Two Broke Watch Snobs
Squale Sub 37 Legend Review: Your One-and-Done Vintage-Inspired Dive Watch?
A hands-on review of the Squale Sub 37 Legend, a vintage-inspired dive watch that combines compact proportions, modern reliability, and more.
Results for Plongeur Hand (Lollipop)
4,505 articles · 43 videos found · page 18 of 152
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm – The Return Of A Vintage Military Legend
As the United States of America celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, reflecting on two and a half centuries of history, Hamilton is also looking back on its past. Instead of the 1770s, however, the Swiss-based watch brand has drawn inspiration from the 1970s and has announced the release of the Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm, a virtually 1:1 recreation of the famed 36mm Hamilton FAPD-5101 Type 1 created as a navigator's watch for the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s. The Hamilton Boutique in Lancaster, PA - formerly the Bowman Technical School for watchmakers. The FAPD-5101 Type 1 variant was produced in September of 1970 and was intended for use by U.S. Air Force personnel during the Vietnam War as a navigator's watch. While Hamilton also produced many other watches for the U.S. Military throughout the 20th Century, this particular piece was unique in that it was slightly larger and therefore more legible than its contemporaries. Due to its modern proportions and rarity, it remains highly prized among vintage watch collectors today. Hamilton's American Roots The launch of the watch was celebrated in Hamilton's ancestral home of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, just ahead of Memorial Day Weekend. Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, where a budding watch industry had been struggling for several years to get off the ground. Seeing the need and potential for high-quality watches in the booming railroad industry, a consortium of local ent...
Hodinkee
Bring a Loupe: A Polerouter Super, A Movado Bill Time, A Vintage Rolex Sub, And A Louis Vuitton Monterey II
Congrats on conquering another week, even if this one felt particularly expensive with the loss of Sonny Rollins. I know jazz is probably supremely uncool, but man oh man, if you've not had any experience listening to old Sonny stuff, pull up his classic The Bridge and dive on in (and, yes, his time out, alone, practicing sax on the Williamsburg Bridge, lent the album its title). But you're not here for that sort of cultural enrichment. Let's get to the real stuff. Scorekeeping earlier picks, the Hamilton RAF from two weeks back sold for €1,600, which is a cheering result. Last week's Omega Marine Chronometer went for CHF 2,000, the Marvin "Ocean Chief" sold for $1,000, and Rare Bird's Jaeger-LeCoultre Étrier sold as well. Strays Photo courtesy GALERIE DES VENTES D'ORLEANS. Photo courtesy Craft + Tailored. Photo courtesy Bonhams. Here's a beautiful Zenith Respirator on its original Zenith-signed NSA bracelet for all you square-cased Ballers to start things off. The Dennison ALD Dual Time seemed to scratch an unsuspected itch for a lot of folks, and certainly there are excellent vintage examples of double-dialed watches, but if you happen to find yourself hooked on the idea that more=better regarding dials, boy oh boy is this 18k gold Chopard with its four separate dials for you (with, yes, four separate manual-wind movements, for the fidgeters among us). Girard Perregaux alarms look fantastic for eschewing the typical fourth hand for setting the alarm, and this example ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Are Citizen Watches Any Good? A Hands-On Look at 6 Real Value Picks
Are Citizen watches any good? See how models like the Promaster Diver, Nighthawk, and NY0040 prove Citizen’s value through durability, comfort, and low upkeep.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: A Triple Review Of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronomètre Collection
We're a few months removed from Watches & Wonders, which gives us some clarity about what was buzz, what was hype, what fell off the wish lists, and what will be a long-term winner. It's looking like Jaeger-LeCoultre had one of the best releases of the fair with the Master Control Chronomètre series. The Master Control line has largely been a dressy take on traditional design cues for a brand people usually think of first for its Reverso. But now, JLC has shown that Master Control can do more. More than just a new case and bracelet, all watches are in-house chronometer-certified 4Hz, 70-hour power reserve movements (COSC does the certification) with a new High Precision Guarantee (HPG) seal, which supplants the former 1000 Hours Control. That new HPG seal means that the brand trials cased watches on four daily-wear specific issues—shocks, positions, altitude, and temperature—over three days, while guaranteeing eight traditional techniques of quality aesthetic finishing. The watches I photographed were brand new and wrapped in plastic, so you have to look past a bit of that to see the quality, but it certainly is there in person. Now with three models in steel and rose gold, with five SKUs (one watch only comes in steel and not gold), measuring 38mm by 8.4mm or 39mm or 9.2mm with 50m of water resistance, the new line brings a lot to the table. Inspired by the brand's Master Mariner Chronomètre line, launched in 1973 as their offering for an integrated bracelet (or adj...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Daymatic Honeygold (incl. Video)
The Lange 1 is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic watches ever to be produced in Germany, and in particular in the little town of Glashütte. But when mentioning the name Lange 1, we too often refer to a single model, the classic 38.5mm version that was presented in 1994 (when the brand […]
Fratello
A Hands-On Introduction To The Limited-Edition Oblique Collection By Dennison And Collectability
After last year’s limited-edition ALD watches, Dennison and Collectability are back with another collaboration. Designer Emmanuel Gueit and Patek Philippe specialist John Reardon unveil four watches featuring a new asymmetric design. The Oblique Enigma features a stepped dial, just like last year’s ALD editions. The Oblique Vector features a sunburst dial enhanced by subtle printing […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The Limited-Edition Oblique Collection By Dennison And Collectability to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Hands On: The Rolex Daytona Enamel Dial Ref. 126502 is More Than Meets the Eye
Rolex surprised in a big way with the Cosmograph Daytona Rolesium Enamel Dial ref. 126502. Despite being an “off-catalogue” model, the new Daytona was launched publicly, perhaps to emphasise its unusual nature. To start with, it features a grand feu enamel dial – yes, fired vitreous enamel – inside a bi-metal case of mostly steel, with a touch of platinum, plus a new ceramic (or cermet) bezel. It also has a display back and a steep price tag rivalling that of an all-gold Daytona. While last year’s Land-Dweller and its cal. 7135 was chock-full of patents that Rolex explicitly explained, the Daytona ref. 126502 is more typical Rolex in possessing incremental technical innovation that is left unspecified; it probably incorporates multiple patents that Rolex will not elaborate on. The traditional nature of the dial, the materials and production techniques, and even the display back, hint at future developments at the leading champion of industrial quality perfection. The dial is a four-part affair in white grand feu enamel, while the bezel insert in cermet Initial thoughts Let’s start with the obvious: do I like the new Daytona? Yes. Do I think the dial is actually and technically enamel? Yes. Do I think it’s too expensive? No. While it seems pricey on its face, Rolex pricing is practically always reasonable. I believe the seemingly high price here is justified by something in the watch that Rolex hasn’t explicitly divulged. Price aside, it takes a bit of exami...
Worn & Wound
Seiko Brings their 145th Anniversary Celebration to the Prospex Collection with the HBC005 and HBB001
We’ve recently covered 145th anniversary limited edition releases from Seiko in the Presage and Astron collections, and I bet some of you have probably been wondering, “Hey, what a dive watch?” Seiko, of course, has not forgotten about the Prospex line when it comes to anniversary themed limited editions, and have recently announced the HBC005 and HBB001 in the same blue/silver colorway that is becoming the visual signature of this anniversary celebration. First up is the HBC005, which is built on the platform of their current 62MAS inspired reissue. This heritage focused dive watch has its (modern) origins with watches like the SPB143, but received a handful of small updates about two years ago to make it more wearable (and fix the somewhat awkward 3:00 date window for what I believe is a more under the radar 4:30 execution). The case comes in at 40mm in diameter and 13mm thick, with a lug to lug measurement of 46.4mm. Water resistance is 300 meters, and the movement is the 6R55 with a 72 hour power reserve. The dial is silver with a subtle brushed finish and lume filled, rectangular hour markers. The blue seconds hand is matched with an aluminum bezel insert in blue. There are no obvious signs of it being a limited edition on the dial – just the normal Seiko wordmark at 12:00 and the Prospex logo and two additional lines of text highlighting the power reserve and water resistance below it. The clean silver/white dial paired with the blue accents give this div...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The New Tudor Black Bay Ceramic on Full Ceramic Bracelet
Tudor continues with its modern “dark” aesthetic by launching a new version of the Black Bay Ceramic, now presented for the first time on an integrated ceramic bracelet. Originally introduced in 2021 as the brand’s first METAS-certified watch, itself following the unique Black Bay Ceramic One created for the Only Watch 2019, the model has […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Petermann-Bédat 1826 Limited Edition for The Hour Glass Japan — Now in a Smaller Size
Just last week, I visited the workshop of Petermann-Bédat in Renes. I had a morning to kill on the way to Lausanne for a project, and instead of sleeping off some jetlag, I decided to do something productive. And, actually, something that makes me happy. Spending time with Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat is always a pleasure. I put a lot of stock in the personalities of independent watchmakers, and I think it's fair to consider them artists you want to support, not just for the art but also for how you connect with them. Far from a buyer, I still seem to operate on a similar wavelength to the two. But the added bonus is that I finally got to see their new reference 1826, which was launched for The Hour Glass in Japan, and boy, was it a stunner. No, the name isn't a typo. While the larger (and relatively recently released) ref. 1825 from 2025 featured a 38mm case; the watchmakers have been able to downsize the two new versions to 36mm, made in white and rose gold. Actually, they made the original caliber with a 36mm case in mind, but, to paraphrase, they didn't feel the market was ready. Turns out that it was maybe not the best for the global stage, but perfect for one market in particular. The difference is pretty dramatic in person. But so is this recent generation of watches in general. Petermann-Bédat's business arch has been a yo-yo from a simple-looking but technically complex deadbeat watch (shown above) that launched the brand, then an incredibly complex spli...
Hodinkee
Introducing: TAG Heuer Updates The Aquaracer Solargraph Professional And Debuts New 28mm Models
What We Know The Aquaracer, first introduced in 2004, is the tough tool watch in the Tag Heuer lineup, and the Solargraph is one of the most recent extensions of the Aquaracer range, bringing quartz timekeeping and fuss-free solar power to the brand's generalist dive watch. Just in time for Summer (in this hemisphere), Tag Heuer has launched an extension of the Solargraph, offering new colorways and the option of a new, smaller case size. In 2022, Tag Heuer began using La Joux-Perret's new solar-powered movements in some models that it labeled 'Solargraph' as part of an exclusive deal with the Swiss movement maker that saw the brand's owner, LVMH, later take a minority stake in LJP. Today, Tag Heuer is updating the Aquaracer line with four new 40mm models (spanning steel or titanium), as well as four 28mm-diameter steel-case versions for the first time. All the new models are powered by the Solargraph movement, underscoring the brand's commitment to new solar tech, which is also used in its relaunched Formula 1 watches. The new 40mm Aquaracer comes in both steel and titanium models and features an updated bezel with 'rider' tabs and grain-textured elements, as well as a sharper, finely brushed case construction with added fluted elements at 9 o'clock to better balance the crown guards at 6 o'clock. TAG says the handset has also been updated, and the bracelets are now easily interchangeable, with quick-release spring bar tabs, allowing for easy swapping to rubber or othe...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre
The most talked-about release from Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) at Watches & Wonders was the refreshed Master Control collection, which debuted on a surprising integrated bracelet. Available with or without perpetual calendar or power reserve complications, the Master Control Chronometre is powered by the latest version of the brand’s long-running cal. 899, which is now certified by both COSC and a new internal standard called the High Performance Guarantee (HPG). Initial thoughts Since the Master Control Chronometre debuted at Watches & Wonders, I have been asked multiple times whether it is a dress watch or a sport watch. Setting aside the issue of the false dichotomy that exists between these categories, the Master Control Chronometre presents itself primarily as a dress watch on a bracelet. While the bracelet’s angular facets evoke those of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas, the staid Master Control dial is what defines the look. The simple sunray finish and slim hands — not to mention the lack of any lume — firmly root the Master Control Chronometre in the dress watch category. The soft blue and brown dials are each attractive in their own right, with colour-matched date wheels to avoid any harsh transitions. While the text is arguably superfluous, the ‘Chronometre’ label is more interesting than the typical ‘Automatique’ text that mars most Master Control dials. In terms of the value proposition, it’s a tale of two metals. The stainless steel model isn’t...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Sero Watch Company Signature, a Compact Everyday Dress Watch from the Netherlands
Launching a dress watch collection today is not that easy, especially when enthusiasts have already seen decades of Calatrava-inspired cases, engraved dials, and heat-blued hands coming out in every price segment imaginable. But refinement can matter just as much as reinvention. For Sero Watch Company, the goal was not really to create the most original […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Svelte And Soft Chronoswiss Delphis Art Deco, An Enchanting 150-Piece Limited Edition
This watch made me lose my loupe during Watches and Wonders this year. It also made me lose my mind. After the product presentation at the Chronoswiss booth during the last edition of Watches and Wonders, I was so impressed by this watch that I left my loupe on the table and stumbled out to […] Visit Hands-On With The Svelte And Soft Chronoswiss Delphis Art Deco, An Enchanting 150-Piece Limited Edition to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Best Overlooked Dive Watches at 4 Different Prices: Hands-On Picks
We reviewed four overlooked dive watches across very different price tiers to see what each one gets right, where it compromises, and who it makes sense for.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Marco Lang Seven Spheres, a 7-Axis Tourbillon Built with Pure Watchmaking Idealism
Marco Lang, known to many as co-founder of Lang & Heyne, has always practised watchmaking with a deeply personal perspective. Since leaving the Dresden-based manufacture and launching his own independent path, his work has become even more intimate and experimental, and the Seven Spheres is the best expression of his creative freedom so far. The […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Tourbillon Skeleton
The Schaffhausen-based H. Moser & Cie. made quite an unconventional splash this year at Watches & Wonders, with its completely out-of-left-field collaboration with Reebok for the Streamliner "Pump," a watch-and-sneaker release that only this brand could somehow manage to pull off. But there was a release that kind of slipped under the radar earlier in the year that I think offers a really excellent combination of Moser's strengths in one watch, which warrants a closer look. I'm talking about the Endeavour Tourbillon Skeleton launched at the end of January, and it's been a watch I've wanted to see in person since the announcement went live. On paper, it seems like a simple enough concept: take the skeletonized flying tourbillon movement Caliber HMC-814 introduced back in 2024 for the integrated bracelet Streamliner collection, and pair it with one of Moser's more classic and conservative Endeavour silhouettes. For me, that skeletonized flying tourbillon caliber has remained one of my favorite architectures that the brand has ever come out with, and I think the extra bit of elegance gained with the Endeavour case makes it stand out on its own. That 40mm Endeavour case, in 5N red gold, should feel very familiar to those who like Moser's designs. It is a twist on a dressier silhouette that looks simple from the top down, but at any other angle, the Endeavour has many interesting little design touches, from the concave bezel to the distinctive sculpting of the case flanks. They...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Seiko Samurai vs. Seiko Turtle: Hands-On Affordable Dive Watch Comparison
We reviewed both the Seiko Samurai and Seiko Turtle to compare comfort, design, value, and long-term appeal between these two affordable dive watches.
SJX Watches
Hands On: FVF Genève FVF1 “Seven Poets”
FVF Genève founder Franc Vila has created a unique piece of his flagship tourbillon for a noted European collector of independent and complicated watches who goes by @thedeadwatchsociety on Instagram. The FVF1 Tourbillon “Seven Poets” is a romantic twist on the day complication that assigns a daily reading from one of seven historical poets. Initial thoughts Franc Vila is a man of many passions. His atelier in central Geneva is packed with art, and each piece has a story — I can’t think of anyone better to create a poetry-themed watch. Neither, it seems, could the lucky owner who commissioned the Seven Poets. The watch is fundamentally similar to the standard FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero, with its 42.5 mm case, titanium monocoque construction, seven-sided day roller, and flying tourbillon architecture. Even in its basic configuration, the FVF1 is a distinctive offering that relaunched Mr Vila’s career after he parted ways with his eponymous brand. But the Seven Poets is anything but basic. Like the “Today” edition reviewed last year, the Seven Poets deviates from the norms of traditional watchmaking. Instead of indicating the day of the week, the day roller has been repurposed to feature the hand-engraved names of seven poets that are personally meaningful to the owner who commissioned the watch. I liked the conceptual, philosophical statement made by the “Today” edition, and the Seven Poets takes it one step further. This simple change to an indicat...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Best Field Watches Under $600: Hands-on Reviewed Picks We Recommend
Explore the best field watches under $600 with hands-on reviewed picks from Timex, Vaer, Marathon, and more, tested for daily wear, durability, and real-world usefulness.
Fratello
Hands-On With The Sero Silver Signature
The Netherlands is not exactly known as a traditional watchmaking powerhouse. This is a small country of people practical by nature and generally not inclined toward excessive displays of luxury. Over the years, though, several Dutch watch brands have built impressive international reputations. Names like Christiaan van der Klaauw, Grönefeld, and Holthinrichs immediately come to […] Visit Hands-On With The Sero Silver Signature to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Haute-Rive Honoris Meccanica
Taking place right next door to Watches & Wonders, Time to Watches is an annual fair dedicated to independent watchmaking. Among the exhibitors this year was Stéphane von Gunten, the watchmaker behind the Haute-Rive brand. Arguably the most technically impressive watch on display was the Honoris Meccanica, the most mechanical looking of Haute-Rive’s Honoris line. The timepiece houses a three meter-long mainspring which allows it to achieve a power reserve of 41 days — more specifically 1,000 hours. Unlike some other watches with ultra-long power reserves, the Honoris Meccanica remains a properly sized and wearable timepiece that doesn’t feel like a wrist-worn experiment. Initial thoughts Stéphane von Gunten is part of a new generation of independent watchmakers with a strong engineering background, rather than a career spent doing restoration work. Before launching Haute-Rive, Mr von Gunten worked as a Research and Innovation Director at the Sowind group, which owns Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin. His most notable work happened while at Ulysse Nardin, where Mr von Gunten filed a number of important patents, ranging from the oval-shaped hairspring still used by Ulysse Nardin today to constant force escapements and compliant flexure oscillators. As fate would have it, one of Mr von Gunten’s ancestors is Irénée Aubry, the watchmaker behind the “Hebdomas” eight-day pocket watch of 1888. Commercialised under many names, the movement only required winding...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Nouvelle Chronometrie Montre Ordinaire
One of the most intriguing debuts in independent watchmaking this year is Nouvelle Chronometrie with its Montre Ordinaire. Despite the name, Nouvelle Chronometrie is actually Japanese, and the “ordinary” watch is a tourbillon chronometer inspired by 20th century observatory chronometer watches and dressed in formal Breguet attire. With its rigorously classical design, evident on both the front and back, the Nouvelle Chronometrie is distinctly Japanese at heart in how it careful reproduces and enhances traditional watchmaking – executed with a great deal of attention to detail. Moreover, the manufacturing of the watch is a combination of both old school manual methods and modern technology, reflecting a typically Japanese embrace of technology, not for cost efficiency, but for the sake of quality. Initial thoughts I first came across Nouvelle Chronometrie on Instagram. It was just images of the watch, with no information on the brand’s origins. Then I learnt Nouvelle Chronometrie was founded and led by Noritaka Sakurai, a longtime collector who pivoted to join the industry – which ironically left me a little sceptical. Though I have known Mr Sakurai for a long time and regard him highly as a collector, he was chief executive at Hajime Asaoka’s watchmaking outfit until 2020 – that employer was a red flag for me. Fortunately, Mr Sakurai has left that behind, and has now gone all in with Nouvelle Chronometrie, a project that deserves recognition and praise. Accor...
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Cartier Santos-Dumont In Full Gold Or Platinum With A Bracelet
At Watches and Wonders, we see many watches, of course. It’s actually not the best place to see watches, though. During the “touch & try” sessions, watches are passed around quickly as everyone tries to take as many pictures as possible. Cartier is notoriously one of the most watch-heavy sessions, as the brand usually presents […] Visit Hands-On With The New Cartier Santos-Dumont In Full Gold Or Platinum With A Bracelet to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Honeygold Takes Center Stage Across the Case and Dial in This Lesser-Known A. Lange & Söhne Collection, the Cabaret
It’s been a few years since we last saw A. Lange & Söhne fold one of its lesser-known collections back into its catalog: the Cabaret. Making a comeback, the newest addition marks the only rectangular model among the brand’s current offerings. It also puts the maison’s proprietary alloy, Honeygold, on full display across the case as well as the dial for only the second time, with the first being the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange” from 2020. The rectangular case shape of the Cabaret is certainly unique for A. Lange & Söhne, who’s become synonymous with more traditional round designs like its instantly recognizable Lange 1. However, for me, despite the highly wearable 29.5mm x 39.2mm x 10.3mm proportions, the material composition and finishings of this model are really the star of the show. Here, you have the pleasing alloy – not quite yellow gold, not quite white gold, not quite pink gold but a soft and beautiful shade all its own – featured in its original form across the case and dial accents. The material is also used for the dial but has received a black-rhodium treatment. At first glance, this looks like just another handsomely executed A. Lange & Söhne dial, but upon closer inspection, there are more layers to unpack (literally). The result is four subtle elevations on the dial giving it interest and depth. This dial composition consists of three parts: the main dial plus two auxiliary dials for the seconds and the power-...
Fratello
Hands-On With The Faithful Longines Legend Diver 59
Longines introduces a new Legend Diver model inspired by the original 1959 Diver ref. 7042. The Legend Diver 59 is not the first tribute to the brand’s original dive watch with a Super Compressor case, but it might be the most faithful to date. Let’s take a closer look. Longines Legend Divers since 2007 I […] Visit Hands-On With The Faithful Longines Legend Diver 59 to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Best Starter Watches Under $250: Hands-On Reviewed Picks
These are the best starter watches under $250 we’ve reviewed hands-on, chosen for real-world wear, comfort, accuracy, durability, and long-term value.
Time+Tide
New releases from Ming, Oris, Moser and more
With the release of the Swatch x AP collaboration this week, the other novelties of the week have probably passed under the radar. We’re here to give them the light they deserve, and speaking about light, I’ll start with Ming, which uses two polarised filters as hands to have an ever-changing dial appearance. Oris remoderns … Continued
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Synchron Ti300M Poseidon I Limited Edition
Today has been a long time coming because the new Synchron Ti300M Poseidon I Limited Edition has been on my wrist for over a month! During that period, I’ve been able to put the watch through its paces, and I’m pleased to say that it’s a great option for anyone in the market for a […] Visit Hands-On With The New Synchron Ti300M Poseidon I Limited Edition to read the full article.