Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Cellini: The Full Story Of The Bygone Dress Watch Icon
The now-discontinued Rolex Cellini forever changed the Crown's repertoire, adding elegance and decorative flair still felt in the brand's modern era.
Results for The Nautilus Launch Story
43,474 articles · 262 videos found · page 21 of 1458
Teddy Baldassarre
Worn & Wound
Ming and J.N. Shapiro Launch the 37.06 Lightning
When the Alternative Horological Alliance was formed in 2024, I think many of us who care about this sort of thing immediately began speculating about possible collaborations between the brands involved. The teams at Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro (as well as Fears and Massena LAB, two brands added after the founding of the alliance) have clear affinity for one another. And while there might not be obvious ties between the watches they make, clearly there is a perspective on the watch landscape itself that’s shared among the group, and sometimes that’s what makes for the best partnerships. Today, Ming and J.N. Shapiro have announced the launch of the 37.06 Lightning, which amounts to the first watch released collaboratively by members of the Alternative Horological Alliance (although Ming and J.N. Shapiro did work together on the AHA tantalum bracelet and the tantalum cases for the Ming Project 21). The star of the show is a dial that combines elements of what both brands excel at, and is notable as each individual dial has a bit of handcraft applied by the founders of both brands. You would expect, I think, a J.N. Shapiro branded watch to feature hand guilloche of some type as that is really the brand’s calling card at this point, and the 37.06 Lightning is no exception. It distinguishes itself, though, in the guilloche pattern used, which is referred to by the brands as “lightning guilloche” and is being used for the first time by Shapiro on this watch. Sh...
SJX Watches
Baltic and SpaceOne Launch the Seconde Majeure
Baltic and SpaceOne have unveiled their first collaboration: the Seconde Majeure, an architectural time-only watch that employs a newly-developed jumping hours module developed by French independent watchmaker — and F.P. Journe Young Talent Winner — Théo Auffret. This collaboration was born from a meeting of the minds at Baltic’s offices more than four years ago when Mr Auffret first met Guillame Laidet. That encounter ultimately led to the creation of SpaceOne, an inventive entry level brand with space-age designs. From that chance meeting at Baltic, the two brands have teamed up on their first collaborative project. Initial thoughts On paper, these two brands are near-diametrically opposed. Baltic makes vintage-inspired watches in a traditional form, while SpaceOne takes a deconstructed and highly creative approach to watches that look like they’ve just fallen from orbit. What ties the two brands together for this collaboration is a friendship, and shared vision for how to bring thoughtful design to a lower price point. As the year unfolds, 2026 continues to feel like the year of the jumping hours watch. The Seconde Majeure is another watch reinforcing that trend, but it also taps into the growing desire for architectural watchmaking and hand finishing across wider price points in the market. In that sense, it reminds me of the Christopher Ward C12 Loco. Baltic and SpaceOne have taken an interesting path in bringing the Seconde Majeure to market, making it avail...
Worn & Wound
Unpacking Patek Philippe’s Latest Novelties from the 50th Anniversary of the Nautilus and Beyond
Perhaps only second to Rolex, Patek Philippe’s novelties rank among some of the most highly anticipated at each year’s Watches & Wonders. The maison (like Rolex) is one of a select few brands that notoriously keeps its models under strict lock and key until the fair. Despite receiving the press kit in our inboxes that fateful morning, we all know nothing really compares to seeing the watches in the metal. Once you’ve been attending Watches & Wonders for many years, you know the Patek Philippe choreography well. The booth is one of the sleekest and most well-appointed each year, standing brightly lit and with a commanding presence directly across from the moodier Rolex outpost. As you pass through the threshold, you’re met with a warm and serene vibe that may surprise some for such a prestigious and traditional brand. After mingling with representatives from every major U.S. media outlet, you’re all ushered into the expansive roundtable room at the back of the booth. Here, you must choose your seat carefully in front of the covered tray you hope will reveal the novelty you’re most excited to see. At the moment of the grand unveiling, gloved experts from the maison lift the coverings off the trays in perfect synchronicity, marking the start of the dance, which moves counterclockwise around each station featuring a different watch family. This year, I choose well, beginning my journey with the 50th anniversary Nautilus models. Here, we have three new executions of...
Monochrome
Tudor Predictions 2026 - The New Models Tudor Might Launch at Watches and Wonders 2026
As you might know, Tudor, Rolex’s sister company, was founded in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf (the founder of Rolex) and is thus celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And for that reason, we can expect big things coming from the Rose. At least, that’s what we think the brand should do. We don’t often make […]
Video
Cindy Crawford steps out at the OMEGA Masters 2026. #CindyCrawford #OMEGA#OMEGAGolf
Monochrome
Rolex Predictions 2026 - The New Models Rolex Might Launch at Watches and Wonders 2026
We’re less than two months away from the main event of the year for the watch industry… On April 14th, 2026, it will be time for Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, a giant fair that will gather well over 60 brands, including returning ones such as Audemars Piguet. Something that has become more than a […]
Monochrome
In-Depth - L’Atelier Bernard, the Extraordinary Story of Two Young Belgian Watchmakers in Fleurier and their “Owl” Watch
Hitting the road to Fleurier, the discovery of L’Atelier Bernard was not what I expected. Bernard is a rather dated first name – one you rarely hear anymore for young people in Europe’s French-speaking countries. So, when I pushed open the door of their workshop in Fleurier, I was expecting to meet two old Swiss […]
Hodinkee
Splashdown: The Little-Known Story Of Navy Frogmen, The Space Program, And Tudor
A new film from Tudor explores the role of unsung heroes, and their watches.
Hodinkee
Buying, Selling, & Collecting: The Full Story Of Audemars Piguet's 'John Shaeffer,' A Neo-Vintage Classic
It's the 30th anniversary of one of Audemars Piguet's best neo-vintage models. So there's no time like the present to dig into dozens of never-before-published details you'll want to know, including many direct from the brand.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Rolex Logo: The Story Of The Crown
The Rolex "crown" logo is one of the most recognizable brand marks in the world, signifying the Swiss watchmaker's international renown for exclusivity, luxury, and prestige of ownership. It has been around longer than you probably realize, and, much in keeping with the ethos of Rolex, has seen very little change (although that's not to say it's been entirely unchanged) over its decades-long existence. Here's what you should know about Rolex's legendary corporate symbol and the role it continues to play in defining Rolex as a world leader in luxury watches. Origin of Rolex Brand Name Before the Rolex logo came the Rolex brand name. And unbeknownst to many enthusiasts these days, their favorite brand’s name has not always been Rolex. The original name, Wilsdorf & Davis, referenced the surnames of Hans Wilsdorf (above), a German entrepreneur schooled in the business of Swiss watchmaking, and his partner and brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, who founded the original company in London’s Hatton Garden commercial district in 1905. Wilsdorf was an early proponent of wristwatches, which in those days before World War I were still not as widely popular among gentlemen as pocket watches. The company assembled watches from cases and movements imported from Switzerland, where Wilsdorf had previously worked for a watch manufacturer and exporter, and exported them throughout the British Empire. Wilsdorf bought out Davis’s share of the company in 1919, right around the same time that...
Video
Winning the OMEGA Masters 2026 #omega #omegaeuropeanmasters #omegagolf
Teddy Baldassarre
Valjoux 7750: The Story Of The World's Most Famous Chronograph
The Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber has been a mainstay of the Swiss watch industry for more than 50 years, finding its way into hundreds of watch models, under many dozens of names, and providing the technical base for numerous high complications over the years. Why is it so ubiquitous and still such an enduring presence in the watch world today? Here is a brief history of the "workhorse" mechanism that became the world's most famous and familiar chronograph movement. Valjoux 7750 Roots: The Vallée de Joux Sunset over the Vallée de Joux In actuality, the origins of the Valjoux 7750 go back much longer than the half-century it has actually been on the market. The company that came to be called “Valjoux” started up at the very beginning of the 20th century, taking its original name, Reymond Frères SA, from its founders, brothers John and Charles Reymond. The company, which specialized in making mechanical chronograph movements for military and sport-oriented timekeepers, changed its name in 1929 to Valjoux - a shortened reference to the scenic Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, where it and many of its client watchmakers were located. The firm’s most successful and historically impactful creations included the manually wound, column-wheel-driven, monopusher Caliber 22, in 1914, and its even more significant successor, the smaller, longer-lived Caliber 23, in 1916. In honor of the founding brothers' surname, Valjoux movements were inscribed with a shield em...
Quill & Pad
In A Royal Oak and Nautilus World, Why I Love The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Deep Stream Chronograph
Ask and ye shall receive, dear readers! Well, within reason. Quill & Pad reader and frequent commenter Greg has been after GaryG for a while to write a piece on his Vacheron Constantin Overseas Deep Stream Chronograph, most recently in response to Gary's article on three “keepers” from his collection that don’t get a lot of wrist time. Gary didn’t include the Deep Stream on that list as it is a quite frequent wearer for him, but now its time in the spotlight has come.
Worn & Wound
Hanhart Introduces New Versions of the ES 415 Chronograph at a Launch Event in their Historic Factory
Last week, Hanhart invited 60 guests to their workshop in Gütenbach, located in the Black Forest region of Germany. The schedule for the day was packed, beginning with a factory tour, an 8 kilometers long Black Forest hike, a Hanhart Museum tour, and finally the unveiling of two new 415 ES chronographs. Felix Wallner and Simon Hall, co-managing directors of Hanhart, guided us through the factory and museum tour. The Gütenbach workshop opened in 1934 as the second production facility for Hanhart. It is now their only manufacturing location. It is impressive that this workshop has been in continuous production since 1934. There is a sense of authenticity, and you can almost taste the oil accumulated over eight decades. Simon took us to the first floor where the raw parts are made. Hanhart is in a unique position as a watch company since they manufacture mechanical and quartz stopwatches along with wrist watches. The machines are from the 1960s, but according to Simon, they outperform the modern machines in terms of repairs and total cost of ownership. These machines are used for making pinions, wheels, mainplates, and more. Hanhart manufactures 90% of the parts for their mechanical stop watches in this workshop. Hanhart in the past manufactured more stopwatches than wrist watches. In 2007, they made 20,000 stop watches, but this number decreased significantly as the demand cooled. Simon says that demand is again picking up with annual production of approximately 5,00...
Hodinkee
Join Us For The Hodinkee Magazine Volume 14 Launch Party
Come help us celebrate the first Hodinkee Magazine of 2025!
Monochrome
Portrait - Finnish Indie Watchmaker Pietari Kupias On The Launch Of His Atelier, And His Katedraali Watch
Voutilainen, Sarpaneva, Laine… Just three names coming from Finland that have made an impact on independent watchmaking the world over. But it doesn’t end there, as recently we’ve uncovered young and exciting Finnish watchmakers like Kortela Valta and Reima Koivukoski. And there seems to be something special in the water in the “Land of a […]
Video
He Spent $250,000 at a Patek AD & Got Screwed (The Lawsuit)
What happens when a watch Authorized Dealer breaks their promise after you spend $250,000? Today, Christian sits down with attorney and watch collector Peter Aziz to break down a real California lawsuit where a buyer...
Worn & Wound
The Story Behind the Havid Nagan Classic One with Founder Aren Bazerkanian
Last year, one of the most intriguing watches I had a chance to handle was Havid Nagan’s debut, the HN00. I spent a few weeks with it right around the time brand founder Aren Bazerkanian was promoting his second release, the HN01. Now, another year later, and Havid Nagan is back with their third effort, the Classic One. The new naming convention speaks to just how different the Classic One is from its predecessors, and reflects the brand pivoting and changing in real time. In speaking with Bazerkanian, however, it’s clear that those shifts reflect a deep confidence in his own vision, and not merely commercial practicality. “About two years ago, I found myself digging deeper and deeper into the vintage market,” Bazerkanian explained to me, when asked about the inspiration for the Classic One. “Namely, I was very interested in learning about vintage Patek 96 references, Urban Jurgensen, and Parmigiani Fleurier.” The Classic One, as the name implies, evokes classic dress watches like the ones mentioned by Bazerkanian, and many others. The 38mm case is just 9mm tall, making for an ideal wearing experience that isn’t exactly “vintage” in feel, but it’s adjacent to it. The case construction and finishing is very much that of a modern watch, with sharp transitions and clearly defined lines. But it wasn’t just vintage watches on Bazerkanian’s mind when he set about to create the Classic One. “My wife and I had welcomed our daughter,” he told me, “...
Worn & Wound
Recapping the Launch Event of the Citizen Premier Collections
On the evening of Thursday, February 27th, atop Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center in NYC-with a perfect view of Citizen’s US headquarters within the Empire State Building-Eric Horowitz, the brand’s Managing Director, announced the formation of a new division within Citizen. Dubbed Citizen Premier, this new endeavor represents what Citizen describes as “the pinnacle of watchmaking,” and highlights their ability to marry technological innovations with high-end Japanese craftsmanship in what will be a range of higher end, more refined products, all while maintaining the tried and true value-driven offerings we’ve come to appreciate more and more in recent years. Citizen Premier is an entirely new category within the Citizen ecosystem that launches with two of their most popular brands: Series8 and Attesa. These collections push the boundaries of Citizen’s movement technology and materials expertise. Series8 incorporates bold, contemporary designs into modern sports watches housing automatic movements, while Attesa places a focus on Super Titanium, Eco-Drive technology, and avant-garde design. It’s clear that Citizen views this announcement as a major milestone at a time when the brand is enjoying renewed strength in the enthusiast market. It’s no secret that Citizen has been on a run lately with watches targeted directly at the enthusiast community. Chances are you’ve spotted various Citizens on wrists at Windups and meetups more frequently now ...
Monochrome
Rolex Predictions 2025 - The New Models Rolex Might Launch During Watches and Wonders 2025
Less than two months… This is the time left before the main watch fair of the year, also known as Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 – starting April 1st, 2025. Something that has become more than a tradition but a highly anticipated event in our yearly publication calendar, the MONOCHROME team has gotten creative to […]
Monochrome
Just Because - Patek Philippe Discontinues Multiple Models Incl. the Nautilus Moonphase 5712A, and Some Predictions for its Future
Models come and go from brands’ portfolios. There’s nothing extraordinary in this, it’s just standard practice and lifecycle management. Rolex, for example, did it last year with the Yacht-Master II Regatta Chronograph (not necessarily a bad idea…) Patek Philippe is no stranger to this concept, as we’ve seen in the past – basically every year, […]
Monochrome
Introducing - The Gronefelds Launch an Accessible Watch with the Grøne Manueel One
In a very unexpected move, the Horlogical Brothers known as Tim and Bart Grönefeld are launching a new, more accessible brand aimed at a broader audience. Honouring their father with the very first model, the newly founded Grøne Oldenzaal brand offers the typical Grönefeld style (design-wise at least) at a smidge over 2k euros before […]
Video
All Kinds of Cool: The NEW Maurice Lacroix Aikon-IC Frozen Carbon Series.
@mauricelacroixwatch
Quill & Pad
The Tudor Black Bay P01 And The Story Of The 1967 Prototype That Inspired It
At Baselworld 2019, when the curtains were finally opened at the Tudor booth, a watch that had widely been considered a myth by many was revealed to be 100 percent real! The Tudor Black Bay P01 was revealed!
Quill & Pad
Wristshots: The Story So Far, What Works and What so Avoid
If you like watches at all, you have certainly seen wristshots and perhaps you have even posted a few of your own. Like the selfie, wristshots seem to be ubiquitous these days. But where did wristshots come from, why do they exist, and what are the pitfalls to look out for? GaryG shares a few tips on what he has learned works and what doesn't.
Monochrome
The Petrolhead Corner - The Remarkable Story Of Vector Motors And A Chance To Own Not One, But Four Cars!
If I were to ask you what the greatest American-made supercar is, what would your answer be? The Corvette? The Viper? The Saleen S7 perhaps? Very likely, but I bet a few of you will immediately think of Gerald Wiegert and his Vector cars. Although it wasn’t meant to be for various reasons, you can’t […]
Monochrome
First Look - The Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler, the Second Chapter of the Story
Nothing does more for a brand’s image than having a famous name spontaneously endorse your product. Although Doxa was not the first Swiss brand to produce a professional dive watch, it was the first to introduce a dive watch with a unidirectional rotating bezel to ensure safe no-decompression ascents in 1967. Doxa’s SUB 300, with […]
Monochrome
In-Depth - The Angelus Instrument de Vitesse and the Story of its Monopusher Movement
For watch enthusiasts like me and the rest of the team of MONO, the name Angelus is synonymous with splendid vintage chronographs. Yet, the modern side of the brand, which is under the umbrella of La Joux-Perret (and thus Citizen), was until recently fairly different. The resurrection of the brand in 2015, which was done […]
Video