Hodinkee
Just Because: The Wacky Watches Of Seiko’s “Incredibly Specialized Watch Exhibition 2”
Egg timer boogaloo.
Hodinkee
Egg timer boogaloo.
Worn & Wound
When it was announced that Yeti, a company best known for its ice-cold coolers and drinkware, had acquired Mystery Ranch in early 2024, it raised a ton of questions among the brand’s fans. Almost a year later, Yeti, working alongside designers from Mystery Ranch, has released its first “collaborative” backpack: The Bozeman. While many questions remain about Yeti’s plans for Mystery Ranch, I’d like to think that we might have some answers with this first release. Who is Mystery Ranch? Before we dive into this pack, and what makes it special, we need to take a brief look at Dana Gleason and Mystery Ranch. While working in an outdoor store in the 70’s, Dana Gleason began offering backpack repairs, which led him to begin creating his own designs. Over the next twenty-five-ish years, Dana would make a name for himself through founding Kletterworks (1975), Dana Designs (1985), and developing pack features that have become a staple across the industry. A year after leaving Dana Designs in 1999, Dana co-founded Mystery Ranch with one purpose in mind, “to minimize the burden on your back.” Mystery Ranch would develop and patent industry changing features like the Futura Harness system, the 3-Zip, and modular frame systems, just to name a few. To put it simply, Mystery Ranch has created some of the toughest, purpose-built packs for the Military, Outdoor, Travel, and Fire industries ever released. While it would take 20 something years for me to discover the brand, it...
Revolution
Monochrome
Baltic is one of the small and independent watch brands that have emerged in recent years and gained recognition for offering very reasonably priced and nicely designed watches with a vintage-inspired aesthetic. “Inspired by the past, made for the present”, to quote the brand. Whatever your sensibility, you will most likely feel good about a […]
Hodinkee
The Hermétique gets its biggest facelift yet in a new collaboration with the Enduropale bike race.
Fratello
Here’s one from out of the blue! With all our expectations for 2025, we did not foresee a Baltic Hermétique motocross edition, but here we are. More specifically, the Baltic Hermétique Dual Time Enduropale Edition celebrates a new collaboration between the young Parisian brand and a legendary annual enduro event. If you move quickly, you […] Visit Introducing: Baltic Hermétique Dual Time Enduropale Edition to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
For H. Moser’s first release of 2025, they’ve added a new reference to the Pioneer collection in the still somewhat new 40mm case. I’ve been a fan of the Pioneer for what it represents in the Moser catalog for some time. Moser is a very high end indie that is responsible for a lot of truly interesting and innovative watchmaking, but the Pioneer has existed as a (somewhat) accessible access point to the brand that gives you a lot of Moser style, and, frankly, a good chunk of the watchmaking that makes the brand special. I reviewed the “Mega-Cool” Pioneer all the way back in 2021, and came away impressed with the aesthetic even if I felt like the case perhaps a tad too big. The new, smaller, 40mm case is Moser’s answer to many of their clients who were asking for this watch in a smaller size, and while there is indeed a 40mm Pioneer on the accessible side, here Moser is using the platform for a watchmaking flex. The Pioneer Tourbillon Burgundy is a new 40mm Pioneer running on Moser’s HMC 805 automatic caliber with a deep burgundy dial and a red gold case. Red gold and burgundy certainly feel like a natural combination, and the watch seems to exude a warmth that makes it particularly appealing in these dark winter months (although, to be fair, this watch has a place on the beach as well). If you only know the Pioneer in its 43mm guise, you really owe it to yourself to get the 40mm version on your wrist. It wears completely differently and changes the impact of...
Time+Tide
3,000 riders, one sandy beach, and a Baltic sponsorship to celebrate 50 years.The post Baltic celebrates 50 years of the Enduropale with a new, more functional Hermétique Dual Time appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Piaget adds a complicated watch to their iconic Polo collection. Introducing the new Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase.
Monochrome
Frederique Constant has gone a long way in proving that its “accessible luxury” slogan is not an empty catchphrase. Offering high-end complications in its Manufacture collection, Frederique Constant shook up the market with the release of a perpetual calendar for under EUR 8,000 and a tourbillon and perpetual calendar combo in steel for under EUR […]
SJX Watches
One year from now, the 2026 Winter Olympics will commence in Italy. To mark the milestone, Omega has created one of its most striking vintage reissues to date, the Seamaster 37 mm Milano Cortina 2026. A homage to the vintage Seamaster Olympic created for the 1956 Melbourne Games, the new edition stays true to its heritage, but isn’t a one-for-one remake. Instead it’s is a blend of elements characteristic of 1950s Omega watches, including distinctive “dog leg” lugs and hexagonal crown of the Constellation, along with a white grand feu enamel dial that’s a nod to the cream enamel dial of the Seamaster Olympic. Initial thoughts The new Seamaster revives some of the best design elements of 1950s Omega wristwatches, primarily the Constellation, while incorporating the key details of the Seamaster Olympic. The mix works surprisingly well, and results in a watch that has a pleasing vintage feel. The case is a little bigger and thicker than the original, but still sized reasonably well. While it is not an imaginative creation, the new Seamaster looks good. The visual and tactile appeal will also be enhanced by the high quality of execution typical of modern Omega watches, especially on the dial and case. The Seamaster 37 mm costs US$19,300, leaving it amongst the pricier time-only watches in the Omega catalogue and well beyond the sweet spot on the price spectrum for the brand. That said, it is decent enough value considering the case in Moonshine gold, fired enamel dia...
Fratello
Last week, we published an article about how much fun it can be to buy a watch from a microbrand. We gave you a list of seven reasons, and many of you agreed. Unfortunately, though, things are rarely only fun and positive. There are, of course, also some drawbacks to buying yourself a microbrand watch. […] Visit Fratello’s Potential Downsides To Buying A Microbrand Watch to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Tim Mosso debated writing this installment of his “Watches I’ve Loved” series because it’s better described as deflating restraint and paths not taken. Nobody wants to read about that! But he was in love with many of the watches he shares here.
Monochrome
Anniversaries are to be celebrated, whether in your personal life or on the more professional side of things. Heck, every year plenty of brands release celebratory watches in honour of hallmark occasions. This year, Jack Mason joins in on the birthday shenanigans with an entirely new range of tool-oriented watches called the Pursuit Pilot, which […]
Fratello
The Seiko Tuna is sacred ground to geeks and a rathole to others. This article, however, is for everyone. The hope is to provide insight into the history of all monocoque Seiko Tuna models, starting with the 1975 reference 6159-7010 and finishing with the SBDX038 and SBBN047 of today. You’ve probably all heard of the […] Visit The Monocoque Seiko Tuna Models - A History And Overview to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome back to Fratello Talks. It’s time for some tough love! Today, Nacho, Lex, and Daan are talking about a handful of watch brands with untapped potential. These are big names in the watch world that they deeply respect and admire but feel are not currently delivering to the full extent of their capability. This can […] Visit Fratello Talks: Watch Brands With Untapped Potential to read the full article.
Revolution
SJX Watches
Modelled on the Chrono-Matic GMT Count-Down from the 1970s, the Chrono-Matic 50 in blue stays true to its predecessor in style. The limited edition retains the five-crown configuration and retains the bold, helmet-shaped 48 mm case, though it forgoes the GMT function. As is typical for Hamilton, the new Chrono-Matic 50 is powered by a high-spec ETA movement and priced affordably. Initial thoughts For several years now, vintage reissues been a dependable strategy for watch brands. Rather than venturing into entirely new designs with unpredictable results, companies are playing safe by relying on the established appeal of reissues. But there are a lot of reissues already on the market, with more being launched seemingly all the time. The Chrono-Matic 50 in blue exemplifies this. Having introduced a black version in 2019, Hamilton has done the same in blue. The new Chrono-Matic 50 stands out from the average reissue in two respects. One is the better-than-average movement for the price range thanks to Hamilton being a sister company of ETA, the biggest maker of mechanical movements in Switzerland. The second is the historical basis of the watch; Hamilton did actually make something like that in the past, which gives this a legitimacy that startups lack. The case is somewhat oversized for my personal preference, though it is sized similarly to the chunky vintage original.It does have a unique design and layout, and with a retail of US$2,545, the Chrono-Matic 50 is also well p...
Time+Tide
We explain the difference between COSC, METAS, Superlative, and any other chronometer certification method.The post What is a chronometer? Demystifying COSC, METAS, Grand Seiko Standard, and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
There was a time not too long ago when hearing the name “Bamford” conjured images of customized luxury watches of all stripes, sometimes with a level of taste that would make many enthusiasts sneer. That’s the nature of custom watches, though. The designs come from the mind of the owner as much as the customizer, and hardcore enthusiasts have really never been too keen on modifying, for example, stainless steel Rolex sports watches. So the fact that Bamford is now synonymous not with custom tweaked watches (although they still do this, primarily with LVMH brands) but affordable and accessible watches geared directly toward the enthusiast market is a turn that few would have predicted a decade or so ago. But it seems to be a reflection of where Bamford Watch Department’s founder George Bamford’s interests really lie. Their latest is perhaps the brand’s most ambitious creation to date. After gaining steam over the past few years with a series of well received character watches (including a number of whimsical GMTs), Bamford has pivoted to a new dive watch concept featuring a ceramic case and a bunch of little design details that make it stand out. The new D-300 diver is available in a total of four colors: white, black, navy and green. The ceramic bit here is actually an outer shell around a titanium core, a method of case construction widely used in the watch industry that helps strengthen the case and also control costs (these watches come in at $1,950). The ...
Hodinkee
Omega pull at its deep history making Olympics watches for a rather cool new release.
Monochrome
A light rhythmic beat of a snare drum hits your ears, the deep thumps of the bass drum join in, and the chime of the cymbals rounds it off. A trumpeter starts improvising on the beat, ebbing and flowing back and forth in pace, producing a melody that resonates deep within your soul. Then, all […]
Hodinkee
In this week's edition of the House of Craft video series, we sat down with Alessandro Fanciulli to discuss what has caught his eye recently and how he approaches collecting.
Worn & Wound
It’s hard to understand Budapest without being there. On its surface, it seems like any other major European capital, but in practice, Budapest is a singular experience. I was lucky enough to visit Budapest when I was 14, and what I encountered was a city replete with contradictions, one that wears its history on its sleeve, and which evokes a unique perspective. In other words, it’s exactly the sort of city where you would expect to find someone like Jake LeBoy. “I went there for vacation a few years ago and I thought, you know, I’m just going to get an apartment here,” he told me. “It’s pretty nice. And I’ve been enjoying it ever since.” Jake LeBoy, the founder and designer behind the newly launched watch brand J.M. LeBoy, expresses a similar sort of contradiction. Talking to Jake, it would be hard to guess that the remarkably chipper native Californian had served as an enlisted Marine, or that he has spent much of the time since working as a military contractor all around the world. What wasn’t hard to see was his love of watches. Soft spoken and warm, Jake is a passionate watch enthusiast, driven by detail and with a strong sense of what it means to do right by the collectors whose attention he’s looking to grab. “I’ve always been a huge watch nerd,” he explained. “Even from the time I was a little kid, I saw Goldfinger and the famous Submariner, and then I saw Jason Bourne, the first one with the TAG Heuer… that for me, dude - I final...
Hodinkee
The successors to the mainstay SBGH271 and SBGH273 arrive with subtle tweaks.
Deployant
Grand Seiko releases two new watches in their Japan micr-seasons Heritage Collection: Rikka Ref. SBGH351 and Shūbun Ref. SBGH353.
Time+Tide
Omega starts the countdown to next year's Winter Olympics with this dressy piece made in full Moonshine Gold. The post Omega starts the countdown to the Winter Olympics with a new 37mm Seamaster appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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