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Results for The Royal Oak Launch Story

41,757 articles · 257 videos found · page 1023 of 1401

8 Great Watches under $8,000 from Watches & Wonders 2025 Quill & Pad
May 22, 2025

8 Great Watches under $8,000 from Watches & Wonders 2025

After replacing her heating system, Carol Besler has been considering all the other thingsshe could have had for $8,000, which naturally led to thoughts about all the nice watches she could have had for around that price. Here are a few that stand out. Since then, I’ve been watching for them, and although it’s a challenging price point for a luxury watch, I’ve come up with a few contenders that offer real value for the money.

Knowledge: Popes and Precision – Papal Clocks and Watches SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin also played May 22, 2025

Knowledge: Popes and Precision – Papal Clocks and Watches

With the recent election of Pope Leo XIV-the first American and Augustinian pontiff-a rare opportunity arises to revisit one of the most intriguing intersections between horology and the papacy. While much attention has historically centered on Pope Leo XIII’s Jubilee in 1888, when Patek Philippe crafted commemorative watches for the occasion, the relationship between watchmaking and the Vatican stretches further back, rooted in the values and vision of Patek Philippe’s co-founder, Antoine Norbert de Patek. A devout Catholic and Polish émigré, Patek viewed watchmaking not merely as a commercial enterprise but as a moral and cultural calling. His personal faith and longstanding connection to the Catholic Church helped shape the company’s enduring ties to religious institutions, most notably the Vatican. This ethos of sacred precision and spiritual patronage found material expression in a number of papal commissions, the most prominent of which emerged during the reign of Leo XIII. Complementing Patek Philippe’s contributions, Vacheron Constantin also played a significant role in this narrative. In collaboration with Parisian retailer Ratel, they produced devotional timepieces that transcended mere functionality, serving as instruments of spiritual reflection. These watches, rich in symbolism and craftsmanship, further exemplify the deep connections between horology and the papacy. Papal Precedents: The Watches of Pius IX Before Leo XIII’s Jubilee, the tradit...

Tudor Pelagos 39 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor May 21, 2025

Tudor Pelagos 39 Review

Back in 2012, Tudor unveiled its action-ready diver, capable of surviving depths up to a whopping 500 meters (that’s over 1,640 feet) with the Pelagos. To achieve that extensive depth rating, for many, the necessary tradeoff came with the 42mm sizing that the Pelagos debuted, which is the caveat made with the inclusion of a helium escape valve to make the case more secure in deeper diving excursions. In the years since its release, Tudor has riffed upon the Pelagos in various ways, even including teaming up with the French Marine Nationale to create the FXD extension on the line, and recently, throwing in a GMT complication into the mix. And let's not forget this year's Pelagos Ultra. But we are gathered here today to take a good, long look at the Pelagos many asked for, with the more versatile-sized Tudor Pelagos 39. Despite listening to the audience and essentially delivering what they ordered on a silver platter, the Pelagos 39mm has largely remained in the shadow of the brand’s golden child, the Black Bay 58. When comparing the two, there’s a lot of common ground between the two watches on the surface: they’re of comparable size (the Pelagos 39mm is actually .1mm slimmer), identical levels of water resistance at 200m, and the price difference between the two is under $1,000, which doesn’t seem incredibly significant given the Pelagos 39mm is all in Titanium, which always more costly. So, what is the secret sauce that the Black Bay 58 has that the Pelagos lack...

Highlights: Complicated Watches at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon May 21, 2025

Highlights: Complicated Watches at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction encompasses excellent complications at a range of price points. Highlights at the top end include the controversial Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a massive Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon, a skeletonized Credor chronograph, and a special-order Patek Philippe that was presumably a gift from parent to son. Also on the block are fine pocket watches for the Chinese market on the first day of the sale, while the second and third sale days include notable examples of independent watchmaking. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX takes place from May 23-25, 2025. The full catalogue, and more, is available on Phillips.com. Lot 839 – A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split In 2004, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Double Split, a chronograph with both split-seconds and split-minutes–a feat previously only accomplished in pocket watches. Never one to stand still, Lange added split-hours into the mix with the Triple Split in 2018. The case is the brand’s typical fare, with distinctive stepped-out lugs, and continues its tradition of placing the split-button in the case band, rather than in the crown, as is the convention for wristwatches. This rose gold variation, of which only 100 were made, is matched with a handsome blue and silver dial. To create the Double Split, Lange built on the landmark L951 movement of the Datograph, adding a pair of rattrapante mechanisms, one for seconds and the other, minutes. From there, Lange added an hour...

Zenith Introduces a Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with a Lapis Lazuli Dial Worn & Wound
Zenith Introduces May 21, 2025

Zenith Introduces a Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with a Lapis Lazuli Dial

One of my favorite releases from Watches & Wonders (and one of the best watches Zenith has made in years, in my opinion) was the G.F.J., a study in blue and a celebration of the brand’s 160th anniversary. The G.F.J. is something of a no-expenses-spared dream watch, with a platinum case and optional bracelet that basically doubles the price (because why not?) as well as a finely finished movement and loads of history built into the watch’s story, with a focus on the brand’s historic pursuits in chronometry. When I had that watch on my wrist I wondered how the G.F.J. line might expand, and if this watch was an opening salvo in a more ambitious series of releases to come. I don’t know that we have any answers to those questions, necessarily, with the release of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli today, but there’s certainly some connective tissue between Zenith’s newest novelty and the G.F.J. we saw a few months ago.  Looking at the latest Zenith Triple Calendar, it’s impossible not to notice a certain aesthetic similarity to the G.F.J. Both make prominent use of lapis lazuli, one of the most common precious stones used in watchmaking. On the G.F.J., lapis is what makes up the majority of the dial space, with the stone in the main dial nicely complementing the blue mother of pearl in the subsidiary seconds. On this new Triple Calendar, the lapis is truly the star of the show, dominating the dial and only yielding for the three subregisters i...

Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity Fratello
May 21, 2025

Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity

How can a brand grow while maintaining exclusivity to uphold the perception of a luxury brand? Increasing accessibility was the right strategy for a while. But this democratization of luxury is becoming a thing of the past. Traditional clients and affluent newcomers in the world of luxury demand exclusivity. For them, luxury is all about […] Visit Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity to read the full article.

Casio F-91W Review Teddy Baldassarre
Casio May 20, 2025

Casio F-91W Review

The Casio F-91W is the best-selling wristwatch of all time, with more than 100 million units sold. This statement comes a pretty significant caveat, which depends on whether or not you consider the Apple Watch - well, a watch. I am a defender of “smartwatches,” but I think they have evolved to the point where “wearable” is a more appropriate term given the fact that their functionality when it comes to communication and health monitoring exceeds what any watch has ever done. So, with that established for the sake of this article, let’s put the 300 million Apple Watch sales aside for now. Casio F-91W History And "Controversy" The Casio F-91W was introduced all the way back in 1989 and is still in production, with the astonishing figure of 3 million units per year. What's even more remarkable is the fact that the Casio F-91W you can buy in 2025 basically looks the same as one you could have bought when it first launched 36 years ago. It was also the first watch designed by Ryuusake Morai, the prolific designer behind some of the most iconic Casio G-Shocks seen today. When a watch has been around as long as this, it can transcend fads and trends, but few can claim immunity/teflon status to an unfortunate PR association like the F-91W when it was used as a timer for explosives. I would absolutely not call it a “controversy,” because that would just be silly, but the always-excellent Watches of Espionage has a fantastic article dedicated to the topic, which you ...

Highlights: Diverse Single-Owner Collections at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet May 19, 2025

Highlights: Diverse Single-Owner Collections at Christie’s Hong Kong

Christie’s continues its spring season in Hong Kong with an unexpected single-owner trilogy – three separate collections of timepieces owned by one collection going on the block – The Chronicle, The Generations, and Stories in Time. The Generations collection will be sold on May 28, and focuses on sports watches from Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Slated to be sold on the same day, The Chronicle collection is more eclectic but focuses on traditionally styled watches. Thirdly, Stories in Time will hit the block on May 29, and features notable vintage Rolex watches – including a fine mid-century cloisonné Oyster – stunning Cartier clocks, and avant-garde creations by independents. One of the top lots in the sale is the Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 with a cloisonné enamel dial that is only now reemerging publicly after having last been sold in 1990 Concurrently, watches from The Legacy Collection, including rare watches from Richard Mille and gem-set Patek Philippe complications, will be on show from May 22 to 28 (though that are not part of the auction). We round up five fine and fascinating watches, and one clock from the upcoming sale. Online bidding and the catalogue for the May 28 sale and the May 29 sale, and the catalogue in PDF format for both sessions, are available on Christies.com. Lot 2277 – Seiko Credor Eichi I Unveiled in 2008, the Credor Eichi I was the second product of Seiko Epson’s elite Micro-Artist Studio, after the Credor Sonnerie of 2006....

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey May 19, 2025

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction is a three-day affair that starts with enamelled Chinese market masterpieces of the 18th and 19th century, followed by a two-day main sale that includes several notable examples of independent watchmaking. Some, including watches from Greubel Forsey and Urwerk, might be value propositions and comparably accessible entries into the brands, while others will be six figures but arguably worth it – like the Piaget Gouvernor Grande Sonnerie that was produced by a young Francois-Paul Journe in the mid 1990s. We round up those and a few more indie highlights from The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX that takes place from May 23-25, 2025. The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com. The Piaget Gouvernour Grande Sonnerie with a movement made by François-Paul Journe in 1997 Lot 893 – Krayon Anywhere in pink gold & Lot 965 – Krayon Anywhere in white gold The sale includes not one, but two examples of the Krayon Anywhere. Conceived by engineer Rémi Maillat, the Anywhere indicates sunrise and sunset times anywhere in world, thanks to a set of cams and levers that can be adjusted for a particular locale. The chapter ring on the periphery of the dial is composed of overlapping discs that move with the seasons, indicating sunrise and sunset as well as the seasonal length of the day. A sub-dial at six indicates the calendar, which is linked to the sunrise and sunset indicator. Hand finished to a high level by specialists in the Vallée de Joux...

Do Tudor’s Price Increases Create More Space For Players Like Formex, Longines, And Sinn? Fratello
Longines May 19, 2025

Do Tudor’s Price Increases Create More Space For Players Like Formex, Longines, And Sinn?

The 39.5mm Formex “Baby” Reef represents, to me, the sort of value for money we were once accustomed to with Tudor’s Black Bay series in the COVID era. Although that was just a few short years ago, Tudor is moving upmarket, allowing brands like Formex, Longines, and Sinn to sweep in and fill its former […] Visit Do Tudor’s Price Increases Create More Space For Players Like Formex, Longines, And Sinn? to read the full article.