Forging The Magrette Regattare Carbon Watch
When you think of the watches coming from New Zealand-based Magrette, you might be tempted to write them off as "seen one, seen them all." While it is true that they follow a particular design style, there are some interesting variations across the lineup (not to mention the heavily-engraved series). Their latest, the Magrette Regattare Carbon, definitely ups the ante for the brand.As you might surmise from the name of the watch, carbon fiber makes its debut here for the brand. Rather than just slapping a CF dial on the watch and calling it a day, Magrette has gone?in a much more interesting direction: they created a 44mm forged carbon case (yes, just like Linde Werdelin?and Audemars Piguet). This alone makes for an interesting change up, as they commonly have featured steel cases in the past (with one notable brass/bronze case).As would befit a case with this mix of strength and lighter weight, the non-carbon bits you can touch (caseback and crown) are made from titanium, and the crys

The Rise Of The Boutique-Exclusive Watch
Swiss watch making is all about control. Parts are machined within tolerances of one thousandth of a micron. Assembly is done in near-clinical environments. External influences such as moisture, temperature, position and magnetism are not allowed to interfere with the operation of these precision machines. This quest for mechanical perfection has always been the case but in recent times, this desire for control has reached out ever further.Brand image is tightly policed, whether it is a no-expense-spared advertising campaign featuring a Hollywood luminary, a carefully worded statement from the company CEO or an artfully massaged representation of the brand history on the corporate website.So far 'so in-house,' and the problem begins when you want to sell your products to the public. For years, watch brands have built partnerships with retailers to develop a distribution network. Using a variety of ��carrot and stick' techniques they try to ensure that their products are sold in the ��rig

Invicta Gigantus: Prime Example Of Big Watches Getting Too Massive
The trend today is for watches to grow ever bigger. In an age of miniaturization, this may not make sense, but remember it is style, not technology that we are talking about. Because watches are meant to be seen, more and more new watches are showing up in larger dimensions. Standard sized watches of the past (say 38mm) for a men's watch is now considered almost petite. And finding a 36mm or smaller men's watch is almost unseen. Invicta now takes watches in the more than 50mm dimensions. Definitely noticeable.Pictures and images of these watches are really not enough to get a good grasp of just how big these watches are. Imagine wearing a size whose diameter is almost the same as the top of a can. Make that circle with your hands and imagine it on your wrist. That needs to be a damn impressive watch to take up so much wrist real estate.Invicta has been making watches for a while now, and is based out of Florida. With aggressive marketing and often bold designs, they find a good market

Bell & Ross Launches New Website: Easy on the Eyes, Not Easy on the Wallet
Let's face it, sometimes we're drawn to a timepiece not by its physical merits or its history, but by the image it projects. In our information-saturated era, what can set a watch company apart from the rest are the stories it tells. (Tested in ejection seats! First to the top of Everest!) Marketing is a huge component of a watch company's budget and this includes the press events, celebrity ambassadors and advertising. But a company's website is its front door, often the first place someone experiences a watch, whether he's in Topeka or Tokyo. So it pays to get it right. Bell & Ross has always been a company that has leaned heavily on its marketing and its storytelling. And with the launch of the company's new Website, their online presence carries this even further forward.The new website is fresh and uncluttered and easy to navigate. B&R's three lines - Aviation, Marine and Vintage stand front and center on the splash page and there are audio cues to get your juices flowing - a crac

We are a big family
Next the black nubuck alligator on the way.. Love the panerai strap madness