Results for The 1969 Automatic Chronograph Race

The Montblanc Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Elbrouz LE 829 - A Hands-On Look At This Volcanic Watch

Its latest recorded eruption was around 50 AD, and it might be dormant, but Mount Elbrus in the Greater Caucasus of southwestern Russia is still a volcano, so you never know. And its ashes made their way into the case construction of the Montblanc Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Elbrouz LE 829. Let me be clear: […] Visit The Montblanc Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Elbrouz LE 829 — A Hands-On Look At This Volcanic Watch to read the full article.

First Look - The Goddess Returns to Villeret on the Minerva Exo Tourbillon Skeleton Limited Edition

The Minerva Exo Tourbillon Skeleton marks the manufacture’s transition to a standalone brand structure, dropping the previous dual Montblanc branding to focus entirely on its own heritage. Limited to just 18 pieces in rose gold, the watch reveals incredible details of the hand-finished, skeletonised calibre M18.69, combined with classical design elements like the agate cameo […]

The Biver AB is Time Only and All Quality

Having found critical and commercial success with the Automatique, Biver is continuing with the time-only format, but (slightly) more accessibly. The Biver AB is a manual-wind, three-hand watch, but keeping to the high-end approach of the Automatique. The presentation is discreet but precious. While the dial and movement are solid gold, the case and bracelet are steel. The bracelet is notable for being the same as that found on the Automatique, and is arguably amongst the best in class. Initial thoughts I am a fan of the Biver Automatique and was a little sceptical of the idea of a more accessible time-only watch. The AB, however, surprised on the upside. Like the Automatique, it is executed extremely well. The dial, for example, is an extremely fancy interpretation of the “sector” dial, rendered in onyx and yellow gold. The bracelet adds to the appeal significantly as well. It’s essentially the same bracelet found on the Automatique, but in steel. The facetted links are impressively finished, and more importantly, sit comfortably on the wrist. Pulling off a bracelet that is both functional and finely done is an achievement in itself. That this is standard kit for the watch adds to the appeal. The movement is a little less elaborate than that in the Automatique, but remains tangibly high end; it even has a grande sonnerie-style winding click. All the details are attended to, with bonus decorative flourishes here and there. Though a three-hander, the movement is fairl...

Introducing - The New and Stylish Pequignet Attitude Onyx

After last year’s limited-edition Attitude with Tiger’s Eye dial, Pequignet continues to expand its collection with a version that once again puts the dial material centre stage. Called the Attitude Onyx, this new model replaces conventional dial finishes with genuine black onyx. Its dark, relatively uniform surface sets a restrained tone, with rose-gold-coloured details. The […]

Introducing - Angelus Puts a Tachymeter on Its Vintage-Inspired Monopusher Chronograph

Angelus continues to revive its historical stopwatch designs with the new Chronographe Tachymètre, a trio of compact monopusher watches that follows last year’s Chronographe Télémètre. The new watches share the same case and hand-wound A5000 calibre as their predecessors, but replace the telemeter scale with a tachymeter designed to measure speed – more on the […]

The Gold Bug Hits Hard With The Armin Strom Tribute³ Au750

Our adoration of gold continues today with the lovely new Tribute³ from Armin Strom. However, as we’ll see, the brand has used this material more thoroughly than usual. For the first time at Armin Strom, 18K rose gold defines the watch from the outside in. The material is used for the structure, the cosmetics, and […] Visit The Gold Bug Hits Hard With The Armin Strom Tribute³ Au750 to read the full article.

A Dream Comes To Fruition: The G-Shock MRG-D5000 In Blue Sapphire

Casio is expanding its MR-G collection with the MRG-D5000, a limited-edition G-Shock featuring a bezel and outer case made of blue sapphire crystal. Its screwless, multi-component construction aims to make the material compatible with the G-Shock ethos of durability and shock resistance. Casio will release just 20 pieces worldwide under the Blue Rose Project. The […] Visit A Dream Comes To Fruition: The G-Shock MRG-D5000 In Blue Sapphire to read the full article.

IFL Watches And Spinnaker Team Up For The Colorful Spence Underwater Dancers

IFL Watches does not sit still. The Dubai-based brand has been knocking out some remarkable collabs with a string of brands. The latest of these is the Spinnaker Spence Underwater Dancers. The watch celebrates World Manta Ray Day, which takes place every year on September 17th. The day celebrates manta rays and raises awareness of […] Visit IFL Watches And Spinnaker Team Up For The Colorful Spence Underwater Dancers to read the full article.

Hands-On: The Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog By Jeff Koons

Hublot is no stranger to opening its doors to outside creativity, with some of its most memorable (and often infamous) releases of the past few years in collaborations with artists and designers—Takashi Murakami, Daniel Arsham, and Samuel Ross, to name a few. Late last week, the brand dropped the news that the next big name in line for a collaboration would be the contemporary American artist Jeff Koons, most widely known for his series of bright, shiny balloon dog sculptures in a whole range of colors. Image courtesy of Hublot Balloon Dog (Orange) - Image courtesy of Christie's Rabbit - Image courtesy of Christie's Koons' name has reached a certain level of infamy and popularity alike in the art world, as the world's most expensive living artist today. His Balloon Dog (Orange) piece hammered at Christie's in 2013 for a whopping $58.4 million dollars, breaking auction records for an artwork by a living artist. Then, in 2019, his 1986 Rabbit piece shattered that result, selling for more than $91 million and taking the title. To this day, both pieces remain among the top ten most expensive artworks by living artists. Naturally, Koons faces criticism from critics and the wider public, from the overt commercialism and kitchiness of the art to the factory-style production methods he employs. Regardless, it's impossible to deny how iconic and recognizable the Balloon Dog series is worldwide. With that iconic look and a touch of infamy, the Balloon Dog feels like the perfect su...

First Look - Chopard Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its 1976 Icon with the Happy Diamonds Heritage

A true child of its time, Chopard’s 1976 Happy Diamonds watch captured the spirit of the decade, a period marked by rebellion against rigid traditions, the rise of disco culture and a shift towards ready-to-wear luxury. Breaking away from traditional static diamond settings, Chopard’s Happy Diamonds were liberated from metal claws and allowed to spin […]

The Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Pastel Code gives its mechanical digital display a colourful new identity

The Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Pastel Code collection brings Rose, Sky and Mint dials to its distinctive handless mechanical digital display

Live from GWD26: Chopard L.U.C 1963 Heritage | Hands on Impressions on novelties

Karl-Fritz Scheufele showed me the new Chopard L.U.C 1963 Heritage watches. This refresh of the collection is masterminded by his design ideas.

Introducing - The Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance Manufacture Edition Blue

The Dual Time GMT Resonance is one of Armin Strom’s signature creations, first launched in 2018, revisited in 2024 and presented in several distinctive editions, including the steel-cased Black Edition, the rose-gold version with a black-and-gold dial, and, most recently, the Aventurine edition. Now, the new Dual Time GMT Resonance Manufacture Edition Blue offers a […]

Gallet Officially Enters Its Renaissance for the Brand’s 200th Anniversary

It was nearly a year and a half ago that Breitling announced its acquisition of the long defunct Swiss watch brand Gallet. Since then, we’ve been waiting for an official comeback, and now it’s finally here in the year of the Maison’s 200th anniversary. Today marks the beginning of a new era of the historic watchmaker. In the 1800s when Gallet was first founded, La Chaus-de-Fonds was a global hub for watchmaking, giving rise to several legendary brands, including Breitling as well as Heuer, Zenith, and Girard-Perregaux. The period coincided with the Industrial Revolution, which trickled into the field of watchmaking, transforming it from a bespoke craft for the elite to an increasingly accessible craft thanks to growing mass production. The democratization of the watch opened doors for timekeepers to serve as more than a status symbol but a tool for adventurers in the realms of aviation, racing, and sailing. Gallet’s watches went on to time the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight, helped pilots track the time in world cities during the earliest intercontinental flights, and commemorated racing champion Rex Mays’ victory at the Springfield Mile. Gallet continues this lineage while bringing it into the modern era thanks to the technical expertise of Breitling. From the movements powering the models down to details like interchangeable quick release straps, Breitling has revived Gallet with contemporary upgrades while maintaining the original essence of the brand...

Beyond the Familiar: A History of A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Collection

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18th, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found his eponymous company, and 145 years after that a new A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: the Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase (1999) The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched the 1815 Moonphase Emil Lange (1849-1921) to mark...

Beyond the Familiar: A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Retrospective

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found the eponymous company, and 145 years after that a reborn A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Photo credits: @lelangelust and @scatteringphotons Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase, c. 1999 The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched...

The new Gerald Charles Masterlink Atelier Edition introduces hand-hammered Maillechort dials

The Gerald Charles Masterlink Atelier Edition introduces unique hand-hammered Maillechort dials to the brand’s signature asymmetrical design. It is strictly limited to 25 pieces per colourway in Golden Rose, Rhodium, and Golden Yellow. The 38mm steel watch remains impressively thin at 7.99mm and is powered by the ultra-thin micro-rotor GCA 1000 movement. When it comes … Continued

Alto Returns with the Art 02

Design-forward independent watchmaker Alto has kicked off Geneva Watch Days with its second model, the Art 02. While the most obvious difference is the addition of a matching bracelet, the entire watch has been refined and updated with a smaller case and an upgraded movement. Initial thoughts A dominant trend in independent watchmaking for the past several years has been the veneration of finishing. This focus has given rise to a growing number of overtly traditional time-only watches built and finished to a high standard. Alto belongs a class of design-led independents that promotes a different approach, one focused on how shapes and textures contribute to the wearing experience. This philosophy comes into sharper focus with the brand’s sophomore effort, the Art 02. While visually similar to its predecessor — enough that they would be hard to tell apart by an untrained eye — the Art 02 has been significantly refined and upgraded in several respects. First is the case, which is slightly thicker but much smaller in length and width, and a new proprietary calibre designed specifically for the Art 02. Then there’s the matching titanium bracelet, which is brushed and faceted to create a dazzling display of light and shadow. Surprisingly, the Art 02 is significantly less expensive than its predecessor. In fact, the retail price of €13,100 is just over half that of the Art 01 in “Monochrome Grey.” Considering the new calibre, proprietary bracelet, and similar bill ...

Introducing: Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver's Watch HBC011

What We Know Seiko has launched a new version of their popular vintage-inspired 1965 Heritage Diver, with a dial and color palette chosen by you. Okay, well, maybe not you directly, but through a fan-selection process that Seiko launched last year to mark the 60th anniversary of the original 62MAS diver. Seiko fans were presented with four variants of a watch that would eventually reach production, each inspired by a different tone and color the ocean can take on over the course of a day. In the end, the winner of last summer's campaign was this "Daytime Blue" color, which evokes the clear blue waters you'll find in tropical locales where the water is clear and the sun is shining. Other options included a bright yellow, deep green, and orange-y red. It's not wholly surprising that the blue dial would have won in a public ballot, but each is compelling, and I'll be curious to see whether Seiko, having developed and shown off the full range, ever chooses to release any of the other colors. The watch itself is a familiar one. The HBC011 shares a spec sheet with the enthusiast-favorite (and James') favorite SPB lineup of dive watches, specifically with the '20MAS' generation released in 2024, which brought with it a host of quality-of-life improvements, including a refined case and new movement. That case, which Seiko claims to be 40mm wide, 13mm thick, and 46.6mm lug-to-lug (and which James measured at 40.2mm wide, 13.4mm thick, and 46.6mm lug-to-lug in his Hands-On), is agai...

Parmigiani Fleurier And The Collector’s Path Beyond The Obvious Brands

The journey of a watch collector often unfolds like the passage of time itself. In many ways, it is sequential, but it is often marked by profound moments of discovery. For so many of us, we begin our collecting journey by learning about the well-known names. Brands such as Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe rise […] Visit Parmigiani Fleurier And The Collector’s Path Beyond The Obvious Brands to read the full article.

Glashütte Original Launches Two New Senator Chronographs for 2026, and They Could Not Be More Different

A cleaner dress flyback and a tool-watch navigator replace the outgoing Panorama Date models. Both are worth your attention.

Blancpain Faithfully Revisits 1968 Bathyscaphe

Blancpain is marking the 70th anniversary of its lesser-known dive watch with the 1960s-inspired Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. With a faithful 37.4 mm steel case and high-end movement, the Bathyscaphe will likely be welcomed by collectors who have been waiting for a more compact Fifty Fathoms. Initial thoughts Blancpain has an unusually rich history of producing dive watches — the Fifty Fathoms dates to 1953 and introduced the now-ubiquitous rotating dive bezel at roughly the same time as the Rolex Submariner. Blancpain’s early divers were commercial products aimed at military customers — then the only sizable market for such watches. That changed in 1956, when growing consumer interest in diving led to the release of the Bathyscaphe. This historic name was reborn in 2013, but the contemporary interpretation of the line was a significant aesthetic departure from the look of the original 1950s and 1960s models. Somewhat confusingly, Blancpain is marking the 70th anniversary of the Bathyscaphe with an homage to a 1968 model. Timeline aside, the anniversary edition features a period-correct 37.4 mm case and beige Super-LumiNova to capture the aged look of surviving originals. The arrow-tipped running seconds hand is another charming detail that reproduces the original look to good effect. During the 1950s and 1960s, Blancpain waffled between serif and sans-serif wordmarks, and the brand has opted for the latter for the anniversary edition. To my eye it strikes just the rig...

First Look - The new Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue

Independent watchmaking brand Czapek introduced the Promenade collection in 2024 as a more classic and elegant vision of its contemporary watchmaking. Since then, the model has been used for several creative dial executions, such as the Plissé, Diamond Drops, and Goutte de Rosée editions, as well as the Promenade Transparencies Viridian Green, made in collaboration […]

Blancpain Returns the Bathyscaphe to 1968 for its 70th Anniversary

New Glashütte Original Senator Chronographs Celebrate Two Eras of German Watchmaking

One classic flieger, one maritime observer, both with in-house movements and the most versatile quick-change bracelets the brand has ever offered. More

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th anniversary: a proper 1968 re-edition

37.4mm steel, box sapphire, meteor-grey sunburst dial, cal. 1150 with 100-hour reserve. Blancpain marks 70 years of the civilian diver with a faithful re-edition of the 1968 Bathyscaphe. 300 pieces, €14,850.

The ABCs of Time - The History of Metal Bracelets for Wristwatches

With few exceptions, metal bracelets are a 20th-century phenomenon, really surfacing in the 1920s as wristwatches became a cultural and fashion phenomenon. Three names are generally recognised as part of the rise of contemporary bracelets – Rolex, Gérald Genta and Gay Frères – although there’s much more to the story, and the latter arguably plays the […]

Introducing - Celebrating the Founder’s 200th Anniversary, Moritz Grossmann Releases the Tefnut 36 Silver-Plated by Friction Turquoise Blue

Moritz Grossmann continues to celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founder, Carl Moritz Grossmann (1826-1885), one of the key figures behind Glashütte’s rise as a powerhouse of German watchmaking. Following the Hamatic, the Tremblage, the Tefnut and the Backpage Tremblage, the brand honours its founder with yet another anniversary gift. Once again, a model from the […]

Interview: A Glimpse Into The World Of Konstantin Chaykin

Konstantin Chaykin is a self-described watchmaker, inventor, and artist. In this interview (casually combating the English-Russian language barrier), Chaykin takes us on his journey from a maker of complex clocks to a master of ultra-thin watchmaking. He also shares insights into the world of independent watchmaking, Russia’s horological history, and how he injects a dash […] Visit Interview: A Glimpse Into The World Of Konstantin Chaykin to read the full article.

Heads Up For A Japanese History Lesson: The Roger Dubuis Excalibur The Kabuto Legacy

After launching timepieces inspired by the fantastic Arthurian mythology, Roger Dubuis thinks it’s time for a lesson on Japanese history. The new Excalibur The Kabuto Legacy takes inspiration from the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a turning point in Japanese history. The Geneva-based brand uses its high-watchmaking know-how and métiers d’art to create 28 timepieces […] Visit Heads Up For A Japanese History Lesson: The Roger Dubuis Excalibur The Kabuto Legacy to read the full article.