Wristwatch Annual 2005: The Catalog Of Producers, Models, And Specifications

About the Author Peter Braun is editor-in-chief of Germany 's renowned wristwatch magazine Armbanduhren. Read more Excerpt. and copy; Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Dear Readers,In our industry, it seems that no watch can be sold without a discount. But does this common practice really reflect what the high-quality mechanical watch is all about? If you ask me, it is more about the love of precision mechanics and the passionate feeling that overcomes us as we place one of these ticking beauties housed in precious metal on our wrists. The price is secondary; and if it 's not, then there are a few things that should be remembered. One is certainly the extreme amount of love and attention to detail that went into making any of the outstanding works of art shown in this publication. If you have ever visited a watchmaker 's workshop, then you will know exactly what it is that I am talking about. Rich watchmakers do not exit; they do this for the love of the art. And this is something that all of us should remember when we are squeezing the last cent out of the local jeweler down the street or threatening to turn to the Internet for a better deal (something I would strongly advise against).As always, I would like to remind our readers that the prices shown in Wristwatch Annual 2005 are the official retail prices given out by the manufacturers and distributors at press time (fall 2004). These prices are certainly subject to change throughout the year and should be used as a guideline only. They also do not reflect any discounts you may or may not be able to wrangle for yourself (while keeping the above-mentioned in mind). Due to certain companies ' policies, some prices are listed in euros. And in some very rare cases, prices for brand-new watches were not available at press time. Your friendly neighborhood jeweler or watchmaker will certainly be more than happy to provide you with official current pricing.And, finally, I do want to mention that in the past year, we lost a valuable member of the watchmaking community: Steven Phillips, inventor of the eternal winding system (EWS) and the first American candidate member of the A.H.C.I., passed away on February 27, 2004. May his handmade, innovative style be long remembered.And may your hours reading Wristwatch Annual 2005 be enjoyable. Read more