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Monochrome
While there have been time-and-date and triple calendar versions since the mid-1990s, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore or ROO, has always been primarily known as a chronograph watch. It was actually designed as such when it launched in 1993. In modern days, non-chronograph ROO watches were mostly known as the Diver version, which was […]
SJX Watches
Founded last year by Thomas van Straaten, VPC is a Dutch micro brand making its debut with the Type 37HW. Mr van Straaten, who formerly works for an Amsterdam-based watch dealer and now writes for media platform Fratello, started VPC with the goal of creating the “ultimate” everyday watch in his words. VPC is short for Venustas Per Constantiam, Latin that translates as either “beauty through constancy” or “charm through restraint.” Featuring numerous clever details, the Type 37HW is the result of Mr van Straaten’s own experience owning, and later growing bored with, numerous watches that, in his view, featured compromised designs. He appears to have approached this problem forensically, considering everything from the bracelet end-links to the typography on the dial. Initial Thoughts The Type 37HW is an impressive debut that manages to stand out in a crowded segment of the watch market thanks to several interesting details. The central premise of the Type 37HW is that it is a “go anywhere, do anything”, or GADA, watch. Almost every aspect of the watch appears to have been designed with this use case in mind. The Type 37HW offers goldilocks proportions, and is unusually slim at just 9.8 mm thick (including 2 mm for the domed sapphire crystal). The svelte profile is likely possible thanks to the use of a manually wound Sellita SW216-1. Unfortunately, the combination of a screw-down crown and a manually wound movement – one with a relatively short 45...
Fratello
The Seiko SPB143 is a veritable fan favorite among lovers of Seiko dive watches. And that’s for good reason. It combined the mid-range quality we know from this level of Seiko offerings with subtle, timeless dive-watch aesthetics. Today, Seiko releases the spiritual successors to this watch. These are the standard-production SPB451 (blue dial) and SPB453 […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Prospex SPB451, SPB453, And SPB455 - Successors To The SPB143 to read the full article.
Monochrome
The accessible automatic GMT Sports watch is becoming one of the most competitive categories of the industry, with heavy players like Seiko (even in the affordable 5 Sports range), Citizen, and Mido offering compelling watches, and newcomers and micro-brands such as Lorca or Jack Mason also hitting hard. New to this field is Certina, unveiling […]
Worn & Wound
More than ever, being engaged in the watch community on social media means logging hours on TikTok. For years, the watch world has been building an impressive social infrastructure on Instagram, with collectors, brands, and dealers of all kinds finding a home on what is inarguably a platform that has reached maturity (even if not all of its users have). TikTok, by comparison, is a toddler, and to some of us who are dyed in the wool IG users, it’s every bit as inscrutable. But there’s no denying that the watch community, particularly new and younger watch collectors, are finding their way through the hobby on TikTok in much the same way that an older generation was educated on Instagram. Something that the two platforms have in common is that both are personality driven, and if you let the algorithm on each app do its thing, eventually you’re going to come across creators who you personally identify with and gravitate towards. Ben Cook, a 26 year old New York City based TikTok and Instagram creator has been growing his audience for nearly two years and in a relatively short period of time has already established a niche as an authentic voice and a supporter of affordable and approachable watches. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ben’s Watches (@benswatches) “I’m an entrepreneur at the end of the day,” Ben told me in a recent interview. He started making watch focused TikTok content in May of 2022 at the suggestion of coworkers, and the accou...
Time+Tide
Think golf is just a mid-life crisis sport for folks with too much cash? TAG Heuer and Malbon colourfully disagree.The post Time to tee off streetwear style with the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Malbon Golf Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Nivada Grenchen is one of those “rebirthed watch brand” success stories. Today’s story, however, comes from the 1950s. First founded in 1926 in Granges, Switzerland, Nivada Grenchen went from strength to strength in the mid-20th century. Pioneering tough self-winding timepieces, Nivada Grenchen was one of the first companies to use the technology in 1930. Unfortunately, […] Visit Living With The Penguins: Operation Deep Freeze And The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic to read the full article.
Fratello
Hajime Asaoka’s signature style is early mid-century with a touch of Art Deco, and he chose the studied charm of a 34mm case for his premier (and accessible) release of 2024. We first saw this size from Kurono Tokyo in 2022 with four fresh two-tone releases. Now, by introducing the Calligra, Hajime Asaoka has committed. […] Visit The New 34mm Kurono Tokyo Calligra Sold Out In A Flash - Here’s What You Need To Know to read the full article.
Monochrome
Hanhart, the German brand that started life in Switzerland as a manufacturer of stopwatches before relocating to Germany in 1902, gained renown as a producer of Flieger (pilot’s) chronographs. In the mid-1950s, Hanhart built the 417, the first pilot’s chronograph for the German Armed Forces, with an emphasis on robustness, reliability, and readability. In circulation […]
Fratello
Today, we’ll take a look at three watches that fall within a very popular range of G-Shock models. These pieces also have a charitable aspect. Meet the trio of GW-B5600-based collaborations with the Charles Darwin Foundation. If animals are your vibe, you’re going to like them a lot! It was back in 1999 when G-Shock […] Visit Hands-On: The G-Shock GW-B5600 × Charles Darwin Foundation Series to read the full article.
Fratello
As Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” This famous quote is a motto that the guys at Unimatic have embraced ever since they started the brand in 2015. The Milan-based brand is known to have created a minimalist design canvas for its timepieces that works very well in multiple ways. Today, we […] Visit Introducing: The New Unimatic Modello Cinque U5S-A And U5S-AN - Minimalist Just Got Even More So to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Sinn recently revealed its new offerings for the year, which included a retro take on of its signature pilot’s chronograph. The 103 St Ty Hd Chronograph features a matte black dial with a classic three-register layout highlighted by red accents, a design inspired by the 103 C from the 1970s. Significantly, the new 103 is powered by a manual-wind movement, the first time in two decades Sinn is launching a hand-wind chronograph. Initial thoughts This appeal of this release lies in the elegantly vintage design, notably the classic three-register layout and 1970s details like the “roulette” register. The contrast between the black and red elements is especially attractive. Notably, unlike many scaled-up vintage remakes, here the retro styling is presented in almost the same size. The new 103 is 41 mm and almost 15 mm high, which sticks close to the dimensions of the original. Priced at US$2,870, the new 103 is affordable. However, the Sellita movement inside can also be found in retro-inspired chronographs from micro-brands like Farer for a quarter less. Although Sinn has actual aviation-instrument history, while most other brands in this price segment don’t, the price still feels high. Sinn should have done more with the movement, or some other substantive upgrades, in order to justify the price. Nevertheless, true-blue Sinn enthusiasts would value this launch, since Sinn doesn’t do too many vintage remakes. Manual wind and vintage flair The 103 is a pilot’s chr...
Worn & Wound
Sinn dropped their Spring novelties this morning, an event that’s always of keen interest to hardcore watch enthusiasts. Sinn is one of our favorite brands for a whole number of reasons, but I’ve always felt that part of their appeal is in their somewhat elusive, “if you know, you know,” nature. Part of that is the fact that they have a single American distributor, and don’t have the flashiest social media presence. In the US, they still seem very German and are truly a brand for connoisseurs. If you see someone wearing a Sinn, you know that they sought it out, and that it might not have been easy to find. Sinn’s pattern for novelty releases over the last few years seems to be to release a mix of modern tool watches and vintage throwbacks simultaneously. This year’s vintage throwback is a manually wound chronograph, the 103 St Ty Hd. The 103 is their core chronograph model, the simplest and arguably least fussy, and has been made in a huge number of variants over the years. This new version has a steel case and old-fashioned acrylic crystal, and a panda-style dial layout with red accents. Fans of the 103 will notice immediately that the 12, 6, 9 (with day/date at 3) layout from previous 103 references is missing, a result of the manually wound Sellita SW 510 M powering the new watch. Here we get a classic three register, no date dial in the same familiar 41mm case. This is Sinn’s first manually wound 103 in 20 years, which should make the release of the...
SJX Watches
Based in Pennsylvania, Dewey Vicknair is a respected gunsmith who specialises in restoring rifles and shotguns, and has been doing so for decades, gaining an esteemed reputation in the process. Now in his mid-fifties, he is also a self-taught watchmaker who has been performing watch servicing on the side. Recently Mr Vicknair made the leap from fixing watches to making one. Mr Vicknair explained the genesis of his first watch: “When I saw your stories about Atelier de Chronometrie and what they do with vintage Omega movements, I was inspired.” His inaugural creation is a hand-wound wristwatch of his own making, literally. Although the movement started out as a 1950s Omega cal. 266, Mr Vicknair reworked majority of it and made many parts from scratch, including the going train bridge, as he did for the case, dial, and even the gasket for the crown tube. Because he made most of the parts himself, Mr Vicknair had to fabricate the equipment required to make the parts, including a cutter for the gasket and a screw holder for black polishing. He even did the silver plating of the movement parts himself. It is an unexpected accomplishment for a first-time watchmaker. Initial thoughts Ordinarily I would be sceptical of an unknown watchmaker seeking publicity for a new project with a five-figure price tag. But a few things changed my mind. One was seeing Mr Vicknair’s unusually thorough documentation of his production process, which is almost entirely manual – even the mach...
Time+Tide
Meet Cheng Yucai: the artisan that's responsible for Atelier Wen's stunning guilloché dials.The post Atelier Wen’s mini-documentary shares the story of China’s sole guilloché master craftsman appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Watches can get expensive - seriously expensive. There are no two ways about it. Luxury watch brands naturally aim their efforts at an affluent clientele. I have noticed, however, that most watch aficionados I meet have pretty regular jobs. And with pretty regular jobs come pretty regular incomes. So, if you are into watches but […] Visit So, You’re Into Watches, But You Aren’t A Wall Street Banker? - How To Thrive In A Money-Driven Hobby to read the full article.
Fratello
The original Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II 1655 that debuted in 1971 is probably my favorite Rolex watch of all time. I wish I’d felt the same in the mid-1980s when you could pick up an unloved “Freccione” at a huge discount. Unfortunately, I only started warming up to the Explorer II with its steel […] Visit This Monday Morning, I Realized I Should Have Bought The Black-Dial Rolex Explorer II 16570 Instead Of The White One to read the full article.
Fratello
Rolex is a hallowed name in horology. Yes, like me, you may be one of those who share in a widespread exasperation at waitlist games, the difficulty in attaining a new timepiece for non-VIPs who want one, and what the brand can represent to some in this age littered with vacuous social media influencers. Rolex […] Visit The Early Rolex And Tudor Oyster Watches That Saw Action In WWII During The Battle Of The Atlantic to read the full article.
Fratello
When Frédéric Arnault (29) became CEO of TAG Heuer in 2020 after joining the brand three years earlier, it demonstrated how much potential LVMH as a group saw in luxury watches. With him now appointed CEO of LVMH Watches in charge of Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith, LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) has shown its […] Visit LVMH Is An Unstoppable Force That’s Unlocking The Luxury Watch’s Full Potential to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Two years ago, TAG Heuer introduced a solar powered version of their ever-popular Aquaracer dive watch called the Solargraph. It was quite a hit and last year they brought out a version in media-blasted titanium, which knocked Kat Shoulders’ socks off at LVMH Watch Week 2023. It just so happens to be LVMH Watch Week 2024 and TAG Heuer is introducing 5 new Solargraph models, but they might not be what you’d think. Instead of new case materials (these are all stainless steel) what they have done is shrunk the diameter down to 34mm. Making these new Aquaracer Solargraphs a mid-size watch that will fit just about everyone, but will be particularly appealing to anyone with smaller wrists who might feel ignored by “small” divers starting at 38mm and ballooning from there. They have also brought back a design feature which was removed from the Aquaracer line when they redesigned them some years ago: the venerable rider tabs. They’ve been executed quite tastefully here, with their scalloped trapezoidal shape on a completely polished bezel. There are 5 different configurations of the new smaller Solargraph, all of which come on a bracelet, with a solid twin-trigger clasp. The first features a green dial (above), with an attractive circular texture and printing that seems to float above it. TAG Heuer calls this polar blue-themed. Even the applied indices appear to be hovering above the dial. Next up are three models with mother-of-pearl dials. One with a diamond bezel, o...
Monochrome
In the upcoming February release, Matthew Vaughn unveils his latest cinematic creation, Argylle, delving into the entertaining and twisted world of espionage and spies. Drawing parallels to Vaughn’s other hit, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), known for its stylish clandestine intrigue, Argylle promises an equally riveting experience. Vaughn’s ongoing collaboration with the British watch company […]
Fratello
After introducing the Carrera Glassbox models in 2023, TAG Heuer unveiled its latest addition to this collection during LVMH Watch Week in Miami. Meet the TAG Heuer Carrera Dato Chronograph with a teal dial. Based on the 1968 Heuer Carrera 45 Dato, this Carrera has a date window at 9 o’clock. In 2021, TAG Heuer […] Visit Hands-On With The New TAG Heuer Carrera Dato Chronograph to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
An informal group of Northern California watch collectors, all owners of at least one Kari Voutilainen watch, met for lunch. One of the members of the group nonchalantly mentioned, "I've been talking with Kari about something . . ." It was a set of bespoke Kari Voutilainen Masterpiece Chronograph II models. GaryG's response two seconds later: "I'm in!"
Time+Tide
The Conquest range executes a rarely seen complication in a mid-century style.The post The Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve is a recreation of a rare 1959 release appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Hermès has a distinctive gift for infusing its mechanical timepieces with a dash of poetry. The Arceau family, home to the lyrical Temps Suspendu model that can suspend time on demand, also taps into the band’s equestrian ties, referencing the brand’s origins as a producer of harnesses and saddles in Paris in the mid-19th century. […]
Worn & Wound
In the early days of Facebook, “Facebook official” was a big deal. A status update from “in a relationship” to “single” sent shockwaves through social circles, and an update to “it’s complicated” was always sure to add some confusion and perhaps a few laughs. If such a social media page existed for watches (this is a terrible idea, please don’t do it), my status with the Bulova Hack would be: It’s complicated. I purchased my first Hack back in 2020 based on a subjective infatuation with its aesthetics. Afterall, the decision to purchase a watch is often triggered by an emotional response, and boy did the Hack have me smitten with its clean and legible classic military design. While I’m far from an expert on military watches, in the same way I can geek out over a racing chronograph without being a car guy, I appreciated that the modern Hack stayed relatively true to the Bulova A-11, credited as the watch that won the war. But technology has changed in the decades since the original Bulova Hack was issued to the US Military in World War II. As sapphire crystals and 100 meters of water resistance have become ubiquitous staples of field watches, the Hack remains stuck in the past with a mineral crystal and a mere 30 meters of water resistance. And though the modern Hack features a hackable movement just like the original ones that allowed for synchronizing time with the simple pull of a crown, the chunky Miyota 82S0 that allows for this feature, with an...
Monochrome
A name that might resonate strongly in the minds of vintage watch enthusiasts, Sherpa is a beloved historic name in the watchmaking community, as it stood for decades as a robust and very capable diving tool. It was given this name following a successful expedition to the summit of Mt Everest and Lhotse. Although the […]
Worn & Wound
The Miami Beach Antique Show is known to be the largest vintage and antique show in North America and is typically held every January at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL. It brings collectors and vendors from all over the world to arguably the biggest treasure hunt one could undertake. Miami is my hometown, so making the choice to attend this year’s show (my third overall) was an easy one. At the show, I met up with the team from Jones & Horan auction house. This was my first time connecting with them and they were certainly a treat. They were kind enough to show me some of the most interesting watches that they had at their booth and share stories about the watches and their owner, George. Based in Goffstown, NH, Jones & Horan is a small “mom and pop” auction house with an interesting story. It all began with owner George E. Jones and his father George F. Jones selling milk from their farm and bartering with customers for found items around their homes. Eventually, this led the younger George to start selling and buying other items. Some fun facts I learned at the show about George: He’s fist-fought a baboon, he was gored by a cow while protecting his son, traveled around England buying English estates, and he’s rumored to have been featured in National Geographic while exploring parts between Asia and the Middle East (the crew are still hunting for that issue). He’s what some might call a real life version of “the most interesting man in...
Quill & Pad
For a Greubel Forsey, the Balancier 3 looks like a mid-size watch with a diameter of 41.5mm. Martin Green takes a closer look.
Deployant
The Panerai Luminor Due was a collection which was first introduced in 2017, as the mid-sized, unisex Luminor model. The movement then was designated as the OP XXXIV which is assumed to have been renamed the P.900 caliber which is now found inside the new Due. The 42mm case Luminor Due bears the same crown guard as the iconic Luminor Marina, but with only 50m water resistance. Its slim profile and polished case is a marked stylistic variation from the original dive watch. The new dial color adds a nice statement to the hybrid classic timepiece.
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