Latest watch news · Page 643

Horological innovation beyond the wristwatch from Cartier.

Is two-tone back? Is it on its way back? Has it returned and then left again? I feel like for as long as I’ve been involved in watches as a hobby, people have been saying all of the above regarding multiple metal watches. I think the most common shared perspective is that two-tone watches (that’s usually, but not always, watches made with both steel and gold) were a staple in the 1980s, fell out of favor, and have been threatening a comeback pretty consistently for the better part of a decade. But I think maybe two-tone is as back as it’s ever going to be, meaning just about every signature (“iconic,” if you must) watch collection has a two-tone example. This week, we add the Speedmaster to the list, with two new references featuring Moonshine (yellow) and Sedna (red) gold.  The new two-tone (or “Bi-Color” in Omega terms) Speedys are from the Professional line, meaning these are Moonwatches at their core, even though they have just a bit of bling. That means a manually wound 3861 caliber with METAS certification, and the classic 42mm Speedmaster case. These references see gold applied to the bezel, crown, pushers, center links of the bracelet, and throughout each dial. The Moonshine Gold reference has a silver dial with gold tone subdials, while the Sedna Gold version has a dial coated in Sedna PVD with black subdials. Of course the most immediate question at hand is which one do you prefer, aesthetically? For me, it’s the Sedna Gold reference every day of...

At Fratello, we focus on watches, and 99.9% of the time, that means ones for the wrist. However, it’s interesting that the wristwatch is still in its relative infancy. It was the pocket watch that loomed large in prior centuries. Today, we’ll look at two gems from the twilight of the pocket watch era. These […] Visit Vintage Watches: Art Deco Pocket Watches From Longines And Tissot to read the full article.

Louis Erard adds to their signature new regulator model with a novelty with a grand feu enamel dial: the Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel.

Seiko just unveiled the Astron GPS Solar 2024 Limited Editions SSH157J1 and SSJ027J1. Both feature a transparent, patterned dial inspired by the starry night sky and a multi-faceted angular titanium case with contrasting satin and mirror-polished surfaces. Though styled like conventional watches, they are high-tech and run on Seiko’s proprietary GPS solar movement, which is accurate to +/- 15 seconds per month and has six months of power reserve. Initial thoughts Well liked for its value-minded offerings, Seiko does well with watches like the new Astron GPS. They are practical, high-quality watches that have some of the stylistic glamour of pricier timepieces thanks to the facetted case and integrated bracelet. Seiko Astron GPS Solar 2024 Limited Editions SSJ027J1. Featuring a reasonable prices of US$2,200 and US$2,500 respectively, the new Astron pair offers are amongst the more expensive electronic watches but executed as well as mechanical offerings in the same price segment. The titanium are finished well and the moulded sky-blue dials with applied indices are unusual elaborate for electric watches. Putting the high-tech movement aside, the quality of the dial and case are good for the price range. Bang for your buck The Astron GPS Solar models offer a chronograph function and run on a GPS solar movement with a power reserve of about 6 months. They are each equipped with different movements, with the SSH157J1 offering additional functionalities like the world time a...

Image, Style, and Heritage Director of Cartier Pierre Rainero takes us through the brand's novelties, and the stories behind them.The post What makes Cartier’s new releases so special? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A young French brand with a name derived from Delage, Panhard and Facel Vega (three of the most respected French car manufacturers), Depancel has specialized in racing-inspired watches and has recently focused on developing its chronograph collections. Mostly seen in the 1960s-inspired, traditionally round Allure range, Depancel has used several well-known calibres, ranging from an […]

Atelier Holgur is a small Singapore-based brand with Nordic roots and a specific take on tough dive watches. Since the release of its debut model, the Frømand (meaning “frogman” in Danish), Atelier Holgur has tweaked its distinct design language. By introducing the Frømand Edition Fumée Silver Tide, the evolution is apparent. We love our tool […] Visit Introducing: The Evocative Atelier Holgur Frømand Edition Fumée Silver Tide to read the full article.

This tasteful collaborative piece harkens back to the Zodiac Point Series of the 90s, while featuring some enthusiast-minded modern touches.The post The enthusiast-minded Zodiac x RedBar Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver hits on an interesting point in Zodiac’s modern history appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

As we’ve recently seen, colours are everywhere. From accessible to high-end timepieces, watchmakers dare to explore the entire colour spectrum, bringing boldness and fun to all sorts of watches. With summer right around the corner, it is the perfect time for Hamilton to add a splash of colours to one of its classics, a go-anywhere-do-anything […]

Formula 1’s rising star Charles Leclerc has proven himself a force to be reckoned with on the racetrack. But beyond the high-g world of Grand Prix, Leclerc harbors another passion - timepieces. This passion recently took a surprising turn with the announcement of his investment in Chrono24, the world’s leading online marketplace for luxury watches. […] Visit Charles Leclerc Makes A Power Move - The F1 Star Invests In Chrono24 to read the full article.

When I assembled my list of favorites from this year’s Watches and Wonders, I didn’t even mention the Rolex Day-Date with the new white dial and deconstructed Roman numerals. Honestly, I didn’t think much of it because it’s way out of my league budget-wise, and it seems like such a small update that it didn’t […] Visit Hands-On: Rolex Day-Date With A White Dial And Deconstructed Roman Numerals to read the full article.

Bikes are extremely intimate in a way that no motor vehicle can parallel. Riding a bicycle 100 miles will reveal the rider’s strengths and weaknesses. All those weaknesses – and solutions – were discussed in depth in Part 1 of this series. This second leg of the adventure: building the frame.

For Tudor, 2024 was a year of safe bets, with the only completely new model family, the Black Bay 58 GMT, being an almost guaranteed success from the get-go. Overtly referencing sought-after vintage GMT Master models from sister brand Rolex, the BB58 GMT further solidifies Tudor’s dominant position in its category. While the big story last year was Tudor’s move out of its parents’ basement and into its own manufacture in Le Locle, this year was comparatively tame, focused on expanding the line-up of METAS-certified Black Bay models. Initial thoughts Tudor is one of the Swiss watch industry’s great success stories of the last decade. In a market in which high-end products have enjoyed the lion’s share of growth, Tudor has achieved an enviable market position by consistently improving design and quality while maintaining affordable pricing. The brand is also listening to the community, and introducing products that are likely to have built-in demand; the BB58 GMT is emblematic of this formula. Beyond its signature gilt accents and black and burgundy “Coke” bezel, the big story is of course the packaging of a true “flyer” GMT functionality in the smaller Black Bay 58 case format. The original Black Bay GMT, introduced in 2018, was beefier, at 41 mm in diameter and nearly 15 mm thick (14.6 mm to be specific). The Black Bay Pro shrunk the diameter to 39 mm, but the thickness stayed the same, resulting in a watch that felt overly thick. The New BB58 GMT address...

Taking a break from regularly scheduled programming to highlight some books, accessories, and more that deserve a second look.

Two-tone is back!

Over the last few years, De Rijke & Co. has built out an unlikely niche within the watch world: making highly desirable character watches featuring the beloved “Miffy” character, a staple of children’s books in the Netherlands, the brand’s home country. After the launch of the first successful Miffy moonphase, there have been several additional variants released in short order, offering colorful takes on a whimsical subject. I think most would probably agree that this represented a somewhat unexpected turn in the life of De Rijke. When we first encountered them, it was as a maker of a clever driver’s watch, with a unique case that allows the dial to be rotated within a cage to suit a driver’s needs. What’s more, De Rijke has always offered customers the ability to customize their watches to a high degree, allowing for a truly bespoke experience. The Miffy watches have been fun, but if you knew the brand before, they felt almost like a diversion.  De Rijke never stopped making those custom pieces of course, so it would be unfair to ask “What happened to this brand?” or something similarly dramatic. They haven’t gone anywhere, but clearly took an opportunity to capitalize on a watch concept that became a bit of a sensation with a very specific crowd. But now, for the first time since I’ve been writing about them, De Rijke is back with a new series that is not Miffy based, but still has a sense of that whimsy. The new entries in the Amalfi series are ba...

One of the most revered and respected names in the world of watchmaking, and certainly in the independent watchmaking scene, is Kari Voutilainen. The Finnish watchmaker is an expert in ‘wrapping’ the most brilliantly hand-finished movements in beautiful discrete cases with tear-drop lugs. With 20 years of track record as an Independent watchmaker and more […]

Just last week, Chris Antzoulis brought you a profile of Romaric André, the designer behind seconde/seconde/. At this point, most of you who will find this story will know all about Romaric and seconde/seconde/, so the usual introductory blurb explaining what this is, exactly, can easily be excised. It’s probably enough to say that over the last few years, seconde/seconde/ has become ubiquitous, collaborating with brands of all kinds and at all price points. It’s gotten to the point where much of the conversation around these collaborations is not actually about the collaboration or the design, but about the momentum of André’s brand. His watches, once rare and genuinely special, are now the subject of a seemingly weekly (an exaggeration, but not a huge one) limited edition. It’s impossible not to ask where we’re heading, and how we’ll get there.  Maybe part of the answer lies in the latest collaboration (at least by my count – there could be a new announcement buried in my inbox that I haven’t seen yet). The new watch is André’s second collaboration with Maen, one of our favorite small brands producing watches that truly impress with their design and finishing, always priced well below what you would expect. Their first collaboration, a limited edition version of the Manhattan with a cocktail inspired dial, was issued last year and sold out immediately. It was (and still is) one of my favorite seconde/seconde/ pieces. It’s playful, a natural visual...

Speake Marin’s One & Two Dual Time Openworked model was released in 2019, a sophisticated GMT with retrograde date combined with the brand’s eccentric layouts and distinctive Piccadilly case. For summer 2024, Speake Marin turns up the volume with the vibrant terracotta-orange tones of the Openworked Dual Time Terracotta. Following the first Openworked Dual Time […]

Seiko releases two new creations in the Astron GPS Solar collection with two new watches with dials inspired by the night sky.

This year, Oris is celebrating its 120th anniversary with the release of a special edition timepiece, the Hölstein Edition 2024. Founded in the small village of Hölstein in 1904, Oris has built a legacy of creating high-quality mechanical watches with a devoted fan base that has been steadily growing over the last few years. This new release, a black-on-black Divers Sixty-Five, is an anniversary present Oris is giving itself, showing the subtlety and sophistication  of the Swiss brand. The Hölstein Edition 2024 stands out with its distinctive design, marking the first time Oris has ventured into a full black-on-black aesthetic. The watch features a 40mm stainless steel case, bezel, and crown, all plated in black DLC. The hands, hour markers, dial text, date wheel, and lume are also rendered in black, complementing the overall monochromatic theme. The modern design is completed with a black rubber strap and a black-DLC-plated buckle. In terms of functionality and specifications, the Hölstein Edition 2024 is powered by the Oris Calibre 400. This in-house automatic movement boasts a five-day power reserve and superior anti-magnetic properties, ensuring reliable performance. As with previous Hölstein Edition releases, the caseback features an image of the Oris Bear, this time clad in swim trunks. The watch is water-resistant up to 10 bar (100 meters), making it suitable for various aquatic activities. Limited to just 250 pieces on a first-come-first-serve basis, the Höl...

While mostly known as a stainless steel watch, the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has been seen in multiple precious metals over the years, including recent Moonshine, Canopus or Sedna gold alloys. With two-tone watches somehow making a comeback in the past few years, it’s without much surprise that Omega releases today a new duo of […]