If I said Victorinox to you, you’d be forgiven if you said, sorry who ? Now if I said Swiss Army Knife, of course everyone knows Swiss Army Knifes and either has, had or hankers after one. Now did you know Victorinox produces and sells unique, high quality products worldwide which are of practical use in differing areas of life: Cutlery, Watches, Travel Gear, Apparel and Fragrances. The head office of the company is in Ibach, Schwyz, in the heart of Switzerland. This is where the founder of the company Karl Elsener first set up his cutler’s business in 1884 and, a few years later, designed the legendary Original Swiss Army Knife.

And god you also know that Victorinox Swiss Army has been producing precision instruments for over 25 years. These timepieces, manufactured in the new Victorinox watchmaking competence center in Delémont, in the Swiss Jura, combine timelessness, reliability and functionality. Thanks to the brand’s uncompromising commitment to quality and attention to detail, Victorinox Swiss Army watches perpetuate the vision introduced by its founder over a century ago and establish themselves as objects capable of meeting the most demanding requirements.

The latest edition to the Swiss Family Victorinox is the the I.N.O.X Carbon. Made from a carbon resin composite that has protected space shuttles from reentry temperatures in excess of 1,260°C, it fearlessly heads for elevated performance levels. Durable materials and construction join forces with dependable functionality. The Victorinox Swiss Army flagship collection reinforces its relentless commitment to simultaneously measuring and defying time.

The I.N.O.X. Carbon combines extremely high structural rigidity with scratch resistance and hypoallergenic properties. A total of 130 homologation tests are the first milestone facing I.N.O.X. timepieces. In the I.N.O.X. Carbon, the seal of quality finds clear expression via a monobloc dial with stamped markers and digits to ensure shock resistance. Its striking case gets extra shielding on everyday adventures from a transluscent grey, removable bumper. A Naimakka paracord attachment is an adventure-loving alternative to a genuine rubber strap, both in black. Traditionally used for parachute suspension lines, and with a breaking strength of 250 kg, the multi-strand nylon cord is permanently ready for 24/7 action.

Meticulous details are the undisputed building blocks of perfection. From the red military time printed beneath the crystal, to the subtle marbled effect affording each piece intrinsic uniqueness, the I.N.O.X. Carbon stays true to the quest. The watch’s dense, matt black appearance makes a sleek modern statement, hinged on an industrial inspiration: a visible link between the proven Victorinox pioneering spirit and a high-tech present and future. Innovation is never a final destination. It’s a borderless map.

Words by Suzanne Vallance

For today’s post we sort the advice of an expert Suzanne Vallance uses her knowledge of all things horology to share her passion of traditional timepieces and she currently works for repairsbypost.com

With temperatures dropping and winter, approaching makes sure you are up to date with watch trends this autumn. A timepiece will make excellent addition to your new winter wardrobe, however, with so much choice out there, it will be hard to narrow down the options.
If you have some time on your hands, make sure you shop around for a piece of wrist wear that will show off your knowledge of watch innovation as well as your flair for street style. Stay ahead in the world of watches as we have narrowed down our top picks for Autumn Accessories.
MINIMALIST WATCHES PERFECT FOR GENTLEMEN
If your style consists of pain white t-shirts and a classic skinny jean, then a minimalist watch design is perfect for you. Sometimes it is best to be basic as Minimalism has proven to be one of 2016’s biggest trends on and off of the catwalk.
If you are looking for a watch that works with your style day in and day out then a simple vintage style watch, is probably the best choice for you. Daniel Wellington timepieces are male fashion blogger favourite, as their simple yet classic design can be described in two words: Instagram worthy.
This versatile brand creates watches for every occasion. From formal evening wear to Sunday style a Daniel Wellington timepiece is a gent’s perfect partner. Although minimalistic style is at the forefront of fashion right now, Daniel Wellington believe that they create timepieces that men can keep for years to come. Matte black is a timeless option, however, metallic fashion is also trending so it could be an idea to match your watch with a silver or rose gold clock face with a NATO or leather strap.

If you like to change up your look Daniel Wellington owners have the option to easily switch up their watch straps. Online watch repair, brand, Repairs By Post suggest that if you do invest in a leather strap. A regular cleaning will keep the dirt to a minimum and prevent any unwanted odours.

WORK WITH THE WOODEN TIMEPIECE TREND
What could be more authentic this winter than a timber timepiece? Wooden jewellery an excellent choice for a manly man who is looking to alternate his accessory style. The wooden watch market will break your bank and it and will be the subtle addition that will change your style vibe for winter 2016.
Sustainability is huge right now in the fashion and accessory world and figures have shown that 91% of millennials living in the UK, would switch brands to one which is associated with a cause that supports the environment.
Original Gran is a sustainable wooden watch brand that has partnered with Trees for the Future. The accessory creators have listen to today’s watch wearers and have and gone one above competitors and plant 10 trees for every watch sold! Therefore, a timepiece by Original Grain is not only a stylish choice but one that is definitely worth style blogging about!

ONES TO WATCH

Independent watch makers are breaking all the rules and going back to watch design basics, creating quality time pieces that are built to stand the test of time. If you are looking forsomething different that is out of the mainstream eye, then INSTRMNT are the one to watch this winter.
INSTRMNT’s goal is to create a high quality minimalist design minimalist which is at an affordable price. Their tagline promotes the ideology that the customer is top priority on the list, stating that they; “value process and design primarily with the user in mind”.
By creating utilitarian pieces, they offer high quality design. INSTRMNT are creating a new trend in watchmaking design, influencing consumers to move away from big brands and to start investing in the future of wrist wear.

Words by Beth Pembroke

With the summer slowly drawing to a close there are certain changes that need to be made in terms of your accessories and your wardrobe. It’s now time to move away from the thin, dainty pieces and move towards thick, more statement likes accessories and clothing. Similar to clothing, watches can also be seen to have seasons, which will be based on technicality, appearance and of course what type of watch it is. Just to give you little guidance we have come up with 5 men’s watch brands to watch this autumn!

Daniel Wellington

We start our selection with none other than Daniel Wellington. Wellington is known as a fashion timepiece rather than one that provides technical brilliance, but with their simplistic appearance and timeless design, Wellington is perfectly suited to autumn. Whether you are looking to introduce a leather or NATO strap with your timepiece, your able to add a degree of customisation, not available with other watches. In a time whether watches are becoming more and more technical, Wellington is helping watches come back to the age of simplicity with their stunning and timeless aesthetics.

U-Boat Watches

U-Boat are a leading example of statement pieces in the jewellery. They can often be overlooked especially as they provide such a unique and orthodox appearance compared to traditional watches. Timepiece enthusiasts will appreciate the design and technical aspects of U-Boat watches, especially as they provide an Italian design married with Swiss movement. Their use of materials highlight the techniques used in order to create such illustrious timepieces, where they have included materials such as carbon, bronze, titanium and silver. If you’re truly looking for a statement piece, U-Boat watches are exactly what you need.

Bulova

Bulova are one of the leading timepiece manufacturers, providing excellent quality since 1875. The brands remain’s a focal point in the watch world, setting barriers since ‘America ran on Bulova time’. Similar to the brand U-Boat, Bulova use innovation and materials different from other brands in order to keep their designs contemporary compared to the rest.

88 Rue Du Rhone

Many people are unaware that the 88 Rue Du Rhone brand has close connections with the one and only Raymond Weil. Elie et Pierre Bernheim, who are grandchildren of the famous watchmaker Raymond Weil, branched off to create a beautiful, yet sophisticated brand, staying true to Swiss brilliance and innovation. Coincidentally, this is what Raymond Weil also stood for, however 88 Rue Du Rhone arrives at an accessible and obtainable price compared to Weil.

Aviator

Aviator watches are completely based around aviation and the art of flying. Their designs are based on old aviator planes, but have recaptured them within a timepiece. Not only do they provide an exclusive appearance, but they provide one of the most reliable and accurate forms of measuring time. Pilots initially used pocket watches in order to measure their performances, splitting their concentration, however as technology began to become further and further advances, pocket watches moved to wristwatches. This helped establish the Aviator brand, proving to pioneers in the timepiece world and highlighting their reliability. With true class, history, tradition and aesthetically pleasing designs, Aviator maybe perfect for you.

A trend in timepieces which has been gaining more and more popularity over time, excuse the pun, is the minimal watch. No I don’t mean something that is barely there, but striped back, simple, functional pieces. Almost as a reaction to the all singing, does everything smart watch trend, these are almost the antithesis to this style of watch.
One such brand that highlights this growing movement, and, does it particularly well is TID. The Stockholm based watch brand founded in 2012 by Ola Eriksson and design studio Form Us With Love. This Swedish design studio founded 2005, operating out of Stockholm. Together the studio has partnered with craftsmen, engineers and material experts to challenge the preconceptions of watches.

TID is the Swedish word for “time” and accordingly TID strives to offer iconic products with genuine value over time. From their studio in Stockholm, they obsess over materials and attention to detail, to produce a limited collection of original, accessible timepieces for their clients to wear day in day out.

TID are obsessive about, time and the aesthetics of their timepieces, on one hand they sets out to make iconic watches to wear through shifts in times and styles. On the other, TID acts as a canvas for artists, thinkers, writers and visualisers to express their opinions and beliefs.

Their classic incarnation, No.1,  reduces the functions of a watch to the barest of essentials — an easy-to- read dial, adjustable strap, and two choices of case. No.1 is made of stainless steel, milled and then given a black ion coating for durabilty, a finish that gives it just the right amount of matte versus glass on the wrist, while the only noticable branding is punched into the side. Whereas the new No.1 Steel features a milled solid stainless steel case for durability. Matched with a monochromatic brushed face and hands, it appears to be crafted from a solid piece of steel.

Since its foundation in 1930, the very name of CITIZEN conveys a deep respect toward craftsmanship. Citizen integrates a comprehensive manufacturing process from creating individual components to a watch’s final assembly. In an artisan’s approach to watch making based on pushing forward the boundaries of technology while leveraging their experience toward exploring new possibilities.

One pivotal technological breakthrough was the development of a light-driven watch. Citizen pioneered this engineering innovation well ahead of other watch manufacturers as early as 1976, which led to the launch of the highly acclaimed Eco-Drive in 1995. Utilizing electrical power converted from virtually any light source, this extraordinary innovation changed forever the way watches could be powered. Eco-Drive eliminated the need to ever replace batteries, which made it especially beneficial to areas where such specialist batteries were not obtainable.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Eco-Drive technology, the brand have launched a number of watches incorporating design features, innovative functions and the award winning Eco-Drive technology that will capture the imagination of none only the stylish, but the techies and even the most discerning of watch enthusiasts.

One such timepiece is the Citizen Promaster Navihawk GPS is a sophisticated timepiece with the world’s fastest timekeeping signal reception speed from GPS navigation satellites. In just three seconds the Promaster Navihawk GPS can calculate the time in 27 cities and 40 world time zones, offering accuracy without manual intervention. It also offers a perpetual calendar and a 1/20 second chronograph measuring up to 24-hours, plus a pilot’s rotating slide rule bezel. Convenient Daylight Saving Time, light level and power reserve indicators keep the wearer fully informed. As a finishing touch, the Promaster Navihawk GPS incorporates a dual time and alarm function, plus tough sapphire crystal glass.

Aesthetically the Promaster Navihawk GPS is equally impressive with a robust 47mm case crafted in Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC). The stainless steel case and bracelet model is off-set perfectly with a textured black dial, incorporating hints of vibrant green as points of interest on three dominant sub-dials. The second model focuses on slick monochrome, with Citizen’s exclusive Super Titanium achieving five times the hardness of stainless steel. The Promaster Navihawk GPS is a watch with many attributes, styled for many uses, worn only by the individual.