Quill & Pad
Joshua’s Ultimate ‐ If Money is No Object ‐ 10 Watch Collection: 2022 Edition - Reprise
While we are now looking forward to the 2024 releases, Joshua Munchow looks back at 2022, which was a pretty tremendous year for watchmaking.
22,884 articles · 223 videos found · page 206 of 771
Quill & Pad
While we are now looking forward to the 2024 releases, Joshua Munchow looks back at 2022, which was a pretty tremendous year for watchmaking.
Monochrome
A highly respected yet niche name in the field of dive watches, Squale is a brand that should not be overlooked thanks to its historical impact, the coolness of its watches and the accessible price at which these are offered. Typical no-nonsense aquatic instruments, the brand combines vintage designs with robust construction and reliable movements, […]
Time+Tide
Just in time for Christmas wish lists - the NOW Magazine Time+Tide Watch Buying Guide is back.The post Machete-wielding crooks! Daredevil mountain rescues! A shed-load of watches! Yes, it’s Issue 8 of NOW, the Time+Tide Watch Buying Guide… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Over the course of the last year, we’ve been keeping regular tabs on Awake, a microbrand with roots in France that operates within very narrow niches. Their watches are high concept and put a premium on storytelling, which admittedly is not everyone’s cup of tea. But we appreciate their creativity, and believe that this hobby is better and more interesting when brands like Awake are around to remind us that the watch world is encompasses a lot more than black dialed dive watches and vintage reissues. Their latest project, the Summetria collection, is based on perhaps their most abstract idea yet: the inherent beauty in nature, and the symmetry of all living things. The specific idea of symmetry is tackled here through guilloche dial treatments, which Awake relates to the natural symmetry of things like a butterfly’s wings or flower petals. Awake notes in their press materials for the Summetria collection that to human beings, symmetry seen in nature appears almost unimaginably complex, but the reason it exists at all is because “nature prefers simplicity.” From Awake’s perspective, it’s all about simplicity, and there’s a clear dichotomy there between the inherent complexity of watchmaking (and the application of guilloche) and the visual and functional simplicity of natural symmetry. Like I said, it’s abstract. But I appreciate that Awake is trying to draw connections between their watch designs and the natural world in ways that other brands do not ...
Quill & Pad
The Zenith Defy Skyline is loosely based around the historical Defy, which had a faceted bezel (arguably the very first octagonal steel sports watch in 1969), but the Skyline switches it up to a dodecagon (12-sided polygon) and a bolder case silhouette. And this is not the only reason Joshua Munchow is so enamored.
Worn & Wound
Seiko made some big news this morning, with the long rumored announcement of a new version of their classic 6117 Navigator Timer. That vintage reference is critically important for many Seiko collectors, an early GMT from 1968 in the same familiar design language of many classic Seiko sports watches. With new GMT calibers now in production, many enthusiasts expected the timing was right for a modern rendition of the 6117, and today they got their wish in the form of the SPB411, the Seiko Prospex Land Mechanical GMT Limited Edition. This new reference is a fairly faithful rendition of the classic watch from the 60s, with modern components and design choices only where they’re most appropriate, and plenty of restraint everywhere else (no Prospex logo on the dial!). For GMT fans and Seiko collectors, the SPB411 is a significant new release. All the hallmarks of the 6117 would appear to be present in the SPB411. Namely, the distinctive cushion case, the rotating 24 hour bezel, and a slate gray dial. The “Navigator Timer” wordmark no longer appears on the dial, but otherwise it’s a solid recreation, with rectangular hour markers and thin, block hands carried over to the new release, as well as a short red arrow GMT hand. That gray dial has a sunray finish, and we get a date window at 3:00 with a contrasting white background. Most importantly for fans of the original, the case size has remained consistent. The SPB411 comes in at 38.5mm in diameter, just about half a mi...
Quill & Pad
After Colin Alexander Smith noticed John McLaughlin wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in live footage from the 1990s along with various other interesting timepieces, he somewhat cheekily asked him for an interview to discuss his watches rather than his music or his guitars, to which he kindly agreed. Not surprisingly they ended up discussing all three in this riveting interview spanning decades' worth of music, stories, and timepieces.
Worn & Wound
Since its completion in 1930, the Eastern Columbia Building has long been a symbol of the Art Deco movement and the timeless elegance that period in architecture came to represent. Located in downtown Los Angeles, this historic landmark is characterized by its intricate terracotta facade adorned with colorful geometric patterns and stunning clock tower, which is crowned by a rotating neon clock that has become a symbol of the building. In this way, the building hasn’t just become a symbol of Los Angeles’ history of prosperity and beauty, but of the bygone elegance that still inspires brands today, nearly a century later. One such brand is Bremoir. Having previously designed their Lexington based on the Chrysler Building, Bremoir has a longstanding history of being inspired by the golden age of Art Deco. Now, with the release of their limited-edition Eastern model, we are seeing a truly delightful interpretation of the Los Angeles landmark. Released today, the first color in the new Eastern collection is called Pacific. Aptly named, the dial is tonally bright blue (similar to the terracotta of the building’s facade) and navy (a nod to the Pacific Ocean), handsomely balanced within a stainless steel case and complemented by the brown leather strap. The two tones of the dial are accentuated by gold accents for the hands, numerals, and hour markers. It is here that we see the small details which resonate with the Art Deco design of the Eastern Columbia Building. You have...
Hodinkee
The new automatic Bioceramic collab still had people turning out in droves, and we were on the scene in Times Square.
Quill & Pad
A brand's progress is often seen in how their watches evolve. Armin Strom, which had the delicate task of reinventing the 'One Week,' the watch with their very first full manufacture movement.
Worn & Wound
Ludovic Ballouard’s Upside Down, first seen in 2010, is one of independent watchmaking’s most inventive and whimsical creations. Ballouard started his own brand after stints working with big names like Franck Muller and F.P. Journe (he was handpicked by Journe to work on his most complex movement, the Sonnerie Souveraine), and his signature complication is quite unlike anything else. The Upside Down’s conceit is that it displays each hour upside down except the current hour, which is flipped right side up when the minute hand crosses 12:00. It’s an incredibly complicated design, the purpose of which, according to Ballouard, is to “treasure the time we are in.” It’s also just a very cool party trick, and the platform for the latest release from Grail Watch, Wei Koh’s ongoing series of dream collaborations. The new Upside Down seen here isn’t a brand to brand collaboration like previous Grail Watch releases, but a heartfelt partnership between Ballouard and his young son, Gabriel, or “Gaga” for short. Wei Koh asked Ballouard if Gabriel could be involved in the creation of this watch after hearing Ballouard’s incredible story of becoming a parent. He lost his first wife, Eveline, to cancer, some years ago, but not before she told him of her hopes that he’d remarry and have a family. This seemed impossible to Ballouard at first, but he eventually met Flavia during his daily walk in Parc Bertrand in Geneva. She changed his life, and they soon become ...
Time+Tide
We are bound to follow certain trends no matter which industry we look into. Whether it be fashion, cars, music and, for what concerns us the most, watches. In the past 10 years we went through an intense period during which micro and independent brands would release vintage-inspired dive watches. Then, more recently, GMTs and … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Rosenbusch Quest is a truly accessible integrated-bracelet sports watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Yema is fleshing out their young Traveller collection, which made its debut just last year, with a new family of integrated bracelet sport watches called the Urban Traveller. The new family is on-trend with a design that features the now familiar hallmarks of the genre, such as a flat link bracelet that integrates with the case, a flat octagonal mid case with single piece bezel, and a textured dial. Check, check, and check. The Urban Traveller does take a unique approach in a few ways, however, and more options of a good thing is, well, a good thing. Yema is a French brand that was founded in 1948, with an increasing selection of in-house labeled movements, which we’ve discussed before launched, somewhat curiously, via Kickstarter. The Traveller collection of watches have been no exception, with the template for the Urban Traveller, called the Wristmaster Traveller, hitting funded status in late 2022. That watch, which recalled Yema’s heritage with the use of the Wristmaster label, featured a colorful selection of in-house ultra-thin micro-rotor movements, a playful choice that set that watch apart from other integrated sport watches. The Urban Traveller takes a more direct approach to the design, using Yema’s YEMA2000 movement, which is around 80% in-house, instead of the colorful micro-rotor movements seen in the Wristmaster Traveller. This change means a slightly thicker case and a closed caseback, as well as a dramatic reduction in pricing. The ultra-thin Wrist...
SJX Watches
The Gérald Genta brand, which has recently been revived by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watchmaking manufacture of Louis Vuitton, makes its debut with a unique creation for Only Watch 2023. The Gérald Genta Only Watch 2023 retains the brand’s signature octagonal case, a shape historically known as the “Success”, while showcasing the whimsical side of the brand with a champlevé enamel dial featuring Mickey Mouse carrying a birthday cake. And like many past Gérald Genta watches, it tells the time with a retrograde minutes and jumping hours – along with a minute repeater. Initial thoughts The long awaited comeback of Gérald Genta, a given after its sister brand Daniel Roth was resurrected, raised expectations given the brand’s elaborate complications of the 1990s as well as the current technical prowess of LFT. Unsurprisingly, the brand has combined two of the best known themes from its short history, the Fantasy line of Disney-licensed watches and striking complications. The watch is essentially a homage to Gérald Genta’s best hits of the 1990s. The Mickey House dial is a nod to the Fantasy watches, most of which had retrograde displays. And the octagonal case is modelled on the Success, a bestseller for the brand at the time. That said, the new case design has the addition of lugs that feel slightly out of place. The original Success designs either did without lugs entirely or had simple horizontal bar lugs, both of which arguably work better with the o...
Time+Tide
In Australia, Sky News isn’t a precise equivalent of Fox News – its daytime news coverage is comparatively balanced. But Sky is also owned by Rupert Murdoch and has undeniably become something of a hotbed of right-wing punditry. As a current-affairs channel, watches are not covered on a regular basis. Which makes it all the … ContinuedThe post Watch brands enter the culture wars appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Mr Jones Watches is a British brand that has been around since 2007, and in that time has carved out a niche that is really occupied by them and them alone. The brand specializes in “unusual watches that tell a story,” with dials that are full of unique artwork, visual puns, and feature curious methods of telling the time. For example, a favorite of mine is “The Accurate,” which is modeled after the concept of memento mori and features the words “Remember” and “You will die” incorporated into the hour and minute hands, respectively. Another watch, “Number Cruncher,” puts a bright blue monster front and center, with a jumping hour mechanism in its hand, and minutes reflected in a cross section of its stomach. You get the idea. Now, one of their most popular watches is available for the first time in a mechanical version, and it’s particularly appropriate as we approach the lazy days of summer. The watch, which is dubbed “A perfectly useless afternoon,” takes a bird’s eye view of a pool scene, with a figure lounging and floating peacefully across its surface. Naturally, the figure rotates around the dial, with their leg pointing to the correct hour. Minutes are read through the pool’s only other occupant, a rubber duck at the dial’s perimeter. The watch was designed by Belgian illustrator Kristof Devos, who was inspired by words of Chinese writer and philosopher Lin Yutang, who said “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perf...
SJX Watches
Last year Habring² finally delivered something collectors had long been seeking, a compact version of its signature split-seconds chronograph, which now forms the base for the Doppel 38 “Monochrome x Habring²”. A one-off that will be sold at Phillips’ upcoming Geneva auction to benefit charity, the Doppel 38 is a collaboration between Habring² and Monochrome Watches, online watch magazine based in the Netherlands. The Doppel 38 takes its cues from the limited-edition chronograph Habring² made for the 15th anniversary of Netherlands-based Monochrome. Initial thoughts The one-off Doppel 38 is essentially a more complex version of Monochrome’s 15th anniversary edition, the Montre de Souscription 1 (MDS1), which was a conventional, single-button chronograph. Naturally the Doppel 38 sports a split-seconds movement and consequently, a slightly thicker case, but it is aesthetically almost identical to the MDS1, having the same “salmon” dial. Ordinarily, reissuing a limited edition in near-identical format is a no-no, but in this case it is both sensible and appealing because the Doppel 38 is a one-of-a-kind creation and it will be sold to benefit a children’s charity. It’s being offered with an estimate of CHF10,000-20,000 – the low estimate is approximately the retail price of the regular production Doppel 38 – which is certainly acceptable. And given the worthy recipient of the proceeds, one certainly hopes for more than the high estimate. Subtle tweaks ...
Quill & Pad
Diver’s watches rank among the most popular timepieces, which is not surprising considering that they combine cutting-edge features with bold, sporty looks. At Watches and Wonders 2022 Montblanc joined the ranks of sports watch manfacturers with a refreshing take on the diver’s watch called the 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date.
Quill & Pad
Ikepod launched in 1994 so co-founder and designer Marc Newson could create his own playground, which is exactly what he did. And there is no better example of his joyful design than the Ikepod Megapode launched in 1999. But to trade a Rolex for it?
Worn & Wound
The 90s Sporty Collection from G-Shock is a line of watches that pay homage to the iconic designs and colorways of the 1990s. This collection is a throwback to the era of neon colors, oversized clothing, and popular sports like basketball and skateboarding. The coloring of these models is the same as the popular coloring of the G-SHOCK DW001, which went on sale in 1994. The three base models of this lineup are the standard DW5600, the front button DW6900Y, and the Analog-Digital GA110Y. These cool designs provide a choice of variations that accentuate any style or fashion. The 90s Sporty Collection from G-Shock is a line of watches that pay homage to the iconic designs and colorways of the 1990s. This collection is a throwback to the era of neon colors, oversized clothing, and popular sports like basketball and skateboarding. The coloring of these models is the same as the popular coloring of the G-SHOCK DW001, which went on sale in 1994. The three base models of this lineup are the standard DW5600, the front button DW6900Y, and the Analog-Digital GA110Y. These cool designs provide a choice of variations that accentuate any style or fashion. The post The 90’s Are Back! – Check Out These New G-Shocks In The Windup Watch Shop appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Revolution
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Zach originally wrote this article back in January 2021, in which he digs into why he bought the Grand Seiko SBGA413 instead of waiting for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 ‘Candy Pink’. We think it is a great example of turning the negativity of the ‘unobtanium’ phenomenon into a positive. There are so many other watches to explore, … ContinuedThe post The other pink watch: why I bought the Grand Seiko SBGA413 instead of waiting for a pink Rolex OP 36 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Watches. They broadly tell the time, but the way in which they do so is where things get interesting. You have your minimalists, which strip things down to the barest of elements: an hour and minute hand. Once you begin to add complications, like a second hand, a chronograph function, day/date apertures, perpetual calendars, and … ContinuedThe post Why the jump hour display of the Louis Vuitton Spin Time shook the watch world appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The design legend and company founder hasn't given an interview about Ikepod in more than a decade. Here, he tracks the complete history of his iconic, iconoclastic company. And we tell you which of his watches to hunt down.
Revolution
Time+Tide
The wristwatch hobby is often full of lore and ritual, with prescribed traditions and a general consensus that old age legitimises worth. BA111OD are an incredibly young brand having been started in 2019, which would ordinarily lose them a chunk of customers were it not for their relentless challenging of misconceptions about Swiss watchmaking. The … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The BA111OD Chapter 4.1 T.V.D. is the latest watch from a young brand with big ideas appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Making the case is a new column in which the author delivers a heartfelt argument on a watch-related theme. A tick-tock trial if you will. Today I tackle the importance of watch packaging. Does elaborate watch packaging really elevate the offering? Or is it a luxurious waste of time that will inevitably be thrown out? For a … ContinuedThe post Making the case: The importance of watch packaging appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Christie’s upcoming Important Watches auction in Hong Kong is a double-session event on November 27 that will be headlined by the first installment of The Triazza Collection, a remarkable accumulation of watches owned by a prominent Hong Kong businessman that includes the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 in platinum (which is not going under the hammer for now). Amongst the important timepieces in the collection that are going on the block this season are several pocket watches, including two masterpieces from Patek Philippe, one an observatory tourbillon from 1924 and the other a ref. 605 HU world time with a cloisonné dial. The ref. 605 HU world time pocket watch Beyond the Triazza offerings, the rest of the 218-lot catalogue also includes other significant interesting pocket watches, including several possibly unique by Patek Philippe with affordable estimates, including one relief engraved with a 16th century sailing ship. Below we take a look at a some of the notable pocket watches (and one clock) in the auction. The Important Watches auction (lots 2306-2523), including watches from The Triazza Collection, begins at 1 pm on November 27 – the catalogue is available here. It’s followed by the second session (lots 2201-2282) offering watches from The Champion Collection at 7 pm – see the full catalogue here. Lot 2387 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Hermès Introduced in 2013, the Atmos Hermès was a collaboration between Jaeger-LeCoultre and the Parisian leather goods ho...
Quill & Pad
Watches under 3,500 Swiss francs . . . now it gets interesting. And the competition gets even fiercer. This is the first horological category in which every one of the finalists deserves a place here, and any of them could win. So what did our peanut gallery pick?
Quill & Pad
Fellows auction house is still something of a hidden gem, so if you look hard you might find incredible bargains. The author herself has gotten very lucky here, once even managing to find a timepiece that she had long been searching for at an unpredictably good price. See what you can find in the next timed auction!
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