462 articles · 3 videos found · page 3 of 16
Time+Tide
For the 50th anniversary of the 3159 standard, COSC has introduced a stricter new "Excellence Chronometer" tier of certification.The post COSC unveils stricter new “Excellence Chronometer” standard + A. Lange & Söhne opens new Chicago boutique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
We explain the difference between COSC, METAS, Superlative, and any other chronometer certification method.The post What is a chronometer? Demystifying COSC, METAS, Grand Seiko Standard, and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
So how thin is the ThinKing? Just 1.65 mm, beating the previous record holder, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, by just 0.05 mm.
Time+Tide
Novelty drops are picking up again, and thanks to the upcoming Geneva Watch Days fair at the end of the month, there will be plenty more to explore. For now, here are ten new watches from last week, including architecture-inspired timepieces, colourful katana-inspired dials, and watches that have more classic sensibilities. Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer … ContinuedThe post New releases from Grand Seiko, Garrick, Tissot, Bulova and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Ever since our story on the inner workings of COSC here, via an in-depth article by The Naked Watchmaker, our thirst for horological knowledge remain. More specifically, what it takes to make a movement a COSC-certified Chronometer? And what is the intrinsic value of the certification? We caught up with Peter Speake the co-founder of … ContinuedThe post The Naked Watchmaker explains what it takes to make a movement a COSC-certified Chronometer? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Brellum has just released a resolutely modern, yet classic take on a pilot’s chronograph, with the sharpest of details – and shows how much colour and texture transforms the aviator personality of the Brellum Pilot Power Gauge Chronometer. This is another strong reference from Brellum that will follow your lead, be it battle-ready flight instrument … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Brellum Pilot Power Gauge Chronometer – a COSC-certified classic pilot’s chronograph with a modern edge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC, the body responsible for certifying watch movements as Swiss chronometers) has just announced a new chronometry standard that will be rolled out over the course of 2026. The news comes at a time when the COSC has some competition for timekeeping certifications, most notably the METAS certification (which first requires a watch movement to be COSC certified) used by Omega and Tudor, as well as other certifications provided by the brands themselves. The new COSC certification is being framed as an additional level of certification that will accompany the familiar “Certified Chronometer” tag that is seen on the dials and paperwork of millions (literally) of watches that have been put through the COSC paces over the years. The new “Excellence Chronomenter” certification provides an additional layer of guarantee of reliability that goes beyond simple accuracy. As a refresher, COSC certification certifies the movement is working at an optimal level, not a fully cased watch. To achieve a Certified Chronometer certification, a movement must show average accuracy of -4 to +6 seconds per day over a 15 day period, tested across 5 positions and 3 temperatures. The Excellence Chronometer certification tightens the accuracy threshold from a spread of 10 seconds in total to 6 (-2 to +4 seconds per day). It also adds metrics for magnetic resistance and power reserve verification in fully cased watches. According to the COS...
Monochrome
What is a chronometer…? In short, it is a watch that has been officially tested for its precision. And to guarantee the precision of watches, several tools exist, such as the ISO 3159 standard (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year) and official organisations, such as the Observatoire de Besançon in France, the Glashütte Observatory […]
Monochrome
Omega is one of the largest luxury watchmakers on the market, carrying multiple emblematic models (Seamaster and Speedmaster, to name a few). However, one vital element of the brand’s success lies in its almost unique take on precision. Omega has long been a pioneer in this field, often ranking first in chronometry contests and introducing […]
Revolution
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.
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Hodinkee
New standards to show focus on consumer as secretive organization opens up for first time.
Teddy Baldassarre
Picture the scene: a hectic work week ends with a quick bite at your favorite Italian trattoria, then you hustle a few blocks afterwards to a dimly lit West Village jazz club to catch a blazing first set from the house band. Glancing down at your wrist, you see you have just enough time to cab it to the airport for the redeye to Paris for a well-deserved long weekend, beachfront on the Côte d'Azur. But the watch on your wrist isn’t a vintage Rolex GMT-Master or Omega Seamaster 300, although either would be a fine choice to segue from the office to the French Riviera without missing a beat. No, your timepiece is from Serica, a microbrand based in France with enough Continental cool and midcentury charm to appear as if it just popped out of a time capsule from 1962. If ever a modern sports watch evoked the Mad Men era, this is it. Even though it’s only been in existence since 2019, Serica doesn't feel like a typical microbrand. In fact, it has the aura of an established horological icon, one with its own storied history and visual language. And if it’s not readily apparent, I’m positively obsessed with the entire Serica aesthetic. Serica's French-designed, Swiss-made creations blend the refinement of classic Parisian fashion with the urbane cool of a European matinee idol. The company’s debut release was the W.W.W field watch, followed by the 5303 diver that made its bow in 2021, in both black and white-dialed variants. A new colorway was offered the followin...
Hodinkee
It's a bold move made all the more impactful mere days ahead of Watches & Wonders.
Worn & Wound
Although Serica has only been around since 2019, it feels like the young watch brand has been around for ages. In my opinion, a lot of that has to do with the maturity in which they conduct themselves, both in brand presence and progression. With any Serica novelty, you can bet that their approach to any watch design is performed with metronomic consistency – typically with minimal branding, steady visual cues, and a general inspiration by way of vintage military timepieces. It seems that any change that’s going to be made within each reference will be incremental, but that doesn’t mean the impact can be monumental. Such is the case with the new and improved Serica 5303 COSC Antimagnetic Diver Chronometer. To understand the latest update to the Serica 5303, we must look within. Serica has opted to keep the movement within the Soprod family, but instead of using the previous Newton P092 automatic, the Serica 5303 COSC now draws its power from the Caliber M100. The Soprod Caliber M100 is buoyed by a glucydur balance, incabloc shock system, a 42 hour power reserve, and most importantly, a 3.2mm movement thickness. With approximately 1.4mm of extra room to play using the transitional movement inside of the 5303 COSC case, Serica has built in several antimagnetic pieces including a soft iron movement holder, soft iron dial and a soft iron inner caseback. As a result, the magnetic resistance for the Serica 5303 COSC diver has skyrocketed from the traditional Swiss standard...
Hodinkee
We're a few months removed from Watches & Wonders, which gives us some clarity about what was buzz, what was hype, what fell off the wish lists, and what will be a long-term winner. It's looking like Jaeger-LeCoultre had one of the best releases of the fair with the Master Control Chronomètre series. The Master Control line has largely been a dressy take on traditional design cues for a brand people usually think of first for its Reverso. But now, JLC has shown that Master Control can do more. More than just a new case and bracelet, all watches are in-house chronometer-certified 4Hz, 70-hour power reserve movements (COSC does the certification) with a new High Precision Guarantee (HPG) seal, which supplants the former 1000 Hours Control. That new HPG seal means that the brand trials cased watches on four daily-wear specific issues—shocks, positions, altitude, and temperature—over three days, while guaranteeing eight traditional techniques of quality aesthetic finishing. The watches I photographed were brand new and wrapped in plastic, so you have to look past a bit of that to see the quality, but it certainly is there in person. Now with three models in steel and rose gold, with five SKUs (one watch only comes in steel and not gold), measuring 38mm by 8.4mm or 39mm or 9.2mm with 50m of water resistance, the new line brings a lot to the table. Inspired by the brand's Master Mariner Chronomètre line, launched in 1973 as their offering for an integrated bracelet (or adj...
WristBuzz
Master Control Chronomètre arrives with an integrated bracelet, a new High Precision Guarantee, and three models. How JLC is positioning against the steel-sports-watch crowd.
Deployant
COSC has announced a significant evolution in how Swiss precision will be measured. For more than fifty years, the organization has certified movements
SJX Watches
Having dropped tantalising clues about his creation for Only Watch 2023 a few weeks ago, Akrivia founder Rexhep Rexhepi has finally taken the covers off the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Antimagnétique. A unique creation with a brand-new movement, the Chronomètre Antimagnétique (RRCA) is a time-only wristwatch with a steel case, one that was inspired by the magnetism-resistant chronometers of the mid-20th century. Its design has clear roots in vintage watches, while the movement features an indirect centre seconds with a hacking, zero-reset mechanism. Initial thoughts About the half the offerings in Only Watch 2023 are from independent watchmakers, but the creations vary tremendously in their originality and effort. Amongst the independents that created genuinely new watches for the event is F.P. Journe, whose Chronomètre Furtif Bleu is the first of a new sports model and likely the only watch ever made by an independent that boasts a tantalum bracelet. At the low-effort end of the spectrum is Moritz Grossmann that added “Only Watch” to the seconds register of a regular-production model and called it a day. The RRCA sits alongside the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu as being impressively original. The RRCA has an newly-designed steel case with a removable outer back and within, a calibre that inherits the distinctive Rexhep Rexhepi aesthetic but is newly developed from the ground up. Even though it is a simple watch with just three hands, the movement is executed in the Mr ...
Fratello
Any young watch brand constantly has to make choices about designs, costs, quality, and many other aspects that affect the organization every day. In the case of Serica, a young Parisian brand founded in 2019, elegance, reliability, and accuracy steer the decision-making process. In terms of elegance, I don’t think there was anyone who thought […] Visit Elegance Meets Accuracy - Going Forward, All Of Serica’s Watches Will Be COSC-Certified Chronometers to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Is this headline a valid question, a bold claim, or simply the stone-cold truth? My knowledge of the Mido brand has recently been re-ignited. The Swiss brand has been in the game for more than 100 years, but my awareness previously centred on their vintage reissues. I see Mido’s DNA represented in the delightful ’60s … ContinuedThe post Does Mido deliver the best value COSC-certified Swiss in-house chronometers available in 2021? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Hodinkee
What We Know It's time to put aside the debate of big watches versus small watches. I think we can at least agree that options are a good thing, so everyone can get what they want. With that in mind, Serica has released three new, smaller Field Chronometer watches measuring only 35mm by 9.6mm thick with a COSC-certified automatic movement and three new enamel dials. These three new watches, with stainless steel cases, play off the design language of the ref. 6190 with a few tweaks. There's the slightly larger, fixed bezel with pips at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. They have a double-domed anti-reflective sapphire that should somewhat magnify the smaller dial. The two-tone cream-and-black "Tuxedo" dial is similar to the ref. 6190 TXD, with hand-applied numerals. The other two, the "Minute Critical" dials in black or olive green, aren't that far from the ref. 6190 "Denali" that is already on offer in a larger size, with added 5-minute Arabic numerals. All three have Super-LumiNova C3 lume. Inside the case is the SoProd M100 movement, which is COSC-certified for accuracy, making it a Field Chronometer in both name and function. The caliber runs at 4Hz, is self-winding, and has a 42-hour power reserve. According to Serica, it also has a decorated plate with Côtes de Genève, and while there are no photos of the caseback, I would assume it is still a closed caseback like its big sibling. Then there's the final major update: the watch comes with a redesigned Bonklip bracelet, fea...
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...
Monochrome
Independent and proudly small-scale, Brellum thrives carving its niche in modern Swiss watchmaking. Founded by fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, the brand produces only 299 pieces per year, each officially COSC-certified, meticulously decorated, and sold directly to end consumers. Following the recent release of the Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE in steel, Brellum now offers a […]
SJX Watches
Longines continues to mine its archive to good effect with the Ultra-Chron Classic, a faithful reissue of the brand’s pioneering high-frequency wristwatch first launched in 1967. The Ultra-Chron Classic is more than just a remake of a vintage watch. While it has a clean, period-correct vintage aesthetic, the mechanics are entirely modern, namely a high-beat, 5 Hz automatic movement that is both COSC chronometer and TIMELAB certified. Initial thoughts Longines does well at bringing back beloved designs from the past, but built to modern standards. The Ultra-Chron Classic is the latest in a long line of historical reissues that began nearly two decades ago with the bestselling Legend Diver. The Ultra-Chron Classic is impressively faithful to the original in style, but because of that, not especially exciting in terms of design, retaining the all-business look that was common among high-performance gentlemen’s wristwatches of the era; the same criticism could be leveled at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic E168 or IWC Ingenieur ref. 666. In other words, the dial, hands, and indices are mostly true to the source material, but this pared-back look may have a harder time standing out in today’s market than it once did. Dressy? Classic? Or plain? Looks aside, the Ultra-Chron Classic is modern Longines at its best: a solid build, a brand-exclusive movement, proper sizing, and sensible pricing. The movement in particular stands out for being notable high-spec with its 36,000 bea...
Monochrome
If you own mechanical Swiss watches, one of them potentially came to you with a COSC chronometer certificate. But not everyone knows exactly what this certificate means. The COSC is the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. COSC certifies Swiss-made movements or watches as chronometers (not to be confused […]
Time+Tide
What is a chronometer, or what does it mean to be COSC-certified? Here are all the answers.The post Everything you need to know about COSC appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Omega, Tudor, Chopard, and many more watches all boast “COSC Chronometer” status on their watches, but what exactly does this certification entail? In this episode of How-To, Tim breaks down what exactly a watch needs to achieve to get COSC status and what defines a chronometer.
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