980 articles · 111 videos found · page 28 of 37
Monochrome
While not the only brand to offer watches with a single-handed time display, MeisterSinger (since 2001) is the only one to have built its entire identity around this concept. Rooted in early watchmaking traditions, long before minutes and seconds dominated the dial, the brand’s approach prioritises perception over precision. A slower, more deliberate reading of […]
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe celebrates the semicentennial of its coveted sports watch with the 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection, a trio of two hand precious metal watches in white gold and platinum – and an unexpected pocket watch desk clock. The deletion of the seconds hand is a return to the line’s aesthetic roots, also demonstrated by a new 38 mm case size, very close to that of the original. But, it remains on the precious metal path Patek Philippe began in 2021 when it axed the steel ref. 5711. Initial Thoughts These anniversary editions are the truest to the original Nautilus that we’ve seen in recent memory. The sans seconds ref. 3700/1A, launched in 1976, was powered by the JLC 920-based cal. 28-355C, which the calibre 240 was meant to replace. While Audemars Piguet stuck to the two hands plug date format with the Royal Oak Jumbo, Patek Philippe migrated the Nautilus to its new sweep-seconds platform. I believe something was lost when Patek Philippe added a sweep seconds hand to the Nautilus, though understandable from a business perspective given that watches with seconds hands generally have broader appeal than those without. That is recovered here, and the deletion of the calendar sets it apart from the original enough to not be a “reissue”. A smaller 38 mm Nautilus, with better proportions than the existing Ladies models, in also appreciated. The 38 mm platinum ref. 5610/1P-001. It is a shame then that the return of a two hand Nautilus is to be a fleeting one,...
Monochrome
Last year was a watershed moment for Grand Seiko with its announcement of the world’s “most accurate mainspring-driven movement”. Crafted in the Shinshu Watch Studio, the brand’s groundbreaking Calibre 9RB2 – with an annual deviation of only ±20 seconds – debuted in Evolution 9 cases. True to Japanese reverence for nature and Grand Seiko’s talent […]
Fratello
You’ve seen the combination of a jumping hour with sweeping retrograde minutes and a sub-seconds register before. The Delphis is, after all, one of Chronoswiss’s more recognizable creations. The dial layout is dominant but also open to different designs. At Chronoswiss HQ in Lucerne, the design team drew inspiration from the Art Deco movement that […] Visit Introducing: The Chronoswiss Delphis Art Deco - A Jump-Hour Watch From And For The Roaring Twenties to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive U.F.A has an astonishing ±20 seconds per year accuracy. Wrapped in a new slimmer Evolution 9 case and finished with a dial inspired by winter in Shinshu, it’s a masterclass in subtle innovation and timeless elegance. What We Love The Calibre 9RB2 delivers an incredible +/- 20 seconds per year, redefining what is possible from a mainspring-powered mechanical movement The new 37mm case size makes the timepiece highly wearable for a wide range of wrist sizes. The beautifully textured dial captures Grand Seiko’s unique blend of craftsmanship and storytelling. What We Don’t While very comfortable, the standard three-link bracelet feels a little too plain for a release of this calibre. For a groundbreaking caliber, the caseback view feels a little subdued. For such a significant release, the design feels a little too in line with previous Evolution 9 models. Overall Rating: 9.25 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This article was originally published as Hands On With The New Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Grand Seiko was first established in 1960 as a sister brand to Seiko, created to combat the Swiss watchmakers and their high-end luxury timepieces. While Seiko made affordable everyday timepieces, It was Grand Seiko’s role to create unique, innovative pieces that would cater to the luxury and high-end watchmaking market. Among the many different innovations and stunning dial aesthetics, on...
Worn & Wound
I’d like to think I am a bit of a movement nerd. Not in the sense of knowing all of the technical attributes (actually, I wish I knew more there), but rather about what movements are on the market from the major suppliers. Hand me a watch, even with a complication, and I can probably tell you what movement it has in a matter of seconds (assuming it’s mechanical) by the positioning of the hands, complications, rotor bearing, etc. So, last fall, when I was handed a prototype of a new chronograph by Wolbrook and, upon seeing the dial, realized I had no idea what movement it had, my interest was piqued. The watch was the Wolbrook Jetflyer, which I have since had the opportunity to spend more time with. An extension of the French brand’s proven line of tool dive watches based on vintage models, the Jetflyer is their first foray into mechanical chronographs. As the name suggests, the Jetflyer is not meant as a “dive” chronograph, but rather as a pilot’s, though that’s largely semantics, as there are a lot of overlaps in design language (and the WR is 100m). I’ll get back to the particulars of the design, because what really stands out is the movement. $845 Hands-On: the Wolbrook JetFlyer and the New Jeambrun PS6402 Automatic Chronograph Caliber Case Stainless Steel Movement Jeambrun PS 6402 Dial Mattte Black Lume X1 Super-Luminova Lens Domed Sapphire Strap Leather or Bracelet Water Resistance 100m Dimensions 38 x 46mm Thickness 14.3mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Screw-d...
SJX Watches
Ferdinand Berthoud (FB), Chopard’s haut de gamme sub-brand, introduces its first flying tourbillon just weeks before Watches & Wonders. The Mesure du Temps 1787 Chronomètre FB 2TV.1 is exceptional in both quality and price, presenting almost everything of interest on the dial side - chain and fusee included - along with hacking and zero-reset seconds. The dial-side spectacle will be the calling card of the new Mesure du Temps 1787 collection. Initial thoughts The revival of long-dead masters’ names to sell unrelated watches is a practice that invites scepticism - and often deserves it. The Ferdinand Berthoud brand, however, is a different matter. There is nothing cynical about it, and one suspects the man himself wouldn’t mind being associated with some of the finest mechanical watches being made today - in his home town, no less. A different name on the dial, Scheufele perhaps, might still feel more authentic, but that’s a minor quibble with what is otherwise an overwhelmingly high quality watch. The latest take on the brand’s chronometer-inspired formula adds one of my favourite features: a zero-reset seconds hand. Though I prefer the designs of the brand’s past projects, the FB 2TV.1 suggests the team at FB understands what the market wants, and the movement-as-a-dial aesthetic is hot right now. The flying tourbillon is new for the brand, in both technique and aesthetics. Until now the brand’s massive revolving regulators were secreted away on the...
Quill & Pad
Today, I present two new models that caught my attention: the automatic Lab Series 1.S, which offers the rare combination of automatic winding and small seconds, and the Lab Series 1.GMT, featuring a straightforward second time zone function with a central 24-hour GMT hand. The post New Release: Lab Series 1 by Holthinrichs Watches skilfully transports us into a retrofuturistic reality appeared first on Quill & Pad.
Monochrome
Coming up for its 50th anniversary, Raymond Weil marks the occasion with The Fifty, a handsome chronograph powered by a restored Valjoux 23-6 column-wheel chronograph from 1976, its year of birth. Donning a neo-vintage sector dial, inspired by the Millesime Small Seconds and the Millesime Chronograph, this accomplished limited edition is poised to captivate a […]
SJX Watches
Citizen invented the first solar-powered analogue watch way back in 1976, and now it’s marking 50 years of its signature timepiece with “The Citizen” Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary. Five decades on Citizen’s solar technology is amongst the most advanced, and the anniversary edition is equipped with a movement that runs within five seconds a year, and will last 18 months on power save mode. But the dial, on the other hand, is traditional Japanese craft: it’s made of washi, a paper that’s dyed by hand, and translucent enough to allow solar charging. Initial thoughts The combination of washi, Super Titanium, and high-end quartz is a familiar one, with Citizen having applied it to past limited editions. Although Citizen is repeating the formula, this remains impressive from both a technology and materials perspective. The ultra-accurate A060 is one of the most sophisticated analogue quartz movements on the market, while Citizen’s proprietary hardened titanium, first polished by hand then hardened, is equally impressive. Tech aside, the anniversary edition stands out for the washi dial that adds a little bit of traditional Japanese craft to all of the cutting-edge tech in the watch. The dial is made of Japanese paper that’s dyed by hand with old school dyes obtained from plants. That said, this anniversary edition is still a relatively niche product for enthusiasts who appreciate high-end quartz technology packaged well. All of that tech and finishing comes at a pri...
SJX Watches
An eighties icon that is finding fresh footing, Raymond Weil has extended its GPHG-winning dress watch collection with the Millesime Small Seconds 39 mm “Tuxedo”. Available in three appealing colourways, the Millesime features Art Deco-inspired typography that brings a surprising degree of energy to the line-up’s familiar sector-style dial. Initial thoughts Raymond Weil was one of the biggest names in Swiss watchmaking in the 1980s and 1990s. Raymond Weil himself was one of the first entrepreneurs to see a future for mechanical watchmaking amidst the rubble of the quartz crisis, launching his eponymous brand in 1976. While peak production is in the past, the brand seems to have rebounded with a collection of well-received dress watches and savvy limited editions. The new Millesime Small Seconds embodies the carefully considered details that have underpinned the brand’s recent resurgence. It’s not revolutionary by any means, but at just US$2,295 it offers an affordable entry point to the world of Swiss dress watches. Affordability is one thing, but appeal is another. Fortunately the 39 mm Millesime hits many of the right notes in each of the three colourways, including a so-called ‘tuxedo’ configuration in either classic back and white or on-trend burgundy, as well as a dark blue option that might be the dark horse favourite. Art Deco trio All three models have a few key things in common, starting with the stainless steel case. The Millesime measures 39 mm in ...
Monochrome
Who doesn’t know MeisterSinger…? If you are into watches, with just a superficial interest, the name surely rings a bell: it’s a single-handed watch! Founded in Münster in 2001, the brand decided to build its identity around the idea that time doesn’t need to be dissected into seconds and minutes. By returning to the single-hand […]
Monochrome
In just six years, H. Moser & Cie.’s fluid Streamliner luxury sports watch collection with integrated bracelets has grown exponentially. An indication of the roadmap Moser envisioned for the Streamliner, the first model of 2020 featured a sophisticated flyback chronograph. Now home to models ranging from central seconds to perpetual calendars and from small seconds […]
Teddy Baldassarre
As their name implies, sector-dial watches are recognizable for their vintage-inspired dial layout, with radial lines and concentric circles dividing the dial’s essential visual data - the hours, minutes, and seconds - into distinct segments. It’s a style that first made its way into watch design in the 1930s and ‘40s, the heyday of Art Deco, and at the time was almost certainly aimed at delivering an instrument-like legibility rather than any kind of stylish ornamentation. Today, however, the sector dial is enjoying a bit of a quiet renaissance mainly for aesthetic reasons, on a diverse array of timepieces. Whether the watch it adorns leans more toward “military tool” or “dressy accessory” in its appeal, the sector dial’s streamlined, subdivided look has proved to be anything but dated. Here are a dozen of our favorites on the market now. [toc-section heading="Seiko 5 Sports SRPH29"] Price: $315, Case Size: 39.4mm, Thickness: 13.2mm, Lug to Lug: 48.1mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Hardlex, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic 4R36 Seiko’s 5 Sports line takes its cues from a classic model from 1963, the Seiko 5 Sportsmatic, whose five named attributes include automatic movements, day/date displays in a single window, water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a case made of durable materials. The value-oriented series speaks to military mavens and aviation enthusiasts with the SRPH29 model, which straddles the line between a v...
Fratello
Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC) is the largest Swiss independent testing facility for watch movements. Founded in 1973, this non-profit foundation aims to guarantee the precision of Swiss watches through a neutral, independent, and rigorous method. Watches with movements that passed the tests can be called “COSC-certified chronometers,” accurate to within -4/+6 seconds per […] Visit A Closer Look At COSC’s New Excellence Chronometer Certification to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Interesting news just out of Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), the venerable Swiss chronometer testing body, which has just announced a major revamp to its testing to honour the COSC’s standard’s 50th anniversary. Excellence Chronometer, COSC’s new and improved certification program, goes beyond the ISO 3159 norm that has defined its tests for decades. Instead of just testing movements, Excellence Chronometer will require completed, cased watches to run within -2/+4 seconds a day, as well as pass wear simulation and magnetism tests. Initial thoughts While COSC remains the primary chronometer testing body in Switzerland, thanks largely to Rolex, its protocols have been due for an update for some time now. With the rise of alternative and in-house precision testing programs, the standard chronometer certification can sometimes feel left behind. Rolex’s own Superlative Chronometer certification first requires a COSC certificate, but then makes sure the watches run at -2/+2 seconds per day after further in-house testing. The METAS Chronometer program also requires the standard COSC certificate, but guarantees a regulation of 0/+5 seconds per day and a great resistance to magnetic fields. Seeing that COSC slowly updates and imposes more stringent criteria is a good sign, but it may still not be good enough. With the rise of advanced internal certification programs, it looks like some brands submit their models to COSC testing just to make sure they can...
Hodinkee
The launch of a new standard that ensures accuracy within 6 seconds per day, along with new considerations for anti-magnetism and power reserve.
Monochrome
Praesidus is well known for military-inspired collections, and the Jungle Field line is a modern take on the GG-W-113 US military specification introduced in 1967. The spec called for a lightweight pilot and aircrew watch at 33mm or 34mm with a matte black dial, 12/24-hour numerals and hacking seconds. The 34mm Jungle Field OG was […]
Monochrome
It seems like a trend that endurance races are won with only seconds between the podium finishers. We’ve seen it in this year’s Dakar, where Luciano Benavides won the Bikes class with just two seconds difference over second-place man Ricky Brabec. We’ve seen it in last year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, where the entire podium […]
Fratello
I had to drive from Amsterdam to Brussels in 2015 to see the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time with deadbeat seconds in the metal. It was worth it. Both the three-handed Geophysic True Second and Universal Time impressed me a lot, especially the travel watch with a world-map dial and a practical complication. Upon learning […] Visit Why I Bought The Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time to read the full article.
Fratello
There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that only a chronograph can offer - the tactile click of the pushers, the sweep of the seconds hand, the quiet excuse to time things that probably do not need timing at all. You know exactly what I mean; we all do it. The problem is that many chronographs […] Visit Hands-On With The Vostra Vector: A Retro-Futuristic Chronograph That’s Built To Be Worn to read the full article.
Deployant
Gerald Charles releases its first meteorite watch with a small seconds indicator in the now iconic Maestro case. Two new references are released.
SJX Watches
To celebrate founder Jacob Arabo’s 60th birthday, Jacob & Co. has upped the ante for the tourbillon with the God of Time that’s styled on the Greek myth of time, but more importantly features the world’s fastest turning tourbillon that completes one revolution every four seconds – making it 15 times quicker than a conventional one-minute tourbillon. Initial thoughts The God of Time watch is a true showpiece of modern, extravagant high horology, blending both striking visual decoration and engineering prowess. The theme of time and its associated deity is built around the record setting tourbillon, the fastest of its kind. While we’re familiar with the perpetual quest for the thinnest watch, apparently the race towards the fastest tourbillon is also a thing. Much like most Jacob & Co. watches, the God of Time is loud and a large 44.5 mm in diameter. The leitmotif of Greek mythology is present in the thick case as well, which is modelled on an Ionic pillar. The size is a consequence of the movement, which is enormous – inside are four mainsprings – due to the energy requirements of the tourbillon. The hand-crafted figure of Chronos is remarkably detailed - truly in the spirit of ancient Greek statues. The dial is interesting, as the eye is drawn to both the Chronos figure and the unusually fast tourbillon, but falls short in legibility, though that’s clearly not the point here. The God of Time is one of those watches where time-telling is less important tha...
Fratello
The Gerald Charles Maestro line expands with two new Maestro 2.0 Meteorite models, both featuring dials cut from Muonionalusta meteorite. For the first time, the brand combines this material with a small-seconds display inside the familiar asymmetric Maestro case. The project began modestly, driven by the idea of placing a meteorite dial inside the Maestro […] Visit Introducing: Two New Meteorite-Dial Variants Of The Gerald Charles Maestro 2.0 to read the full article.
Fratello
Our friends over at Monochrome and Habring² are building quite a history together. Their first collaboration, in 2021, celebrated Monochrome’s 15th anniversary. The online watch magazine and the Austrian watchmaking couple teamed up once more in 2023. Their sophomore release, a split-seconds chronograph, raised money for charity. Today, we get a third collaboration in the […] Visit Introducing: The Monochrome Montre De Souscription 4 By Habring² to read the full article.
Deployant
H. Moser releases Act II of their Genesis project which began with the Endeavour Centre Seconds Genesis as Act I, and continues the trilogo saga.
Monochrome
For those of us over 20 years old who can read an analogue watch (you might be shocked at how many Generation Alpha kids can’t), we all know what the central hour, minute and seconds hands do. A small seconds sub-dial won’t trip us up, either. Different complications bring different hands, however, and some can […]
Hodinkee
The new Monaco Chronograph is inspired by Formula 1 night racing while the Split-Seconds Air 1 utilizes 'Selective Laser Melting' for the case.
Worn & Wound
Dubai Watch Week is upon us, and TAG Heuer is using it as a launching pad for for a new version of what is objectively one of the most impressive watches they’ve ever made. The Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1 builds on the Monaco Split-Seconds that was introduced at Watches & Wonders in 2024. That one, you’ll recall, had a movement fashioned largely from titanium and weighed in at just 85 grams. The retail price at the time was a head scratching CHF 135,000, but it was also an incredibly impressive caliber and feat of engineering. Rattrapante chronographs like this are indeed quite rare, and certainly one with a caliber made of titanium is unheard of and adds additional layers of complexity to whole endeavor. The new Air 1 version of the watch is still 85 grams, but it achieves that weight even with new solid gold components in the case. The design of the case, still in the iconic Monaco square, has been substantially reworked and inspired by design and manufacturing processes that are part of the Formula 1 landscape. The case has effectively been hollowed out, with intricately skeletonized case flanks designed to maximize the weight to performance ratio. TAG Heuer achieves this through a process they refer to as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). This is an additive manufacturing process that is typically applied in aerospace, medical, and automotive manufacturing, and like other forms of 3-D printing it’s essentially a cheat code in achieving otherwise impossi...
Monochrome
Founded by former A. Lange & Söhne watchmakers Johannes Kallinich and Thibault Claeys, indie watchmaking atelier Kallinich Claeys has quickly become one of the most interesting names in contemporary Glashütte watchmaking. Their debut watch, the Einser Zentralsekunde, introduced a clear design approach and a thoughtfully constructed, in-house movement with central seconds and a linear power reserve […]
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