In 1998 the trade magazine UhrenMagazin and the news magazine Focus (and also the ‘Focus Online’) started their ‘Goldene Unruh’ contest in which they asked readers to vote for their favourite watches.

For the 2010 contest, more than 50 watches were nominated in five categories. The categories are determined by the price of the watch. This year, over ten thousand readers cast their votes. Competition for the awards in this contest are fierce, with the list of nominated watches in each category being a roll call for some of the finest of international watches. Besides Sinn watches, other nominees included well-known brands such as Glashütte Original, Breitling, IWC and A. Lange & Söhne.

Not surprisingly then many watch-making industry insiders and watch connoisseurs and collectors think of the ‘Goldene Unruh’ as the ‘Oscar of the watch industry.’

Given the quality of the competition, Sinn watches appear to have an excellent reputation amongst the magazines’ joint readership. For Lothar Schmidt, owner of Sinn Spezialuhren, ‘We see our excellent showing as evidence that many watch experts appreciate our innovative strength, and that they also value the technical features of the traditional masterpieces we produce.’

For 2010, Sinn watches were voted first in two of the five categories, and second in a third.

Mazzuoli describes the moment he received the first prototype of the Contagiri: “When I received the first prototype of ‘Contagiri’ I felt a strong desire to show it to someone that I have always admired and that like me, really loves auto racing.”

That person he was referring to is Paul Newman, another man renowned for his passion for cars and racing. Mazzuoli got to meet Newman, and to give Newman his dream watch. Paul Newman wanted to auction the watch for his foundation: Hole in the Wall Camps. Giuliano Mazzuoli went a step further and provided 25 watches for auction.

Hole in the Wall Camps provides children with serious illnesses a medically safe but at the same time a magical environment of fun and adventure away from the realities of hospital beds and doctors’ offices they are often so used to. These camps are the work of Paul Newman, and they are also made possible by thousands of volunteers and generous donors. So far, over 114 000 children from 33 countries have attended 11 of these camps, free of charge.

Ultra-thin watches have long been viewed as one Jaeger-LeCoultre’s signature timepieces, they embody the brand’s quest for precision and perfection. The Master Grande Ultra Thin was created in 2008. This luxury watch has all the virtues of absolute finesse with pure and clean lines, and as we see from the Austrian readers’ votes, this timepiece continues to win acclaim.

This sophisticated ultra-thin watch combines a 40 mm case with an automatic movement, that is visible through the watch’s transparent case back, in the classic watch-making tradition we have come to expect from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The time measurement can be read accurately from the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock.

The Master Grande Ultra Thin, and many other Jaeger-LeCoultre Watches are available from The Watch Gallery, on Fulham Road in London.

Over 110 000 easyJet passengers took part, and voted the Swiss family firm Raymond Weil the Best Watch Brand. This is a great honour for the brand, more so as voters were free to enter their favorite watch brand; there were no brand suggestions from which to choose.

Raymond Weil was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1976. Over the years since, the Brand has come to be internationally recognised for its independent, dynamic and innovative character. Most of the Raymond Weil collections draw their inspiration from major musical works such as Parsifal, the brand’s signature collection, Don Giovanni and Othello. Each of these collections reflects Raymond Weil’s love for classical music, the opera and the arts.

The full list of ten awards are:
BEST DESTINATION: Rome; BEST SKI RESORT: Chamonix; BEST SPA:Aldemar Royal Mare Thalasso Spa, Crete; BEST AIRPORT: Faro; BEST LOCAL BEER: London Pride; BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL: IE Madrid; BEST WATCH Raymond Weil; BEST CAMERA MANUFACTURER Nikon; BEST TRAVEL GADGET LUGGAGE: Samsonite; BEST CLUB NIGHT/MUSIC VENUE: Hula Boogie, London.

In exceptional company indeed! And the place to buy your Raymond Weil watch, Jura Watches in London. Perhaps the Traveller will add Best Luxury Watch Shop for the 2010 Awards.

And what we have is the Fortis SPACELEADER CHRONOGRAPH by Volkswagen Design, in a limited edition of 2012 pieces.

The watch has a micro-mechanical, high precision automatic movement that is embedded within a black caoutchouc bracelet. This bracelet has been specifically designed for this model to keep the watch firmly positioned on the wrist, and is intended to be both ergonomic and comfortable. The case is highly polished steel, and to one side of the dial the bracelet is continuous – surrounding the crown. The Sapphire crystal is anti-reflective on both sides for enhanced legibility.

The Volkswagen’s distinctive character and the aesthetic clear-cut design we associate with the iconic car has been incorporated in a number of the watch’s more functional features. With good and winning effect. This futuristic watch has already been awarded the iF product design award for 2010. This is award is judged by a panel of international experts and recognises proven design quality.

Fortis Watches are available from Jura Watches in London.

After another successful year working with artists such as Jade Ewen and Leona Lewis Raymond Weil is for the third year in a row the official watch for the Brit Awards 2010. And to celebrate this third year, and the thirtieth anniversary of the Brit Awards itself, Raymond Weil have produced a special Brit Awards timepiece, the Noemia.

The Noemia has a diamond set mother of pearl dial encased in a delicately curved 27mm diamond encrusted case, engraved with this year’s Brit Awards logo and an individual number. The crown features a midnight blue dome.

Not only will this exquisite timepiece be offered to artists who will be performing during the event of the 16th February, it will also be available as a limited edition of 30 pieces – for the 30 years of the Brit Awards. And, for Raymond Weil Brit Award watch sold a donation of £100 will be made to The Brit Trust, the official Brit Awards charity that encourages young people to explore the benefits of music.

Click here, to enter a competition to win a Noemia.

The Chronometrie 2009 International Timing Competition for mechanical wristwatches has not been held since 1972. The competition was specifically resurrected this year as part of the celebrations to make the 50th anniversary of the watch museum in Le Locle. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Le Locle, in the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, was once the centre of the watch-making industry because of its role in the origins and development of the chronometer, long before the era of the quartz watch.

The Master Tourbillon wristwatch, with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 978, achieved a total of 909 perfect timing points out of a possible score of 1 000. The result means that the Master Tourbillon is now confirmed as the most precise mechanical wristwatch made today.

And if taking first place was not in itself god enough for Jaeger-LeCoultre, following closely behind in second place achieving a total of 908 points was their Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2 with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 174. A close run call indeed, but affirming the widely held reputation for precise time-keeping that Jaeger-LeCoultre watches have gained.

This distinguished award was made in recognition of an entire life dedicated to the promotion of the ‘Haute Horlogerie‘ and the development of the watch industry in Italy. Under Mr Macaluso’s chairmanship, Girard-Perregaux and the Sowind Group have enjoyed significant progress of innovation, research and design of high-end watches, at the same time ensuring the respect of the watch making heritage.

The Ordine al Merito del Lavoro medal is awarded to those “who have been singularly meritorious” in commerce and industry. It was first instituted by Italian Royal Decree on 9 May 1901.

Dr Luigi Macaluso is now a member of the prestigious Italian Federation. The title is awarded to only 25 people a year, only one of whom can be an entrepreneur living and working in a foreign country, who have made notable contributions to the reputation and prestige of Italy throughout the world.

Luigi Macaluso said “I am very honoured to become a member of the order of merit. This reinforces the strong links I have with my country”.

Girard Perregaux watches are available from The Watch Gallery in London.

The Monaco V4 was one of three finalists in the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève’s highly competitive ‘Haute Complication‘ category; this is the Swiss watch industry’s most prestigious award competition.

TAG Heuer has been singled out six times in nine years for its engineering and design prowess.

And this latest recognition comes on the eve of the brand’s 150th anniversary. For Jean-Christophe Babin, the CEO and President of TAG Heuer: “A podium appearance for our latest leading-edge creation — I couldn’t imagine a more perfect birthday present!”

The watch is hand-crafted in industrial-grade platinum and is limited to only a 150 pieces. It has already been an award winner in the concept stage, including Wallpaper Magazine’s ‘Watch of the Year’ Award and Popular Science’s ‘Best of What’s New’ awards.

This new Monaco V4 is the revolutionary new incarnation of the iconic Monaco, itself a record breaking watch, which was first seen on Steve McQueen’s wrist in the 1970 race classic film Le Mans.

The Pershing Astéria was created in 2008 to mark the partnership between Pershing, the Italian yacht manufacturer, and Parmigiani Fleurier. The watch is one model of the Pershing collection, a series of sporty timepieces specifically designed with the ocean and the world of yachting in mind.

Having been awarded the Prix du Public 2009, the Pershing Astéria is testament to the success of this collection as a whole, launched just over a year ago.

The watch has a number of original features and design details that draw their inspiration from the ocean. The case and bracelet is made using white gold, with a mother of pearl, blue dial. The chronograph hand is decorated with a small stylised octopus at one end. The small second hand is a starfish which rotates in time with the seconds. These design elements are intended to reflect the deep, crystal-clear water of the ocean, and the relationship between Parmigiani Fleurier and Pershing.

The watch is water resistant to 100 metres, and it also has all the usual characteristics found in the Pershing diving chronograph models.