Author Archives: rextempus

Part III. Taking it to the Next Level – A Few Notable “Modern” Case Designs As described in Part II of this survey, with the exception of Omega’s Marine dive watch, most early 20th century “transitional” watch cases essentially combined … Continue reading →

Part II. Putting the Pieces Together – Transitional Case Designs  As described in Part I, wristwatch case design foundations were established during the latter half of the 19th Century. Several names stand out for their early innovation of key design features adopted … Continue reading →

Part I.  Foundations – Early Case Design Innovations Origin Stories (mid-1800s) According to one knowledgeable source, the earliest documented water resistant case dates to the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. W. Pettit & Co. of London reportedly exhibited a watch in … Continue reading →

Like a long lost civilization, the Revue watch brand has been mostly forgotten by many. But after considering the manufacture’s history and high quality products it’s apparent they were on par with the best.  Supporting cast: Buser, Phénix, Vulcain & … Continue reading →

In the 1920s a Tokyo jeweler named Kamekichi Yamazaki presented a pocket watch manufactured in Japan as a gift to the young Emperor Hirohito. At that time Japan’s watch market was dominated by Swiss and American brands. Yamazaki-san’s first commercial … Continue reading →

If ever there was an appropriately named watch company, Eterna is just that! With the benefit of hindsight, it’s apparent the vast horological lineage descended from this single company bequeathed an eternal legacy to watchmaking. Eterna’s influence on both technological … Continue reading →