Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for Sapphire Crystal

1,064 articles · 138 videos found · page 2 of 41

Related pages

Wiki · Guide
Sapphire Crystal

Mohs-9 synthetic corundum, the default crystal on serious watches since the 1970s.

The Next Generation of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is Here Worn & Wound
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Nov 19, 2025

The Next Generation of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is Here

You have to give credit where it’s due: Omega teased a big update to their Seamaster Planet Ocean, and they delivered. The collector community will surely debate every aspect of the new fourth generation Planet Ocean, but this is not an iterative change or a minor tweak. It’s a fairly radical rethinking of the style and aesthetic of Omega’s premier professional diving watch, and when you put an early version of the Planet Ocean next to the new gen, it’s honestly hard to see the connection between them. Not impossible, but by “iconic dive watch” standards, which keeps stalwarts like the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms looking much like the watches that they started life as, this is a different kettle of fish entirely.  We’ll start with the case, because that’s really where the heart of the Planet Ocean’s rethinking really comes into play most clearly. The knock on the Planet Ocean, since its inception, has always been that it’s overly thick. Of course, being that this is a pro diver with double the water resistance of most other consumer oriented divers, a little heft is to be expected. Still, the general proportions of previous Planet Ocean cases were always a cause of consternation among a subset of die hards.  The new watch measures 42mm in diameter and is 13.79mm thick, a significant reduction over the previous Planet Ocean’s 16.1mm case height. The new case also benefits from a flat sapphire crystal and a new titanium caseback, both of which ought ...

A GMT with Teeth: The Ming 37.11 Odyssey Bites Back SJX Watches
Ming Nov 10, 2025

A GMT with Teeth: The Ming 37.11 Odyssey Bites Back

Ming’s latest release, the 37.11 Odyssey, builds on the brand’s reputation for luminous, multi-layered dials and inventive designs. The Odyssey takes the visual depth seen in the Bluefin and Uni to the next level with a smoked sapphire dial that reveals the movement beneath, paired with shark-tooth hands and a multi-coloured luminous display. Despite its futuristic appearance, the Odyssey remains a practical travel companion. The compact 38 mm titanium case weighs just 42 g and offers 300 m of water resistance, while the Sellita SW330.M2 movement inside provides caller GMT functionality (with a twist). Available on a rubber strap, a titanium bracelet, or the brand’s new 3D-printed Polymesh strap, the Odyssey showcases Ming’s evolution from a design-driven micro-brand to a mature independent watchmaker with its own distinct language and value proposition. Initial thoughts The Odyssey is appealing because it plays to the brand’s strengths with regard to multi-layered, semi-transparent luminous dials. Like many of Ming’s best watches, including the similarly constructed Bluefin and Uni, the Odyssey provides a pleasing parallax effect thanks to the presence of luminous material on both the dial itself, as well as the underside of the sapphire crystal. The Odyssey takes the layered look even further by revealing hints of the movement through a smoked sapphire crystal dial. The movement is a typical Sellita GMT calibre, customised for Ming with anthracite-coated plat...

Office-Dweller: Rolex Debuts Submariner Desk Clock and Gold Cufflinks SJX Watches
Rolex Debuts Submariner Desk Clock Oct 30, 2025

Office-Dweller: Rolex Debuts Submariner Desk Clock and Gold Cufflinks

Rolex has just unveiled a fully branded line of accessories for office dwellers, featuring both cufflinks and a genuine Submariner desk clock. The move not only extends the brand’s product range, but reinforces its lifestyle dominance beyond its traditional domain. With its decades-long reputation for precision, quality and retail discipline, Rolex has planted a new flag: high-end accessories built with the same seriousness and iconic design language as its wristwatches. Initial thoughts Rolex has earned its dominant position in the Swiss watch industry in large part by taking everything it does very seriously. So it’s not surprising to see that the formal launch of a full line-up of accessories is treated with due seriousness. This is not the first time that Rolex has offered cufflinks; some references were exhibited at Watches & Wonders this year and have been quietly available for purchase at brand boutiques for some time. But the formal roll-out on the website is a decisive step, and reveals that Rolex wants to give its legions of fans another touchpoint with their favourite brand. On the other hand, the official desk clock is new and quite surprising in its execution, though perhaps it shouldn’t be. Rendered in a heavy 80 mm stainless steel body with a real Cerachrom ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal, it feels like a true Submariner (albeit one that is not water resistant). In terms of value, the accessories are expensive in an absolute sense but are priced rea...

Patek Philippe’s Gondolo Serata Zebra Debuts New Dial Technique SJX Watches
Patek Philippe s Gondolo Serata Zebra Oct 20, 2025

Patek Philippe’s Gondolo Serata Zebra Debuts New Dial Technique

Patek Philippe surprises with an off-season launch, the Gondolo Serata Zebra Ref. 4962/200R-010. Based on the curvaceous model launched in 2006, the Zebra features a sapphire crystal dial framed by garnets on the bezel and lugs. The dial motif replicates the cloisonné enamel dial of the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50G-023 from the Rare Handcrafts collection of 2022, but here the technique and material are decidedly modern. Despite the radically different look, this is an evolution of the Retrograde Perpetual Calendar ref. 6159G that has a smoked sapphire dial. Here the dial is also clear sapphire, but engraved, varnished, and then metallised to create the striking zebra motif. Initial thoughts The Gondolo Serata has been in Patek Philippe’s catalogue for almost 20 years but it never really gained prominence. Though the case shape is elegant, the dials on the earlier versions were quite plain. The Zebra is the opposite – vivid and striking – and it instantly stands out amongst Patek Philippe’s ladies offerings. The fact that the dial motif is based on the Rare Handcrafts Ellipse is a nice touch, though watch enthusiasts may be disappointed the movement is quartz. Patek Philippe presumably understands its clients and those clients probably want the convenience of a quartz movement. The sapphire dial technique, however, is interesting enough that it is likely to make its way into other models, which will be a good thing. Savannah sapphire The Gondolo Serata is a longsta...

Seiko Revives Retro Rotocall from Eighties Space Shuttle Era SJX Watches
Omega Oct 16, 2025

Seiko Revives Retro Rotocall from Eighties Space Shuttle Era

More Seiko watches have gone to space than any other brand, save for Omega and Casio, and Seiko brings back the most prolific of them all, the multi-function Rotocall. For the 2025 reissue, the brand has gone for authenticity over reinvention, retaining the original 37 mm case size and bezel-operated function selector, while making a concession for a more practical sapphire crystal. Named for its nifty rotating bezel, the vintage Rotocall was most frequently worn on NASA Space Shuttle missions. The remake is available in three colourways, plus two limited editions for the Japanese market, the reissue of this 1980s favourite delivers a heavy dose of nostalgia. Initial thoughts If the Speedmaster Professional is the “Moon Watch”, the Rotocall may as well be called the “Shuttle Watch”. NASA purportedly flight qualified the Rotocall around 1983 and, according to Robert Jackson, who maintains a database of watches used in space, Rotocalls crossed the Karman line nearly 200 times during the Space Shuttle program, which lasted until 2011. Today, vintage Rotocalls are quite desirable, and unlike NASA-issued Speedmasters, which were government property, astronauts paid for and were allowed to keep their Rotocalls. Sotheby’s sold Kathy Sullivan’s watch, which she took to space twice – and once to the seafloor in the Challenger Deep – for over US$20,000 a few years ago. The Rotocall may be the most faithful of Seiko’s recent reissues; it’s the same diameter – 37...

Daniel Arsham’s Hublot Meca-10 is Fluid, Frosted Sapphire SJX Watches
Hublot Meca-10 Oct 9, 2025

Daniel Arsham’s Hublot Meca-10 is Fluid, Frosted Sapphire

Following last year’s Arsham Droplet pocket watch, Daniel Arsham has just unveiled his second collaboration with Hublot, the MP-17 MECA-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire. One of the leading artists in pop culture, Daniel Arsham was inspired by the fluidity of a water droplet, explaining the streamlined, pebble-like wristwatch with an intriguing asymmetrical dial framed by a frosted sapphire crystal bezel. Mr Arsham has collaborated with brands as diverse as Porsche and Pokemon, and here he applies his aesthetic to Hublot’s Big Bang Meca-10. While the aesthetic is unlike any other Hublot, the movement inside is familiar: one of Hublot’s most interesting movements, the Meca-10 calibre with a 10-day power reserve, which was just facelifted this year to fit smaller format cases. Initial thoughts The Arsham Splash starts with a good base: the cal. 1205 Meca-10 movement is appealing both in terms of aesthetics and function. The geometric styling of the skeletonised construction is inspired by Meccano, the children’s construction toy, while the power reserve is an impressive 240 hours. I like much of the movement, except for the Etachron regulator that  I would have hoped Hublot would have replaced in this second-generation Meca-10 movement but it’s still there. Still, the Meca-10 is a logical fit for the Arsham Splash both in terms of form and function. The form of the Arsham Splash is unorthodox. Though the case has some familiar Hublot elements like the flared fl...

Longines Spirit 39mm Review: Smaller, Cleaner Pilot's Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Longines Oct 3, 2025

Longines Spirit 39mm Review: Smaller, Cleaner Pilot's Watches

The Longines Spirit Pilot watch collection was released back in 2020 and I recall going hands-on with the then-new pilot’s watches, which were a blend of contemporary with a dash of vintage styling. Since then, the brand has clearly listened to the response from enthusiasts who have been generally receptive to the collection, but with some consistent points of criticism. Namely, the five stars on the dial were divisive and even though it comes in 37,40, and 42mm case sizes, none felt like they hit that “Goldilocks” zone for a lot of people. Fortunately for those buyers, Longines just dropped two new watches that might be the best in the collection so far: the Longines Spirit 39mm three-hand and the new Flyback in a 39.5mm case. Longines Spirit 39mm Pilot's Watch First, let's look at the Spirit Pilot three-hand watch which comes in a stainless steel case measuring 39mm wide and 11.5mm thick with a lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm. While the gap between 39mm and 40mm doesn’t sound too dramatic, the latter has a lug-to-lug that measures just shy of 50mm which is simply too big for a lot of people. And 37mm is just too small for many of those same people. So, with that established, it’s not hard to see why this 39mm case size is so well received. The rest of the case is simple enough with alternating brushed and polished finishes, a sleek bezel, and a domed sapphire crystal with dual-sided AR coating. Finally, it also offers 100 meters of water resistance. Then there...

Elka Launches New Watches in a Vintage Inspired 36mm Case Size Worn & Wound
Sep 26, 2025

Elka Launches New Watches in a Vintage Inspired 36mm Case Size

Labeling a watch as “vintage-inspired” can open it up to extra scrutiny. How historically accurate are the vintage features? How well-executed is the styling? And mostly importantly, does it make enough practical sense to release today? With their re-launch in 2022, Swiss brand Elka Watch Co. released the original Série 1 line, and the X- and D-Series lead the charge as historically-inspired sport and dress-style watches. Now, in 2025, Elka is bringing back the D series, and introducing a field watch variant, the N Series, in a smaller 36mm size, further upping their vintage styling accuracy.  The new 36 N and D references first and foremost share the titular 36mm case diameter, 10.50mm thickness, and 41.10mm lug-to-lug measurements. Keeping both references ticking is a La Joux Perret G101 automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve, promising modern functionality under the vintage dress, and both feature a screw-down exhibition case back to showcase that movement and provide 50 meters of water resistance. A scratch-resistant box-type sapphire crystal, coated with anti-reflective treatment, tops off the similarities between the two models. The N Series bursts into the lineup as Elka’s first field watch, and the beige, black, and yellow styling matches that application. Two models are available for the 36 N line: a beige dial model with black numerals and indexes and yellow-orange details; and a black dial version with yellow numerals and hands and white indexes...

Explained: Dial Making at A. Lange & Söhne SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Sep 25, 2025

Explained: Dial Making at A. Lange & Söhne

Since its rebirth in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has built an enviable reputation among collectors, based in large part on its rich portfolio of movements. Visiting the manufacture in Glashütte, it’s easy to see why; nearly all of the roughly 650 staff are engaged in some aspect of movement production. As a result, in little more than 30 years, Lange has commercialised 75 distinct calibers and has the manpower to apply a consistent level of finishing across the entire range, from the simple to the sublime. Historically, this single-minded focus on movements has meant that dials have often taken a back seat. Though uniformly high quality and made of noble materials like sterling silver and solid 18k gold, the brand’s dials tend to be simple, classical, and austere. An obvious exception that springs to mind is the sapphire crystal-dialed Lumen series, but sapphire crystal is a common material in watchmaking and these dials tend to be produced in a relatively industrial manner. Despite its focus on movements, Lange began to stretch its wings with artisanal dials as far back as the year 2000, first with enamel and later with mother-of-pearl, guilloché, tremblage, free-hand engraving, aventurine glass, and onyx. Most of these dials were produced by suppliers, but the brand has quietly built an immensely talented team of engravers and enamellists since launching the Handwerkskunst editions in 2011, and now crafts some of the industry’s most extraordinary dials within its own...

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR-X3 in Two Metals Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross Introduces Sep 24, 2025

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR-X3 in Two Metals

It’s all about case and dial materials these days in the design world it seems, and Bell & Ross have certainly not shied away from experimentation. The French brand expands their repertoire of big, brash, and blocky timepieces with the new BR-X3 line, conceived as an avant-garde interpretation of the classic BR-03 design, and a cousin of the popular BR-X5, featuring two new models: Titanium Black and Blue Steel. While the names of these new references are straightforward, their designs are everything but. Both feature the iconic rounded-square look that graces most Bell & Ross watches, with a round dial accentuated by a square case. Both cases measure 41mm in diameter, but likely wear bigger due to their shape and 13.30mm thickness. Three-plate dial construction, an openworked rubber strap, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and 100 meters of water resistance are also standard on both watches. As a final shared element, both references are powered by a Calibre BR-CAL.323 automatic mechanical movement, which promises a hefty power reserve of 70- hours.  The differences between the two BR-X3 models are easily explained by their nomenclature, but worth diving into further nonetheless. Titanium watches are massively popular these days, and for good reason: they wear incredibly light on the wrist, regardless of size, and promise durability in spite of that weight. The Titanium Black BR-X3 follows that trend, featuring a micro-blasted grade 2 titanium case in an appropriate...

Breguet’s Finest World Time Yet to Celebrate 250 Years SJX Watches
Breguet s Finest World Time Sep 11, 2025

Breguet’s Finest World Time Yet to Celebrate 250 Years

Breguet’s quarter-millennial celebrations continue with the Marine Hora Mundi 5555, a reprise of the unique piece created for Only Watch two years ago. The world time wristwatch now returns with a phosphorescent enamel dial – that is notably grand feu on sapphire crystal – and a case in “Breguet Gold”. While the attire is new, the Hora Mundi 5555 still retains the clever movement that has a world time function that is instantaneously switchable between two pre-set time zones and unique amongst travel watches. Initial Thoughts Breguet facelifted the aging Marine line starting about eight years ago, but the integrated bracelet design language still feels fresh, though arguably remains unproven compared to long-established peers in the luxury sports watch segment. The Marine Équation Marchante 5887, which introduced the new look, leaned heavily on its excellent movement – it’s perhaps the best equation of time complication yet made – as a crutch supporting an experimental design. More practical and simpler models followed; the Marine Hora Mundi is certainly practical but not simple. The Marine Hora Mundi 5555 is likewise powered by an impressive movement, and one incorporating a complication apt for a sports watch, but the watch also has a metiers d’art distinction with its enamel dial. That is unusual for a sports watch, but the Marine is an unusual sports watch. The enamelling itself is even more unusual, done on sapphire using phosphorescent pigments, ...

Hanhart and German Magazine Armbanduhren Unveil a Limited Edition Preventor HD12 in Purple Worn & Wound
Sep 9, 2025

Hanhart and German Magazine Armbanduhren Unveil a Limited Edition Preventor HD12 in Purple

I’ve long had a contentious relationship with the color purple; between youth softball teams and grad school alma maters, it’s always difficult to find anything to wear with the color that isn’t immediately clashing. But purple is also a color associated with luxury and royalty, so I am approaching the new Silk Purple Hanhart Preventor HD12, a collaboration with German watch magazine Armbanduhren, with an open mind.  Hanhart’s Preventor HD12 was originally launched in August 2024, and has fast become one of the Swiss-German brand’s most popular pieces. A field watch-style dial design paired with HD12 scratch-resistant steel, and powered by a Sellita caliber SW200-1 or Soprod SOP P024 automatic movement, the Preventor combines the vintage styling that Hanhart is known for with robust construction and durability.  With easy-wearing case dimensions of 39mm in diameter and 46mm lug-to-lug, the Preventor positions itself as an everyday timekeeping watch with few complications-even lacking a date window. The HD12 steel is made scratch-resistant through a multi-stage hardening process, in which carbon is diffused into the steel and the case is covered in an additional PVD coating. Hanhart continues to tout the “hardness” factor of the Preventor by protecting the dial with a scratch-resistant convex-curved sapphire crystal.  Of course, the dial is where the fun happens for this limited edition Preventor. The matte Silk Purple contrasts starkly with the white Ara...

Maurice Lacroix Introduces the AIKONIC, a New Sporty Take on the Popular AIKON Models Worn & Wound
Maurice Lacroix Introduces Aug 25, 2025

Maurice Lacroix Introduces the AIKONIC, a New Sporty Take on the Popular AIKON Models

Since its inception in 2016, the AIKON line has been Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix’s bestselling collection. Nine years later, the brand is ready to kick it up a notch. The new aptly-named AIKONIC series packs updated mechanics and new materials into an upgraded case design with pops of color, promising innovation in the urban watch space while maintaining the original watch’s flavor. Does it land? Let’s take a look.  The first new aspect of note for the AIKONIC collection is the 43mm case; while it retains the familiar six double-wide “arms” around the bezel, a tactile grip cover is added to the crown. Both the bezel and the crown cover are composed of matt ceramic, which promises scratch-free usage for years to come. And while the case remains steel, it features both brushed and polished surfaces for visual and tactile complexity.  The carbon dial, too, is all-new on the AIKONIC. With carbon fiber strands running north to south in one direction as opposed to interwoven, each dial is slightly distinct from the next. Maurice Lacroix collaborated with a Swiss partner to create the dials, resulting in a construction that is fresh both structurally and aesthetically. The noth-south carbon pattern indeed gives each dial a vertical wave pattern, diversifying the design from both a textural and visual standpoint. Atop the dial sits silver text details, rhodium indices and second hand, and rhodium-facetted hour and minute hands. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflect...

Unimatic Introduces the New Prodiver Collection Worn & Wound
Unimatic Aug 12, 2025

Unimatic Introduces the New Prodiver Collection

While minimalism may be as trendy as ever these days (one look at any modern car interior will tell you that) a lot of brands miss the mark when it comes to balancing that aesthetic with function, or the lack thereof. Not so with Unimatic’s all-new Prodiver line, which promises both a streamlined design language and robust mechanical functionality. But do the watches actually pull it off? Let’s take a deeper dive and find out. Perhaps the biggest factor in Unimatic’s favor here is the Italian brand’s penchant for design cohesiveness across their lineup. Even before taking the new Prodiver into consideration, Unimatic watches share aesthetic hallmarks, namely chunky, round indexes, sans serif typefaces, and symmetrical dial balance. Even models that deviate from this norm, like the UT1 and UT4, which feature hour numerals instead, carry a uniformly round and hardy profile, which gives each Unimatic watch friendly-yet-tough dimensions. This is all personal conjecture, of course, but rarely does a brand manage to maintain consistency in design across their entire lineup quite as well as Unimatic does.  Back to the Prodiver, though; like most other watches by the brand, it also bears the signature round indexes, though it adds some legitimate dive watch pedigree, too. Each of the three new Modello Uno models sports a democratically-sized case, measuring at 40mm in diameter and 49mm lug to lug. The case thickness is a healthy 14.4mm with the domed sapphire crystal, and...

Bulova Jet Star Review: Retro Design Meets Cutting-Edge Precision Teddy Baldassarre
Bulova Jul 30, 2025

Bulova Jet Star Review: Retro Design Meets Cutting-Edge Precision

The Bulova Jet Star is one of those watches that leaves no room for doubt as to the decade from which its distinctive design originates. Revived in 2023 to commemorate the original's 50th anniversary, in a trio of diverse colorways, all the modern Jet Star models vibe “‘70s throwback” in a major way, with their unconventional, turtle-shaped cases and boldly colorful dials. However, they’re also very avant-garde in ways that their predecessors simply weren’t able to be, particularly in their use of Bulova’s high-frequency Precisionist calibers, their elevated level of finishing, and the almost three-dimensional degradé effect enhancing their dials. Scroll down for a closer look at each of the 50th anniversary Bulova Jet Star watches. Bulova Jet Star Case And Bracelet The modern Jet Star case is more angular and multifaceted than the curvilinear “turtle” shape of its 1970s predecessor. Strictly speaking, the case is octagonally shaped and topped with a round bezel that hugs the domed sapphire crystal. Measuring 40mm in diameter, approximately 45mm lug to lug, and 12.5mm thick, it boasts an array of polished and brushed finishes that accentuate those multiple, subtle edges and surfaces and lend the Jet Star an air of luxury in addition to its unmistakable retro charm. The lugs themselves are relatively short, with a 20mm lug width to accommodate the bracelet (on the two steel versions) or strap (on the gold-tone model and the steel limited edition). The crown...

The Batavi Marine Chronograaf Conjures the Scent of Summer Worn & Wound
Jul 14, 2025

The Batavi Marine Chronograaf Conjures the Scent of Summer

As someone who lives within a mile of the Pacific Ocean, the smell of the sea is one of comfort to me. Naturally, this leads me to like candles and fragrances that have a hint of that crisp aquatic breeze. Of course, this has little to do with watches; or at least I thought it did. But Amsterdam-based microbrand Batavi has launched a yacht-inspired fragrance and wristwatch pairing that evokes the ocean in all its aesthetic and olfactory glory, so you can bring that sweet, salty scent with you in more ways than one.  The Marina Chronograaf lineup introduces four variants, each with identical specs but relatively singular designs. To start, each Chronograaf measures in at 46mm lug-to-lug, and a 38mm stainless steel case with 13.5mm of thickness conveys a sporty silhouette. Each model features two subdials, a running seconds and a 30-minute counter at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions respectively, a railroad track around the dial, and hands that lay somewhere between GMT, chronograph, and diver styling. Inside, a hand-wound Seagull ST1901 movement keeps the yacht-timer functionality of each reference ticking and promises a 45-50 hour power reserve. Fifty meters of water resistance, a domed sapphire crystal, see-through caseback, and stainless steel quick-release bracelet round out the package. Four dial options are available, and each colorway is about as distinct from the next as is possible. “Sunrise” features a cotton candy-esque combination of blue and pink, with a gr...

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Review Teddy Baldassarre
TAG Heuer Jun 26, 2025

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Review

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” was released back in 2023 and has since been regarded as one of the finest vintage reinterpretations on the market. This mostly for two reasons, the first simply being that it was not a limited edition unlike every iteration dating back to when the line was introduced all the way back in 2015 with the Calibre 18 Telemeter. Second, they nailed the case proportions as well as the irresistibly charming domed sapphire crystal aka ‘Glassbox’. The original Heuer Carrera was the debuted back in 1963 as the brainchild of none other than Jack Heuer. Since then TAG Heuer has become one of the quintessential “chronograph brands” out there but it was the 2023 release of the Carrera Chronograph“Glassbox” that felt like a full-circle moment. The vintage-inspired design and 39mm case size coupled with contemporary finishing and manufacturing capabilities makes for one of the best chronographs on the market. TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph "Glassbox" Case The case size here is near-universally praised due to the nice and wearable proportions that balance that old school chronograph aesthetic with modern finishing techniques. Measuring 39mm wide and 13.86 mm thick with a 45.7mm lug-to-lug measurement (with 100 m of water resistance), the Glassbox is a compact package that makes a pretty strong statement. Sure, the original was 36mm and while I believe a re-edition in that case size would be a hit amongst a small enthusiast base (pe...

Greubel Forsey Reworks the GMT Balancier Convexe SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey Reworks Jun 18, 2025

Greubel Forsey Reworks the GMT Balancier Convexe

Greubel Forsey has refined its GMT Balancier Convexe with improved wearability due to a slightly smaller case, while maintaining the model’s trademark three-dimensional rotating globe. This is paired with some subtle, but interesting tweaks to the movement itself, including a new, and more elaborately decorated, escape wheel. Initial Thoughts Since the original GMT in 2011, the three-dimensional globe has become a Grebuel Forsey signature. Time zone-related complications are a natural fit for a sports watch, so much so that the brand’s first sports watch was a GMT. The brand has built on the GMT concept through multiple iterations, but the current version is arguably the most focused, without a tourbillon (or four), to distract from the core idea. The latest GMT Balancier Convexe is essentially the same as the previous model, but more wearable. It’s still a large watch, but scaled down and also might lightweight. The added power reserve indicator is also appreciated, and in hindsight, it’s odd that the function was absent in the first place given the utility of a power reserve display on a manual-wind travel watch. The World on Your Wrist Grebuel Forsey’s sporty Convexe cases have always worn somewhat smaller than specifications suggest due to the lug-less design, and the curved sapphire crystal back, which allows the watch to hug the wrist. However, a large watch that wears well is still a large watch. For the new GMT, Grendel Forsey has trimmed the case diamete...

Introducing the Héron Mirabel GMT, an Affordable, Vintage Inspired Dressy Travel Watch Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe   Jun 5, 2025

Introducing the Héron Mirabel GMT, an Affordable, Vintage Inspired Dressy Travel Watch

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the amount of quirky young watch brands pushing to make their name in the horological world-it seems like we are in the current golden age of microbrands and upstarts. Canadian watchmakers Héron, founded in Montreal in 2021, are among that crowd, and looking to make a name for themselves with vintage-inspired styling that is aimed at collectors with old-school taste. With their latest, the Mirabel GMT, the Québécois brand is channeling both aviation functionality and upscale dressy styling to produce a dual-duty timepiece ala upmarket stalwarts like Longines and Patek Philippe.  The Mirabel GMT sits within a stainless steel “C-shaped” case, and measures in at a sporty 37.5mm in diameter and 43.5mm lug-to-lug. True to Héron’s vintage-look aspirations, the enamel painted sector dial has an art deco flair, and features applied Roman numerals, pilot-style “alpha” hands, and a boxed sapphire crystal with underside anti-reflective coating. Four references are available for the Mirabel GMT, with varying dial shades, Delugs Baranil leather strap options, and case finishes. The “black” option features a black dial with gold details and case, and sits on a black strap, while the “brown” option also features gold accents, but wears a luxurious brown dial. Likewise, the “white” edition features a crisp white dial with blue hands and a dark blue strap, and the “blue” model has a blue dial and the same dark blue s...

Christopher Ward Answers the Call of their Enthusiast Fans with the The Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Answers May 16, 2025

Christopher Ward Answers the Call of their Enthusiast Fans with the The Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé

Christopher Ward has smashed practically every boundary in their price bracket and continues to pick up loyal fans and newcomers like a cartoon snowball rolling down a mountainside. The Twelve-named somewhat confusingly for its dodecagonal bezel-has proven to be one of the brand’s most popular models, and likewise continues to expand its line of references since its inception in 2023. Responding to fan fervor, Christopher Ward has announced three The Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé models to further round out The Twelve collection and prove to its followers that a little bit of fan-pleasing goes a long way. Each of the three new Non-Fumé models retains several distinctive characteristics from similar Grade 2 Titanium (or “Ti”) models, including a monotone dial finish, which has previously only been used for steel designs. The angular case wears at 40mm in diameter and 44.5mm lug-to-lug, giving it a significant, but not overbearing, presence on the wrist. Being titanium, the watch is a relatively lightweight 41 grams, and the screw-down crown at 3 o’clock paired with a screw-down display caseback ensures a fairly hardy 100 meters of water resistance.  Another shared element across the three Non-Fumé pieces is the repeating pattern on the dial, inspired by Christopher Ward’s “twin-flags” logo. When viewed at different angles-aided by the flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating-the motif’s texture reflects light back in varying ways. This type of t...

Seiko’s Premier Diver-GMT Gets an Update with the Prospex SPB519 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT Worn & Wound
Seiko s Premier Diver-GMT Gets May 6, 2025

Seiko’s Premier Diver-GMT Gets an Update with the Prospex SPB519 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT

A new diver release from Seiko isn’t exactly going to set the world on fire, but it will surely please the legions of fans of the brand and its Prospex line. With a crisp white and blue colorway and nifty bracelet that can be microadjusted as wrist size changes throughout the day, the 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT looks to be a worthy-if subdued-addition to the ever-growing catalog of Seiko dive watches. Pulling from a long tradition of purpose-built Seiko dive watches, the new SPB519 reference features a stainless steel case measuring in at 42mm in diameter, 48.6mm lug-to-lug, and 13.3mm thick, giving it a heftier frame than 2023’s closely-related Heritage Diver’s GMT (SPB381). A unidirectional bezel, and screw-down caseback and crown at 4 o’clock further push the watch into “serious” diver waters, supported by the 300-meter water resistance rating. Stylistically, the SPB519 takes on a sort of jaunty sailor persona, with a navy blue ceramic bezel and a silvery white dial. The applied indexes and hands are coated in LumiBrite, as are numerals on the bezel, and an anti-reflective coating protects the inner surface of the sapphire crystal.  Inside, the Caliber 6R54 automatic hand-winding GMT movement adds some spice to the otherwise by-the-numbers functionality of the watch, and boasts a 72-hour power reserve and “caller-style” independent 24-hour hand. The most interesting feature of the 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT, however, lies with the bracelet, which ...

TAG Heuer Refreshes the Carrera Day-Date and Adds a GMT Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Refreshes Apr 1, 2025

TAG Heuer Refreshes the Carrera Day-Date and Adds a GMT

Reinventing the wheel can be overrated-sometimes, expanding on an already-beloved design is the best way to drum up excitement. The original Heuer Carrera-released in 1963 as Jack Heuer’s horological love letter to the 1950s Carrera Panamericana Road Race held in Mexico-would develop as a symbol of motorsports success over the following decades, frequently gifted to victorious drivers at huge events. As the current official timekeeper of Formula 1, the Swiss company is continuing that legacy of motorsports prowess with new watches in the Carrera Day-Date collection, keeping the elements that have made the watch an icon, while pushing the design ever forward.  With six new models and ample features, the Day-Date collection can seem as daunting as an F1 circuit at first. Five of the models, though, are mechanically identical, with differences ranging from materials to color schemes-these are the “regular” Day-Date pieces, while the Date Twin-Time represents a distinct complication. First, let’s take a look at the new Day-Date references.  Each Day-Date features a fine-brushed and polished steel 41mm case with a steel polished crown at 3 o’clock, a beveled and domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, and a steel screw-down case back that touts a 100m water resistance. A Calibre TH31-02 automatic movement pulses inside each Day-Date, and a day-date window sits at the 3:00 position. White Super-LumiNova additionally coats the hour and mi...