It’s no secret that Rolex is one of the most faked brands in the world—we’ve all seen those market stalls on holiday peddling numerous shady imitations—but the fake watch market doesn’t stop there, oh no. And not only are fakes not limited to the arena of Rolex, but also not to the £100, DOA monstrosities that stand out a mile off. Modern CNC technology and the growth of aspiration across the globe has incentivised the manufacturers of fake watches to push their attempts further and further. And this is where we are now, with a fake of the Cartier Ballon Bleu de Cartier that you’d be hard-pushed to spot.

If you want a timepiece that echoes the classic British and French pocket watches of the 18th century, then it’s to Breguet that you’ll need to turn your attention. Simple, yet beautifully executed, plain, yet immediately recognisable, Breguet’s nod to masters like John Harrison, Thomas Mudge and John Arnold has become a style of its own within the wristwatch community. But there’s a new kid in town offering that same look for just a tenth of the price, one Frederique Constant. Should Breguet be worried?

To look at two Formula One cars, aside from the distinctive paint jobs, it would be hard to tell one from the other. Yet these are machines built independently, in secret, by isolated teams working to different principles and ideas. The reality is that each car is incredibly different on a micro level, despite seeming so indistinct at the macro. The same could be said of Rolex’s Submariner and Omega’s Seamaster—two watches that seem so similar on the surface, yet differ in approach so dramatically when seen just a little closer.

If you’ve got your sights set on a classic Daytona 116520, the pre-ceramic model, then there’s probably not much else out there that might turn your fancy. You’re unlikely to be swayed by an Omega, or a Breitling, probably not even a Jaeger-LeCoultre—but what about a Patek Philippe? And not just any old Patek Philippe, but a complicated one in white gold, no less. How does the Daytona look now?

In a time of calculators, computers, smart phones and the internet, the answer to any question is never more than a few taps of a screen or clicks of a button away. Remember when you had to just know who was in a movie, or what that song was? Before then, before all of that, there was a time when complex calculations were only achievable by hand or with a slide rule. It’s a skill that’s been lost over generations, but today we’re going to find out how, exactly, this mess of lines and numbers actually works.

When entering the realm of watchmaking, the first thing a curious novice will discover is that watches don’t all tick. Some do, and those are mainly quartz, but many don’t—they sweep, in a fine, jittery motion, and these are mechanical movements. Quartz is accurate, our novice learns, but mechanical has soul, history and craftsmanship. But there’s another type of movement, one that glides smoothly without a tick or a jitter, as accurate as quartz but with all the hallmarks of mechanical—could it be the best of both worlds?

When you’re a watchmaker with over 1,200 patents to your name, you earn yourself a bit of a reputation. In the case of Jaeger-LeCoultre, that’s being known as the watchmaker’s watchmaker, suggesting not only that the brand supplies other watchmakers with its movements—which it has done to no less than Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Chopard, Panerai and Cartier—but has also earned their respect. But is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s reputation built on fixing problems that never existed? Here are three watches to answer that question.

Overhear a conversation about vintage Rolex and chances are the word ‘investment’ isn’t far behind. It’s such common knowledge, even in the wider world, that a Rolex keeps its value, that despite it being somewhat of a half-truth, it’s become a mantra akin to legend. So, what’s really going on?

The big news of Baselworld 2018, after thirteen years in the making, was the announcement of a stainless steel edition of the red-and-blue–bezelled Rolex GMT-Master II. Or, it would have been, had Tudor not undercut Rolex’s big story with a sneaky release of its own—the Black Bay GMT.

The Supermarine Spitfire and the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang are some of the most important aircraft to have ever existed, having dominated the skies during World War Two, helping to bring peace back to a world at war. But there’s another aircraft, one you’ve probably never heard of, that’s equally important in a very different way: the MB 3.

When you’re looking for the watch that’s right for you, it’s easy to be swept up in the hype of those top few default choices. Say you’ve set your heart on a chronograph; chances are your shortlist may contain a Speedmaster or a Daytona. Both superb watches, no doubt about that, but there are others that you might not know about—and they’re equally worth consideration.

What would you do if you inherited a family fortune? Buy yourself a nice manor in the country? A collection of exotic cars, a yacht maybe? That was the rather pleasant position Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont found himself in back at the tail end of the 19th century, and he could have spent that money on nice things, but he chose to do something else: he invented the world’s first powered, heavier-than-air flying machine.

In 1953, something strange happened. Two watches, by two different brands, materialised in quick succession: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner. One was a special forces military project, the other a commercially available product that could be purchased by amateurs and professionals alike. Here’s the strange part: despite being released within just a few months of each other, they were almost identical. How is this possible?

‘It may not look pretty on the surface, but deep down it’s beautiful.’ Those aren’t my words—those are Omega’s. The people there tasked with building the brand’s most advanced diver yet knew their watch was no looker, but that didn’t matter. It wasn’t for strutting about with; it was for using. It was the Plongeur Professionnel, the PloProf—the Professional Diver.

The beauty of a mechanical watch comes down to the movement ticking within, and for the most part it’s completely hidden from view. Even with a sapphire case back, it’s a shame to hide the mastery of this centuries-old technology from plain sight, and that’s a thought shared by watchmaker to King Louis XV, André Charles, who cut open his dials to expose the innards. Here are five open-dialled watches that continue the tradition.

Watchfinder, the pre-owned watch specialist, has been announced as the first ever ‘Official Timekeeper of the EFL Play-Off Finals’.