Results for Co-Axial vs Swiss Lever Escapement

Studio Underd0g Introduces the Av0cado and Guacam0le Chronographs, a Clever Response to their Imitators

In our current age of disingenuous AI and copyright controversies, sometimes the best way to beat a design thief is to…imitate them right back? In perhaps the cheekiest move we’ve ever seen a watchmaker execute in response to an influx of copycat designs from no-name brands, Studio Underd0g has done just that. Instead of taking the legal route-an endeavour that is time-consuming, costly, and largely pointless in today’s world of mass-production and dropshipping-the British watchmaker has employed a tactful play of horological judo, and  produced two new models inspired wholeheartedly by the very designs stolen from them. Enter the Av0cado and Guacam0le, just as colorful, cheerful, and charismatic as the rest of their lineup, with an extra dollop of good humor on the side.  Take one look at the knockoffs from a myriad of random “brands” and you’ll see what Studio Underd0g is talking about. The color schemes, design cues, and even text details are shamelessly ripped straight from the authentic watchmaker’s catalog. This is, of course, the sharp side of the double-edged sword for a brand with a visual style as instantly recognizable as Studio Underd0g’s, even given their relative youth as a company; when you create a style that resonates with so many people, you’re bound to have imitators.  They haven’t cut any corners with the Av0cado and Guacam0le, though, despite the comedic backstory. Both are in direct response to a company called Proxima’s k...

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Most Complicated Wristwatch, Ever

If you were to sit me down at a desk and ask me to write down 41 watch complications off the top of my head, I think the result would be rather like Ross Geller trying to name the 50 states in that one episode of Friends. There’s just no way I could do it. Forty-one is an absurd number of complications to even conceive of, let alone cram into one surprisingly wearable watch. And yet, that is what Vacheron Constantin’s one-of-a-kind watchmaking department, Les Cabinotiers, has managed to do. Just about a year after introducing the world’s most complicated watch of any kind - a pocket watch containing 63 complications - Vacheron has unveiled the Les Cabinotiers ‘Solaria Ultra Grand Complication.’ It’s hard to know where to start with a watch like this, especially since I haven’t had the opportunity to see it in person, so to begin, I’ll just say this: I am wildly impressed by this watch, and you should be too. It’s a serious step up from their previous most complicated wristwatch - the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, which housed 23 complications. It’s worth saying here that, even before getting to the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, Vacheron Constantin had a very good Watches & Wonders. The brand is celebrating its 270th anniversary this year and they’ve done a hell of a job with it. Their new 127-piece limited edition Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, with its novel movement and ann...

New: Ba111od Chapter 4 Infinity Flying Tourbillon with video

The king of affordable Swiss made tourbillons releases a new flying tourbillon priced below the CHF 11k: The Ba111od Chapter 4 Infinity Flying Tourbillon.

The New Tudor Pelagos Ultra Dives Deeper Than Ever Before

Tudor takes its dive watches rather seriously, and the new Tudor Pelagos Ultra is about as serious as they come. The brand has been making divers since 1954. Back then, the deepest-diving model had a humble 100m water resistance rating. Since then, the brand has kept busy evolving, looking to improve its formula. That quest […] Visit The New Tudor Pelagos Ultra Dives Deeper Than Ever Before to read the full article.

The Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic Gets a Thematically Appropriate Blue Dial

Alpina’a venerable Alpiner collection has no shortage of eye-catching dial textures, complications, and even experimental pizzazz. But perhaps what it was missing was a model that exemplified both the 1933 origins of the line and its future as an iconic Swiss sport watch. Enter the new Alpiner Extreme Automatic, sporting a dial color that makes so much sense, it’s a little baffling that Alpina hasn’t tapped into it before. The glacier blue hue of the face immediately conjures images of icy slopes, and the repeating Alpine summit triangle motif that texturizes the dial and brings the design straight to the Alps. The Alpiner Extreme Automatic also hangs onto distinctive design features that make it instantly recognizable: the rounded square cushion case, measuring at 39 x 40.5mm, in chilly steel. A vertical brushed satin finish on the bezel (matching that of the three links on the bracelet) contrasts the mirror-polished case, and the triangle motif can be found again on the six exposed screws that circle the bezel.  A screw-down crown with a rubber ring of glacier blue both assures the Alpiner’s 200m water resistance, and brings a unified sense of color and form to the fringes of the design. A slightly-lighter blue outer minute track with white markers runs around the perimeter of the dial, adding some dimension to the face of the watch, while applied silver, luminous indexes mark the hours. A date window at 3 o’clock, hand-polished silver and luminous hour and mi...

The Tank Louis Cartier is back, bigger and better than ever, with an automatic movement and stunning dial

Does bigger mean better when it comes to the Cartier Tank? Read on to find out.The post The Tank Louis Cartier is back, bigger and better than ever, with an automatic movement and stunning dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin Marks 270 Years with Most-Complicated-Wristwatch-Ever

This year is quite the anniversary for Vacheron Constantin, with the brand turning 270 years old. To mark the occasion appropriately, the Geneva-based manufacture created the mighty Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première, the culmination of eight years of development. Now the most complicated wristwatch ever, this unique wristwatch boasts 41 complications on two faces, encompassing five rare functions as well as a world first – a celestial object tracker. All of that is contained in a surprisingly compact, but still large, case. (A detailed list of the complications is available in the addendum below.) Initial thoughts Timepieces of such complexity reach beyond the realm of horology and can be regarded as engineering marvels. In a sense the Solaria is not unexpected since VC has a long history of making ultra-complications – “The Berkley” pocket watch was just unveiled a year ago – but the Solaria is one of the most fascinating watches in recent memory. The numbers behind the Solaria are impressive. Beyond the 41 functions, the watch is powered by the cal. 3655 that’s made up of 1521 pieces and the subject of 13 patents. The watch took eight years to develop and construct, which is impressive for a single timepiece. Surely VC will trickle down some of the developments related to cal. 3655 and install them in simpler timepieces, but condensing 41 complications into a wristwatch no thicker than 15 mm is an engineering feat that cannot b...

Every Vacheron Constantin from Watches & Wonders 2025, including the most complicated wristwatch ever made

The oldest continuously operating watchmaker is bringing serious heat.The post Every Vacheron Constantin from Watches & Wonders 2025, including the most complicated wristwatch ever made appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

[VIDEO] Deep in the Heart of Texas: Recapping the First Ever Windup Watch Fair Dallas

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and that now includes the Windup Watch Fair! On March 15-16, 2025, Windup made its grand Lone Star State debut at the historic Hickory Street Annex in Dallas. Kicking off its 10th-anniversary celebrations, the fair brought together over 40 watch brands, passionate collectors, and curious newcomers-because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love hanging with a bunch of watch lovers? The Hickory Street Annex, originally built in 1921 as a Gulf Oil distribution center, set the perfect scene with its warm-industrial vibes. The airy, two-level venue gave guests plenty of room to dive into the world of horology-chatting with brand reps, trying on watches, and maybe even convincing themselves that they definitely need just one more piece for their collection. The lineup? Absolutely stacked. Christopher Ward dazzled with their Anglo-Swiss masterpieces, including the ever-impressive Bel Canto and The Twelve. Oris, while proudly sporting Miss Piggy pink, also celebrated 60 years of dive watch excellence with a special anniversary edition, while Zodiac launched some striking new designs in the form of the Super Sea Wolf Compression Skeleton Night Diver. One of the weekend’s standout moments was the special screening of a brand-new documentary, America Telling Time: 150 Years of Bulova, which chronicles the brand’s history of innovation and firsts. The film explored the brand’s deep roots in American watchmaking, highlighting its role in everyth...

Retrospective: Tomas Looks At The Early Flying Officer “Truman” - The Most Iconic Gallet Watch Ever Produced

If there is any Gallet watch that almost certainly sells for more than $10,000, it’s an early version of the Flying Officer with a black dial. Although it is a very expensive watch, proper research and documentation are limited. The details raise multiple questions. Let’s start with the basics. The Flying Officer, the most important […] Visit Retrospective: Tomas Looks At The Early Flying Officer “Truman” - The Most Iconic Gallet Watch Ever Produced to read the full article.

The Entry-Level Urwerk UR-101 Gets the T-Rex Treatment

Modelled on the first-ever Urwerk wristwatch, the UR-101 T-Rex is the independent watchmaker’s latest entry-level model. Priced at CHF38,000 before taxes, or about US$43,000, the UR-101 combines the brand’s signature wandering hours display with an aged bronze case finished with a scale-like guilloche. Initial thoughts Urwerk doesn’t do vintage-inspired watches often, and when it does the result is restyled enough to make it clearly modern. This is in keeping with the brand founders’ ethos, which looks forward rather than back. That’s the case with the UR-101 T-Rex. Though it takes the same form as the vintage original, it’s recognisable as a new creation. The vintage-inspired concept is appealing, as is the sub-US$50,000 price. While I like the idea of a revival, I find the “T-Rex” pattern a bit too aggressive. A polished finish that replicates the original would have been unimaginative, but more subtle engine turning would be an interesting counterpoint to the avant-garde style of the watch. That said, since the UR-101 is a limited edition of 100 pieces, I can safely assume that new variants are planned for the future. The tab on the back releases the crown to set the time Vintage inspired The new UR-101 is Urwerk’s second historically-inspired watch after the UR-102 “Reloaded” of 2023 that was similarly based on the brand’s early creations. Like its predecessor, the UR-101 retains the form of the vintage original, but is scaled up to 41 mm wide ...

Introducing – Orient Introduces Its First-Ever Collaboration with Peanuts, with 4 Snoopy-Themed Models

As we’ve seen recently, Orient, a Japanese watchmaker owned by the Seiko Epson Corporation, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Created in 1950, it has since made a name for itself in the accessible segment with watches such as the Mako or the Bambino. There’s another important name that was created that same year; a […]

IWC Portugieser Buyer's Guide

IWC is a Swiss watch company, founded by an American, whose history is closely tied with Germany. But one of its most enduringly popular timepiece families is called the Portugieser, and it’s likely that lots of enthusiasts and would-be owners don’t even know why - or that the watch itself preceded that now-familiar name by many decades. What's indisputable is the Portugieser's key role in IWC's history and its impact on watchmaking - from its humble origins as a market-specific experiment to its modern incarnation as a major pillar of IWC's collection.   1939: Two Portuguese Businessmen Walk Into a Watch Factory… Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Actually, don’t bother, because I’ll be retelling the origin story of the IWC Portugieser anyway, for those who aren’t familiar with it. Like much of the rest of the world, in the throes of the Great Depression and under the gathering storm clouds of a second World War, the Swiss watch industry was facing rough economic times in the 1930s. The International Watch Company, based in Schaffhausen in Switzerland’s German-speaking north, dealt with the challenges in a number of practical ways. One was by making wristwatches that could be worn by military pilots for the aerial combat that was looking increasingly inevitable. (I tell that story in much more detail here.) Another was by expanding its reach to international markets such as Portugal. Thus it came to be that two gentlemen by the name of Antonio...

The Cornell Watch Company Introduces Two New References, and Announces a Partnership with Hour Precision to Produce Watches in America at Scale

When John and Chrissy Warren relaunched the Cornell Watch Co. in 2023, it was something of an experiment. They wanted to revive luxury watch making in America … at scale. Now, with their launch year behind them, the Warrens have proven there is an appetite for high-end American watches, having sold and delivered their first 15 build slots for the beautifully crafted 1870 Classic Enamel. Now the Warrens are moving on to the next phase of their company: moving from producing small numbers of artisanal watches to producing hundreds of watches a year that compete in quality with Swiss brands. Part of the appeal of Cornell’s first watches in the relaunch, the 1870 Classic Enamel, was that the watch was put together by America’s leading watchmaker, Roland Murphy. Murphy’s reputation as an artisan who produces work of the highest quality made him an ideal partner for an American brand. His name leant credibility to the project and his years of experience running RGM Watch Co. meant the watches would be beautiful examples of craftsmanship. But relying on RGM Watches to assemble Cornell’s watches had a downside: the high-level hand-finishing they utilize means RGM doesn’t produce huge quantities of watches. And, of course, Cornell isn’t even the center of RGM’s business, meaning the 15 Cornell 1870 CEs produced by RGM in 2024 - 16 if you include a piece unique that was auctioned off - represent roughly what could be expected from the partnership year-over-year: ...

Introducing – The Cleaner Hanhart 415 ES Pure Chronograph

Hanhart, the German brand with Swiss roots, produced stopwatches in the early 1920s, followed by Flieger chronographs for pilots in the late 1930s. Today, it is one of the go-to brands for retro pilot watches updated with contemporary materials and movements. At the end of last year, Hanhart released the 415 ES, a faithful recreation […]

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection

“Through constant emails, face-to-face requests at events, and in the comments of our social posts, it has been impossible to ignore the requests for this ‘Goldilocks’ case size. We are a brand that listens to our customers––you asked and we delivered.”  –Christopher Ward’s CEO and Co-Founder Mike France It’s always refreshing when the feedback of the watch community is recognized by at least one company or representative within the watchmaking industry. To hear Mike France and Christopher Ward directly address their customer’s concerns is exactly what makes the microbrand/indie sphere so great. Whether you believe they’ve expanded beyond their microbrand status to “legacy micro,” “independent,” or some other higher level of categorization, the brand’s acknowledgement of customer input speaks volumes about their character and ability to take and utilize constructive criticism––perhaps a result of their humble beginnings as a true microbrand. After the critical acclaim the 36mm and 40mm Twelve models received, Christopher Ward is set to release a fresh take on their popular design with the new Twelve 38. The stainless-steel case, which made its limited edition debut last year in the “Ice Cream” collection, measures 38mm across, 43.3mm lug-to-lug, and 9.95mm thick, thanks to its ultra-slim Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. With 26 jewels, a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a 38-hour power reserve, these reliable and durable automatic move...

Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch

Michiel Holthinrichs, an architect turned watch manufacturer, made a name for himself and his brand by introducing the world’s first watch with a 3D-printed stainless steel case in 2016. State-of-the-art technology and machining processes created cases with swooping lines and sensual curves, but the human touch made the watches sexy; the machines could only do […] Visit Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch to read the full article.

Rare Finds - The Never-Produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar

James Dowling shares with a special watch from his personal collection: The never-produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar with the calibre 5355.

Hands-On: Bulgari And MB&F; Team Up (Again) For The Most Futuristic 'Serpenti' Ever

Four years after the two brands' first collaboration, two of watchmaking's best designers get creative with an icon.

The Best Watch Ever?! | Know Your Complications | Diving Deep | Part II

The Sea-Gull Split-Second Chronograph Limited Might be the Most Affordable Rattrapante Ever

We probably sound like a broken record, saying it over and over again, but there’s really nothing quite like a genuine surprise in this hobby. It’s just that there’s so much predictability, month after month and year after year, it’s naturally the quirky and strange stuff that stands out and makes us really take notice. There are also, sometimes, watches that come along that present a truly shocking value proposition, which for those of us with watch budgets that fluctuate but are very much finite, is something that really gets us excited. Lately, we’ve taken notice of a number of independent brands offering previously exclusive complications at prices that only a few years ago would have been unheard of. We can call this the Bel Canto Effect, if you’d like, because it’s a trend that, if it didn’t start with Christopher Ward, is still very much exemplified by their affordable chiming watch. Perhaps even more unlikely than Christopher Ward dropping a chiming watch in a haute horlogerie design language, now we have word of Sea-Gull’s release of an affordable split-second chronograph, a complication that for years has been associated with the highest end brands.  The Sea-Gull Split-Second Chronograph Limited, as it’s known, is a $3,649 rattrapante chronograph presented in a classical style. It’s extremely under the radar, so much so that we genuinely wonder why more people are not talking about it. Just in case you need a refresher on what a split-secon...

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: David Ramsey – Two-Time Watchmaker by Royal Appointment

David Ramsay was a renowned Scottish watchmaker and clockmaker who was born in the late 16th century. During the 17th century he was recognised as a prominent figure in the world of horology and appointed as the first Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and watchmaker to two Kings prior to the English Civil War. Born in Scotland, Made in London David Ramsay was born around 1580 near St. Andrews, in the county of Fife, Scotland and grew up as part of a relatively well-off family in a proudly Scottish household. He later moved to London, England, where he gained recognition for his skills in clockmaking. Ramsay was a mechanical genius and produced some of the world’s most extraordinary horological masterpieces – clocks and watches that are arguably works of art unto themselves. Although he rose to the top of his field as a watchmaker, operating from the seat of power in London, he struggled chronically with money, eventually falling out of royal favour and winding up in a debtors’ prison. In 1594, he was apprenticed to the master armourer Henry Smith who was appointed Royal Armourer to King James VI of Scotland. Ramsay’s training in metalworking certainly played a crucial part in his later development as a watch and clockmaker. This required specialist knowledge and training, such as in hardening and tempering steel, and in smelting iron ore to obtain a more uniform steel of higher quality.  He would have also been trained in quality control, finishing a...

Holiday Gift Guide: ​​Hamilton Has a Little Something for Everyone

As enthusiasts, we know that there are just a handful of brands out there that can check boxes on multiple fronts. Hamilton is certainly one of those brands. It’s one of those clear, go-to recommendations for a smart, stylish Swiss watch that has a collection for all kinds of friends and family-making it one of the most giftable brands around. With models built for the adventurous type to the trendsetter in your life-there’s a Hamilton out there for everyone. We’ve identified and paired five Hamilton watches with complementary products for five different personas. Please enjoy the ultimate Hamilton gift guide. The post Holiday Gift Guide: ​​Hamilton Has a Little Something for Everyone appeared first on Worn & Wound.

The latest Breguet Blue Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is a reminder the brand is Holy Trinity level

Breguet adds a new ‘Breguet Blue’ configuration to its Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 (first launched in 2015).The post The latest Breguet Blue Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is a reminder the brand is Holy Trinity level appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look – The Beaucroft Element 39.5 is a Perfect Entry-level Daily Watch

UK-based Beaucroft has launched its latest model, the Element 39.5 sports watch, which joins three prior collections in its portfolio. Unlike the existing watches that have a rather dressy aesthetic, the Element 39.5 takes a more rugged approach with an impressive depth rating and sporty design. It can be worn at the beach or during […]