Latest watch news · Page 1014

A lightweight take on the idea of a heavy duty dive watch.

A review of the ultra high end Alpa 12 Plus with Alpagon/Rodenstock HR 4.0/40mm X-shutter lens and the Phase One IQ4 150 digital back.

Over the years, Ken Gargett has been fortunate to have tried almost all of the Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnays, usually on several occasions. And he has found that he wine has never been anything less than enthralling at whatever stage he has encountered them.

Wei catches up with Mr. Akio Naito, President of Seiko Watch Corporation, who will soon celebrate 40 years with the company in 2024. From his humble beginnings at the company straight out of university to leading it from strength to strength as it grows its presence around the world, Mr Naito shares the key milestones […]

Jumping right into another edition of the FWD, Breitling hosted a top event at Melbourne’s Dutton Garage for their Top Time line of chronographs. Inspired by iconic American cars, the Top Time pieces sat next to their respective inspirations – the Mustang, Corvette, Cobra and Thunderbird.   View this post on Instagram   A post … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Breitling showcases the Top Time among automotive royalty, Naoya Hida presents a new case, URWERK remain URWERK appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter Auto Chrono is now available with a blue sunburst dial. The slide rule bezel can be used for all kinds of calculations, including various conversions and tipping percentages. At 44mm x 53mm, it’s not afraid to embrace size. Sometimes the most important aspect of a watch is its ability to … ContinuedThe post The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter Auto Chrono in blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Crash! Boom! Bang! A hand-painted mother-of-pearl comic book watch by Hermès. No, really, we didn't just make this up.

A bold value proposition that shouldn't be slept on.

You've never seen this many insane watches in one place.

Christopher Ward has revealed an entirely new collection called The Twelve, an integrated bracelet sport/dress watch with slim dimensions, a slick dial texture, and, naturally, a 12 sided bezel piece. The new watches take a broad slice of inspiration from history, and land in relatively familiar territory as a result, however, as a whole, end up representing something unique in the sub $1,500 price range: a fully integrated steel or titanium bracelet paired to a sub 10mm case with a chronometer spec movement inside. The brand is quite upfront about taking a page out of history with this one, going so far as directly naming the standard bearers to place their watch in some pretty prestigious company right off the bat.  The Twelve is a 40mm watch that gets steel and titanium variants. The steel examples measure 9.95mm in thickness, while the titanium pair shave a full millimeter off that number to crack just under 9mm. The lug to lug distance is 44.5mm, and that measurement appears to be taken from the ends of the case that link to the bracelet, which are fixed male pieces. The weight of the steel watch is 65 grams, while the titanium tips the scales at a mere 41 grams. Overall, an impressive set of numbers that should equate to a pretty incredible on-wrist experience, though we can’t say for sure until we’re able to get some hands-on time with it. Each of the material options utilize Sellita automatic movements, with the steel getting an SW200 rated to +/- 20 seconds p...

Are there any watches or watch brands that you just have an odd relationship with? Not in a literal sense, but rather in the sense of vacillating appreciation. Once you loved them, then you didn’t, then, on a cold rainy night, you met again by chance and it was happily ever after? Ok, that’s overly dramatic, but the reason for this odd intro is that the brand featured in this review is one that I have had mixed emotions about over the years, making this very post the first time I’ve ever actually reviewed, neigh, worn one, despite the prominence and popularity of the brand. As you already know, the watch is a Panerai Radiomir Quaranta, and this review was a long time coming. You see, before the days of Worn & Wound, when my knowledge of watches was only that of the proverbial tip of the iceberg, Panerai was a brand I quite admired. I recall, distinctly, walking past a Panerai boutique on the East Side of Manhattan and seeing the Black Seal model in the window. It was stunning. I stared at it like in some scene from a bad Hallmark movie of a sad child looking at a puppy dog. But hardly being in the market for a luxury watch at the time, I eventually just kept walking. Years later, after launching Worn & Wound, my knowledge and exposure grew. 2011 was a different time for watches. Microbrands weren’t quite a thing. Tudor wasn’t for sale in the US. Vintage watches were still a niche, and dealers were few and far between. The “internet” was sort of mistrusted by ...

Occupying a unique spot in the world of watchmaking, Seiko’s offerings provide an incredible span of diversity – from entry-level quartz pieces to haute horlogerie avant-garde wonders. Sprinkle in a bucketful of horological, historical significance, and one must admit that there’s no brand quite like Seiko. Among their more notable contributions has to be the … ContinuedThe post The storied history of the Seiko mechanical chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Continuing with iterations on its bestseller, Urwerk has just taken the covers off the UR-100V “Magic T”. Retaining Urwerk’s signature wandering hours time display, the Magic T has both its case and matching bracelet in finely-blasted titanium, giving it a look that is distinct from the UR-100V “Full Metal Jacket” launched in 2021. Initial thoughts At first glance, the Magic T looks identical to its 2021 predecessor. Both are identical in design and share a matte titanium case and bracelet. But in person the Magic T is clearly different, even though it’s only the finishing of the titanium that differs. The Magic T has a finer, smoother finish that gives it a softer, more refined feel. This gives more tactile appeal than the Full Metal Jacket for me, so anyone who missed out on last year’s model should not have any regrets. That said, I hope Urwerk doesn’t do too many limited-edition variants of the UR-100V on a bracelet, because it would risk getting repetitive. For now, however, the runs are small enough and editions few enough that the model remains appealing and interesting. Finely “shotblasted” Unlike the Full Metal Jacket that was finished with a tangibly granular finish, the Magic T is entirely in “sanded shotblasted titanium”. In other words, it was blasted with smaller abrasive particles than those used for the Full Metal Jacket, resulting in its smoother, finer finish. The difference in finish is tactile enough that both watches feel differ...

Mr Jones Watches is a British brand that has been around since 2007, and in that time has carved out a niche that is really occupied by them and them alone. The brand specializes in “unusual watches that tell a story,” with dials that are full of unique artwork, visual puns, and feature curious methods of telling the time. For example, a favorite of mine is “The Accurate,” which is modeled after the concept of memento mori and features the words “Remember” and “You will die” incorporated into the hour and minute hands, respectively. Another watch, “Number Cruncher,” puts a bright blue monster front and center, with a jumping hour mechanism in its hand, and minutes reflected in a cross section of its stomach. You get the idea. Now, one of their most popular watches is available for the first time in a mechanical version, and it’s particularly appropriate as we approach the lazy days of summer.  The watch, which is dubbed “A perfectly useless afternoon,” takes a bird’s eye view of a pool scene, with a figure lounging and floating peacefully across its surface. Naturally, the figure rotates around the dial, with their leg pointing to the correct hour. Minutes are read through the pool’s only other occupant, a rubber duck at the dial’s perimeter. The watch was designed by Belgian illustrator Kristof Devos, who was inspired by words of Chinese writer and philosopher Lin Yutang, who said “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perf...

The third piece in the Frogman limited edition releases from Casio G-SHOCK, the new DW-8230NT in chilli red reminiscent of the 2000 model.

The Antiquarian Horologist will examine the history behind the lineage of the mechanical singing-bird along with a case study.

Making desirable watches affordable, let alone available, is a struggle that many brands are currently facing. From the entry-level to the high-end, each desirable piece went through a period of unavailability, while many have also increased in price since their release – MoonSwatch, PRX, Nautilus, just to name a few. Christopher Ward, champion of the … ContinuedThe post Christopher Ward enters the integrated bracelet game with the handsome Twelve appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

At Watches & Wonders this year, I got talking to Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Catherine Rénier about all the famous people who’d worn her brand over the years from Charlie Chaplin to Pablo Picasso.  If she could choose anyone from history to be a JLC ambassador, I asked, who would she pick?  “Leonardo Da Vinci,” she replied. … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre unveil Lenny Kravitz as their new Ambassador appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Most of the timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2022 were from the higher end of fine watchmaking as most of the participants constitute the haute horlogerie maisons of the world. There were however a few notable exceptions – notable and affordable. Here Łukasz Doskocz highlights some of the showstoppers from the Palexpo halls that will hopefully not break your bank.

Let’s face it. For most of us, who don’t work in finance or have somehow failed to win the lottery (so far) or be fathered by a particularly indulgent Sheikh, reading about watch auctions is a form of fantasy window shopping. “Hmm,” you nod to yourself approvingly when reading about the platinum Rolex Yacht-Master that … ContinuedThe post Want to dabble in high-end watch auctions but lack the cash? FutureGrail may have the solution appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Collective Horology have recently announced a retail partnership with Formex, and this week we get a first look at a new Reef that will be available exclusively in the Collective shop, and at our Windup Watch Fair. The Reef as we know it today ushered in a new chapter for the brand back in 2020 (you can see our thoughts on that watch right here), and this latest edition expands that story a bit further with a unique new dial that suits the watch rather well, if you ask me. Rather than creating a brass case, as we’ve seen on a broad range of modern divers, Formex and Collective Horology have opted for a brass dial.  The case and bezel design of the Reef are quite distinctive, I’d say they have a ‘big personality’ but without the accompanying heft. This is a watch that makes a big first impression, but manages to be surprisingly wearable in use. The steel case measures 42mm in diameter, but the 47mm lug to lug distance, and sub 12mm thickness make the Reef rather pleasant on the wrist. As we say, it’s not about the numbers if the watch manages to bring the design together in an ergonomic manner, and the Reef has most certainly done that.  The big personality of the case means you can go big on the dial as well, and that’s exactly what this collaboration has done. It’s not a salmon dial, it’s a brass dial. The bright, warm color and aggressive texture all bring a vibe that works incredibly well with the Reef as a whole. In fact, I’d go so far as to call th...

I am not a chronograph guy. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve owned my share of chronographs over the years, but they always seem to be first on the chopping block when something new comes along that I need to clear out space for. They also, in general, don’t appeal to me aesthetically. I tend to like a less cluttered, more serene dial than what you’ll find on a typical chronograph, simply because of the nature of the complication itself. And I certainly don’t belong in the nerdiest segment of chronograph lovers, who have deeply held beliefs about the best chronograph movements ever made, and can rattle off the most minute differences between Speedmaster references at the drop of a hat. I admire the dedication and knowledge of these hardcore chronograph superfans, but I’ve never counted myself among them.  And yet, day to day, the watch I’ve worn the most by far over the last year is a chronograph that flies in the face of everything I tend to think about my own watch preferences. And if you were to ask me, “Hey Zach, out of all of your watches, which one has your favorite dial?” I’d have to respond with another chronograph, that has one of the most intricate and beautifully made dials I’ve had the pleasure of owning. So what’s going on here? How did such a non-chrono guy wind up with this weird chrono subcollection?  My IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Ceratanium has effectively become my daily wearer since picking it up last sum...

When I first came across the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu in white ceramic, I was blown away by both its concept and its execution. When we talk about artistry in watchmaking, we’re usually discussing traditional methods such as enamel, laqcuer, stone marquetry etc. In a more contemporary setting, we take into account the sculptural … ContinuedThe post The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu evokes a sense of occult hedonism (in a good way) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Although Serica has only been around since 2019, it feels like the young watch brand has been around for ages. In my opinion, a lot of that has to do with the maturity in which they conduct themselves, both in brand presence and progression. With any Serica novelty, you can bet that their approach to any watch design is performed with metronomic consistency – typically with minimal branding, steady visual cues, and a general inspiration by way of vintage military timepieces. It seems that any change that’s going to be made within each reference will be incremental, but that doesn’t mean the impact can be monumental. Such is the case with the new and improved Serica 5303 COSC Antimagnetic Diver Chronometer. To understand the latest update to the Serica 5303, we must look within. Serica has opted to keep the movement within the Soprod family, but instead of using the previous Newton P092 automatic, the Serica 5303 COSC now draws its power from the Caliber M100. The Soprod Caliber M100 is buoyed by a glucydur balance, incabloc shock system, a 42 hour power reserve, and most importantly, a 3.2mm movement thickness. With approximately 1.4mm of extra room to play using the transitional movement inside of the 5303 COSC case, Serica has built in several antimagnetic pieces including a soft iron movement holder, soft iron dial and a soft iron inner caseback. As a result, the magnetic resistance for the Serica 5303 COSC diver has skyrocketed from the traditional Swiss standard...

After almost 30 years of absence, Manufacture France Ebauches returns to making mechanical movement manufacture under the auspices of the Festina Group.