heir highly personal (sometimes provocative) choices range from defining moments in watchmaking history to snapshots of an era. Together they form the fabulously creative visual portfolio set out in these pages.

You’ll find regular curations of this kind on our Instagram.

On the subject of vintage, Reloved is our magazine devoted to all things pre-owned, including watches. You can get your copy here

There’ll also be a Reloved section in the December issue of Europa Star. Don’t miss it!

Heist-Out

watch magazine @heist_out

A huge thanks to Europa Star for letting us peek into their archives. As a young publication, heist-out doesn’t have an archive of its own yet, so we turned to the radical visuals of the late twentieth century. These ads have an uncanny energy: their messages, razor-sharp layouts, vivid colours, typefaces that almost jump off the page. For this selection, we searched for the most disruptive ads we could find in Europa Star’s “Europe” and “Jewellery” archives. Dive in, it’s a visual time capsule.

Violaine D’Astorg

head of jewellery, Christie’s France @lifeofjewellery_christies 

1. Let’s begin with this incredible diamond necklace by Georges Lenfant. Many people are familiar with chain work by his son Jacques Lenfant, whose studio also designed and made beautiful watch bracelets.

2. No words needed for this bold ad, as I’ve always been a huge fan of the case design I chose for my first watch at the age of 23.

3. “The most fabulous collection of jewellery watches of all times for Omega”. What more can I add? Nothing, except that I love Grima jewellery.

4. Speaking of great artists from the same generation as Andrew Grima or Gilbert Albert, I admire Jean Vendome’s unique gold craftsmanship and his choice of incredible gemstones.

5. When people ask why Cartier uses the panther in its collections, ask them what Louis Cartier whispered in Jeanne Toussaint’s ear during their romance.

6. Besides loving 80s style and the iconic Boivin house, I’ve always been in love with transformable jewellery. The Cachette collection, with rubies and diamonds under sliding rings, is a beautiful example.

7. I feel so lucky wearing the rectangular Polo from time to time. I never tire of the powerful feel of its full gold effect on my wrist.

8. In the finest jewellery collections, you’ll often find a stunning gold cuff by Piaget, sometimes with its unique marquetry of malachite, coral, turquoise or lapis lazuli, opal being my favourite…

9. Kinetic art inspired by Vasarely meets jewellery in Georges Lenfant’s Optical collection.

10. Finding this picture from the legendary Christie’s jewellery sale in Geneva, 24 years ago, was a real surprise! Auctioneer François Curiel is in a very different place today.

Mendel Watches

watch dealer @mendelwatches

Watch-related archives have always been an essential part of my work and my passion for vintage watches.

In my constant pursuit of curating a unique selection of vintage pieces, I often find myself diving into archives and old catalogues for hours on end. Whether it’s to find inspiration for purchases, recommend pieces to clients, or acquire something special for my personal collection, this process is endlessly rewarding.

Thankfully, the 70s and 80s are brimming with intricate designs, innovative materials and fascinating “unknown” brands that continue to fuel my interest and passion. 

Emmanuel Gueit

watch designer @emmanuelgueit

At just four years old, I was already running through the corridors of Fabrique Piaget in Geneva, between the legs of Valentin Piaget, and probably those of Yves Piaget too. 

My father, Jean-Claude, who was Piaget’s stylist from the early 1960s, passed on to me his unique vision of beauty and luxury. My attraction to the creations of the 60s and 70s is inscribed in my DNA. 

It was natural for me to take an interest in his unique pieces, recognised by such prestigious awards as the Prix de Baden-Baden, the Prix de la Ville de Genève and the Diamonds International Award. I can say without hesitation: there is indeed a Gueit style. 

Another mentor who shaped my career was my first CEO, Steve Urquhart, at Audemars Piguet. He believed in me from the start and supported me in all my creations, including the Royal Oak Offshore. 

Despite the headwinds, he defended this project brilliantly and validated its launch.

My time at AP offered me some incredible experiences, from the design of a unique piece of high jewellery with a decorative bow to the famous RO Offshore or RO Offshore *End of Days*, created in collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

These years enabled me to learn how to work in a manufacturing environment, hand-in-hand with technicians, developers, watchmakers and suppliers, while benefiting from the sound advice of my third mentor, Madame Jacqueline Dimier. 

I also had the opportunity to collaborate with the sales and communications teams, and even manage shoots and aesthetics for advertising campaigns.

Balthasar de Pury

wach expert, Val-de-Travers guru @balthasardepury

My entire selection of ads comes from the biggest period of uncertainty in the watch industry, in the middle of the quartz crisis when 65% of the brands we love to collect today – brands that had stood strong for many decades or even centuries – vanished forever.

These were the toughest days our industry ever faced, yet what strikes me while flipping through the pages of late 70s Europa Star is the audacity in times of uncertainty; these guys gave the last sword thrust by delivering the most radical ad campaigns and the funkiest watches ever produced, with next to no funds, and shaped the timepieces we love today.

This is what makes it one of my favourite decade to collect, diametrically opposed to my 30s pocket watch collection but still so intrinsically linked.

Tony Traina

journalist @tony_traina 

Exploring the post-quartz era of the 1970s and 80s, I was fascinated by the tension between fashion watches (Swatch) and high complications in the archives. You can find “Le Clip,” a plastic quartz accessory watch, next to a grand comp from Patek. As an editor, I’m fascinated by these eras of tension between old and new. They can create the best art, and it’s no coincidence traditional and indie watchmaking boomed soon after.

1. But we have to start at the start. Movado was the first brand I fell for; this ad shows why. There’s a sports chronograph (with Zenith El Primero), alongside elegant jewellery and pocket watches. 

2. After Movado, I fell for historic brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre and Rolex. Nowadays, I might prefer a vintage Reverso or Explorer, but the story of these brands starts with innovations that blend the technical with design, such as the Duoplan and the Bubbleback, which combines Rolex’s waterproof “Oyster” case and automatic “Perpetual” movement. 

3. This ad is peak 80s. Gucci. Fila. Big suits, bigger hair.

4. During this era, Europa Star also describes a rebirth of complicated, traditional watchmaking. Blancpain’s ads of this period are legendary, but never shouted. This is the perfect Swiss take on those famous minimal VW Beetle campaigns of the 60s.

5. By the mid-80s Swatch is everywhere. Here’s a look at the Swatch collection from 1987, along with a few followers.

6. As Swatch began selling millions of watches a year, new, crazier ideas sprouted up. “Le Clip” graces the cover of Europa Star in 1986. It’s a crazy idea, that after “a century of enslavement on the left wrist,” (a bit dramatic!) people might want a quartz watch on a clip. Turns out they didn’t. 

7. Let’s not get too carried away with fashion and end where we began. I love this AP ad. Two decades before the Royal Oak was a sketch on a napkin, it illustrates its variety in just three watches. Emblematic of where the entire industry was during this golden age, and where I hope it’s headed. 

Raffael Frenner

media creator & watch advisor, Berneron @timebyraf

When browsing through the Europa Star archive, I realised one thing more than ever before: the past, a time I never even lived in, still has this weird, irresistible pull. It comes alive through stories, old photos and forgotten sounds, sparking memories that aren’t even mine.

I would say that the past inspires me way more than anything the future has to offer – it’s deeper, full of mystery and packed with real, lived experiences. There’s just something in those echoes that feels more real than anything the future could ever promise.

As a vintage collector, narrowing this archive down to 12 pages was no easy task, but looking at the original ads and articles of the time these watches were born is truly something special. 

Nicolas Amsellem

watch expert @ontherocks 

1. Malachite, like other hard stones, isn’t just a piece of rock. In combination with yellow gold, it is a dangerous spell one has to worry about. And it once served to ornament clocks and ashtrays. Yay.

2. Ursula Andress, because Bond goddess and Jamaica, because Piaget Polo with Yves Piaget in Miami, and of course because Andrew Grima’s model for jewellery. 

3. COMEX and Omega is another beautiful story alongside Rolex, when diving watches had a role and divers were risking their lives for black gold.

4. Mireille Darc, for her French plays, her dress in Le Grand Blond, and of course as a model for ESKA watches. Probably the coolest thing about ESKA.

5. Always loved precision timers (régleurs in French), people like Frank Vaucher, working behind the scenes to smash Observatory records. The ones here are from Longines.

6. Gilbert Albert for bringing what I love most to watches: jewellery. Like Grima, he was one of the greats who took Omega to heights we haven’t seen since.

7. La Montre Royale Genève, because where are you now?

8. The clenched fist and Audemars Piguet highlights a few watches that I love but not as much as I love the way watch shoots once were.

9. Midas, the King of Gold and really bold in the early 60s. Here’s a variation we don’t see often.

Francesca Grima

creative director, Grima @francescagrima

My knowledge of watches was previously limited to my father’s About Time collection for Omega in 1969 and Pulsar in 1976. Yet over the last year, I’ve had the privilege of spending time with a group of men and women whose infectious passion for timepieces has broadened my horological horizons. 

During my time working with my father, I was encouraged to look “outside the box” for inspiration and I discovered the work of Dieter Rams, the genius behind many of Braun’s most iconic designs. While Rams is known for his work in product design, his principles have encouraged me to approach my designs with a more minimalist mindset, allowing the gemstone to be the protagonist.

These principles can be seen in clean, linear designs of watches from the 1970s which resonate with me for their simplicity and lack of unnecessary decorative fuss. Here, the uncluttered watch face takes centre stage. I value a watch’s aesthetic appeal over its intricate mechanics – while some watch enthusiasts may consider it sacrilege, given the choice, I would pick a simple digital watch over one with “grandes complications”.

Gai Gohari

watch dealer @morillo55

1. This is where it all starts for me. I literally grew up surrounded by pictures like this on the walls of my dad’s office in the centre of Milan in the 1980s. My last name, Gohari, means jeweller in Farsi (we are of Persian origin) and the gemstone business has run in my family since the 1950s and a path I took at the age of 19 right after high school. Fine rubies, sapphires and emeralds are part of my family history and seeing that ad evoked so many memories!

2. These pages from the magazine truly evoke the essence of the watches I love to deal with: part style accessory, part work of art, a precious item and a time-teller all at once. The dress watch and the so called “form watch” (not the typical rounded case) are the cornerstone of my vision. Montres et bijoux is spot on as a slogan for me!

3. This ad combines my vision of metal work, shaped watches and more form than function to enjoy within the context of a timepiece and representing our individual style.

4. When I saw this ad I was filled with memories of my arrival in New York over 24 years ago, starting in the important precious gemstone business with my relatives. I personally know Jack Abraham and he is the “Ralph Lauren” of the gemstone business, something that really resonates with me as I am a big Ralph Lauren fan myself. I love colour and the watches I pursue today are typically colourful inspired by those old days! I often compare my watches to gemstones as neither have a fixed price but a value set by beauty and emotion. The watches I deal with today are the collectible gems of tomorrow.

5. This article about the largest Kashmir sapphire ever sold (at the time) takes me down memory lane. It would be worth 20 times that today. Ultimately, price is forgotten but beauty remains.

6. Colour, colour and more colour… We need colour in our lives: whether gems and jewellery or stone dials on watches, it represents our taste, mood and can brighten up any day.

Alessandro Fanciulli

watch dealer @mr.a

Watch dealer Alessandro Fanciulli (@mr.a) makes his passion for vintage timepieces abundantly clear in his selection from Europa Star’s archives.

Julien Toretto

watch dealer @julientoretto

I’m highly influenced by the 60s and 70s, a tremendously creative time when people experimented with all sorts of cool designs. Watches from that period were very ‘free’ in their design, featuring organic shapes and lines that made them seem alive.

I especially love the idea of a watch being a piece of jewellery, and nothing beats the feeling of shiny gold or sparkling gemstones on your wrist. It adds a unique touch to a design, making it something truly special. What I love most in a watch is when you can see that a manufacturer has really taken the time to offer something special. Every curve, every detail, speaks of the meticulous work that has been put into a watch.

Having access to archives of this quality is essential for any enthusiast. They are witness to an era, enabling us to immerse ourselves in designs and stories that have shaped watchmaking. To innovate or simply be consistent, you have to know the past!

Arthur Touchot

watch expert @arthur_touchot

As a former editor turned auction house specialist, I’ve dedicated countless hours to exploring the Europa Star archives, primarily engaging with large chunks of text that are content rich but offer little that is visually stimulating. Which is why, now and then, I’d get sidetracked by beautiful watch ads and observing how they have changed over the twentieth century.

It’s kind of fascinating to check out the old ads for watch parts – they’re something you don’t really see anymore but were super important back in the day.

Not only did those companies help shape the watchmaking industry, but their ads were important for ensuring the development of watch media during that time.

Logan Baker

senior editor manager, Phillips @watchesbylogan

I think it’s impossible to approach watches with a passive mindset.

There’s too much to learn, too many rabbit holes of knowledge to fall down. How could anyone just buy a watch to wear without wanting to know everything about it?

A single watch has so many elements to consider. It’s not enough to understand the mechanics of how it works but also the historical context and economic factors that brought it into existence.

I can’t think of any other field that actively combines so many different areas of my interests. I don’t see how you could ever be bored when there’s so much to learn. Technical talk tiring you out? You could spend a lifetime analysing the role watches play in pop culture and fashion. Too much focus on aesthetics? Crack open a book – horological history is full of amazing individuals waiting to be discovered.

I learn something new every single day I’m involved in watches. There’s no end to the knowledge you can accumulate.

Joël Laplace

vintage watch lover @jojolamontre

For those of you who already know me, you know my love of watches, but also of objects that tell the time, such as desk clocks or coin watches.

I’m lucky enough to own a silver belt by Geneva jeweller Gilbert Albert. It was great to find out that it was presented in Tokyo, Japan, in 1971.

The Europa Star archives are a mine of information!

Anne de Pontonx

watch dealer specialized in women’s wrist Françoise Watches @francoise.watches

Agustín Julia Plana, a former Spanish athlete who joined Swiss watchmaker Schlegel as a designer in 1963, formed Schlegel & Plana in 1968. Merging jewellery and watchmaking, the company stood out for its originality in design, form and the use of unusual materials such as meteorites, tektites, wood, ivory, coral, oxidised iron, etc.

The jewellery and watchmaking professions, while distinct, require meticulous mastery and the transmission of know-how to defy time. Schlegel & Plana succeeds in marrying these two fields, combining creativity and technical skills with an equal mastery of ideas, gestures and traditional and innovative tools.

Schlegel & Plana’s creations embody this fusion through the movement, combining watchmaking precision in the measurement of time with artistic meticulousness in the manipulation of materials. The expert use of gold and stone creates a captivating interplay of contrasts, bringing each piece to life in a harmonious and vibrant way. These jewels become works of art in motion, in the words of designer Marianne Ostier.

The pieces establish an almost sensual connection with their wearers, establishing an intimate contact between the hand and the material. As Agustín Julia Plana puts it: “By touching the material, I trigger the impulse.” This intimate correlation is echoed in the unique experience of wearing a watch.

Arthur Pfister

watch archivist @arthuroduro

Arthur Pfister’s (@arthuroduro) choices, spanning 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1973, showcase the enduring allure of the design competitions that put creativity squarely in the spotlight. As he said: “I’d love to see high-end jewellery watch design competitions, like the ones from 50 years ago, open to larger and smaller brands.”

Robin Mann

watch dealer @robinmann

As soon as I delved into the archive at Europa Star, I realised the prospect of selecting just 12 visuals that resonated with me would be no easy task – so rather than attempting the insurmountable of going through the entire archive, I used the 1940s to my year of birth for the window of selection (I went Asia-heavy initially but the breadth of visual genius within this period was overwhelming, and I had to succumb to broadening it to a 40-year period, give or take).

As both collector and dealer, my focus is heavily driven towards the 1940s to 1970s, especially Rolex, time-only Patek and a smattering of the very best chronographs of the era – but I wanted to round up the edit with something indicative of where the year 1986 stood horologically speaking.

I’m a sucker for typography and graphic design of post-war through late mid-century, and that clearly informed where I ended up – film-credit-formats, the language of billboards and automotive aesthetics seemed to be the common thread in what I landed on – the aforementioned seemed to hit me as hard as the watches themselves. Ultimately, for me it’s all one and the same. Clean lines and harmonious elegance, a pop of colour in the right place, not overly fussy or in-your-face, that’s my M.O. in life and watches, and I hope the choices here drive where I’m coming from.

Thery Couturier

watch dealer @hicnuncwatches 

I wanted my selection to highlight the excellence and craftsmanship of those who, whether behind the scenes or in the spotlight, have shaped the history of watchmaking. Behind every watch, there are artisans, engineers and visionaries who continuously push the boundaries together. Each creation tells a story – a pursuit of innovation and perfection – where mastering time becomes an art in its own right.

1. 1995 Incabloc Advertisement – Showcasing the movement designed by Vincent Calabrese for the Corum Golden Bridge.

2. 1991 Gerald Genta Advertisement – Featuring a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and tourbillon watch with a fully skeletonised design.

3. 1970 Advertisement for Gay Frères S.A. – A renowned bracelet manufacturer for prestigious brands as well as under its own name. The company was acquired by Rolex in 1998.

4. 1980 Advertisement for the Swiss Dial Manufacturers Association – Including members such as Lemrich, Beyeler, Metalem, Singer and Stern Frères.

5. 1977 Advertisement for Schlegel & Plana – A brand known for its bold designs and exceptional quality.

6. L’Epée 1839 Advertisement – The manufacture was acquired by the LVMH group in 2024.

7. 1969 Double-Page Spread – Highlighting Jean-Pierre Ecoffey’s work on a necklace. The company is renowned for its watch cases, bracelets and gem-setting expertise.

8. May 1966 Europa Star Cover – Featuring a gold piece by Gay Frères.