Quill & Pad
RIP Mr. Armin Strom: A Master of Skeletonization
With great sadness, the independent Swiss watch manufacture Armin Strom announces the death of its founder, Mr. Armin Strom at the age of 86.
Quill & Pad
With great sadness, the independent Swiss watch manufacture Armin Strom announces the death of its founder, Mr. Armin Strom at the age of 86.
Time+Tide
Hanhart explores some lesser-known history, and brings back a taste of the 1960s.The post Hanhart tugs at its fans’ vintage heartstrings with the 415 ES, bringing back the winged logo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Another Friday, another Top 5! It’s December, so we are rapidly approaching the year’s end. Like every year, we will be looking back at some of our favorite watches. This first list is a summary of some of the surprising releases of the last 12 months. And by “surprising,” we don’t just mean stellar surprises. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Surprising Watches Of 2024 - Featuring Rolex, Patek Philippe, IWC, And More to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Could it take back the top spot as the most expensive independent wristwatch sold?
Fratello
Stockholm-based Nezumi Studios has been in business since 2011 and making affordable, traditionally designed watches since 2015. The focus is on sporty pieces, such as divers, GMTs, chronographs, and field watches. Now a new variant enters the collection. The Tonnerre Monochrome chronograph, with its classic color scheme, is sure to be a hit. Nezumi’s watches […] Visit Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome Chronograph to read the full article.
Monochrome
When it was first presented in 2017, the Black Bay Chrono generated mixed emotions. The good ones came from the overall performance and fairly reasonable price (considering the whole package), as well as the unexpected industrial alliance with Breitling. Others pointed out the rather uninspired design of the inaugural edition as well as the strange mix […]
Here is what Peter wore for the production of Episode 2 of The Deployant Show. Featuring bespoke suit, shirt and bench made shoes.
Revolution
SJX Watches
The second watch launched by Biver, the Automatique is a three-hand time-only, functionally simple but elaborately executed. Even the base model has a surprisingly complex dial, but the Automatique is really all about the JCB-003 movement, which is a micro-rotor calibre that ranks up there as one of most impressive recent self-winding movements. Established by Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre, Biver got its start with a far more complicated watch, but the Automatique is arguably more impressive because it’s a simple watch executed in a complicated yet cohesive manner. The JCB-003 Initial thoughts Yet another time-only watch with a dressed up movement and hefty price tag – the formula feels a little worn out now. So the Biver Automatique surprises on the upside. I like it. The design is appealing and cohesive, while the movement is impressive. In contrast, when Biver debuted with the Carillon Tourbillon minute repeater, I thought “the quality is unmistakeable, the aesthetics are lacking”. The Automatique lives up to the same levels of quality – and maybe even more – but it is instinctively appealing, even considering the price. The solid gold dial of the entry-level version in rose gold Even though Biver is not an artisanal independent brand in the conventional sense of the word since neither of its founders are watchmakers, the JCB-003 movement is executed to a standard that equals many artisanal independents. The construction is thoughtful and sophisticate...
Time+Tide
Here is how to do "modern" finishing right.The post Why modern finishing is often just a poor excuse for lack of detail appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Artist and designer Samuel Ross is back at work with Hublot. A tradition for the brand over its 44 years of existence, Hublot has collaborated with many contemporary artists like Richard Orlinski, Maxime-Plescia-Buchi, Murakami and Daniel Arsham. Marking the third time the Swiss brand has worked with Samuel Ross, both parties bring back the bold, […]
Time+Tide
Andrew and Justin hosted a night dedicated to the new blue dial Ingenieur Automatic 40 at IWC's Battersea Power Station boutique in London earlier this week.The post Andrew and Justin Hast host a night with the new blue dial IWC Ingenieur appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Last week, we organized an evening with Breitling at the brand’s impressive boutique in our hometown of The Hague, Netherlands. We invited a fairly large group of Fratelli to look at the current Breitling collection. But Fred Mandelbaum, our special guest, was also there, and he brought part of his extensive vintage Breitling collection. So […] Visit Event Report: Celebrating Breitling’s 140th Anniversary At The Brand’s Boutique In The Hague to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One aspect of a watch that is often overlooked - but ironically the one that is front and centre - is the dial. While often conservative in terms of design, Rolex is perhaps at its most expressive in the details of its dials, which blend classic elements with modern touches, all accomplished by modern manufacturing techniques and finishes. Even though a dial may seem simple on its face compared to the moving parts of the movement, dials are complex. Much goes into making a high quality dial, the dial blank, applied ornaments, surface finishing, gold indices, and more recently even grand feu enamel. A diamond-set dial for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Unsurprisingly Rolex takes dial making very seriously. Reflecting its long-term vision, Rolex has invested tremendously in every aspect of manufacturing wristwatches, including producing its own dials. Dial manufacturing of the highest quality, and at scale, is a challenge few have truly mastered. Rolex accomplished that with a dedicated dial-making facility in the Chêne-Bourg district of Geneva, located about 15 minutes from Rolex headquarters, where some 500 people work exclusively on dial conception, prototyping, and production. Notably, the Chêne-Bourg facility also does gem setting as well as the production of Cerachrom components like the GMT-Master II bezel insert. In-house dial making has given Rolex control of the entire process, allowing the brand to innovate, even in rethinking the very foundation of a dial, n...
Revolution
Time+Tide
Samuel Ross' latest collab with Hublot brings carbon into the fray for the first time.The post Hublot and Samuel Ross complete a trinity of collaborations at Miami Art Week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Mühle Glashütte is known for its sporty and reliable timepieces. For 2024, the brand has big news with a brand-new line of watches. The Sportivo collection consists of three models made for sports, the office, and everywhere else. We’ll provide a brief overview of each release. The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo line includes a chronograph, GMT, […] Visit Mühle Glashütte Introduces The New Sportivo Line to read the full article.
Fratello
When the Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic landed on my desk, it instantly reminded me of two watches. The first was the skeletonized Rado Captain Cook in all its various guises. In all fairness, that’s not a bad visual reference. The second one was a little closer to home, though. In the 1990s, my brother […] Visit Hands-On With The Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
As I write this piece, I find it fitting that Worn & Wound was co-founded by Zach Weiss, who, as many of you may know, happens to be an Industrial Designer too. There are dozens of us! DOZENS! When it comes to Industrial Design and the watches we love, it’s hard to separate the two, especially in the modern day. For this argument, let’s assume “modern day” refers to everything after 1972, when Gerald Genta changed the watch landscape forever with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Not only did this release change the landscape for folks within the watch industry, but it caught the eye of Industrial Designers who were green in their careers at the time, which later created a snowball effect of designing outside the box when it comes to watches. No longer were we restricted to the round case and the simple forms of previous years. Yes, there were unique watches before this period, but with the progression of design aesthetics and newer advanced manufacturing methods, this was the jumping-off point for wild designs and new methods of manufacture. Marc Newson, the world-renowned industrial designer, is one of those who likely caught the curiosity bug of watches at the right time (pun fully intended). This is purely speculation on my part, but there is some evidence for my madness here, so bear with me. He would have been 9 years old when the Royal Oak was introduced, and years later, when adolescent youth and creativity were at a high for him during his university years, I...
Time+Tide
Christopher Ward enters the world of retail for the first time exclusively at the Time+Tide London Discovery Studio. The post You can now buy Christopher Ward in our London Watch Discovery Studio! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
David Candaux, an independent watchmaker and member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) since 2019, is regarded as one of the most talented creators in contemporary horology. To understand and appreciate his work, it is important to remember his professional journey and the philosophy that infuses his timepieces with unique character, and the […]
Hodinkee
This year sees the second installment of the buzzy art-meets-high horology auction at Phillips New York.
Sternglas was born from a deep passion for watches and Bauhaus design. After working in the world of watches for years, Dustin Fontaine wanted to turn his love into his very own brand. The result is Sternglas, a brand focused on minimalist design and quality construction at a fair price. This focus on Bauhaus principles, plus an affordable price tag, makes a Sternglas watch ideal for giving as a gift, especially for that minimalist, Bauhaus design lover in your life with premium features like sapphire glass, reliable automatic movements, and that crucial element of German design language. For this guide, we’ve selected six different models-each with their own distinct, yet modern vibe-to give you a wide range of choice to find that perfect gift for that design-minded friend or family member! The post The Holiday Gift Guide for the Bauhaus Design-Minded: Think Sternglas Watches appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
Founded just eight years ago by Etienne Malec, Baltic has gone from strength to strength with its attractive designs. Relying on outsourced movements assembled in France, Baltic sells its watches directly online at genuinely competitive prices. Baltic’s neo-vintage models are particularly successful, including the Hermétique Tourer, a field watch with compact dimensions and a surprising […]
Worn & Wound
I have had a love-hate relationship with bronze-cased watches for years. I truly appreciate how the metal ages; there is nothing quite like a beautifully patinated watch just before it turns into a greenish hue. The beauty is that it never quite ages the same for everyone, and if you don’t like the results, a little lemon juice bath can have you start all over. My only issue is that I am a person who perspires quite a bit, and the bronze watches I have owned have been large honking divers. The latter would often transfer some of the patina goodness onto my arm, especially in the summer heat. Our friends from Baltic may have the solution I have been searching for: a non-honking bronze watch! Introducing the Baltic Hermétique Tourer Bronze, essentially a bronze version of their popular new series. As you may already know, Hermétique translates to “hermetic” in English, which means sealed tight. This is fitting for a watch with an impressive water resistance of 150 meters despite its elegant proportions and a thin push-pull crown that is recessed into the case. Another interesting aspect of this watch is that it is made of CuAl8 bronze, an alloy of copper and aluminum, as opposed to CuSn8, which is bronze and tin. The former, known as aluminum gold or gold bronze, is strong, corrosion-resistant, and pale gold in color. It resists tarnishing and corrosion in both air and seawater, withstands oxidation at high temperatures, and shows low reactivity with sulfurous compou...
Fratello
Have we left the Bronze Age behind us and entered the Stone Age? It seems 2024 has been the year of stone dials. That doesn’t mean bronze watches have disappeared, but what once seemed like a rushing stream of new bronze timepieces has died down quite a bit. Still, we have seen some great additions […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish New Baltic Hermétique Tourer Bronze to read the full article.
Fratello
TAG Heuer has partnered with Oracle Red Bull racing since 2017, and there have been seven watches commemorating their alliance. Now, to celebrate the team’s 20th anniversary, a new Formula 1 Chronograph joins the collection. As expected, this watch blends the team colors and a highly technical look to create a sporty timepiece. The Oracle […] Visit Hot Take: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph × Oracle Red Bull Racing to read the full article.
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