John Goldberger's Cartier Cintree Collection

John Goldberger's Cartier Cintree Collection

The Clock That Changed The World

Longitude 2000

The Clock That Changed The World

John Harrison's Clock

Arial Adams Interviews Bulova CEO at BaselWorld 2015

Arial Adams Interviews Bulova CEO at BaselWorld 2015

The Jack Heuer Story

The Jack Heuer Story

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrating The 20th Anniversary of The Return Of The German Watchmaker

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrating The 20th Anniversary of The Return Of The German Watchmaker

Yellow Gold Hermes Rolex Daytona

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Ultra-Rare

Yellow Gold Hermes Rolex Datyona

1968 Reference 6241

Exploring The Astrolabe

Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?

Exploring The Astrolabe

The history of time measurement has marked the upward surge of mankind, and technology. We know about modern wristwatches, and we know about pocket watches, but how did humans measure time before the pocket watch? They used a curiously magnificent device named the Astrolabe. Kuristas.com has a superb article on the history of the Astrolabe, which I highly recommend reading.

Evan Bench took the stunning images above and below of the Astrolabe and said:

An 18th century Astrolabe. This is copy made in the late 18th century of a popular astrolabe originally designed in the early 18th century. I found this in a souk in Marrakech.

An astrolabe is a historical astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses included locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars; determining local time given local latitude and vice-versa; surveying; and triangulation.

In the medieval Islamic world, they were used primarily for astronomical studies, as well as in other areas as diverse as astrology, navigation, surveying, timekeeping, Salah prayers, and Qibla. Astrologers of the European nations used astrolabes to construct horoscopes.

This particular astrolabe was made to order as a decorative item sometime in the late 18th century. As the markings are not precise, it would be difficult - if not impossible - to accurately determine astrological events using this piece. The plates themselves are well-scribed and could be used to determine approximate latitude.

The various parts of an 18th century astrolabe as seen above were made in North Africa.

Astrolabes are a historical astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses included locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars; determining local time given local latitude and vice-versa; surveying; and triangulation.

In the medieval Islamic world, they were used primarily for astronomical studies, as well as in other areas as diverse as astrology, navigation, surveying, timekeeping, Salah prayers, and Qibla. Astrologers of the European nations used astrolabes to construct horoscopes.

The first astrolabes were made in the 3rd century but advanced brass astrolabes did not appear till the middle ages (8th and 9th century).

The plates of this instrument are made of brass but are unusual in that they have been electroplated in gold. The thin layer of gold has been worn off over the years.

This instrument is a copy of a much older instrument used in the 17th century. Astrolabes were often copied and given as gifts. This one is a low quality copy found in a souk in Marrakech. It was probably made in the 18th century. The accuracy of the markings is poor and so it would be difficult to actually use this instrument to make calculations.

Think of it as 18th century "bling": In the 16th and 17th centuries, the possession of an astrolabe lent an element of prestige and intelligence to the owner.

Now it's just a hunk of brass that no one knows how to use. The mathematical principles behind its use are fairly complex. Basically it's a mechanical device for predicting the movement of celestial bodies (usually the moon, sun, planets, and principal stars). It was used in the Arab world in may ways. For one, to determine the times of sunset and sunrise as well as lunar cycles. It could also be used for navigation to determine ones approxiamate longitude and latitude. The North African Moors brought the astrolabe to Europe and it was quickly made popular for navigation and celestial mechanics.

As an instrument of astrology it was used extensively by Sufis (Islamic mystics; especially in the Persian world) to create astrological maps based on events. This small one is not as astrological astrolabe but rather an astronomical one. Astrological astrolabes have detailed astrological charts and maps on the inside and back of the mater. This one has mathematical tables instead.

Many astrological astrolabes are Persian (Iran) in origin.

Cool Tag Heuer Commercial

Cool Tag Heuer Commercial

The History Of The Rolex DEEP SEA Model

The History Of The Rolex DEEP SEA Model

1959 Rolex DEEPSEA 33MM Reference 6532

After having studying Rolex design language history for so may years, I have noticed that a great key to Rolex's success was to experiment like crazy, and often times if something did not initially stick, Rolex would try it again until it stuck or worked, and that appears to me the case with the original Rolex DEEPSEA. The earliest known Rolex DEEPSEA was made in 1956, and the one in the two photos below, which appear courtesy of Fourtane Jewelers, was made in 1959 and has a beautiful gilt honeycomb dial.

Ironically, the case is the same with the original Rolex Yacht-Master which was made as a prototype in 1967, and was resurrected for use again in 1992, when Rolex introduced the watch we think of today when we think of the Rolex Yacht-Master. Same thing with the Rolex Cosmograph designation which was first used on the Rolex Moonphase Reference 6062 in the 1950s, they brought back again with the inception of the Rolex "Cosmograph" Daytona in the mid 1960s.

This next example of a Rolex DEEPSEA appears courtesy of Robert Maron, and it was named in the fourth quarter of 1956. One of the obvious questions, was if this watch was intended to be an homage to the original Rolex DEEPSEA Special Prototypes that set records in 1953 and 1960, and that would be my best guess. Robert Maron points out:

"Original stainless steel case is 33mm in diameter by 12mm thick and has a polished finish. The 6532 is popularly thought to share a case with the early Explorers. However, this is not the case (pun intended!). Instead, the 6532 case has straight case sides and thin lugs, which distinguishes it from an Explorer. It is also 1mm in diameter smaller than an Explorer. "

A Conversation with Benjamin Clymer

A Conversation with Benjamin Clymer Owner & Founder of Hodinkee
Here is a fascinating interview with my pal, Benjamin Clymer, who I recently toured Rolex with in Geneva, Switzerland. In the video you get a real sense of Ben's amazing passion for what he does, and if you are not familiar with Hodinkee, be sure to check it out!