Results for Mainspring Types and Alloys

Catching Up on New Releases from Ming, Wren, Squale, and Doxa

Happy Saturday! Dive watch summer continues – we’ve noticed some fun new divers, all limited editions, come across the transom lately. New water ready releases from Doxa, Wren, and Doxa are profiled below. We’re also spotlight the latest from Ming – while not a diver, it has a stealthiness to it that feels appropriate for the season. Let us know in the comments what you think of these new releases, and what we might have missed. Wren Diver 38 Wren is back with their second watch, the all new Diver 38. The brand, founded by Wrist Enthusiast’s Craig Karger, launched last year with the Diver One, and the new piece is a scaled down, and perhaps more refined take on the original concept. The new version of the watch is smaller, coming in at, you guessed it, 38mm, and is just 10.7mm tall (the original was 41mm in diameter and over 13mm thick). The dial has a sandwich style design, in either a gradient seafoam green or aqua colorway. According to Karger, the goal here was to move Wren into a new category that “balances practicality, comfort, and refined execution.”  The Wren Diver 38 is available in date and no-date versions for $1,595. It runs on a ETA  2892 automatic caliber, and has 200 meters of water resistance. It’s mounted to a flat-link, stainless steel bracelet, and the ceramic bezel insert is fully lumed. Another nice touch: the rotor is skeletonized in the shape of a wren. More information on the Wren Diver 38 can be found on the Wren website here. Mi...

Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Jorg’s Favorites From Tudor, Laventure, Nomos, And Rolex

In the last installment of our series on our favorite summer watches, Robert-Jan took a slightly different approach that I loved. Connecting watches to destinations made it more personal. Additionally, it sparked a lively discussion on a variety of topics in the comments. But my brain is also wired similarly to his. Whenever I think […] Visit Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Jorg’s Favorites From Tudor, Laventure, Nomos, And Rolex to read the full article.

Insight: Hairspring Materials and Evolution Part I

The invention of the hairspring was among the greatest breakthroughs in horology, since its inception suddenly made mechanical timepieces portable, transforming clocks into watches. This not only marked the start of precision timekeeping, but also set mankind upon the long road to perfecting the accuracy of mechanical watches, arguably the most sophisticated pieces of kit on Earth at the time, when such precision was paramount for fields as varied as navigation, warfare, and astronomy. The hairspring turned 350 years old in 2025 and we’re marking the occasion with a series of stories on the topic, including the story of the spiral hairspring and also the importance and evolution of the overcoil. Now we turn to temperature compensation and metallurgy in a two-part story covering the evolution of the hairspring materials up until metal alloys. More exotic materials and inventions will follow in Part II. Elasticity and thermal expandability  One of the fundamental factors in hairspring function is ambient temperature, simply because metal alloys expand or contract uni-directionally with a change in temperature. As a result, watchmakers used calorimetry, the science of temperature effects, and material science, specifically metal alloys, to their gain in advancing hairspring technology. The equation below shows the relation between the initial length of a metal strip L0, measured at a given temperature and the final length LT after a certain change in temperature.  The equ...

Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Patek Philippe, Singer, Grand Seiko, And More

It’s Friday again. Then Saturday, Sunday, what? If you recognize this, you know your music. It’s also a nice cue for our next list article with the best watches of the first half of 2025. This week, we’re focusing on our five favorite chronograph watches that came out in the past six months. Some of […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Patek Philippe, Singer, Grand Seiko, And More to read the full article.

SJX Podcast: Urban Jürgensen’s Revival, Breguet’s Birthday, and Spring Auctions

SJX and Brandon Moore kick off episode seven of the SJX Podcast with the relaunch of Urban Jürgensen (which includes a tribute to Derek Pratt’s Oval pocket watch), discussing why this time might be different. Also on the docket is a recap of the spring auction season, which included strong prices for hot names in independent watchmaking, though other “indies” waned, surprising showings from hitherto esoteric clocks and pocket watches, and some value buys with out-of-vogue timepieces. Lastly, we recap Breguet’s 250th anniversary launches so far, which have met with a mixed reception, but demonstrate signs of life for a historic brand. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Introducing: The Ressence Limited Art Watch Type 8 × Daniel Engelberg

We all know Benoît Mintiens, founder of Ressence, doesn’t shy away from using multiple colors on his user-friendly spherical watches. The brand’s minimalist Type 8, however, has always had a more modest, single-color design - until now. In collaboration with German painter and sculptor Daniel Engelberg, Ressence presents us with the Type 8 DE1 in […] Visit Introducing: The Ressence Limited Art Watch Type 8 × Daniel Engelberg to read the full article.

The Lanco Alarm: Appreciating Langendorf’s Innovative and Overlooked Single-Crowned Mechanical Alarm

It’s no secret that the visuals of a watch are often why collectors pull the trigger on adding yet another piece to their collection. It could be a specific color, the inclusion of a certain desirable bezel insert, the symmetry of a double register chronograph, or many other aesthetic reasons. This isn’t to say that the movement and build quality are not also a part of this decision-making process, but one of the chief reasons many of us love to collect is for the joy we feel putting one on wrist, potentially matching it with an outfit, and gawking at it throughout our busy days. What I wish to do here is move away from this mindset and instead appreciate how mechanical ingenuity can produce the same amount of excitement and allure. This Lanco Alarm watch may seem relatively lackluster at first glance. A simplistic silver case and dial with very few flashy or notable design choices, it could be easily mistaken for dozens of watches and brands who sold timepieces in the 1960s and 70s. Its most interesting characteristic is perhaps what’s most unremarkable on any other vintage dress piece: the use of a single crown.  By the 1960s, brands like Vulcain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Poljot, Girard-Perregaux, Citizen, Bulova, and Helbros had released their own alarm watches, many of which utilized movements made by outside movement manufactures like A. Schild and Venus. The common denominator between these models and movements was the two crown layout: one typically adjusted and wou...

Ressence and Ahmed Seddiqi Celebrate 75 Years With A Sand-Filled TYPE 9 S75

Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin Unveil a Third Round of their “Time Eater” Collaboration

Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin, the only Russian member of the AHCI, have teamed up once again for a new batch of their hit “Time Eater” collaboration. It’s been about two years since their first collaboration, which was an immediate hit for both parties and sold out quickly. A follow up limited edition came a few months later, this one much darker in tone, both in terms of the dial and case, and also the mood of the piece- that bloodshot eye really leaves an impression. For their third release, Chaykin and Louis Erard have returned to their original idea, offering a pair of watches that fans of the original who might have missed out will likely be quite interested in taking a look at when they go on sale in a few days.  The fact that this collaboration exists at all is one of the things we like most about Louis Erard as a brand. They’ve really found a niche in developing limited edition projects with interesting collaborators both in and outside of the watch industry. A watchmaker like Konstantin Chaykin, who has risen to prominence in recent years with his “Wristmons” series of watches, makes watches that are likely out of reach for most collectors. But through Louis Erard, Chaykin, along with watchmakers like Stefan Kudoke and Vianney Halter, brings his design ethos down to earth, making it approachable to enthusiasts who admire his work but would never be able to spend tens of thousands on a single piece. Together with Louis Erard, Chaykin has essentia...

Introducing – The New Ressence TYPE 9 S75 to Celebrate Ahmed Seddiqi’s 75 Years

Ressence’s partnership with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, UAE’s leading watch and jewellery retailer, has produced a series of limited editions over the years, each celebrating local heritage through innovative design. From the Type 1 DXB with its Arabesque-inspired grid motif to the Type 1 Slim DX2, and the Type 1 DX3 featuring traditional Girih geometric […]

Introducing: The Ressence Type 9 S75 - A Sand-Dial Limited Edition Celebrating Ahmed Seddiqi’s 75th Anniversary

Benoît Mintiens of Ressence and Ahmed Seddiqi, a luxury watch and jewelry retailer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are back with another limited edition. This time, they used the fairly new Ressence Type 9 as their canvas and added a unique touch: the domed titanium dial is completely covered with sand. It’s not just […] Visit Introducing: The Ressence Type 9 S75 - A Sand-Dial Limited Edition Celebrating Ahmed Seddiqi’s 75th Anniversary to read the full article.

Introducing: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Lake Tahoe And Mojave Desert Will Take You Places

Most Fratello readers saw Top Gun, right? And something tells me most of you have also seen Top Gun: Maverick. Something also tells me that all who have seen those action-packed movies wanted to be Maverick or Iceman. Who wouldn’t want to fire the afterburners and just send their F-14 Tomcat? With a cool pilot’s […] Visit Introducing: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 Top Gun Lake Tahoe And Mojave Desert Will Take You Places to read the full article.

Hands-On: Suspend Your Purism And Enjoy Two New Colors Of The Hamilton Khaki Field Auto 38mm

The Hamilton Khaki Field Auto has been a gateway watch for many seasoned collectors. It is also one of those rare watches that serve that role without owners “growing” out of it. You’ll find it sitting proudly among Rolexes and Omegas, holding its own in so many enthusiasts’ collections. Today, we get two new colorways, […] Visit Hands-On: Suspend Your Purism And Enjoy Two New Colors Of The Hamilton Khaki Field Auto 38mm to read the full article.

Introducing: The New Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2075 Watches

I wrote a lengthy review on the stainless steel Type XX Chronographe 2067 late last year. You can find (and read) it here. If you want to skip to the conclusion, I ended that review with the following paragraph: “I hope Breguet will introduce more variations of the modern Type XX that are closer to […] Visit Introducing: The New Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2075 Watches to read the full article.

Visiting The 6 Hours Of Spa-Francorchamps And A Talk With Tom “Mr. Le Mans” Kristensen

A few weeks ago, Rolex invited me to attend the World Endurance Championships 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. This series, which also includes the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, took place on May 10th in Belgium. Hypercars and GT3 racing cars compete for six hours at this beautiful track. This year’s winning car was a […] Visit Visiting The 6 Hours Of Spa-Francorchamps And A Talk With Tom “Mr. Le Mans” Kristensen to read the full article.

Baume & Mercier give enthusiasts what they want, expanding the Riviera range with panda dials and a flyback chrono

A flyback chronograph makes a return to the Riviera range, and for the first time ever, we also get a Riviera Chrono with a panda dial.The post Baume & Mercier give enthusiasts what they want, expanding the Riviera range with panda dials and a flyback chrono appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing: The Smaller Seiko Presage SPB521, SPB523, And SPB524

The Seiko Presage collection is often overlooked but without good reason. I have a major soft spot for the Cocktail Time series that combines the fun of Tokyo bar culture with some seriously stylish timepieces. There’s also the relatively new Presage Classic series. It uses traditional Japanese colors, materials, and textures to develop a creative […] Visit Introducing: The Smaller Seiko Presage SPB521, SPB523, And SPB524 to read the full article.

Hands-on – Understanding The Highly Original Ressence Type 7 GMT (Incl. Video)

It’s not every day we get to see a new Ressence, but in the past decade and a half, the brand has carved out an impressive reputation for originality and creativity. And in all honesty, it really is one of the most original brands around, with a unique take on how to display time. Especially […]

SJX Podcast: Geneva Auctions and Breguet

In the fifth episode of the SJX Podcast, Brandon Moore and SJX discuss Breguet’s reinterpretation of the Souscription for its 250th anniversary, as well as a historical Breguet watches coming up for auction, including a pocket watch owned by Napoleon’s sister and the very first modern-day Breguet Sympathique. We also talk about Christopher Ward’s daring new C12 with a dial-side balance wheel and very contemporary styling, before moving on to antique watches and clocks coming up for auction at Phillips in Geneva, including a 1920s portico mystery clock by Cartier in the “orientalist” style. Lastly, we finish some complicated pocket watches, which are perhaps under appreciated but magnificent examples of horology. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Hands-on – Experiencing the Appealing Minimalism of The Ressence Type 9

Founded in 2010 by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, Ressence’s design philosophy revolves around deconstructing and displaying time in a contemporary, dynamic way, without the use of hands. Time literally circles around the dial like planets orbiting the Sun, indicated by highly graphic and revolving sub-dials animated by Ressence’s patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS). At […]

Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès Unveil the Noctograph, their Third Collaboration

Massena LAB has announced their latest limited edition, a third collaboration with independent watchmaker Raúl Pagès. The new Noctograph also represents the first release from Massena LAB since it was revealed that the brand would now be part of the Alternative Horological Alliance (AHA), a group founded last year by Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro (the alliance also added Fears at the same time as Massena LAB). The Noctograph, then, is a watch that celebrates independence as well as collaboration in a way that Massena LAB has been doing since the brand’s inception, and makes them a natural fit with their new AHA partners.  If you’ve followed Massena LAB since William Massena launched the project, you’ve probably gotten a sense of his taste. The brands he likes, the watches he collects, and so on. Massena LAB is essentially a vehicle for Massena and his collaborators to put a new spin on the ideas and watches that have shaped his taste over decades. Sometimes those watches are somewhat straightforward reissues of classics that are just slightly tweaked, and sometimes they are more imaginative and high concept. But they always showcase some very specific hallmarks and design cues, sharing inspiration from watches of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, and allow Massena an opportunity for storytelling and sharing watch history through a watch’s design.  So it’s interesting that one of Massena’s key partners over these past few years has been an indie watchmaker who is v...

Fratello Talks: Trend Spotting At Watches And Wonders 2025

We don’t just go to Watches and Wonders to get our hands on all the new watches; we also keep our eyes on the bigger picture, looking at the overarching themes that emerge at the show. On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re looking at some of the trends that we felt were most prominent […] Visit Fratello Talks: Trend Spotting At Watches And Wonders 2025 to read the full article.

First Look – Longines Enlarges the Conquest 38mm and 41mm Range with Colours and Rubber Straps

First introduced in 1954 (and the first to be trademarked over 70 years ago), the Conquest collection is among the longest lived of the brand with the winged hourglass logo. In recent years, the name Conquest (without a suffix, since there’s also the Conquest Heritage and the HydroConquest) has become synonymous with modern versatility. This […]

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Daan’s Picks From Cartier, Rolex, Nomos, And More

Last week was the second time I attended Watches and Wonders Geneva, and it was almost just as impressive as the first. Palexpo is still an immense venue, and the booths make it look like you’re in a shopping center full of huge luxury watch boutiques. It also still amazes me how many people are […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Daan’s Picks From Cartier, Rolex, Nomos, And More to read the full article.

Fratello Talks: The Watches And Wonders 2025 Debrief

Welcome to this special installment of Fratello Talks. This is the Watches and Wonders 2025 debrief episode, where Nacho, RJ, Daan, and Lex share their highlights from this year’s show. We also discuss just about every brand and novelty released at the fair. Honorable mentions go to some of the novelties released at the other […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Watches And Wonders 2025 Debrief to read the full article.