5,495 articles · 175 videos found · page 109 of 189
Fratello
Welcome to this episode of Fratello Talks, in which Nacho, Lex, and Laurits try to answer the question: what makes a watch brand great? It’s not as obvious as one might imagine. There are as many factors to consider as there are parts in a watch movement. However, a handful of specific criteria come into […] Visit Fratello Talks: What Makes A Watch Brand Great? to read the full article.
Fratello
Fratello On Air is back with another rip-roaring episode. This time, we talk about what starting over would look like for our watch collections. Of course, we give ourselves all the funds that we’ve used in the past for watches and are armed with the knowledge we’ve picked up over the last decade or so. […] Visit Fratello On Air: Starting Our Collections Over With A Pot Of Money to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Continuing a recent streak of unusual designs that depart from its traditional formality, Breguet is marking the Chinese Lunar New Year with the Classique “Dragon” ref. 7145BR. Unlike last year’s “Rabbit” edition that was a whimsical ladies’ watch, this year’s Chinese zodiac edition is an ultra-thin men’s watch with a surprisingly vivid and figurative enamel dial in two shades of red. Initial thoughts A dragon-themed watch is not unexpected, and Breguet joins brands like Vacheron Constantin and Blancpain in launching such watches for the Lunar New Year. The watch itself, however, is a radical departure from the usual Breguet style in both colour and execution. Even though there are enough elements on the dial to mark it out as a Breguet, the aesthetic is more elaborate than the average Breguet, which tends towards classical restraint. Even though it is different, I like this approach because it offers something new in terms of aesthetics. That said, the engraved dragon appliqué isn’t exactly right in terms of design. The creature is too stout and lacks the slender proportions of the dragon as portrayed in Classical Chinese art. The overall aesthetic would have been much improved with a restyled dragon. The execution is in the high quality expected of Breguet, so the dragon is solid gold and the dial is grand feu enamel. As a result, the price is US$77,800, significantly greater than the standard Classique 5157, but within the ballpark for such metiers d...
Worn & Wound
Many in the watch community are predicting that 2024 will be year where we see a wider adoption of avant-garde and modern design as the pendulum continues to swing away from vintage inspired classicism. This is a good thing, and worth celebrating. But there will always be a market for elegant, classic designs. The kind that have been nailed down and perfect for decades, and define the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. There isn’t a brand out there that is more in tune with this style of watchmaking than Jaeger-LeCoultre. Similar to Rolex, they iterate slowly, and don’t adhere to the (false) notion that buzzy new releases are required as part of an industry cycle. They just kind of do their thing, and it almost always results in a beautiful object. Their latest, the Master Ultra Thin Power Reserve, is familiar in many ways but has several small changes that make it even more refined. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ultra thin watches are a niche of a niche unto themselves. For years, even before the current Thinness Wars really took shape, JLC has been adept at getting the best possible performance from impossibly thin movements, and taking advantage of their diminutive dimensions by housing them in exceedingly well designed watches that take full advantage of their size. For the new Master Ultra Thin Power Reserve, JLC’s Caliber 938 has been reworked slightly to increase the total power reserve to a healthy 70 hours without drastically changing the movement...
SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-one was an important year for Grand Seiko as it saw the introduction of the brand’s latest-generation mechanical movement, the cal. 9SA5. A modern movement with attractive aesthetic and proprietary escapement, the cal. 9SA5 debuted in the Heritage “White Birch” SLGH005. But Grand Seiko didn’t stop there. Building upon the flagship calibre, Grand Seiko created the cal. 9SC5 and launched the Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001. A large, sporty watch but entirely in lightweight titanium, the Tentagraph is a milestone for Grand Seiko (GS) as the brand’s first-ever mechanical chronograph. “Tentagraph” is self-explanatory, an acronym outlining the key features of the watch and cal. 9SC5 within: TEN beats per second, Three-day power reserve, Automatic winding, and chronoGRAPH. Initial thoughts The Tentagraph has all the tactile features expected in a modern, high-spec sports chronograph, namely substantial proportions and crisp, smooth pusher action. As expected for GS, it boasts high quality finishing inside and out, with the case in particular having category-leading finishing and detailing. And from a technical perspective, it is notable for being the high-frequency chronograph with the longest power reserve on the market – the balance runs at 36,000 beats per hour, or 5 Hz, and the power reserve is 72 hours, or three days. Aesthetically, the Tentagraph is refreshingly modern. It retains the characteristic GS design, but tweaked to accentuate the sport...
SJX Watches
Continuing with its occasional special editions to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, IWC has just released the Portugieser Chronograph “Year of the Dragon” to mark honour the Year of the Wood Dragon commencing in early 2024. This limited edition is essentially the classic Portugieser Chronograph Ref. 3716 but with a striking burgundy dial featuring gilt numerals and hands. Initial thoughts Burgundy dials on the Portugieser stand out as demonstrated by last year’s Portugieser Automatic 40, so it was inevitable to see it on the Portugieser Chronograph. The fact that this is a limited edition isn’t a big deal since IWC does a fair number of limited editions. But this specific watch, however, does look good. Whilst the design remains identical to the original, this has all of the dial elements in either gold-plating or powder-gilt print, which are more visually complementary than the combination of gold and black found on the silver dial of the standard steel model. The new look incurs an extra charge of US$950 in comparison to the standard production model, culminating in a retail price of US$9,350. While not a great deal by any means, it’s a reasonable premium, given the new dial and commemorative rotor. However, it is a limited edition of 1,000 watches, a substantial number given IWC’s scale, so the brand should have either reduced the premium or edition size to boost the appeal. The Portugieser Automatic 40 “Year of the Rabbit” from 2022. Image – IWC ...
Worn & Wound
Paulin celebrated its 10th year in 2023 and on this anniversary, they embarked on a new chapter by officially merging with fellow Scottish and celebrated watch brand, anOrdain. Since COVID played havoc on traditional brick and mortar retailers, Paulin had to rethink their business model and joining anOrdain was the perfect solution. Their future never looked so bright! Their newest model is called the Modul, and the name is quite fitting due to its modular construction. The steel body that houses the movement sits within a brushed steel outer case, which is held together by two hex screws on either side of the crown. This type of structure allows the owner to swap out the inner module, should they want to change dial color or movement type (manual wind or quartz). Inspired by a recent trip to Scotland the good folks at The Armoury joined forces with Paulin, to create the Honk Kong Dial and a new Modul watch was born. Instead of Roman and Arabic numerals, as on California dials, they have chosen Roman and Chinese, which is appropriate considering The Armoury’s Eastern and Western locations. The visual weight of the Chinese numerals at 4, 5, 7 and 8 o’clock match their Roman counterparts above perfectly. This vintage infused design comes in four colorways: black dial (more like gray) with gold numerals and minute track, light blue dial with silver numerals and track, purple dial with lavender numerals and track, and lastly yellow dial with black numerals and white tr...
Worn & Wound
Ace Jewelers, based in Amsterdam, has carved out a reputation for themselves as creators of some of the best limited edition collaborations between watch brands and retail partners. Yes, this is a category that has been growing steadily over the years, but it’s worth pointing at that Ace has been at it for a long time, well before the watch market reached the state of collab hysteria that we currently find ourselves in. Many collectors are probably aware of their regular limited releases with Nomos (they’ve done six, and they always sell out very quickly) but they’ve expanded their portfolio this year, introducing collaborations with Elka and Nivada. Their most recent LE introduces another new brand into the fold, Frederique Constant, with a version of their Highlife Worldtimer that draws on aesthetic cues established in earlier Ace releases. The Highlife Worldtimer remains one of the more compelling Frederique Constant references. The Highlife platform feels refreshingly contemporary (even though it’s based on 1970s design cues) compared to what we often think of when we picture a Frederique Constant in the mind’s eye. If your impression of the brand is that of a maker of watches in a more classical, dressier, and simply old-fashioned style, than the Highlife, a sleek integrated bracelet sports watch, is almost transgressive. And it’s proven to be a worthy canvas for Frederique Constant’s not-so-secret weapon: affordable complications. The Worldtimer, of c...
Worn & Wound
The traveler’s watch. The last truly useful sport watch today. The GMT watch has, as much as its sibling the dive watch, remained a cultural icon and a best-seller for brands both big and small. Every collector wants – or at least has considered – a GMT watch of some kind. There is good and bad news to that end. The good news is that watch brands have labored to create GMT watches of all sorts to appeal to every breed of watch enthusiast. The bad news is that money doesn’t grow on trees. Of all the classic watch archetypes, the GMT has always straddled that line between ritzy and rough, and we can separate them into two stylistic buckets: dressy and sporty. While the line between the two is often blurred and the definitions themselves somewhat subjective, we thought it would be fun to see how this useful complication has found its way into watches of all kinds. So without further ado, this is your Sunday Smackdown: GMT Edition. The traveler’s watch. The last truly useful sport watch today. The GMT watch has, as much as its sibling the dive watch, remained a cultural icon and a best-seller for brands both big and small. Every collector wants – or at least has considered – a GMT watch of some kind. There is good and bad news to that end. The good news is that watch brands have labored to create GMT watches of all sorts to appeal to every breed of watch enthusiast. The bad news is that money doesn’t grow on trees. Of all the classic watch archetypes, the GMT h...
Monochrome
In 2021, Junghans celebrated its 160th anniversary, commemorating the establishment of Erhard Junghans’s watch company in Schramberg in 1861. The brand paid homage to its illustrious history by releasing the Meister Signatur Handaufzug – a collection of three-hand automatic dress timepieces seamlessly blending classical styling with vintage beauty. This series showcased Junghans’s exceptional sensibility for […]
Worn & Wound
Founded in 2019 and off to a strong start, Serica has embarked on a journey to elevate the quality of their brand. By sticking to a few key components, Serica Watches is bringing their entire lineup of handsome, timeless wrist watches up to the next level. It’s easy to rest on your laurels and coast, but pushing towards refinement of small details and improving quality for the wearer is of the utmost importance to the brand. Today, we’re taking a look at the key points that Serica has set out to achieve. Whether it’s their allegiance to automatic movements, or the pursuit of thin, yet rugged watches, there’s now even more to like about these handsome timepieces from the French brand. Always Automatic At the heart of any watch in the Serica lineup, there will always be an automatic movement. Whether it’s the Soprod C125 GMT movement inside the 8315 Travel Chronometer, or the automatic M100 in the 5303 Diving Chronometer, each and every watch has a high quality automatic movement. Reliable and accurate, these movements call back to the classic era of horology that Serica draws their inspiration from for the rest of their design. Besides the cool-factor, having an automatic movement is convenient for daily wear, as the watch will stay wound via the motion of your wrist. The post Setting a New Standard with Serica Watches appeared first on Worn & Wound.
SJX Watches
In keeping with its tradition of special editions for the Chinese Lunar New Year, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces the Reverso Tribute Enamel “Dragon” to celebrate the Year of the Wood Dragon that begins in early 2024. A limited edition that’s made-to-order, the Reverso “Dragon” maintains the timeless, double-sided design, but with a black grand feu enamel dial and a hand-engraved case back portraying a Chinese dragon. Initial thoughts Commemorative Lunar New Year editions are not new for Jaeger-LeCoultre, as the brand produced an equivalent edition last year. However, the formal works: combining enamel and engraving results in a more elaborate design compared to the typical Reverso while still retaining the elegance and character of the model. The watch showcases a captivating motif on its back. On closer inspection, intricate details come to the fore, with the dragon depicted in low relief against a fired enamel background. Although almost monochromatic, it is undeniably vivid. Just like last year’s Tiger edition, the Reverso “Dragon” is made-to-order and is priced at US$107,000 before taxes. It comes in slightly higher than the previous Reverso models featuring similar artwork. It is expensive for what it is, despite the evident artistry of the decoration, particularly since Jaeger-LeCoultre is historically a brand associated with more affordable watches. A lavish depiction of a Chinese dragon The Reverso “Dragon” depicts a dragon in the clouds against a ...
Monochrome
Dutch entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick has made a conscientious effort to restore revival-brand Airain’s name and image through carefully curated re-editions of historic watches. Not only has the Type 20 captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts and collectors, but the Sous-Marine is set to do the same. Both collections are inspired by past designs […]
WatchAdvice
We’ve gone hands on with the new Riviera GMT launched at the start of the year, and we must say that it’s been a bit of a surprise package! What We Love Wave motif silver dialQuick change strap systemComfortable bracelet What We Don’t No secondary strap to utilise the quick change systemNo GMT bezel, limiting true GMT functionalityLack of a screw-down crown Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 7.5/10Build quality: 8.5/10 Baume & Mercier has had its ups and downs over the years, and more recently, I feel they’ve been relegated to the bottom of the Richemont stable of brands. However, this year, with the 50th Anniversary of the Riviera, Baume & Mercier have breathed some new life into their steel sports diver and designed it for a new wave of watch lovers. For those not very familiar with Baume & Mercier, first a very quick history lesson… The new Baume & Mercier Riviera GMT Travel Time Launched in 1973, the Riviera immediately made a splash with its dodecagonal case and its slimline metal strap. At this time, very few brands had really ventured into the luxury integrated steel bracelet models, with maybe the exception of Rolex and Audemars Piguet, making the Baume & Mercier Riviera one of the first brands to do this. Interestingly, the original design was done by Jean-Claude Gueit, the father of Emmanuel Gueit who designed the Royal Oak Offshore, so the Riviera has some design provenance and links back to that era as well. The Riviera...
Worn & Wound
If you’re anything like us, a few big holiday meals can have you feeling pretty heavy. Luckily, your wrist doesn’t have to feel the same way, and that’s thanks to an incredibly solid lineup of titanium watches from Citizen. If you’ve never handled a titanium watch before, you’re in for a treat. The metal is almost shockingly light, but still retains a premium feel and can be finished in the same way as steel. All the benefits of a metal watch, with a much lighter feel on the wrist. Of all the brands out there, Citizen has embraced titanium the most, with a complete lineup of interesting watches that appeal to a broad range of tastes. Citizen doesn’t use just any titanium, but one of their own creation. Super Titanium is Citizen’s approach to maintaining a pristine appearance on the elements of their watch by applying their proprietary surface-hardening technology that they call Duratect to create a watch that is five times harder and 40% lighter than stainless steel. Typically, titanium is more prone to scratches and this addition of surface hardening ensures that the watch stays free from nicks and scratches. Today, we’re taking a closer look at seven Citizens-curated by Worn & Wound’s editorial team-all crafted from their own proprietary lightweight, durable, and comfortable Super Titanium. The post Citizen Super Titanium™ Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
In the year since Atelier Wen and Wristcheck collaborated on their first limited edition Perception, Atelier Wen’s stature in the burgeoning affordable independent scene has only grown. This has largely been on the strength of a series of smartly timed and well executed limited editions, all of which provide a gorgeous showcase for some excellent guilloche work, and serve as a reminder that well made, integrated bracelet sports watches need not drift into five figure retail prices, and that they can come from places other than Switzerland. Now, in a turn of events that is anything but surprising given the attention this team received a year ago, Wristcheck and Atelier Wen have partnered once again, but this time they’ve added a third collaborator: Paris-based artist Seconde/Seconde, who I feel like has been part of virtually every LE launch over the last several months (only a slight exaggeration). The new piece, officially dubbed the Wristcheck x Seconde/Seconde/ x Atelier Wen Perception “锔瓷” Special Edition, calls attention to the high level of craft in this watch in a unique way: by highlighting the inevitable mistakes that are made in its production. The concept here originates with the production of the first Atelier Wen x Wristcheck collaboration last year. During the making of that LE, 36 dials in total were rejected for various imperfections in the guilloche. Not wanting to put them to waste, those dials have now been “healed” (with Seconde/Second...
SJX Watches
Having expanded its range of chronographs with a homage to stopwatches and, more recently, new models inspired by the Kinetic Chronograph, Seiko now introduces a pair of vintage-inspired chronographs. The Prospex Speedtimer (SRQ047 and SRQ049) features a distinctively retro style reminiscent of the 1970s and sports a “panda” style dial but with a more compact case than its predecessor. The “panda” SRQ047 is regular production while the “reverse panda” SRQ049 is a limited edition to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Seiko wristwatch. Initial thoughts Since its introduction in 2021, the Speedtimer had quite a significant design flaw – its bulky case, measuring over 15 mm high. Therefore, it’s highly gratifying to learn that the brand has opted to refresh the Speedtimer with a more traditional dial and a slimmer case size. Concerning its design, the new models evoke a sense of familiarity by featuring a more rounded case in contrast to the previous Speedtimer models. Furthermore, the brand has introduced a dash of colour to the “panda” style dial by adding an orange tip to the chronograph hands. The limited edition reverse panda model. However, it’s worth noting that the watch has a date window located between four and five. This feature seems somewhat out of place and could have been omitted for a more streamlined look. The standard production Speedtimer is priced at US$2,500, with an additional US$200 for the limited edition. The new mod...
Worn & Wound
Over the course of the last year, we’ve been keeping regular tabs on Awake, a microbrand with roots in France that operates within very narrow niches. Their watches are high concept and put a premium on storytelling, which admittedly is not everyone’s cup of tea. But we appreciate their creativity, and believe that this hobby is better and more interesting when brands like Awake are around to remind us that the watch world is encompasses a lot more than black dialed dive watches and vintage reissues. Their latest project, the Summetria collection, is based on perhaps their most abstract idea yet: the inherent beauty in nature, and the symmetry of all living things. The specific idea of symmetry is tackled here through guilloche dial treatments, which Awake relates to the natural symmetry of things like a butterfly’s wings or flower petals. Awake notes in their press materials for the Summetria collection that to human beings, symmetry seen in nature appears almost unimaginably complex, but the reason it exists at all is because “nature prefers simplicity.” From Awake’s perspective, it’s all about simplicity, and there’s a clear dichotomy there between the inherent complexity of watchmaking (and the application of guilloche) and the visual and functional simplicity of natural symmetry. Like I said, it’s abstract. But I appreciate that Awake is trying to draw connections between their watch designs and the natural world in ways that other brands do not ...
SJX Watches
Seiko has remade its high-end dive watch with a new, slimmer movement and consequently more compact watch. Still known as the Prospex Marinemaster, the new model is available in three variants (SJE097, SJE099, and SJE101), all sharing a design heavily influenced by the brand’s first-ever dive watch, the “62MAS” from 1965. Initial thoughts Marinemaster models long been solid but chunky watches, with examples including the Hi-Beat 36,000 limited edition or the forest green model from 2021. A more compact iteration enhances its appeal, especially with the recent popularity of smaller, vintage-inspired dive watches. The “62MAS” model from 1965. Image – Seiko The design still echoes the original 62MAS, particularly in the dial and bezel layout. However, the new model, especially the light blue variant, gains a more contemporary feel with the horizontally striped dial along and the engraved markings on the bezel. The patterned dial easily brings to mind other sports watches, so it does seem a bit derivative, but Seiko’s position as a maker of dive watches is strong enough that this still looks and feels like a Seiko. The latest Marinemaster is priced at US$2,800, reflecting Seiko’s gradual upmarket move over recent years. This places it squarely within the mid-tier dive watch segment also occupied by brands such as such as Doxa or Longines. While it remains a compelling option at this price, it is no longer such a clear value proposition relative to the competit...
Worn & Wound
We joke around here quite a bit about every year being an anniversary for something. Watch brands have never been shy about celebrating what most of the outside world would consider somewhat inconsequential milestones. Of course, hobbies like ours are built on obsessing over the inconsequential, so it makes a lot of sense at the end of the day. Sometimes, though, there’s a truly significant anniversary that everyone can get behind, and you better believe watch brands aren’t going to ignore those. To that point, next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Seiko brand, a pretty big deal if there ever was one. We’re just weeks away from the calendar changing over, and Seiko has taken the opportunity to get the celebration started a little early. Seiko, to be clear, has a complicated history that starts before the name “Seiko” was ever used on a watch, so what we’re celebrating here is the 100 year anniversary of the first time that branding was used on a wristwatch. We’re quite certain that Seiko will have an entire lineup of limited and special editions to celebrate the milestone, but the first out of the gate is the entry seen here from the Presage collection, a tribute to that very first wristwatch from 1924. Seiko is no stranger to dealing with their past, and they’ve taken many approaches over the years in interpreting historic references. The new Seiko Presage Kintaro Hattori Limited Edition (reference SPB441) is effectively a recreation of the orig...
Worn & Wound
When you look at Baltic’s lineup, you may have noticed the absence of a field watch. After tackling dive watches, GMTs, and other platforms, all with an eye toward a specific type of vintage elegance, Baltic has released the Hermetique Tourer - their take on the classic go-anywhere, do-anything field watch. Field watches are great, don’t get me wrong, but when so many are built to a specific military specification, they start to get a little bit stale. That’s not the case at all with Baltic’s newest field-ready wrist companion. The Hermétique takes those classic defining elements of a field watch and elevates them with style to fit Baltic’s overall aesthetic. Let’s jump in and take a closer look at this fun, reasonably-priced, and feature-packed entry into a new category of watches from Paris’ own Baltic Watches. $590 Hands-On: the Baltic Hermetique Tourer Case Stainless steel Movement Miyota 9039 Dial Green Lume Yes, hands and markers Lens Sapphire Strap Tropic rubber, stainless bracelet Water Resistance 150 meters Dimensions 37 x 46mm Thickness 10.8mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Integrated, push down Warranty Yes Price $590 Case At first glance, the 37mm case looks surprisingly sleek. In case you missed it, the crown on the right side of the case pushes in to a point where it’s flush with the lines of the case, giving the Hermétique a largely circular appearance. While we tend to praise field and pilot watches for their large, accessible crowns, it’s nic...
Worn & Wound
Last year, Zenith announced a partnership with football player Aaron Rodgers at an event in Green Bay, WI, home of the Packers. That season would be Rodgers’ 18th and final year with the team. Zenith would stick by Rodgers through his move to the New York Jets (coincidentally, the team we saw the Packers lose to during the announcement event, which you can read about right here) and a subsequent week 1 injury that would sideline the decorated QB for much of the season (just ho long remains to be seen). We had the opportunity to once again speak with Rodgers and Zenith CEO Julien Tornare this week in New York to see the first horological collaboration between the two: a green on green Chronomaster Sport. The watch uses the hugely popular 41mm Chronomaster Sport platform that we’ve seen rendered in a variety of materials and colorways, though it’s presented here in a manner we’ve never quite seen before. The ceramic bezel is a deep green with the dial following suit, creating a uniform appearance that places gray toned sub dials at the center, changing the relationship between the two. Historically, the trio of overlapping, and oftentimes tri-color sub dials serve as the focal point of the design, and are instantly recognizable as a Zenith hallmark. Here, the sub dials each get a slightly different gray tone, but very much take a back seat to the color surrounding them. The green isn’t the only thing immediately different about this limited edition, however. The ...
Worn & Wound
Costumes, trick-or-treating, jack-o-lanterns, scary movies; October brings a whole host of traditions. And nobody did the latter better-or lent his name to a seasonal pun more easily-than Alfred Hitchcock, whom cinephiles everywhere venerate this month with “Hitchcocktober” marathons of the great director’s oeuvre. Movie buffs look for Alfred Hitchcock’s requisite cameo in his films, but there are rarer cameos for watch fans to keep an eye out for as well. Hitchcock’s films are timeless and, unexpectedly, mostly timepiece-less. Possibly the most famous Hitchcock watch-spot: Jimmy Stewart’s Tissot in Rear Window Hitchcock earned his reputation as the Master of Suspense over a 54-year directorial career that saw Hitchcock create classics like Rebecca (1940), Vertigo (1958), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963). His films are rife with plot twists and mistaken identity, playful avoidance of censors, and some of the most creative, and unnerving, visuals ever put to film. Hitchcock was the man who thought up a crop duster chase scene and a shower stabbing and a dozen other iconic scenes that have become among the most famous in film history. The British director was workmanlike in bringing his vision to life on screen. Hitchcock once remarked that he believed “actors should be treated like cattle.” Watches get similar treatment in his film-when they do appear they are never window dressing, they’re predominantly used to, well, tell time. Take, for example...
Worn & Wound
A Lange & Söhne opened the doors of their latest boutique in New York City’s upper east side this week with the help of CEO Wilhelm Schmid, and a new Zeitwerk Minute Repeater rendered in Honeygold was presented to mark the occasion. That might be the poshest sentence ever to be written on this website, but don’t let that turn you away just yet, there’s an impeccably interesting watch underneath the glitz here. The Zeitwerk takes a unique approach to displaying the time, and it’s no different when a chiming complication is added to the mix. There is no hour and minute hand here, and there’s also no slide mechanism along the side of the case. It is an entirely over the top example of the kind of creative engineering the brand is capable of set into a material that is nearly as difficult to explain. The new boutique finds itself in New York’s lovely upper east side, on Madison ave at 63rd street, directly across from the Hermès boutique. The cozy space is accented with plenty of Lange ephemera, including a monolithic installment of a Saxonia Triple Split chronograph, which includes an oversized hyper accurate recreation of the movement around back. What I personally found the most compelling, however, was the display on the south wall, which was composed of small numbered boxes, each depicting a single piece of the 684 total pieces that comprise the Tourbograph Perpetual Pour Le Merite movement. It takes up an entire wall, and imagining them all placed within ...
SJX Watches
The Chronomètre Optimum is arguably François-Paul Journe’s most complex no-complication creation. Being a time-only watch, the Chronomètre Optimum displays the same amount of information as the entry-level Chronomètre Souveraine, albeit for more than twice the price, with the Chronomètre Optimum retailing for US$129,500 in platinum and a bit less in gold. On a pleasantly asymmetric dial, the Chronomètre Optimum presents the wearer with the time, down to the second, and a power reserve indicator. Plain as the dial might seem, the Chronomètre Optimum’s appeal lies in its inner, and largely hidden, complexity. In fact, the cal. 1510 within ranks among the most sophisticated time-only movements on the market today. Chronometry Historically the tourbillon was never a complication, though it is often regarded as such today – though some prominent collectors disagree. In this context, it is difficult to label the features of the Chronomètre Optimum true complications. But since the timepiece was designed with chronometry in mind, its features of engineered accuracy might just qualify as a complication. Chronometry in mechanical watchmaking is regarded as a marriage between accuracy and precision, as there is a nuance between the two. Accuracy is the quality of a watch or clock to have a timekeeping deviation as close to zero as possible, whereas precision relates more to the consistency and stability of the timepiece’s rate, rather than to a temporary lack of devi...
Worn & Wound
Unimatic’s enigmatic dive watch, the Modello Uno, is largely celebrated for its simple design that’s almost conceptual in nature, with minimal representative elements that deconstruct the normal design cues we expect from such a watch. They are beautiful as a result, but never quite rose to the realm of practical dive watch. Unimatic captures an experience, and they do so quite effectively. If you enjoy the Unimatic vibe, but need something a little more performance oriented, their latest releases within the Modello Uno range look to cover new ground. These are the ProDivers references, the U1S-PD3 and U1S-PD5, pairing Unimatic design to a more funcion driven platform. The pair of watches are straightforward in nature, but instantly recognizable as Unimatic thanks to their strong design language. In practice, these watches bring a lot to the table, and for the first time feel like a viable option as ‘tool’ divers. The biggest step is the inclusion of a fully indexed bezel for measuring elapsed time, a departure from the generally sterile bezel units fitted to these watches. Additionally, the robust case design, which is rated to 300 meters in the PD3, and to 500 meters in the PD5, are presented in a new slimmer package underneath a 2.5mm thick double-domed sapphire crystal. A redesigned crown tube with locking system allows for the impressive depth ratings in both cases. Both watches utilize a 40mm steel case that measures 41.5mm at the width of the 120 click bez...
Worn & Wound
The classic field watch has served as a blank canvas of sorts over the years for all kinds of brands in the microbrand space. It’s a sneakily challenging format to iterate on. Like the dive watch, it’s one of those platforms that was, arguably, perfected right out of the gate. And, like the dive watch, those new iterations tend to work best when a brand doesn’t try to reinvent something that isn’t broken, but simply puts their own unique stamp on a traditional design. That’s what Baltic seems to be going for with their new collection, introduced today, which they’ve dubbed the Hermétique. These first four “Tourer Edition” variants take classic field watch tropes but spin them through Baltic’s own sensibility, which itself has become only more clearly refined in recent years as the brand has continued to mature. What I’ve always liked about field watches is that they are relentlessly unfussy. They are the objectification of the idea of “neutral” in watch design. Simple to wear, simple to read, unobtrusive, but always good looking in their purest form, a simple arrangement of Arabic numerals against a high contrast dial. Baltic has taken the approach with the Hermétique leaning into those things that make field watches field watches, but have added tasteful accents that tweak the formula just a hair. First and foremost, these watches seem to be designed to disappear. The stainless steel cases come in at a very traditional 37mm diamater, and Baltic...
Worn & Wound
Earlier this month, we shared news that Bell & Ross has recalibrated their iconic BR 03 case to be just a little bit more wearable, adding several revamped versions of the classic aviation inspired into the collection in one fell swoop. Now, just weeks later, we get what would appear to be the first newly released watch in the BR 03 collection following that announcement to see the benefit of the new case dimensions. As a total sucker for the weirder side of Bell & Ross, I’m glad to see that the watch chosen for the occassion is a new entry in their Flight Instruments collection, a strange corner of the Bell & Ross catalog where you’ll find watches that recreate the aesthetic of cockpit instruments. This latest watch, the BR 03 Gyrocompass, uses an essential flight tool as inspiration for a dial that makes it very clear that this thing belongs in the sky. The Flight Instruments collection dates back to 2010, and over the years Bell & Ross has created watches that recreate cockpit necessities like radar screen, horizon line indicators, and altimeters. These watches are among the most whimsical in the Bell & Ross lineup because normally they don’t offer any additional functionality related to the instrument they are emulating. The radar inspired watches just have a dynamic red sheen over the dial, and the horizon line watch uses a two piece dial to suggest the instrument, but in watch form. Similarly, the Gyrocompass seen here is merely an ode to the real thing, a pu...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Omega symbol that accompanies the brand’s classical logotype is one of the most recognizable emblems in the watch world, up there with Rolex’s hallmark coronet and Patek Philippe’s venerable Calatrava cross. But what exactly does Omega’s iconic hieroglyph actually symbolize, and what is its meaning in the context of the Swiss manufacture’s watchmaking history? Put simply, the symbol that has long been identified with the Omega brand is a stylized version of the 24th and final letter in the Greek alphabet, called Omega. (If you went to a college that had fraternities and sororities, this probably isn’t news to you.) Much like its counterpart at the beginning of the Greek alphabet, Alpha, the symbolism of the letter Omega has been interpreted various ways throughout history. As “the first” letter, Alpha has become associated with leadership and dominance, i.e., an “Alpha Male” or an “Alpha Dog.” Omega, as the final letter, has been known to connote greatness in its own way, representing the culmination or ultimate expression of a great effort or undertaking. The Biblical connotation of “I am the Alpha and the Omega” - i.e., the beginning and the end, as spoken by Jesus in the Book of Revelation (below) - has also lent weight to the concept of Omega as representing the end of an epoch or, in more ominous but perhaps more horologically relevant terms, the End of Time. So what does all this have to do with a watch brand? Let’s start at the...
Worn & Wound
Our friends at Fratello have announced their latest limited edition collaboration, a follow up to last year’s release with Minase. That watch, the M-3 “Very Peri,” marked the first time Minase’s cushion shaped case was available outside of Japan. This year’s version borrows the same case profile, but lands on a very different dial execution. The Fratello x Minase M-3 “Nori” has a subtle green dial inspired by Japanese seaweed, making for a toned down and perhaps more under-the-radar version of the M-3 than last year’s brightly colored purple variant. Minase, for the uninitiated, is a Japanese brand that produces about 500 pieces per year in the Akita Prefecture. They incorporate many traditional Japanese craft elements in their watchmaking, with a focus on hand-made components, but also incorporate plenty of modern manufacturing techniques. If you’ve handled any of their watches (we’ve been happy to have them at several recent Windup Watch Fairs, and they’ll be joining us once again in NYC next month), you know that they machined and finished immaculately. Zach wrote about Minase’s Divido here, which has an extremely complex case and bracelet construction, paired with a dial that’s made with a very traditional Japanese lacquering technique. The M-3 has a simpler case, but it’s machined and finished to the same high standard as Minase’s more complex designs. The cushion style case measures 39mm in diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug, and is just 10...
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