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The Antiquarian Horologist will examine the history behind the lineage of the mechanical singing-bird along with a case study.

Making desirable watches affordable, let alone available, is a struggle that many brands are currently facing. From the entry-level to the high-end, each desirable piece went through a period of unavailability, while many have also increased in price since their release – MoonSwatch, PRX, Nautilus, just to name a few. Christopher Ward, champion of the … ContinuedThe post Christopher Ward enters the integrated bracelet game with the handsome Twelve appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

At Watches & Wonders this year, I got talking to Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Catherine Rénier about all the famous people who’d worn her brand over the years from Charlie Chaplin to Pablo Picasso.  If she could choose anyone from history to be a JLC ambassador, I asked, who would she pick?  “Leonardo Da Vinci,” she replied. … ContinuedThe post Jaeger-LeCoultre unveil Lenny Kravitz as their new Ambassador appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Most of the timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2022 were from the higher end of fine watchmaking as most of the participants constitute the haute horlogerie maisons of the world. There were however a few notable exceptions – notable and affordable. Here Łukasz Doskocz highlights some of the showstoppers from the Palexpo halls that will hopefully not break your bank.

Let’s face it. For most of us, who don’t work in finance or have somehow failed to win the lottery (so far) or be fathered by a particularly indulgent Sheikh, reading about watch auctions is a form of fantasy window shopping. “Hmm,” you nod to yourself approvingly when reading about the platinum Rolex Yacht-Master that … ContinuedThe post Want to dabble in high-end watch auctions but lack the cash? FutureGrail may have the solution appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Collective Horology have recently announced a retail partnership with Formex, and this week we get a first look at a new Reef that will be available exclusively in the Collective shop, and at our Windup Watch Fair. The Reef as we know it today ushered in a new chapter for the brand back in 2020 (you can see our thoughts on that watch right here), and this latest edition expands that story a bit further with a unique new dial that suits the watch rather well, if you ask me. Rather than creating a brass case, as we’ve seen on a broad range of modern divers, Formex and Collective Horology have opted for a brass dial.  The case and bezel design of the Reef are quite distinctive, I’d say they have a ‘big personality’ but without the accompanying heft. This is a watch that makes a big first impression, but manages to be surprisingly wearable in use. The steel case measures 42mm in diameter, but the 47mm lug to lug distance, and sub 12mm thickness make the Reef rather pleasant on the wrist. As we say, it’s not about the numbers if the watch manages to bring the design together in an ergonomic manner, and the Reef has most certainly done that.  The big personality of the case means you can go big on the dial as well, and that’s exactly what this collaboration has done. It’s not a salmon dial, it’s a brass dial. The bright, warm color and aggressive texture all bring a vibe that works incredibly well with the Reef as a whole. In fact, I’d go so far as to call th...

I am not a chronograph guy. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve owned my share of chronographs over the years, but they always seem to be first on the chopping block when something new comes along that I need to clear out space for. They also, in general, don’t appeal to me aesthetically. I tend to like a less cluttered, more serene dial than what you’ll find on a typical chronograph, simply because of the nature of the complication itself. And I certainly don’t belong in the nerdiest segment of chronograph lovers, who have deeply held beliefs about the best chronograph movements ever made, and can rattle off the most minute differences between Speedmaster references at the drop of a hat. I admire the dedication and knowledge of these hardcore chronograph superfans, but I’ve never counted myself among them.  And yet, day to day, the watch I’ve worn the most by far over the last year is a chronograph that flies in the face of everything I tend to think about my own watch preferences. And if you were to ask me, “Hey Zach, out of all of your watches, which one has your favorite dial?” I’d have to respond with another chronograph, that has one of the most intricate and beautifully made dials I’ve had the pleasure of owning. So what’s going on here? How did such a non-chrono guy wind up with this weird chrono subcollection?  My IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Ceratanium has effectively become my daily wearer since picking it up last sum...

When I first came across the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu in white ceramic, I was blown away by both its concept and its execution. When we talk about artistry in watchmaking, we’re usually discussing traditional methods such as enamel, laqcuer, stone marquetry etc. In a more contemporary setting, we take into account the sculptural … ContinuedThe post The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu evokes a sense of occult hedonism (in a good way) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Although Serica has only been around since 2019, it feels like the young watch brand has been around for ages. In my opinion, a lot of that has to do with the maturity in which they conduct themselves, both in brand presence and progression. With any Serica novelty, you can bet that their approach to any watch design is performed with metronomic consistency – typically with minimal branding, steady visual cues, and a general inspiration by way of vintage military timepieces. It seems that any change that’s going to be made within each reference will be incremental, but that doesn’t mean the impact can be monumental. Such is the case with the new and improved Serica 5303 COSC Antimagnetic Diver Chronometer. To understand the latest update to the Serica 5303, we must look within. Serica has opted to keep the movement within the Soprod family, but instead of using the previous Newton P092 automatic, the Serica 5303 COSC now draws its power from the Caliber M100. The Soprod Caliber M100 is buoyed by a glucydur balance, incabloc shock system, a 42 hour power reserve, and most importantly, a 3.2mm movement thickness. With approximately 1.4mm of extra room to play using the transitional movement inside of the 5303 COSC case, Serica has built in several antimagnetic pieces including a soft iron movement holder, soft iron dial and a soft iron inner caseback. As a result, the magnetic resistance for the Serica 5303 COSC diver has skyrocketed from the traditional Swiss standard...

After almost 30 years of absence, Manufacture France Ebauches returns to making mechanical movement manufacture under the auspices of the Festina Group.

Colourful, time-only watches have become the new hot thing, as their mechanical simplicity offers a great canvas for some funky dial tones. The latest in line is a quartet of TAG Heuer Carrera Date models, sized at a unisex-friendly 36mm diameter and with some subtle changes that make for a hugely improved on-wrist feel over … ContinuedThe post Funky colours and subtle upgrades for the TAG Heuer Carrera Date appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Is Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker high watchmaking art? Alexey Kutlovoy thinks that’s for you to decide, but that it’s well worth taking a serious look at the Joker and the universe of Chaykin's Wristmons.

“Only success will prove that we are right.” – Georges Kern. Joining the Richemont Group in 2000, Mr. Kern was highly involved in major brands like A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and IWC Schaffhausen following their acquisition by the group. In 2002, Kern was chosen to be the CEO of IWC and became the youngest […]

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is an iconic watch and sets the standard of what a Dress watch should be. Refined, subtle and easy to read. And the new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds is just this. What We Like Timeless DesignClean and easy to readGood size and wears well What We Don’t No LuminescenceNot an everyday watchStraps take time to break in Overall Rating: 8.4/10 Value for money: 7/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 9.5/10 I’ll be honest here. Even with all the watches I’ve tried on and owned over the years, I’ve never owned a square or rectangular watch, nor had I tried one on for longer than 2 minutes in a boutique or dealer. So when Jaeger-LeCoultre offered two of their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds to wear around for a week, I jumped at the chance to test out this icon of the watch world. The pink gold and black dial Reverso Tribute Small Seconds mid flip – a fun watch to play with on the writst! Jaeger-LeCoultre launched their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds at Watches and Wonders last month in four dial/colour variants – three in pink gold with black, burgundy and silver dials, and a steel with silver opaline dial. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. All are stunning examples of their heritage and as the name suggests, a Tribute to the originals from 1931. I had the pleasure of going hands on with the steel variant with silver opaline dial, and the pink gold variant with the classic black dial, both with the Fagliano Co...

Konstantin Chaykin introduces a new one-eyed monster in collaboration with Louis Erard Le Regulateur is available in both 39 and 42mm variants These timepieces are inspired by Stephen King, Goya and the Slavic monster Lykho Louis Erard has always specialised in elegant, fairly affordable Swiss watchmaking. Of late, however, thanks to the guidance of interim … ContinuedThe post Monster mash-up: Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin team up for a fearsome collab appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It has been an exhilarating fair at Watches & Wonders 2023 and Team Revolution is here to reveal their top picks from Cartier, Chopard and more!

What’s your pop culture blindspot? Everyone has at least one. I know people who have devoured every important prestige TV hit over the last two decades except The Sopranos, for example. And then you’ve got music obsessives who have an encyclopedic knowledge of the most obscure indie rock from a specific period of time (usually whenever they went to college) but might have ignored an entire genre for years. These blindspots are nothing to be ashamed of. No one can possibly be exposed to everything, and there are so many variables involved when it comes to access – it’s easy for something to slip right by you if you don’t have a subscription to a particular cable channel, use the right music streaming service, or are on the cusp of aging out of the target market for something. I have two pop culture blindspots I’m prepared to volunteer today. One is anything related to Harry Potter. I’ve never read the books, and I have only the foggiest memories of seeing what I think is one of the first two or three of the movies. The second is anything related to Pokémon.  It feels good to get that off my chest. I honestly don’t even know what Pokémon is, really. It’s an animated series, right? But also a card game? I do know that certain Pokémon cards sell for amounts that could finance dream watches for many of us. I’m also vaguely aware of Pokémon video games, but I’ve never played one. The truth is, I don’t know a Charmander from a Chimchar (I looked both ...

Lifetime membership card sells for record-breaking $20,000.

In this episode of On-Wrist Reaction, Zach and Blake take a gander at not three, but 4 watches that represent 4 very different approaches to the small/kinda-small independent brand space. We get a first look at a couple favorites from Brew and Vulcain that you might be familiar with, and find plenty to enjoy in these staples, as well as ponder if there’s any colorway that wouldn’t suit the Metric (if so, we haven’t found it). There are also a pair of unexpected watches from the brands Timeless and Atelier Holger, each displaying unique and conceptual ideas that we look forward to exploring further in their full reviews, coming soon. The Timeless HMS presents an array of ideas, and while they might not all land, there’s plenty of details to admire. Likewise, the Atelier Holger takes plenty of risks that we love seeing, and looks to challenge a price range not often occupied by new micro-brands. They represent two stand out releases this year from brands we hope to see more from. Drop any questions about these in the comments below or on YouTube and we’ll be sure to address them in their reviews.  If you have any questions or thoughts on these watches that you’d like to see addressed in our reviews, be sure to let us know in the comments. Furthermore, if you have a watch or a piece of gear you’d like to see us react to, please reach out to us at info@wornandwound.com. The post On-Wrist Reaction: Steampunk Surprises & Unexpected Movements appeared first on Worn...

O.G Watches is a new brand that has recently come to our attention, helmed by Oliver Gallaugher, a Bristol, England based watch lover and self-taught designer. Oliver has worked with watch brands in the past during the design stage, helping them to, as he puts it, conceptualize their watch ideas. Now, he’s started his own brand, under his own name, and it launches with a project called Deep Space that is actually quite ambitious. It also makes good use of his worldwide industry connections to create a final product that seems to combine many of Oliver’s own wide ranging interests. For O.G, Oliver promises a brand that will produce watches in small runs, each with their own unique themes. The Deep Space caught our attention as a first effort that’s remarkably polished, and has us interested in what might come next.  The star of the show is certainly the dial, which is said to be inspired by the flicker of stars in the night sky. This is, of course, fertile ground for watch designers, who have been making dials that incorporate nighttime scenes or star inspired motifs for almost as long as watchmaking has existed. What Oliver has done with the Deep Space is craft a dial that evokes the night sky almost completely through texture. The “stars” are hand engraved on the dial’s surface, and the entire dial has been brushed diagonally and given a coating that is meant to reflect the maximum amount of light when the dial is tilted, creating a “flashing” effect betw...

Back in 3500 BC, in what I can only imagine was a dusty cave, a gentleman with a big forehead and a loincloth built a fire in a circle of rocks. Seems like that would be a regular occurrence back then, right? You’ve got to warm up the cave for the kids, after all. Well, … ContinuedThe post The Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Brown is another vintage-inspired hit for a price that’s too good to be true appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Breguet updates their perpetual calendar in the Classique collection with the new Breguet Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327.

Louis Erard is continuing their run of impressive and whimsical limited editions with a pair of regulators made in collaboration with none other than Konstantin Chaykin, the AHCI member and independent watchmaker known primarily for his Wristmons series of character watches. With this collaboration, Louis Erard returns to working with a member of the independent watchmaking community (they have previously collaborated with Alain Silberstein and Vianney Halter) after a series of watches made with less likely partners, including an architecture firm (atelier oï) and a miniature marquetry specialist. Like the other collaborative watches before it, the new watch with Chaykin has the bones of a Louis Erard, but has been left with an unmistakable signature by the collaborator.  Looking back, a collaboration between Louis Erard and Chaykin seems meant to be. After all, Chaykin’s signature Wristmons series of watches are basically regulators already, featuring separate hour and minute discs representing the “eyes” of the character being portrayed in the watch (personally, I’m partial to the Minion). For this limited edition, Chaykin was inspired Likho, a cyclops figure from Slavic folklore. Likho’s eye is the dial’s focal point, acting as the hour “hand” at the 12:00 position. At 6:00, running seconds are represented by a wheel decorated with pointy teeth, so it serves as a constantly moving mouth, which is both quite clever and a little disconcerting. The extra ...

With a knack for novel collaborations with partners ranging from industrial designers to guillocheurs, Louis Erard’s latest project brings on board Konstantin Chaykin. The result is Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Time-Eater, a regulator-style wristwatch inspired by the Russian independent watchmaker’s signature “rolling eye” watches. Inspired by a one-eyed monster from Slavic folklore, the Time-Eater has a whimsical vibe that departs from Louis Erard’s more serious offerings like the recent example with a hand-made wood marquetry dial. It is available in either a 42 mm or 39 mm size, or both together in a two-piece box set. Initial thoughts  Following its successful collaborations with other notable watchmakers, it’s perhaps no surprise that Louis Erard recruited Konstantin Chaykin. Earlier partnerships, with Vianney Halter for instance, broadened the appeal of the independent watchmakers by making the name accessible at a far lower price point. Despite Mr Chaykin’s specialty in avant-garde or fantastical designs, the Time-Eater is surprisingly restrained compared to his own creations, no doubt because it is based on the existing template of the Louis Erard regulator. As a result, it is not the full-blown Konstantin Chaykin watch that collectors might expect from the Russian watchmaker. But then again, the price of about US$4,000 means the Time-Eater is about the fifth a price of Mr Chaykin’s trademark Minion watch. The Time-Eater watch is...