Two Broke Watch Snobs
Three New Aqua Compressors Show Farer’s Subtle Evolution
Farer updates its Aqua Compressor line with three models featuring the La Joux-Perret G101 movement, upgraded lume, and refined dials.
41,850 articles · 275 videos found · page 1106 of 1405
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Farer updates its Aqua Compressor line with three models featuring the La Joux-Perret G101 movement, upgraded lume, and refined dials.
Deployant
MB&F; unveils their 2025 edition of the HM8 Mark 2 with a new addition in purple body panels, limited edition of 33 pieces.
Fratello
Please don’t call it a size reduction; it’s a completely reworked design to get perfectly balanced proportions. Introducing two new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38mm models for women. Yes, Blancpain tells us explicitly that these new “FF” models are for women only. That’s not very 2025, but in the brand’s defense, these watches pay tribute […] Visit Introducing Two New Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38mm Models “For Women” to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Knowing how to wear a watch - to really wear a watch - is like knowing how to wear a suit, or how to choose the right necktie or cuff links, or what to pack for a beach weekend or mountain hiking retreat. It’s a skill set that would seem to be innate but, especially for many newcomers to the appreciation of watches, often comes with a set of questions - questions that many might feel are way too basic to actually ask out loud for fear of looking like a novice. In this article, we compile some of those deceptively simple questions and do our best to answer them. What wrist should I wear my watch on? In general, the vast majority of wristwatch wearers wear them on the non-dominant hand - i.e., the hand that you don’t write with, aka the one that is slightly weaker and less dexterous (something we also covered here). For most of the human population - anywhere from 85 to 90 percent, according to studies - this hand is the left hand. Wearing the watch on the non-dominant hand simply makes keeping track of the time while performing the duties of everyday life much easier. Imagine, for example, trying to write, sketch, or paint with the same hand on which you’re regularly checking the time. Or checking the time on the wrist of the same hand you’re holding a drink in, which could lead to plenty of absent-minded spills. For that matter, try to envision winding or setting your watch with your less dexterous, non-dominant hand. Wearing the watch on the left hand...
Deployant
Ba111od gets into the spirit of the (Northern) summer, with a release of three brilliant colour options ont heir Chapter 7.
Hodinkee
Don't call them trends; here are a half dozen things I learned by paying close attention to the public watch market as of late.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Breitling Superocean Heritage has been around since 2007 and stands as one of the brand’s most popular offerings due to its classical, vintage-inspired design and broad range of size options. The collection was updated in 2017, with the Superocean Heritage II, and in 2025 we have gotten the third major update to the collection that now includes improvements throughout as well as the use of the B31 movement. And perhaps most appealing is the long-awaited introduction of a 40mm case size. While Breitling refers to the Superocean Heritage as a “Sea Watch,” these are all as robust and resilient as any dive watch. There are a total of six watches in the new Breitling Superocean Heritage collection, all of which have 200 meters of water resistance: the 42mm chronograph outfitted with the manufacture Caliber 01; three time-and-date models in 40mm, 42mm, and 44mm case sizes outfitted with the B31 movement; and a 36mm time-and-date model outfitted with the Caliber 10 automatic movement. The sixth is a special limited edition done with surfer and longtime brand ambassador Kelly Slater, who co-designed a 40mm model. Before getting into these models, let’s discuss what’s new overall for this update of the Superocean Heritage. The Updates And Changes First off, you’ll notice the sharper hour markers and especially that new 12 o’clock marker, which has a circle with a sharp index cutting through it - a throwback to the original Superocean. I think this will likely b...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Here are our two favorite Rolex watches we recommend to anyone looking for the best entry level price into the Iconic Swiss brand.
SJX Watches
Seiko has introduced a new addition to its line of affordable dress watches, the Presage Craftsmanship “Unglazed Arita Porcelain” ref. SPB497. This limited edition retains the accessible pricing the Presage is known for, but is more than just affordable. Unlike previous models with glossy porcelain dials, this has a matte texture that enhances the rhombus patterned surface, traditionally a symbol of prosperity and health in Japan. Initial Thoughts When Seiko launched the first enamel-dialed Presage in 2013, it was an incredible value. In the years since, Seiko has expanded the range with more ambitious designs, and other materials such as Arita porcelain and Urushi lacquer, though the dial decoration techniques employed are uniformly traditional and Japanese. While the Presage models are still accessibly priced, this new model is US$1,850. The price tag is no longer the most compelling aspect but the dials themselves are still interesting in themselves. Unglazed porcelain dials are already almost non-existent, and the diamond pattern makes it even more interesting. Supporting traditional craft arts is also admirable, and has seen great success in the Swiss watch industry, albeit at a much higher price point. The new model employs the familiar Presage case, which is on the large side for a simple, dress watch, and the 27 mm diameter movement could easily fit into a smaller case. However, since a larger case also means a larger dial, it can be forgiven. Unglazed Dial Ari...
Worn & Wound
When it comes to watches from big, corporate owned brands, it’s sometimes hard these days to find designs that feel fresh and inventive. This just the way of the watch world. Particularly in an environment where it might be difficult to sell a watch (Swiss exports are down, tariff threats loom, etc) you can forgive the biggest brands for playing it safe, putting products on the market that they know will sell to their core customers. They might not be the most creative watches ever devised, but if they exhibit a “first, do no harm” mentality, that’s probably a win in the eyes of many brands. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Rado is that it feels like they’ve been given a longer leash, and the opportunity to fully embrace what makes them unique among Swatch Group brands. Rado is, at their core, about materials, and they lead with design. Sure, the Captain Cook is a staple, and there are other watches in the Rado catalog that have a hint of the generic, but when I think about the brand, the watches that come to mind feature colorful ceramic and interesting shapes. The Anatom has been a favorite of mine since Rado reissued it a few years ago. It’s an 80s cult favorite, and the modern reinterpretation holds up remarkably well and offers a unique spin on the integrated bracelet sports watch trend. Rado has just announced a trio of new Anatoms in bright colors that should appeal to enthusiasts who might be after something colorful and a bit whims...
Teddy Baldassarre
Before I get into this review of the Sinn 104 St Sa I white-dial watch, I wanted to offer some of my thoughts and provide some context about the brand. Now, if you know me, you know I’m a longtime fan of Germany’s Sinn and its iconoclastic range of tool watches. all of which have that extra little bit of over-engineered oomph when compared to many of their rugged peers. Come to think of it, these watches actually have no peers, given their unique solutions to problems facing watches that actually experience adverse conditions. Sinn History & Context Founded in 1961 in Frankfurt by ex-military pilot Helmut Sinn, the brand's cultish popularity stems from its technical innovations, which include the so-called "Submarine" steel, developed for the modern German Navy and found in many Sinn dive watches. Submarine steel possesses a mechanical strength more than one and a half times that of normal steel, and additionally, it's highly resistant to magnetism, cracking, and corrosion. In fact, Sinn claims the alloy is completely resistant to prolonged exposure to salt water, something that few stainless-steel formulations can claim. Sinn also employs an additional technology for hardening both stainless steel and titanium surfaces under the Tegiment name. This treatment increases both hardness and scratch resistance even further, making for a practically bombproof finish. The caseback of the Sinn U15 Sinn also goes above and beyond when it comes to handling pressure. For its p...
Hodinkee
The nine-time winner at Le Mans and long-standing Rolex Testimonee is profiled in advance of this year's race at Le Mans.
Deployant
An ice cream a week keeps the troubles away! Norqain have just released the Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm “Enjoy Life” Special Edition where they plan to bring some positive vibes to this crazy world. Press Release information with commentary in italics. New: Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40MM “Enjoy Life” Special Edition The Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40MM “EnjoyRead More
Worn & Wound
Vintage watches remain ever popular in the watch collector’s journey. There are serious collectors who remain focused on buying only vintage. Since the pandemic, my inbox has been flooded with auction houses and vintage dealers trying to one-up each other by selling the most curated “once in a lifetime” or most expensive vintage piece. I have nothing against the sellers and buyers, especially if they can vouch for the authenticity and pay for the repairs, they deserve my appreciation. Personally, I am apprehensive of owning vintage watches at my current point of collecting. I owned a few vintage watches in my early days as a collector, most of them were bargain finds on eBay that eventually stopped working or I ended up trading, except for one expensive Rolex Datejust that had to be serviced. Ultimately, service on the Datejust was as expensive as the watch, including Rolex replacing the dial to a different color which I hated and ended up selling for a loss. I know it was a rookie mistake, but that was the end of vintage watches for me. After that experience, I stuck to buying either new watches from retailers or pre-owned watches from other collectors. As it happened, my work took me to Germany often, and there I discovered a whole new world of neo-vintage watches. Before I get deeper into what specific “affordable” neo-vintage watches a couple of my collector friends and I recommend, I should briefly define what neo-vintage watches are and why they are easier ...
Fratello
This year, Chopard celebrates 38 years as the official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia race, in which historic cars will race throughout Italy from June 17th through the 21st. To mark the occasion, the brand will release two limited-edition watches available only in Chopard boutiques. Let’s take a closer look at these two highly different […] Visit Chopard Races Ahead With Two Fresh Mille Miglia Releases to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Lady Serenade and PanoMatic Luna are Glashütte Original’s mechanical watch collections for women. While the PanoMatic Luna is essentially a smaller version of the men’s model, the Lady Serenade collection was conceived as a ladies’ watch from the start. Last year, the Lady Serenade was given a moonlight serenade with the incorporation of a moon phase display and […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Breguet Type XX, originally produced for France’s military pilots in the 1950s, is one of the most significant and influential watches with aviation ties, and represents the historical and, to many watch enthusiasts, largely unknown link between the Breguet family’s two areas of multigenerational savoir faire: watchmaking and aeronautical technology. The new Type XX Chronographe 2075, unveiled last week as part of Montres Breguet’s ongoing celebration of its 250th anniversary, stylishly pays tribute to this shared history in two distinctive iterations based on one of the very first civilian-marketed models. Origin of the Type XX A bit of history and background: Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of the eponymous watchmaking maison, is known to many of us as one of the world’s most important watchmaking pioneers, whose many accomplishments include the invention of the tourbillon, keyless winding of watch movements, and the ubiquitous Breguet hands. Several generations of his family continued the horological tradition, but one great grandson, Louis-Charles Breguet, found another calling, in the burgeoning field of manned flight, founding Breguet Aviation in 1911. The company, today a part of Dassault Aviation, developed cutting-edge aircraft for the military units of Louis’ native France, including the famed Breguet 19 bomber used during World War I. Despite the ownership change in the watch business, both branches of the Breguet families kept close ties both to e...
Worn & Wound
We covered the introduction of Gagà Laboratorio back in August of last year, and have remained curious about how this new independent brand with Italian roots would evolve. Their first models, the Labormatic Bauhaus and Labormatic Cinquanta, paired a highly considered case design defined by dramatically flared lugs with a creative timetelling format that riffs heavily on the classic jump hour. Each watch represented the flipside of the same coin: the Bauhaus subtle and minimal, the Cinquanta more light and colorful. The brand’s latest releases are a new pair of Labormatics that follow a similar theme. First up, the Labormatic Champagne. This watch was conceived as something of a counterpoint to the minimalist design ethos of the Bauhaus model. The Champagne, as the name of the watch implies, is celebratory where the Bauhaus is subdued, trading clean and cold grays for vibrant gold tones, including deeply textured dial base. On this reference, as with the Bauhaus, time is told via a digital hours window at the 12:00 position and an analog minute display. Gagà Laboratorio has also introduced the Labormatic Azzuro, which can be understood as a complement to last year’s Cinquanta. Both watches are inspired by Italian design from the 1950s, which was a notably colorful period following the tumult of World War II. The pastel blue tones seen here look great with the rich, wine red chosen for the stylized Arabic numerals in the hour and minute tracks. Once again, the hou...
Fratello
NATO straps have seen a massive boost in popularity in recent years. Once used exclusively by military units, they are now one of the more common strap options I see on the street. For many people, a NATO-style strap is probably mostly a fashion statement. By this, I mean it is a strap that just […] Visit How Scuba Diving Changed My Attitude Toward NATO Straps to read the full article.
Fratello
Coming this month is the return of WatchIt! Watch Fair presented by 12&60. WatchIt! is a free one-day event where you can view, handle, talk, and buy watches in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This gathering for enthusiastic watch lovers and like-minded individuals boasts some of the best of what Britain and the world offer. […] Visit WatchIt! Watch Fair Is Returning This Month to read the full article.
Fratello
It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for a coffee and another installment of Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, we chose two newer versions of watches that we pitted against each other back in 2022 and 2023. The Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT came out last year and is the smaller and slimmer version of […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium Vs. Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Despite missing the original 2023 target, the revival of Urban Jürgensen has proceeded surprisingly swiftly, especially since the brand is making its debut with three all-new models, including the flagship UJ-1 tourbillon – a substantial achievement in a relatively short period of time. The brand was only acquired at end 2021 by a consortium led by American financier Andrew Rosenfield, which installed Kari Voutilainen at its helm, whose presence explains a great deal of the brand’s momentum and product quality. The impressive UJ-1 movement with a flying tourbillon incorporating a remontoir Mr Voutilainen is now co-chief executive of Urban Jürgensen as well as a shareholder; the watches certainly bear the hallmarks of his work, namely top-class execution. Rosenfield senior’s son, Alex, is fellow co-chief executive primarily focused on crafting the brand’s image, which is a little fresher than the artisanal watches would imply. Now in his seventies, Rosenfield senior is president of Guggenheim Partners, the investment bank and asset manager, but more importantly, a collector of independent watchmaking for several decades. Mr Rosenfield has been a client of Mr Voutilainen’s for many years now, and owns one of the biggest collections of the watchmaker’s timepieces in the world. Andrew Rosenfield. Image – Urban Jürgensen The allure A wealthy, successful individual buying a watch brand is not a novel happening. The allure of owning a prestigious luxury watch mar...
Deployant
GREEN ABYSS is the latest model in the Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms Collection which celebrates Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, the first true diver’s watch launched in 1953.
Quill & Pad
The Omega Planet Ocean launched in 2005, and in less than 20 years has gained an iconic status. Raman Kalra takes a deep dive into the Omega Planet Ocean.
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion Vintage Longines Here we have a beautiful vintage Longines Jamboree. This is a great casual sporty dress watch, well suited for a day on the town or with a suit at a nice dinner. The 35mm steel case looks unpolished with sharp edges, and perfectly preserved original etching on the caseback. Nice slim lugs too. The silver dial looks clean, with slim applied steel markers and nice steel sword hands. No date window to mess with the soothing symmetry. The crown is original and signed with the Longines logo as it should be. The Longines caliber 230 manual wind movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Fantastic watch from a well respected manufacture that you don’t see too often. View auction here Vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf Next up is a classic and highly sought-after vintage diver, a second generation Zodiac Sea Wolf. This version has the gray acrylic bezel insert, which is in excellent condition, with only one small crack near the 20 minute mark. The steel case (around 35mm if memory serves) is unpolished with nice edges. The original crown is signed with the Zodiac crosshair logo as it should be. The original black dial is superb, with nice lume filled triangle markers at 12, 6 and ...
Hodinkee
The Hodinkee community came together at Watches of Switzerland to celebrate our latest magazine.
Teddy Baldassarre
So, you love Audemars Piguet’s inarguably iconic Royal Oak, but you are looking for some Royal Oak alternatives that capture the vibe of the watch at a price point that won’t give you night sweats? You and I, my friend, are in the same boat, chugging along the turbulent sea that is modern watch pricing. Recently, it seems that I have set out on a personal renegade mission to target some of the most well-known watch designs of all time, and offer a sampling platter of alternatives that go down a little easier, with price tags that won’t keep you up at night questioning how yourself and your family will ever recover from your watch collecting hobby. Clearly, my next target is the Royal Oak, which just so happens to be one of my favorite watches of all time. For anyone new here, the rules of the road are as follows: below, I will offer up some watches at various price points, from the extremely affordable (under $200, perhaps) watch alternatives from various brands as bounty. These picks will range from blatant copycats (or homages to the Royal Oak, if you prefer) to other, more wild-card picks that, in my point of view, demonstrate a key ingredient of the design at hand, though it might be less obvious at first glance. In the Royal Oak alternatives recipe, those key ingredients are an integrated bracelet construction (or the appearance of one, with the help of a quick-release strap mechanism), bezels with complex geometry, and an overall feeling of sportiness. Of cou...
Deployant
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Leica’s first mass-produced 35mm camera and the opening of its flagship store at ION Orchard, Singapore, the Wetzlar-based camera manufacturer has partnered with Royal Selangor and MEDICOM TOY to unveil a special edition Leica BE@RBRICK 400%. Press Release information with commentary in italics. New: Leica BE@RBRICK by Royal Selangor 400% TheRead More
Fratello
It’s Friday, so it’s time for another list. After visiting Rolex a few weeks ago to check out the novelties for 2025, we immediately agreed that the Genevan brand treated us to some amazing releases this year. Having a chance to see them all displayed at once gave us a good idea of the variety […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Releases Of 2025 to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Wouldn’t it be splendid to have everything your heart desired? Well, it’s a nice fantasy but it’s not going to happen for GaryG. And, besides, he's not so sure that the experience of “selling to buy” isn’t actually a significant part, albeit a bittersweet one, of the collecting experience. Find out why here.
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