Latest watch news · Page 776

The original Swatch was round, but what this watch presupposes is…what if it wasn’t?

Seiko is a brand that has never been afraid of pushing the limits of design, eschewing in many instances what other brands may consider the standard of what a watch should look like. A perfect example of this is their 90’s creation, the Seiko Sportura Kinetic. Bold, unique, and designed unlike many chronographs before it, the Sportura Kinetic became an instant cult classic. Three decades later, the brand has drawn inspiration from this reference to give us the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer 1/100 Sec Solar Chronograph collection. Seiko is a brand that has never been afraid of pushing the limits of design, eschewing in many instances what other brands may consider the standard of what a watch should look like. A perfect example of this is their 90’s creation, the Seiko Sportura Kinetic. Bold, unique, and designed unlike many chronographs before it, the Sportura Kinetic became an instant cult classic. Three decades later, the brand has drawn inspiration from this reference to give us the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer 1/100 Sec Solar Chronograph collection. The post The Seiko Speedtimer Is Back! And Now Available In The Windup Watch Shop appeared first on Worn & Wound.

It’s no secret that enthusiasts are spoiled for choice when it comes to great dive watches these days, especially in the sub 40mm category. There are options both vintage (literally and aesthetically) and modern across the price spectrum offering some creative (and some less creative) takes on this ever evolving genre being released with increasing pace. One of the brands responsible for this resurgence is of course Tudor, who released the Black Bay over a decade ago, which is partly responsible for the golden age we’re currently enjoying. The modern Black Bay is still recognizable as such, though it’s undergone some subtle renovations in recent generations, most recently welcoming a 37mm variant called the Black Bay 54, which we reviewed in-depth right here. With the Black Bay 54 in hand, we took the opportunity to compare it to a few other Tudor divers that have recently been released, each under 40mm in size, and each with its own unique personality (well, as far as divers go, at least). The Black Bay Pro and the Pelagos 39 are well understood at this point, and viewing them alongside the new Black Bay 54 begins to paint a clearer picture of Tudor’s potential game plan, or at least their philosophy of evolutionary branches. In this video, Zach and Blake take a step back to view these watches through a different lens, and explore the differences between designations and families within Tudor’s gameplan. How is the Black Bay Pro holding up after its first year? ...

When it comes to specialist interests, watches regularly seem to intersect with certain other areas of enthusiasm. Cars and aviation are always popular, but another really big one is the sport of golf. Now, Nick Anderson, a 24-year-old from Minnesota, has started a business that lies at the intersection of the Venn diagram between the … ContinuedThe post Is using a Rolex dial as a ball marker the ultimate golf club flex? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Plus a PanoReserve from Glashütte in this week’s selection.

Most dive watches we come across qualify as such thanks to a chunky bezel, gobs of lume on the dial, and halfway decent depth rating. Vulcain, never keen to adhere to the well beaten path, took a different approach with their diver, the Nautical Cricket, and it shows at first blush. The impressive depth rating is there, sure, but the rest of the formula kind of goes out the window. It’s an approach I’d love to see more of in modern divers, and am thrilled to see Vulcain return to the concept 60 years after the original, and 10 years after the first attempt at resuscitation. It’s entirely confusing at a glance, and even if you know what you’re looking at, it still might require an explanation. The new Nautical Cricket is the latest chapter in Vulcain’s modern resurgence.  The Nautical Cricket is, as you may have guessed from the name, an alarm watch, which can be set via the thin 4th hand with bright red tip. While unique, that’s not the most unusual element to this watch. That would be the inner portion of the dial, which is littered with rings and number sets and a long thin aperture which reveal further sets of numbers when turned. These tables are used in conjunction with the alarm timer, and if used correctly, will give you the length of your decompression stops at 3, 6, and 9 meters on your ascent. How this works exactly is a bit trickier to decipher, but makes the watch all the more interesting as a dive tool. Things begin with the planned length of your...

Ba111od releases a new model combining their super-value tourbillon with a GMT feature, bringing travel functionality to the watch to the Chapter 4.6.

The TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue limited edition of 1,000 pieces features a sandblasted grade 2 titanium case Its silver sunray-brushed dial blends into the hue of the case giving a largely monochromatic sensibility Pops of colour are injected by elements like the blue opaline registers that pay tribute to French Racing Blue The … ContinuedThe post The new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Blue Limited Edition pays tribute to French Racing Blue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A platinum Tank Cintrée recently sold for more than $350,000 – but should it have?

Longines marked a historical milestone last year with the well-received Master Collection 190th Anniversary, a watch that combines classic good looks with a modest price tag. Now the brand has taken the same styling and applied it to another model to create the Master Collection Small Seconds. The Small Seconds makes its debut in a pleasing variety of dial colours, including a fashionable “salmon”. As much of a value proposition as last year’s anniversary model, the Small Seconds retains the same aesthetic as its predecessor but with a subsidiary seconds at six that gives it a more retro feel. But because of the small seconds, it becomes a noticeably thicker watch. So even though it looks much like the anniversary edition, the Small Seconds feels different. Initial thoughts The Small Seconds is largely identical to its centre-seconds counterpart, so it has much of the same appeal. The design is a pleasing vintage style with all the right elements like Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands. Admittedly, the styling is somewhat generic – it’s vintage inspired rather than a remake – but the result is appealing, especially considering its affordability. Although the watch is clearly an industrial product, the details are done well, the engraved numerals are especially attractive. This is especially so on the anthracite and salmon dials, which have the numerals in contrasting plating. The anthracite dial is especially striking because it is a relatively uncommon co...

I enjoy rooting for the underdog. This has, perhaps, been an underlying theme at Worn & Wound. It’s just too easy to always always be in the stands for the big brands that everyone likes and are really at no risk of failing (though, tbh, we do that plenty too). So, when a young brand comes around that is doing something interesting but perhaps to no fanfare, I take notice. Such was the case with Arcus Watches from Calgary, Canada. In 2021 I stumbled across a post of theirs on Instagram, as these things tend to happen these days, and knew I had to dig in more. The watch, called the Tropos, was nice enough looking, but what caught my eye was that it was a monopusher chronograph with a sub $1k price tag. In order to achieve this, Arcus, for their first watch, modified Seagull ST1901 movements with in-house components. I’m still impressed by that. Check out the review here. The Tropos The Mesos They followed the Tropos with the Mesos, which took the modifications one step further. In addition to being an ST19-based monopusher, they re-jiggered the mechanism to just start, and reset, but with the ability to hold before release, like a vintage Omega Chronostop. The idea is that you start the chrono and when you finish the activity, you hit and hold the button again, recording your time. Then you release to zero it out. Novel if perhaps not very useful, but the fact that they made it in-house is what really impressed me. Even more so, they only charged $599 for it. Read the M...

One fatality was reported in the town and Sellita's factory was damaged.

A bit more than 80 words, a lot less than 80 days, we take a look at the 1972 reissue.

Origin stories in this hobby influence the rabbit holes we follow. My story began when I learned not all modern watches have batteries. The simple idea that mechanical watches were still being made, sold down the street from me, and could run for years without intervention blew my mind. Partially because it was mechanically impressive, but mostly because of how unnecessary it was. The concept of dozens of components interacting to move hands around a dial, when a perfectly functional watch can be purchased at the grocery store for $20, resonated with me. My discovery of these rebelliously absurd contraptions came at a time in my life when I had two kids in daycare and income was not disposable. My first mechanical watch was a one-handed Luch, a watch I loved dearly, and purchased for about $50. I didn’t care about finishing or accuracy, just that I had something unnecessarily complicated strapped to my wrist. Years later, my philosophy hasn’t changed much. When considering a new watch, I always ask myself three questions: What does it do? Does that thing excite me? Is there anything about the watch that doesn’t excite me? That third question is the one that keeps my collection and budget in check. The answers I come up with, always rooted in my original fascination with accessibly priced mechanical timekeeping, have surprised me. Some are movement specific, and others centered around design. Photo by Nathan Schultz So, to kick off a two-part series where I will try n...

The Paris Olympics might be a year away, but Omega is already going for gold.

The Nivada Grenchen Chronoking is a meca-quartz chronograph that uses quartz for the time and a mechanical module for the chronograph This Chronoking “Paul Newman” Orange uses the famed Jean Singer numeral font for the registers also seen on Paul Newman Daytonas It is a limited edition, with a five-week order window period You know … ContinuedThe post The Nivada Grenchen Chronoking “Paul Newman” Orange hits vintage notes for under US$500 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Take to the skies or the seas with this bargain of a do-it-all travel watch.

The Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph adopts the light blue trend in style. Its bright contrasts, moody dial and name take influence from pop music. Between the dial, case and bezel, there’s a lot of interesting texture. The Raymond Weil Freelancer Chronograph has always been a laid-back, go anywhere, do anything watch.  The new … ContinuedThe post The Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph is a high-contrast proposition with a titanium build appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Having made a specialty of artistic Super-Luminova that began with the Moomin in 2020, Finnish independent watchmaker Sarpaneva now applies it to a motif inspired by the water spirits of Nordic folkore. The Sarpaneva Näkki has a hand-finished dial open worked to create over 650 apertures that are then filled by hand with luminous paint, creating a multi-coloured scene – with the brand’s trademark moon phase looming overhead – that is best appreciated in the dark. Initial thoughts The Näkki is quintessential Sarpaneva in combining the art and history of its home region along with the brand’s distinctive design. Though its style is similar to Sarpaneva’s past models, particularly last year’s Nocturne, the Näkki is more elaborate in terms of dial decoration and finishing. In fact, unlike past Sarpaneva models with Super-Luminova dials, the Näkki is almost as colourful during the day as a result of the pigmented lume that still has colour even when not luminescent. Dial aside, the rest of the watch is identical to the standard Sarpaneva automatic, which means a high quality case and customised movement with an especially elaborate rotor made in-house. Though the movement itself is outsourced and no-frills, the execution of the rest of the components is high quality. At €21,000 before taxes, the Näkki is amongst the most expensive Sarpaneva watches. The price is arguably justified by the complexity of the dial, though it is probably close to the price ceiling...

By auctioning off unique pieces explicitly made for Only Watch, Luc Pettavino has given the brands a platform to go all in and all out. Many brands seize this opportunity to take their work to an even higher level, while collectors lust over the opportunity to own a unique watch from their favorite brands. Here are Martin Green’s Top Ten, and the last one, which is his absolute favorite!

Rolex at Watches & Wonders this year can be described in two words: acid trip. Sure, there were the usual incremental updates to lines such as the GMT Master II and Rolex Daytona. And it was exciting to see the new 1908 have a sapphire caseback across all models and the platinum anniversary Daytona as … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Celebration Dial is starting to hit the secondary market. Shocker, it is priced high… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Or, why do I buy keep buying Tudor Black Bays?

At the dive platform’s edge located at the Phoecena’s stern, the aqua marine Bahamian waters sloshed around my SEAC F-100 fins. Any experience I had related to diving up to that point had been limited to a bit of low-stakes snorkeling and freediving, as well as reading about the exploits of Jacques Cousteau and Dr. Sylvia Earle or the fictitious adventures of Dirk Pitt and Julian Tusker. The week of PADI e-learning was helpful to develop a mental foundation of the do’s and don’ts down under and the pool session the day prior helped me trust the Aqua Lung regulator would deliver the precious air supply beneath the surface, but nothing was going to compare being out in open water for the first time. There was no longer the safety net of sitting behind a computer screen or being in the confines of a training pool – just the ocean. Gazing out past the platform, there was nothing but pure blue skies, crystal clear water and a silhouette of New Providence just visible in the distance. This was the real deal. With my left hand securing the SPG (submersible pressure gauge) tucked into the waist belt of my BCD (buoyancy control device) and my right over my mask and regulator, I attempted my best version of the giant stride. The Calm Before The “Giant Stride” / Image via Kristin Paterakis The partially inflated BCD kept me at the surface and following protocol, I immediately turned to the boat to give them the “okay” sign. The water was a bath-warm 83 degrees and a...

The latest drop from Massena LAB is a new entry in the ongoing Uni-Racer series, a project which represented the first solo venture for William Massena’s design focused brand, which until that point had focused exclusively on collaborations. Somewhat ironically, the latest Uni-Racer is itself a collaboration between Massena and Revolution, the watch publication founded by Wei Koh. It’s honestly a bit surprising that this is the first time these two friends have collaborated on a limited edition watch – both have been at the forefront of the growing limited/collaborative watch space that has dominated the enthusiast watch world in recent years. Nevertheless, this first partnership between the two would seem to be a fitting project based on their interests and the unique type of nostalgia that Massena LAB has mined in the past, and with the Uni-Racer watches specifically.  The Massena LAB x Revolution Uni-Racer 1949 is inspired by what to this point is a well understood aesthetic: the midcentury chronograph. It’s a relatively simple idea that can go in any number of far flung directions, but it boils down to a two register design, pump pushers on a circular case, and, very often, a series of scales and sectors on the dial that lend a complexity and visual interest to the watch, and help place it in a time period where physicians, scientists, soldiers and countless others might have had a real reason to use these things in the days before a smartphone could be found ...

You can get a taste of chocolate-y goodness without the worry that sometimes comes with vintage watches and at a price that's tough to beat