In Surprise Ruling, COMCO Halts Swatch Group Escapement Cuts
Switzerland's Competition Commission (COMCO) has ruled that it would be premature to allow the Swatch Group to reduce supplies of assortments (i.e. the regulating organ of a mechanical movement: escape wheel, pallet lever, balance wheel and balance spring) that it sells to Swiss watch brands outside the group. While favoring a continued reduction in supplies of mechanical watch movements, COMCO halted further cuts in assortments supplies. It rejected a proposed plan for a gradual reduction of both movements and assortments through 2021 and 2025 respectively. The surprise ruling is the latest development in a drama that has gripped the Swiss watch industry for two years. At issue is whether the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch company and the dominant supplier of mechanical movements and parts to Swiss watch brands, can legally reduce those supplies. In June 2011 the Swatch Group declared its intention to cut supplies and asked COMCO to investigate the matter. At Swatch's reque

How The Talk Of Time Has Changed
How we see time influences how we communicate and perceive time. Time for some people is waiting for hands on a dial to move into position, while for others it is carefully watching seconds precisely count away on a digital display. When I was growing up the terms "analog" and "digital" only had reference to clock and watch faces. It was not until I was a bit older did I realize those words had meaning not related to telling the time.If someone were to ask you what time it was and the analog dial above represented the picture on your watch, what would say? You could say it is just after noon, or half past 12. You might say that it is 12:30, or 'about' 12:30. Or you might not say anything at all and just show them your watch face for them to read in their own way. It fascinates me how reading the time comes in so many flavors. Most of them based on how we subjectively see the time.In the first grade I was taught how to read an analog clock dial in school. I recall the lessons pretty wel

Are Royal Oak (not Offshore) WR Ratings Conservative?
Hi All,Thinking of getting onto the Royal Oak bandwagon and wondering if AP are like Rolex in that their watches can handle depths much greater than what they were rated for? or if their WR Ratings are really the max you should take them to? OR if they shouldn't get wet at all?I'm the kind of guy who doesn't want to think about watches when I go about my day whether I'm at the gym, surfing, rock climbing etc.Looking particularly at either a 15300ST or the 15450STThanks all!

Boom ! Clap !!
So I finally got one sealed and to be quiet honest, I'm moderately underwhelmed. Not sure why they are in such demand as my 5167 is a better go to piece IMO. Anyway, not sure if I gong to keep it or flip it at this point. Cheers.

Calatrava Appreciation Thread...
While there are so many beautiful Complications and Grand Complications that Patek makes, I thought it would be nice to show some love and appreciation for the simpler time pieces that Patek makes.... So let's show some love for the Calatrava's....:c lap: