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Hodinkee
Everything you need in a watch. Nothing you don’t. For our latest limited edition collaboration, we looked to the past to usher in the next generation of Braun’s mechanical watchmaking.
Monochrome
When it comes to mechanical watchmaking, it’s common practice to split it down to the middle and group together manual winding watches on one end, and automatic ones on the other. But, as we will showcase in this Buying Guide, there’s a whole range of systems developed to provide energy to a watch. Sure, manual […]
SJX Watches
In the midst of a resurgence that makes it both one of the biggest and fastest growing luxury brands, Dior nonetheless has a barely-there presence in the watch segment – particularly in mechanical watches – despite having offered watches since 1975. This contrasts with its peers like Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton, all of which have invested significant resources into making serious watches, particularly compilations and métiers d’art offerings. Now Dior is embarking on an overhaul of its mechanical watch offerings by returning to the Chiffre Rouge, a model first unveiled in 2004 that was distinguished by an asymmetrical case accentuated by a red crown or pusher at four. More streamlined and almost monochromatic, the Chiffre Rouge Black Ultra-Matte Chronograph has a black-coated, 41 mm case containing the Zenith El Primero movement. Initial thoughts The Chiffre Rouge stood out as a memorable design model from the 2000s, although its mechanics were rarely serious. The earlier chronograph models, for instance, relied on either ETA or quartz movements. Dior also never made a real effort to upgrade the model, so it was mostly perceived as a “fashion” watch. The redesign gives the Chiffre Rouge more appeal, as it retains the original, distinctive styling but with a definitely superior movement. That said, I would have done away with the date window at four for a clean geometric-patterned dial. The key feature of the new chronograph is the Zenith El Primero, which ...
Fratello
As watch lovers, we tend to be drawn to mechanical movements. There is something mysterious about the dozens of springs, wheels, pinions, jewels, screws, and plates that conspire to unwind a mainspring and turn its stored tension into a precise display of the time. I think the allure is in the fact that it is […] Visit Five Analog Quartz Watches That Prove The Snobs Wrong to read the full article.
Fratello
As we gather here on this cold Monday morning in February to celebrate the life of the Rolex Milgauss, let us remember the color, antimagnetic properties, and accuracy it brought into the lives of so many watch fans. May its memory continue to inspire and uplift Rolex in the search for a worthy successor, and […] Visit A Monday Morning Eulogy For The Rolex Milgauss to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Hublot’s flagship launch at LVMH Watch Week 2024 is the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System, an enormous and outlandishly complicated wristwatch that takes a novel approach to each of its key functions: telling the time, winding, and regulation. The time is indicated by rolling cylinders, while the movement is regulated by an inclined flying tourbillon, and the mainsprings wound by a novel mechanism that relies on the linear motion of twin sliding weights. All the mechanical intricacy is visible under a panoramic, wraparound sapphire crystal curved on three different planes. Initial Thoughts Although Hublot is best known for its simpler models like the Classic Fusion, and sometimes gets flak for the basic movements used in those watches, the brand has long specialises in intricately-mechanical complications, most notably the MP-05 LaFerrari with a movement shaped like an automobile engine and the MP-07 with a 40-day power reserve. The MP-10 continues the series in the same oversized, hyper-modern format. The movement combines several unusual complications that have been found elsewhere, but never altogether. These include the cylindrical time display and inclined tourbillon, but more notably the linear winding mechanism. This is probably the most dynamic complication in the watch, since the twin weights on each side of the case will slide up and down with the motion of the wrist. Winding a movement with sliding weights has been tried several times in the past, includin...
SJX Watches
With Daniel Roth’s revival having become official last year, the brand has just taken the covers off the prototype of the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription at LVMH Watch Week 2024. Retaining the style and dimensions of its 1990s inspiration, the Tourbillon Souscription is, however, an entirely new creation in mechanical terms, with the DR001 movement inside having been developed specifically for it by Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). Initial thoughts The prototype of the Tourbillon Souscription arrives with subtle refinements compared to the images released last year. The aesthetics largely replicate the design of the 1990s originals, which was the brand’s goal from the beginning, at least for this opening act in its revival. Where the Tourbillon Souscription does better than the original is in the execution and mechanics. The guilloche dial is evidently top quality and also on a solid-gold base. More notably, the recessed area around the tourbillon, which is the actually the base plate, is finished with Côtes de Genève. On the originals this area was unfinished except for a rudimentary micro-blasting. But the calibre within is a more substantive achievement. The DR001 movement was conceived for this watch (though perhaps borrowing elements from LFT’s existing constructions) with aesthetics and traditional detailing in mind, explaining elements like the black-polished steel cock and linear winding click. In contrast, the originals relie...
Monochrome
While it might not come across as a particularly high-brow mechanical complication, the power reserve indicator is extremely useful. The equivalent of a petrol gauge on a watch, a power reserve indicator lets you know how much tension is left in the mainspring or, in simple terms, how much fuel is left in the tank. […]
Worn & Wound
It can sometimes be easy to forget that there was a time when finding high-quality, affordable mechanical watches was a bit of a challenge. Back in those days, Seiko was the name of the game, and while plenty of worthy competitors have risen through the ranks to challenge the Japanese brand, Seiko still has a few tricks up its sleeve. Namely, Seiko knows how to make a hell of a dress watch. While there are plenty of iconic tool watches available at a true entry-level price point, finding great dress watches - especially mechanical ones - is harder to do. Since its initial introduction in 2010, the Cocktail Time series has offered collectors a genuinely exciting, and beautiful, dress watch at an almost shocking price. Today, Seiko has expanded its Cocktail Time lineup with the introduction of their latest collaboration with Hisashi Kishi’s famed Ginza watering hole, STAR BAR. This is not the first time Kishi and STAR BAR have collaborated with Seiko either. You might remember that back in 2022, Kishi and Seiko released the SSA455J1 and SSA457J1. That duo, based on the familiar colors of classic cocktails like the Martini, were distinguished by the cutouts in their dials reminiscent of a ripple on the surface of a drink. This time, Kishi and Seiko have released a pair of watches with inspiration taken from proprietary cocktails Kishi has created for STAR BAR inspired by the Tokyo skyline. What results is a pair of watches offered with beautiful gradient dials, perfect ...
Monochrome
When Furlan Marri released their reference 2116-A, our editor Robin wrote, “the meca-quartz masterminds that rocked the watchmaking world go full-mechanical“. And indeed, not only did this automatic time-only watch make a good impression, but it also opened new horizons for the brand. Since its initial release, a salmon version has been presented, too. But […]
SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-one was an important year for Grand Seiko as it saw the introduction of the brand’s latest-generation mechanical movement, the cal. 9SA5. A modern movement with attractive aesthetic and proprietary escapement, the cal. 9SA5 debuted in the Heritage “White Birch” SLGH005. But Grand Seiko didn’t stop there. Building upon the flagship calibre, Grand Seiko created the cal. 9SC5 and launched the Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001. A large, sporty watch but entirely in lightweight titanium, the Tentagraph is a milestone for Grand Seiko (GS) as the brand’s first-ever mechanical chronograph. “Tentagraph” is self-explanatory, an acronym outlining the key features of the watch and cal. 9SC5 within: TEN beats per second, Three-day power reserve, Automatic winding, and chronoGRAPH. Initial thoughts The Tentagraph has all the tactile features expected in a modern, high-spec sports chronograph, namely substantial proportions and crisp, smooth pusher action. As expected for GS, it boasts high quality finishing inside and out, with the case in particular having category-leading finishing and detailing. And from a technical perspective, it is notable for being the high-frequency chronograph with the longest power reserve on the market – the balance runs at 36,000 beats per hour, or 5 Hz, and the power reserve is 72 hours, or three days. Aesthetically, the Tentagraph is refreshingly modern. It retains the characteristic GS design, but tweaked to accentuate the sport...
Monochrome
We all know the mechanical watch industry is no longer solely for the Swiss, even though Switzerland is still very much the epicentre of all things watch-related. Nevertheless, we’ve seen brands from all corners of the world making watches that can measure up to mainstream ones on multiple occasions. New to us, and no doubt […]
Worn & Wound
In the spring of 2022, nearly overshadowed by the launch of a certain celestially inspired plastic quartz chronograph, Seiko introduced the Seiko 5 Sports GMT. A watch that brought mechanical GMT movements to the masses. Previously, the least expensive mechanical GMT watches were well north of four figures. Since then, there has been a flutter of affordable GMTs, but very few can match Seiko’s incredible value proposition. In the months following the initial release, there have been a few added color variants and just in time to end 2023 with a bang, Seiko is introducing two new pieces. The Thong Sia Limited Editions exclusive to Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. They will be restricted to 1000 pieces in each colorway. The Ice Blue SSK029 features a light blue/white dial, with blue hour, minute and second hands, and a red GMT hand. The bezel is a combination of black and blue. The Passion Red SSK031 is, as you can imagine, quite the opposite of the latter model. Featuring a deep red dial, with steel hour, minute and second hands, and a gold GMT hand. This one has a red and black bezel. These watches will be available from January 2024 and are limited to the Asian markets referenced above. Like all regional releases, they’ll undoubtedly pop up in the usual second hand and international retail outlets where watches like this can often be found shortly after becoming available, so be on the lookout if you’re interested in collecting some of the more h...
Monochrome
A few months ago, Swatch and Blancpain introduced the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms. Yup, quite a mouthful. It’s effectively the follow-up of the Moonswatch, which can be seen as Swatch’s take on the Omega Speedmaster. We didn’t cover it on MONOCHROME for obvious reasons (it’s a quartz watch…) despite being a huge […]
Quill & Pad
The 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore (ROO) is an excellent time to think seriously about how good this watch is as a collector’s item. An essential aspect of this subject is mechanical watches with complications.
Monochrome
A savvy mix of boldness and French poetry, Trilobe timepieces eschew traditional codes and provide their own offbeat take on mechanical watchmaking. Dubai Watch Week provided the perfect opportunity to sit down with its CEO/founder and creative director, Gautier Massonneau, to discuss how this young independent watchmaking brand was born, his plans for the future […]
SJX Watches
Citizen launched its flagship mechanical watch, the Caliber 0200, two years ago. Despite being better known for high-end quartz watches – including the most accurate ever – the Japanese watchmaker managed an impressively executed three-handed sports watch, with an equally outstanding new movement. Now the model finally receives a mechanical upgrade with the Caliber 0210, which incorporates a date along with subtle improvements to the external design, while retaining the excellent case and bracelet that define the model. Initial thoughts The Caliber 0210 indicates the brand’s interest in further developing this excellent model – encouraging for fans of the model like myself. Despite the Caliber 0210 looking much like its predecessor, it is actually a substantially different watch in tangible terms. Ordinarily the addition of a date would be a no-no for a purist enthusiast, but here the date is integrated well in terms of dial proportions and (re)design. The appealing attributes of the Caliber 0200, and now the Caliber 0210, clearly mark the two out as watches conceived for a niche audience, namely enthusiasts who appreciate quality – and are able to distinguish this from the competition (Grand Seiko to state the obvious). However, this target audience often prefers the purity of a three-hand watch without a date. At the same time, this audience comprehends the substantive upgrades in the Caliber 0210 beyond the date – amongst them the improved case constructi...
Deployant
The L.U.C Full Strike is one of, if not the most amazing mechanical watch ever conceived by Chopard. When it was introduced seven years ago in 2016, it was the brand’s very first minute repeater timepiece. Hiccups are normally part and parcel of firsts, but not at Chopard, apparently. Because in the following year, theRead More
Worn & Wound
I am an unabashed fan of Swatch. I’ve always loved Swatch watches, and as I’ve gotten deeper and deeper into the hobby over the years, my appreciation for them has only grown. They occupy a position that only a few other brands can claim, which is that they’re both an entry point into the hobby, and an arena for very serious collecting. Seriously, Swatch collecting is almost a separate category from watch collecting entirely, and requires a completely different base of knowledge, and, often, an appreciation for things that more mainstream collectors don’t often think about (like packaging, to name just one example). Swatch has been on something of a roll lately in my opinion, releasing a slew of watches that are genuinely interesting and visually striking, and sometimes paying homage to the brand’s early days in unexpected ways. One of my favorite pastimes around here is calling out the great things Swatch does besides the neverending collaborations with their luxury group siblings (it’s no secret that I’m not the biggest fan of the MoonSwatch and new Blancpain collabs), and a recent release, a collaboration of a different sort, caught my eye. Yes, Swatch has a new watch featuring classic iconography from The Simpsons, one of the most omnipresent pieces of pop culture in our lives over the last three decades. It’s a perfectly cromulent watch if there ever was one. The Seconds of Sweetness watch uses Homer’s famous pink donut as a motif, with ever pres...
Quill & Pad
As both an aesthetic and a mechanical evolution of the Krayon Everywhere, the Anywhere is first and foremost a sunrise-and-sunset watch. It has been significantly streamlined for a much cleaner dial so that much less effort is required by the wearer. Joshua Munchow has the complete lowdown here.
Quill & Pad
Marketing material for the modern mechanical watch almost always includes a description of the movement’s frequency. You may have even sensed that the higher the frequency, the more accurate a movement gets. But is this entirely true? Find out here.
Worn & Wound
It takes a certain courage and determination to start a watch brand. One has to articulate his or her vision into three-dimensional, complex, and mechanical objects. I sometimes struggle to transfer thoughts and ideas about watches to paper, let alone deal with prototypes, source components, and market the final product. In order to get our attention, one must also offer something that is familiar while being different, well-made but not too expensive. If the watch looks too much like something we’ve seen before, we tend to shoot it down. If it comes attached to a price tag orbiting that of fashion watches, we frown at it. So, perhaps we should celebrate the efforts brands put out on an almost daily basis to bring us new watches, as many of us wouldn’t be able to do the same. In that spirit, today we’re going to take a look at the second model from a young French brand called Manime. The model in question is La Fidèle (“The Loyal One” in French) which is the founder’s take on the popular genre of sport watches with integrated bracelets. Manime was founded in 2020 by Edouard Paris, a countryman based out of Thailand. I say countryman because I was born and raised in France, a country which was put back on the horological map ten years ago thanks to popular brands in the likes of Baltic, Serica, Beaubleu and Yema. I may (obviously) be biased here but I believe that French watches come with a certain aesthetic that leans strongly towards elegance and sobriety...
Deployant
Citizen has released a new mechanical watch in their modestly priced range - the Series 8 with a GMT function. Here is our comprehensive review.
SJX Watches
With a towering height of 1.62 m and hefty weight of 40 kg, the one-of-a-kind Space-Time Blade created for Only Watch 2023 undeniably embodies the quintessential Urwerk style in both form and concept. The Space-Time Blade is the only sci-fi, retro-electronic clock in an auction dominated by mechanical wristwatches, proving that Urwerk always does things its own way. Even then the Space-Time Blade is hardly a clock in the conventional sense. It eschews minute and hour hands, and even the outline of a conventional standing clock. Instead it illustrates Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei’s fascination with the captivating and vintage technology of Nixie tubes. It will be sold by Christie’s during Only Watch, the charitable auction held every other year to raise funds for research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Initial thoughts It’s easy to see this in the corner of a Brutalist home, alongside other examples of interpretive modern art, but that is not what makes this piece interesting from a construction or technical standpoint. Instead it is the Nixie tubes and their display, along with the multiple timekeeping functions that provided reason for pause. The many and varied ways in which this piece can measure and display time speak to the heart of Urwerk’s philosophy. Known for polarising pieces that push the line between timekeeper and sculpture, Urwerk has created its most abstract timepiece to date with its singular take on the standing ...
Worn & Wound
For many people, an affordable Seiko 5 was their first mechanical watch, and the value-packed series holds a special place within the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts all around the globe. And what better watch to carry with you on your photography adventures around the globe. For many people, an affordable Seiko 5 was their first mechanical watch, and the value-packed series holds a special place within the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts all around the globe. And what better watch to carry with you on your photography adventures around the globe. The post The Roundup – Essential Gear for Photographers appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Time+Tide
The Grand Seiko SBGJ275 and SBGM253 celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 9S mechanical movement The SBGJ275 from the Sport Collection depicts the cloudy sky above Mt. Iwate The SBGM253 from the Elegance Collection takes a sophisticated approach with a blue sunburst dial The gradual departure from navy blue to sky blue as a watch … ContinuedThe post The Grand Seiko SBGJ275 and SBGM253 take to Mount Iwate skies celebrating the 9S movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
Of all the different types of complicated timepieces, watches with a GMT or second-time-zone function are among the most useful in everyday life, especially for those of us who travel frequently, do long-distance business in other parts of the world, or some combination of both. Until relatively recently, if you wanted such a watch with a traditional mechanical movement (as opposed to a digital or quartz option), you could expect to pay a fairly hefty price for it. Fortunately, a growing number of watch brands - large and small, well-established as well as plucky newcomers - have started to make GMT watches that are attainable for newer, less affluent aficionados while also being robustly built and thoughtfully designed. In this article, we spotlight 20 of these affordable GMT watches, in ascending order of MSRP, all of which fall under the $2,000 threshold. (If you’re interested in a broader look at the GMT watch category, and might be convinced to spend a bit, or a lot, more, check out our original list of the best GMT watches.) Under $1,000: Timex Q Timex GMT Price: $229, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 12.5mm, Lug Width: 18mm, Crystal: Acrylic, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Quartz Analog Always known for its value proposition, mass-market Timex has also gotten onto the radar of vintage-watch fans in recent years by reproducing some of its cult-favorite historical models, seeking out the sweet spot between historical flair, modest dimensions, and great pricin...
Quill & Pad
G-Shock is a sub-brand of Casio that is designed to withstand mechanical stress, vibrations, and shocks. It's a great affordable watch, but is it still worth buying? Raman Kalra certainly thinks so and explains why.
Time+Tide
A couple of weeks ago, T+T reported how Swatch were suing the Malaysian government after it seized 172 of their watches from stores. The reason for the seizure? The watches, which come in either rainbow colours or a single colour with a rainbow trim, were released in support of Pride, the movement that promotes the … ContinuedThe post Wear this Pride-themed Swatch in Malaysia and you face a three-year jail term appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Historically known for its over-the-top jewelled watches and oversized complications, Jacob & Co. recently debuted a watch that is very much quintessential Jacob, but surprisingly novel in mechanical terms. The Astronomia Revolution sticks to the distinctive, extra-large styling that defines the model, but contains an all-new movement that combines several complex assemblies into an even more complex movement, all in the name of a dynamic, fast-rotating display. Carrying the tourbillon and time display, the carousel is impressively quick and completes one revolution a minute, a feat made possible by a one-sixth-of-a-second constant-force mechanism and a differential for the time display. The kinetic nature of the dial means this is unlike any other mechanical watch. Initial thoughts The Astronomia Revolution made it into my list of notable complications unveiled at Watches & Wonders earlier this year: “[The] Revolution seems like yet another variant of the New York jeweller’s bestselling and bulbous timepiece… Except that it is not… While past versions of the Astronomia required between ten to 20 minutes or more for the carousel to complete one rotation, the Revolution does it in one minute [and] functions as a minute hand. To move a component that large at such a speed is unprecedented…” Which pretty much sums it up. It looks like a typical Jacob & Co. watch, but is much more interesting mechanically. That is because the movement goes against the prevailing co...
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