The flagship of the Portofino family with its newly developed IWC Hand-Wound collections welcomed the wide spread in replica watches market. The new replica collections are available in a gold case with a slate-colored dial and solid gold marks; or in a stainless-steel case with a silver-plated or black dial and gold-plated marks.
The Portofino stands for elegance and class, but above, for simplicity. The first model in the collection was indeed driven by a pocket-watch movement from the Manufacture in Schaffhausen. At the time, a large men’s watch rarely measured more than 41 to 42 mm in diameter, so the Portofino began counting time in a 46 mm case well before the emergence of big size models. However, it might sound large to you, but the slender lugs and small winding crown will definitely make it wearable on most wrist types and sizes.
Another interesting feature of the replica Portofino is its alligator strap. This alligator strap was imported from Italy, which makes it looking beautiful and will match perfectly with dresses. Quality-wise, the weakest link in a mechanical watch is its movement. Although widely used in the replica market, it remains a new movement that has yet to prove itself over time. Based on its feedback within 5 years, we feel confident the new Hand-Wound movement will be just as reliable.
Despite replica IWC‘s large production numbers, we are proud of being a master in crafting beautiful and perfectly finished watch cases. Moreover, the delicately designed moon phase brings great vitality to the once common-looking design.
Monthly Archives: December 2015
2017, a fresh year for “Swiss Made”
2017 would defiantly be a more meaningful and fresh year for “replica watches Swiss Made”. What is”Swiss Made”? a simple and difficult question at the same time. Lots of watches brands are dedicated to improve their quality and service to meet the requirements of so called”Swiss Made”, while customers tend to believe that timepieces with the logo of “Swiss Made” has high quality with good service. However, start from 2017, “Swiss Made” would mean lots more. This change would be applied from the internal to the outside, even including the watch case, dial, and bracelet. Furthermore, “Swiss Made” is not only can be used in timepieces, it also involved in many other manufactures and industries. After 2017, only products with over 60% cost are created in Swiss and the outside case needed to be produced in Switzerland.
The use of the Swiss Made label for watches is covered by an ordinance of the Federal Council dated December 23, 1971, and a more detailed introduction of this ordinance can be found at the site of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH, here. After doing the math, we end up with legislation that is well over forty years old – and just as the globalize world has come a long way in that time, the legislation is expected to keep up with the pace of those improvements. Starting from Jan 1, 2017, some appealing changes will be used in the “Swissness” law, why they were indispensable, and how brands are expected to react. Also, aBlogtoWatch covered other recent refinements to what Swiss Made means for replica watches here.
On June 21, 2013, the Swiss parliament has voted to support a new “Swissness” law, allowing consultation processes considering its implementation to commence through mid-2015. The purposes are easy to be seen: as a consequence of internationalization and swift developments in manufacturing practices, the presently valid ordinance fails in numerous methods to guard the Swiss Made label and the qualities that it was designed to ensure. Simply put, the concept of “Swiss Made” is being eroded in the eyes of some people in Switzerland, and to preserve the “prestigious” mark the government feels that “Swiss Made” needs to mean just that much more – especially when it comes to watches.
The most obvious problem is that, especially in the low-to-mid price segment, many brands and OEM manufacturers have figured out – and have been harnessing – ways to trick the system and legally label watches as Swiss Made, in spite of the fact that an extremely small fraction of their value has been generated in Switzerland. Sourcing movements and other key components (cases, dials, hands, etc. ) from the Far East is an ordinary method: assembly kits of entire movements are manufactured at an incomparably smaller cost in China, Thailand, and other locations (generally at a significantly substandard level of value) which, along with the other components, are shipped to Switzerland for assembly.
The new law is expected to enter into influence on Jan 1, 2017. From then on, all “Swiss Made” timepieces will have to be manufactured in compliance with the new industry ordinance: the “Swiss Made” design will no longer implement to the only fake watch movement, but will apply instead to the whole watch (with a possible exception of the strap/bracelet), whereas at least 60% of the watch’s manufacturing expenses will have to be realized in Switzerland, with the watch, of course, also being assembled there. A jump from 50 to 60 percent may not sound like much – especially if we consider that it will have taken almost a whole decade for the legislative organizations to conceive, approve, and implement the updates – but it will make a distinction.
It seems that the Swiss manufacture finally find their new way to get further development. A jump to 60% of the cost of “Swiss Made” replica watches seems would bring lots of changes in future. In fact, about this movement, merely half of this would be created in Switzerland. Many core parts are remained unchanged, for example hands, dial and case. And to my understanding, unless the producers meet the similar requirements of the movement, they won’t have the “Swiss Made” logo on the outside case of products.
The Reason Why Major Independent Watchmakers are added in Participating SIHH list
As a matter of fact, behind the condition we have faced, there are more complicated politics and economics reasons. But, I am still very delight that we can cooperate with the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie’s (“FHH, ” a third-party entity set up typically by Richemont to systematize SIHH among other things). The FHH has made up their mind to bring 9 famous timepiece firms, not big but significant. From many aspects, in my point of view, this is a positive sign that is dedicated and contributed by the whole Swiss watch manufactory. Actually, this is the core component of their success from generations to generations. Though, for customers and people outside of this industry, those timepiece companies possess distinct competitive features, internally, many talent and skills are shared among those companies and support the whole Swiss replica watch industry to survive. Thanks for them, watches are no longer a mere necessary daily life tool, but also luxury items.
Gone from SIHH 2016 is Ralph Lauren watches (which was a joint venture enterprise between Ralph Lauren and Richemont), and a new hall will be established and named Carre des Horlogers in their place (literally, “square of watchmakers”). This is being touted as an “exhibition within an exhibition” because instead of the larger, more delicate booths for much larger brands like , Montblanc, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, etc… , the participating brands within the Carre des Horlogers will be contained together in a larger room with smaller spaces for each one. This is actually not completely unlike where most of these brands typically formally display at shows like Baselworld (held a few months later in Basel, Switzerland).
The known reality for anyone who has been participating in SIHH is that all of these timepiece brands were, for the most part, already showing somewhere in Geneva during the SIHH show week each year in January. As a matter of fact, for a long time, these “outside exhibitions” were an internal point of contention for the SIHH managers due to that they did not like the fact that other brands displayed their products around town in Geneva during the same time period. The mentality being that because SIHH and its participating brands put so much effort and resources into bringing both replica watch retailers and media to town for the show, it was an unfair exploitation of their efforts for other brands to be taking advantage of the presence of key people in watch sales and media who attend the event from the world.
So, instead of fighting the reality that high-end independent timepiece makers are taking meetings with watch customers and media during the time of the SIHH event, the organizers simply decided to incorporate them into the event. It is entirely possible that this is truly for the better, even though there will, of course, still be some other brands that will display their new products on display around town in Geneva.
Not until few years ago, several brands which are not included in Richemont group are also can be found at SIHH, for instance Greubel Forsey, replica Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille which have very important partnership with SIHH. However, this would not happen before. You only can find brands which are part of Richemont group. What is more impressive would be that since there are lots of new brands come in, the volume of the event would become much larger. The SIHH add nine timepiece brands at one time is seemed as a bold move because in the past, adding or removing a participating SIHH brand is considered a very slow procedure.
A practical academic program of New York replica Watch School
Career program in watch making is not something very frequently offered to those children who are going to leave college. Therefore, before we know it, we’re off to school or directly go into the outer society to work with very less knowledge of the continued existence of horology. Recently, it seems that the watch making industry is embodied in my genes and I am so fascinated when people express astonishment that assembly and after-sales processes are performed manually, rather than super-precise equipment. However, there is no need for you to take great time to comprehend why from an old and experienced watchmaker, because the technicalities of haute horologer are quite different from any other things. And it isn’t about complexity, for itself, it’s about experience; it’s about all the silly tiny things which seems with no rational sense; in simple terms, time is what it is all about. Patek Philippe has underlined their comprehension of this fact by investing in an on-site school at their New York service centre.
By running a two-year course, dubbed the Patek Philippe Horology Program Of New York, focused on equipping new applicants with the skills needed to service and repair an in-house movement, they are doing their bit to fill the yawning gap of trained horologists in North America.
I spoke to the president of The Henri Stern replica Watch Agency (HSWA)– Larry Pettinelli in order to find out more about the motivations for its foundation, and the hopes Patek Philippe have for its development. Concurrently, Larry Pettinelli is a Patek Philippe subsidiary distributing and repairing Patek watches in the U. S. as well.
The watch industry has been growing steadily since 1989. The appeal of these evermore luxurious and complicated products is worldwide, but their production incredibly localized to central Europe. I was suprised when I found out how much the course structure supports the student. In Europe, there are two methods I know of to maintain the WOSTEP qualification: You either find a corporation to sponsor you through the course, or you pay it yourself. The costs are not cheap – definitely not affordable for a high-school graduate, or your average college kid. And so the vast majority applies for sponsorship from a major maison. Once secured, the sponsor pays the student a nominal wage throughout their studies and then insists they repay their investment by working for the sponsoring company for a certain period of time (generally the same time of the course, although this is open to discussion). If you fail the course, you could be liable for the fees; if you jump-ship early before you’ve “repaid” your debt to your sponsor, they’re legally entitled to chase you for the balance. Simple put, you sign-up for the long haul and everything works out.
The course supplied by the replica Patek Philippe Horology Program of New York does not place the same situations on its students. The course is entirely funded and the students are provided with a stipend to cover certain fees that may be incurred their participation consequently. If at the end of the two-year course, the student decides their mind to leave the school, that’s cool; if they want to take the skills they’ve learnt to another company, that’s fine too. Why have Patek Philippe replica watches taken this risk? It’s because they have faith in the potential reward is worth it.
They are confident that after learning from their experts, being part of the workshop team, and immersing themselves in the culture and history of the brand that they will choose to stay. Handing their students that kind of agency takes guts, but students respect that kind of trust and, in my opinion, are much more possibly to repay it with hard work and faithfulness.
One of the major concentrations of the entire interview procedure was to comprehend the motivations of the students who want to apply. From my point of view, Patek Philippe start the program in a way as best as possible. I would say watch making is a little strange job. It takes almost preternatural patience, a tireless eye for detailed things, and comfort with doing quite same job all day long. At the same time, it also requires a kind of intelligence – not necessarily an academic intelligence, but a rational, logical and detailed mindset. Further, this job is also good for your memory- your time at the bench will be the most practical workbook you could ever have. The dialogue procedure is another kind of face-to-face examinations.
New Swiss METAS Certification gives Replica Omega Watches a better timekeeping performance
Nowadays, replica watch customers and enthusiasts of timepieces around the world are more and more captious and strict about the time accuracy and consistency. Ah! Here is exciting news for these people, because the giant watch company-Omega- has just claimed that they would use a new and more wide-ranging certification by the Swiss government controlled METAS agency. Before this, COSC Chronometer certification was utilized by Swiss Omega. Simply put, according to Omega’s statement, their in-house produced movements would become more precise and accurate. The most important reason of this change is that the company’s Master Co-Axial technology has well combined a unique type of escapement and the resistance of magnetic properties together. In this regard, it seems that the most comprehensive and extensive way of certifying an automatic replica watch will be utilized in further production of Omega. Let’s go to see how it exactly works practically.
Watches, and especially higher-end ones are sometimes sold with certain certificate issued by third parties – the most common being the COSC chronometer certificate (Rolex is COSC’s biggest customer). COSC Chronometer certification is about accuracy and performance, and others a testament to the origin, quality of execution, or reliability of the timepiece in question. Recently, there are lots of big changes and movements of Omega company, which are all can be counted as highly impressive developments – with the latest news being that its calibers bearing the “Master” designation in their name are highly anti-magnetic without necessitating a soft iron shield. We have discussed the Master Co-Axial movement in greater detail in our article about the Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial (hands-on here).
Today, another breathtaking forward move are announced by replica Omega in Geneva: Omega will start working together with METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology to supply its Master Co-Axial with a highly strict and inclusive certification and, perhaps more vital, to innovate a new and highly complex standard of watch certification that will be offered to other, even non-Swatch Group brands.
Today well over 90% of Omega calibers are Co-Axial movements and about 10-15% of that amount are Master Co-Axial (stands for anti-magnetic) movements. Omega has promised that eventually all of its in-house made movements will be “Master Co-Axial. ” A really neat feature of METAS certification – unlike COSC certification – is that the wearer of any one replica watch equipped with a METAS certified Master Co-Axial movement will be able to visit the Omega website and use their unique watch serial number to check the specific performance of his/her watch during the certification process.
Though the cooperation of Omega and METAS seems really exciting for many people, there still are some opponents and suspects. They doubt that the in-house movements are highly complicated, though the Omega has already promised a better performance in accuracy and timekeeping. There is no practical way to testify it, especially for customers. However, in response to those dissenting voices, Omega claimed that the companies has already put forward a full set of stringent requirements for procedures, which is able to ensure the usability and reliability of the new techniques. Furthermore, extra value and distinguishing parts are offered in Master Co-Axial movements to maintain the unique of Omega from other competitors. In 2015, the Omega watches with new certification will be displayed. And right in the next year, a new production facility in Bienne, Switzerland near the Omega headquarters is being built to house the new department and equipment will be opened.
A genuine gift with an emulative spirit —- Replica IWC Ingenieur
At the moment we know it, we surprised and owed its glorious design of the Ingenieur watch. The identity of this collection is impressively presented by its taut, virile and technical lines though it had a turbulent past. Furthermore, it seems that the Ingenieur have well shaped and established itself as a fixture in the replica IWC watches collections, the past history would no longer been the case. It was originally created in 1955, from then to now, these past decades are long enough to demonstrate its adventurous path. In 1975, it became famous because of the Genta’s design, which further is eclipsed during the quartz wave and then outstandingly revived in 2005. Despite the twists and turns of history, 2015 is the perfect time to celebrate a model which is still very much on the scene with such a string of “5s” in its chronology.
Built for bright sparks
Its audience, including cientists, scholars and engineers, has remained unchanged. Thanks to these people, the model can be initially developed in the 1950s. Sturdy, antimagnetic, water-resistant and accurate, it will lead you to measure and explore the whole world.
Right from the beginning, the Ingenieur was an essence of high-tech features. Its Faraday cage was able to protect the movement against magnetic fields of up to 80, 000 A/m (amperes per metre). That was 10 times the minimum antimagnetic requirement of the time for Swiss watches! However, watch design in 1955 was not as bold as it would become in the following decades. The highly technical Ingenieur was demonstrated in an exceptionally traditional design that somehow blurred its positioning boundaries. And that was exactly where Genta would step in.
A barrel and screws
Before he cooperated with the Ingenieur, in 1972, Genta had already designed the Royal Oak. In order to make an innovation, IWC was combined with the latter content and its own style secrets. There is no doubt that the Ingenieur was the indispensable candidate for Genta. As the model, it was perfectly showing the full power of technical nature.
It had what it took to guarantee its success, and yet nothing much happened: the Ingenieur designed by Genta turned out as a commercial failure which was only produced 1, 000. However, with hindsight, this failure is propelled to the tidal wave of quartz watches. Perhaps the model was simply too far ahead of its time, because currently these extremely rare collector’s timepieces sell for more than CHF 10, 000.
IWC tended to jolt the Ingenieur out of its rut, from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Two models were entrusted with this daunting mission: one with a quartz movement that was supposed to be more in tune with the trend of the times; and then, a few years past, a new edition equipped with an externally sourced ETA 2892 movement – showing an unique industrial approach for replica IWC that boasts a great number of in-house calibres including those developed by its technical director since 1944, the brilliant James Pellaton.
Largely ignored by the public at large, the Ingenieur then returned to its initial, purely technical territory. IWC started to collaborate with armed forces in developing extreme models, remarkably capable of withstanding magnetic fields of 500 a/m. The result was a moderate success (3, 000 were sold), but was in fact truly noteworthy for having pushed antimagnetic boundaries to an unprecedented level. In terms of precision, the other strong suit of the Ingenieur, IWC replica sourced from LMH (Jaeger-LeCoultre) a hybrid Meca Quartz model featuring a quartz movement, a mechanical chronograph and an alarm function.
IWC reused the Ingenieur though it had been fading into the background, happened before 2005. At that moment,
Four main features within one watch were chased by men, which were exactly the design concept of the original Ingenieur: technical, precise watch making with a good story to tell and a design with a feature of an intentionally vintage touch. The decoration with titanium or ceramics and boldly fitted with a silicon strap is appeared in a large amount of versions. What’s more, we even can find it in the racing paddocks of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. With the same precise and delicate design concept, IWC equipped it with a Constant-Force Tourbillon escapement. Nowadays, only few weeks past, without a doubt, a second round of its renaissance will be unveiled with a bright future of development of the brand.