer for its timepiece and jewelry division. Though popular, it was a widely known fact that Harry Winston was in a money losing position from a business perspective and was rumored to have been seeking a buyer for at least a little while.Now only a few months later, a buyer has emerged. We'd say that it didn't take long for Harry Winston and the Swatch Group to begin acquisition negotiations and to reach a deal. According to the Swatch Group, the terms of the purchase include 100% of the United States shares of HW Holdings Inc. - parent company of Harry Winston Inc. While the Swatch Group now has control of al

PO2500 vs. SM300 Master Co-Axial
I'm thinking of selling my PO 2500 42mm and replacing it with a SM300 Master Co-Axial. I love the PO but something about the SM300 keeps drawing me in. Anyone else with a PO 2500 who made this trade? I'm worried I'll regret letting the PO go but feel the SM300 might be the better overall, everyday watch especially in an office environment.I have a similar thread over at watchuseek, just looking for thoughts/ideas. Thanks.

Diamond dot dial? Best place?
Hi peeps, I hope everyone is doing well :).I would like to purchase a diamond dot dial for my wife's 1972 datejust.. this is so it matches mine and we have the ��his & hers' mine is original factory dial. Where in the uk is best to purchase a diamond dot dial from? Any suggestions? Thank you everyone :)