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Fratello’s Top 5 Current Perpetual Calendar Watches - A Selection At Different Price Points Fratello
Audemars Piguet releases Jun 28, 2024

Fratello’s Top 5 Current Perpetual Calendar Watches - A Selection At Different Price Points

Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we highlighted some of the best recent Audemars Piguet releases. This week, we do not focus on a brand but on a style of watch. It’s a style that Audemars Piguet is no stranger to, by the way. We have recently seen quite a few impressive perpetual calendar […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Current Perpetual Calendar Watches - A Selection At Different Price Points to read the full article.

Garrick Officially Unveils the S3 MK2 Worn & Wound
Garrick Jun 25, 2024

Garrick Officially Unveils the S3 MK2

Garrick has officially unveiled the S3 MK2, the current top of the brand’s range, representing all that the British indie is capable of. Garrick is one of the most ambitious brands in the independent space, and like other brands that operate fully on their own terms, they have a way of doing things that looks and feels unfamiliar if you’re accustomed to more common mass produced watches. Literally every Garrick watch is effectively a unique piece, customized to each client’s specifications, and thus each watch is an opportunity for the brand to learn, adapt, and refine their approach. With the S3 MK2, Garrick has tweaked the finishing of their proprietary caliber, offering a heightened experience for those who commission one.  If you follow Garrick on Instagram, you might remember that this project was initially announced in 2023, but is just now seeing the light of the day (naturally, all allocations for the remainder of the year have sold out). The S3 MK2 acts as a showcase for Garrick’s accomplishments in traditional hand finishing. The UT-GO4 is visible underneath the highly skeletonized dial, offering many opportunities for Garrick to flex their finishing prowess. Wheels, pinions, and bridges have been finished to a significantly higher spec than on the first S3 for a more coherent and luxurious look. The wheels, for instance, are grained rather than polished or frosted, which implies a greater degree of handwork. According to Garrick, other components were r...

eBay Finds: Two Great Vintage Midos, a Classic Seiko Chronograph, and a Bulova with Beautiful Lugs Worn & Wound
Bulova Jun 21, 2024

eBay Finds: Two Great Vintage Midos, a Classic Seiko Chronograph, and a Bulova with Beautiful Lugs

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! A special note this week: this is the 100th edition of eBay Finds! Congratulations to Christoph on hitting the century mark, and thanks to all of you for following along with us as we scour eBay for the coolest vintage watches.  Vintage Bulova  This vintage Bulova is more than meets the eye! The smaller 31mm steel case looks unpolished, and the fancy curved lugs and scalloped bezel look fantastic and ooze style. The white dial has a deep radial groove pattern that is really nice, plus the small applied steel arrow markers match the dagger hands. But the real gem is the hi-grade Bulova 10BPAC 23 jewel automatic movement. It is adjusted for heat, cold and isochronism in three positions. This is something you would see in a Chronometre grade movement. And even though these were not submitted for that certification, they were nevertheless highly adjusted, superb movements. Great looking piece with a beautiful movement! View auction here Vintage Rado Silver Stag Here’s a beauty with loads of personality. This vintage Rado Silver Stag not only has a killer name, it has killer style as well. The square case (and integrated bracelet) has a nice brushed finish, with clipped corners and a b...

The Latest Panerai Submersible Has Lighting On Demand Worn & Wound
Panerai Submersible Has Lighting Jun 18, 2024

The Latest Panerai Submersible Has Lighting On Demand

Officine Panerai was the brand that launched the “large watch” craze that began in the early 1990s, long before Sylvester Stallone got involved and before anyone else started making oversized watches. Prior to them, 38mm was considered jumbo, and then suddenly, 44mm was the new normal and everyone else was playing catch-up. Since then, watch sizes have come down. However, Panerai is still doing their thing, and they may have outdone themselves with their latest offering, the Submersible Elux LAB-ID, the world’s first fully mechanical watch with electrical luminescence. Yes, you read that correctly and no, there are no batteries. This is not your father’s push-button background illumination. This technology took 8 years to develop, and several patents are pending. The watch houses 6 barrels, 4 of which power the lighting system through microgenerators that convert mechanical energy into electricity, and 2 that are dedicated to time indication. The P.9010/EL caliber is 31mm in diameter and 10.80mm thick, has 55 jewels and a power-reserve of 3 days (roughly 72hrs), plus 30 minutes of on demand lighting. Not to be bested by the inner workings, the 49mm case is made of Panerai’s proprietary Ti-Ceramitech, crafted from ceramized titanium. It took 7 years of research and development and they have filed a patent for their titanium ceramization process through Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation to achieve a very distinctive blue hue. This process transforms the titanium alloy ...

Hands-On: the Beaufort Pulsatimer Worn & Wound
Jun 18, 2024

Hands-On: the Beaufort Pulsatimer

So far 2024 is a year where brands have been belting out bombastic bangers of watches one after another. So, when a different take on a beloved complication is dropped, we naturally crane our necks to peek at what’s new. The first Swiss chronograph in New Zealand based Beaufort’s lineup highlights the old school idea of a doctor/medic’s watch with a pulsometer as the primary complication. It takes this complication and sets it inside a case and dial that are elegant, yet industrial, but some of the changes made to the chronograph functionality caused me to ask some questions.  The Beaufort Pulsatimer, upon quick inspection, might look like your average chrono, but the longer you linger over its construction, the more you’ll start to notice its unique styling. The case is almost totally brushed, with the exception of thinly polished chamfered edges and a polished inner bezel ring. The polished ring steps up from a brushed base bezel ring like the watch is laying its own foundation. And rising once more from the step bezel is a significantly raised box sapphire crystal. All this architecture pulls your eye into a dial that dramatically drops from the crystal with the sloped pulsometer chapter ring. Then we find a beautiful, vertically brushed copper-colored dial that Beaufort calls “Salmon.” They also have an all black, DLC coated version, a reverse panda black and silver dial, and an all silver dial version of the Pulsatimer. The architectural nuances of the ca...

A Traditional Porcelain Dial for the Seiko Presage SPB445 SJX Watches
Seiko Presage SPB445 Seiko’s Presage Jun 18, 2024

A Traditional Porcelain Dial for the Seiko Presage SPB445

Seiko’s Presage Craftsmanship Series is all about dials finished with traditional artisanal techniques from urushi lacquer to enamel matched with affordable price tags. That continues with the Presage Craftsmanship Arita Porcelain Dial SPB445, a time-only watch with a 24-hour indicator. Initial thoughts The Presage Craftsmanship models in general are easy to like because they have classic styling, affordable prices, and unusually fancy dials for the price point. The SPB445 is exactly that, but visibly improved over earlier generations of the model. The dial is a little bit more elaborate with a recessed sector that delineates the chapter ring for the hours, while the case has been reworked to be more refined in terms of style. It’s still a fairly thick watch relative to the design at 12.5 mm high, but the new case helps with that. The only thing I would change is the 24-hour indicator, which isn’t really useful and interrupts the clean layout of the dial. At US$1,900, the new Presage is priced almost identically to the equivalent model from four years ago – despite the upgrades – and remains a good value proposition. An affordable artisanal watch The dial in the SPB445 is a bright, nearly-pure white porcelain with a clear glaze layer on top that is known as hakuji. Seiko once again turned to Shingama Kiln, a porcelain maker established in 1830 that’s still run by the founding family. Located in Arita, a town on Kyushu historically known for its fine porcelain,...

Just in Time for Summer, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Gets Some Color Worn & Wound
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Gets Some Color Jun 13, 2024

Just in Time for Summer, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Gets Some Color

I have long been skeptical of the integrated bracelet sports watch. It’s a genre of watch that I’ve never really lusted after, and while I can certainly appreciate the craftsmanship of a Royal Oak bracelet or the collectability of a rare Nautilus, these watches have always been mostly about flaunting wealth, and they kind of all bleed together to look like one another at a certain point, which leads me to wonder what that says about the taste of those who prize them so highly. Still, everyone once in a while an integrated bracelet sports watch comes around that is almost accidentally appealing to me, usually because of how it undermines the tropes of the genre. I suppose I also just have a soft spot for the Maurice Lacroix Aikon collection. There’s something about the accessibility and variety of these watches that I’ve always enjoyed.  The latest entry in the Aikon collection from Maurice Lacroix is the summer ready Quartz Colors collection seen here. The name, as is often the case, kind of gives away what we’re dealing with. These Aikons, with references in both 35mm and 40mm, are powered by quartz movements, and they do indeed feature colors. The 35mm variants give you the option of a “Sunset Pink” or “Deep Sky Blue” dial, while the 40mm watch comes in sky blue only. The smaller versions of the Aikon Quartz Colors are also accented with diamonds at the hour markers.  The press materials for the Quartz Colors releases suggest that Maurice Lacriox was ...

More MoonSwatch: Omega and Swatch Team Up Again for a “Mission on Earth” Worn & Wound
Blancpain x Swatch “Scuba” Fifty Jun 12, 2024

More MoonSwatch: Omega and Swatch Team Up Again for a “Mission on Earth”

There are only a few certainties in life: death, taxes, and new MoonSwatches being released every five or six months. Yes, as you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, Swatch and Omega have once again taken over your Instagram feed, knocking out three new versions of the MoonSwatch. This release follows a pair of Snoopy themed MoonSwatch moonphases, and of course the Blancpain x Swatch “Scuba” Fifty Fathoms. These new MoonSwatches hew closer to the original idea of the watch, but each is just a little extra, like guacamole on a burrito, which one of them kind of looks like if you squint.  The three watches seen here make up the MoonSwatch “Mission on Earth” series, and as the name would suggest are inspired by earthbound phenomena. The “Desert” variant has a tan BioCeramic case and taupe dial, with an aesthetic inspired by, well, the desert. Slightly more adventurous is the “Lava” MoonSwatch, with a bright red case and an orange chronograph seconds hand that pays homage to the Omega “Ultraman” Speedmaster. The third watch, and the best of the three in my opinion, is the “Polar Lights,” which features a turquoise case and a dial inspired by the aesthetic of aventurine.  As many readers will surely recall, I’m not the biggest fan of the MoonSwatch. What was once a charming idea and perhaps a way to get new enthusiasts into the hobby quickly became something of a money grab. A predictable result, no doubt. But now that there’s a regular cadence to these...

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Citizen Jun 12, 2024

Get Personal and Purposeful with the Father’s Day Gift Guide from Citizen

With Father’s Day right around the corner, it’s a good time to reflect about what it is we love about our dads, grandpas, and chosen family. They show up for us at our low points and help celebrate our highs. With the seasons heating up (at least on this half of the hemisphere), Father’s Day can be a great time to get outside with the dads in your life and show them you appreciate what you have built together. In honor of dads, Citizen and Worn & Wound put together a Father’s Day themed gift guide, featuring purposeful and powerful gifts to celebrate your relationships and the endless possibilities you can achieve because of them. For a Dad that’s not like all the other dads, give him a watch that stands out in a crowd. The newest addition to the stylish “Tsuyosa” automatics collection, the “Tsuyosa” Small Second brings an impressive amount of sophistication in a sleek 40mm footprint. With a silver-tone stainless steel case and quickly-interchangeable bracelet, the watch can dress up and down for any occasion. The recessed 4 o’clock crown position keeps additional focus on the robust dial which includes a textured pattern, a contrasting 6 o’clock seconds counter, and additional silver-tone details to keep the watch seamlessly attractive. With an in-house Citizen Caliber 8322 movement capable of a 60-hour power reserve, the “Tsuyosa” is available in Gray, Green, or Blue starting at $550. The post Get Personal and Purposeful with the Father’s Day ...

Schofield Watch Company Unveils the Obscura Worn & Wound
Schofield Jun 11, 2024

Schofield Watch Company Unveils the Obscura

Giles Ellis of U.K. based Schofield Watch Company had been working on what they are calling Obscura for 7 years. Just like some science fiction movies live in their creator’s imagination, until one day, the technology to bring them to life comes into existence. This new watch could only ever be made now, with the team and the combined experience they have accumulated over the past 15 years. As its name implies, it is obscure, subtly so and it is much more than the sum of its parts. The details reveal its full story. Shall we address the elephant in the room? The case is made of Damascus steel, and if you have watched enough Forged in Fire, you might have a rudimentary understanding of how this steel is formed. However, this is not your typical Damascus, as instead of ubiquitous waves of contrasting steels, the pattern resembles cellular scales. Schofield’s metalworking partner, Vegas Forge, achieves this by using enormous Nazel Hammers to smash the different steels together. The familiar Schofield case is then fully machined and finished in Sussex by acid etching the surface to bring out the texture. The case back features three smoked out sapphire display portholes that slightly magnify the elements of the manually wound Unitas 6498-2 movement that lies beneath. There appear to be some type of hieroglyphs on one side and circles that display semaphore flag positions on the other. A few of the latter appear to look like Pacman. Intended or not, obscure they sure are. ...

The Roundup: Enamel Dials, Invaluable Tools, and Timeless Classics Worn & Wound
Jun 9, 2024

The Roundup: Enamel Dials, Invaluable Tools, and Timeless Classics

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. The Windup Team is also available to schedule a consultation or demo with you to answer any questions you may have. Now, all items from the Windup Watch Shop are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US! The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join...

De Rijke & Co. Partners with Illustrator Guy Allen on a Trio of Limited Editions Inspired by the Amalfi Coast Worn & Wound
De Rijke & Co Partners Jun 4, 2024

De Rijke & Co. Partners with Illustrator Guy Allen on a Trio of Limited Editions Inspired by the Amalfi Coast

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...

Four Great Watch Straps with Free Domestic Shipping Worn & Wound
Jun 2, 2024

Four Great Watch Straps with Free Domestic Shipping

We have an exciting announcement to make here at the Windup Watch Shop: all products under $100 are now also eligible for free domestic shipping in the continental United States, essentially opening our entire online store to enjoy this new perk! We hope this makes it even easier and more appealing to shop the very best watches, clocks, and straps at any price point. Today’s special highlight is on some of the best straps that we offer – from quality leather straps to mil-spec NATO straps, these are the best way to add variety and refresh the way your watches wear and feel. Here are several great options that now also come with free shipping across the US. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available for consultation to answer any questions you have – or even set up a demo. Connect with us to learn more! We have an exciting announcement to make here at the Windup Watch Shop: all products under $100 are now also eligible for free domestic shipping in the continental United States, essentially opening our entire online store to enjoy this new perk! We hope this makes it even easier and more appealing to shop the very best watches, clocks, and straps at any price point. Today’s special highlight is on some of the best straps that we offer – from quality leather straps to mil-spec NATO straps, these are the best way to add variety and refresh the way your watches wear and feel. Here are several great options that now also come with free shipping across the US. ...

Breguet Connects the Dots between Art and Time at Frieze New York Quill & Pad
Breguet Connects May 31, 2024

Breguet Connects the Dots between Art and Time at Frieze New York

Breguet was an engineer, an astronomer and also a designer. He adapted certain techniques to horology, such as guilloché, for example. The art of Breguet is in the details, in the finishing, and the artworks at Frieze are also all about the details … an artwork is something you have to look at multiple times, and each time, you're going to discover different things.

First Look - The New Black and Bronze Versions of the Cool Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver Monochrome
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver While May 28, 2024

First Look - The New Black and Bronze Versions of the Cool Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver

While most have the highly successful and appealing Aikon collection in mind, the brand’s vision of an accessible luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet, Maurice Lacroix has more items on the menu. Specifically, there’s a watch that we’ve long appreciated here at MONOCHROME, a rather unique take on the diver with a bit of […]

Pre-Owned Spotlight: Universal Genève Classics To Buy Before The Brand Returns Fratello
Breitling announced May 27, 2024

Pre-Owned Spotlight: Universal Genève Classics To Buy Before The Brand Returns

At the end of last year, Breitling announced that it had acquired Universal Genève. That move caused excitement within the watch community, mainly because UG’s vintage watches are highly esteemed. The fact that a respected brand like Breitling is now involved in resurrecting UG seems promising. But we’ll probably have to wait a few more […] Visit Pre-Owned Spotlight: Universal Genève Classics To Buy Before The Brand Returns to read the full article.

The Roundup: Familiar Favorites and Some Newcomers Too Worn & Wound
Citizen Fugu” dive watch May 26, 2024

The Roundup: Familiar Favorites and Some Newcomers Too

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. The Windup Team is also available to schedule a consultation or demo with you to answer any questions you may have. This week we kick things off with something you’ve never seen before: the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver made in collaboration with the RedBar watch club. Next, we appreciate the fact that G-Shock has made a genuinely smaller everyday watch in the form of the Digital Basic. The Remix from Gerber is our kit feature this week, while our very own Hexagon Watch Tube covers all your watch storage needs. Last but not least, the Citizen “Fugu” dive watch is our deal of the week. You won’t want to miss any of this. The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, whi...

Oris is Ready for Summer with New Aquis Date “Watermelon” References Worn & Wound
Oris May 24, 2024

Oris is Ready for Summer with New Aquis Date “Watermelon” References

Summer might not officially be here for another month, but we can’t help it if we’re already feeling like the season is upon us. First of all, it’s hot all over the US right now, and warm temperatures have us thinking of the beach, drinks with little umbrellas in them, road trips, dive watches, and all the other little things that make this time of year so much fun. And what would summer be without a selection of watches that conjure warm weather fun? The “summer watch” is not a new idea, but it’s an undeniably fun exercise to add some seasonality to an old standby, and that’s what Oris is going for with the just announced Aquis Date ‘Taste of Summer’ Watermelon. This particular taste of summer is actually a pair of watches, which when seen together immediately make you think of what I think is undeniably the quintessential summer fruit. Seriously, does anyone even dare suggest that any other fruit be designated as absolutely essential for summer? I won’t hear any pineapple talk in these pages – it’s watermelon all the way. While the full impact of the Aquis Date ‘Taste of Summer’ is best experienced when these watches are paired, each is certainly still in summer mode when you look at them separately. Dials in bright colors – red and green in this case – are exactly what most of us think of when the idea of a summer watch is broached. For these new versions of the Aquis, we also get complementary white ceramic bezel inserts that give them a...

Ming Gets Back in the Water with the 37.09 Bluefin Worn & Wound
Ming May 23, 2024

Ming Gets Back in the Water with the 37.09 Bluefin

It’s been a few years since Ming released the massively popular 18.01 H41 dive watch, and fans of the brand have been clamoring for more ever since. It would have been easy enough for Ming to re-release the 18.01, maybe with a new colorway, but the brand is not one to rest on their past successes and the Ming 37.09 Bluefin is far more than a slight update to a familiar model. Instead, Ming has completely re-thought what a dive watch from Ming can be, and the results are absolutely stunning - and quintessentially Ming. If you follow Ming on social media, the release of the 37.09 Bluefin today shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. After all, the brand has been posting throwbacks and teasers left and right to get us all excited about this release. Today, we get to see the new watch: A 600 meter water-resistant, dual crown diver inspired by the architecture of Ming’s recent 37-series watches, complete with Ming’s signature flared lugs and a preposterous preponderance of lume. Whether putting out affordable time-only watches or ultra-light record-setters and wild tourbillons, Ming has been unafraid and uncompromising. This details-first approach might help to explain why it took so long for Ming to follow up on the 18.01. Apparently, Ming experimented with several successors to their first dive watch, focusing on outperforming the 1000 meter water-resistant dive watch on a technical level.  Eventually, after producing several prototypes at thicknesses creeping up to ...

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood, their Highly Anticipated New Chronograph Worn & Wound
Oak & Oscar May 23, 2024

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood, their Highly Anticipated New Chronograph

For nearly a decade, Chase Fancher and his team at Oak & Oscar, along with their partners, have not only been creating great and sporty timepieces, but they have also been creating a community. To them, the people that purchase their watches are not customers, they are owners. As such, the community has been asking for a new Oak & Oscar chronograph for quite some time. Especially since their Jackson Big-Eye was discontinued. The Jackson, you’ll recall, was a 40mm x 14mm 30-minute chronograph, with flyback function, and it housed a manual wind Eterna Caliber 39 movement. The community’s prayers have now been answered with the new Oak & Oscar Atwood. Just like its predecessor, it is also a proper Flyback chronograph, but this one can time intervals up to 12-hours. Instead of the Eterna caliber 39, it houses an AMT5100M caliber, which is a product of Sellita’s high-end skunkworks AMT division. It is a 23 jeweled, manually wound chronograph with a 58-hour power-reserve, and with the crisp, tactile satisfaction of its blued column wheel you’ll find excuses to time anything. You will also find all the usual Oak & Oscar refinements, including a sandwich dial, a signature high-contrast extra-long chrono seconds hand, and each subdial features subtle yet bright hints of orange that increase the legibility of the timing function. There is also a subtle nod to their first chronograph, which includes a wrapped tachymeter scale along the rehaut that goes to 54 units. As they li...

[VIDEO] Review: The Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001 Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001 Grand Seiko May 22, 2024

[VIDEO] Review: The Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001

Grand Seiko releases a lot of watches. If you’re a cynic, this might be what you’d identify as the brand’s defining characteristic. They’ve developed a reputation for endless variants, swapping dial colors, textures, case shapes, and movements in every conceivable combination. There’s a joke about weather in New England, that if you don’t like it, all you have to do is wait, and you could make a similar one about Grand Seiko: if you’re after a particular dial/color/case combo that doesn’t exist yet, there’s a decent chance it’ll materialize eventually.  But for all the SKUs in the Grand Seiko catalog, and the genuine variety you’ll find there, something was missing: a mechanical chronograph. There’s long been a line of Spring Drive chronographs (and Spring Drive chronographs with a GMT complication) but, kind of surprisingly, there’s never been a purely mechanical chrono under the Grand Seiko banner.  $13700 [VIDEO] Review: The Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001 Case High-intensity titanium Movement 9SC5 Dial Blue Lume Yes, hands and markers Lens Sapphire Strap High-intensity titanium bracelet Water Resistance 10 bar Dimensions 43.2 x 51.5mm Thickness 15.3mm Lug Width 23mm Crown Screw down Warranty Yes Price $13700 That changed a year ago with the launch of the Tentagraph, the centerpiece of Grand Seiko’s Watches & Wonders 2023, and easily their most ambitious release of the year. If you take the Kodo out of the equation, it’s almost certainly t...

Massena LAB Teams Up with Raúl Pagès Once Again for the Limited Edition “Absinthe” Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe watches May 22, 2024

Massena LAB Teams Up with Raúl Pagès Once Again for the Limited Edition “Absinthe”

Massena LAB has announced a new collaboration with independent watchmaker Raúl Pagès inspired by one of the most important Patek Philippe watches of the last century. The Absinthe, which serves as the direct follow-up to the pair’s massively successful 2022 release, the Magraph, brings together a proprietary hand-wound movement, a strikingly green dial (reminiscent of the infamous spirit for which the watch is named), and all the vintage charm we have come to expect from Massena LAB in one surprisingly affordable (and highly limited) package. William Massena is one of those rare figures in the watch industry who everyone seems to know. He’s an outsized presence who seemingly manages to be everywhere at once and have a hand in every facet of the watch industry. Over the last few years though, his name has come to be associated primarily with Massena LAB, where he consistently produces some of the most talked about limited editions and collaborations on the market. This latest release follows closely on the heels of a watch introduced last month. That watch - a collaboration between Massena LAB, Pagès, and Phillips Auction House in association with Bass & Russo - debuted the M690 movement used in the Absinthe and drew inspiration in its layout from the iconic (and record-setting) 1952 Patek Philippe ref. 2458 produced for J.B. Champion, Jr.  That watch was one of only two Patek wrist watches to have been fitted with an Observatory-grade movement, and its unique d...

Tissot Introduces an Affordable Skeleton Automatic SJX Watches
Tissot Introduces May 22, 2024

Tissot Introduces an Affordable Skeleton Automatic

Tissot added to the Chemin Des Tourelles Squelette collection of accessibly-priced skeleton watches. Sharing the same exact case design as last year’s updated model, the trio of new additions have open-worked dials that display the inner workings of the Powermatic 80 calibre. Both the styling and movement are no-frills, and matched with a price below US$1,000, making them a good option for the beginner enthusiast. Initial thoughts Tissot is known for affordable Swiss-made watches and the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is exactly that. The novelty of the watch lies in the open dial that reveals the skeleton movement. Although the calibre isn’t fancily executed, it is cleanly finished and provides visual detail that sets this apart from most similarly priced watches. The design is also enhanced by the fact that it doesn’t have a date, which gives the dial a clean, symmetrical appearance. Priced between US$895 and US$975, the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is a good value proposition, especially since skeleton watches are not common in this price segment. Entry-level skeleton While the sporty PRX collection is now its most high profile product, the brand overhauled the Chemin des Tourelles line last year. Named after the street where the Tissot headquarters are located, Chemin des Tourelles is made up of dress watches, with the skeleton model being the top-of-the-line. The Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton has a case that’s 39 mm in diameter and 11.2 mm thick, with a domed ...

The Seiko H601-8020: The Arnie’s Long-Lost Little Brother Worn & Wound
Seiko H601-8020 May 17, 2024

The Seiko H601-8020: The Arnie’s Long-Lost Little Brother

A wristwatch synonymous with biceps and AR-15s, Seiko’s H558-5009 “Arnie” continues to maintain its popularity in the watch collecting community today. Aside from its screen time in several Arnold Schwarzenegger films, its hefty 46mm case and rather sophisticated analogue-digital movement make the Arnie a unique and desirable timepiece. Other variations of the Arnie include the “Upside Down Arnie” H601-5480 and “Baby Arnie” H556-5029, both of which have their own following and are collectible in their own right. Unfortunately, their typically high price tags in today’s market make these variants fairly unobtainable to the everyday hobbyist looking for a fun weekend watch. However, the Seiko Sports line’s 1980s catalog is far more diverse than one might imagine, and within it exists the perfect alternative to the bulky Arnie and its cousins.  The H601-8020’s Inception and Design While Seiko’s history is well documented by the company and its dedicated fanbase, little information exists regarding the brand’s Sports SQ line. Their initial attempt at durable wristwatches came by way of the Seiko 5 line––starting in 1963 with the Sportsmatic 5––but the roots of SQ and Sports branding is a little less clear. Focusing only on the US market, it can be assumed SQ began appearing on dials somewhere in the mid 1970s and the Sports moniker (in this specific use) shortly after in the early 1980s. Of course, there are several variations of “sports” u...

Four EDC Picks With Free Domestic Shipping Worn & Wound
May 14, 2024

Four EDC Picks With Free Domestic Shipping

We have an exciting announcement to make here at the Windup Watch Shop: all products under $100 are now also eligible for free domestic shipping in the continental United States! This essentially opens our entire online store to enjoy this new perk. Our goal is to make it even easier and more appealing to shop the very best products – whether watches, clocks, gear, or straps at any price point. Today’s special highlight is on some of the best gear under $100 available right here in the Windup Watch Shop. From multi-tools, to knives, to storage solutions – there’s something useful in here for just about everybody. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available for consultation to answer any questions you have – or even set up a demo. Reach out today to learn more! We have an exciting announcement to make here at the Windup Watch Shop: all products under $100 are now also eligible for free domestic shipping in the continental United States! This essentially opens our entire online store to enjoy this new perk. Our goal is to make it even easier and more appealing to shop the very best products – whether watches, clocks, gear, or straps at any price point. Today’s special highlight is on some of the best gear under $100 available right here in the Windup Watch Shop. From multi-tools, to knives, to storage solutions – there’s something useful in here for just about everybody. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available for consultation to answe...

Four Unique Lume Dial Watches Worn & Wound
May 12, 2024

Four Unique Lume Dial Watches

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. The Windup Team is also available to schedule a consultation or demo with you to answer any questions you may have. This week we take a special journey down the path of lume dial watches. Historically limited in their production and seldom seen on mainstream watches, fully-lumed dials offer exceptional visibility in the dark and represent an aesthetic category of their own. They are most commonly found on sports watches – particularly dive watches – and can typically be sniffed out thanks to the dial’s creamy hue; however we will soon see this is not always the case. These are our picks for some of the most interesting and fun lume dial watches from the Shop. Reach out to our team if you have any questions! The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watch...

Brew Teams Up with Alton Brown for the Limited Edition Retrograph Relic Worn & Wound
Brew Teams Up May 10, 2024

Brew Teams Up with Alton Brown for the Limited Edition Retrograph Relic

The success story that is the Brew Watch Co. is one of our favorites in the entire industry. Jonathan Ferrer’s brand has grown well beyond its initial humble scope over the course of the last few years with a series of releases that have transcended the microbrand bubble, gaining admirers from every corner of the watch community. With Brew, it all comes down to the design, and every new watch proves once again that you don’t need to spend a fortune to own something unique and genuinely special. Brew’s latest release calls back to the brand’s foundation in coffee themed designs while treading new ground with a high profile collaborator. The new Retrograph Relic, released in partnership with Alton Brown, feels like a full circle moment for the brand, and for watch fans who came of age watching “Good Eats” it offers a ton of charm.  What we have here is a Retrograph, Brew’s signature Meca-Quartz chronograph, with a special oxidized dial that has been treated to express what Brew calls an “espresso-esque patina.” The tones of brown form randomly on the dial during the process, so each of the 250 pieces in this limited edition is unique.  Alton Brown’s involvement makes sense on a few levels. First, he’s a very notable watch guy, having appeared on Hodinkee’s Talking Watches all the way back in 2017, and being the subject of watch-spots from the Instagram community for even longer. Secondly, if you know his work on “Good Eats,” you know that he tak...

Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle Fratello
Cartier Showing How It’s Done? May 10, 2024

Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle

We have heard quite a few complaints from brands about the watch market recently. Many are struggling from economic uncertainty and a serious correction after lockdown-induced all-time highs. One brand, however, seems to be on a bit of a winning streak. According to Morgan Stanley, Cartier overtook Omega as the second-largest Swiss watchmaker behind Rolex […] Visit Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle to read the full article.