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SJX Watches

Rolex GMT-Master II Oystersteel Ref May 17, 2024

Hands On: Rolex GMT-Master II Oystersteel Ref. 126710GRNR

Just released at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Rolex GMT-Master II in steel with a grey and black bezel (ref. 126710GRNR) is the newest addition to the famous line of dual time zone watches. More restrained in terms of colour, the new GMT-Master sports a 24-hour bezel with a grey-and-black Cerachrom insert. It’s still immediately recognisable, but a bit more discreet than its siblings in the collection, especially the famous “Pepsi” that is perhaps too recognisable.  Like several other Rolex sports models, the 126710GRNR sports green accents on the dial and GMT hand. And the 126710GRNR is available on either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Initial thoughts The GMT-Master II is a almost perfect, with little that needs revision. While some expected a “Coke” GMT this year, the 126710GRNR is a solid proposition for anyone who wants a GMT-Master dressed more subtly. The bi-colour bezel is functional without being too loud unlike the better-known GMT-Master “Pepsi”. Flashy or recognisable watches sometimes attract unwanted attention, so dialling back the bezel colours is smart. In fact, the 126710GRNR may as well be more appealing than the discontinued 116710LN with its all-black bezel. Although I prefer the all-black bezel of the 116710LN, the grey and black bezel of the 126710GRNR is more functional as it separates day and night. The Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” 126710BLRO The green accents are a nice touch and also logical since green is the Rolex corporate c...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

May 16, 2024

[Video] Windup Meet & Greet: Paulin is a Brand Built for the Design-Minded

While at the recent 2024 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, we had the chance to spend some time with fine folks at Paulin, a watch brand out of Glasgow, UK. Their booth was a hit with Windup attendees and they made the fair the launch moment for their new collaboration with the type design house OH no. Check out this Windup Meet & Greet video to learn more. The post [Video] Windup Meet & Greet: Paulin is a Brand Built for the Design-Minded appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Zodiac Partners May 16, 2024

Zodiac Partners with RedBar for a New, Glowing Limited Edition

The latest limited edition from RedBar, the global network of watch meetup groups, is a nearly radioactive release made in partnership with Zodiac. It’s a subtle nod to a piece of Zodiac history that is not particularly well known while simultaneously paying proper respect to RedBar itself, all in the familiar trappings of a Super Sea Wolf diver. And, yes, the whole thing glows, and quite impressively.  Officially unveiled last night at a release party in New York, the Zodiac x RedBar Super Sea Wolf Pro Diver takes the brand’s most professional, 300 meter water resistant and ISO certified diver and effectively turns it into the type of brightly glowing orb many of us would have been obsessed with as children and still get pretty excited about today. Lume dials, when done well, have a pretty fun charm to them. There’s just something about seeing a larger than normal concentration of this stuff activated in a dark room. And the lume on this new collaboration is truly impressive, and that’s coming from someone who is on the record as not being a hardcore lume guy (I don’t even travel with a little UV light).  Like any good execution of a full lume dial, we have multiple colors of lume at work for contrast in both well lit situations and total darkness. The dial itself appears as a pale shade of green in the light, and glows an electric blue/green when charged. The hour markers, hands, and bezel hash marks are white in the daylight, and glow bright green. Important...

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SJX Watches

Seiko 5 May 16, 2024

Orient Introduces the Bambino 38 Small Seconds

A budget-friendly dress watch, the Orient Bambino is robust and usually priced well below US$300, making it a good option for the entry-level or budget-minded watch enthusiast. Now, the Japanese watch brand added the Bambino 38 “Small Seconds” to the range. Offered in steel or a gold-plated finish, the new Bambino combines a compact case with a retro-style dial featuring a sub-seconds at six and Roman numerals.  Initial thoughts The Bambino in its many variants is a compelling value proposition, marrying good quality with an attractive design. It’s the Orient equivalent of the Seiko 5. The model’s past designs have been a mixed bag, while the new Small Seconds is a more cohesive design.  The latest iterations, particularly the silver dial, evoke 1930s watches with the railroad minute track and alternating baton-and-Roman markers. However, as is sometimes the case with vintage-inspired designs, this would benefit from revamping of the date, which is practical but gets in the way of the design. Aside from the cosmetic enhancements, the Bambino 38 Small Seconds retains the same in-house calibre as its predecessors, a no-frills movement that isn’t pretty but adequate given the model’s affordability. Retailing for US$344 for the steel models and a $24 hike for the gold-plated version, these remain commendable value propositions. A vintage-inspired dress watch The latest addition to the Bambino collection incorporates many elements from the existing models. It inhe...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Bravur May 15, 2024

Bravur Adds a New Cycling Inspired Watch to their Growing Collection

Pink is everywhere you look these days. Whether at the movies with Barbie and Mean Girls or on the pitch and track with Inter-Miami and Alpine, pink is undoubtedly experiencing a moment. If you need further proof of this, look no further than Pantone, which has named a shade of pink its ‘Color of the Year’ for not only 2024, but did so for 2023 as well. So it’s no small wonder that we’re seeing pink crop up in watches of all stripes recently. One brand that has made great use of pink over the last few years is Bravur, a Swedish micro-brand making excellent watches inspired by cycling. I finally got to see their collection in person at WindUp Watch Fair in San Francisco recently, and I can attest that they are one of those brands whose watches got stuck in the corners of your mind, persistently refusing to give up space. This latest release from the brand is the Grand Tour La Corsa Rosa IV, a chronograph inspired by the Giro D’Italia (think an Italian version of the Tour de France). Now, I am not the person to dive into the intricacies of international competitive cycling, but I can tell you that, similar to the Tour de France’s yellow jersey, each day’s leader in the Giro D’Italia wears a pink jersey, and that it was this jersey which inspired the black and pink chronograph’s colorway. As the Roman numeral in the name would indicate, this is the fourth release in the Grand Tour La Corsa Rosa line of watches. While the most obvious nod to the race are the ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

May 15, 2024

Collector Profile: Modern Day Patronage with @onlybuyingtime

A few weeks back, I found myself sitting at the end of my kitchen island on a phone call with a man I have never met, but with whose collection I am intimately familiar. After all, CB - better known as @onlybuyingtime - has over 30k followers on Instagram, he is a voting member of the GPHG, and he is the owner and caretaker of, quite frankly, one of the most diverse collections of independent watches I’ve seen anywhere. CB has been collecting for the entirety of his adult life, though his fascination with watches extends back further. As he describes it, CB had “fun watches as a kid,” but it was only in adulthood that he really started collecting in a tangible way. “It wasn’t like I had a parent or anybody that was really into watches. I think I really fell into it as an adult and realized this is something that’s very unique to each man. It tells a lot about a personality. If you are in a sports watch vs. a dress watch; the colors, the make, the models, the complications, all that stuff tells a lot about somebody. And for me, it’s just another level of expression.” Modern Day Patronage One of the great treasures of Philadelphia is the Barnes Foundation which is, for those unfamiliar, one of the world’s stand-out collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art. When I first moved to Philly in 2022, it took me less than a week to visit the Barnes for the first time, and, in a city filled with great museums, it remains my favorite, and...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Marathon May 14, 2024

Marathon’s SAR Lineup Outfits the Inaugural Windup in a Bay

In 2022, a group of intrepid watch enthusiast divers began a grand tradition of coupling a Lake Michigan dive adventure with the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago, affectionately referred to as Windup in a Lake. Well, this tradition has expanded to include more divers and, as of last week, a new destination. Monterey Bay was the inaugural location of the first Windup in a Bay, part of our Windup Watch Fair San Francisco festivities. Best of all, our friends at Marathon were interested in participating in this adventure as well.  When search and rescue pros from around the world reach for a mission timer, the Canada-based watchmaker Marathon has been a go-to solution for over 80 years. So, their SAR collection-short for, you guessed it, Search and Rescue-was an ideal catalog to outfit the team of pros who gathered to kick off this dip into the Pacific. For this trip to the iconic Monterey Bay, we paired a slew of dive-rated Marathon SARs with five watch enthusiasts, each with major diving chops. Here’s our official photo recap and impressions from the team. The post Marathon’s SAR Lineup Outfits the Inaugural Windup in a Bay appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

May 14, 2024

Depancel Introduces their First Série-R Watch with an Automatic Chronograph Caliber

Depancel has carved out a nice little niche for themselves making highly specific automotive and racing inspired watches. These watches are frequently geared directly at watch collectors who are already steeped in car culture, with colorways inspired by classic racing liverys and case designs that emulate specific vehicle designs. Their square shaped watch, the Série-R, might appear somewhat derivative of another famous square watch connected to the racing world, but it has its own thing happening that sets it apart just enough. And this one, surprisingly, is the first chronograph in the Série-R collection.  Previous iterations of the Série-R have primarily been the home of a calendar complication with an execution that is chronograph-like, featuring subdials at 3, 6, and 9 for the calendar indicators. The new Série-R, in a “Tangerine” colorway and limited to 300 pieces, could have been easily predicted by Depancel fans. We get effectively the same layout as the calendar, but we’ve entered race mode with a three register chrono.  The new Tangerine colorway looks great, with a blue base dial with a sunray finish in the interior circular section and vertical ridges outside to fill the square. Orange and white accents figure prominently throughout, with a bold stripe down the dial’s left side, crossing the 9:00 subdial.  The case might appear like a standard square at a glance, but there’s a little more going on. The shape is meant to evoke a radiator grille,...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Rolex Explorer 1016 Went Caving May 14, 2024

“A Great Deal Of Rough Treatment” - When The Rolex Explorer 1016 Went Caving

This is a story of pioneering adventurers. It is a tale about a group of expert cave divers that may never have surfaced if not for the tireless efforts of volunteers at the Oxford University Cave Club. It was also an opportunity for the watch brand Rolex to test out its Explorer 1016 on the […] Visit “A Great Deal Of Rough Treatment” - When The Rolex Explorer 1016 Went Caving to read the full article.

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F Fratello

Fratello

Panerai Luna Rossa Releases - May 14, 2024

Hands-On With A Trio Of 2024 Panerai Luna Rossa Releases - PAM01405, PAM01466, And PAM1507

Panerai’s Watches and Wonders 2024 campaign was completely centered around the brand’s involvement in the America’s Cup. The brand is a sponsor of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team that competes in the prestigious sailing competition. Even the Panerai booth at the fair was one big Luna Rossa fest, with yachting graphics and even a […] Visit Hands-On With A Trio Of 2024 Panerai Luna Rossa Releases - PAM01405, PAM01466, And PAM1507 to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Fortis S-41 Stratoliner May 13, 2024

[VIDEO] Windup Meet & Greet: The Fortis S-41 Stratoliner is Designed and Tested for Space Tourism

While at the recent 2024 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, we had the chance to catch up with Andreas Bentele of the Fortis team. When asked what his favorite Fortis watch was at the fair, he immediately responded with his love for the Fortis S-41 Stratoliner. The Stratoliner is the first watch designed and tested for the burgeoning space tourism industry! Check out this Windup Meet & Greet video to learn more. The post [VIDEO] Windup Meet & Greet: The Fortis S-41 Stratoliner is Designed and Tested for Space Tourism appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Yema May 13, 2024

Yema Slims Down the Navygraf in a New Limited Edition

A micro-rotor dive watch? For under $2,000? At first blush, the concept may seem outrageous. After all, micro-rotor movements are typically reserved for high-end dress watches and complicated Indies. They’re hardly at home in the sort of accessible dive watches so many of us like, but Yema has - for the second time this year - dropped a svelte micro-rotor-powered dive watch, and they certainly have my attention. Yema is not a new name in the watch space. The brand has been around in some form or another since 1948 and, since its return to French ownership in 2008, the brand has been working hard to build itself into a leading French watchmaker. While they are best known today for their vintage-inspired dive watches like the Superman, over the last few years, Yema has slowly been building up a quiver of French-made manufacture movements produced in France’s own version of the Vallée de Joux, the watchmaking hub of Morteau. To date, they have introduced three movements in this series of French-designed calibers, with more surely to come. Though still reliant on Switzerland for regulating organs and some movement parts (not a bad thing on any level, even Roger Smith uses Swiss-made mainsprings), these movements have been a big step for the brand, and are far from being simple ETA or Sellita clones, like we so often see. The first of these was the CMM.20, a slim 3.7mm ultra-thin micro-rotor movement, with near-COSC accuracy, an anti-magnetic construction, a 70-hour po...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Rolex Daytona was worth just May 11, 2024

Weekend Contemplation: The Watch Market Isn’t In Crisis, But How Should We Describe Its Current State?

In March 2022, the global watch market was at an all-time high. A stainless steel Rolex Daytona was worth just over €50,000, any new limited-edition watch would sell out in a matter of minutes, and sites like Fratello attracted a lot of new readers. Since then, things have cooled down substantially. According to Chrono24, that […] Visit Weekend Contemplation: The Watch Market Isn’t In Crisis, But How Should We Describe Its Current State? to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Citizen Bullhead Chrono May 10, 2024

eBay Finds: A Pair of Vintage Seamasters, a Nice Citizen Bullhead Chrono, and a Funky Jump Hour

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 Omega Seamaster DeVille The Seamaster DeVille line was Omega’s dressier version of their sporty Seamaster. This example looks much like the Geneve line they put out, with its simple round case and thin bezel with straight skinny lugs. Very clean and classic 1960’s dress watch look, especially with the gold cap case. The 34-35mm case is in nice shape, and the gold cap is holding up strong. The original silver dial looks good, with a few specks here and there. The watch has the correct and original crown, and also comes with the original seven-row beads of rice bracelet! Seller states the watch runs and keeps time, so you’re all set for your next cocktail party! View auction here 1970s Initial Dynamic  Here’s a wild one for you, a vintage 1970’s direct read/jump hour from Initial Dynamic. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them, I haven’t either! But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a super cool looking watch. Check out that oval ‘dial’, with the awesome direct read window on the left, and matching date window on the right. The chrome plated case is excellent, with sharp edges and the original brushed finish. The strap looks original to me, with a cool met...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

May 10, 2024

The Top 10 Watchmaker Schools in the United States

For most of us, the art and science of watchmaking is simply the technical underpinning behind the timepieces that fascinate us as enthusiasts, hobbyists, and collectors - an esoteric and intricate world delved into at varying levels of interest based on our individual curiosity about, and/or understanding of, the mechanisms involved. For some, however, learning how to assemble, repair, or perhaps even build a watch from scratch is an obsession that can lead to a lifelong and very fulfilling career as a trained watchmaker and repairer- and to put it bluntly, the watch industry needs more of them. Here are the 10 state-accredited educational institutions in the U.S. offering full-time curricula for watchmaking careers as compiled by the Horological Society of New York.  Gem City College School of Horology, Quincy, IL Photo: AWCI Gem City College was founded in 1870 as Gem City Business College by Civil War veteran DeLafayette Musselman, whose name still adorns one of the campus buildings. Located in the city of Quincy, adjacent to the Mississippi River, the College added its horology school in 1961, which was a department that had actually migrated over from Bradley University in neighboring Peoria, as well as a cosmetology program in 1975, expanding from its original business model of training students in business-specific courses like banking, penmanship, and accounting. Today, the Horology School offers courses in watchmaking and watch repair, clock repair, jew...

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F Fratello

Fratello

May 9, 2024

Fratello Talks: Different Ways To Build A Watch Collection

Hi there! Welcome to another episode of Fratello Talks. This week, you join Nacho, Daan, and Morgan, who discuss the many possible ways of building a watch collection. This includes looking at some common approaches, sharing some sound advice from their experience, and a spot of soul-searching concerning their watch collections. What works for them […] Visit Fratello Talks: Different Ways To Build A Watch Collection to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

May 8, 2024

Five Must-Have EDC Items

It’s time for a good old fashioned EDC-themed Chronicle, and we’ve gathered what we consider some of the most essential – and practical – gear you can pick up. They say variety is the spice of life, and there’s plenty of flavor here, from knives to pouches to pens, and more. Without further ado, here are five must-have EDC items to help you stay prepared for anything life may throw at you. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. It’s time for a good old fashioned EDC-themed Chronicle, and we’ve gathered what we consider some of the most essential – and practical – gear you can pick up. They say variety is the spice of life, and there’s plenty of flavor here, from knives to pouches to pens, and more. Without further ado, here are five must-have EDC items to help you stay prepared for anything life may throw at you. As always, the Windup Watch Shop Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. The post Five Must-Have EDC Items appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Fratello

Cartier May 8, 2024

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Daan’s Picks From Mido, Oris, And Polo Ralph Lauren

People sometimes ask me on Instagram and in person which watches they should get. They often expect me to suggest watches from big names like Rolex, Cartier, and Omega. And yes, those brands make and offer great watches, but they’re also rather expensive for most people. In this series, we’re looking at our favorite watches […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Daan’s Picks From Mido, Oris, And Polo Ralph Lauren to read the full article.

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Fratello

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than May 7, 2024

The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award?

After Omega introduced several Speedmasters not aimed at Moonwatch enthusiasts (e.g. the Speedmaster Super Racing with Spirate technology and the updated Speedmaster Apollo 8), the white-dial Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch finally came out on March 5th, 2024. I use the word “finally” because Omega had already shown it in October 2023 on the wrist of former […] Visit The White Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch - Better Than The Silver Snoopy Award? to read the full article.

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F Fratello

Fratello

Longines Lorca May 7, 2024

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Thomas’s Picks From Longines, Lorca, And More

It is time for another round of Fratello editors’ favorites in a specific segment. This time, we are looking at the best watches under €2,500, and I get the honor of kicking it off. Now, while €2.5K is a huge amount of money by any measure, it is starting to feel quite limiting within the […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Thomas’s Picks From Longines, Lorca, And More to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

May 6, 2024

Hands-On: the Zelos Spearfish Dual Time

If a tide pool at a waterpark represented the world of micro/independent watches, some brands would be the kids who sit at the edge, waiting for a wave to bowl them over, others would be the dad that overcompensates by proving he can swim all the way out to the source only before losing his trunks, and then there’s Zelos…the person who showed up in their custom Speedo and polarized purple goggles doing laps around the perimeter. If you want a quality diver, finished brilliantly, made with interesting materials, eye-popping dials, all for around $500, Zelos has you covered. However, there is another Zelos. One that lights up a cigar, slips out of their lounge sandals, and makes their way into a meticulously curated tranquility pool…but still with the purple polarized goggles. This Zelos comes around a couple times a year, playing with high-end Swiss movements and interesting complications.  The first “tranquility pool” Zelos of the year recently hit the market. They took the case from their popular Spearfish line and released the Spearfish Dual Time. Three of the five watches in the line are made of titanium and come on titanium bracelets; the remaining two have cases made from forged carbon and come on a canvas leather strap. I had the pleasure of trying out the Moonscape forged carbon model for a little over a week, and while I do have some complicated thoughts on the model itself, what is indisputable is that you’re getting lavish materials and an elaborate ...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Rolex Submariner Ref 6200 “King May 6, 2024

Servicing An Ultra-Rare Vintage Rolex Submariner Ref. 6200 “King Sub”

Vintage Rolex is a treasure trove for dedicated collectors. Within that little sub-universe, there are grail watches that stand out above the rest. Today, we are looking at one that is pretty high up on many aficionados’ lists. This is the Rolex Submariner ref. 6200, also known as the King Sub. My friends at Tempus […] Visit Servicing An Ultra-Rare Vintage Rolex Submariner Ref. 6200 “King Sub” to read the full article.

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda May 5, 2024

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda leans into its vintage cues

It wouldn’t be an unfounded opinion to say that vintage reissues have become a bit stale after a decade of non-stop re-releases. Sure, vintage watches are fantastic, and new watches with vintage looks? Debatably even better. So when TAG Heuer released the Carrera Chronograph Glassbox at last year’s Watches and Wonders, it had a raucous … ContinuedThe post The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Panda leans into its vintage cues appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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F Fratello

Fratello

TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith May 5, 2024

Sunday Morning Showdown: TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith Vs. Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch

It has already been just over two years since the Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch came out. At the time, the lines in front of the Swatch boutiques were unheard of in the watch world. Although the hype isn’t as huge anymore, new versions, like the recently introduced Snoopies, keep the Bioceramic phenomenon alive and […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith Vs. Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch to read the full article.

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

May 3, 2024

Video – Our Recap of Watches and Wonders 2024, Our Takeaways, The Ups and Downs

Now that the dust has settled and we had the time to digest the hundreds of watches we’ve seen and written about at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 and off the fair, we’ve decided to take some time and talk about it. Somehow a new format for us, we’ve invited our founder, Frank Geelen, and […]

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F Fratello

Fratello

May 2, 2024

Pre-Owned Watches - The Answer To Rising Watch Prices

Rising watch prices, particularly for some brands’ classic models, are creating opportunities to look further afield. Today, we look at five vintage, neo-vintage, and more recent secondhand options that are worth exploring. Last month, an article I wrote garnered quite a lot of attention. In it, I mentioned French philosopher Denis Diderot and the message […] Visit Pre-Owned Watches - The Answer To Rising Watch Prices to read the full article.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon May 2, 2024

Hands On: Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary

You can never be too rich or too thin – a quote attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, but it might as well have come from Piaget, which just debuted the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch in history, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary. Covered in-depth at launch, the AUC Tourbillon is just 2 mm thick, including the case and crystal; that makes the watch thinner than a Swiss five-franc coin. While its record-breaking dimensions are headline-grabbing, it’s the watch’s overall design and ergonomics that make it look and feel almost miraculous on the wrist. The AUC Tourbillon next to the five-franc coin; it’s also slimmer than the two-franc coin, and equivalent to about 20 sheets of A4 printer paper Initial thoughts Record-chasing, whether in terms of thickness, weight, water resistance, or complications, is a common theme in the watch industry, but the results are often gimmicky and impractical. When I heard that Piaget would be introducing the thinnest tourbillon in history, I rolled my eyes. But my perspective changed as soon as I picked up the AUC Tourbillon, a moment that stands out in my memory as a highlight of Watches & Wonders 2024. The watch is thin, of course, but the immediate impression is one of substance; it feels far more substantial than it looks. This is in part due to the M64BC cobalt alloy case, the extreme rigidity of which makes the watch’s 2 mm thinness possible. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the case, which is...

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Hajime Asaoka May 2, 2024

Why I Bought It: Hajime Asaoka Tsunami

This is the story of a daily-wear watch, the Tsunami by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. It’s not a “beater” as it’s too beautifully made for that description, and some folks justifiably take offense at characterizing a five-figure expenditure in those terms. But it is a watch that GaryG suspects that he will be wearing a lot and in a variety of settings.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Louis Vuitton Tambour Einstein Automata “Only May 2, 2024

Hands On: Louis Vuitton Tambour Einstein Automata “Only Watch 2024”

The surprising, and to some shocking, Louis Vuitton Tambour Einstein Automata created for Only Watch 2024 is over the top in both aesthetics and complexity. Based on the brand’s automata wristwatch that’s available either as a Chinese mask or vanitas skull, the Einstein Automata has the air of a mad scientist’s creation. Depressing the pusher at two o’clock starts the automata, which also serve to tell the time with a jumping hours display in Einstein’s forehead and the minutes indicated by the atom symbol pointer at eight o’clock. Made in-house at its Geneva manufacture of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watch illustrates Louis Vuitton’s impressive matchmaking capabilities, while also bringing to mind the extravagant, casual style of its streetwear. Initial thoughts When I first saw images of the Einstein Automata, I knew I had to see it in person. And in the metal the watch certainly lives up to expectations, it is bizarre, impressive, and wearable, all at the same time. It is bizarre because Einstein is accurately portrayed – the likeness is done well – yet rendered in alien colours of pale blue and silver. It’s impressive because the dial is enamelled and engraved in-house while the movement is exceptionally complex. And it’s wearable despite being a very large watch because the case is in stainless steel, unlike its regular production counterparts that are in gold. Do I like it? I do. But I can imagine a lot of people won’t and I can understand...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Farer s New Moonphase May 1, 2024

Introducing the Baily, Farer’s New Moonphase with a Natural Aventurine Dial

U.K. based Farer is a brand that marches to the beat of their own drum, or perhaps in horological terms, the beat of their own movements. From their case shapes, use of color, bronze crowns, and their wonderful lume applications, being different is at the heart of their charm. So why would their take on an aventurine dial be like all the others? This new special edition of their Moonphase collection is called the Baily and it is made from natural aventurine. While most aventurine dials are simply glass flecked with copper filings, these are natural semi-precious gemstones that have been painstakingly cut and polished into a dial that is just 1mm thick. The finished product has a distinctive speckle-patterned look and a smooth glossy surface unique to each watch. Further enhancing the Baily line, the moonphase discs are carefully hand painted in Switzerland and finished with yellow moons made from hand applied, textured Super-LumiNova, which mimics the lunar surface. No Farer would be complete without their signature touch of lume. Each Baily features applied Lumicast markers made from a blend of ceramic and Grade OL X1 Super-LumiNova. These are paired with polished lance style hands and a second hand with a white Farer “A” at its tip. Powering this piece is the hand-wound Sellita SW288-1 in Elaboré grade, which can be seen through the display caseback. It even has a date wheel that is color matched to the larger moonphase wheel, which is a slightly darker shade of gre...

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