891 articles · 129 videos found · page 20 of 34
Quill & Pad
Launched in 1969, the Catena/Zeno Spaceman is special thanks to its funky design. It was a polarizing watch: people generally either hated it or loved it at first sight, and remains so today. Here is the brief history of this fun vintage watch.
Monochrome
Retter isn’t a brand that many are familiar with as its first watch launched only a couple of years ago, the 22 Automatic. It was a solid first effort with the always popular integrated sports watch aesthetic, but the follow-up Mistral is a more mature and elegant dress watch, with a truly ultra-thin case (a […]
SJX Watches
An artist famous for his “eroded” Future Relic works, Daniel Arsham also occupies a prominent place in popular culture thanks to his collaborations with brands from Porsche to Dior to Pokemon. Now he brings his unique style to Hublot with the Arsham Droplet, a sleek pocket watch (or pendant watch) in titanium and sapphire crystal that transforms into a desk clock. The Arsham Droplet reflects the recurring of past-and-future found in many of Mr Arsham’s work. “The [Droplet] looks futuristic to me… like it’s been pulled from the future,” says Mr Arsham, yet “people were last carrying pocket watch a hundred years ago”. Initial thoughts Having spoken to him about watches before, it is clear that Mr Arsham is a collector himself and owns watches that enthusiast would envy. This is why the Droplet is a lot more than many artist-watchmaker collaborations. Daniel Arsham Hublot has done a variety of artist collaborations in the past that were of varying appeal to me personally. I loved the Murakami, less so the Orlinski. The Arsham Droplet is not only appealing, but it is “surprising” as himself Mr Arsham describes it. Not only is it surprising because it’s a pocket watch in a novel shape and material, but also because “it doesn’t contain iconic elements I’ve used in the past” says Mr Arsham. The Droplet is not merely an “eroded” wristwatch or one dressed in Arsham colours. Instead it was conceived from the ground up, and the result is a fascinat...
Teddy Baldassarre
Among the many decisions facing a prospective watch buyer before pulling the trigger on a new timepiece, is choosing which type of strap or bracelet it should have. We covered the various types of watch straps in this article; read on for our rundown of the most popular watch bracelets, focusing on some of the influential, proprietary styles from brands like Rolex and Breitling, which have impacted numerous other brands’ designs, as well as more niche-oriented options geared to collectors and historical-minded enthusiasts. Oyster Bracelet Rolex’s iconic Oyster bracelet is the template from which many other three-link bracelet styles have been drawn. Its name comes from its association with the Oyster case, which Rolex first introduced in 1926 and for which the original version of this bracelet served as an extension. Oyster bracelets are recognizable for their wide center links bordered by thinner end-links. Rolex patented the design in 1947 and fitted one on a watch in 1948. In the early versions, the links were riveted; these were phased out in favor of a “folding” style in 1967, which eventually gave way to the modern, solid-link style in 1975. Three-link bracelets like the Oyster and its various descendants are particularly popular on sports watches and dive watches. President Bracelet The Rolex Day-Date appeared on the market in 1956 and with it came a new three-link bracelet called the President. Intended as the epitome of Rolex’s luxurious bracelet optio...
Worn & Wound
The trajectory of Sartory Billard over the last few years has been one of the most unusual and interesting stories in the world of independent watchmaking. The brand had long been established as a leader in fully bespoke watches. The entire premise of the brand was built on the idea that every piece is unique, with wide customization options available to virtually every aspect of the dial. They’ve also been associated with great value, and were generally seen as an affordable option for adventurous fans of independent watchmaking who wanted something literally unique well under five figures. None of that has changed, really, but Sartory Billard’s recent output has seen them upping the ante considerably, with a new tourbillon movement and plans for an even more complex caliber featuring jumping hours and jumping minutes. Another example: a new collaboration with Grail Watch featuring an incredibly ornate and over-the-top mirror finish on nearly every visible surface. Grail Watch 11, the Sartory Billard SB07 “Ghost,” takes the brand’s integrated bracelet sports watch design and a design motif they’ve become known for and turns the proverbial volume up past the breaking point. Of the many options Sartory Billard offers to customers in their customization program, one particularly popular one is their fully polished dial. The SB07 seen here takes that idea and expands it to the case and bracelet, effectively making the steel components “invisible,” hence the ...
Video
What your luxury watch REALLY says about you
Teddy Baldassarre
Watchmaking is a trade that goes back to the 16th Century, and building mystique and legitimacy on a long, historical legacy is a common theme we find in many companies that make watches today - particularly those whose roots reach back for a century or more. But which companies have really been making watches the longest? In a way, it’s a sticky question, one that can lead one into a minefield of semantics and trivia. Jaquet Droz, for example, claims a founding date of 1738 but the modern version of the company was established in 2000 when Swatch Group acquired the name. A. Lange & Söhne carries on the tradition of the original company founded in Saxony in 1845 but has really been in operation only since 1990 (and to be fair, the company is very transparent about this). The Swiss-based Graham brand traces its legacy all the way back to the London atelier of British watchmaker George Graham in 1695 but has no connection to it other than design inspiration. In assembling the following list of the oldest watch brands still making watches today, I went with the companies that, in my judgment, can legitimately claim a direct lineage to the original founding, even allowing for ownership changes and periods of dormancy along the way. Without further ado, here is a countdown of the 15 oldest watch brands in the world today; you may be surprised by who is included as well as by who is excluded. 15. Zenith (1865) Zenith's founder Georges Favre-Jacot was only 22 when he founded...
Fratello
Nodus is a relatively new brand that has quickly made a name for itself. With a passionate focus on creating increasingly better products, the Los Angeles-based brand has gained a dedicated following. We covered multiple prior Nodus releases that show great design versatility. It makes it interesting to follow the brand’s journey. With the new […] Visit Nodus Introduces The Contrail GMT - The Third Generation Of The Brand’s Popular Travel Watch to read the full article.
Monochrome
One trend that was once dominated by the big players in the watch industry and caught on with independent watch brands is the luxury sports watch. As one of the most popular, if not the most popular, watch categories, there are many candidates out there vying for your attention. While some flaunt their maritime or […]
Worn & Wound
I have a small obsession with watch naming conventions. I’m absolutely fascinated by the decisions brands make in what to call their watches. Some brands, for example, use only reference numbers, and collectors wind up giving the most popular watches nicknames (Grand Seiko comes to mind, although last year saw a notable exception to the rule). Then there are countless brands that incorporate language of adventure, particularly on high seas, into watch names: the Submariner, the Supermarine, the Sea-Rambler, and on, and on, and on, and on. And of course there are brands that steal a strategy from car manufacturers (or is it the other way around?) and give their watches names in one of the Romance Languages, an attempt to instill a sense of class and taste. But what I like are the simple and punchy names that get right to the root of what the watch is about. Memorable, sometimes funny names that communicate an ethos and make you go, “Oh yeah, of course,” all at once. The Speake Marin Ripples is one of my all time favorites. The Ripples is Speake Marin’s take on the integrated bracelet sports watch, a category that seems about as far afield as you might get from the brand’s roots, but that’s a story for another day. In my opinion, the Ripple is one of the most distinctive integrated bracelet designs to come on the scene in this recent period during which everyone under the sun has tried their hand at this type of watch. It belongs, I think, in the same conversat...
![[Video] The Rado Anatom, and What the Next Vintage Watch Revival Might Look Like](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/03/Rado-AnatomAutomatic_07.jpg)
Worn & Wound
When you write about watches for a living, it’s impossible not to think about the concept of vintage reissues and vintage inspired watches on an almost daily basis. For the last ten years, at least, vintage inspired watches have been the key driving force in the watch market, even if you take a somewhat narrow view of what a “vintage inspired” watch really is. They have been ubiquitous for a long time now. But that’s changing. We no longer live in an environment where every other watch that finds its way into my inbox is based on a design from the middle of the last century. They’re still there, to be sure, but it’s not nearly as overwhelming as it once was. It’s been gratifying to see many brands, a lot of them small and making watches at affordable price points, introduce popular contemporary designs that are original and have resonated strongly with the community. By the same token, the best makers of watches inspired by designs from the 1950s and 1960s have established themselves more firmly, and carved out niches for themselves in the enthusiast community where their watches don’t feel like knock-offs, but part of a long tradition, and possessed of their own unique design language. It occurs to me though that my perspective on this could simply be that of someone who is getting older. I’ve rounded 40 now, and am shocked on a weekly basis to learn that albums and movies that meant a lot to me in high school and college are now celebrating 20 and 2...
Video
Welcome to the hands-on review of Depancel Autosport - a 1960s & 1970s inspired racing watch. Unlike many racing watches that feature a chronograph complication this vintage inspired timepiece has a full calendar inst...
Teddy Baldassarre
Luminous material on watch dials - referred to in shorthand as “lume” by both industry insiders and avid enthusiasts - is an element taken for granted nowadays. It can be said without hyperbole that a watch dial without lume is a stylistic outlier in this modern era, but this wasn’t always the case. Discerning the time in the dark presented a major problem for watchmakers in the early days before the widespread use of electricity in homes, and at first the only solution that could be offered was an audible rather than visual one: watches that chimed the time on demand, like minute repeaters and sonneries. Only a handful of wealthy individuals could afford these highly complicated timepieces, however, so a more widely accessible technology was needed as wristwatches spread to the general populace. Around the dawn of the 20th Century, watchmakers turned their attention to making watch dials that could be read in the dark, paving the way for the luminous materials that are still used commonly today. The road to perfecting the technology, however, would not be easy, and at times would even be dangerous. Radium The first material applied to watch dials for nighttime luminescence was a paint made from radium with zinc sulfide, which, thanks to radium’s half-life of 1,600 years, offered a long-lasting glow during that period before dimming - the catch being that radium, as its name implies, is radioactive. One of its earliest uses can be traced to a pioneer of devel...
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster By now I think most vintage watch collectors are familiar with the fantastically named Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver. I mean, you just can’t beat a watch that literally covers all the bases right? There are numerous iterations of the Chronomaster, and this is one of the better looking ones in my opinion. The black dial is nice and clean with gorgeous lume, with bright white hands for excellent contrast. The chrono seconds hand has a large lollipop tip. The large steel case is unpolished with sharp edges and sweet chamfers on the lugs. Even the crown is signed with the Nivada logo. Overall this is a great piece. The seller states the watch works but is a little slow and the chrono seconds hand doesn’t quite reset to zero, so keep that in mind when bidding. View auction here Vintage Wittnauer Here we have a really cool looking vintage Wittnauer. The steel case is nice with really good looking lugs, and it looks unpolished with sharp edges. Seller doesn’t state the size but I’d guess about 34mm wide. The silver dial gives off Polerouter vibes with the outer chapter ring. Thin steel hands with nice lume plots that match the...
Worn & Wound
District Time may need a new home. The Washington, DC watch fair was held for the sixth time at the start of March, and its record attendance made the District Architecture Center feel more cramped than it has in the past. Every bit of wall was lined with a booth showcasing an independent watch brand. Some are big enough or popular enough you might recognize the name–Christopher Ward, Formex, Rado–while others are true microbrands. “It’s grown a bit every year, minus the COVID years,” said Nate DeNicola, a contributor to one of the event’s organizers, the Time Bum. “One of the cool things about this year is there are a few established microbrands that are here for the first time. Bourbon out of New Orleans; Foliot out of New York; Dufrane from Austin, Texas. So it’s really become kind of the east coast watch show for a lot of these micro and independent brands.” DeNicola was there not just representing the Time Bum, but running the booth for another one of those microbrands: Bremoir, an Art Deco-inspired watch brand that takes design cues from 1920s American architecture. Watch fans are familiar with the major brands and their offerings, but events like District Time allow enthusiasts the chance to discover watchmakers they’d never heard of who are still providing high-quality products but have the flexibility to experiment more with their watches. Bremoir’s vintage design is unlike anything on the market right now, and it was difficult to even get th...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watch lovers may be settling into a modern Golden Era of watch dial making, with many brands over the past several ramping up the creativity - experimenting with bolder colors, innovative layouts and textures, and even an array of unconventional materials and processes in their dials' production. This is happening from Kickstarter brands all the way to the top of the watch industry food chain - with independent brands as well as those owned by large luxury conglomerates making a concerted effort to offer watch dial options that set their timepieces apart. We've compiled a list - which many will, of course, find far from exhaustive - of some of our favorite watch dials that you can find on current models from an array of brands. Oris Big Crown Pointer Date - Maroon Dial The Big Crown Pointer Date is one of Oris's most well-established signature pieces and it has debuted in some very nontraditional colorways of late, most of which have been very well received. The dial that stands out from our perspective is this maroon version which is rich, warm and luxurious and provides a nice background for the off-white print and lume-treated cathedral hands. Maroon, sometime referred to as burgundy, is a color that has popped up on other brands (like the Rado watch a bit further down the list), and the execution on this Oris watch is among the best we’ve seen; it's also a color that is versatile enough to wear daily. Specifications: Price: $1750-$1950, Cas...
Teddy Baldassarre
When you think of James Bond watches, the first models that likely come to mind would probably be from Omega, or Rolex, or - depending on which Bond era you prefer - maybe even Seiko. But one of the most memorable wristwatch scenes in Bond’s cinematic history has a Breitling as its star. In 1965’s Thunderball, the fourth movie in the popular series starring Ian Fleming’s Agent 007, star Sean Connery spends most of his screen time wearing the same watch that he wore in his previous three outings as Bond: a Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538, now known by many collectors as the quintessential “James Bond Rolex.” However, in one key scene, Bond swaps out the Submariner for another watch: a heavily modified Breitling Top Time Ref. 2002, a steel-cased, black-dialed chronograph with two white subdials, applied baton hour markers, and a tachymeter scale surrounding the dial. (The actual watch is pictured above, sans strap, photo via Christie's.) In the movie’s fictional universe, the watch - one of many gadget-packed timepieces assigned to Bond by MI-6 weapons supplier Q throughout the film series - is also equipped with a built-in Geiger counter; Bond uses it to track a cache of stolen nuclear warheads hidden deep underwater by his adversaries from the criminal organization SPECTRE. The watch was the only Breitling ever worn by any James Bond actor on screen - though, interestingly enough, another Breitling, a Navitimer 806, also appeared briefly in Thunderbal...
Video
A walkthrough of the entire IWC 2026 lineup with Chris Grainger-Herr, including the Pilot, Portugieser, and Ingenieur novelties.
Worn & Wound
For the past 15 years, UK based Schofield Watch Company has been making watches using the same case shape and dimensions, with various color and finishing details. For 2024 they are launching a brand-new case and size, as well as a new complication. Introducing the Light, a field watch with a GMT function, which retains Schofield’s design esthetics, but at a size that should appeal to today’s sensibilities. There are two models within the Light collection. Both feature a two-piece 40mm media-blasted case with a vertically brushed bezel, and the movement powering them is the relatively new Seiko NH34 GMT. They also have domed box sapphire crystals and case backs that feature lighthouse artwork printed on a mineral glass, through which you can see parts of the movement. The aptly named The Light One, has a light gray step dial that features a cream outer ring with black printed numerals. The hour and minute hands are painted dark for contrast, with a light colored 24hr GMT lollipop hand turning within the inner stepped portion. The Dark One, in contrast, has a darker gray center dial, with a black stepped ring and white numerals. The main hands are light gray, the lollipop GMT hand is dark gray, and the case is entirely coated in black PVD. The text, branding and logo on the dials are very discreetly printed and there is no 24hr track, which makes reading the second time zone a little challenging. Therefore, a little commitment to understanding how to read the GMT ...
Worn & Wound
The New Years holiday is typically a time to reflect and set some goals for the upcoming year ahead. Even if you’re not into setting New Year’s resolutions, the turning over of the calendar is a good opportunity to take stock. I’m not normally the type to set New Year’s resolutions myself, so I hope you won’t think it’s presumptuous that I’m about to lay out a goal for the entire watch community. I’d like to humbly propose that 2024 be the year we collectively abandon a practice that I’ve personally always found a bit strange: the “watch” Instagram account that sits alongside your “regular” account. Two accounts! One just for watches, one for – and I’m gesturing wildly here with both arms – everything else. To me that seems like a lot of work. Why do we do this? I’ve heard all kinds of explanations. The most common is that we, as watch collectors, don’t want to endure the weird looks and questions from friends and family when they see regular wrist shots pop up in their feed. To that I say: they already know how weird you are. We should fly our watch freak flags high, with wrist shots alongside pics of your breakfast burritos, gym selfies, and summit photos. Current grid: Just about all watches In 2024, let’s say goodbye to the idea that a watch focused Instagram is somehow not worthy of the views of your non-watch obsessed friends. They should accept you for who you are. And if somehow you’ve kept your watch hobby a secret all t...
Worn & Wound
Snoopy of ‘Peanuts’ fame has flown planes in World War I, gone to space, and been a baseball star-now he’s taken on a new role as a fashion and lifestyle icon for Gen Zers. In a viral moment that has come upon us rather unexpectedly (as these things always do) members of a younger generation seem to have discovered the iconic beagle all at once. Thanks to his worldly, casual confidence and enormous puffy coat, Snoopy has reached a level of popularity he probably hasn’t seen since ‘Peanuts’ was in print. To which the watch community says: welcome aboard the Snoopy train, we’ve been here for quite some time. For all the new Snoopy fans out there, here’s a brief rundown of the history of the relationship between comics’ most famous dog and the watch industry, along with some of the best Snoopy watches you can pick up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ouch, Right In The Childhood (@ouchrightinthechildhood) Snoopy has graced the dials of watches since the 1950s, but his popularity among watch nerds has skyrocketed (pun intended, you’ll see in a second) since Omega featured him on the Speedmaster for the first time in 2003 in recognition of the watch brand being award NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award. The award was given in recognition of the key role the Apollo 13 astronauts’ Speedmasters played in the calculations they made to get home safely. The backstory for the watch, the difficulty in obtaining one of these limited edition pieces, a...
Monochrome
Retro and vintage remain hot topics within the watch industry, as there are tons of good-looking watches available based on popular designs from bygone eras. Within this highly competitive segment of the market, Belgian brand Méraud has slowly but surely found steady ground. Méraud, founded by Stijn Busschaert, strives to find the horological sweet spot […]
Worn & Wound
Over the last few years, Grand Seiko has introduced a nearly nonstop stream of variants in their popular “SBGW” line of 37mm, manually wound dress watches. We’ve covered these watches at length, because we’re honestly pretty big fans. There’s a lot to like: they are based on the original Grand Seiko design language dating back to the founding of the brand, they are relatively affordable when compared to other watches in the Grand Seiko catalog, and they possess an elegant simplicity that is easy to dress up or down with a simple strap change. And of course, as time passes, there’s seemingly no end to the colors and textures that might pop up. But one thing has eluded collectors, at least many in the United States, and that’s a bracelet option. The Japanese market has long had the ability to pair this case with an elegant stainless steel bracelet, but the American collector has to jump through some hoops. That changed last week in an update to the collection could serve to reset the “SBGW” experience. The new SBGW305 sees the dress watch fashioned with a simple silver dial, and a case mounted to a five-row steel bracelet that appears to be virtually identical to the bracelet that was paired with the JDM model SBGW235. For a better look, you can check out our recent video on our team’s mutual love for Grand Seiko, where you’ll see Worn & Wound cofounder Zach Weiss guiding us through his own personal collection of Grand Seikos, which includes the SBGW2...
Video
Welcome to the new watches releases recap for the third week of April 2026. It is also the week of Watches & Wonders 2026 - one of the biggest watch trade shows. We have some great new watches from Rolex, Tudor, IWC,...
Worn & Wound
While recovering from COVID, I recently watched a documentary I had heard about while listening to The Grey NATO Podcast. 14 Peaks: Nothing is impossible is the story of Nepali mountaineer Nimsdai Purja, who summited all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in only seven months. The previous record was 7 years! Nims’ goal was to highlight the Nepalese climbing community. To this day, climbing these peaks cannot be done without the incredible endurance, courage, strength, and sheer determination of the Sherpas. It is these Sherpas that inspired Enicar in the 1950s to create dive watches that could not only withstand the depths at sea but get even more water-resistant the deeper you dove. Thus, the super-compressor was born. Sadly, Enicar did not survive the 1970s quartz crisis. Thankfully, all was not lost, as in 2019 Martin Klocke of Germany revived the Sherpa and created a brand around this model. Just like its namesake, these are proper super-compressors. Featuring many of the original features combined with modern technology and know-how across two models, the Ultradive and OPS. Now, a new version of the latter is available thanks to a collaboration with a popular watch podcast. Sherpa has teamed up with The Real Time Show podcast, hosted by industry insiders Alon Ben Joseph and Rob Nubbs, to create a sandblasted stainless-steel version of the OPS model (it was available only in polished steel or a black DLC finish previously). The result is a beautiful satin fin...
Hodinkee
Some of the most popular young indies will have a chance to win the first Louis Vuitton Watch Prize in 2024. Here they are.
Time+Tide
Throughout history, it’s generally been assumed that something is worth more when it’s in better condition. But just as pre-ripped jeans found their popularity in the 1970s, it’s becoming more and more common to prefer things aged. Well-weathered objects tell a story, and whether or not you think it’s cheating to replicate that look artificially, … ContinuedThe post How does a watch dial turn tropical? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
While the Polerouter by Universal Genève has long been a favourite watch among collectors, its extensive production in various executions has made it accessible for enthusiasts to discover rare or low-production models. However, with the rising popularity of the watch among new collectors, the landscape is evolving, and the thirst for information is growing. To […]
SJX Watches
There was plenty to see and do around Dubai Watch Week 2023, which just concluded last weekend. Wandering around the glittering hall with showcases full of new releases, and you might run into Rexhep Rexhepi, Maximilian Büsser, and Kari Voutilainen. Punctuating all of this, however, were the insightful panel discussions that happened over the course of Dubai Watch Week (DWW), which was organised by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the largest watch retailer in the Middle East. Covering a wide array of topics and including speakers from an even wider background, it was possible to dip in and out of these discussions throughout the fair. Luckily, they were all recorded and are now available on the DWW YouTube channel. So if you weren’t able to attend the show, or you found yourself stuck between one booth and the next, you can catch up on them at any time. Inside the exhibition hall of DWW The best session of the fair was undoubtedly the in-depth talk given by talented watchmaker, Stephen McDonnell that we quickly recommended in real time. Mr McDonnell provided incredible detail about his work and philosophy in a talk that summarised his horological mind. But we wanted to give some more highlights from across the programme beyond Mr McDonnell, as there is plenty to dig in to. Stephen McDonnell at DWW The first talk of the show focused on a hot button topic, the role of retailers and the allocation of popular watches. Moderated by British journalist Robin Swithinbank, it featured Moh...
Video
How American is Hamilton? While the watch world rants and raves over premature reactions and cookie cutter content centered on the same new releases at Watches and Wonders, I decided to post something refreshingly dif...
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