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Click on either watch to find more information on the official Fortis web site!

Not unlike the old Porsche 911, which to me was the purest sports car of all time because of its emphatically non limo-like interior, and like the on-board instruments in cockpits, these watches don't fool around: they tell the time in an extremely legible manner, and that's it. Yes, like everyone else these days, they also use ETA/Valjoux movements (and why not!), stressing the fact that they are a practical bunch. To me, Fortis perfectly illustrates the philosophy "less is more."

I believe it was in 1998 when Bell&Ross came out with their Vintage collection, consisting of a pilot-style watch with interesting round oculus in the back that shows the balance, a quartz chronograph and an automatic chronograph, each in two dial styles.

Click on the picture above to visit Bell&Ross, the one on the right to read more about Breguet!

The timing for issuing this line was perfect: throughout the 90's, retro was in for watches, with countless reissues of models especially from the 30's through the 50's, years that saw some of the most classic watch designs. The vintage series fits right in with this trend, with its slightly old-fashioned techno look and the appeal of an old bomber jacket.
In 1995, Breguet launched their retro-pilot's watch, the Type XX Aeronavale. Not being an admirer of flashy timepieces, I much prefer the Type XX in stainless, which is usually not the company's metal of choice.

In aviation circles, the Type XX is truly a legend: it is a descendant of Breguet's first pilot's watch of 1935. Between 1954 and the 1970's, Breguet built the Type XX for the French Air Force, and these state-owned timepieces were only issued to pilots for special missions. However, the watch's popularity prompted Breguet to produce this civilian version.

Revue Thommen, originally Gédéon Thommen's (1831-1890) brainchild, has been a pioneer in Swiss watchmaking since 1853, and has distinguished itself through the exceptional originality and inventiveness of its products. Faithful to its innovative spirit, Revue Thommen diversified its activities in 1936 with the

creation of its Thommen instruments division. Airline companies around the world were soon equipping their planes with its flight instruments:

watches and chronographs, altimeters and speed indicators. In both design and technical features, their watches are inspired by the links with the aviation industry. This can best be seen in the Airspeed with its replica flight instrument dial, but also in the Streamline, a collection characterized by rivets on the bezel and wing-shaped bracelet links.

Click on the picture to see a bigger version !

Ulysse Nardin is perhaps best known for expensive luxury wrist watches , such as the San Marco line, a collection that features chiming timepieces, some of them with elaborate enameled faces.

I find their line of often-imitated Marine chronometers and chronographs more appealing . These timepieces are modeled after ships ' chronometers, which were in earlier times essential instruments for a ships' navigational calculations.

Germany's unification for some reason did wonders for the watch industry in that country. The 1990s did not merely see a blossoming, but an explosion of the industry. Names like Junghans, Dugena, and Kienzle had lingered under various ownerships, but certainly failed to generate any international excitement. Suddenly, Lange burst on the scene, creating a sensation in the mid-90s, and they were followed by a trickle of other, mainly Eastern-Germany based manufacturers.

For 130 years, the name Mühle Glashütte has been synonymous with nautical instruments. Since the foundation of the first company "Robert Mühle & Sohn" in 1869, fine mechanical tools and measuring instruments have been the traditional products of the house of Mühle. Founded anew by his grandson one year after expropriation in 1946, the second Mühle company specialised in drive and braking mechanisms as well as various measuring instruments.

The present head, Hans-Jürgen Mühle, took over the family business after the death of his father in 1970. State participation, compulsory nationalisation and the take-over of the company by the Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe in 1980 followed. However, since 1994, Hans-Jürgen Mühle has been the sole owner of "Firma Mühle, Nautische Instrumente & Feinmechanik", a family enterprise with an eventful history. He was successful in synthesising the values of the great past with innovative ideas for the future in the third Mühle company in Glashütte. In 1995, Hans-Jürgen Mühle expanded Glashütte's traditional product range of marine chronometer and shipwatch fittings by adding a collection of ambitious precision wrist-watches.

Union Glashütte/SA was founded in 1893, and has been better known as the supplier of base movements for Glashütte Original. However, spurned by the recent success of the German watch industry, they decided in 1997 to produce their own watches once again. Any watch is worth only as much as its movement. Therefore, the UNION Uhrenmanufaktur dedicates all of its know-how to the technical perfecting of movements. The automatic caliber 26 movement in proven Glashütte quality is the very expression of longevity and precision.

caliber 26 movement

In the past few years, Sinn has gradually carved out a reputation for its line of specialized chronographs, like the ones below. The company was founded by Helmut Sinn who, after retiring from his job as a pilot, started a second career as watchmaker in Frankfurt. Although his designs were not revolutionary, his approach to marketing certainly was: he offered and honored extraordinary warranties and sold his watches directly, without having prices inflated by middlemen.

I'm not sure whether Sinn's almost legendary after-sales commitment is still in place today, because he sold the company to Lothar Schmidt, formerly of IWC. However, the Sinn chapter is not yet closed, because he apparently regretted the sale and is now, in his 80s, again involved in the watch business, marketing a new line under the label "Jubilar Uhren." What I don't quite understand is that while Sinn makes the majority of Bell&Ross watches, their own brand seems to be both less popular and less expensive in North America. Does it all just have to do with marketing?

Somehow, the Swiss company North Eagles has managed to keep their watches a well-guarded secret. I only came across them by coincidence, and actually find the styling quite interesting. Unfortunately, the more attractive model on the left uses an ETA quartz movement, while the chrono on the right uses a Valjoux (ETA) automatic movement.
Click on the picture on the left to visit the North Eagles web site!

Page 1: hello	Page 2: nice things	Page 3: Audemars Piguet	Page 4: IWC, JLC	Page 5: Patek Philippe
Page 6: Flieger	Page 7: more Flieger	Page 8: Zenith, Eberhard	Page 9: chronographs	Page 10: big money!
Page 11: mo' money	Page 12: more chronos	Page 13: less known gems	Page 14: moonstruck	Page 15: pictures & links