The 1916 Newsroom with Jack Forster: November 8, 2026

The weekly newsletter from The 1916 Company, marking the company's 110th year, combines watch news, reviews, company history, event announcements, and highlights from its pre-owned collections. This week's edition covers a long interview with CEO John Shmerler, a feature on the company's history, several new releases from major Swiss and independent brands, a Watch Time New York report, and three exotic complications available in the pre-owned inventory.

Contents of the Newsletter

The 1916 Company in the News

Europastar: "The 1916 Company: Rolex CPO and the Future of Pre-Owned Watches." Europastar's Serge Maillard interviews CEO John Shmerler about how the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) standard is changing expectations across the pre-owned market. Shmerler explains that WatchBox, one of the company's legacy businesses, introduced the idea that a watch must meet a defined standard before it is sold, so that the buyer receives more than they expected. This moved the conversation from authenticity alone to quality standards. He notes that Rolex later introduced its own separate CPO program, defined by Rolex and sold only through authorised retailers. The 1916 Company, in his words, does not operate under the older model, and this is what sets it apart.

Revolution Magazine: "The Family Business Rewritten." Veteran journalist Tracey Llewellyn traces the company's history from its origins to today. In 1916, brothers Albert and Sam Govberg opened a small jewelry store in Philadelphia. The business has since expanded well beyond Philadelphia, and the Govberg name is no longer on the storefront. Danny Govberg, Albert's grandson, still regards it as fundamentally a family business. The difference is that it now involves several families rather than one. The accompanying image shows Danny Govberg with John Shmerler.

Happenings: The Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Coast-to-Coast Roadshow

The roadshow visits several cities in 2026, with more than 250 Rolex CPO watches on display at each stop. The schedule is:

• Newport Beach: June 4 to 6
• Ardmore: June 18 to 20
• Manhattan Beach: August 6 to 8
• Baltimore: November 5 to 7
• Philadelphia: November 19 to 21 (the final event of 2026)

The collection includes historic references, stone and lacquer dials, neo-vintage pieces from the 1980s and 1990s, gem-set configurations, and current models. Visitors can view, try on, and purchase pieces, and can register interest through the newsletter.

The Weekly Wind Up: New Watches and Releases

• Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Mirror Steel: A stainless steel version of the Convergence, which reproduces the mirror-finish visual effect of the earlier pink gold model.
• URWERK UR-300 "Time Quantum": A watch inspired by quantum mechanics, combining elements of a jumping hour and a wandering hour display.
• Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Handwinding: A dressy-leaning daily watch with a salmon fumé dial and a La Joux Perret hand-wound movement.
• Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 and Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute: Two new hand-wound chronographs that return the Twin Jet logo to Breitling's core collections.

Studio Coverage: Watch Time New York 2026

Armand and CQ report from Watch Time New York, one of the city's major watch events, covering booths from large and small watchmakers including Chopard, Oris, and Moser. Their video visit offers direct impressions from brand representatives.

Collecting Advice: Mistakes to Avoid in 2027

Tim, in an episode of Watches Tonight, identifies mistakes collectors should avoid in the coming year. These include succumbing to peer pressure, careless social media posting, and the shift in trust between established big brands and independent makers.

Highlights From the Collection

The newsletter closes by presenting three exotic complications from the pre-owned inventory, discussed in detail below.

The Products

Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Mirror Steel

The Convergence line launched in early 2025 to strong critical response. Its earlier pink gold version, with a mirror-polished case, was among its most striking models. The new steel edition reproduces this mesmerizing effect in a specially formulated stainless steel, which the newsletter describes as nearly as hard as ceramic and just as scratch-resistant. It offers the look of the precious metal version in a more durable, accessible material.

URWERK UR-300 "Time Quantum"

The Time Quantum is URWERK's exploration of quantum mechanics expressed through classical mechanical means. Its display combines a jumping hour with a wandering hour, creating an unusual and mysterious reading that is striking in motion. The newsletter presents it as a genuine advance in URWERK's design language.

Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Handwinding

Described as one of the strongest daily-wear candidates in a long time, the Moneta combines a slightly dressy character with traditional styling and subtly individual details. Its salmon fumé gradient dial is the centerpiece. The La Joux Perret hand-wound movement, combined with a price that reaches a much wider audience than luxury hand-wound watches typically do, makes it notable.

Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 and Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute

Both models restore the Twin Jet logo to Breitling's permanent collection. The Cosmonaute is a modern interpretation of the 24-hour Navitimer created with astronaut Scott Carpenter, whose watch was the first Swiss wristwatch in space. Hand-wound chronographs are relatively rare at these price points, and both models rely on a modern, proven in-house chronograph design with clear links to Breitling's aviation heritage.

Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon à Différentiel Sphérique (Pre-Owned)

Greubel Forsey is known for experimental takes on the tourbillon, and this model is presented as the most advanced evolution of Breguet's invention. It contains two double tourbillons, each designed so that changes in position do not affect accuracy. A spherical differential links the two systems and combines their effects, producing greater precision than either could achieve alone.

F.P. Journe Vagabondage III with Jumping Seconds (Pre-Owned)

The Vagabondage series explores digital, jumping numeral displays in different forms. The Vagabondage III is described as the logical and ultimate conclusion of this concept, featuring an unprecedented jumping seconds display. A constant force remontoir keeps the rate steady while the display switches, preserving precision during each jump.

Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime Elapsed Time Repeater (Pre-Owned)

The Chrono Chime is presented as a true first in horology. It is a rattrapante (split-seconds) chronograph, a complication traditionally considered high-level, and it is the first chronograph capable of chiming elapsed time on demand. It also uses a high-frequency 36,000 vph balance. It represents a rare combination of chronograph, split seconds, and repeater functions.

The Store: The 1916 Company and WatchBox

The 1916 Company, headquartered at 166 E Levering Mill Rd, Bala Cynwyd, PA, traces its roots to 1916, when brothers Albert and Sam Govberg opened a small jewelry store in Philadelphia. More than a century later, the business has grown into a multi-location company whose family roots remain central to its identity. WatchBox is one of its legacy companies, and the newsletter credits it with introducing a pre-sale quality standard that helped reshape how the pre-owned market thinks about buyer protection.

The company operates across several regions and holds dealer licenses in Pikesville, MD; Newark, DE; Newport Beach, CA; Manhattan Beach, CA; Ardmore, PA; and Philadelphia, PA. Its offerings span Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches, Patek Philippe, new watches, pre-owned watches, jewelry, and handbags. Services include selling or trading watches, scheduling appointments, the WonderCare protection plan, Affirm financing, and a mobile app. Customers can reach the company by phone at 866-533-2327.

The newsletter itself does not explicitly state the thewatchbox.com domain, so the details above are drawn from the newsletter's content and footer rather than from the website directly. Even so, the combination of a long heritage, a clearly defined certification philosophy, and a broad range of services positions the business as a serious participant in the pre-owned luxury watch market.