Latest watch news · Page 706

Assouline is known as a brand that reflects the finer things in life. As a standard-bearer of fine art, culture, and lifestyle, Assouline has solidified its reputation as a premier publisher synonymous with sophistication. Wherever the haute monde is, Assouline is sure to follow with one of their well-designed, beautifully curated coffee table books. Their latest edition, Rolex: The Impossible Collection, 2nd Edition is an especially exciting release for the horologically-inclined, focusing on the one-hundred watches that define the brand’s legacy and rich history. Within the pages of The Impossible Collection, readers will get a chance to explore the various ways in which Rolex has entered the cultural consciousness. From the first wristwatch dating to the early 1900s and the first Oyster Perpetual from 1931, to an Explorer worn during Sir Edmund Hillary’s expedition to the summit of Mount Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, this book acts as a reflection of a brand which has stood at the cross-section of adventure, style, and sportsmanship. For the casual collector to the fanatics among us, Assouline’s attention to detail and design in The Impossible Collection will inspire readers while making a handsome companion for your library. Every page is carefully designed to elevate the reading experience, while leaving the page clean and uncluttered, so every watch has room to shine. Ro...

Louis Erard returns to its flagship model, the Le Régulateur Tourbillon x Alain Silberstein, now in black. The tourbillon builds on the previous collaborations with the French designer but ups the ante on price and complexity. Louis Erard first tapped Alain Silberstein, known for his instantly recognisable Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic, in 2019 for a successful collaboration that led to a second collection in 2021. This new 78-piece limited edition is the first time Le Régulateur Tourbillon is presented in Silberstein’s typical Bauhaus colours. The model initially debuted last year as part of a three-piece set in khaki green, followed by a 10-piece limited edition made for UAE-based retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. Initial thoughts Louis Erard has created an interesting niche for itself in the world of independent watchmaking with its ongoing string of well-priced collaborations with established independent watchmakers like Konstantin Chaykin and Vianney Halter. And while the brand is arguably at its best when it challenges conventional expectations of watch design, such as its collaborations with designers from outside the industry like Oliver Mosset and atelier oï, the designs of Alain Silberstein have proven timeless in their own quirky way. Le Régulateur Tourbillon features a 40 mm titanium case that is also surprisingly slim at just 11.8 mm. That said, it’s likely to wear larger due to the hinged strap loops that extend beyond the case. With a black nylon strap and...

Another collaboration with Alain Silberstein. And yet another chance for a collector to own this Le Régulateur Tourbillon.

MoonSwatch madness continues into 2024 as celebrate the two-year anniversary with a Snoopy moonphase.

Today marks an important milestone for Breitling as it launches the next generation of Aerospace. With the outgoing Aerospace Evo stock levels in flux for the past few years, it has been uncertain whether the analog-digital Grade 2 titanium watch would stay. Breitling’s new 43mm Aerospace B70 Orbiter settles the debate and celebrates 25 years […] Visit Breitling Announces The New Aerospace B70 Orbiter - Celebrating 25 Years Since Orbiter 3’s Nonstop Balloon Flight to read the full article.

Many fans of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms have been yearning for a non-limited edition in a smaller case - a watch like the 42mm Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1 limited edition of last year. Well, steel stays limited, but red gold and titanium iterations are now unlimited, meaning 14 possible variations made their way […] Visit Blancpain Launches 42mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique Watches In The Regular Collection - Have Your Wishes Been Granted? to read the full article.

Next to the vintage-inspired Legend Diver collection, the Longines HydroConquest is a more utilitarian, robust, classic diver, with water-resistance up to 300 metres, a unidirectional, external rotating bezel, a screw-in crown and a screw-down caseback. Following the introduction of the practical, versatile and mostly visually appealing HydroConquest GMT last year in a 41mm case, Longines […]

While we’re not here to re-do the story of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, we must remember that we’re talking about one of the most important watches ever. Created back in the mid-1950s and one of the first purpose-built modern dive watches, it has, together with a couple of other timepieces, established the fundamental technical and […]

Having marked the 70th anniversary of its signature dive watch last year, Blancpain is now adding the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42 mm to the lineup. Maintaining the vintage-inspired style of its larger sibling, the new Fifty Fathoms has a more compact, 42 mm case that’s available in either red gold or titanium – both entirely brushed – a size that was first seen on the 70th Anniversary Act 1 limited edition. Initial thoughts The overall appearance of the new Fifty Fathoms stays close to the longstanding ref. 5015, but in a smaller package. While its predecessor was a chunky 45 mm, the latest model is 42 mm. It retains almost exactly the same design, and even the same cal. 1315 inside (now visible through a display back), but in a more wearable case. If you liked the earlier version but found it too big, then the appeal of the 42 mm model is clear. More broadly, the CHF15,000-ish price point of the Fifty Fathoms is competitive given the build quality. The case and dial execution are good, while the movement is one of the more sophisticated amongst sports watches in this price range. New packaging The new Fifty Fathoms is essentially a compact version of the 45 mm model, which was launched in 2007, making it one of the longest tenured models in the catalogue. The 42 mm version preserves the familiar design, but in a smaller format. So the dial retains the Arabic numerals at the quarters, sword hands, and the italic model name above six. Because of the reduced size, th...

To celebrate the Ocean Star’s 80th anniversary, Mido introduces a new GMT Special Edition. It doesn’t take much inspiration from a specific reference from the past, but it certainly looks inspired by vintage watches. And, just like the other Ocean Star GMT models, it features a so-called “flyer GMT” movement. Even though more and more […] Visit Introducing: The Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition - Celebrating The Collection’s 80th Anniversary to read the full article.

Hi there, and welcome to a new episode of Fratello Talks. Excuses, excuses, excuses… Letting them get in the way of a good thing is a shame. So it’s time to cut them out and enjoy watches. This is this week’s topic of discussion, which Nacho, Lex, and RJ explore in detail. It’s an interesting […] Visit Fratello Talks: Cut The Excuses And Just Enjoy Watches to read the full article.

Exactly two years after the successful launch of the MoonSwatch, Swatch introduces the Mission to the Moonphase. It’s a MoonSwatch Snoopy, in short, as NASA’s “watchdog” is positioned in the upper-right sub-dial. On the battery cover on the case back, there is also Snoopy’s footprint on the Moon. Clever! Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to […] Visit Introducing: The MoonSwatch Snoopy - Mission To The Moonphase to read the full article.

In a move that would seem to indicate that no, they really never will stop with these things, Swatch has unveiled a new Bioceramic MoonSwatch featuring, you guessed it: Snoopy. This release has been teased for several weeks now, so it’s not exactly a shock, but it just kind of landing on a Wednesday night is, I have to admit, a little unexpected. What we have here is an all white Bioceramic MoonSwatch case (inspired by the full moon, according to Swatch), a form factor that at this point is nearly as familiar as a Seiko SKX007 or a Cartier Tank. The “Mission to the MoonPhase” at first glance looks like a typical MoonSwatch, but in a stark white treatment. I can’t be the only one for whom it immediately conjured the Guilty Remnant, right? If there’s a watch better suited to that particular, fictional, doomsday cult, I’ve never seen it.  Anyway, this is most certainly not a normal MoonSwatch. No, this one not only features everyone’s favorite cartoon beagle in the subdial at the 2:00 position, but it’s a moonphase (yes, that’s Snoopy, apparently representing all of us, just trying to get some sleep in the moonphase indicator). I’m sometimes hard on the MoonSwatch, but Swatch has done something genuinely cool with the lume treatment here, adding a “secret” line of text that will only be visible under UV light. It’s charming, fitting with the Snoopy theme, and feels like the right way to execute something that could be perceived as gimmick. This kind...

An arrest warrant has been issued for Toke Match's founder, who has allegedly sold customer's watches rather than returning them.The post Japanese peer-to-peer watch rental company Toke Match shuts down, with watch owners left in the lurch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Patek Philippe single-button split-seconds chronographs from this era are basically impossible to find – one with this provenance might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

As I’ve gotten more and more involved in the watch world over the years, something that’s become a great interest to me is accessible craft in watchmaking. We all know that you can spend five figures (or more) on a watch and get a movement with meticulously hand finished and polished bevels, for instance, but what I’m really drawn to is the brands that are able to do impressive things the old fashioned way at more accessible price points. Think of anOrdain’s enamel dials, for instance, or the handmade silver cases from James Lamb. We frequently look to smaller operations for this kind of work, but large brands are capable of surprising us with unusual craft techniques as well, and we were reminded of that a few weeks with the introduction of a pair of new watches by Citizen using their impressive Washi paper dials.  These watches fall into The Citizen collection from Citizen, one of my favorite names for a collection, even as it drives my editor brain kind of insane. Yes, the watches are called “The Citizen” in the same way the iconic diver made by Rolex is the “Submariner.” I’ll be honest, I don’t know the origin of the use of the definite article in the collection’s name, or anything about the decision to name these watches after the brand itself. Frankly, I don’t want to know, because I like the story I’ve created in my head of Citizen creating a collection that they feel perfectly defines their brand to such a degree that you could call it Th...

We’re huge fans around here of ochs und junior, an independent brand known for radically simple executions of complications that are traditionally anything but. Their latest is a release of one of their most whimsical and complex pieces, the Day/Night, which was first seen in 2018 but now enters the “ochs line,” meaning it gets a standardized, serialized production, without the vast array of customization options offered on most watches in the brand’s catalog. That said, considering the astronomical nature of the complication, some custom work is required, so the Day/Night really splits the difference. Even more than ochs und junior’s fairly radical calendar watches, the Day/Night really shows off the ingenuity at work behind Ludwig Oechslin’s watchmaking.  Looking at the dial, it’s hard to grasp at first exactly what you’re seeing. The time, of course, but the rest of the indicators are so far removed from what we’re used to seeing on a watch, the Day/Night really does require something of a primer to fully grasp. Here’s what you can see at a glance on the dial: the length of day and nighttime for a given location, sunset, sunrise, solar noon, moon phase, sun and moon position in the sky, the date, and of course the current time. Much of this information is dependent on the wearer’s current location, so in the ordering process, ochs und junior make a note of where the watch will live, and create a custom part to “synch” the watch to that locatio...

An interview with the founder of Brew Watches; also, we announce the winner of our first Fantasy Draft of 2024.

While Scandinavia is not necessarily the birthplace of mechanical watchmaking, there’s quite a list of names that have emerged from the northern European countries that exhibit great craftsmanship and creativity. Think of individuals such as Stepan Sarpaneva, Kari Voutilainen, or GoS’ Patrik Sjögren, but also the young and upcoming Danish watchmaker Rune Bakkendorff. Next in […]

Recently, a print advertisement insert from Swatch was discovered - bearing a paw print pressed into the surface of the moon.The post Snoopy MoonSwatch teased for March 26, 2024 in print advertisement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Louis Erard’s appeal is that of a legitimately independent brand mixes a taste of high horology with compelling value. Across the entire Excellence collection, we see various design elements, materials, and finishing techniques that belie the watches’ price points. A hands-on experience with the collection brings a new level of appreciation for the level of detail that each particular model boasts. Take the Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde, the brand’s take on an elevated everyday watch. After marveling at the striking dial colors and complementary straps, we appreciate the harmony of the various textures and dial elements. On the other hand, the Regulateur Lapis-Lazuli wows us with its ultramarine and speckled blue stone dial, which is accentuated by using an interesting and uncommon regulator format. Not to be outdone, the Excellence Guilloché Main II is a master class of high-end finishing at a more approachable price than most. The lines comprising the concentric circles and diamond are intricately etched using a rose engine lathe in a process pioneered by Abraham-Louis Breguet. We’re excited to offer the Louis Erard Excellence collection in the Windup Watch Shop because, simply put, they are special. Zach Weiss gets hands-on with the watches in our latest video here. Louis Erard’s appeal is that of a legitimately independent brand mixes a taste of high horology with compelling value. Across the entire Excellence collection, we see various design elemen...

Plus a 50th anniversary Omega Seamaster 300m GMT and a Grand Seiko GMT LE.

In this installment of Back to Basics, we will go into a seemingly simple question that has a deceptively hard answer. How do you tell if a watch is good? As always, this article is aimed at newcomers to the watch hobby, but I see many veterans still struggle with this too. We see watches […] Visit Back To Basics: How To Tell If A Watch Is Good to read the full article.

Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a new Reverso Tribute in tribute to the Year of the Dragon, featuring black enamel and an engraved case back.