We’re starting things off sensible and stylish, with the Baltic Prismic This delightful little watch takes its design cues from geometric shapes and the refraction of light Details such as the pyramid-like hour markers grooved centre section and a multitude of textures and finishes give it tons of charm all fitted to either a leather strap for EUR 990 or a mesh bracelet for EUR 1,050 Inside the elegantly proportioned 36mm by 9.2mm case the ETA Peseux 7001 delivers 42 hours of running time pretty much the standard capacity for this movement For more information, please visit Baltic-Watches.com Quick Facts – 36mm x 9.2mm – stainless steel & grade 5 titanium case – stepped bezel – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – purple salmon or grey-blue dial – faceted and polished markers – Dauphine style hands – ETA Peseux 7001 – hand-wound – 21,600vph – 42h power reserve – mesh steel bracelet or leather strap with pin buckle – EUR 990 (leather strap) or EUR 1,050 (mesh bracelet) The stamped guilloché dial gives it an appealing look you also have the convenience of a power reserve display quite practical with a hand-wound movement The polished steel case measures 40mm in diameter the price hasn’t moved an inch since it was launched For more information, please visit LouisErard.com Quick Facts – 40mm diameter – polished stainless steel case – sapphire crystal with AR-coating – solid stainless steel caseback – 50m water-resistant – silver dial – stamped guilloché pattern – regulator display (central minutes seconds at 6′) – additional power reserve display – ETA Peseux 7001 with Louis Erard RE9 module – 21,600vph – 42h power reserve – black calf leather strap with folding clasp – CHF 2,245 with redesigned bridges and a nice level of finishing For more information, please visit FurlanMarri.com Quick Facts – 38mm x 8.95mm – stainless steel case brushed & polished – stepped bezel – sapphire crystal front & back – 50m water-resistance – two-tone dials in multiple colours – central hours & minutes small seconds – Peseux calibre 7001 – manually wound – 21,600vph – 42h power reserve – hand-finished components – each watch comes with 2 leather strap with pin buckle & quick-release push-pins – CHF 2,500 for a downright Geiger-esque look that wouldn’t be out of place in some SciFi blockbuster This 20-piece limited edition costs EUR 35,000 before taxes but a ton of work has been poured into it so we feel it’s quite justifiable For more information, please visit HolthinrichsWatches.com Quick Facts – 38.5mm x 9.8mm – 3D printed grade 5 titanium case – various textures & finishes – sapphire crystal front & back – deconstructed dial (25 parts) – skeletonised base plate – laser-cut components with hand-finishing – Calibre HW-M01 in-house developed (50% Dutch made) – Peseux 7001 gear train architecture – 21,600vph – 42h power reserve – 3D printed grade 5 titanium bracelet with 3D printed folding clasp – 20-piece limited edition – EUR 35,000 excl relying on the base architecture and geartrain of a Peseux 7001 no less A total of 228 parts orchestrate a synchronized jump of two hours disc after every passing of 60 minutes and there’s an array of dial colours but bespoke options will easily push this into the six figures For more information, please visit Ballouard.com Quick Facts – 41mm x 11mm – gold or platinum metal case polished – concave bezel – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – various dial colours and materials (including Osmium) – upside down jumping hour display – central minutes hand – small seconds subdial (optional) – Calibre B01 in-house – Peseux 7001 geartrain architecture – unique jump hour mechanism with snail cam and 12 Maltese crosses – 228 components – 21,600vph – approx 40h power reserve – alligator leather strap with a hand-engraved buckle matching the case – base price of CHF 83,000 – customization & unique pieces possible at a premium You missed one of my favorite watches – the Stowa Marine 36 small seconds models The Holthinrichs DECONSTRUCTED is not an attractive watch and the price tag is crazy for a 3D printed Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application after a courageous battle with cancer went home to be with his Lord and Savior PA to the late Robert Shipe and Elizabeth George Peseux He was an avid Miami Dolphins fan and an outdoorsman who loved fishing trips to the beach and he loved quiet evenings with his wife Left to cherish his memory are; his wife Glenda of 35 years A memorial service will be held 1:00pm Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Hayworth-Miller Kernersville Chapel with officiant Michael Isaacson. The family will receive friends from 12:00pm – 12:45pm prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to be made to The Sandlot at www.1project.org or to Trellis Supportive Care at 101 Hospice Lane Winston Salem Kernersville Chapel - Hayworth-Miller Funeral Homes & Crematory Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Furlan Marri sticks to its vintage designs and mechanical guns and releases a trilogy of Disco Volante models in 38mm cases with manual-winding Peseux movements some of Omega’s CK2013 references of the late 1930s featured two-tone sector dials Furlan Marri captures the aesthetics of vintage Disco Volante models to perfection with a couple of contemporary twists flaunts a 38mm diameter that might be slightly larger than the original vintage models but is considered a compact With a slim height of 8.95mm (8.1mm without the crystal) the case is made of stainless steel and amplifies its rounded profile with a curved and the lugs are hidden by the wide bezel and tucked away on the caseback – as it should be on a Disco Volante watch This produces the sensation of an integrated strap that enhances its streamlined a narrow brushed ring circles the case middle The layout of the indications also heightens the rotundity of the case with a peripheral ring for the minutes a thicker chapter ring for the hours with applied markers at 12 3 and 9 o’clock and a round small seconds counter at 6 o’clock The Disco Volante models come with two-tone sector dials and a fun contemporary touch of Super-LumiNova circling the indented area around the chapter ring and the small seconds counter The hour and minute hands are also treated with SLN The Havana Disco model plays with salmon and brown tones and Old Radium SLN; the Disco Celeste pairs blue and white colours on the dial and is illuminated by sky blue SLN; and the Disco Verde that you can see illustrating this hands-on article opts for a green and cream dial with Old Radium SLN Visible beneath the sapphire caseback is a manual-winding Peseux 7001 calibre an ultra-thin 2.5mm movement in production since 1971 It has a frequency of 21,600vph and a power reserve of 42 hours The bridges have been redesigned by Furlan Marri with Côtes de Genève and hand-finished while the crown wheel and screws are mirror-polished and chamfered elevating the appeal of this otherwise rather mundane base movement Each watch is supplied with two vegetable-tanned Italian leather straps matching the dial colours (details in the specs below) and equipped with quick-release spring bars The three new references are part of the permanent Disco Volante collection and retail for CHF 2,500 or USD 2,780 (prices excluding tax) For more information, please consult furlanmarri.com The comments component (or the moderation system) appears to be very buggy with comments disappearing and then popping back in many hours later… WATCHPRO Solar Aqua is a historic marque that began its first life in the late 1930s as a Swiss company focused was primarily a retailer who created the Eaton chain of department stores in Canada where early Solar Aqua watches were sold but has been revived under new management and is producing timepieces inspired by models from the 1950s but with a thoroughly modern makeover that creates a bridge between past and present The watch has the same style of steel case as its 1950s original That gives more space for its intriguing guilloché dial that fans out from its centre to an inner ring for hours and an outer ring for minutes and seconds There is a second time zone displayed at 10 o’clock and a date display on the opposite side of the dial at 4 o’clock all driven by a customised Peseux F328 movement The watch’s minute hand is in the shape of a lightning bolt a nod to Canada’s Mount Zeus (named after the lightening-hurling Greek god) and deep red that can be worn on matching leather straps or steel bracelets Each is a limited edition of 300 pieces priced at €1,200 How To Wear It The Cartier Tank Cintrée In-Depth Examining Value And Price Over Time With The ‘No Date’ Rolex Submariner Watches In The Wild The Road Through America, Episode 1: A Model Of Mass Production The Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Collection was launched earlier this year at the SIHH and it includes a number of watches that have attracted including the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Vasco da Gama the Montblance Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annual Vasco da Gama and the very nicely done and very practical Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Dual Time. It also includes a watch whose merits are easy to miss at first glance and which we finally had a chance to look at up close and personal recently here at HODINKEE That watch is the Heritage Chronométrie Ultra-Slim The Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Collection was launched earlier this year at the SIHH including the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Vasco da Gama the Montblance Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annual Vasco da Gama and the very nicely done and very practical Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Dual Time It also includes a watch whose merits are easy to miss at first glance That watch is the Heritage Chronométrie Ultra-Slim whilst the thinnest watch from Piaget (long regarded as a leader in flat watch movement making) is the Piaget 900P which comes in at 3.65mm and the subjective sense of thinness you get when you put a watch on the wrist is another Part of what contributes to the experience of having something thin and elegant on the wrist is of course the casework --a watch with a case that’s round and with some curvature to it in cross section is more apt to give the sensation --mental and visual --we associate with extra thin watches (I think this might be one of the reasons nobody talks about the Tangente as an extra thin watch per se --its rectilinear geometry in cross section is intrinsic to its Bauhaus appeal but it keeps it from feeling like it sits squarely in the thin/elegant continuum which for NOMOS fans may actually be part of the appeal --certainly it’s part of the Tangente’s versatility.) The Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Ultra Slim is in terms of design about as classic a thin dress watch as you could want; there is no seconds hand (typically in watches intended as thin dress watches the seconds hand is omitted --as with every rule there are exceptions but if we’re going to hew to the strict letter of horological tradition in a dress watch fripperies like a seconds hand and Dial work on an extra thin watch is also a potential minefield awaiting the unwary watch designer because once again you have a fairly small bullseye you have to hit You must manage to make something visually distinctive and you must if you want to show the pur sang of real extra thin watchmaking at all costs avoid any superfluous visual effects Here we think Montblanc has done very nicely The usual modus operandus for makers of this sort of watch is to default to very thin baton hands --and lovely they can be --but Montblanc went for faceted alpha hands and the extra bit of play between light and dark gives a salutary bit of liveliness to what might otherwise be too staid a dial There is also extremely subtle sunray radial brushing on the dial --it’s so finely done it’s almost subliminal but it’s definitely there and it succeeds in giving some additional richness to the whole picture without overdoing it (and if there is one thing watch designers seem to sadly excel at it’s overdoing it.) Another nice touch is the actual Montblanc logo --look closely and you’ll see that just as with everything else the font’s been chosen with great care to be part of the same continuum of design language as the watch overall; the sans-serif capitals and the absence of a crossbar on the “A” give a sense of modernity that keeps the watch from seeming as if it’s merely quoting from some Bible of extra thin watchmaking cues To see a somewhat larger and more elaborate Montblanc we had in just recently, that’s as grandly operatic as the Heritage Chronométrie Ultra Slim is understated, try this one on for size. Business News Rolex Will Raise U.S. Prices In Response To Tariffs Six Of The Coolest CPO Rolex Watches I Saw In London's Old Bond Street Rolex Boutique Reference Points The Cartier Tank Louis Introducing The Christopher Ward C12 'Loco' (Live Pics) Hands-On Tudor's Black Bay Pro Gets A Surprisingly Dramatic Facelift With An Opaline Dial We’re here to discover what we think is the most appealing version fresh hand-wound watch with a slight arty touch Watches don’t necessarily have to be too serious inspired by classic codes of the industry and well… sometimes unappealing for a population that isn’t part of that small circle of watch nerds to enlarge the audience and to offer something less conventional Bauhaus and even the rare art of typography… The result is a collection that blends minimalism with joyful elements bold handsets and yet a rather serious watchmaking content Paulin watches are not just design statements they are true timekeepers offered at fair prices with the addition of style which got its name after the modular construction of its case Following 3 brightly toned versions – Modul A in yellow Modul B in burgundy and Modul C in pink – the brand recently presented slightly more classic editions the black Modul D and brushed rhodium Modul E there is still the necessary dosage of colour on all other elements of the display – it wouldn’t be a Paulin otherwise… While there are two other editions of the Modul available either a 39mm automatic with LJP movement or a 35mm quartz version (far more accessible) we decided to set our sights on the compact hand-wound version which we believe is the most coherent watch in the range The combination of a small seconds display with the brand’s artistic touch and a small case somehow makes it relevant The Paulin Modul D Manual is housed in the distinctive dual-finished (brushed and polished) tonneau-shaped steel case of the collection with a construction that gave the watch its name It was designed to accommodate a range of movements and as such the steel body that holds the calibre is distinct from the brushed steel outer case and attached with two screws on either side an 8.2mm thickness (and 6.2mm if you exclude the crystal) and only 40mm in length but one with a strong personality and a fun side It definitely works with the whole design and inspiration and also makes it a watch without a gender attached to it by a watch nerd (Frank) with an 18cm wrist The watch is topped by a Hesalite box-shaped crystal something to consider when “daily using” it The water-resistance is rated at 50 metres Let’s now talk about the brighter side While the base is now a classic brass base with black matte lacquer the distinct personality of Paulin has been respected It’s all about the playful typography and the use of colours There’s something rather Bauhaus and De Stijl in this watch with this idea of reducing to the essentials of form and colour – black with a generous use of SLN on all elements of the display Inside the case of this 35mm Paulin Modul D Manual is a classic of watchmaking, the tried-and-tested Peseux calibre, a.k.a ETA 7001 This compact hand-wound movement runs at 3Hz offers 42h of power reserve and has proven reliability and serviceability Gabrielle Peseux knows about officers in America comes from Hollywood blockbusters Now she's learning first hand what it's like to be one of the men and women in blue "When I was in the car with my fellow police officer While Peseux is the first officer from the Limoux, France Police Department to get on-the-ground training from the Grandview Police Department, the exchange isn't a first for Grandview the department has hosted officers from the Czech Republic EVOC Training!! @CityofGrandview #movetowardthebadge pic.twitter.com/4QpoaziTb7 — Grandview PD (@GrandviewMOPD) September 28, 2016 "We are dealing with the same people," said Peseux "We encounter the same problems within the population The week-long exercise is more of an exchange than a one-way learning opportunity because Grandview officers will pass on some of their knowledge to French officers They'll also implement some the French officers' ways of doing things in their own department "I hope they will see how we do things and we have already seen how they do things and put those things together and it's a unique experience for all of us," said Sgt "That's what we want to do - for all of us to come together and share what we do." After all the world is more interconnected now than it ever has been and maybe police departments should be too "It's not the first for Grandview but it is the first for us and I think we really would like to continue this partnership for many more several years," said Peseux Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com. Follow her on Twitter: Follow @TerraHall !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document Connect on Facebook: Report a typo Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page Natural light floods into the small workshop of enamelling expert Vanessa Lecci Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience With large windows affording a pleasant glimpse of the sparkling surface of Lake Neuchâtel in the distance the humble creation studio is where Lecci brings her unique masterpieces to life Showcasing the enamelling process for a small group of international journalists it quickly became evident the level of exacting precision the process requires hands simultaneously applying a layer of enamel to a metal disc Lecci then carefully conveyed each piece to a small oven where the enamel was baked into hardened completion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? double hunter (two-sided) pocket watch was crafted using white gold and features an original movement made by watchmaker Louis-Elisée Piguet that dates back to between 1898 and 1904 While exquisite in its timekeeping elements and design which includes a square-link chain handmade by Laurent Jolliet Switzerland’s last traditional chain maker it’s the squared rose — or “rose carrée”— engraving set with blue grand feu enamel by Lecci that helps it stand apart When Lecci successfully completed the “masterpiece,” which was released in 2021 Creation is at the epicentre of Parmigiani Fleurier an ultra-luxury mechanical watch brand worn by the likes of King Charles III which was founded by watchmaker Michel Parmigiani in 1996 A watchmaker within his own studio called Mesure et Art du Temps since 1976 Parmigiani was well known within the luxury Swiss timepiece industry as a meticulous craftsman with an eye for restoration “There is a little bit of magic to restoration There is no time limit with these objects,” the watch expert says Speaking from the brand’s headquarters in Fleurier Parmigiani outlined what makes his interest in high horology continue to tick after nearly 50 years you cannot leave this world and its passion and curiosity,” Parmigiani Parmigiani compares the endless possibilities of creation in timepieces to the endless wonders of nature “It’s a kind of mystery … a perpetual beginning to try to interpret time,” he explains of the tiny individual pieces that make up a mechanical watch and the way they mirror the minutiae of life the natural world “There are rules given by nature: harmony and proportions.” Parmigiani applies these principles to the individual facets of the luxury watches created by his brand With the help of the Sandoz Family Foundation Parmigiani Fleurier has acquired or built several artisanal workshops covering the various elements of timepiece creation including watch cases by Les Artisans Boîtiers and Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier movements This evolution has allowed the luxury watch company to be among the few to produce timepieces completely in-house the watches are ultimately created with collectors in mind — “People who are collectors That exclusivity is reflected in both availability and price the Tonda PF Annual Calendar timepiece in steel is priced at $55,000 from Bandiera Jewellers in Toronto the CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier since January 2021 “Luxury is not about how much money you have in the bank and how you show it off,” Terreni says you have among the highest skills in the industry And you’re putting them at the service of someone else’s work The shift toward less ostentatious purchases is something Terreni says he’s noted within the broader luxury world He attributes the shift away from logo-mania — the allure of boldly branded styles and overt flashiness — as a residual effect of the global pandemic which left many with a lingering sense of instability a need to overcome uncertainties,” Terreni says you cannot invent it if you don’t have it in your DNA “Brands that were ostentatious until yesterday cannot flip around and become discreet horology has this continuity of positioning in the fact that a watch can be terrifically infinite we are confronted with watches in the industry that have more than 100 years.” The unique positioning sits perfectly with the company’s customers whom Terreni summarizes as often “anti-mainstream” luxury shoppers who are into “niche” brands and which kind of customer we think we are appealing to is for sure an educated customer toward luxury “That has a refined taste and an unostentatious style These are the ingredients that they are looking for.” Aharris@postmedia.com Postmedia News was a guest of Parmigiani Fleurier in Switzerland. The brand neither reviewed nor approved this article. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Metrics details Sedentary lifestyles plague today’s society in terms of physical Students are particularly at risk because they spend most of their daily time sitting and inactive The current pedagogical model must be rethought in order to promote students’ health The objective of this project was to equip one classroom of the sport science department at a university with various active workstations (standing desks pedal- or stepper-board) and to evaluate the feasibility and influence of these types of active workstations on the cognitive and psychological factors of the students and to collect the feedback of lecturers during this experience Participation in the study was voluntary and students had the opportunity to choose or not to use an active workstation during lectures A total of 663 students and 14 lecturers completed a survey to evaluate subjective feelings about physical psycho-cognitive and academic aspects after their first experience with active workstations in the classroom The majority of students and lecturers reported positive effects of active workstations in reducing fatigue The preferred active workstations were the cycling desks and the Swiss balls 89.4% of students favoured using active workstations in future lectures if they had the option demonstrating the acceptance of such active workstations The present study brings promising results toward a more general implementation of active workstations in universities having such workstations in the classroom could help prevent the deleterious effect of sedentary behaviour and promote a more active daily life for the future This influences their general health and well-being and no study has been conducted on the implementation of a variety of active workstations in French universities By equipping a classroom with various active workstations and having the students and lecturers fill out a survey after a lecture this study aimed at testing the feasibility and acceptability of such equipment The survey aimed at questioning the impact of such active workstations on subjective markers of fatigue attention and concentration compared to traditional workstations (usual chairs and desks) from students’ as well as from lecturers’ point of view it was hypothesised that students and lecturers would accept the implementation of active workstations in the classroom and would be in favour of using such options in future lectures a classroom was equipped with active workstations at the sport department of the university of Franche-Comte in Besançon Lectures in this room primarily involved first-year students (~ 18–20 years old) At the beginning of the academic year (September 2019) all students had been informed by their academic supervisor about the implementation and the development of active workstations in a classroom of the department When students had lectures in this classroom they were free to use the active workstations or not were still present in sufficient numbers so that students could feel free not to use active workstations if they did not want to All students and lecturers willing to participate in the study were included; there were no exclusion criteria Participation in the study was voluntary both for students and lecturers It consisted of the first utilisation of active workstations for students during a lecture or delivering a lecture in the active classroom It also involved completing an online survey assessing the feasibility and acceptability of the setting for both students and lecturers The students and lecturers were informed about the aim of the study and they provided written consent before participation The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the University Ethics Committee Six standing desks (Skarsta, Ikea, Plaisir, France): desks at adjustable height were installed in the room (Fig. 1A) the desk level should be set up so that the elbows can rest on at 90° Chairs were at disposal with those desks so that students were able to sit at any moment It was recommended not to stay motionless but slightly and frequently change the support foot and/or fidget Six Swiss balls (Domyos, Décathlon, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France): three sizes of balls (S, M and L) were made available and height-adjustable desks installed (Fig. 1B) The recommendations were to sit on the ball in order to have the desk at the level of the sternum and hip and knee joints at 90° Automated electrical inflators were also available Six cycling desks (Tek Active, Paris, France): specific desks mixed with ergometers were used for these type of stations (Fig. 1C) These cycling desks have saddles with adjustable height and a tablet with adjustable distance from chest Students were instructed to adjust the saddle so that their legs were fully extended in the extreme position of the crankset The tablet had to be adjusted so that student did not have to lean forward to write The four stations tested. A standing desk. B Swiss ball. C cycling-desks. D pedal- or stepper-board It should be noted that additional active workstations could be quickly installed on demand. Yet, students had the choice to use or not active workstations and could thus choose the traditional workstations in first place. Similarly, further chairs and desks could also be installed on demand (a stock of chairs was available next to the entrance of the classroom). Overall feasibility and student and lecturer favourability of implementing active workstations were determined from the responses to questions on the intention to reuse and the subjective feelings of students and lecturers. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the general characteristics of the subjects (means and standard deviations) and the participants’ perceived activity and changes from traditional workstations (percentages). In terms of physical activity level, the participants were predominantly “active” (the recommendations for adults being 150 min of moderate activity/week). Indeed, 39.5% of participants reported engaging in more than 10 h of physical activity a week, and 49.8% between 5 and 10 h a week. Regarding time spent in sitting position, despite the high level of physical activity of the participants, 81.7% reported spending 4 h or more sitting in a day and 25% more than 7 h. Graphic representation of student survey results regarding the acceptability and subjective markers of active workstations A perceived time spent active during the 2 h lecture B Number of students per active workstation spontaneously chosen C results of the survey regarding the different physical Effect of the different workstations on discomfort Each graph indicates the percentage of students who reported either a decrease (grey areas) similar (orange) or an increase (blue) in discomfort and pain and fatigue over the total number of students who used each active workstation 89.4% of students were in favour of using active workstations in future lectures if they are available Fourteen teachers (8 men and 6 women) from the university answered the survey about their first experience in lecturing in the active classroom They responded to questions on their perceptions of student restlessness While some results were similar to the feelings of the students while 35.4% of students perceived themselves to be more restless only 21.4% of lecturers (4 out of 14) noted an increase in student restlessness compared to a regular lecture (50.0% no difference and 28.6% a decrease) 71.4% of lecturers (10 out of 14) felt that students were less tired at the end of the lecture than usual (28.6% no difference and 0.0% an increase of fatigue) 85.7% of them (12 out of 14) also felt that there was a decrease in boredom among students lecturers’ results are more varied (35.7% found a decrease 35.7% an increase and 28.6% no difference) A majority of lecturers (71.4%; 10 out of 14) found no effect of active workstations on students’ interaction during the lecture as compared to their usual lectures they were unanimous (100% of the lecturers) in the fact that active workstations reduced students’ distractions (chatting with other students 50% of lecturers felt that their lectures were not impacted in quality while 35.7% found an increased quality and 14.3% a decrease 78.6% of them (11 out of 14) felt that it had no particular impact on students’ ability to understand the lecture 42.9% of them (6 out of 14) found the lecture more challenging to deliver because it required more attention and concentration most lecturers (71.4%; 10 out of 14) are willing to use the classroom with active workstations again The present study determined the feasibility and acceptability of the implementation of active workstations in an ecological environment (i.e. This research intended to collect first impressions and feelings of students and lecturers regarding the use of active workstations Students and lecturers were broadly positive and favourable about such active workstations although some pitfalls may have also been revealed despite the high level of physical activity of the participants 81.7% reported spending 4 h or more sitting in a day and 25% more than 7 h it seems crucial to modify the lifestyle habits associated with increased sedentary time (e.g. there was an increase in restlessness during the lecture with the active workstations This can be explained by the “novelty” factor and it should be investigated whether this phenomenon persists with an increase in familiarity with these types of active workstations This can also explain the difficulty that lecturers reported facing when conducting their lecture student and lecturer opinions were unanimous regarding a decrease in distractions such as using a mobile phone or chatting with their peers One could say that using active workstations can represent a distraction itself it seems important to observe a period of familiarisation with the active workstations in order to optimise their long term implementation the objective of implementing this type of learning setup at the early stages of life is also relevant to educate the future workers on healthier working habits and overall life habits Regarding the preferred type of active workstations cycling desks and Swiss balls seemed the most popular They were also the ones that provided less perceived fatigue and discomfort while causing as little perturbation as possible on cognitive capacities The fact that such active workstations allow users to remain sitting can explain such results since maintaining the standing position at standing desks tends to increase discomfort in the low back and legs The pedal and stepper board was not used much maybe because they were only portable devices placed on the floor and the traditional chairs used were not ergonomically optimal to practice stepping compared to standing cycling To optimise the implementation of any active workstations it appears important to work beforehand on product ergonomy to adapt it to the specificity of the classroom environment one of the critical aspects regarding the implementation of such active workstations at a university remains the cost of purchasing large quantities of these devices Even if cycling is optimal since it does not require servicing (like the Swiss ball needs regular reinflating) and is by far the most popular active workstation future research is necessary to objectively study the feasibility of options notably in terms of cost-effectiveness and efficacy Although this could be attributed to the excitement of using such workstations for the first time it should also be noted that the present population is composed of sport students already familiarised with physical activity and more sensitive and aware of the importance of increased physical activity and decreased sedentary behaviours from a health perspective Investigating the long-term use of such workstations on the sport students but also in the more inactive population can help generalise those results and particularly for less active populations standing requires voluntary action that could represent a break in attention and concentration and may not be automatised like pedalling only 2.8% of a total population of 993 interviewed students already used this type of active workstation showing that this is far from being a commonly used tool Considering the beneficial effect of active workstations on health by “breaking sedentary behaviours” which are major during academic work it seems appropriate to continue the development of this type of pedagogy it is necessary to understand the feelings on the “physical” and “restlessness” aspects and to modify or adapt The ultimate challenge is to find the optimal amount of physical activity which allows one to stay physically active while allocating sufficient cognitive resources to follow the lecture The present results highlight the desire to continue utilising active workstations in students and lecturers and the importance of supporting the implementation of a system to overcome the potential difficulties and to assist the changes in work habits Having the same investigation within a population of less active students could bring relatively different results the first experience of active workstations in a university classroom was broadly positive and well accepted by students as well as lecturers While noticing some difficulties at the beginning in adapting to an active workstation the majority of participants were positive regarding the effects of such workstations on either their perceived fatigue The choice of the active workstation appears crucial to obtain an optimal increase in physical activity without deteriorating the quality of the learning providing a variety of workstation types in an identical room might represent one of the best approaches This would allow students to vary from one lecture to the next it helps to individualise the process since each student may respond differently to the various types of workstations It might also help to avoid boredom and a decrease of interest over time induced by the sustained usage of the same workstation An assessment of the acceptance and spontaneous use of such active workstations over time is needed to see if long-term behaviour can be affected This could be done by implementing a more longitudinal study also assessing sedentary periods outside the classroom a more in-depth analysis of cognitive abilities and energetic cost during lectures with such active workstations could objectively characterise those results The feasibility of implementing such workstations in an ecological context appears achievable and depends on funding allocated to the project (e.g. choice of the type of the active workstations) future research is needed to objectively determine the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of this learning model the present study brings promising results toward a more general implementation of active workstations in French universities The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request Préambule à la Constitution de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé tel qu’adopté par la Conférence internationale sur la Santé 19 juin −22 juillet 1946; signé le 22 juillet 1946 par les représentants de 61 Etats Deforche B, Van Dyck D, Deliens T, De Bourdeaudhuij I. Changes in weight, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and dietary intake during the transition to higher education: a prospective study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015;12(1):16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0173-9 Pate RR, O’Neill JR, Lobelo F. The evolving definition of ‘sedentary’. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2008;36(4):173–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/JES.0b013e3181877d1a Henson J, Dunstan DW, Davies MJ, Yates T. Sedentary behaviour as a new behavioural target in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2016;32(Suppl 1):213–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.2759 Young DR, Hivert MF, Alhassan S, Camhi SM, Ferguson JF, Katzmarzyk PT, et al. Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016;134(13):e262–79. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000440 Tigbe WW, Granat MH, Sattar N, Lean MEJ. Time spent in sedentary posture is associated with waist circumference and cardiovascular risk. Int J Obes. 2017;41(5):689–96. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2017.30 obesity and sedentary behavior in cancer etiology: epidemiologic evidence and biologic mechanisms Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Salmon J, Cerin E, Shaw JE, Zimmet PZ, et al. Breaks in sedentary time: beneficial associations with metabolic risk. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(4):661–6. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc07-2046 Latouche C, Jowett JBM, Carey AL, Bertovic DA, Owen N, Dunstan DW, et al. Effects of breaking up prolonged sitting on skeletal muscle gene expression. J Appl Physiol. 2013;114(4):453–60. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00978.2012 Grace MS, Dempsey PC, Sethi P, Mundra PA, Mellett NA, Weir JM, et al. Breaking up prolonged sitting alters the postprandial plasma Lipidomic profile of adults with type 2 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(6):1991–9. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2016-3926 Syväoja HJ, Tammelin TH, Ahonen T, Kankaanpää A, Kantomaa MT. The associations of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time with cognitive functions in school-aged children. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e103559. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103559 Felez-Nobrega M, Hillman CH, Cirera E, Puig-Ribera A. The association of context-specific sitting time and physical activity intensity to working memory capacity and academic achievement in young adults. Eur J Pub Health. 2017;27(4):741–6. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckx021 Are Early Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Related to Working Memory at 7 and 14 Years of Age Wickel EE. Sedentary Time, Physical activity, and executive function in a longitudinal study of youth. J Phys Act Health. 2017;14(3):222–8. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0200 Mehta R, Shortz A, Benden M. Standing up for learning: a pilot investigation on the neurocognitive benefits of stand-biased school desks. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015;13(1):59. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13010059 Benzo RM, Gremaud AL, Jerome M, Carr LJ. Learning to stand: the acceptability and feasibility of introducing standing desks into college classrooms. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016;13(8):823. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13080823 Deliens T, Deforche B, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Clarys P. Determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions. BMC Public Health. 2015;15(1):201. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1553-4 Jerome M, Janz KF, Baquero B, Carr LJ. Introducing sit-stand desks increases classroom standing time among university students. Prev Med reports. 2017;8:232–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.10.019 Bauman A, Ainsworth BE, Sallis JF, Hagströmer M, Craig CL, Bull FC, et al. The descriptive epidemiology of sitting: a 20-country comparison using the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). Am J Prev Med. 2011;41(2):228–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2011.05.003 Rouse PC, Biddle SJH. An ecological momentary assessment of the physical activity and sedentary behaviour patterns of university students. Health Educ J. 2010;69(1):116–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896910363145 Matusiak-Wieczorek E, Lipert A, Kochan E, Jegier A. The time spent sitting does not always mean a low level of physical activity. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):317. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8396-3 Oyeyemi AL, Muhammed S, Oyeyemi AY, Adegoke BOA. Patterns of objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary time: are Nigerian health professional students complying with public health guidelines? PLoS One. 2017;12(12):e0190124. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190124 Biswas A, Oh PI, Faulkner GE, Bajaj RR, Silver MA, Mitchell MS, et al. Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence, mortality, and hospitalization in adults a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(2):123–32. https://doi.org/10.7326/M14-1651 Effects of classroom active desks on children and adolescents’ physical activity academic achievements and overall health: a systematic review Reducing children’s classroom sitting time using sit-to-stand desks: findings from pilot studies in UK and Australian primary schools Shrestha N, Ijaz S, Kukkonen-Harjula KT, Kumar S, Nwankwo CP. Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work. Cochrane Database Syst Reviews. 2015;2015. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub2 Implementation of Active Workstations in University Libraries—A Comparison of Portable Pedal Exercise Machines and Standing Desks Keating XD, Guan J, Piñero JC, Bridges DM. A meta-analysis of college students’ physical activity behaviors. J Am Coll Heal. 2005;54(2):116–26. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.54.2.116-126 Nelson MC, Story M, Larson NI, Neumark-Sztainer D, Lytle LA. Emerging adulthood and college-aged youth: an overlooked age for weight-related behavior change. Obesity. 2008;16(10):2205–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.365 Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns During College Transition Years Classroom standing desks and sedentary behavior: A systematic review Download references The authors would like to thank the participants students and lecturers of the sports faculty of Besançon for their time and enthusiasm The authors would also like to thank Sean Hogan for editorial assistance and proofreading This work was supported by the National Research Agency (ANR) thanks to a RITM-BFC fellowship (contract ANR-17-NCUN-0003) EA3920 Prognostic Markers and Regulatory Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases and Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPSI) platform SG and LI conducted the data analysis and wrote the manuscript SP and GE assisted with manuscript write up All authors have read and approved the manuscript The project received approval by the local University Ethics Committee (Comité d’Ethique pour la Recherche-CER) All participants were more than 18 years old They gave their informed consent on the first page of the online form prior to completing the online survey All methods were carried out in accordance with the latest version of the Helsinki declaration The authors declare that they have no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11074-3 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The flying saucer zooms back to the future Furlan Marri caught fire with its first release in 2021 a meca-quartz Patek 1463 homage for a few hundred bucks seemed to be just what many enthusiasts wanted during those frothy pandemic years I was a simple enthusiast sitting in Chicago and even had a healthy bit of skepticism about this new Furlan Marri brand – after all why on Earth would a meca-quartz homage that costs 300 bucks resell for like $1,000 Not that any of this was Furlan Marri's fault it was the product of a confluence of things that we need not repeat again here except to say that I don't think it'll happen again soon though these last few crazy weeks might portend otherwise In the three years since that first release its more recent releases have evolved from 1:1 interpretations of classics to modern takes on vintage favorites While my hands-on time with that vintage AP was purely coincidental and not some plot by the Disco Volante Complex (at least I don't think) it did provide a helpful reference when thinking about Furlan Marri's modern take on the flying saucer The Furlan Marri Disco Volante is a well-executed The Furlan Marri Disco Volante is larger than most vintage interpretations measuring 38mm in diameter and 8.95mm thick (I love when brands will round to hundredths to make sure we know it's under 9mm but I confirmed the dimensions with my calipers) The lugs are hidden under the overhanging bezel and measure 32mm lug-to-lug though I'm not sure L2L matters on a watch like this The Disco Volante comes in three colors: Havana (salmon/brown) The sector-style dial has four parts with applied markers at the quarter hour interrupted by the small seconds at 6 o'clock The outer tracks have a metallic brushed finish though the dial is already a bit busy and might look cluttered with longer hands Discos Havana and Verde use Old Radium SuperLumiNova to match their old-school vibe while the blue Celeste uses extra-powerful white BGW9 It's a cool effect and probably the biggest modern take on a classic detail of the Disco Volante The stainless-steel case has a multi-stepped bezel invisible when looking at the watch from above The crown is hidden inside the bezel – good for symmetry but bad for functionality Each model comes with two straps that have curved lugs to fit flush against the case This strap integrates nicely with the case their attachment completely hidden and the strap seemingly appearing out of nowhere from below Visible through the caseback is Furlan Marri's take on the manual wind Peseux 7001 but the brand has reworked the bridges and added some handsome finishing The Peseux 7001 measures 2.5mm and has a 42-hour power reserve Furlan Marri's motto "Crafted with Care / Designed for Details" adorns the case band and is a little corny but otherwise unobtrusive The lugs are hidden under the wide bezel. the stronger lume on the blue Celeste makes it my favorite of the trio the Celeste is the most modern of the three While the Disco Volante is a play on its vintage predecessors it's this modern take that feels most in line with the original ethos of the Disco Volante – forward looking and a bit daring The other two colors lean more heavily into their classic inspiration I thought the Disco Volante might wear more like a curiosity or novelty than it does The case is thin and the lugs are designed to make sure the strap curves around the wrist It's not really a fair comparison to that vintage AP Disco Volante and has a strap (impractically) screwed directly into its case It wears just about right on my 6.3-inch wrist: the hidden lugs prop up the thin case just a bit on my 6.3-in It can handle wrists a bit larger than my 6.3-in but at some point I'm sure it'll start to look more like a quarter than a flying saucer The Furlan Marri Disco Volante costs $2,780 and joins the brand's permanent collection, available for pre-order now on its site. It's a step up in pricing for Furlan Marri, comparable in price to Furlan Marri's latest chronograph and nearly 2x the Sector While Furlan Marri launched as a brand making strict homages it's used its initial excitement to build something more Its last few releases have taken vintage cues but remixed them in ways that are distinctly Furlan Marri The Furlan Marri Disco Volante has a stepped stainless steel case measuring 38 x 8.95mm Available in three colors: Havana (salmon/brown) The Disco Volante uses the manual-wind Peseux 7001 customized by Furlan Marri including redesigned bridges hand-finished edges Delivered on two leather straps with curved spring bars Introducing The Doxa Sub 200, Now With A Steel Bezel Introducing Seiko Prospex 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT 60th Anniversary Edition SPB519 Watch Spotting The Watches & Fashion Of Met Gala 2025 WATCHPRO USA Could cocktail watches in exotic dial colors be making a comeback French watchmaker Baltic believes they will and has introduced 36mm Prismic watches to capitalize The watches come in titanium sandwich-style cases that are finished with a combination of brushed and polished faces Intricate dials have a Guilloché finish that fans out from the center towards a circular brushed hour tracker with polished applied stud hour markers A small seconds sub dial has a grainy finish and even the dagger-shaped hands have been given extra impact with a combination of polished edges and brushed surfaces There is a bit of an art deco meets 1970s aesthetic to the watches and Baltic has also taken a bit of a retro route with its movement which is a hand wound Peseux 7001 developed by Swatch Group-owned ETA Doing away with the winding rotor exposes more of the Côtes de Genève-finishing of its plates via an exhibition case back It also takes away depth from the movement which makes it possible to slim down the Prismic watches to just 9.2mm in height That sleekness is carried through into a wrist-hugging Milanese steel mesh bracelet that can be swapped out for a leather strap The watches go on sale this week priced at €990 on a leather strap or €1,050 on the steel mesh bracelet The first orders will be delivered in July Philippe’s own company specialising in finishing techniques Narbel & Co used the Roots watch as a canvas for the Skel-1 That means you get the same 40mm by 40mm TV- or cushion-shaped case It’s available either in stainless steel or in a bicolour combination of steel and red gold it’s all very modern yet comfortably proportioned The exterior is finished with a combination of brushing and polishing with a strong bevelled edge on the bezel to break the profile of the case The sapphire crystals on both sides follow the silhouette of the case a contemporary-looking crown is used to wind and set the watch it has a sloped flange on the outside perimeter with sculpted three-dimensional openworked indices minutes and seconds hands that are frosted and polished (and gold plated in the bicolour model) you get an unobstructed view of the skeletonised movement You can also get a glimpse of the remaining energy stored in the barrel as the mainspring is exposed in the top right corner The balance wheel can be seen swinging back and forth between 7 and 10 o’clock The Skel-1 comes with the same base movement as the Roots did, which is the manually wound Peseux 7001 it has been completely rebuilt and finished in-house and by hand in a movement that follows the contours of the TV-shaped case the base movement has been modified even more as virtually all components are skeletonised as much as possible This results in a striking combination of curves and lines all revealing the mechanical elements sandwiched between the plates and bridges German silver is used for various elements which is then given a black-gold finish or a 5n red gold plating The ratchet cover stands out as it has a contrasting finish to the movement It beats at a rate of 21,600vph and delivers 42 hours of running time The finishing looks absolutely spectacular which it should be given Philippe Narbel’s background The hand-applied finishing includes frosting No less than 211 interior angles have been bevelled and polished by hand The Narbel & Co Skel-1 is offered on a handmade leather strap bespoke to each client’s requirements in terms of material The strap is fitted with a stainless steel or gold ardillon buckle Philippe Narbel and his team will only make 10 to 15 pieces in total per year due to limited production capacity and offer customisation options to each client mainplate and bridges can all be altered if desired The base price is CHF 62,000 for stainless steel and CHF 82,000 for bicolour steel and gold For more information, please visit narbelandco.com. But also like an interior angle fest I can certainly enjoy The two tone steel distracts you from a fascinating looking watch are the most ubiquitous of all Swiss mechanical movements pragmatic movement with similar dimensions (25.60mm x 4.45mm) thus guaranteeing total compatibility with the casings of the ETA 2824 it is not a clone and comes with a different design A new iteration with the balance wheel visible at 6 o’clock is announced for the end of 2022 New versions with GMT (24h central hand) and small seconds at 6 are planned for 2023 Quick facts: La Joux-Perret G100 – automatic with central rotor on ball bearing – 25.60mm diameter 4.45mm thickness – 28,800 vibrations/hour or 4Hz frequency – 24 jewels – 68h power reserve – hours Just like the G100 is an alternative to the industry’s most popular three-hands-and-date movement the L100 is a replacement for the ubiquitous ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph and its clones (mostly the Sellita SW500) If the G100 is built on the 7750 architecture The chronograph is activated by a column-wheel instead of a cam-and-lever system which will be seen as a marketing advantage Quick facts: La Joux-Perret L100 – automatic integrated chronograph 7.9mm thickness – 28,800 vibrations/hour or 4Hz – 26 jewels – 60h power reserve – hours the Peseux 7001 is a small and slim hand-wound movement measuring 23.3mm in diameter and only 2.5mm in height it was the base calibre for many other movements with many independent watchmakers using it as a base for all type of developments As the movement is no longer supplied and the ébauche stocks are drying up it is interesting to see a new source for this legendary calibre If the L100 and G100 are already powering watches today the Peseux 7001 comes back with a few tweaks such as a modified click mechanism and with a longer power reserve (50 hours versus 45 hours) Quick facts: La Joux-Perret D100 – hand-wound movement – 23.3mm diameter 2.5mm thickness – 21,600 vibrations/hour or 3Hz frequency – 17 jewels – 50h power reserve – hours For more information, please visit www.lajouxperret.com First watch to house LJP G100 movement seems to be Zelos Spearfish @ USD750 The movement is clearly an improved Miyota These movements seems to be good quality or at least measures up to ETA or Sellita I hope these movements will find their way into more non-SWATCH Group brands a 68 hour power reserve while maintaining a 28,800 beat rate would put it ahead of the SW200-1 and its ~38 hour PR (all things being equal) Guantazo por la cara al nivel de entrada suizo mejorando ligeramente sus especificaciones ahora el paso del tiempo tiene que atestiguar si tambien los mejoran en durabilidad retencion de la precisión y disponibilidad de piezas Do you know if the D100 has hacking for the seconds That would be an improvement over the 7001 We’ll be able to tell more once it’s fully ready (end of this year @smb – they did not mention such an upgrade when I got to see the movement They just launched the Frederique Constant Classic Premier Limited Edition Model with the G100… FC is owned by Citizen so is a sister brand to MLJP The G100 being a retooled nicer Swiss version of the Miyota 9015 the original; the 35mm hand-wound Nomos Tangente known as reference 101 or 139 (the latter being shown here) Let’s go back in time a bit… Precisely Or maybe even a couple of months before that something of immense importance happened in Germany Germany was divided between Western Germany The situation meant a true division in how societies evolved with the East being administered and occupied by Soviet forces and not having the same economic growth as the West most of it was (and still is) located in the little town of Glashütte And the watchmaking industry didn’t have to wait long to move away from state-controlled to independence And watchmaking came back to its former glory it isn’t one of the old names of Glashütte were built using historical names and existing facilities (GUB and Lange) just two months after the fall of the Berlin Wall Right in a time of renaissance for the watchmaking industry in Glashütte but also exciting ones… One highly important fact about Nomos it was founded from scratch and is still independent today all were variations around a single design and fell perfectly into what I like to call “classics with a twist.” Dressy at first sight including the Tangente (maybe even more than the others) Bauhaus has been one of the most influential currents in modern design and architecture The style tends to feature simple geometric shapes like rectangles and spheres The first edition of the Tangente was designed using existing elements of the past but nevertheless typical of the Bauhaus era and from watches made in the 1930s a modern version of watches made in Germany under the Bauhaus era Looking at archives from the Glashütte region you can find identical case designs at Lange (not ALS yet) and Stowa as well as dials that feel familiar too – produced back then by a dial maker named Weber & Baral The inaugural Nomos Tangente was a marvellous watch with a formidable simplicity that only Bauhaus could have created designed with so much balance… What is even more astonishing is that in more than 30 years of existence Comparing the watch available today and the model that came out in 1992 with its own movement manufacture – in Glashütte of course – with the introduction of the Calibre Alpha And the best is that it is still available If you search the web for images of “vintage” examples of the Nomos Tangente and compare them to the watch that we have here the font and the finesse of the printing have changed slightly The Glashütte logo is not accompanied by the SA mention anymore the colour and texture of the dial have evolved this is about all the differences I can spot And this is what stroke me most when I actually had this watch in my hand but this classic Nomos Tangente is one of the rare examples of a watch that hasn’t changed in so many years And this only accentuates the overall emblematic status of this watch What is a Tangente 101 or 139 (the difference between these two references being the presence or not of sapphire caseback) it is a modern evocation of the Bauhaus era of the watches that were designed in the 1930s according to Bauhaus principles it is a design that is almost free of all adornments and despite a description that could feel cold and utilitarian there is something highly complex about this watch – 100 years after its golden age Bauhaus continues to amaze me with its modernity and its timelessness which is nothing more than a flattened cylinder The middle case is as round as it could be and has flat sides And this angularity of the sides is certainly attractive The lugs are following the same principles with the Bauhaus concept of mixing lines and curves attached directly to the case without even considering “merging” the parts or imagining to create a smooth transition the Tangente relies on a flat sapphire crystal and a crown that couldn’t be simpler If you want to talk about overly-designed watches The beauty of the classic Nomos Tangente also comes from its outdated specifically when combined with a profile that is only 6.6mm it was still totally acceptable for a man to wear a 35-36mm watch This is helped by the presence of rather long lugs making the watch slightly larger on the wrist – 45mm lug-to-lug (Nomos watches are always long but it doesn’t really matter in this small watch) There’s a certain elegance to this watch the elegance that you associate with an architect or an artist resulting in an object that is not that simple after all The dial follows the same principles as the case and has remained almost the same after 30 years there’s this combination of markers and numerals positioned radially (even though tilted in the bottom half) with a font that is as graphic as you would imagine from something named Bauhaus these are combined with hands that are… thin and simple too Seeing these ultra-thin needles running around the dial is again bringing an unexpected complexity plays with the light in a truly handsome manner It can change from metallic blue to champagne but the Tangente might feel simple at first sight but there’s much more to it when you take the time to observe the details the thinness and yet presence of all elements… This watch is not simple But you can feel the artistic side of the graphics there’s a complete coherence between the case and dial this leather comes from a small area on a horse’s back… And it is one of the smoothest most pleasant leather straps I’ve experienced And this leather is also known for its solidity and its capacity to age and gain patina I’d probably switch the strap to a more colourful one… One of the best things about the Tangente is its versatility it’s time to speak about the only element of the Nomos Tangente that has really changed over the years While the original models were powered by the ETA Peseux 7001 Nomos changed for the Calibre Alpha in 2005 it is an upgrade of the Peseux architecture the frequency and the power reserve too (3Hz What changes between the 7001 and the Nomos Alpha is the design of the plates (with a classic 3/4 plate) Glashütte sunburst on the ratchet and crown wheel) and the presence of a stop-seconds mechanism the fact that most parts are done by Nomos It’s a pretty little movement that fits the overall classic look of the watch Putting aside design and taste considerations there’s nothing I’d change about this watch I love this watch for everything it represents It’s a brilliant little watch that has so much history and consistency Don’t you dare do what too many brands did in the past The Nomos Tangente 35mm Hand-Wound reference 101 (closed back) retails for EUR 1,660 and the reference 139 (open back) retails for EUR 1,860. For more details, please visit nomos-glashuette.com Nomos is my go to place for a watch that fits my wrist I’ve had a Tangent (Doctors Without Borders) for quite a while & could not be happier Thanks for an excellent review of this classic watch but opted instead for Gangreserve version as I love their take on a power reserve small but very legible and adding a bit more interest and color to the stark dial Small and amusing typo there – “And this is what stroke me most when I actually had this watch in my hand but somehow it does that without feeling like a rehash there’s plenty of similar watches out there yet Nomos designs are normally instantly recognisable It is classic well designed exquisitely built Germanic watch that is affordable that never goes of style and excused good taste.😀 Finally pulled the trigger on my first Nomos (limited edition Club) last year and couldn’t be happier and I’m always discovering interesting details Honestly it makes some of my much more expensive watches look a little boring I know people complain about the long lugs and I was a little worried as well so at least there’s no gap between the case and strap end I think Nomos should try this with their leather straps as well I suspect some people are put off by the gap between the case and strap end more than the lug length The only flaw in this design for me has always be the subdial being too close to the stem When i first saw the original version of this watch in Japan I distinctly remember the plates visible through the see through back Must have been a very early version.This is still a lovely watch today The diameter is too large for the small caliber with the small seconds being positioned too high up (look at the Lange and Stowa for comparison) and on the back with the large bezel hiding the gap between the caliber and case diameters When it comes to classic and extremely desirable timepieces Kari Voutilainen’s Observatoire is on the short list of many collectors In today’s Weekly Watch Photo we show you an Observatoire and tell more about its (base) movement the proud owner of this magnificent beauty Before we turn to the chronometry competitions and the Peseux caliber 260, let’s have a closer look at the dial. It’s a perfect example of a hand guilloché (engine turned) dial as can be found on all Voutilainen timepieces. Some of the few remaining Rose engine turning machines (click here for Wikipedia) that can be used for dials can be found in Voutilainen’s atelier Dials adorned by engine turning (or hand guilloché) are a rare commodity now-a-days as the Rose engine turning machines and the skills required to use these machines properly are both becoming extremely rare Lucky for those in the position to buy a Voutlainen it comes with a bespoke hand guilloché dial Voutilainen became well known among collectors for his Observatoire with a movement based on the chronometry competition caliber Peseux 260 The finishing of the movement and the legendary performance during the chronometry competitions all add to the desirability of the timepiece Competition chronometer-quality wristwatch movements are not “ordinary” C.O.S.C These movements were designed and finished to excel in the rigorous world of Observatory Competitions as conducted in Geneve and Neuchatel in the years 1944 through 1967 Before one was allowed to enter the competition and those watches meeting the rigorous standards were awarded the certification 3 temperatures and 9 periods of from 1 to 5 days In order to receive certification a watch had to meet or surpass standards in 11 categories each period” (1.5 seconds) through “mean rate variation with respect to position change” (3 seconds) 5093 wristwatches were submitted for certification and only Omega and Patek did so every year along with numerous independent professional watchmakers Peseux supplied an ebauche exclusively for the Competitions Over the period of 23 years Peseux produced a little over 3300 movements What’s an interesting fact is that these movement were sometimes bought by either manufactures and independent watchmakers The manufactures chose caliber 260 as a base for their competition entry while the independent watchmakers or adjusters (those who adjust and regulate a timepiece) bought such a movement to promote their own skills (source: SteveG’s Watch Launchpad) The Peseux 260 is a beautiful movement, with all the best features for accurate and consistent running: a screw balance and a blued overcoil hairspring. While SteveG states the balance to be a Guillaume balance, fact as stated here (background info) indicate that it is not such a Guillaume balance wheel and that might just be a good thing Voutilainen’s finish is both technically and aesthetically of the highest possible level hand angled and polished gear spokes and of course perlage (circular spotting) on the main plate and non-visible parts While Voutilainen doesn’t use the Peseux 260 caliber anymore, his brilliant skills of finishing and the bespoke hand guilloché dials are now-a-days combined with Voutilainen’s in-house designed, manufactured, finished and assembled movement, caliber Vingt-8, which we discussed here The passion for watches runs deep within the MONOCHROME team That passion is even greater when independent watchmakers are concerned Not bound by such mundane laws as scalability or simply having an accountant limiting creativity for the sake of profitability we applaud the audacity these watchmakers put on display Ludovic Ballouard and his unconventional and highly complex watches produced under his own name since 2009 and explain more about this intriguing character Ludovic Ballouard is the creative genius behind the eponymous independent watchmaking brand Ballouard and his watches prove that his creations are a faithful reflection of his personality His interest in watchmaking followed his interest in flying and taking apart model airplanes at a young age A pivotal moment in his life was when a teacher advised him to enroll in watchmaking school and put all his engineering knowledge and skills learned through his miniature model aircraft to good use he continued to work in the field of aviation Working as an aircraft control technician for about six years he eventually pursued his passion and moved to Geneva Kicking off his watchmaking career was a three-year position with Franck Muller’s after-sales service department What followed was nothing short of perfect timing A conversation with a friend working for F.P and learning about a job opening up that very morning led to a six-month period working for the industry legend That six-month period would extend into seven years in which he managed to develop his skills immensely Ballouard was working on the most complicated pieces expertly displaying his skill in watches like the Sonnerie Souveraine all things come to an end and lead to new beginnings Filled to the brim with ideas on new complications Ludovic embarked on his most daring adventure yet to establish himself as an independent watchmaker While his timing for a career with other watchmakers was spot on going solo coincided with a severe global financial crisis Ludovic Ballouard presented his very first wristwatch under his own name and with his own in-house movement in 2009: the Upside Down most of the people I showed it to enjoy the whimsical dial but had no inkling as to the complexity beneath What Ludovic Ballouard created was a display that had only the correct hour right side up This ingenious yet simple display provides ample amounts of fun on the wrist telling time is still rather easy and intuitive A small dot in a contrasting color helps identify the correct hour a little bit faster The hour discs are joined by a centrally mounted minute hand and a small seconds indication classically positioned at 6 o’clock the other side of the watch is all business The reverse side of the Upside Down reveals the incredibly complex movement animating the show on the dial The Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down features the in-house developed using the gear train and barrel set-up of a Peseux 7001 as a starting point is a snail-cam attached to the minute wheel that essentially “primes” the movement for the jump of two hour discs at the same time a lever is pulled back and moves along a large gear on the outside edge of the central opening of the movement Once it has traveled far enough along with the gear it holds the position until the snail cam makes the full rotation all the built-up tension is released and sent through the movement to the discs hiding its indicative dot under the edge of the bezel while another jumps right side up to show the current hour and although you can see the snail cam releasing the lever and the lever pushing the large outer gear forward the jump of the 12 Maltese crosses underneath each hour disc is so fast you don’t even notice it the Upside Down has been part of Ludovic Ballouard’s collection and has seen many bespoke iterations and limited series Production capacity is very limited due to the complexity of the watch and the fact he has another model on offer; you can only do so much over a 12-month period If the Upside Down is literally true to its name The concept is similar and again revolves around the hour indication the hour markers are split and spread across two separate discs The outer disc carries the upper half of the hour numeral while the inner disc carries the lower half – but in reverse order you will notice only the top hour lines up The outer disc jumps counter-clockwise at the hour with the inner disc jumping in the opposite direction A floating window outlines the correct hour at the top of the dial the minutes are indicated with a retrograde hand mounted on the bottom edge of the dial the Half Time only reveals its complexity from the reverse side Again using the Peseux 7001 gear train and barrel as a base the in-house developed B02 caliber features Ludovic’s second patented mechanism You can see the similarity in the two movements as the B02 also uses a central snail cam to build up energy to instantly jump the two halved hour discs on the full hour While visually it might not be as powerful as the B01 with its 12 Maltese crosses spread across the movement If you compare the two in parts count only you’d be surprised to learn that the Half Time has over 300 components in the movement alone versus the 228 in the Upside Down Something as special as this requires a fitting case The Upside Down and Half Time are available exclusively in either gold or platinum with an optional diamond setting The size is a very modest 41mm in diameter and 11mm in height The style and shape of the case make it well suited for formal occasions but the play of the dial and the patented jumping hour complications also suit more relaxed situations It has a discreet crown positioned in between two crown guards at 2 o’clock The shape of the case is subtly enhanced with concave sections on the caseband and a nice curvature in the lugs The concave bezel is slightly wider than you might expect but it partially covers the dial and hour discs or the mounting point of the retrograde minute hand As mentioned earlier in this in-depth story on Ludovic Ballouard customization is very much part of the brand Offering bespoke creations or very limited series allows clients to create their own look can be finished in an elegant black or blue but also a mother-of-pearl marquetry design or even carbon fiber The freedom of creativity is a bit less in the Half Time given the nature of the two rotating discs On display throughout this article is a platinum Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down with a carbon fiber dial something relatively new to the collection Naturally this is proper Haute Horlogerie stuff The price for the Upside Down starts at CHF 75,000 in red gold and CHF 82,000 in platinum The Half Time is priced at CHF 85,000 in red gold and CHF 92,000 in platinum Bespoke options will most likely push that into six figures creating equally fascinating watches under his own name the opportunity to play with the design and materials result in highly unique watches This is exactly why we have such a deep-rooted love for watches especially creations by independent watchmakers not bound by the laws of common sense More information on Ballouard.com Thanks for introducing us to this fabulous watchmaker and his original creations Just a little outside my price range 😉 but a joy to look at nevertheless Don’t forget his Opus watch for Harry Winston – when it was introduced at BaselWorld (2013 as I recall) they also tick the same boxes: 39mm across 9.85mm in height (including the crystal) and 47mm from lug to lug Things take a different direction for the dial, though, which no longer exposes the manual-wound movement underneath (or at least far less of it). The blue Aventurine dial replicates a starry sky or perhaps a glimpse of a galaxy lightyears away. The iron-nickel Meteorite dial expresses itself with its intricate Widmanstätten pattern of interlacing traces of kamacite and taenite Both have hand-applied and finished baton hour markers with stainless steel hands that are brushed on top and a hand-applied bevelled edge The Meteorite takes it a step further by incorporating an open Ticking away underneath these dials is the HW-M01 manually wound movement, partially developed and constructed in-house (50% of it!). The construction is based on the Peseux 7001 but much has been done to make it stand out and match the intricate exterior The openworked movement has hand-finished bridges and plates The Meteorite version also gets a special scraping technique applied to the top surfaces of the bridges to mimic the pattern of the meteorite dial It runs at a rate of 21,600vph and has a power reserve of 42 hours The new Aventurine and Meteorite members of the Deconstructed line come on different straps The Deconstructed Aventurine comes on a handmade alligator leather strap with a patina finish while the Deconstructed Meteorite comes on an integrated rubber strap in anthracite Both strap options are fitted with a Holthinrichs signed 3D printed pin buckle The watches retail for EUR 16,900 for the Aventurine and EUR 18,800 for the Meteorite and each is limited to a production run of just 20 pieces For more information, please visit HolthinrichsWatches.com. Specialist in ultra-rare collectible timepieces from independent watchmakers has attached a price tag of $1,321,000 to a Minute Repeater 10 made by Kari Voutilainen a specialist in ultra-rare collectible timepieces from independent watchmakers has attached a price tag of $1,321,000 to a Minute Repeater 10 made by Kari Voutilainen along with other living watchmaking legends such as Philippe Dufour and Francois Journe has seen his watches rocket in value over the past two years A Collected Man has built a reputation among the upper echelons of the global watch collecting community for securing the rarest and most desirable watches and setting new price expectations for them Last year, the London-based operation set a new world record for an independent’s timepiece with the sale of a Philippe Dufour Grande et Petite Sonnerie watch for $7.63 million. Selling a Voutilainen for close to £1 million would be another headline grabber particularly as the watch on offer comes in steel Voutilainen has produced a number of decimal repeaters and minutes with two hammers acting on two gongs this piece is distinguished by its 38mm hardened stainless steel case with the metal being chosen because of its sound carrying properties The complication is openworked on both sides allowing the wearer a glimpse into its inner workings and to see the intricate mechanism that produces the chimes the movement is superlative both in terms of construction and finish,” A Collected Many describes “Voutilainen is admired for the quality of his finishing by utilising traditional tools and techniques The bridges are finished with classic Geneva stripes whilst the mainplate features snail graining,” the description adds the Observatoire’s origins lie in Voutilainen’s relationship with his clients A collector approached him with a box of old Peseux movements and suggested that he use them as the foundation for a watch The plan was initially to create a one-off piece but Voutilainen decided to use all of them and make them into a series instead It is estimated that only around 50 of this Observatoire were made The Observatoire would go on to win the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the category of “Best Men’s Watch” in 2007 the piece has a beautifully hand-turned dial featuring three different guilloché patterns in addition to tear-drop shaped lugs and unusual Observatory hands This is another characteristic that Voutilainen is known for which is constructed from three separate components: the shaft Another distinctive feature of this piece is the triangular index markers This detail appeared on the first-ever Observatoire and has been seen on a handful of other pieces since which leads us to believe that only the earliest Observatoires feature these triangular index markers It is worth noting that Voutilainen turns down requests to have this design feature integrated into the watches he creates today making this detail one which is relegated to the past The Observatoire makes use of the Peseux 260 an observatory-grade ébauche – hence the model’s final name – which was produced in the last century They were originally destined for precision timing competitions at the Geneva and Neuchâtel Observatories it is estimated that only 3,300 examples of the Peseux 260 ébauche were made Whilst his inventive dials and balanced finishing are often brought up this should not overshadow the achievement of developing his own escapement Voutilainen modified the entire escapement and inserted his own balance wheel the movement possesses a strategically engineered balance-spring with the exterior using a Breguet overcoil and the Grosmann curve for the interior distributing tension evenly between the internal curve of the balance spring and the external overcoil few watchmakers have been dedicated or skilled enough to push forward escapement technology with George Daniels and Roger Smith being two other notable examples the Voutilainen Observatoire is a truly special watch that holds a place in horological history Could cocktail watches in exotic dial colours be making a comeback and has introduced 36mm Prismic watches to capitalise Intricate dials have a Guilloché finish that fans out from the centre towards a circular brushed hour tracker with polished applied stud hour markers Some watches cost $36,440 and are worth every penny cost $2,330 and make you wonder why more companies can’t (or won’t) produce models offering this much value The Tangente is the type of watch that makes writing this column easy there’s no other modern brand that gets design and quality consistently right – across a range of models The Tangente is minimal without being sterile The stainless steel case is just 6.7mm thick – a welcome break from watches that are still too thick in the 21st century let’s discuss the size: a stainless-steel case measuring 37.5mm x 6.75 mm (despite the "38" in the model name) is unusual for a new watch especially in a market lately dominated by behemoth wrist candy the Tangente doesn’t wear frighteningly small or unexpectedly large the combination of modern design and restrained proportions allow it to look just right on the wrist Both dimensions – case diameter and case thickness – harken back to well-proportioned watches of the '40s and '50s the Tangente bears a striking resemblance to two Lange Bauhaus-style wristwatches released in 1940 And don't think we're exposing a secret here – Nomos is very up-front about the design being inspired by previous watches from Glashütte The Bauhaus school was started in 1919 in Weimar to remove “distinction between monumental and decorative art," stressed the importance of integration among various artistic disciplines in building design this resulted in buildings whose essential forms were simultaneously artistic and functional And with this minimalism came a more rigorous focus on typefaces and a balance between legibility and good looks The Nomos Tangente embodies this ethos to a tee The plain silvery-white dial is surrounded by even numbered Arabic hour numerals Inset at that void is a finely detailed sub-seconds dial with concentric circular graining Slim blued steel hands are used for the hour and minute hands as well as the seconds hand in the sub dial The larger hour and minute hands are just about the same thickness as the baton-style hour indexes A minor gripe is the non-standard lug-width: 19mm which slightly limits the options for changing straps The watch comes on one of Nomos's Horween Shell Cordovan straps but we have swapped it here for something a little different The off-white dial with black indexes is highly legible The Tangente is powered by Nomos’s in-house Alpha caliber manually-wound movement with about 43 hours of power reserve you can see the movement finishing with traditional Glashütte ribbing (similar to Côtes de Genève) Nomos' caliber Alpha is based on a modified Peseux 7001 The sub-seconds dial is decorated with guilloché I’m reluctant to say that the Tangente is an ideal t-shirt and jeans watch, because it doesn’t feel that way. Well, maybe this t-shirt and these jeans is that Nomos has developed an elegant algorithm for producing good watches Today the Tangente isn't breaking boundaries per se but Nomos is doing what a number of companies (or marketing departments) just can’t get right For more information, visit Nomos online shares her hands-on experience with one of the most beautiful watches I have ever seen It is a Kari Vourilainen Observatoire with a brown/copper dial whose photos are also used in this excellent write-up One of the things that appeals to many people about independent watchmakers is that there’s often a story behind the watchmaker and his or her watch which gives an added personal dimension to each timepiece It starts with how he found some Peseux base calibres which had never been assembled after being fabricated and then proceeded to make them his own finishing them with both anglage and perlage he decided to use a rare system of balance spring which so I will simply give the description – the exterior of the spring uses a typical Breguet overcoil whilst the internal curve uses the little known Grosmann curve a teacher at the watchmaking school at Le Locle in the late early 20th century perfected a technique that gives the same amount of attention to the internal curve of the balance spring as the external overcoil The Observatoire was the first use of this curve in the 21st century For those of you who are not familiar with the technical details The dial design of the Observatoire is very restrained what is special about this particular Observatoire which makes it so much more distinctive is that it is in the more difficult to find platinum case model (at the time of its creation there were only five other Observatoires in platinum) with a brown dial and “frosted” gold movement finish (only the second to have this) Kari Voutilainen’s dials are not made by him but are outsourced to Parmigiani-owned companies the dial is almost bronzed (in certain lights) and contrasts quite vividly with the white gold and blued hands The distinctive take on Breguet hands are not to everyone’s taste in terms of the size of the circles I admit that I find them a little large for my personal preferences the refinished vintage observatory-grade Peseux 260 movement Kari threw out the entire escapement and inserted a balance wheel but it has a definite presence and heft to it This may be partly due to the angle of the tear drop styled lugs It has both a robust appearance and a robust presence Even for those with no idea as to who Kari Voultilainen is you will notice the craftsmanship that has gone into it In looking at photographs of other iterations of the Observatoire I find that this rare bronzed dial gives off quite a different impact to the others the watch is still flexible in terms of being casual or dressy with white/ silver dial models looking more formal Whatever your feelings are about this watch it’s hard to escape recognizing that it is a beautifully made timepiece Note from the editor: Today Voutilainen does the engine turning of the dials in-house and a personalized design can always be discussed More information about about Kari Voutilainen’s timepieces can be obtained through his website The Chronometre 27 is also a gorgeous timepiece and thanks Mono Man for publishing this piece about my watch the Observatoire won the “Favourite Men’s Watch” prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genéve The series had already sold out once (and I had missed out) but Kari came into possession of a few more Peseux movements and so he contacted a few people who had missed the first batch Another bit of trivia is that the whole Observatoire concept came about because of a well known collector approaching Kari with a Peseux 260 movement and suggesting he make a one-off watch from it That became the original Observatoire and is