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Highlights: A Noteworthy Trio from Patek Philippe at Phillips Geneva SJX Watches
Patek Philippe May 5, 2025

Highlights: A Noteworthy Trio from Patek Philippe at Phillips Geneva

It’s hard to stand out among the 194-lots in Phillips’ incredibly stacked upcoming Geneva auction. The catalog for The Geneva Watch Auction: XXI includes 36 watches from Patek Philippe, including familiar favorites like two ref. 5004s and an assortment of Nautilus and Aquanaut models. But three watches are especially notable. These highlights are led by the only known ref. 3448 “Padellone” perpetual calendar in pink gold – a retailer-signed example at that – followed by a landmark “grand” complication with Hagmann case, and a Beyer-signed pocket watch with a portal to Amsterdam on the back. The auction takes place on May 10 and 11, 2025, at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva. Lot 74: Patek Philippe ref. 3448 in pink gold signed “Freccero” Patek Philippe’s first self-winding perpetual calendar, the ref. 3448, was primarily made in yellow or white gold – except for this example in pink gold. Besides the unique case material, this also has a retailer-signed dial. In addition, it’s in incredible condition, with unpolished lugs so sharp you could almost cut yourself. It features an early “second series” dial, with a “dimple” style minute track and engraved, enamelled markings. Even though the movement inside the ref. 3448 is one of the most beautiful automatics ever made, the cal. 27-460 doesn’t skate by on pretty privilege. The calibre is technically competent: with a free-sprung gyro-max balance, overcoil hairspring, and Patek Philippe’...

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Seiko Baby Alpinist Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko May 2, 2025

Seiko Baby Alpinist Review

Before I get into my owner's review of the Seiko Baby Alpinist, I want to talk about field watches as a category. What makes a field watch? Is an explorers' watch the same as a field watch? Is a mountaineering watch? I wouldn’t necessarily call this, or rather these, age-old questions. Instead they illustrate an intellectual conundrum I’ve personally faced, being a fan of a certain format of watches. Many who know me will also be sure to know I have a certain proclivity toward Rolex watches. I once wrote some of a definite treatise on the Rolex Explorer Ref. 14270 - the now neo-vintage version of the watch that was born right at the start of the 1990s and which has since served as the template for all Explorers to come. Its 36mm size, legible dial, and overall no-nonsense field-watch format have made it one of the best watch designs of all time. But it’s also not really a field watch, is it? It was born as a marketing exercise in the wake of Sir Edmund Hilary’s summiting of Everest alongside Tenzig Norgay. It’s an explorers watch, one with alpine roots. The Seiko Baby Alpinist SPB155 Speaking of alpine, we cannot mention the word without invoking one of the most well-known attainable icons of the 1990s and 2000s: The Seiko Alpinist. But let’s go back even further, to the late 1950s and early ‘60s, when Seiko launched the small, 35mm Laurel Alpinist – a design that was revived by the brand in 2021. Fast-forward to 1995, when Seiko released a familiar forma...

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Hands-On: the Tissot PRX 25mm Worn & Wound
Tissot PRX 25mm If Hollywood May 2, 2025

Hands-On: the Tissot PRX 25mm

If Hollywood stars and trend forecasters are correct about the state of the watch world, it’s that bigger isn’t better anymore. Many brands are finding their sizing guidelines are in a state of flux the past few years, with many enthusiasts opting for classical sizing and subverting notions of gendered expectations. A push for inclusion within the collector community seems to have also correlated with the expansion of hallmark models into different sizing categories. The move serves to bring in new consumers and allows for a greater range of choice amongst all enthusiasts. The PRX has been Tissot’s tour de force in recent years. The reissue of an original 1970s design by the brand in 2021 sparked a bit of a revolution with enthusiasts – many of whom flocked to the watch for the competitive pricing and quality. The integrated steel bracelet and tonneau-style case shape evokes a groovy callback to the designs of the seventies when quartz movements were truly high-end and sports watches were king.  It makes sense, given the popularity of the Tissot PRX since its initial reissue, why it’s now offered in 59 different variations on the brand’s website today. As many of us know, there can be popular mainstream watches whose constant re-(and re and re-)releases begin to hit a nerve with the collector community after a while. Fortunately, it seems the PRX is one that hasn’t overstayed its welcome – and for good reason. This new 25mm reference expands the market in ...

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Record Breaking Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Debuts at Auction SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Calibre 89 ref 989J May 2, 2025

Record Breaking Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Debuts at Auction

If you want to own the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing, you’ll have to fight for it at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, which will see the first production example go under the hammer. The 1.65 mm stature of the ThinKing is even more impressive coming from a small Russian independent watchmaker, considering previous records were set by big Swiss brands ranging from Piaget to Richard Mille. Notably, this is not the first time a landmark release has been trusted to an auction that isn’t linked to a charity. The most famous example of this was the Patek Philippe Calibre 89 (ref. 989J) back in 1989 at Antiquorum’s thematic sale. The ThinKing will be sold in the first session of the auction, which starts on May 10, 2025, at 2 pm. The ThinKing in profile. Image – Phillips Mr Chaykin achieved the record-setting height with clever construction, including a “double balance wheel” system that places an intermediate wheel between the balance and escapement, allowing both to sit on the same plane. Another notable technical feature is a barrel that is open on both sides, and no thicker than the mainspring itself. And unlike most serially-produced Konstantin Chaykin watches, each ThinKing is made, finished, and assembled by Mr Chaykin himself. Wearability is enhanced by the bolt-on protective shroud in titanium christened “PalanKing”. This increases the height to 5.4 mm, but adds key-less setting and winding, and automatic winding by a...

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Rolex Oysterquartz: The Complete Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex May 1, 2025

Rolex Oysterquartz: The Complete Guide

When Rolex introduced its Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller watch at Watches & Wonders 2025, some longtime fans of the brand experienced a bit of déja vu for a Rolex watch - and a Rolex era - that have been largely consigned to the mists of history. Why? Because the Land-Dweller's angular case and integrated-bracelet design reminded many enthusiasts of the Oysterquartz models introduced during the early heyday of quartz watches in the 1970s. That's correct: once upon a time, Rolex, one of the undisputed champions of luxury watches with mechanical movements, jumped on board the Quartz Revolution bandwagon and not only produced its own in-house quartz calibers but marketed the watches that housed them as the pinnacle of the Crown's timepiece portfolio at the time. Here is everything you need to know about the Rolex Oysterquartz and its quirky but significant place in horological history.  Rolex Oysterquartz: The Early Days Of Electric Watches The wristwatch industry, like any other industry, is uber-competitive and every watchmaker wants to be the first to market with The Next Big Thing. In the 1950s and into the ‘60s, that Next Big Thing was a watch that could be powered by electricity. American companies like Hamilton, with the Ventura, and Bulova, with the Accutron, were among the pioneers, even though the movements that resulted from these early efforts proved to have difficulty maintaining reliability in mass production. The Japanese, particularly Seiko, took a diff...

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Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot Apr 30, 2025

Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Review

There’s not much left to say about the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 that hasn’t already been said. It’s a watch that feels like it’s always been there, even though it was only released by Tissot in 2021, at exactly the right moment in history. With integrated-bracelet designs on the upswing, Tissot brought one to market that was fun, well designed, and well priced. It also happened to be based on an original ‘70s Seastar design from the brand. It was an instant hit, and the brand was quick to capitalize on its initial success by fleshing out a full collection, including different sizes, materials, and even movement options, culminating in the PRX Powermatic 80.  The PRX Powermatic 80 was introduced in both 35mm and 40mm variations, and quickly saw a variety of dial, case, and strap options that brought a diverse personality to the collection as a whole. In 2025, it feels like a fully mature staple of Tissot’s offerings, and the integrated-bracelet trend is showing no real signs of slowing down (more thoughts on that later), which should grant the watch a bright future. That said, I (and many others) will be curious to see how the PRX ends up evolving, and whether or not it will have real staying power for generations to come. Either way, for what it is right now, it’s a tough watch to beat when it comes to value and personality.  It's that combination that is the real draw of the PRX, and today, in 2025, it’s only strengthened. The PRX Powermatic 80 remains w...

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Nivada-Grenchen Updates the F77 with a Redesigned Case Worn & Wound
Nivada Grenchen Apr 28, 2025

Nivada-Grenchen Updates the F77 with a Redesigned Case

We have officially reached that point in the integrated bracelet sports watch trend where the late entrants are getting their second generation, “improved” models to market. Case in point, Nivada-Grenchen and their F77. The F77 launched in March of 2023, a time period that most would agree saw the hype around this genre of watch begin to cool in a significant way. That doesn’t take anything away from the F77 as a watch, of course. I’m rather fond of the size and geometry of this one, and it’s a genuine part of Nivada’s heritage. But in terms of its timing, it did debut at “peak” integrated bracelet sports watch mania. And so here we are, two years later, and Nivada has launched a Mark II version of the F77. We’re now at a point, I think, where integrated bracelet sports watches are just part of the landscape, and a required offering for any brand wishing to cast even a somewhat wide net. It makes sense, then, that Nivada would work to improve theirs.  From the looks of it, they’ve made some fairly substantial changes to the case that could have a real impact on how the F77 wears, and it certainly has an impact on the overall aesthetic of the watch. The case measures 12.2mm thick, which is not appreciably different from the previous version, but the lugs have been completely redesigned. The first F77 had lugs that were quite flat and, for an integrated bracelet sports watch, fairly long. The new F77 Mark II has lugs that are much more dramatically curve...

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Fratello On Air: Useful And Useless Complications Fratello
Apr 25, 2025

Fratello On Air: Useful And Useless Complications

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.

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Breguet Celebrates 250 Years with a Tribute to a Watch from 1797 (w/ Hands-On Photos) Worn & Wound
Breguet Celebrates 250 Years Apr 24, 2025

Breguet Celebrates 250 Years with a Tribute to a Watch from 1797 (w/ Hands-On Photos)

If you’re into watches, then you’re into Abraham-Louis Breguet. One of the founders of modern horology, his innovations set the course of the industry and remain relevant. Whether that’s in terms of his inventions like the tourbillon, the gong-spring, his signature overcoil, self-winding, or shock protection, to name but a few, or in marketing and selling his timepieces, his contributions set many standards. Of these listed, however, marketing and selling seem the least interesting, and yet, Breguet’s “Souscription” model and the watches created as a result, have served as inspiration for several of the modern Breguet brand’s most iconic timepieces. In 2005, the brand launched the Tradition line, bringing escapements to the dial of a wristwatch, and now, the Classique Souscription 2025, celebrating the company’s 250th anniversary. The Souscription concept is one we are all very familiar with, if a slightly different take that suited the times. Upon ordering one of Breguet’s Souscription pieces, a quarter of the total price was paid to cover the parts. A deposit, if you will. The watch was made, and the remaining three-quarters were sent to acquire it. Sounds familiar, though typically we don’t fund the making of individual watches (though sometimes we do). A highly successful campaign that was advertised via a pamphlet, another innovation, it is said that around 700 watches were produced using this model. The concept wasn’t just a method of payment, b...

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First Look – The New Formex Essence Space Glacier, With Ice Blue Meteorite Dial Monochrome
Formex Essence Space Glacier Apr 24, 2025

First Look – The New Formex Essence Space Glacier, With Ice Blue Meteorite Dial

Formex introduced the Essence line in 2018, and two years later, the go-anywhere-do-anything, sporty casual model was fitted with a Muonionalusta meteorite dial, marking the beginning of the Space Rock series that recently saw the addition of the Essence Space Gold reference with a meteorite dial in salmon, achieved via a rose gold deposition through […]

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Longines Legend Diver Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Longines Apr 23, 2025

Longines Legend Diver Guide

The Longines Legend Diver, introduced in the mid-aughts but tracing its origins all the way back to the embryonic era of modern dive watches in the 1950s and ‘60s, is the epitome of retro-vintage cool for many lovers of sport watches. Here’s how the watch, and its hallmark and still-rare Super Compressor case design, found a successful niche, and an avid audience, in the 21st century.  1959: The Inspiration As with many now-common watchmaking innovations, Longines was one of the pioneers in waterproofing timepieces, making its first water-resistant case as early as 1937, and introducing its first wristwatches purpose-built for recreational diving in the late 1950s. Unlike many of its predecessors and contemporaries in that fertile era of iconic dive watches - like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner (both 1953), and Omega Seamaster Professional (1957) - Longines’s Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042, launched in 1959 and the most direct ancestor of today’s Legend Diver - did not employ the now-ubiquitous, external, unidirectional rotating bezel for its dive scale. Instead, the watch was designed in the so-called compressor style, also used by brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Enicar, and Universal Genève, whose case design included an inner dive-scale ring, positioned on the dial’s flange and mounted under the crystal, which rotated in both directions, operated by an additional crown at 4 o’clock. The “Super” in Longines’ “Super Compressor”...

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Nomos and Ace Jewelers Team Up for a Rare Metro Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Nomos Apr 22, 2025

Nomos and Ace Jewelers Team Up for a Rare Metro Limited Edition

Neither Ace Jewelers or Nomos Glashütte are strangers to collaborations, especially with each other: the two companies have released a total of seven collaboration models so far. To celebrate the Amsterdam boutique’s 50th anniversary, they’ve teamed up once again with the German watchmaker to create two bold and bright new references in the Metro line. Interestingly, the Metro is one of Nomos’ least-riffed on designs-meaning that they’ve done the fewest amount of novelties and collaborations using the platform as compared to other watches in their catalog. This is partly because the Metro’s designer, Mark Braun, must explicitly approve any collaboration that uses the watch as a base, highlighting the pedigree of Ace Jewelers, and the gravitas of their 50th anniversary.  The most obvious punch that both new Metro models carry is right there in the name: the vibrant orange color. As a diehard San Francisco Giants fan, I’m partial to the color, but it is a daring choice-most bright colors are rare in the 2020s, where finding a car that isn’t black, white, or gray is the new needle in the haystack. The Metro, then, is actually the perfect choice for such a colorway, as its design revels in clean, postmodern design, rather than aesthetic noise.  Both Orange models feature round stainless steel bezel-less cases with a crown at 3 o’clock, and a DUW 3001 automatic movement with Nomos’ proprietary swing system and up to 43 hours of power reserve visible thr...

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[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Trematic Archive One 502 Worn & Wound
Apr 20, 2025

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Trematic Archive One 502

There’s that moment we all know too well-you’re deep in the rabbit hole of late-night doom scrolling through Instagram’s discovery feed, mindlessly thumbing through the same photos. Then, suddenly, one catches your eye and stops you dead in your tracks. You actually click on the post, you spread the image to zoom in, and then you do the unthinkable and read the caption. That is exactly how I ended up discovering Trematic and this specific model, the Archive One 501. I was completely unfamiliar with the brand, which, when combined with a design language that spoke to me, immediately sparked my curiosity. Specifically, it was the typeface used for the indices. Those quirky, alien-like 4, 6, and 10 markers, cast in rose gold tone, immediately grabbed my attention. They looked like something from a different time, maybe from a different planet, yet the watch overall felt refreshingly modern. A worn-out phrase lately, but the blend of vintage style and contemporary sensibilities didn’t feel tired, which is something I can’t say about many “retro-inspired” designs in the microbrand space. For those who haven’t encountered Trematic, let me give you a quick rundown: the brand dates back to the 1950s but faded into obscurity after the Quartz Crisis, just like many of its contemporaries. In 2022, Daniele Campagnano breathed new life into the brand, seeking to revive its forgotten legacy. The first model to re-enter the market was the Zy6, a watch we recently mentio...

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W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Apr 17, 2025

Designing the Future of the Watch Purchasing Experience – Meet Quaid Walker of Bezel

For those of you haven’t come across Bezel just yet, we’re happy to introduce you. Bezel is a trusted marketplace for buying or selling your next high-end watch. They have set out to create a platform that’s way less intimidating than anything else we’ve seen out there and strives to build trust with each and every transaction. We had the chance to speak with Bezel’s Co-Founder & CEO, Quaid Walker. A Product Designer, by trade and schooling, Quaid has set out to personally design a user experience that takes the fear and apprehension out of the purchasing process, while creating a digital environment that helps buyers feel empowered, educated, and enlightened.  Prior to this interview, we were given a deep dive tour of the Bezel app. There’s an undeniable amount of design and thoughtfulness woven into the experience, which the team here at Worn & Wound was certainly impressed by. With intuitive and compelling features like free in-house authentication with every purchase, personal concierge service, and fully-insured overnight shipping, Quaid says that he and the team at Bezel are out to push the watch industry forward. If you’re in the mode of seeking either your first or your next high-end watch, we’d say please continue reading this interview with Quaid, download the app, and decide for yourself.  The post Designing the Future of the Watch Purchasing Experience – Meet Quaid Walker of Bezel appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Jacques Bianchi Introduces the JB200 Aquastrike Collection Worn & Wound
Apr 17, 2025

Jacques Bianchi Introduces the JB200 Aquastrike Collection

I don’t know this for a fact, but I imagine it’s a real challenge to be a brand focused on dive watches in 2025. The dive watch is ubiquitous, and transcends the sport of diving. It’s become a shorthand for “sports watch” or “everyday watch” among many (but certainly not all) people who consume watches. And they are so simple, by design. The whole point of them is to be incredibly legible, reliable, and easy to use. Over decades, that’s translated to certain design codes that are just standard across the genre. Big lume filled hour markers, an easy to grip bezel, a robust and sporty case. Once you incorporate these necessities, it’s got to be tough to find ways to insert creativity and brand identity into a finished product. And then, of course, there’s the simple fact that many dive watch customers don’t even want brand identity or creativity in their dive watch, hence the enormous archive or articles on this very site and many others that seek to highlight innumerable watches that all kind of look alike.  This is all a big windup to say that Jacques Bianchi has figured out a way to put their own unique spin on the genre with every release. Their watches have a playfulness and romanticism to them that feels very much their own, whether it’s a fully lumed dial (which, OK, is common enough) or a SCUBA diver motif, there’s a sense of whimsy to their releases that is hard to ignore. Their latest collection, a reintroduction of the JB200 Aquastrike, ...

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First Look – Longines Enlarges the Conquest 38mm and 41mm Range with Colours and Rubber Straps Monochrome
Longines Enlarges Apr 16, 2025

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 […]

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The Seiko King Turtle: Does This Budget-Friendly Diver Reign Supreme? Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Apr 15, 2025

The Seiko King Turtle: Does This Budget-Friendly Diver Reign Supreme?

Japan’s Seiko has never been shy about going bold and unconventional with its designs, especially when it comes to its divers’ watches, a genre in which the brand has been an undisputed industry pioneer since the 1960s. One of its most off-the-wall and yet most enduringly popular designs is the so-called Turtle, which made its debut in the 1970s and has undergone a successful renaissance here in the 21st Century as part of Seiko’s rugged and sport-centric Prospex line. At the pinnacle of the Turtle sub-family, in terms of luxurious  finishing and dominant wrist presence, is the grandly named King Turtle, best represented by the Refs. SRPE03 and SRPE05 released in 2019. Here’s what you should know about them. By the time this watch’s ancestors made their debut, Seiko had already produced some highly unusual, unexpectedly iconic, and cleverly nicknamed dive watches, like the Ref. 6159 “Tuna” (for its chunky tuna-can-like case shape) and the Ref. 6105 “Captain Willard” (thanks to its being famously worn by Martin Sheen’s character in Apocalypse Now.) The “Turtle” nickname first surfaced in 1976, applied to the References 6306 and 6309 - the former, made for the Japanese market, and the latter, for international customers. These watches were notable for their cushion-shaped cases with softly rounded lugs, which brought to mind the silhouette of a turtle when viewed from above. The Turtle gained a modicum of pop-culture visibility when actor Ed Harri...

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Editors' Picks: Our Top All-New Watches Of 2025 Teddy Baldassarre
Apr 14, 2025

Editors' Picks: Our Top All-New Watches Of 2025

Today we keep our post-Watches & Wonders 2025 recaps going with our takes on the best all-new watches of the show. We know there are a lot of line and color extensions released every year but what stood out to us from all the truly new watches? Well, to nobody’s surprise, there is now a watch release that has appeared on all three of three Editors’ Picks we have published so far. Also some smaller brands had big releases we loved this year, so let’s get into them. Mark Bernardo: Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] As always when a gaggle of nerdy watch writers share opinions and ideas, there was a bit of discussion prior to this article as to what constitutes a “new” watch. Does a new case size count, or a new movement or complication in an existing model, or a model from the past that has been radically redesigned but carries the same name? Hopefully I have deftly evaded these eternal (but fascinating) debates by submitting the “newest” and most groundbreaking timepiece I encountered this year. It has to be “new” if it sets a new world record, right? In the case of the Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR], the milestone in question is debuting as the lightest mechanical dive watch ever made - just 52 grams in total, including the strap.The watch is an evolution of 2021’s Diver X Skeleton, which itself emerged from the mainstream (non-skeleton) Diver series, but takes that model’s extreme openworked structure to another level; according to the brand, the inside of the 4...

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Hands-On With The With The Rolex Oyster Perpetual In Two Of Three Soft New Shades Fratello
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Apr 14, 2025

Hands-On With The With The Rolex Oyster Perpetual In Two Of Three Soft New Shades

Of course, I was impressed by the new Land-Dweller, but I wasn’t charmed by it. To be honest, it’s been a while since The Crown launched a watch that charmed me. Yes, every watch is of superb build quality and a benchmark, but just like a Mercedes S-class, a modern Rolex is not exactly lovable. […] Visit Hands-On With The With The Rolex Oyster Perpetual In Two Of Three Soft New Shades to read the full article.

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Blancpain Fills a Niche with Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in Polishe Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain Apr 10, 2025

Blancpain Fills a Niche with Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in Polishe

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, first introduced in 1953, is indisputably one of the most influential and iconic timepieces of the 20th century, basically laying out the blueprint for what we now recognize today as the modern divers’ watch. Also indisputable is the fact that the Fifty Fathoms is a watch that is anything but understated in its proportions - the Automatique at the core of the modern collection, relaunched in 2008, sports a massive 45mm case, and even the vintage-inspired and allegedly more modestly sized Bathyscaphe models, which joined the collection in 2013, hover around 43mm in their male-targeted iterations. In 2024, Blancpain responded to a market-wide trend toward smaller case sizes - albeit without compromising the bold character of its flagship sport-luxury model - by releasing a new version of the Fifty Fathoms Automatique in a middle-of-the-road 42mm version. Curiously, the first two models in this size were in rose gold and titanium; the inclusion of a steel model seemed to be a no-brainer that was conspicuous by its absence in that first wave of 42mm models. Today, however, Blancpain has finally delivered the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in stainless steel - adding it to the regular collection as well as giving the model a distinctive flair. The stainless steel case of the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique, which measures precisely 42.3mm in diameter and 14.3mm thick, sports a gleaming, predominantly polished finish, distinguishing...

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De Bethune Turns to Swizz Beatz for Kind of Two GMT SJX Watches
De Bethune Turns Apr 10, 2025

De Bethune Turns to Swizz Beatz for Kind of Two GMT

The third iteration of De Bethune’s swivelling, double-faced watch is the Kind of Two GMT “Season 3” conceived in collaboration with American rapper and watch enthusiast Swizz Beatz. Powered by the hand-wound DB2517 movement, the watch indicates one time zone on the front and another on the reverse, with both sides able to be worn face up thanks to patented, pivoting “floating” lugs. Initial thoughts The Kind of Two series employs a useful reversible case, cleverly using the “floating” lug construction of the DB28 to create a double-faced watch. Here one dial is traditional with blued steel hands, and the other an open-worked face revealing the movement that also has a regulator-style display for the second time zone. The clever approach with a unique movement is typical De Bethune, although this loses some novelty as the third double-faced watch in the De Bethune line-up. The Kind of Two GMT is definitely one of the most elaborate two time zone watches on the market, but at over US$200,000, it is pricey for a GMT, even by the standards of independent watchmaking (Voutilainen’s GMT, for instance, costs less). Two-faced The “Season 3” edition adopts a restrained palette of black and gold with blue accents. The 43.3 mm by 11.4 mm case is titanium and zirconium, with blued steel hands and a blue-and-black guilloche dial centre on the front showing local time. Notably, this dial includes a jumping seconds that is driven by a secondary escapement visible on ...

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Breitling Introduces the Top Time B01 Racing Chronograph with a Little Help From an Automotive Icon Worn & Wound
Breitling Introduces Apr 10, 2025

Breitling Introduces the Top Time B01 Racing Chronograph with a Little Help From an Automotive Icon

While more marketable leagues like Formula 1 entice with hypercars, social media presence, and reality TV, rally racing continues to wow spectators with its gritty and furious breed of off-road motorsport. Still, the rally world isn’t without flashes of luxury, and Breitling’s three new Top Time B01 Racing models look to celebrate the sport in all its dirty, dangerous beauty. Fortunately, the Swiss brand has a wealth of innovations to pull from their Top Time line-most notable is the “dashboard” dual-chronograph dial design that helps give the new Racing models that rally-inspired edge.  All three Racing models are anchored by a stainless steel cushion case that gives the watch a squared-off and recognizably retro-futuristic look. With a 38mm diameter and a 44.4mm lug-to-lug measurement, the Top Time Racing should wear comfortably on most wrists but remain legible-both important factors to consider in motorsports, where one wasted second could spell disaster (or mortal danger). Raised, grooved sections add texture and dimension to each rounded corner of the case and mirror the tight spacing of the ¼ second dashes around the dial. All three models feature perforated calfskin straps nestled within an 18mm lug width, a design that calls to mind vintage racing gloves but still emphasizes durability and sportiness.  The aforementioned “dashboard” dual-chronograph dial mimics an instrument cluster, with “squircle” (yes, Breitling does call them that) subdi...

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