717 articles · 95 videos found · page 13 of 28
Fratello
Welcome to another installment of Fratello On Air. This week, we respond to a listener’s request for a strap episode. Today’s show covers how to choose, which brands we enjoy, and pairing specific watches. Enjoy it! For our listeners, the watch content begins after approximately 21 minutes. This podcast player is blocked because you did […] Visit Fratello On Air: The Strap Episode to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Christie’s continues its spring season in Hong Kong with an unexpected single-owner trilogy – three separate collections of timepieces owned by one collection going on the block – The Chronicle, The Generations, and Stories in Time. The Generations collection will be sold on May 28, and focuses on sports watches from Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Slated to be sold on the same day, The Chronicle collection is more eclectic but focuses on traditionally styled watches. Thirdly, Stories in Time will hit the block on May 29, and features notable vintage Rolex watches – including a fine mid-century cloisonné Oyster – stunning Cartier clocks, and avant-garde creations by independents. One of the top lots in the sale is the Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 with a cloisonné enamel dial that is only now reemerging publicly after having last been sold in 1990 Concurrently, watches from The Legacy Collection, including rare watches from Richard Mille and gem-set Patek Philippe complications, will be on show from May 22 to 28 (though that are not part of the auction). We round up five fine and fascinating watches, and one clock from the upcoming sale. Online bidding and the catalogue for the May 28 sale and the May 29 sale, and the catalogue in PDF format for both sessions, are available on Christies.com. Lot 2277 – Seiko Credor Eichi I Unveiled in 2008, the Credor Eichi I was the second product of Seiko Epson’s elite Micro-Artist Studio, after the Credor Sonnerie of 2006....
Teddy Baldassarre
The Grand Seiko “Snowflake” is not just a watch that helped define Grand Seiko as a luxury brand to be reckoned with in the 21st Century: it is also at the vanguard of an industry-wide movement toward making dials more beautiful, enticing, and unique - not only with the bold use of color, but with textures that play with the concept of 3D space and the interplay of light and shadow. Nearly every Grand Seiko model of note can claim a dial (and often a nickname) with a distinctly eye-catching motif, usually inspired by the breathtaking natural wonders of the company’s native Japan. Other luxury watch brands have noticed and followed suit - from luxury leaders like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, to attainable brands like little-brother Seiko and its main competitor, Citizen. The “Snowflake,” Grand Seiko’s first and still most famous textured dial, is arguably the OG of this trend; here is the story of how it came to be and where it stands today. As success stories for new watch brands go, it’s hard to find a better case study in the past decade than Grand Seiko. The Japanese high-luxury watchmaker has, in its relatively short stint in the international market, elevated itself in the eyes of many collectors to the upper echelon of watchmaking prestige and collectibility, competing for connoisseur attention and dollars with well-established maisons from Switzerland and Germany. This plaudit, of course, comes with a caveat: Grand Seiko is not ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Before getting into the Seiko "Arnie," I must discuss the man who made it an icon on the big screen. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a guy who knows watches. Or he is at least a guy who is very clear and consistent about the types of watches that he likes. In terms of impact on the watch industry, few celebrity enthusiasts have been as huge (pun intended) as Schwarzenegger, the former “Mr. Universe” from Austria who dominated the big screen during the 1980s and ‘90s in high-testosterone blockbusters like Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Commando, Total Recall, End of Days, and the Terminator series. Along with his fellow iconic action star, Sylvester Stallone, Schwarzenegger helped bring Panerai and its hypermasculine, military style to the attention of millions, kicking off a fascination with large, bulky watches that more or less defined the early 2000s. He also played a significant role in taking Audemars Piguet’s boldly styled Royal Oak Offshore out from under the shadow of the original Royal Oak and into a pop-cultural milieu all its own, famously donning a specially tailored model for his 1999 thriller, End of Days. From this, one can make the assumption that Arnold, who also went on to become the governor of California, loves big watches with mechanical movements from historic Swiss maisons. But in at least two of the movies listed above, he turned instead to a Japanese watch with an analog-digital display - still plenty big, but at the time priced in a range tha...
Fratello
Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we imagine certain current brands as independent watchmakers. The topic was a lot of fun to discuss and came as a suggestion from two of our listeners. Enjoy the show! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie […] Visit Fratello On Air: Imagining Current Brands As Independent Watchmakers to read the full article.
Video
When two distinct worlds come together, the outcome is impossible to predict. For Bvlgari's latest collaboration, the singular world of an independent watchmaker is integrated into the geometric architecture of the Oc...
Fratello
Just six months after debuting with the ALD model in four dial options, Dennison has returned with a group of new releases. The big news is the brand’s first collaboration, a new piece with Collectability. Four other watches join the catalog, proving this retro design is highly versatile. Last November, I reviewed the initial Dennison […] Visit Dennison Collaborates With Collectability And Introduces Four New ALD Pieces to read the full article.
Fratello
Regardless of your opinion on the brand, there’s bound to be a Rolex out there for just about anyone. The brand’s back catalog is vast and full of brilliant references. On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re each picking three of our all-time favorites. Nacho, Thomas, and Lex have done some research, but little to no […] Visit Fratello Talks: Our Favorite Rolex Watches Of All Time to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we cover the latest news on watches and other subjects. We discuss the 250th Anniversary of Breguet and several other high-end brands. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings It was a relatively quiet week on the […] Visit Fratello On Air: The Latest News Including Breguet And Rolex to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss two popular complications and their usefulness. It’s the type of nerdy talk we hope you enjoy! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Watch complications are a big part of why many of us collect […] Visit Fratello On Air: Useful And Useless Complications to read the full article.
Deployant
Another maison who was exhibiting at downtown during the WWG week. We did not visit, so here is our coverage on the new Garrick S3 Dead Beat Seconds.
Video
The CIGA Design Time Cipher is the most wearable watch I've had from CIGA to date — and it's got a wandering hour complication to boot. In this video I break down every spec: the self-developed Caliber CD-08 (based...
Fratello
We’re back with another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we’re wrapping up Watches and Wonders. We’ve had time to think about the show, the adjoining events, and the watches. You’ll hear our impressions and some good old banter. For our listeners, the watch content begins after 30 minutes. This podcast player is blocked […] Visit Fratello On Air: Wrapping Up Watches And Wonders 2025 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
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...
Fratello
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.
SJX Watches
Just as Watches & Wonders 2025 comes to a close, Patek Philippe is opening the doors of its annual showcase of Rare Handcrafts at its historical home base along the Geneva waterfront. Now open for a period of three weeks rather than two as was the case for the 2024 exhibition, the exhibition features dozens of Dome Clocks, wristwatches, and pocket watches embellished with miniature enamel painting, cloisonné, marquetry, hand engraving, and other artistic forms of decoration. The view from the salon with the historic Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on the left hidden by trees In addition to the usual nature-inspired themes, this year’s collection plays to nostalgia, including both rose-coloured memories of the past and antiquarian visions of the future. Visiting the Rare Handcrafts exhibit is enjoyable because intellectually it’s a level playing field; it’s mostly the same clocks and watches with the same specs and movements dressed up in different ways. This fact makes it easier to pay attention to one’s own heart, and to get drawn into the creations on an emotional level. Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50R-020 “Regent Street” Clocks While the selection of clocks is naturally centered around the brand’s iconic Dome Clocks, Patek is also bringing back desk clocks with a new version of the ref. 27001M which sold for more than US$10 million at Only Watch in 2021. For the corporate titan who has everything, the million-franc desk clock ref. 27000M is embellished with e...
Fratello
Welcome back to a special episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we bring you a compilation of recordings from Watches and Wonders 2025. We patched together several segments and even had a guest! Enjoy this inside look at the world’s largest watch event. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing […] Visit Fratello On Air: On The Ground At Watches And Wonders 2025 to read the full article.
Video
Is the Rolex Explorer 36 the best everyday Rolex, or is it simply too boring for the price?
![Ulysse Nardin Introduces the World’s Lightest Mechanical Dive Watch, the Dive [Air]](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2025/04/UN-Dive-Air-55.jpg)
Worn & Wound
Ulysse Nardin once again entered Watches & Wonders with only one watch. I like this strategy, as it allows a brand to really focus on storytelling and helping the press, retailers, and other guests understand what their new novelty is all about. Many Watches & Wonders meetings can feel a bit rushed as tray after tray of watches is passed around and given a full explanation. But Ulysse Nardin, by comparison, is a leisurely experience, and the information really sticks. I always come away from their big spring novelty impressed, and this year, with the debut of the new Dive [Air] was no exception. The Dive [Air] sees Ulysse Nardin at their most experimental, pursuing the type of ultralight watchmaking that has driven brands like Richard Mille (the obvious point of comparison) over the past decade. According to Ulysse Nardin, the Dive [Air] is the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch, with a case that tips the scales at just 46 grams (with the elastic strap, the watch weighs 52 grams). I’m sure the Ulysse Nardin team had fun all week handing the watch over to people like me and watching their faces as the weight (or, lack thereof) sunk in. To be clear, 52 grams is disconcertingly light. It’s the type of light that makes you believe your mind is playing a trick on you, or that the watch might be a fake, some plastic, Happy Meal toy. But it’s not, of course, a toy. It’s a 44mm diver that sees Ulysse Nardin pushing their own technical limits, and coming up with ing...
A Week in Watches Episode 101 takes us inside Windup Watch Fair Dallas. We look at several new releases first on display at the show, including the Fortis Novonaut titanium, Christopher Ward Sapphire Edge, Formex Ceramica, Paulin Modul Zapat, and Horage Deca Flux. We also check out a few fabulous booth displays. The next Windup Watch Fair is in San Francisco from May 2nd to 4th. For more info, visit Windupwatchfair.com. We hope to see you there. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 101 – Windup Watch Fair appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Deployant
Next up, one of our favourite brands: Vacheron Constantin. VC celebrates 270 years as a maison. Here is a selection of our top few.
Deployant
Up next is our hands-on session with Laurent Ferrier and our highlights and impressions on the maison. Focus is on the Classic Auto Horizon.
Fratello
Vacheron Constantin turns 270 this year; can you believe it? To mark the occasion, the Maison is releasing several new models. Among them are eight new celebratory limited editions of Patrimony and Traditionnelle watches. We will cover the other new watches in separate articles. I can, however, imagine you may struggle to keep up with […] Visit Introducing: Eight New Vacheron Constantin Patrimony And Traditionnelle Limited Editions to read the full article.
Video
Longines’ Master collection is known for combining traditional watchmaking with modern mechanics. The Master Chrono Monopusher takes that formula in a particularly classic direction.
Deployant
Piaget unveils a series of trapeze watches which is deeply rooted in the maison's historical codes. Dubbed Sixtie, this novelty comes in three flavours.
Worn & Wound
As a writer and a dabbler in watercolors, I can say that there is nothing more exciting than a blank canvas. I’m happy to say that Czapek seems to agree. According to CEO Xavier de Roquemurel, their sporty Antarctique has long been seen as a blank canvas to showcase the talents under the maison. Enter the Antarctique Tourbillon. At its core, it’s a tension between the avant-garde and the traditional, making for a watch that toes the line perfectly between sophisticated and playful. To achieve this, Czapek designed an all-new pattern called Singularité, named after the astronomical phenomenon where the laws of physics begin to break down – like that of a black hole. This is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek name for the technique used to describe the Singularité design. It may look deceptively simple – like a black hole – but in reality it’s a mixture of technique, artistry, and precision to create the pattern, which has no one starting point, unlike traditional guilloché. The case’s design, too, belies the technical precision needed to create something so simple. The case of the Antarctique Tourbillon has been redesigned to echo the curvilinear aesthetic of the dial. To achieve this, the front and back sapphire crystals have been raised a tiny bit, giving the impression on the reverse side that there is no bezel. Thanks to bridge design that gives the whole dial an airy feel, the wearer is left with the impression that components are floating in mid air. All of...
Monochrome
Ben Kuffer, the CEO of Norqain, is lucky to have industry heavyweight Jean-Claude Biver on his advisory board. Thanks to Biver’s valuable input, Norqain introduced its high-performance Wild One sports watch collection in 2022. Featuring an innovative carbon fibre composite case with a rubber shock absorber padding the titanium movement container, the Wild One is […]
Worn & Wound
Over the weekend, Worn & Wound’s Zach Kazan and Devin Pennypacker attended the second annual British Watchmakers’ Day event at Lindley Hall in London, England. British Watchmakers’ Day is the main public facing event for the British Watch and Clock Makers Alliance, formed in 2020 to encourage and guide a new generation of British watchmakers. Over 40 brands exhibited at the single day event, which was packed with watch lovers from all over the world. One of the unique things about British Watchmakers’ Day is that brands are truly incentivized to launch limited editions available on the day of the show. It generates interest in the ticketed event, giving watch lovers a specific reason to show up early to Lindley Hall, and proceeds from both watch sales and tickets benefit the Alliance. To that end, one of the most fun aspects of the show is going from brand to brand to see what kind of limited edition release they came up with for the big day (we’ve already told you about a few). Here, as a recap to the show, Zach and Devin pick three of their favorite British Watchmakers’ Day limited editions that they saw at the show. It was tough to limit these choices to just three. If you attended the show, be sure to drop your favorites in the comments below. Zach Kazan Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Visiting with José Miranda at the Isotope display was a highlight of the show for me. Not only did he have an excellent BWD limited edition on display (and another...
SJX Watches
The spring auction season is getting underway with the first sale being Phillips’ The Geneva Sessions Spring 2025 taking place online until March 12. The online auction is a warm-up for the Geneva live auction taking place in May, but the 70-lot sale nonetheless includes several interesting timepieces, including some unusual examples from the “neo vintage” era. Essentially watches made in the 1990s to the early 2000s, such watches tend to be good value today; 30 years on they still sell for a fraction of the original retail price. One of the best known watches from the era, perhaps even iconic, is the Vacheron Constantin Mercator. A double retrograde with hands taking the form of a compass, the Mercator was introduced in 1994 and produced for a decade. A little over 600 were made with most of them having etched brass dials; less common were the examples with cloisonné enamel dials. The sale includes a Mercator with a map of Portugal dating to 2004, making it one of the final pieces made. Part of a limited edition of just ten watches, this example includes an achieve extract. The Mercator Portugal is lot 19 with an estimate of CHF25,000-50,000. The enamel dial of the Mercator Portugal One of the quirkiest watches in the sale is the Alain Silberstein Kronomedio Saphir. The French designer was the first to employ sapphire crystal for the watch case way back in 1997. An exceptionally expensive watch at the time, the sapphire chronograph illustrated Mr Silberstein’s av...
Video
Is this popular microbrand really worth all the hype?
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.