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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,374 articles · 37 videos found · page 15 of 114

Introducing - Konstantin Chaykin Presents the Final Version of the 1.65mm ThinKing, the World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch Monochrome
Konstantin Chaykin May 2, 2025

Introducing - Konstantin Chaykin Presents the Final Version of the 1.65mm ThinKing, the World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch

The king of ultra-thin watches is back… Mostly known for his popular Wristmons series, we tend to forget that Konstantin Chaykin is also a highly talented independent watchmaker, a member of the AHCI and a man capable of creating extremely complex watches and clocks. He has, for example, applied for close to 100 patents. Last […]

Introducing the Kudoke 5, with a 24-Hour Display and a Slimmer Case Worn & Wound
May 1, 2025

Introducing the Kudoke 5, with a 24-Hour Display and a Slimmer Case

In 2019, the last year of Baselworld, I remember roaming the hall of AHCI and visiting Stefan and Ev Kudoke to see their new Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2 models. The Kudoke 2 was an instant winner for me with the small hand engraved 24-hour day/night disc. Later that year, the Kudoke 2 won the “Petite Aiguille” GPHG award for the best watch under CHF 10,000. This put Kudoke as a brand on every collector’s radar.  My first impression of the Kudoke 5 is that it is a natural progression or a logical conclusion to the K2 model with the 24-hour day/night disc as the dial. While the small disc in the K2 works as a nice indicator, the full blown 24-hour dial with a large day/night sky is more poetic and truly feels like it naturally belongs as a dial.  The other noticeable thing about the K5 is that it is a brand-new case that is much slimmer than the previous models. It is officially listed at 7mm without the domed crystal (it’s 38mm in diameter and 47mm from lug to lug). Even though the domed crystal on the watch presented in Geneva last month was a prototype, it did not appear to add any height to the watch. This is the slimmest Kudoke watch I have seen.  According to Stefan, engraving the day/night disc is a complex process involving relief engraving. The stars, moon, and triangle remain in place during engraving and the rest of the elements must be lowered. The whole engraving process takes several days. The biggest challenge he faces is not denting the disc during this ...

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: James Cox (c.1723 - 1800) - Early Entrepreneur & Creator of Elaborate and Decorative Timepieces Worn & Wound
Apr 29, 2025

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: James Cox (c.1723 - 1800) - Early Entrepreneur & Creator of Elaborate and Decorative Timepieces

James Cox (c.1723-1800) was a British jeweler, goldsmith and entrepreneur and the proprietor of Cox’s Museum. Cox produced lavishly ornamented automata for trade with the Far East, first with India and then with China, where the reception of his ‘toys’ or ‘sing-songs’, as the Chinese are believed to have called them, was at first a huge success. Cox was an extraordinary gentleman living in 18th century London. This was a time of great opulence with the wealthiest showing their status through objects they commissioned and owned. Cox was a clockmaker, jeweler, and entrepreneur known for creating elaborate and decorative timepieces, automata, and mechanical curiosities. He gained fame for his luxury goods, which were highly sought after by the elite. Cox’s work blended mechanical innovation with exquisite craftsmanship, producing items that were not just functional but also ornamental and artistic. Cox’s career as a jeweler began as early as 1751, and his automata were designed by leading artists including Johann Zoffany and Joseph Nollekens. In the 1760s, John Joseph Merlin became his apprentice. Though he declared himself a goldsmith, he employed several jewelers and manufacturers who would have done much of the work. Jewel cabinet with watch signed James Cox, c.1765-70. Image courtesy of the Met Museum This cabinet is an excellent example of an exquisite item made by Cox and bearing his signature. On its doors are enameled personifications of Winter and S...

In-Depth - Deciphering the Revolutionary Rolex Dynapulse Escapement and the Calibre 7135 Monochrome
Rolex Dynapulse Escapement Apr 11, 2025

In-Depth - Deciphering the Revolutionary Rolex Dynapulse Escapement and the Calibre 7135

Rolex has changed… Not marginally, but significantly. We knew the brand was capable of being rather unpredictable and capable of bold creative moves, such as bubble-decorated dials and watches with a guilloché pattern. The days when Rolex simply revamped a collection every 10 years by implementing incremental upgrades and releasing new dial colours every two […]

Hands-on - The Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance Tantalum 39mm and Its Superb Handmade Movement Monochrome
Patek Philippe […] Apr 8, 2025

Hands-on - The Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance Tantalum 39mm and Its Superb Handmade Movement

Despite being an experienced watchmaker in his 50s, Nicolas Delaloye remains one of the discreet names in the independent watchmaking scene. But there are good reasons for that. This AHCI member just regained his independence and re-started making watches a few months ago, after a long period serving as a watchmaker-restorer at the Patek Philippe […]

The Rolex Land-Dweller is Here: We Got a Watchmaker’s Perspective on the Crown’s New Dynapulse Movement Technology Worn & Wound
Rolex Land-Dweller Apr 1, 2025

The Rolex Land-Dweller is Here: We Got a Watchmaker’s Perspective on the Crown’s New Dynapulse Movement Technology

In recent days, much of the watch internet has been abuzz with the apparent news of a new Rolex collection with the somewhat hard to believe name of Land-Dweller. Leaked images of the Crown’s new watch began to emerge in the days leading up to this year’s Watches & Wonders, and, as you’d expect from the internet, debate ensued. The shots purported to capture a Datejust-adjacent design with sharper lines and, perhaps, an integrated bracelet. The official Rolex teaser for Watches & Wonders on Instagram seemed to confirm many of the details that had already been guessed, and then a very Daniel Craig at the Olympics style image of Roger Federer wearing the watch hit social media via the tennis star’s (and Rolex ambassador’s) Instagram account. It appeared to everyone at this point that the Land-Dweller was real – we only had to wait for the details.  Rolex has made those details public as of today, with the announcement of the new Land-Dweller collection. This is much more, though, than Rolex jumping on the integrated bracelet sports watch bandwagon (although, it is that, at least a little bit). The Land-Dweller is also an important moment for Rolex as a movement maker, as it introduces their new, patented, direct impulse escapament which goes by the trade name Dynapulse. It uses dual silicon wheels and introduces us to Rolex caliber 7135. More on that caliber in a moment, but first, the broad strokes of the Land-Dweller collection. The new collection features a f...

Czapek Unveils a New Tourbillon in a Redesigned Antarctique Worn & Wound
Czapek Unveils Mar 31, 2025

Czapek Unveils a New Tourbillon in a Redesigned Antarctique

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...

Christie’s to Sell Single-Owner Collection of 21st Century High Horology SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin are well represented but Mar 27, 2025

Christie’s to Sell Single-Owner Collection of 21st Century High Horology

Christie’s is continuing with its streak of single-owner watch collections into the 2025 season with Stories in Time. Made up of 160 watches – including a sizeable number of independents – the sale is the culmination of three decades of collecting by one collector. Representing 47 brands from A. Lange & Söhne to Voutilainen, the collection represents 21st century horology in all its diversity, capturing the evolution of contemporary watchmaking as it developed from the 1990s onwards. The watchmaking landscape Establishment brands like Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin are well represented, but equally the independent watchmakers and brands out of the mainstream. While the brand with the largest number of pieces in the collection is Patek Philippe at 20, the second most numerous brand is De Bethune at 18. The line-up also includes nine watches by Greubel Forsey and seven from MB&F;, as well as a few examples of the Harry Winston Opus series. One of the nine Greubel Forsey watches in the sale, the Double Tourbillon 30° Edition Historique in platinum with an estimate of US$120,000-220,000 Almost every watch in the collection is in pristine condition and accompanied by the original boxes and paperwork, reflecting the collector’s meticulous approach. This collection will be offered at Christie’s sales across the world over the course of 2025, in Hong Kong, Dubai, Geneva, and New York in the eight auctions during the spring and autumn sales.  

Hamilton Introduces the American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Hamilton Introduces Mar 13, 2025

Hamilton Introduces the American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

I have to start this one off with an admission: I am not a gamer. I really, really enjoy the Grand Theft Auto franchise and have fond memories of playing them deep into the wee hours of the morning with college friends in my younger, slightly less responsible days, but as a capital A “adult” I’ve never given all that much attention to the gaming world. Movies have always been my thing when it comes to getting lost in a narrative on a giant flatscreen TV. I make the comparison to movies here because it’s been frequently discussed how games have nearly replaced movies for a younger generation when it comes to immersive storytelling. Few things make me feel like an old fuddy-duddy more than talking to twenty year olds who have logged more hours watching Twitch streams than Scorsese movies.  The new watch from Hamilton, a watch brand long associated with the silver screen, is an example of the gradual shift in interest from filmed entertainment to gaming, and represents a pretty big swing for a brand that has carved out a very clear spot in the mindset of most watch enthusiasts. Hamilton conjures thoughts of American watchmaking history, countless appearances in films over the course of many decades, and classically designed value oriented tools (among many other things – their catalog is vast and they make watches in every style imaginable). But one thing they aren’t frequently associated with is the avant-garde, or truly experimental design, their 2001 inspired ...

Krayon’s Anyday is a Day-Date “Mechanical Planner” SJX Watches
Krayon Mar 13, 2025

Krayon’s Anyday is a Day-Date “Mechanical Planner”

Krayon continues with its focus on calendar-related complications with the Anyday. Coming after the Anywhere and Everywhere, the Anyday is not an astronomical complication, but rather a seemingly-simple watch, albeit one with a twist. The Anyday is more than just a basic calendar watch as it offers an intuitive way of visualising the days of a month. Krayon describes the Anyday as a “mechanical planner”, with its display giving a complete view of the current month’s layout in terms of dates and weekends via a colour-coded date display. Initial thoughts Since the Anyday shows the days of the week over the course of a month, the utility of the concept is clear. It allows the wearer to tell if a certain future date will be a Monday or Tuesday, for example. Design wise, the Anyday also continues with Krayon’s established aesthetic, resulting in a recognisable house style. The quality of execution also lives up to the earlier Krayon timepieces. The movement is carefully finished and bears the hallmarks now requisite in high-end independent watchmaking, while the dial is clean and conveys the Krayon aesthetic well. The weekday planning function is useful and conceptually interesting, but it is little disappointing in mechanical terms, especially in comparison to the Anywhere and Everywhere, which are true complication powerhouses. An annual calendar or another basic calendar complication would have made the proposition a little more appealing. That is not to say the Anyd...

Introducing: The Czapek Promenade With A White, Ivory, Or Pink Plissé Dial Fratello
Czapek Promenade Feb 11, 2025

Introducing: The Czapek Promenade With A White, Ivory, Or Pink Plissé Dial

Last year, Czapek introduced the new Promenade collection. Its design combines influences from the brand’s Quai des Bergues and Antarctique lines. Apart from the hollowed-out lugs and mid-case, the watches look quite classic. However, the peculiar dial designs are the real stars of the Promenade collection. The same goes for the newly introduced Promenade Plissé, […] Visit Introducing: The Czapek Promenade With A White, Ivory, Or Pink Plissé Dial to read the full article.

Haute-Rive Honoris 1 Reviewed by Tim Mosso: Impressive 1,000-hour Power Reserve plus Flying Tourbillon Quill & Pad
Oris 1 Reviewed Jan 4, 2025

Haute-Rive Honoris 1 Reviewed by Tim Mosso: Impressive 1,000-hour Power Reserve plus Flying Tourbillon

While Tim Mosso has seen watches with long power reserves, huge power reserves, and absurd power reserves, the result always looked as outwardly awkward as it was technically adept. Every watch he has encountered with a power reserve beyond ten days was massive. But the Haute-Rive Honoris 1 is a compact marvel through clever design.

Louis Vuitton Introduces the Escale Guilloché and Grand Feu Enamel SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Introduces Dec 19, 2024

Louis Vuitton Introduces the Escale Guilloché and Grand Feu Enamel

As this year is coming to a close, it becomes apparent that a leitmotif of 2024 were artisanal dials ranging from hand-engraved, enamelled or even silk-inlaid. Louis Vuitton now takes its turn with the Escale Platinum Guilloché and Grand Feu Enamel, a simple, three-hand watch endowed with a complex and impressive dial made by hand. Initial thoughts Perhaps reflecting Louis Vuitton’s emphasis on haute horlogerie and independent watchmaking, the new Escale feels more like something from an independent maker, rather than a timepiece made by a luxury giant. This kind of artisan-oriented creation reiterates Louis Vuitton’s focus on horological craft, which is also the motivation behind the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. The deep blue sector-style dial feels organic thanks to the radial guilloché under translucent enamel. Beyond the artisanal nature of the dial, the design is thoughtful, with its proportions giving the face a classical composition. The brushed chapter ring with milled dots for markers evokes the minute tracks found in 19th century Breguet pocket watches. The classical styling is combined with Louis Vuitton’s own design cues like the faux rivets on the case band), which makes for a surprisingly pleasant combination.   A dial crafted by four artisans The complexity of the dial stems from different finishing techniques being combined to produce a seemingly simple design with a mesmerising effect. Each dial is crafted by four artisans,...

The New Type 9 is the Smallest and Most Affordable Ressence Yet Worn & Wound
Ressence Yet Dec 18, 2024

The New Type 9 is the Smallest and Most Affordable Ressence Yet

A few weeks ago we told you about the Ressence Type 8 Indigo, a high craft variation on the most simple and accessible Ressence model. It turns out that the Type 8 only held the distinction of being the brand’s entry level timepiece for a few days after the launch of the Indigo, as the new Type 9 which the brand debuted mere hours later now represents the cleanest point of entry to the brand. The Type 9 has much of the same minimalist appeal as the Type 8 (the display is as straightforward as Ressence gets and not materially different from the Type 8) but the new watch offers a significant change to the case, and should give enthusiasts and collectors with a smaller wrist something to consider if they’ve ever balked at a Ressence for being a little too big.  This is the smallest Ressence yet, coming in at 39mm in diameter in titanium. Unlike the Type 8, a 43mm watch with a flying saucer like shape, the Type 9 is more traditional and has small, short lugs to which a strap is mounted at either end of the case. The real space saving here comes from the addition of a bezel which acts as a minute track, whereas in other Ressence designs the outer minute track is simply at the dial’s perimeter. This tightens things up considerably, and also, in my opinion, offers a little more visual interest. With the minute track now outboard of the dial, options begin to open up with respect to finishing, color, materials, and so forth. The execution here isn’t particularly adventuro...

Brellum Introduces a Smaller Version of their Duobox Chronograph Worn & Wound
Nov 15, 2024

Brellum Introduces a Smaller Version of their Duobox Chronograph

Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, founded Brellum in 2017. Unlike many new brands, they did not pursue crowdfunding but adopted a more traditional approach. The first model released by Brellum was the Duobox, which was covered by Worn & Wound here. Since then, we have reported on several other releases by the brand. However, despite this coverage and similar attention from other outlets, Brellum does not appear to have the same visibility or market presence as many competitors. That is the impression I have, at least. Since 2017, they have quietly expanded into multiple product lines, exhibiting strong and distinctive brand coherence. They have successfully established their brand identity in such a way that their models are instantly recognizable as Brellum watches. In an industry as prolific, diverse, and prone to imitation as ours, achieving a high level of brand consistency is more challenging than one might expect, particularly if your designs are conservative. However, their watches do possess some flair, and all feature high-grade chronometer-certified movements. For 2024, Brellum is introducing a smaller version of their most popular model, the Duobox, along with a new chronograph movement in their collection. Introducing the Duobox 39 Chronometer Limited Edition. This watch is essentially a 39mm version featuring subdials at the 3, 6, and 9 positions. Many consider this arrangement more aesthetically pleasing than the standard ETA/VJ7750 dial layo...

Citizen’s Latest “The Citizen” Celebrates their 100th Anniversary with the Subtle Use of Precious Metals Worn & Wound
Citizen s Latest “The Citizen” Nov 4, 2024

Citizen’s Latest “The Citizen” Celebrates their 100th Anniversary with the Subtle Use of Precious Metals

Many of us know Citizen as a brand that creates affordable and (mostly) quartz powered watches. Often packed with a multitude of complications, in large case sizes, and complex layouts. But there’s another side to the brand as well, one that takes full advantage of the many resources at their disposal to create drool worthy haute horlogerie pieces. Many of their offerings from this high-end sector are limited in production, and they feature some of the most sought after watchmaking craftsmanship desired by enthusiasts and collectors alike.  Today we’re taking a look at one of these special offerings which has just been announced in a limited batch of 160 pieces worldwide to celebrate Citizen’s 100th anniversary. This is part of Citizen’s longstanding series of “The Citizen” watches, highlighting the brand’s significant craft accomplishments and their highest end watchmaking. Watches with “The Citizen” designation are flagships for the brand, and often feature intricate case and dial finishing, or uncommon, high-spec movements. Just one quick glance of the press images releases endorphins for most collectors. The dial has an air of whimsy and artistry with its “iceberg” inspired finish, and is clean and simple in layout, with thin applied baton markers. The rather austere design language on display here allows the communication of simplicity to dominate the aura of the watch instead of fixating on one sole function or spec, such as an eye catching tou...

Introducing - The Czapek Antarctique for GMT Milano Edition Monochrome
Czapek Antarctique Oct 4, 2024

Introducing - The Czapek Antarctique for GMT Milano Edition

In 2020, five years after reviving the name of a distinguished 19th-century Geneva-based Czech-born Polish watchmaker with the launch of the Quai des Bergues collection, Czapek introduced its take on the popular genre of steel sports watches with an integrated bracelet, the Antarctique, powered by the brand’s first in-house movement. The model quickly gained well-deserved […]

REVIEW: Hands On With The M.A.D.1 S WatchAdvice
MB&F; Sep 25, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The M.A.D.1 S

A revolution in affordable Haute Horlogerie with the latest M.A.D.1S. What We Love: Affordable haute horology timepiece The three-blade rotor design is well thought out, with it becoming even more fun with lume activated! Despite its thickness, the timepiece sits very well on the wrist thanks to the flat case back. What We Don’t: The hour time barrel is read right to left as it spins counter-clockwise when it should be read left to right The racing-inspired textile leather strap lacks adjustment for slim wrists. Lack of secondary strap choices from M.A.D Editions! Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The M.A.D.1S. is one of the best, if not the best, horological “fun” pieces that are available on the market right now. There are not too many other watches in the luxury world of horology that offer such an amusing timepiece that gets everyone talking, even non-watchgoers! The M.A.D 1 has a relatively short-lived history, as it was first released in June 2021; however, since then, it has been met with an overwhelming reception, giving more and more incentive for the M.A.D. Editions brand to keep creating more innovative, affordable entertainment timepieces! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) The brand new 2024 M.A.D.1S. models To understand how M.A.D.1 first came about, we need to look at how the brand M.A.D Edition started and how its big sister brand, MB&F;, played a maj...

MIH Marks 50 Years with the Gaïa III and Gaïa 50th Anniversary SJX Watches
Louis Erard Excellence Sep 19, 2024

MIH Marks 50 Years with the Gaïa III and Gaïa 50th Anniversary

Originally launched in 2019 as a fundraising exercise for the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH), the Gaïa wristwatch is returning for the museum’s 50th anniversary this year. The MIH is marking the occasion with a pair of watches, the Gaïa Series III and Gaïa 50th Anniversary, both limited editions that will help fund restoration work and promotional activities at the museum. The two watches share the unique design of earlier Gaïa editions, but now the dials are engraved. Notably, the Gaïa 50th Anniversary (pictured above) has a guilloche dial that’s hand made by Georges Brodbeck, a veteran guillocheur whose workshop was acquired by Voutilainen two years ago. The Gaïa Series III with a laser engraved dial Initial thoughts As with the earlier Gaïa watches, the new pair are a great way to support one of Switzerland’s leading watch and clock museums. But the Gaïa is not just a charity project, it is an appealing and well-priced watch. The price has risen slightly, from CHF2,900 for the original to CHF3,400 for the Gaïa III, but the increase is modest relative to the watch industry as a whole, and the watch remains a value buy. The Gaïa anniversary is twice the price at over CHF5,000, but still value considering the hand-made guilloche dial. It’s one of the handful of watches in this price range with a traditional engine-turned dial, plus it has an unusual time display and case. The closest comparison is the Louis Erard Excellence that is less expensi...

Watches, Stories, & Gear: A New Book on the Rolex Submariner, the Salem’s Lot Trailer, and Detecting Alien Space Ships Worn & Wound
Rolex Submariner Sep 14, 2024

Watches, Stories, & Gear: A New Book on the Rolex Submariner, the Salem’s Lot Trailer, and Detecting Alien Space Ships

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. The Rolex Submariner Book As reported by GQ and many others, Rolex is about to release what would appear to be the definitive book on the Submariner, a watch that most would agree is one of the most consequential of all time. As a dive watch, a luxury item, and a design object, the Submariner, in many ways, stands alone, and the coffee table book written by industry veteran Nicholas Foulkes promises to delve into the history of the watch in an authoritative way. There have, of course, been many books on Rolex and the brand’s most important watches, but Oyster Perpetual Submariner – The Watch That Unlocked the Deep is the first to be authorized by the brand. It stands to reason that Foulkes was given access to historical materials not available to others who have attempted to chronicle the Submariner’s history.  Salem’s Lot Comes to Max The full trailer for the highly anticipated Salem’s Lot adaptation hit the internet this week, and it has Stephen King fans buzzing. Based on King’s acclaimed second novel, Salem’s Lot is a vampire story about a writer returning to his q...

Opinion: the Moser x Studio Underd0g Collab Was Great - the Reaction from the Watch Community Was Disappointing Worn & Wound
H. Moser Sep 9, 2024

Opinion: the Moser x Studio Underd0g Collab Was Great - the Reaction from the Watch Community Was Disappointing

Without fail, there’s a moment at big industry events when you realize you’re in a bubble. At every Watches & Wonders I’ve attended, and now following my first Geneva Watch Days, there’s been a new release that has “worked” in the room among the press and other members of the community who have actually seen it, but has been less warmly received (in certain quarters) by those back home. I felt this acutely when looking at the latest from H. Moser, a collaboration with Studio Underd0g that, when I saw the press release ahead of leaving for Switzerland, I was certain would be the enthusiast community’s favorite walking away. And while I think overall you’d have to admit the watch was widely praised from all sides, there was a surprising chorus of supposed Studio Underd0g fans who didn’t take to it as kindly.  When I was pointed toward heated Instagram comment threads by friends and colleagues days after seeing the watches I was genuinely surprised. When you’re at an event like this, you’re really kind of on your own little watch industry planet. I find that there’s simply not enough time to monitor reactions to everything with a busy meeting schedule and almost no down time. It’s kind of nice, honestly, to be consumed by a single thing for a short period of time. It has a cleansing effect. But it means I’m not idly scrolling through Instagram, so the peanut gallery commentary on all the new releases was lost on me.  To summarize, the reactions i...

The Latest From Massena LAB is a Collaboration with an Entirely New Brand: Albishorn Worn & Wound
Massena Lab Aug 29, 2024

The Latest From Massena LAB is a Collaboration with an Entirely New Brand: Albishorn

Well, it wouldn’t be Geneva Watch Days without some wild new release from Massena LAB. Last year, the well-known design house partnered with Sylvain Pinaud to offer up a take on Pinaud’s modern marvel of a chronograph. This year, they’re looking back, joining with a brand new independent watchmaker making their debut at Geneva Watch Days, Albishorn, to give us something a little different. Albishorn, as I said, is a brand new indie brand with a unique focus - creating what they call “imaginary vintage” watches that bend watchmaking history to create something a little different. Their inaugural release, produced in partnership with Massena LAB, imagines a hypothetical late 1930s regatta chronograph (or regatta timer if you prefer), inspired by Le Bol d’Or Mirabaud - the world’s largest inland lake regatta, first run in 1939 on Lac Léman. A quick glance at the new Albishorn x Massena LAB Maxigraph will leave vintage heads with a clear sense of origin. The new watch clearly pulls design language from Rolex’s iconic Zerographe chronographs, the early predecessor to now iconic watches like the Daytona. The watch’s dial layout is also reminiscent of World War II multi-scale chronographs, and the mono-pusher layout certainly invokes a vintage charm. Obviously, this is not a genuine vintage watch, and certain details of the Maxigraph betray that. The execution feels quite modern, with sharply machined elements like the stark red pusher on the case flank, mu...

MB&F; and L’Epee 1839 Introduce Steampunk Airship Clock SJX Watches
MB&F; Aug 28, 2024

MB&F; and L’Epee 1839 Introduce Steampunk Airship Clock

MB&F;’s sculptural clocks made by L’Epee 1839 have ranged from sci-fi spiders to robots. And now the pair have debuted their most elaborate and expensive desk clock to date, the Albatross. Inspired by the airship of the same name in the Jules Verne novel Robur the Conqueror, the steampunk Albatross does more than tell the time. The clock also incorporates an hourstriker as well as a propellor automaton that activates alongside the hourstriker. Initial thoughts The Albatross is more interesting mechanically than MB&F;’s past collaborations with L’Epee, which were mostly about the form of the clock. This, on the other hand, incorporates mechanics into the design with the propeller automaton linked to the hourstriker. Coupled with the chiming and spinning propellors, the sheer size – 60 cm high and some 17 kg – makes the Albatross a truly impressive object. But the Albatross costs about CHF120,000 before taxes, which is a big number even considering its complexity. While the impressive mechanics and careful construction of the clock arguably justify the price, the price tag puts it in competition with a lot of compelling watches, at least for a watch collector. For someone looking for an impressive desktop object or the ultimate in home decor, this has arguably less competition. Jules Verne’s airship Made of steel, brass, and aluminium, the Albatross contains two separate movements. The first is a twin barrel, eight-day movement for the timekeeping and hourstriker...

Heinrich is the Latest Brand to Experiment with Stone Dials Worn & Wound
Formex Fears Aug 12, 2024

Heinrich is the Latest Brand to Experiment with Stone Dials

Don’t look now, but it really does feel like stone dials are having a moment in the enthusiast watch space. This, I have to admit, is one of the most unlikely trends in our hobby recently, but I’m very much here for it. For a long time, stone dials were thought of by many as something rather cheesy, a bit of 1980s kitsch that time had passed by. But it only takes seeing one really nice stone dial to change your mind. Brands like Formex, Fears, and Nivada have all recently released stone dials in watches that would traditionally be defined as more sport oriented, and this mixing of formality with something more casual is also the basis for much of the appeal. The latest watches to pop up in this category come from Heinrich, a brand we’ve covered several times before, who have just unveiled a pair of stone dialed sports watches that fit right into the recent resurgence in this niche category.  The new watches are part of the Helicoprion line, which Brad Homes recently reviewed here. This platform, it seems, works well as a canvas for experimentation, as the watch that Brad looked at featured an unusual “Buzzsaw” pattern dial. The Helicoprion is a capable and well made sports watch that comes in at 40mm in diameter and measures a little over 47mm from lug to lug. Besides the dial, its defining feature is the brushed bezel with visible screws, evoking a very specific style of sports watch from the 1970s. Heinrich has built much of its reputation on the quality of th...

Introducing - The Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll with a Mesmerising Chrysocolla Dial Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll Jul 10, 2024

Introducing - The Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll with a Mesmerising Chrysocolla Dial

Ulysse Nardin has always been associated with the sea, from its early days as a purveyor of precision marine chronometers to its current nautical-inspired collection, which includes classical references like the Marine Torpilleur or more contemporary, high-performance Divers. Offered in three case sizes, the more compact 39mm model returns with a stunning mottled neon blue […]

IAMWATCH in Singapore, an Independent Watchmaking-Centric Event SJX Watches
Urwerk Florian Bédat Jul 5, 2024

IAMWATCH in Singapore, an Independent Watchmaking-Centric Event

Singapore retailer The Hour Glass is staging IAMWATCH over four days in October 2024. The event is conceived as a gathering for watch enthusiasts with notable independent watchmakers in attendance, including Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, Florian Bédat and Gaël Petermann, Kari Voutilainen, Raúl Pagès, and Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia. IAMWATCH will serve as a platform for face-to-face engagement between watch enthusiasts and noted industry personalities like Aurel Bacs, Jean Arnault, Maximilian Büsser, and Pierre Biver, providing enthusiasts opportunities to connect and learn. The event includes presentations, lectures, and fireside chats with more than 40 industry insiders. IAMWATCH will be held at the Singapore Edition hotel. Admission is free and open to the public daily October 18-20, from 11 am-8 pm, however, registration is required and it can be done online at Iamwatch.com.  

First Look - New High-End Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & Dame 9518 Monochrome
Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & May 29, 2024

First Look - New High-End Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & Dame 9518

The words ‘contemporary’ and ‘sporty’ are hard to apply to Breguet, but barring the aviation-inspired Type 20, the Marine collection is as close as you’ll get to a luxury sports watch collection inspired by the brand’s legitimate and longstanding maritime ties. Introduced in 1990 and refreshed over the decades, Breguet’s sporty Marine collection welcomes two […]