Dearest Kristian, I agree with you that some watches have impressive cases. MB&F is the perfect example, as is Urwerk. But with such case designs the case arguably becomes part of the watch face, as is the dial. You might say case and dial merge into a threedimensional, visual statement. Just like a woman's face.

Follow the blogbattle between Karel Hubert and Kristian Haagen!

A couple of years ago a watch enthusiast took apart his Rolex President and put all gold parts on a scientific balance. That is how he found out his watch contained 99,873 grams of 18 carat gold which equals 74,905 grams of pure gold. The parts he weighed were the case ring, the case back, the bezel and the bracelet. At today's prices of 43 euro per gram the total value of the gold parts in this Rolex is 3.220,92 euro. 

TAG Heuer has announced a rejuvenated Link Series. You may remember the original model, presented almost a quarter of a century ago under the strangely Japanese-style name of S/el (Sport and Elegance). The Link was and is a splendid watch mainly because of the fantastic steel bracelet with links (yes, that's why it is called Link) consisting of two S-shaped pieces.

Annual world wide watch production is estimated to be appr. 1,2 billion pieces. Now that our world is inhabited by 7 billion people you may conclude that every year there is a watch produced for every 6 people.

We receive an astonishing amount of press releases almost every day. During fairs this barrage reaches its zenith; when you would collect all press materials at Baselworld you'll need a truck to transport the stuff home. Normally journalists are very happy with every snippet of information that can be used to write a well documented article, as long as the information provided is correct.

After visiting La Montre Hermès in Brügg, Switzerland I now know it is posssible to travel back in time. It was not the watchmaking part of the company that caused this insight, but the unique department where Hermès produces its own watch straps.

Next week I'm off to Switzerland to visit the Hermès watchmaking department. I recently wrote an extensive article about the involvement of the great fashion houses with watch making. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Dior, Armani, Hugo Boss, Gucci, Calvin Klein, they all seem to be keen to use their world famous names to generate some extra profit in the world of watches.

In our magazine we regularly dedicate space to new women's watches. Mostly these watches are fashionable pieces of jewellery that also tell the time, but there are exceptions. Patek Philippe's new ladies watches with complicated mechanical movements make clear it is possible to develop ladies' watches with the same technological brilliance as men's watches so often display.

Recently the jury of the 00/24 Horloges Watch of the Year competition decided which watches will receive the award for Watch of the Year 2010. As a member of the jury I have promised to be silent about the results that will be made public on June 16 but I can reveal 9 awards will be given to 9 happy representatives of 9 different watch brands. Once again the whole affair has confronted me with the ultimate question: 'is it possible to chose a best watch?'