3,508 articles · 33 videos found · page 10 of 119
Quill & Pad
The GPHG foundation describes the Men’s Complication watches as remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity. But many of our panelists are scratching their heads as the perennial question "is a tourbillon a complication?" comes up yet again.
Quill & Pad
The GPHG foundation describes the Ladies Complication category for watches entered as “women’s watches that are remarkable in terms of their mechanical creativity and complexity." And our panelists wonder: is a tourbillon enough to take home the prize?
Quill & Pad
The GPHG foundation describes the Ladies category for watches entered as “comprising only the following indications: hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve, and/or classic moon phase. These timepieces may be adorned with a maximum of eight carats’ worth of gemstones.” While our panelists aren't quite unanimous, we do have a clear favorite as a winner here. Read on to find out why.
Time+Tide
Often, it is incremental and deliberate design progress - slow to the point that the casual observer might not even notice it - that creates the best products. Tiny changes, layered on one another year after year, are the key to creating an unmistakable visual identity that stands the test of time. It’s a blueprint that … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Sandblast-Polished Ceramic, as liquid black as Darth Vader’s helmet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
First scheduled for April 2020 to coincide with the twin events Baselworld and Watches & Wonders – how the world of watch fairs changed since then – Geneva Watch Days was postponed to August 2020 after life was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But now the event has been confirmed for late August 2020, making it the only “multi-brand watch event in Switzerland” according to its organisers. With eight brands taking part, and perhaps more to come, Geneva Watch Days will be made up of a series of separate events across Geneva – with the central reception desk at the lakeside Four Seasons Hotel – with each brand essentially doing its own thing. Only a handful of evening events will see all the attendees gather, but only as far as Swiss government’s public health regulations allow. But in many respects the event aims to be similar to Baselworld, being catered for the trade – namely retailers and press – rather than the public. Visitors have to register in advance, as well as make appointments with brands to see the latest watches. Bulgari, Breitling, De Bethune, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F;, Ulysse Nardin, and Urwerk have all confirmed their participation at Geneva Watch Days. The event will take place August 26-29, 2020, at various locations across Geneva. To register as an attendee, visit Gva-watch-days.com.
Quill & Pad
From his perfect perch in Geneva, Marc André Deschoux of The Watches TV discusses in depth the effects of the current COVID-19 crisis as it affects the watch world.
Quill & Pad
Despite feeling that Geneva Watch Days was wrong, hope, stupidity, and self-interest prevailed enough to cause Ian Skellern to hold off on canceling his accommodation in Geneva previously booked for the now-canceled Watches & Wonders 2020. He was hoping organizing brand Bulgari would cancel the event first and take the decision and uncertainty out of his hands. But it didn’t. Now’s the (well-overdue) time to say bye-bye to Geneva Watch Days 2020 in his opinion.
SJX Watches
For its 60th anniversary, Grand Seiko has just unveiled one of the most extravagant, and expensive, watches ever – the Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch (ref. SBGD205). Combining the flagship Spring Drive model – made at the artisanal Micro Artist Studio – with a lavish setting of diamonds and sapphires, the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch is a departure from the typical, subtle formality of Grand Seiko design. The base of the Spring Drive 8 Days Jewelry Watch is the SBGD201, an immense, heavy and refined wristwatch powered by the impressive 9R01 movement. Equipped with three barrels that give it a 192-hour power reserve, the 9R01 is finished to the same level as the much-vaunted Credor Eichi II, thought the massive full bridge means there are few details visible on the back. The dial of the watch is unusual. Though Grand Seiko (and Seiko) have always produced jewelled watches for women, this is probably the first heavily gem-set men’s model in a long time. The centre of the dial has a granular, slightly sparkly “dial dust” finish that is identical to the dial finish on the standard Grand Seiko 8 Days. But it has a subtle constellation of Leo – the Grand Seiko emblem is a lion – incorporated into the surface of the dial and visible only up close. Around the diamond-dust centre are two white gold chapter rings, one set with large, baguette-cut stones and the other with smaller, brilliant-cut stone. Each of the hours and ...
SJX Watches
Panerai’s new launches this year have so far been inclined towards civilian sports – including the Luna Rossa trio and Mike Horn edition – which is a key part of chief executive Jean-Marc Pontroué’s strategy that also emphasises “experiences”. But with its two new launches – the Radiomir California 47mm (PAM 931) and Radiomir 8 Days 45mm (PAM 992) – the brand returns to the old school Marina Militare style – both have a familiar look that’s heavily inspired by wristwatches Panerai made for frogmen of the Italian navy in the 1930s and 1940s. Radiomir California 47mm PAM00931 Notably, both watches have steel cases with an “aged patina effect”, essentially a surface coating that reproduces the look of the vintage originals. The Radiomir California 47mm (PAM00931) revisits a design that Panerai has reproduced several times in the past – modelled on the ref. 3646 of the 1930s – but now with a “tropical” dial in graduated brown that mimics the look of aged dials on vintage Radiomir watches. It has Roman numerals on the upper half and Arabic numbers on the bottom, a design originally meant to aid legibility by clearly distinguishing the upper and lower halves of the dial. The crystal is domed PlexiGlas, while the movement is the extra-large, hand-wound P.3000 with a three-day power reserve. The second model is slightly more interesting, since the design is more novel (in other words having not been done before, at least in the exact same con...
SJX Watches
This year’s GPHG saw a total of no less than 196 watches entered into the running for one of the night’s awards. The jury, presided over by Aurel Bacs, then pre-selected 84 models, divided into 14 categories. The latter included four new awards – the Iconic Watch, Diver’s Watch, Calendar and Astronomy and Horological Revelation. The outcome is similar to last year’s, with a strong ratio of independents among the winners. Out of 18 watch awards, eight were awarded to independents including Kudoke (Petite Aiguille), Ming (Horological Revelation) and newcomer Genus, (Mechanical Exception), while virtuoso watchmaker Voutilainen scooped two awards (Men’s Watch and Artistic Crafts). The biggest winner of the evening was Audemars Piguet who took home three awards including the top prize – the Aiguille d’Or – for its Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. The watch is the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar at just 6.3mm in height, achieved primarily by using a modified ultra-thin cal. 2120 as a base with a smartly designed perpetual calendar module on top that has an integrated end-of-month cam on the date wheel and a 48-month wheel with a novel geometry. Elsewhere, having lost to Genus in the Mechanical Exception category, Vacheron Constantin clinched the Innovation award with its Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. The watch addresses the problem of having to reset a perpetual calendar that has lain dormant. It utilises two balances osci...
Time+Tide
Seiko is a brand with a lot of love in Australia - their watches, especially the divers, are incredibly popular, due in equal parts to their good looks, virtual indestructibility and high ratio of bang vis-à-vis buck. So, we’ve got no doubt that this Australia-only limited edition - a two-tone twist on the classic turtle … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Aussie-only Seiko Prospex SRPD50K appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Broadly speaking, microbrand is a term used to describe smaller watch brands - typically with few staff, outsourced production and a direct-to-consumer business model. The other thing to note is that there is a lot of them, typically waxing and waning in terms of favour. But sometimes these brands gain a critical momentum that starts to … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Farer’s growth begs the question – when does a microbrand stop being micro? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
At first glance, Panerai’s watches share a reassuring familiarity - large cases, large crown guards and a dial design that puts legibility front and centre. A close look at the catalogue will show that the brand born from its Italian diving heritage has quite a lot of diversity on offer, particularly when it comes to … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech 3 Days Automatic – PAM00616 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One of my main gripes with the watch industry in general is that it’s an overwhelmingly Serious Business. Tradition. Precision. Luxury. Attributes that are easily capable of erasing the merest hint of fun. Thankfully, there are a few brands out there capable of injecting some playfulness into their watches. Franck Muller, with their left-of-centre designs … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Franck Muller goes green and gold with limited-edition Vanguard for Australia appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Dutch design seems to be synonymous with eccentricities, oddities and a flair for the abstract. Characterised by typical and anomalous arrangements and a general nonconformist approach, “De Stijl” design tends to be polarising, to say the least. The term “De Stijl” literally translates to “the style”, and is also known as neoplasticism. Unless you’re up … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Nomos Orion 38 100 years De Stijl Limited Edition for Ace Jewellers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
One of the keys to success for any watch brand is to have something instantly recognisable – a watch that can be spotted from the other side of a crowded room. Hublot’s Big Bang is one such design. With its large size and uncommon case shape the Big Bang stands out, and the Sang Bleu … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Big Bang, but not as you know it – Hublot’s Sang Bleu in King Gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
You might not expect it but within Patek Philippe’s design department works a genuine and actually quite famous artist; Xavier Magaldi. This by itself might not come as such a surprise, but Magaldi is not into still life paintings or even creations of a more impressionistic nature, no, Magaldi is into street art! Though not […]
Deployant
BaselWorld with the independents…ok, some independents. I find this poster to be very interesting…love it! p.s. photograph has nothing to do with me…I was just tickled when I saw it, and thought it deserved to be shared…
Time+Tide
The new Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons Limited Editions fuse an iconic work of art with an iconic watch design.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hands-on review of the refreshed Mido Ocean Star 200, comparing three new dial colors, updated design, Caliber 80 movement, and wearability.
WatchRider
TAG Heuer, Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department have reunited for a second watch, but this is much more than a new colour for the 2023 collaboration. Launched on 30 July 2026, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa uses the 39mm Carrera Glassbox case and takes its dial design from the Roadmaster stopwatches used in Japanese motorsport during the 1970s and 1980s. The new reference CBS221M.EB0435 is limited to 150 individually numbered pieces worldwide. Its white-and-red design is easy to recognise, but the smaller case, textured dial, revised movement and unusual presentation set make this a distinctly different watch from its predecessor. All images are courtesy of TAG Heuer. The new 39mm TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa. Image: TAG Heuer. A second chapter, not a reissue Team Ikuzawa was founded by Tetsu Ikuzawa, one of the most important Japanese racing drivers of his generation. His career included the Japanese Grand Prix, Formula 3, Formula 2, Le Mans and work as a Porsche factory driver. The team became closely linked with a clean red-and-white identity that remains central to the brand today. His daughter, Mai Ikuzawa, has carried that history into a wider creative business covering cars, fashion, photography and design. George Bamford and Bamford Watch Department complete the collaboration, helping translate the graphics of old racing equipment into a modern Carrera. Tetsu Ikuzawa with cars and photographs from his racing career. Image:...
WatchAdvice
Vacheron Constantin have bolstered their 34.5mm collection, but is ‘small’ the new ‘mid-size?’ Let’s find out! What We Love: A compact but unisex sizing Remarkable quality-of-life features Gorgeous red dial What We Don’t: A big ask for a small watch No Geneva Seal on the movement Can 34.5mm be considered midsize? Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 10/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 The effects of a shrinking watch world have been felt across all brands. No, not ‘shrinking’ as in fewer watches, but rather the growing trend towards smaller case sizes. Everyone from the highest levels of luxury to the most obscure microbrands has shifted to accommodate the change, and, as a result, it has redefined what constitutes a ‘small’, ‘medium’, or ‘large’ watch. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence in the industry. In the past, even 40mm designs were often referred to as ‘jumbo’. As proportionality has become a greater priority for consumers, it has become just as important for watch brands. Vacheron Constantin, despite its age, has proven remarkably adept at responding to these shifts. In 2023, the brand introduced a new 34.5mm size to its flagship Overseas collection. Sitting between the significantly smaller 30mm models and the more traditionally masculine 41mm cases, the 34.5mm joins the collection as its ‘mid-size’ offering. It’s an unusual size for a watch, especially one positioned as the middle ground within...
SJX Watches
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur “The Kabuto Legacy” transforms the brand’s monumental Excalibur case into a showcase for Japanese history and miniature craftsmanship. Thematically similar to the the Knights of the Round Table (KRT) collection, the samurai-inspired dial centres around a contemporary interpretation of an Edo-period castle with 12 individually hand-engraved pink gold kabuto, each based on the distinctive helmet of a historical warrior. Initial thoughts Watches like the Excalibur Kabuto are not ‘watches’ in the typical sense, and only make sense through an artistic lens. Collectors who spend a lot of time in the spec sheets will likely come away unimpressed, but with only 28 pieces being made, the Excalibur Kabuto represents a sub-segment of haute horlogerie that treats the watch case as a miniature art gallery. While some may be indifferent to the samurai motif, the quality of work — from the hand-engraved helmets on the dial to the laser-engraved precision of the crests in the rotor — is remarkable. Furthermore, the playful minimalism of the Edo castle, which from some angles looks like an enormous faceted sapphire, is an inspired work of miniature architecture. The case is identical to that of the KRT collection. It’s 45 mm and nearly 17 mm thick — height that accommodates a sapphire crystal ring underneath the bezel. This elaborate construction helps flood the miniature sculptures with light and provides a better look at the engraving work. In...
Time+Tide
The Zelos Helica lineup comes in 11 different congifurations, between 39mm and 42mm sizes, with CNC-guilloché dials – all under US$630.
Hodinkee
We've all been told at least once in life to stick to our own lane. It's an old trope that historically holds merit. Stick to one discipline, master it, and you'll succeed. But in 2026, the rulebook has changed in almost every aspect of life, and sometimes those one-trick ponies aren't the ones leading the charge; they're actually left in the stable. La Montre Hermès S.A in Brugg, Switzerland. In watchmaking, it transpires that the latest crop of brands to realize this are the names we most associate with being wider fashion houses. Empires sustained by hand-stitching legacy into cloth, amplified in the theatre of the catwalk, now play in the watchmaking arena. We've witnessed many of these names turn to watchmaking as an additional arm to their already bulletproof name, and crucially, they're delivering watches with real merit. For Hermès, despite having a presence in watchmaking since the early 20th century, with Universal Genève as the brand's watchmaking partner from the 1930s and the production of exclusively Hermès-signed pieces such as desk clocks, this rise has been built brick by brick since the 1970s. Outfitting horses came first, then their riders, and it quickly proved that true luxury comes from mastery, not scale. During the 1970s, the maison decided to build schools to train artisans the Hermès way, passing along hand-stitching, leather cutting, and scarf-printing techniques from master to apprentice. While other names pursued mass production or outsour...
Worn & Wound
In the horological sphere, we associate the 1970s with the quartz crisis, but there was a more significant threat facing the world at large: an energy crisis. Oil consumption was reaching an all-time high with widespread international travel and car ownership becoming more prevalent and mainstream. Simultaneously, domestic oil production was dwindling in many countries, increasing pressure on imports. The situation reached a crisis when OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) imposed an oil embargo in 1973. So, getting back to watches – you’re probably wondering, what’s the connection? Like the United States, Japan was one of the countries impacted by this energy crisis. In response, Citizen Watch Company established an internal initiative to work toward developing a more sustainable and eco-friendly power source for its timepieces. In short order, the brand looked toward solar cell technology and had developed its own light-powered prototype by 1974. Two years later in 1976, we saw the world’s first light-powered analog watch, the Crystron Solar Cell. This technology would later come to be called Eco-Drive and celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. You’ve probably already read about the flagship anniversary Eco-Drive model covered by our own Zach Kazan at its launch earlier this year, but this spring, in peak cherry blossom season, Citizen opened the doors of its manufacture for the first time in years to pull back the curtain on just how the ...
Hodinkee
Richemont's annual financial results and executive commentary showed continued strength in the U.S. market for the Swiss luxury conglomerate's watches and jewelry despite rising consumer prices and economic fallout from the war with Iran. At the same time, sales in the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates have declined since the conflict began in late February. Richemont Chairman Johann Rupert. "It is, at times, truly surreal, but the US economy, the metrics are still looking better than many other economies," Johann Rupert, Richemont's chairman, said on a call with media following the release of the company's annual financial results. Richemont said sales in the Americas rose 17% from the year before and increased by double digits in both watches and jewelry at constant exchange rates during the company's fiscal year ended in March. Richemont, which owns brands including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and A. Lange & Söhne, said sales in the region increased by 18% in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year compared to the same period a year earlier. "Looking ahead, uncertainty is likely to persist, not least in relation to developments in the Middle East," Rupert said. While U.S. sales stayed resilient, Richemont brands selling in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in Dubai, suffered declining sales and foot traffic in stores because of the war. While Abu Dhabi has shown signs of recovery, "in Dubai, they are more reserved, and y...
Hodinkee
The watches that prove commercial and collector successes emerging from Watches and Wonders 2026 will have climbed a wall of worry. There was plenty to fret over heading into the watch industry's largest and most important annual salon this year. The eruption of war in the Middle East challenged travel plans and clouded the outlook for visitors from the region and beyond. Indeed, sales have certainly been impacted in the Middle East, and the question remains how quickly stability might return.The existing bugbears of the watch sector – rising input costs from raw materials, including record gold values, ongoing U.S. tariffs, not to mention the continued strength of the Swiss franc, as well as years of retail price increases – remained omnipresent. All told, these factors could have set the stage for a subdued, cautious event. Instead, the industry converged in Geneva, striking an optimistic and inclusive tone where it worked hard to show it's been paying attention to the demands of clients and customers with new watches that drove home a theme of demonstrating value in often, but not always, familiar packages. With public-facing events including Montreaux Jazz concerts in the Geneva city center, Watches and Wonders emphasized its role as a cultural tent pole for the industry and the Swiss watchmaking region, aiming to be more open and welcoming. The new, more public-oriented strategy certainly paid off as attendance jumped to nearly 60,000 unique visitors, a record for...
Hodinkee
'House of Brands,' the group of watchmakers including Breitling, Universal Genéve, and the soon-to-be-revived Gallet, announced executive changes that will see the flagship brand led by new leadership, with Georges Kern becoming the group's Chief Executive Officer. Jean-Marc Pontroué, a long-time Richemont executive and the former CEO of Panerai and Roger Dubuis, is the new Chief Executive Officer of Breitling, the group says in a statement. The changes take effect in May. Georges Kern Georges Kern, who has led Breitling under new ownership since 2017, overseeing a more than doubling of annual sales to above CHF 800 million, according to analyst estimates, and one of the most dramatic turnarounds in modern watchmaking, becomes the new CEO of the House of Brands, overseeing the three marques and their leadership in a newly created role.At Universal Genève, which relaunched this month in the high-end segment in what's likely the most ambitious watch brand return and repositioning in decades, Grégory Bruttin remains Managing Director. Meanwhile, at Gallet, the approachable-priced brand known for its Flying Officer and Multichron models, to be revived in August this year, Erwan Rossignol, who is already leading the team preparing the relaunch, becomes Managing Director. The changes confirm the multi-brand ambitions of the private-equity-backed Grenchen, Switzerland-based company, and provide a structure similar to that of other groups with portfolios of several watch bra...
SJX Watches
FVF Genève’s second model after the FVF1 skeleton tourbillon, the FVF2 Intrepido Time & Day is a more concise and accessible watch. It’s essentially a familiar formula – time (plus day) and a hand-finished manual wind movement – the FVF2 nonetheless manages to stand out thanks to brand founder Franc Vila’s eye for design. Pictured here with a black mother of pearl dial, part of a five-piece edition, the FVF2 has a pleasing asymmetry. The movement is composed of intriguing geometric forms and quirky details like the square winding click, while also being traditionally decorated with generous bevelling and black polishing. The case is an unusual “unibody” construction where the base plate and case middle are one and the same Initial thoughts The FVF2 might seem like yet another time-only watch with a fancily decorated movement, and it is just that, but not quite. Its creator, Franc Vila, is an industry veteran rather than a newcomer, and is now making a comeback after rising and falling with his original brand some two decades ago. Unlike many recent calibres that try to do more with more, the FVF2 movement is more minimalist but has a recognisable style and artful details. The calibre is characterised by geometric forms that encompass finer elements like the winding click, while also retaining a clear classical bent with the prominent going train and finishing. The treatment for the titanium base plate requires superheated gases to create an oxide layer on t...
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