There has been unexplainable weather during this year’s winter season, from the unbearable cold fronts that came from nowhere to the never-ending snow. But cheer up, because the winter season will soon be over and spring and summer will be here in no time! We all know what the spring and summer months are all about too. It’s all about those special getaways to the relaxing beach, and for those that visit the ocean for diving know that it is important to have a watch especially made for diving.

The Industrial Revolution brought with it new promise in technology as well as art. The public’s intense desire for novelty and progress spurred new aesthetic styles and a prompted a new wave of artistic imagination the likes of which were never seen before. Futurism was in, and the result of that epic historic movement is felt today in the heritage and lasting effect of Art Deco and its predecessor, Art Nouveau. The high luxury watch brand Jean Dunand is founded on these concepts, in dedication of the man Jean Dunand, who was an accomplished Swiss Art Deco designer and artist in the early 20th Century.

The relationship between fine cars and fine watches has manifested itself as a curious borrowing of traits, where both items have equally borrowed from one another. Cars perhaps have taken the polished good looks and legibility of watch dials, while watches have borrowed “performance feel” from automobiles in terms of design and character. At the same time, each want to borrow personality traits from one another, resulting in cars and watches that feel to the consumers as they have been looking over each other’s shoulders for decades on the design bench.

Few watch lovers will ever have the pleasure of owning a Thomas Prescher timepiece. Prescher makes a very limited amount of watches each year, and they are often extremely expensive. The level of horological understanding necessary to appreciate his craft is also intimidating.

It used to be that watch brands like Breitling didn’t offer highly diamond decorated watches direct out of the manufacture. Something about professional aviator watches studded with 4 carats of diamonds that didn’t seem to be marketable. It wasn’t until Swiss watch makers noticed a booming aftermarket watch ‘enhancement’ industry that they decided to offer jewelry pieces direct to watch buyers themselves.

Many watch lovers are infatuated with the curious complication known as the moon phase indicator. Quite self-explanatory, the indicator serves shows what phase the moon is in as it cycles from orb in the sky to mere sliver of light. Eons of sentient humans and human ancestors have gazed in wonder at the coming and goings of our sky’s biggest attraction.

For thousands of years beautiful jewelry has been enhanced with, or modeled after, animals. A feline fetish exists in the watch world, especially when it comes to haute joaillerie. Cats, big and small, timid and wild, have found a place on luxury timepieces.

Bedat & Co., the timepiece company with a tumultuous history, has recently begun anew. One of its former distributors picked up the rights to the fumbling company, uplifted the brand’s spirits, and has released exciting new pieces.

Watch collectors either love or hate designs from Franc Vila. No other watch has a face that loosely resembles a cobra head—set into a case that looks like an egg sitting on its side. The reptilian look is furthered by the segmented scale style of the rubber strap (a separate crocodile strap is also included).