Results for Magic Lever Winding

The Entry-Level Urwerk UR-101 Gets the T-Rex Treatment

Modelled on the first-ever Urwerk wristwatch, the UR-101 T-Rex is the independent watchmaker’s latest entry-level model. Priced at CHF38,000 before taxes, or about US$43,000, the UR-101 combines the brand’s signature wandering hours display with an aged bronze case finished with a scale-like guilloche. Initial thoughts Urwerk doesn’t do vintage-inspired watches often, and when it does the result is restyled enough to make it clearly modern. This is in keeping with the brand founders’ ethos, which looks forward rather than back. That’s the case with the UR-101 T-Rex. Though it takes the same form as the vintage original, it’s recognisable as a new creation. The vintage-inspired concept is appealing, as is the sub-US$50,000 price. While I like the idea of a revival, I find the “T-Rex” pattern a bit too aggressive. A polished finish that replicates the original would have been unimaginative, but more subtle engine turning would be an interesting counterpoint to the avant-garde style of the watch. That said, since the UR-101 is a limited edition of 100 pieces, I can safely assume that new variants are planned for the future. The tab on the back releases the crown to set the time Vintage inspired The new UR-101 is Urwerk’s second historically-inspired watch after the UR-102 “Reloaded” of 2023 that was similarly based on the brand’s early creations. Like its predecessor, the UR-101 retains the form of the vintage original, but is scaled up to 41 mm wide ...

Introducing – Orient Introduces Its First-Ever Collaboration with Peanuts, with 4 Snoopy-Themed Models

As we’ve seen recently, Orient, a Japanese watchmaker owned by the Seiko Epson Corporation, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Created in 1950, it has since made a name for itself in the accessible segment with watches such as the Mako or the Bambino. There’s another important name that was created that same year; a […]

Finding the unexpected: Six excellent watches from non-traditional watch manufacturers

In this article, we take a look at a series of watches from watch brands that many will consider as non-traditional watch manufacturers.

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) – A Champion of British Craftsmanship

Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was the last of the great Vulliamy family of Royal clockmakers and five-times Master of the Clockmakers’ Company. He was Royal Clockmaker to King George IV, King William IV and Queen Victoria and the driving force behind the formation of the Clockmakers Library and Collection – now Clockmakers’ Museum – from 1814 onwards. The Public Face of Clockmaking The Vulliamy family was known for producing high-quality timepieces, often regarded as some of the finest in Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was the last of four generations of Royal clockmakers based at 68 Pall Mall, London from 1753. Early in life he joined his father Benjamin in the family business, which by then was best known for its ornamental clocks and metal furnishings. Upon his father’s death in 1811, Benjamin Lewis inherited control of the business. Following the end of the Napoleonic wars he began to shift its output towards emerging new markets, particularly those brought about by the development and expansion of institutions like the new Houses of Parliament, government departments and London’s clubland. In all his products he aimed for high quality, reliability and accuracy. He created clocks for public buildings and important institutions. Some of his works are still present in places like the Horse Guards Parade and the Royal Exchange in London. This magnificent and imposing clock No. 1394 (below) was purchased for use in ...

Hot Take: The WRK Timepieces ACF-02 Refines a Winning Formula

In the world of independent watchmaking, few brands make an impression right out of the gate. WRK Timepieces, however, did just that with its debut ACF-01 last year. Now, with the release of the ACF-02, the brand refines its design language while maintaining the bold, lightweight approach that made its first model stand out. WRK […] Visit Hot Take: The WRK Timepieces ACF-02 Refines a Winning Formula to read the full article.

Girard-Perregaux’s New Laureato Aston Martin Edition Has One of the Most Insane Dials You’ve Ever Seen

Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch

Michiel Holthinrichs, an architect turned watch manufacturer, made a name for himself and his brand by introducing the world’s first watch with a 3D-printed stainless steel case in 2016. State-of-the-art technology and machining processes created cases with swooping lines and sensual curves, but the human touch made the watches sexy; the machines could only do […] Visit Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch to read the full article.

A Servicable Hybrid Ceramic Entry Level Watch – Bulova Snorkel

The post A Servicable Hybrid Ceramic Entry Level Watch – Bulova Snorkel appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Fratello’s Top 5 Pre-Owned Entry-Level Rolex Models

Another Friday, another list! This week, we’re highlighting the best entry-level Rolex models you can buy pre-owned for an affordable price. A few weeks ago, we looked at five great Rolex Datejusts. While searching for the best picks, I saw many more great non-Datejust options. That inspired this week’s list of five pre-owned Rolex models […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Pre-Owned Entry-Level Rolex Models to read the full article.

Rare Finds - The Never-Produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar

James Dowling shares with a special watch from his personal collection: The never-produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar with the calibre 5355.

Hands-On: Bulgari And MB&F; Team Up (Again) For The Most Futuristic 'Serpenti' Ever

Four years after the two brands' first collaboration, two of watchmaking's best designers get creative with an icon.

Bvlgari and MB&F; Create A Serpenti Like You’ve Never Seen Before

The Best Watch Ever?! | Know Your Complications | Diving Deep | Part II

Hamilton Debuts the Retro and Affordable Chrono-Matic 50

Modelled on the Chrono-Matic GMT Count-Down from the 1970s, the Chrono-Matic 50 in blue stays true to its predecessor in style. The limited edition retains the five-crown configuration and retains the bold, helmet-shaped 48 mm case, though it forgoes the GMT function. As is typical for Hamilton, the new Chrono-Matic 50 is powered by a high-spec ETA movement and priced affordably. Initial thoughts For several years now, vintage reissues been a dependable strategy for watch brands. Rather than venturing into entirely new designs with unpredictable results, companies are playing safe by relying on the established appeal of reissues. But there are a lot of reissues already on the market, with more being launched seemingly all the time. The Chrono-Matic 50 in blue exemplifies this. Having introduced a black version in 2019, Hamilton has done the same in blue. The new Chrono-Matic 50 stands out from the average reissue in two respects. One is the better-than-average movement for the price range thanks to Hamilton being a sister company of ETA, the biggest maker of mechanical movements in Switzerland. The second is the historical basis of the watch; Hamilton did actually make something like that in the past, which gives this a legitimacy that startups lack. The case is somewhat oversized for my personal preference, though it is sized similarly to the chunky vintage original.It does have a unique design and layout, and with a retail of US$2,545, the Chrono-Matic 50 is also well p...

Introducing: The Hamilton Chrono-Matic 50 Limited Edition In Blue And Orange

In 2019, Hamilton launched a limited-edition Chrono-Matic 50 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Calibre 11. Along with Breitling, Heuer, Dubois-Dépraz, and Buren, Hamilton was one of the original partners in the development of the automatic Calibre 11 that debuted in 1969. The 2019 version of the Chrono-Matic 50 had a black dial, […] Visit Introducing: The Hamilton Chrono-Matic 50 Limited Edition In Blue And Orange to read the full article.

Introducing: The Grand Seiko SLGH027 In Ever-Brilliant Steel

The brand goes back to Mt. Iwate to find inspiration for their new hi-beat automatic release.

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: Edward East (1602-c.1697) – A Very Influential Clockmaker

Edward East was one of the most successful and distinguished London clockmakers of the 1600s. He was a shrewd businessman and brilliantly talented artisan who earned the high regard of the rich and famous of society. East made his name against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent times in British history. Early Life in the City of London Edward East was born on the 22nd of August 1602 in Southill, Bedfordshire. He was well-educated, and began his training in London, with the guild associated with gold and silversmithing known as the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Edward’s apprenticeship began in May 1617 under the Master Robert Podmore. In March 1618, his apprenticeship was transferred to Richard Rogers through the Goldsmiths’ Company. Rogers lived and worked on London’s Fleet Street, a bustling centre of commerce where many famous clock and watchmakers had already set up business. It was in this lively environment that Edward learned how to work with different metals and trained in specialist skills, such as engraving and ornamentation. He also met one of the leading London watchmakers, Edmund Bull (1585-1622), son of the eminent watchmaker and goldsmith John Bull. At some point, East may have worked as an apprentice for Bull, as there is evidence that he travelled with him on a business trip to Holland during this time. Pear-shaped watch in a rock crystal case. Gilt-brass dial engraved with the Nativity and a figure of Time. Made by Edward East, London, c....

The Sea-Gull Split-Second Chronograph Limited Might be the Most Affordable Rattrapante Ever

We probably sound like a broken record, saying it over and over again, but there’s really nothing quite like a genuine surprise in this hobby. It’s just that there’s so much predictability, month after month and year after year, it’s naturally the quirky and strange stuff that stands out and makes us really take notice. There are also, sometimes, watches that come along that present a truly shocking value proposition, which for those of us with watch budgets that fluctuate but are very much finite, is something that really gets us excited. Lately, we’ve taken notice of a number of independent brands offering previously exclusive complications at prices that only a few years ago would have been unheard of. We can call this the Bel Canto Effect, if you’d like, because it’s a trend that, if it didn’t start with Christopher Ward, is still very much exemplified by their affordable chiming watch. Perhaps even more unlikely than Christopher Ward dropping a chiming watch in a haute horlogerie design language, now we have word of Sea-Gull’s release of an affordable split-second chronograph, a complication that for years has been associated with the highest end brands.  The Sea-Gull Split-Second Chronograph Limited, as it’s known, is a $3,649 rattrapante chronograph presented in a classical style. It’s extremely under the radar, so much so that we genuinely wonder why more people are not talking about it. Just in case you need a refresher on what a split-secon...

L’Epée 1839 Makes their LVMH Watch Week Debut with a Clever New Watch Box

When I was in middle school, my Saturday afternoons were my own. My younger brother played travel soccer, my dad was his coach, and my mom rarely missed a game, so just about every weekend in the Fall and Spring, I had the house to myself for a few hours. One of my favorite things to do during these reprieves from my family was to go up to my dad’s attic office, open up his watch box - a brown leather box that held five watches - and marvel at what I found inside. Something about that brown leather box communicated with perfect clarity that anything found inside it was to be treasured. That experience is probably no small part of why I love watches today, and a part of me is always looking to recapture the wonder I felt sneaking into my dad’s office and opening up his watch box. These days, it’s a harder experience to find, and I generally think a lot less about watch boxes - most of my watches either sit out on a felt pad on my desk or live in a set of retrofitted metal drawers from IKEA. Still, every so often, someone goes the extra mile and makes a watch box that’s hard to ignore. With their new acrylic Watch Box, L’Epée 1839 has done just that. If you know of L’Epée 1839, it’s probably from their clocks. And they’ve made some incredible clocks over the years; from very traditional carriage clocks to their collaborative pieces made with MB&F; (the Destination Moon is a personal favorite), L’Epée 1839 has consistently been a leader in Swiss cloc...

Fratello On Air: Finding Your Place In The Watch Community

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss the watch community and how to find a group of like-minded (or differently minded) people within it. Whether you seek to meet people in person or online, there’s even a great option if you don’t live in a major city. For our listeners, […] Visit Fratello On Air: Finding Your Place In The Watch Community to read the full article.

We See Why The Raymond Weil Millesime Is Award Winning

In this revisited article we originally published early in 2024, we take a look at the (then) new Raymond Weil Millesime with Mario going hands on with the Challenge Watch Award Winning piece from 2023’s GPHG. Originally published April 22nd, 2024 What We Love: Every design element feels exceptionally thought-out Appears larger than on paper, but wears comfortably and true to size A spec & design monster for the price point What We Don’t: Some design elements feel slightly unnecessary Lack of a date can bug some people Would have liked a more finished movement Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 After the Piaget Polo Date Review, Chamath opened the floor to me, asking what other watches I wanted to review. Unlike last time, I didn’t jump straight into the annals of priceless and inaccessible haute horlogerie. With my newfound experience in reviewing timepieces, it felt right not to give him a heart attack this time. So, instead of asking for an MB&F; or an Urwerk, I gleefully drafted a shortlist of five timepieces to review. There wasn’t a real theme, rhyme or reason with the pieces I requested. I chose pieces not based on brand, price or reputation, but on what intrigued me the most horologically. It was hard to restrict myself to five, (There are so many I love!) but my feeble mind would have exploded before I managed to compile everything I wanted to see. Enter Geneva brand Raymond Weil – a relat...

Year In Review: Finding My Place In The Watch World

There is no one right way to exist as a watch enthusiast.

Finding Joy in Watches Again: Plans for 2025 and Beyond

It's been almost ten years since we've started the Two Broke Watch Snobs podcast and when I sit back to think about that, I can't help but realize how much this hobby has monopolized my time and headspace. It's not really a bad thing, well not all the time. But this year I really tried to be mindful about how much this deep interest impacted my day-to-day life, especially all the time that it takes up between family and work obligations. The truth is-and I think deep down we all know this-watch collecting is an exceedingly unnecessary endeavor when you think about life at a macroscopic scale.

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: David Ramsey – Two-Time Watchmaker by Royal Appointment

David Ramsay was a renowned Scottish watchmaker and clockmaker who was born in the late 16th century. During the 17th century he was recognised as a prominent figure in the world of horology and appointed as the first Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and watchmaker to two Kings prior to the English Civil War. Born in Scotland, Made in London David Ramsay was born around 1580 near St. Andrews, in the county of Fife, Scotland and grew up as part of a relatively well-off family in a proudly Scottish household. He later moved to London, England, where he gained recognition for his skills in clockmaking. Ramsay was a mechanical genius and produced some of the world’s most extraordinary horological masterpieces – clocks and watches that are arguably works of art unto themselves. Although he rose to the top of his field as a watchmaker, operating from the seat of power in London, he struggled chronically with money, eventually falling out of royal favour and winding up in a debtors’ prison. In 1594, he was apprenticed to the master armourer Henry Smith who was appointed Royal Armourer to King James VI of Scotland. Ramsay’s training in metalworking certainly played a crucial part in his later development as a watch and clockmaker. This required specialist knowledge and training, such as in hardening and tempering steel, and in smelting iron ore to obtain a more uniform steel of higher quality.  He would have also been trained in quality control, finishing a...

Big Watches, Small Wrists Part IV: Will I ever be able to pull off the Moonwatch?

Can a 5.5 inch wrist pull off the Moonwatch?The post Big Watches, Small Wrists Part IV: Will I ever be able to pull off the Moonwatch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.