692 articles · 136 videos found · page 21 of 28
Two Broke Watch Snobs
"Dad, stop judging me! I'm doing my best!" Witnesses reported that Thompson then proceeded to sprint down the canned goods aisle, pursued by an unseen entity he described as his father-turned-wristwatch.
Worn & Wound
The latest release from Farer once again shows us that small brands are doing some of the most interesting things in the watch industry this year. Their new Monopusher GMT collection is no different, combining a popular travel complication with an old-school monopusher chronograph. With the rerelease of both the classic Cobb and Segrave monopushers, we’re seeing a new direction for the British brand that ups the proverbial ante on their line-up. Generally speaking, it’s fairly rare to see a watch that has both a chronograph and a GMT complication – and especially so for one to also have enough real estate to not look too jumbled. But that’s exactly what Farer was able to accomplish with these two new references. Using the classic Heuer Autavia GMT Ref. 1163 as its inspiration, Farer was able to take elements from this classic reference without veering into just reinventing the wheel. The distinct colorways of both Monopusher GMT models is what makes them so uniquely Farer. The color choices of both watches play into the brand’s identity and suit a wide range of customers’ preferences. The Seagrave, with its textured black dial, is on the more conservative side. The Cobb, by contrast, is a little more bold with a sky blue dial and yellow accents. The Segrave may be a bit more subdued, but it’s the small touches and tonal variations which show the amount of thought that has gone into the design. The black gravel dial is offset by blue minute markers and a pair ...
Fratello
Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello Talks. This week, Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex to discuss their thoughts on a hype-hungry watch industry. Lately, more than ever before, it seems that big brands within the watch industry are doing their best to remain relevant by chasing hype. We saw the natural hype […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Quest For Relevance In A Hype-Hungry Watch Industry to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Timex has been on a roll as of late, with multiple successful collaborations with Keith Haring, Jackie Aiche, Seconde/Seconde, and the Peanuts gang to name a few. We recently featured the World-Famous Tennis Player Time x Peanuts on Worn & Wound. Their latest collaboration appears to be an effort to step it up a notch and they have clearly succeeded in doing so. Introducing the fully titanium Timex x James Brand GMT. And it is not just any GMT, it is a proper traveler’s type, with an independently adjustable local hour hand. Envisioned by renowned Italian watchmaker and Timex Chief Creative Director Giorgio Galli and designed by the team at The James Brand, this all-new co-branded GMT watch has the analog soul of the classic field watch. Why James Brand? They believe that the things you carry say something about you. They design tools that are practical, not tactical, with a modern and minimalist design aesthetic that never feels out of place but is still clearly “James Brand.” That principle has been carried over in the brand’s previous watch releases and continues with this new GMT. This barrel-shaped watch measures 41mm in diameter and has a lug width of 20mm, which is a great size for strap swapping. Likewise, the accompanying titanium bracelet and rubber strap have quick-release spring bars for easy changes. Powering this timepiece is the Miyota 9075 automatic 24 jewel movement, which has a power-reserve of 42-hours, and it can be admired through the screw-d...
Worn & Wound
If a tide pool at a waterpark represented the world of micro/independent watches, some brands would be the kids who sit at the edge, waiting for a wave to bowl them over, others would be the dad that overcompensates by proving he can swim all the way out to the source only before losing his trunks, and then there’s Zelos…the person who showed up in their custom Speedo and polarized purple goggles doing laps around the perimeter. If you want a quality diver, finished brilliantly, made with interesting materials, eye-popping dials, all for around $500, Zelos has you covered. However, there is another Zelos. One that lights up a cigar, slips out of their lounge sandals, and makes their way into a meticulously curated tranquility pool…but still with the purple polarized goggles. This Zelos comes around a couple times a year, playing with high-end Swiss movements and interesting complications. The first “tranquility pool” Zelos of the year recently hit the market. They took the case from their popular Spearfish line and released the Spearfish Dual Time. Three of the five watches in the line are made of titanium and come on titanium bracelets; the remaining two have cases made from forged carbon and come on a canvas leather strap. I had the pleasure of trying out the Moonscape forged carbon model for a little over a week, and while I do have some complicated thoughts on the model itself, what is indisputable is that you’re getting lavish materials and an elaborate ...
Video
Fratello
Let me make something crystal clear: I’m not a watch fundamentalist. I don’t live by the strict rule that you can only wear an X-type watch when you are doing an X-type of activity. If I did, I probably couldn’t wear any of the watches in my modest collection. Since I’m not flying a spacecraft, […] Visit Dive Watches For Shallow People: When The GADA Watch Becomes, Well, A Bit Gaudy to read the full article.
Fratello
Some Fratello editors have been asked to share their favorites from the Watches and Wonders exhibition last week, so I am happy to share mine. But before doing so, let me share some thoughts on this year’s Geneva watch show. A quick Watches and Wonders 2024 recap This year’s Watches and Wonders wasn’t very exciting […] Visit Fratello Favorites: RJ’s Favorite Watches And Wonders 2024 Releases to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Oris is one of those brands that we love to talk about here at TBWS, simply for the fact that the team always seems happy to just do their own thing. This year, instead of doing something big and flashy, Oris has moved to update their vast catalog of Oris Aquis Date models for 2024. It's a key collection and this kind of care ensures that the watches don't become stale, as Oris aims to put out the best that they possibly can. The Aquis is just a great, sturdy dive watch from an independent brand and these new models are available in 43.5mm, 41.5mm, and 36.5mm case sizes with a bunch of dial color options and a choice to go with the in-house Oris Caliber 400 on the 43.5mm version. Let's try to wrap our heads around this.
Fratello
It may seem like an odd question, and knowing Elshan Tang’s brand progression personally, I will not be asking it, but you might. If you’re used to his tough budget-priced divers, this new Spearfish is a leap in price and style. Is the open-worked Swiss taste worth it? I love seeing small brands climb the […] Visit Hands-On With The New Zelos Spearfish Dual Time - A Complex Titanium Surprise to read the full article.
Fratello
The Seamaster Ploprof is partially famous for being on the wrist of FIAT boss Gianni Agnelli. Many think Agnelli wore his Ploprof over his cuff because he thought it was stylish, but it was actually because of his allergic reactions to metal on his skin. Despite him doing this out of necessity, many have praised […] Visit Ploprof Vs. Ploprof - A Double Hands-On With The 1200M Diver to read the full article.
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Quill & Pad
Ken Gargett recently had an extensive immersion into New Zealand wines for a couple of weeks, including those of Hawkes Bay, so it seemed an ideal time to look at the latest Selection, from the 2021 vintage. The other reason for doing so is that the quality of this latest Selection lifts it above anything else he has seen from this project.
Quill & Pad
Clockmakers rarely get the credit they deserve, and Elizabeth Doerr believes that Rick Hale is deserving of at least a few minutes of your attention because this young autodidact clockmaker is doing something unique: handmaking self-designed clocks out of wood according to some of John Harrison’s principles.
Worn & Wound
Once again, Leap Day is upon us. This is an important day for watch lovers, particularly those of us who admire complicated watches, as it gives those lucky enough to own a perpetual calendar an opportunity to observe them doing the thing they’re meant to do. Unlike the vast majority of watches with any kind of calendar complication, a perpetual calendar has already identified 2024 as a leap year, and will summarily display the first day of March without the need to advance the date. This, of course, is quite a mechanical feat, and one that only comes every four years, so it’s absolutely worth celebrating an event that is as rare as the Summer Olympics, a United States presidential election, and a new Bad Boys movie, all of which, for better or worse, we’re getting this year. This Leap Day, we celebrate the perpetual calendar by selecting a few of our absolute favorites. Our selections below represent many different approaches to the perpetual, from rigorously simple to intentionally complex, formal to sporty, and many places in between. The perpetual calendar might not be the most accessible of complications, but we can still appreciate them, particularly when they’re having their big, quadrennial moment. Zach Weiss I feel very strongly about perpetual calendars. I fawn over them. I look them up late at night when I can’t sleep and drool about the possibilities of knowing not just the day, or the date, or the month, or the phase of the moon, but knowing al...
Monochrome
Do you remember what you were doing at the age of 17? I bet it wasn’t something in the line of making watches, was it? I know I wasn’t at least, and it must be said that accomplishing your first commercially available watch at such a young age is quite remarkable! Even more so when […]
SJX Watches
Half a century ago, Casio unveiled the Casiotron QW02, the brand’s very first digital watch. Showing the time, month, date, and day of the week – with the calendar being “perpetual” – the Casiotron was a landmark and the ancestor of the G-Shock, one of the bestselling watches of all time. Now it has been revived Casiotron “50th Anniversary”, a limited edition that preserves the looks of the dinky original but enhanced with modern build quality and technology, including a solar-powered movement with smartphone connectivity. It is essentially a cutting-edge electronic watch in vintage dress. Initial thoughts As a Casio fan, I recognise the importance of the Casiotron, even though it is an inexpensive watch. It established the benchmark for digital electronic watches with its clean display and multi-functionality. Casio got it right by resurrecting this iconic retro design with contemporary upgrades, particularly since the 1970s styling harmonises with current preferences for integrated bracelets. The remake wisely retains the original design, right down to the fluted inner flange and applied logo. But the electronics are entirely 21st century, with the movement featuring the same solar-power module found in many modern-day Casio and G-Shock models. The Casiotron remake costs US$500, affordable in itself but pricier than Casio’s own digital offerings and also a fifth more expensive than the Tissot PRX Digital. However, the premium is justified simply because...
Video
Worn & Wound
One of the real pleasures of being involved in this hobby is being surprised when a brand you thought you had a good understanding of completely subverts expectations. I like it when watch brands genuinely seek to try something different and new (even if it doesn’t work). It’s so easy, especially once you’ve tasted success, to keep doing the same thing over and over, repeating a successful formula. But a brand that takes risks is inherently more interesting, and I always find myself drawn to those outlier watches – it’s almost as if they have something to prove, and I find that endearing. Baltic’s latest, the Prismic, falls into that category for me. And that’s not to say that Baltic hasn’t surprised us before by taking a left turn unexpectedly. I don’t think anyone expected them to unveil a perpetual calendar for Only Watch, for example. But I don’t think even the most forward thinking watch enthusiasts had something like the Prismic on their bingo card. Baltic, a brand known primarily for their interpretations of a classic sports watch aesthetic, has gone and made something that nods more to jewelry than the divers and racing chronographs they’ve made to this point. According to Baltic, the Prismic is a watch inspired by geometric shapes and how light refracts through a prism. The end result is a dress watch with quite a bit more bling than we’re accustomed to seeing from Baltic. This is a watch that’s designed with an aesthetics rather th...
Worn & Wound
You’ve got two options. First, you can craft or find a device that can bend space and time so that you can travel back to an alternate universe in which the MIL-W-46374F Type 6 SANDY 660 was widely issued and battle-worn, and readily available. Second, you could just pay closer attention to what Tornek Rayville (under its current MKII Watch umbrella) is doing and snag a version that’s better than the slightly obscure original. Maybe I’ve been reading too much science fiction lately, but as fun as the first option sounds, the second option is probably the right move. Today, we’re looking at Tornek-Rayville’s take on a lesser-known mil-spec watch with a short-lived history of service but plenty of potential. The spec called out for a navigator-style watch with a rotating bezel, quartz movement with antimagnetic properties, water resistance, and a focus on legibility. The TR Type 7B “Blakjak” is a modern take on the post Gulf War-era watch that improves upon the spec while adding some premium touches that us watch collectors will appreciate. Let’s dig in and take a closer look at the latest and greatest from Tornek Rayville. Case The first thing that struck me when unboxing the watch was the sheer size and weight of it. The 7B ships on a quick-release stainless steel bracelet and includes a nylon and rubber strap. I took it off the bracelet and popped it onto a nylon strap of my own for the initial evaluation. My wrist is pretty average, measuring in at 6.75...
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...
Worn & Wound
Make no mistake, I’m grateful to be able to write about watches. Doing so opens a lot of doors and brings about some great opportunities. Many fantastic new watches are delivered to my door, and often weeks will pass without needing to pick something to wear from my own watch box. However, there are times when a new watch is in such demand, or produced in such limited numbers, that a loan is not easy to come by. The BR-X5 Green Lum is one such watch. Spending some time with it would mean leaving the warmth and comfort of my own home and venturing up to London’s Bell & Ross boutique. It’s a ‘hardship’ I’m willing to take, and an opportunity I’m still thankful for. So, accompanied by ‘wrist model’ and Bell & Ross fan Jeremy, I trekked up to the Big Smoke to go hands-on with this bright and bold addition to the BR-X5 line, and also had some surprise wrist time with the brand new BR 03 Cyber Ceramic. First up is the Green Lum ($13,300). When the BR-X5 line was launched in late 2022, it represented a serious advancement in the Bell & Ross brand identity. For as long as I can remember, the square watch has been Bell & Ross’s calling card. Think square: think Bell & Ross. The successful BR05 model family saw the brand pushing into the integrated-bracelet sports watch arena, rounding off a few square edges while still maintaining a familiar dial layout. Outside of those product lines Bell & Ross has also regularly added to and updated its ‘Concept’ range, w...
Worn & Wound
Staff Sgt. Highrock, Jimmie to the guys, was chilled to the bone and slightly delirious with sleep deprivation but never felt more fulfilled. It was also hard to complain since the rebels were doing the same with less and had been at it for years. The ODA had had to break up into 4 cells in order to get the coverage they wanted and his cell, Alpha, had just spent the last 12 tortured hours on horseback riding over ridges and up to the spur deep in Taliban held territory. Before leaving he had set his Type 7B wrist watch to count the number of days so he could keep better track over the limited supplies they had. The latest supply drop had missed the DZ and they couldn’t for the life of them find any trace of it and so went the extra MREs they had counted on bringing with them. Dave had just finished setting up the SOFLAM and Mike was on the SATCOM to confirm with the Capt. they had arrived as well as the expected kickoff for the attack that they would be supporting. Their task was to bomb the shit out of any reinforcements moving south towards Dostum’s point of attack on the Taliban lines. Mike confirmed to Dave and Jimmie that the attack was set for mid-afternoon about 2 hours before sunset. They had finally arranged through K2, their base in Uzbekistan, to have air assets over the battle area in order to provide close air support before, during, and after the attack. They still had a few hours to wait and so spent the time glassing the road and the surrounding mounta...
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SJX Watches
Novel ways of telling the time or exhibiting the movement have long been the focus of the avant-garde horologists. Independent watchmakers like Ressence or Urwerk have built their brands on doing away with conventional hands. Such idiosyncratic approaches to watchmaking challenge the traditions of horology, making for a more interesting horological landscape. Even before Urwerk introduced the pioneering three-dimensional cubic hour display in 2005, there was the Ulysse Nardin Freak. Launched in 2001, the Freak literally changed the face of watchmaking by transposing the movement into the dial. Two decades after its launch, the Freak is still regarded as a landmark for its audacity, from both aesthetic and technical perspective. [This story covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and unique escapement. Part II deals with the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement, while Part III details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor.] The origins The beginning of the Freak lay in 1997, when Carole Forestier-Kasapi, then a young and talented movement designer who only recently graduated from technical college, won the Prix de la Fondation Abraham-Louis Breguet, a contest conceived to mark A.-L. Breguet’s 250th birthday that sought to recognise watchmaking ingenuity. Now the head of m...
Time+Tide
Large, and in charge, with the most Panerai way of doing a perpetual calendar.The post This Platinumtech Panerai Luminor is a Panerista’s ultimate perpetual calendar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Did anyone order pizza? Well, actually, I know many of you did. When Studio Underd0g founder Richard Benc and Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen seemed to launch a pizza watch last April, watch enthusiasts went wild. Unfortunately, it was a very well-played April Fools’ joke, and everybody could soon get back to what they were doing. […] Visit Your Pizza Is Ready! - Introducing The Highly Requested Studio Underd0g Pepper0ni And Hawaiian Chronographs to read the full article.
Hodinkee
We caught up with our friend at the band's anniversary show in Brooklyn and saw what watch goes perfect with sweating through your shirt and doing handstands on keyboards.
Welcome to episode 71 of A Week in Watches. To make it a tradition this is a special episode, or rather, part of one of a special two-parter cleverly titled “A Year in Watches.” Yes, we’re going to take a look back at big moments and releases from 2023. As you’d expect, there’s a lot to cover, so we’re doing the “big brands” in this episode – think Omega, Rolex, and Tudor – and micros and indies in the next. Naturally, there still was too much to cover, so we focused on big launches from Watches & Wonders, what Rolex was up to (they did some weird stuff in 2023, especially for them), and then Seiko, who had a particular focus this year. If you enjoy the episode, please do like and subscribe. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop. The best way to start the new year is a new watch. Head over to WindupWatchShop.com to check out new watches, limited editions, accessories, EDC, clocks, and more. The holidays are over, it’s time to get yourself something nice. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 71: A Year in Watches 2023 – Rolex, Tudor, Seiko, and More! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
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