752 articles · 24 videos found · page 19 of 26
Fratello
If only watches could tell stories! This watch, which belonged to Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor, would certainly have a story to tell. On April 14th, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg. It was just after 11:40 that night. The ship, which had been touted as unsinkable because of the leading technology used in […] Visit A Pocket Watch Owned By A Titanic Passenger Sells At Auction to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A perfect illustration of Hublot’s extravagant style and technical proficiency, the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 14 Day Power Reserve Water Blue Sapphire boasts 336 hours of power reserve thanks to seven laterally stacked barrels working with 90° bevel gears and a helical worm screw to drive the movement. This is a new variant of an existing model, with the difference being the case crafted from transparent “water blue” sapphire crystal. Initial thoughts Hublot is an anomaly. It’s one of the 20 biggest watchmakers in Switzerland by revenue and boasts a vertically integrated manufactured but is often criticised for being something of a “fashion” brand by enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Part of this pushback probably stems from the brand’s entry-level watches that use inexpensive stock movements that are priced expensively for what they are. The mechanics don’t live up to the price. That reasoning is sound, but it doesn’t reflect the brand’s top-of-the-line products. Like the recent MP-10, the new MP-11 reflects Hublot’s ability in movements and materials. Its manufacture develops and produces complex in-house calibres with unique complications and novel constructions, usually presented in cases made of novel materials with distinctive aesthetics and properties. The only downside of such complications is their size. The MP-11 is enormous at 45 mm in diameter, and it isn’t even the chunkiest watch that Hublot produces. This limits its wearability and ...
Fratello
It has been a busy few months for Omega, introducing the Apollo 8, Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with a white dial, and the new Speedmaster 38 models. I expect to see some more Speedmaster releases in 2024, not least of all because it is a significant Apollo 11 anniversary. But we should also not forget about […] Visit The April 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Apollo XIII to read the full article.
Fratello
Another gold commemorative Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 1969 “Tribute to Astronauts” is coming up for auction. This one belonged to NASA astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr. (1929–2017). Gordon’s commemorative gold Speedmaster Apollo 11 Omega presented only 34 of these watches to NASA astronauts in 1969 and the years after. Occasionally, these gold Speedmaster models […] Visit Up For Auction: Apollo 12 Astronaut Richard Gordon’s Omega Speedmaster Professional BA145.022-69 to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
The Pelagos 39, is now more compact, moving from 42mm to 39 mm. Even more impressive and where the most notable change will be felt, the thickness has been reduced from 15mm for the Pelagos 42 down to 11.8 for the Pelagos 39.
Time+Tide
Hublot hit us with a boatload of colour-forward releases this year, including an ice-cold sapphire take on the MP-11.The post Hublot taste the rainbow in Geneva with a cavalcade of colourful Watches and Wonders releases appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
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 […]
Worn & Wound
Watches that do more than a human being is capable of are nothing new. Rolex, Omega, and others make dive watches that are capable of reaching depths that no man or woman could survive. The Rolex Deepsea Challenge is rated to 11,000 meters (which means it’s tested to even greater depths) while the deepest point in the ocean is about 10,900 meters, give or take. That means this particular dive watch can go deeper than any depth possible on the planet. Even that, somehow, feels more practical than IWC’s big release at Watches & Wonders, the Portugieser Eternal Calendar. This is the brand’s first secular calendar, which accounts for leap-year exception rules in the Gregorian calendar that play out over a 400 year span. A calendar complication that no living human will have a chance to observe do its thing in real time is one thing, but it’s the moonphase on this watch that is truly looking ahead: IWC claims it’s accurate to 45 million years. And just think, it wasn’t even ten years ago that the Apple Watch had many in this industry scared that watchmaking could be killed by smart-gadgets. Talk about confidence. The concept of a secular calendar will be worth a refresher for many, as it’s a truly rare complication that most brands simply don’t attempt given the incredibly long timeframes involved (the last one we discussed in these pages was from indie Furlan Marri). The gist is this: in addition to a leap year every four years, Gregorian calendar needs an ad...
Fratello
When looking at last year’s turnover numbers, Longines is the #7 luxury watch brand in the world. You all know who’s leading the pack, but did you know that Longines, with a turnover of CHF 1.11 billion, is in between Haute Horlogerie houses Richard Mille in the #6 spot and Vacheron Constantin in the #8 […] Visit Breaking Down The Brand Longines: Strength And Weakness In Numbers to read the full article.
Monochrome
Watches have always been intertwined with big historical events all over the world. Many are connected to pivotal events or influential people, such as the Omega Speedmaster and the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the Moon or the watches worn by King Charles III of the British royal family. But some watches are not […]
Fratello
In 2019, Omega introduced the hand-wound caliber 3861 in both Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary editions. Then, in 2020, the brand used it as the movement for the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award edition with an automaton on the case back. One year later, Omega introduced an update of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, featuring a […] Visit The February 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Caliber 3861 to read the full article.
Monochrome
The connection between Omega and space exploration isn’t to be demonstrated anymore. While born as a racing chronograph, the 1957 Speedmaster is now known by all as the official watch of astronauts, as the watch worn by Apollo 11 crew members… It’s nicknamed the Moonwatch for a reason. Yet, there’s more than this specific version […]
Hodinkee
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's historic mission, we take a closer look at the history of lunar timing.
Hodinkee
Launching January 11, this all-black variation might just be the best of the bunch.
Monochrome
There are only so many square-shaped timepieces that we dare call contemporary classics. Yet, the watches in the Seventies collection from Glashütte Original, first presented by the Swatch-group-owned brand in 2011, are worthy of the title and the praise. Unfortunately, the current Seventies line-up is limited to only 11 variations of the Chronograph Panorama Date, […]
Time+Tide
James Bond has his Omega Seamaster, Dirk Pitt has his Doxa, Six has his TAG Heuer Carrera, and now Rachel Stone has a Hublot Big Bang E Black Magic. Recently released on Netflix on August 11, Wonder Woman and Fast & Furious actor Gal Gadot and husband Jason Varsano have teamed up to produce the … ContinuedThe post Gal Gadot arms herself with a Hublot Big Bang E Black Magic in Netflix’s Heart of Stone appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Blancpain Ladybird Colors collection has been expanded with this rainbow gradient reference. It comes with five colours of alligator leather straps, so you can tone the playfulness up or down depending on your mood. The case is made from 18k white gold, and is set with 59 diamonds. When Blancpain released the Ladybird in … ContinuedThe post The new rainbow Blancpain Ladybird Colors offer a playful sense of glamour with a 100-hour power reserve appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Bell & Ross adds a green dial to their BR 05 Chrono in Steel to 11 watches in the collection. Available with a steel bracelet or a green rubber strap.
Hodinkee
Online July 6 - 11, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting HSNY's educational programs.
What a week! On episode 56 of A Week in Watches we cover a lot, yet barely even scratch the surface of what launched (don’t worry, we’ll get back to it next week). We start off with a look at the second collaboration between Louis Erard and Massena LAB. From there, we descend the depths of the Omega Seamaster catalog with a special collection of 11 new watches for the lines 75th anniversary. After, there’s a speed round where we quickly cover the Tissot PRX 35mm, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel 38mm Cotton Candy Collection, and the Cara Barrett x Timex collab. Whew. The last segment focuses on a truly epic project by Furlan Marri, the Secular Perpetual Calendar for the upcoming Only Watch auction in November. Quite a week. This week’s sponsor is Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2023! After a successful weekend in San Francisco, the highly anticipated Windup Watch Fair is heading back to the vibrant city of Chicago from Friday, July 14, through Sunday, July 16, 2023. The fair will be held at Venue West, located at 221 N Paulina St in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, and feature over 40 brands. Visit and follow windupwatchfair.com for the full list of participating brands. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 56: Omega goes Blue + Furlan Marri goes Big appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
The Seamaster turns 75 this year, and if you thought Omega was going to let the anniversary pass without a major celebratory release, well, needless to say you’d be sorely mistaken. Today, the brand unveiled an 11 watch collection, covering the expanse of the Seamaster range to pay tribute to all aspects of what many would argue is a brand within a brand. More than anything, the new suite of Seamasters is a reminder of the diversity of watches made with the “Seamaster” name on the dial. Even more than the Speedmaster, the Seamaster collection represents the core of what Omega is as a brand today, a fully integrated manufacture that makes tech forward, accessible, heirloom quality watches for every possible scenario. Omega has developed a remarkably coherent conceit behind this release, which they are subtitling “Precision at Every Level,” a reference to the brand’s high spec METAS certified movements and the range of depths Seamaster watches are certified to. The idea here is that Omega is using a shade of “Summer Blue” on each dial, but in lighter or darker gradients depending on the depth rating of the watch. The Aqua Terra, rated to 150 meters, has a dial that appears light blue with a subtle gradient effect, but once you get down to the depths of the Ploprof and Ultra Deep, the dials get darker with a more pronounced gradient. The blue used here is distinct from other shades of blue used throughout the Omega catalog, so these watches should be immedia...
Time+Tide
There’s no doubt that IWC is one of the most important players in the pilot’s watch game. Without digging too deep, numerous legendary models have emerged, from the very first Mark 11 issued to the RAF in 1948 to the latest Big Pilot’s Perpetual Calendar. It is that very first Mark-series watch that is being … ContinuedThe post IWC celebrates 75 years of the Mark series with a silver-dialled Mark XX appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Online watch auctioneers Loupe This have just listed a Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer in an online-only sale that runs from now till May 11. Barely a handful have emerged – one was sold at Phillips Perpetual in London in 2021 – but this example is the first to go under the hammer. The scarcity is of the Double Impulse Chronometer on the secondary market is simply because there are few of them in circulation. Around 50 have been made to date and with about a dozen being produced each year, the wait for an order placed now stands at about eight years. The exceptional demand for the watch is entirely justified, since the Double Impulse Chronometer is arguably the most significant English wristwatch in production today. Consigned by the original owner, this specimen is quintessential Frodsham. Numbered “010800” and delivered in September 2019, this is one of the first examples made, the 13th in fact, according to Richard Stenning, co-owner of Charles Frodsham. More notably, it is an unusual combination of a stainless steel case and white ceramic dial with double cyphers. According to Mr Stenning, this was the first of only two watches with this configuration made to date. The cyphers are an option but arguably crucial since they reference the firm’s history and add to the vintage-inspired styling of the dial. Historically found on Frodsham pocket watches – often engraved on the movement but sometimes on the dial – such cyphers indicated Royal Warrant...
Worn & Wound
Zurich based brand Maurice de Mauriac has added a new watch to their Chrono Modern collection inspired by their participation in the grueling North Cape Expedition. The 11 day expedition took a team to the northernmost point on the European continent, the tip of Norway, across the 71st parallel and into the Arctic circle. The task was undertaken by the Alpineracer team in a BMW E30 (with a Genesis GV70 coming along as a support vehicle), and Maurice de Mauriac created a special version of their toughest chronograph to mark the occasion. If you’re from a part of the world where there is significant snowfall in the winter, and you happen to also sometimes need to drive a car in those conditions, you know that even a few minutes on icey, snow covered roads in freezing weather can be anything from a nuisance to absolutely terrifying. It’s certainly not something I look forward to, and generally try to avoid when I have the opportunity to do so. Now imagine driving into increasingly more difficult and dangerous conditions for over a week. According to Maurice de Mauriac, the Alpineracer team experienced the requisite challenges with weather (hail, snow, and freezing rain, to start) and a handful of mechanical issues with the car, but ultimately they made it, and the photos that came out of the trip that you can see here are truly breathtaking. For participants (in both body and spirit) a watch connected to the journey feels like a fitting memento. The Chrono Modern Nort...
Worn & Wound
The Sinn U50 is one of those watches that watch enthusiasts collectively knew would be a huge hit when it launched in 2020. Though essentially a shrunken-down U1 (with half the water resistance), it was Sinn doing what they do best. Humbly making incredibly rugged, high-spec, modern tool-watches, and making it seem easy. Thin at 11.3mm, well-sized at 41mm x 47mm for a modern, but not oversized fit, and built to withstand 500 bar of pressure, it demonstrated that good engineering prevails over scale. The only problem has been a lack of new versions since launch. There was a blackout LE with a dark MOP dial, which was cool, if not for everyone (Sinn’s head of marketing, Sabine Kleiter wears this watch, and it always looks striking). And then the U50 Pro, which was a date-free remix, with the crown up at 10. Another great-looking version, it was sadly limited to 150 pieces and to the North American market. Both are great, but neither a true addition to the line. And then, in 2023, we got what we wanted. Well, sort of. Rather than building on the U50, Sinn launched a sibling watch called the T50. At a glance, they seemed a lot alike, but there are quite a few differences as well making them a slightly different beast. If I were to liken it to something, it would be the higher-priced sport trim of the same base model car. They have the same dimensions and general design, particularly regarding the case, but are made out of hardened titanium, gold bronze (a patent-pending allo...
Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin drops an incredible one-of-one reference from its Les Cabinotiers collection for Watches & Wonders 2023 The Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication is a two-dialled expression of the pinnacle of Vacheron’s craft No less than 774 components make up the elaborate movement that boasts 11 complications It’s hard to overstate the level of … ContinuedThe post The mind-blowing majesty of the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
For the 60th anniversary of the Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex has given the collection a subtle refresh with both technical and aesthetic improvements. The upgrades are fairly significant considering the outgoing 116500 was only seven years old, having debuted at Baselworld in 2016, and is still one of the most sought-after watches on the market. At launch, there are five key references and 11 total variations. Topping the range is a new platinum model that offers a transparent case back – a first for a Daytona. The platinum model benefits from a transparent caseback and a gold oscillating weight Initial thoughts The outgoing Daytona ref. 116500 was arguably the best chronograph in its category, and inarguably difficult to buy at retail price. Not content with this success, Rolex has made a great watch even better. The upgrades are subtle, but there are numerous changes inside and out. Starting with the dial, the sub-dial rings and dial markers have grown thinner, as has the ceramic bezel which now features a protective outer ring crafted from the same material as the middle case. The new Daytona has a slimmer case, under 12 mm for the first time. Note the gold ring around the edge of the ceramic bezel. Reduced thickness seems to be something of a theme for Rolex this year, and the Daytona is no exception, shedding 0.5 mm for a new total thickness of 11.9 mm. The outgoing Daytona was already quite thin relative to its peers, and the sleeker dimensions of the new model only m...
SJX Watches
Le Concours de Complexité is probably the smallest watch auction ever conducted by Phillips. Taking place online from January 13-20, the sale comprises just 11 watches. But all 11 are F.P. Journe watches, including important models like a Sonnerie Souveraine, Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium, and Centigraphe Anniversaire. So while the quantity is modest, the quality and value are high. And the watches all come with impeccable provenance. The former owner is a prominent businessman from Southeast Asia who is active real estate development. He purchased most of them brand new and has clearly kept them in immaculate condition. Le Concours de Complexité begins on January 13 and will run until January 20. Bidding and the catalogue can be accessed on Phillips.com. Below we round up a trio of highlights from the sale. The Sonnerie Souveraine Lot 8001 – Chronomètre à Résonance Ruthenium Synonymous with the independent watchmaker, the Resonance is correctly regarded as one of the most ingenious creations in contemporary watchmaking. Francois-Paul Journe was the first to implement the concept in a wristwatch, having been inspired by 18th century clocks operating on the principle of resonance. This example is one of the Ruthenium series that was launched in 2001. The name comes from the fact that the dial and brass movement bridges are plated in ruthenium, giving them a dark grey finish. Notably, the Ruthenium editions are the last F.P. Journe models to utilise brass m...
Hodinkee
The Deepsea Challenge can go 11,000 meters and beyond. Not an easy thing to test for, especially in landlocked Switzerland.
Time+Tide
The invitation came through emblazoned with two logos – those of Omega and 007. “Raynald Aeschlimann, The M of Omega, invites you to a spy-inspired event: 60 Years of James Bond. Dress code: black tie (of course).” Andrew and I duly started whistling cinema’s most famous theme tune. In London, we were driven to a secret … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: T+T meets James Bond and lives out super-spy fantasies in London appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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