James Stacey – A. Lange & Söhne (Germany)

A. Lange & Söhne doesn’t need much introduction but this small German watch manufacturer has been producing one of the finest watches over the years. Germany has been had a strong watchmaking history in the past and A. Lange & Söhne has paved a good part of it. Their watches are full of uniqueness while being gorgeous and distinctive. They focus on featuring watches that are beautifully subtle with complexity. A.Lange & Söhne is the heart of German watchmaking.

Jack Forster – Grand Seiko (Japan)

Grand Seiko is one of those brands that really shows you do no have to be a Swiss brand to succeed in the watchmaking world. The Japanese brand has been designing amazing watches since the start of the 20th century and since then has had a name for themselves. The philosophy of quality that informs them is so characteristically Japanese which makes it so incredible. Grand Seiko doesn’t aspire to resemble a great Swiss watch; instead, it strives to be the best possible Japanese watch. Grand Seiko has shown great evidence that you can be at any part of the world to create such a wonderful timepiece.

Stephen Pulvirent – Sarpaneva (Finland)

Many people would not think as Finland as a country for watchmaking rather one for hockey legends or  telecom companies like Nokia. Sarpaneva has been producing watches from the center of Helsinki. Their watches have a completely different feel to them having a rock n’ roll feeling to them. With the signature moon grinning back at you from the often layered dials. They also has a line of slightly lower priced pieces under the brand S.U.F that are intended for the Finnish domestic market and play off local culture and use local materials. It is very fascinating to see a watch brand like this using their own materials and building watches in their own turf while making watches that are nothing alike to the ‘Swiss’ style.

The Queen of Naples played a big part in the history of women’s watches for Breguet. These fabulous wristwatches combine mechanical movements with an oval shaped case where the exquisite dial is seen as an eye-catcher. What makes this concept so important is that all these watches and timepieces are created specifically for ladies which no other watchmaker could do. They come equipped with a variety of  beautiful dial options all crafted with precise detail.

The fascinating part about Breguet’s watches is that their beauty doesn’t just lie on the outside but also in the inside. These watches are very serious mechanical creations. The timepiece that portrays this best is the Tradition Dame, which the mechanics can be seen through the dial. The mechanics are very intriguing on a elegant and feminine watch. What adds more beauty is the subtle details such as the diamonds set around the bezel.

Breguet’s traditional dial features a  guilloche design on the dial while many other Breguet timepieces also feature a mother-of-pearl dial. Breguet has become a master in working with this fragile material and can not only engrave it but also offer it with refined guilloche patterns. Given that, the exceptional is that they are all created by hand. The result is however of such a refined elegance that it without a doubt would have pleased Abraham-Louis Breguet himself.