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Results for Ceramic Bezel Insert

1,402 articles · 5 videos found · page 18 of 47

Introducing - The Rolex Deepsea 136668LB in 18k Yellow Gold with Blue Dial and Bezel Monochrome
Rolex Deepsea 136668LB Apr 9, 2024

Introducing - The Rolex Deepsea 136668LB in 18k Yellow Gold with Blue Dial and Bezel

The Rolex Submariner and Sea-Dweller are iconic diving watches that have achieved legendary status in horology. Originally launched in 2008, the Deepsea is Rolex’s hardcore diving instrument with a water resistance of 3,900 meters (and 11,000 meters for the Deepsea challenge of 2022). The model was updated at Baselworld 2018 with the reference 126660 featuring […]

Revisiting Shinola: the New Black Ceramic Monster Worn & Wound
Shinola Mar 11, 2024

Revisiting Shinola: the New Black Ceramic Monster

I first took serious notice of Shinola when the brand released its limited edition yacht timer, the Shinola Mackinac in 2022. It’s a funky, vintage inspired design, with a square case, circular yellow-orange dial, and pops of blue that make it an eye-catching piece, perfect for summer. I bought it-and probably overpaid, but, hey, everyone’s got that watch they bought with their heart not their financial sense-and at the same time bought into Shinola’s story as a company that pays homage to its Detroit roots and assembles their watches in America. The Mackinac really seems to represent a turning point for the company. Its release was followed by a string of watches seemingly designed for watch enthusiasts who took issue with Shinola’s pricey, quartz-heavy early catalog. Take the latest addition to the Shinola lineup: the Ceramic Monster, which I had the opportunity to spend a week with recently. The Monster line has always had the best case design of any of Shinola’s watches-particularly with the subtly curved lugs, which here allow the accompanying strap to be flush with the case, unlike other Shinola models which feature straight, spindly lugs-but the Ceramic Monster is the first in the lineup to look truly distinct from other brands’ divers. This is thanks not just to the color change-the watch is all black with some red and white highlights -but to the subtle rippling wave pattern featured on the dial meant to evoke a choppy day on the Great Lake...

Hands-On: the Bell & Ross BR-X5 Green Lum & BR 03 Cyber Ceramic Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross BR-X5 Green Lum & Feb 6, 2024

Hands-On: the Bell & Ross BR-X5 Green Lum & BR 03 Cyber Ceramic

Make no mistake, I’m grateful to be able to write about watches. Doing so opens a lot of doors and brings about some great opportunities. Many fantastic new watches are delivered to my door, and often weeks will pass without needing to pick something to wear from my own watch box. However, there are times when a new watch is in such demand, or produced in such limited numbers, that a loan is not easy to come by. The BR-X5 Green Lum is one such watch. Spending some time with it would mean leaving the warmth and comfort of my own home and venturing up to London’s Bell & Ross boutique. It’s a ‘hardship’ I’m willing to take, and an opportunity I’m still thankful for. So, accompanied by ‘wrist model’ and Bell & Ross fan Jeremy, I trekked up to the Big Smoke to go hands-on with this bright and bold addition to the BR-X5 line, and also had some surprise wrist time with the brand new BR 03 Cyber Ceramic. First up is the Green Lum ($13,300). When the BR-X5 line was launched in late 2022, it represented a serious advancement in the Bell & Ross brand identity. For as long as I can remember, the square watch has been Bell & Ross’s calling card. Think square: think Bell & Ross. The successful BR05 model family saw the brand pushing into the integrated-bracelet sports watch arena, rounding off a few square edges while still maintaining a familiar dial layout. Outside of those product lines Bell & Ross has also regularly added to and updated its ‘Concept’ range, w...

First Look - The Travis Scott x AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Brown Ceramic Monochrome
Audemars Piguet s recent history No Nov 30, 2023

First Look - The Travis Scott x AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Brown Ceramic

Collaborations and watches inspired by pop and street culture are, without a doubt, an important part of Audemars Piguet‘s recent history. No other brand on the haute horlogerie scene has fostered such creative synergies with different universes. Sport, pop culture, art, fashion and entertainment… It looks at things from a different perspective, like it or […]

Hands-On: Forty-Eight Hours with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo Worn & Wound
Hublot Spirit Oct 27, 2023

Hands-On: Forty-Eight Hours with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo

If you’ve listened to the podcast, follow me on Instagram, read what I write here on the website, or even have just had a five minute conversation with me about something innocuous, like who makes the best fast food cheeseburger, there’s a good chance you already know that I’ve kind of become obsessed with Hublot. I try not to waste an opportunity to be sure people know that to overlook this brand on the basis of their perception in the larger watch community is to be, frankly, a snob. I don’t much care for snobs, or gatekeeping, or for not looking beyond the surface of a particular watch or brand, so the widespread Hublot-hate that cuts across the watch community is a continued annoyance.  Because the thing is, Hublot is very good at doing what they set out to do, and judging them on the merits of fulfilling their intention seems like the only fair way to evaluate them, or any brand for that matter. Hublot, as it exists today, is essentially a brand full of statement pieces, but made with intention and a real focus on materials. The common gripes that they’re gaudy, or over-the-top, or even overpriced miss the point entirely. They are exactly what they are supposed to be. For a watch to be “gaudy” it would have to be so unintentionally, and as far as I’m concerned, a watch that’s over-the-top should wear that attribute as a strength.  As much I like and admire Hublot for being a weird mix between class clown, Rebel Without a Cause, and, I don’t know,...

IWC Brings a Fan Favorite Ceramic Tone to their 41mm Chronograph Platform Worn & Wound
IWC Brings Oct 19, 2023

IWC Brings a Fan Favorite Ceramic Tone to their 41mm Chronograph Platform

If you’re a fan of IWC pilot watches, you’ve no doubt participated in one of this cohort’s favorite activities, which is armchair quarterbacking the specifics of each release. We’ve gotten to a point where there are so many case sizes, complications, and case materials in the collection that the moment a new watch is announced, there’s a cry on the internet for that exact thing but tweaked, somehow, to more closely resemble another watch the brand makes. This is especially true with IWC’s ceramic cased pilot watches, which tend to be rather large and drive more than their share of “If only it was __mm” comments on Instagram. Earlier this year, in the midst of Ingy-fever, IWC quietly released a very nice 41mm chronograph in blue ceramic. It got some of us thinking: will more ceramic color options come to this Goldilocks sized case that everyone (myself very much included) seems to love?  The answer, of course, is yes. This week, IWC revealed a watch that many collectors have been hoping for for quite some time, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert. The brown “Mojave” case is meant to look like desert sand, and has been a favorite when executed as a perpetual calendar and Big Pilot. It was also, first, a chronograph, which made its debut back in 2019 in the same 44.5mm case later occupied by the Tahoe and Woodland versions of the chrono. It’s certainly the brand’s most unique ceramic colorway, and I have a feeling the news of this...

Review: the Zenith Defy Skyline in Black Ceramic Worn & Wound
Zenith Defy Skyline Aug 4, 2023

Review: the Zenith Defy Skyline in Black Ceramic

For fans of the Zenith Defy, it’s practically impossible not to compare the new Skyline models to the now retired Classic references. As a self described Defy fan, I’ve found myself doing this on a routine basis whenever I get a chance to handle a newer reference. I’ve long held that the Defy, over the years, is pound for pound the very best sports watch line out there. The watches in this collection are adventurous in their design, inherently robust, and naturally distinctive in a sea of sports watches that kind of all look alike. From the very beginning, the Defy has been a trailblazer, something truly unique, but frequently overlooked in favor of watches that it clearly influenced along the way.  Zenith’s release strategy with the Defy almost begs for comparison between generations. The Defy Classic, after being issued in titanium with both solid and skeletonized dials, was made in a trio of ceramic models (black, white, and blue) with skeletonized dials. Similarly, the Skyline was introduced in steel first, was eventually given a skeletonized dial, and finally at this year’s Watches & Wonders we got a ceramic version on a full ceramic bracelet, with both the star motif dial seen here, and a skeletonized version similar to the one reviewed earlier this year by Blake right here. No colored ceramic Defy Skylines have been released yet, but it’s easy to see the similarities between Defy generations. There definitely appears to be a roadmap. And yet, after spen...

The New Casio Oceanus Pays Tribute to the Deep Blue Sea with Spiral-Cut Sapphire Bezel Anchored by Hardened Titanium Case and Bracelet Worn & Wound
Casio Oceanus Pays Tribute Jul 21, 2023

The New Casio Oceanus Pays Tribute to the Deep Blue Sea with Spiral-Cut Sapphire Bezel Anchored by Hardened Titanium Case and Bracelet

The Oceanus might be the last thing you think about when you hear the brand name, Casio. Their elevated range of watches aren’t built with the familiar tough resin case accompanied by a soft urethane band and a digital display. Instead, Casio has elected to encase the Oceanus with titanium paired with distinguishable features that stray away from the utilitarian feel while still integrating their technological know-how in a more analog fashion. In short, this concept is what Casio refers to as, “Elegance, Technology”. The four latest additions include a limited reference and three regular production models that harness the dynamic cerulean hues of the ocean packaged in a coated titanium case and equipped with a suite of familiar features. Like the Manta S500 Series, the Oceanus OCWS6000SW2A takes the bezel and uses it as a canvas to uniquely represent the various features of the ocean. This limited production model in particular displays the movement of the ocean with a spiral-cut sapphire bezel representing the crest and trough of a traveling wave. The blue gradient of the bezel also gives the impression of the continuous motion of the ocean. Although masked by color, the sapphire bezel still allows light to penetrate through, powering the solar panel fixed beneath. As mentioned above, the case is constructed out of titanium and coated with a carbide treatment giving a powdery, sandblasted effect across the non-polished areas. Another distinguishable feature of the ...

Rado Adds Three New Ceramic Watches to their Great Gardens of the World Series Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko have been doing May 30, 2023

Rado Adds Three New Ceramic Watches to their Great Gardens of the World Series

Since 2017, Rado has partnered with the Great Gardens of the World organization on watches that are inspired both by nature and the sometimes meticulous preparation of the world’s great gardens. Watchmaking and gardening might seem like an unlikely match at first, but this series is really an opportunity for Rado designers to use the natural world as a starting point for their work, which isn’t so different from what brands like Grand Seiko have been doing for years. It’s interesting to see Rado’s take on a “nature” watch, though, as they apply texture and materials in markedly different ways than other brands, coming up with watches that are very distinctly their own, with a focus on materials and highlighting Rado’s unique visual design language.  The latest watches in the series are all inspired by specific plants found in different corners of the world, but are currently on the endangered species list. They have dynamic, textured dials and use Rado’s True Thinline ceramic case and bracelet platform as a starting point. First up is Chapter 8 (it’s the 8th watch in this ongoing series), inspired by the Hawaiian Loulu Lelo plant, which has distinct pleated leaves. The dial is broken up into separate sectors that have the pleats running in opposite directions, creating an almost psychedelic effect that is common to this series. While the Loulu Lelo leaves are a verdant green, this watch has been rendered entirely in black ceramic, with contrasting gold t...

IWC’s Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Finally Gets a Ceramic Case Worn & Wound
IWC s Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Apr 11, 2023

IWC’s Pilot’s Chronograph 41 Finally Gets a Ceramic Case

In the midst of what can only be described as Ingenieur Mania at Watches & Wonders a few weeks ago, IWC quietly unveiled a pair of watches in their Pilot collection that would have certainly been the headline grabbing highlights in almost any other year. It’s interesting in terms of strategy (they clearly wanted to focus heavily on the new Ingenieur, a watch that has been long requested by collectors and clearly represents years of fine tuning) and because, well, the new Pilot’s Chronographs on display were kind of awesome, and show that even in an off year, IWC is completely committed to maintaining their King of the Pilot Watch status.  What we have here are two 41mm Pilot’s Chronographs in ceramic, which represents the first time the brand has gone ceramic in this particular size. You’ll recall that last year the marquee releases were two colored ceramic Pilot’s Chronos (in “Tahoe” white and “Woodland” green), but both were in a somewhat unwieldy 44.5mm case. The 41mm size was introduced in steel in 2021, a welcome downsize from the 43mm case IWC had been using immediately prior, and has since seen versions in titanium and Ceratanium. IWC has demonstrated a fondness for variety when it comes to materials, so it was only a matter of time before the smaller pilot chrono got the ceramic treatment.  First up, the Pilot’s Chronograph in “Oceana,” a shade of blue developed with Pantone, and inspired by the color of overalls worn by members of the Uni...

Girard-Perregaux Takes The Laureato Full Throttle With Aston Martin In Two Ceramic Green Editions With 42 mm And 38 mm Cases Quill & Pad
Girard-Perregaux Takes Mar 26, 2023

Girard-Perregaux Takes The Laureato Full Throttle With Aston Martin In Two Ceramic Green Editions With 42 mm And 38 mm Cases

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato has evolved over the decades but never too far from its original shape and purpose. The design has a timeless touch to it, which makes it look contemporary. These two Aston Martin versions (42 mm and 38 mm) green are an ode to British Racing Green, a color favored by Aston Martin

Ollech & Wajs’ Astrochron S Combines a 500 WR Dive Chronograph with a Compass Bezel and Regatta Counter Worn & Wound
Mar 13, 2023

Ollech & Wajs’ Astrochron S Combines a 500 WR Dive Chronograph with a Compass Bezel and Regatta Counter

If I had a time machine to visit any point in history, my adventurous spirit would punch in the year 1969. This was already a period rich with daring exploration, technological innovation, and historical achievement that inevitably led to the culmination of the Space Race with NASA putting a man on the moon. But that wasn’t the only “high stakes” race going on at the time. Watch brands all over the world were jockeying for position to see who could make the most robust tool watch for explorers foraying into the most extreme conditions including the unknown depths of the ocean, mountainous death zones, and of course, outer space. Ollech & Wajs was one of the brands that were most certainly in the mix with their own multi-functional triple register chronograph aptly dubbed the Astrochron. The Astrochron’s distinctive multi-scale display made it a popular choice among engineers and scientists in NASA’s research and development lab including Chief Rocket Scientist, Werner Von Braun, or otherwise known as the “father of space travel.” Equipped with a rotating 12 hour bezel, tachymeter scale on the dial, chronograph timer, and a slew of other attractive tool watch features, the Astrochron found its way onto the wrists of sportsmen, pilots, and ship officers alike. Recently, Ollech & Wajs has decided to revisit the design and one glance will confirm that this isn’t your original 1967 Astrochron. With the new refresh, Ollech & Wajs’ already capable multi-function...

Hublot Asks: Why Settle for Steel When You Could Have SAXEM? Also, a Ceramic Big Bang with a Rhino on the Dial Worn & Wound
Hublot Asks Why Settle Jan 12, 2023

Hublot Asks: Why Settle for Steel When You Could Have SAXEM? Also, a Ceramic Big Bang with a Rhino on the Dial

Yesterday, Blake took you through all the details of Hublot’s latest reinterpretation of their Classic Fusion with the updated Classic Fusion Original. For the Hublot historians out there (are you out there?), this was surely a welcome sight, as it calls back to the earliest days of the brand when a luxury watch on a rubber strap was a truly transgressive idea. We’ve come a long way since then, and so has Hublot. The brand has had ups and downs with the watch community (to the say the least), but in recent years they’ve leaned into experimentation with materials (especially colored ceramics and sapphire) that have gotten the attention of open minded and adventurous collectors and enthusiasts, while making watches like the Classic Fusion Original feel almost sleepy by comparison (sorry, Classic Fusion Original). Hublot’s latest envelope pushing novelties are insane in the way only modern Hublot can pull off, and while they likely won’t find a home in the watch box of any Worn & Wound staffers anytime soon, they’re too crazy not to share.  First up, a watch in the same vein as my beloved Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire, the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM. This tennis ball colored, translucent tourbillon uses the same HUB6035 automatic tourbillon movement as the purple version released last year, and fills out the same enormous 44mm Big Bang form factor, but uses a slightly different synthetic sapphire material in the case construct...