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Christiaan van der Klaauw Gallery Christiaan van der Klaauw

Wristshot gallery from the Horlogeforum Christiaan van der Klaauw thread.

Introducing: The New Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 - An Updated Retro Cult Classic In Eight Variants Fratello
Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 - Sep 22, 2025

Introducing: The New Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 - An Updated Retro Cult Classic In Eight Variants

Please don’t call it an upgrade; it goes beyond that. When everything is new, you cannot speak of an upgrade anymore. The new Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 comes in blue, green, warm silver, and gray, all available in a 37mm or 39.5mm steel case. Its components are technically more advanced, and the design has been revised. […] Visit Introducing: The New Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 - An Updated Retro Cult Classic In Eight Variants to read the full article.

Our Favorite Seiko Watches of All Time Worn & Wound
Rolex Sep 19, 2025

Our Favorite Seiko Watches of All Time

When it comes right down to it, there’s no more important watch brand to the enthusiast community than Seiko. Sure, Rolex is the biggest brand in the world, and the most recognizable brand name (for any product) ever. But no other brand matches Seiko for variety, accessibility, quality, and pure fun. There’s truly something for everybody under the Seiko tent, and it’s a brand that we find ourselves unable to quit, even when they frustrate us for any number of reasons.  But this isn’t about those frustrations. This post is about the Seikos we love the most. We asked our contributors to pick their favorite Seiko of all time, and we think as you read through these selections you’ll find that the thing that ties them all together is a deep personal connection to a watch. That’s what’s at the heart of this hobby, and what makes Seiko so special.  We want to know the Seikos that you love the most, so let us know in the comments what you’d pick.  Elodie Townsend – Seiko Flightmaster SNA411P1 I can’t hear the name Seiko without getting misty-eyed about the watch that introduced me to the wider world of horology fandom: the Seiko Flightmaster SNA411P1. It’s big, brazenly busy, and admittedly over-packed with features that I would never use (calculus, anyone), but that pop of yellow and the charm of its over-complications make it a joy to wear, use, and show off.  My dad got me my “Flighty” as a gift for my 21st birthday years back; when the price hadn...

Fratello’s Top 5 Watches Under €1,000 From Big Brands Fratello
Sep 19, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 Watches Under €1,000 From Big Brands

Another Friday, another list! We return to a series of budget-related lists after focusing on Geneva Watch Days for two weeks and finding the best collabs last week. Today, we’re starting another three-list series focusing on budget-friendly watches. Not too long ago, we compiled a trio of lists covering the best available picks under €500. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Watches Under €1,000 From Big Brands to read the full article.

In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête Du Temps is an Astronomical Clock in Every Sense SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s La Quête Du Sep 16, 2025

In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête Du Temps is an Astronomical Clock in Every Sense

Vacheron Constantin’s 270th anniversary tour de force continues with the La Quête Du Temps ‘Mecanique D’art’, a metre-tall astronomical clock, automata, and decorative object. While the brand teased us with the most complicated wristwatch ever made earlier this year, it’s been planning something much, much grander – a true monument to time. Initial thoughts I see La Quête Du Temps as part of a near millennia old tradition of astronomical clocks and mechanical follies. During the very late 12th century, an Artuqid king commissioned an exceptional astronomical water clock from famed Islamic inventor Ismail al-Jazari. Al-Jazari’s “castle clock” kept time, but only as an ancillary function. The clock tracked the passage of the sun, the passage and phase of the moon and the zodiacs, and on the sixth, ninth and twelfth hours a cast of five life-sized automata sprung to life, playing drums and trumpets to dazzle the royal court. Other kings commissioned similar astronomical clocks from inventor in their courts, as symbols of their power and sophistication. If not kings, it was congregations and city councils raising these models of the heavens on Earth as symbols of prosperity and prestige. And today, Vacheron Constantin, the oldest watch manufacturer, builds one for itself. The Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch yet made, was not the brand’s 270th anniversary flagship – this is. Image – Vacheron Constantin/Stephane Sby Balmy This year has been mor...

Vacheron Constantin Impresses with the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Impresses Sep 16, 2025

Vacheron Constantin Impresses with the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time

It seems like no brand is having as much fun in 2025 as Vacheron Constantin (VC), which has delivered several consecutive hits to mark its 270th anniversary. The latest is the Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time, a double-sided wristwatch with a bi-retrograde time display that all but cements the brand’s status as the industry leader in astronomical complications. The Tribute to the Quest of Time, limited to 20 pieces in white gold, debuts alongside its muse, the La Quête du Temps astronomical clock, and features a miniaturised and simplified version of the clock’s magnificent astronomer automaton. Initial thoughts Following on the heals of the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication and Tribute to the Celestial, the Tribute to the Quest of Time continues VC’s winning streak in spectacular fashion. While the Solaria impressed with rare scientific complications, like declination of the Sun, the Tribute to the Celestial focused its attention on the culture of astrology, brought to life with skilful gem-setting and creative use of a straight-line engine. In contrast, the Tribute to the Quest of Time takes a more humanistic approach, focusing on the romance of mankind’s quest to understand our place in the universe, using a mix of traditional complications and modern decorative techniques. Despite the functional differences between these watches, there’s a clear commonality between them; each watch, in its own way, reflects its creators’ reverence for the cosmo...

The Roger W. Smith Series 6 is a Reminder of Why I Love Traditional Watchmaking Worn & Wound
Roger W. Smith Sep 15, 2025

The Roger W. Smith Series 6 is a Reminder of Why I Love Traditional Watchmaking

I love Roger Smith’s watches. If I won the lottery tomorrow (or had I won it this past weekend, when the Powerball reached a high of $1.7 billion), my first call wouldn’t be to a banker, or a lawyer, or even to my family. There’s a very real chance my first call would be to Roger Smith to beg for a spot on his very long waitlist - I might not even wait to cash the check to start dialing. I tell you this not because this is an article about how my watch collecting would change were I to come into an inconceivable amount of money overnight (though that might be a fun game to play at some point), but because Roger Smith has just announced the Series 6, his first new model since 2019, and the watch I am undoubtedly most excited about this year, even if it may be some time before I get to see one. The Series 6, like all Smith’s watches, is clear in its origin, building on the vocabulary steadily developed by Smith over the last few decades. In execution, the watch is most closely linked to the Series 4, a triple calendar with moon phase wrist watch introduced in 2015 that set itself apart not only in craftsmanship (a given for Smith) but in layout. That watch introduced a floating central dial with a radial date display, complete with “traveling aperture.” This evolution of the pointer date made the Series 4 incredibly legible, and strikingly modern, despite the classical styling. With the Series 6, Smith has brought the “traveling aperture” to a comparatively...

Win a Pair of Crown Northampton Ernest Wholecut Sneakers, In Partnership with Heddels Worn & Wound
Sep 9, 2025

Win a Pair of Crown Northampton Ernest Wholecut Sneakers, In Partnership with Heddels

We love great craft, thoughtful design, and products that only get better with time. That is why we are joining a small group of like-minded publishers to spotlight something special from the world of footwear and give one reader the chance to own it. The prize comes from Crown Northampton, a family-run English maker that treats a sneaker like a piece of fine shoemaking. If you appreciate purposeful materials, honest construction, and details you can feel every time you lace up, this one is for you. This giveaway is organized by our friends at Heddels, with Stitchdown, Shoegazing, Rose Anvil, and Worn & Wound as partners. Each of these outlets cares deeply about quality and heritage. Heddels covers well made clothing and goods. Stitchdown and Shoegazing focus on classic footwear and construction. Rose Anvil is known for testing and breaking down what makes products durable. We come from watches, where finishing, serviceability, and long life matter. Together, we are celebrating makers who hold the line on standards. Why these shoes, and why now. Crown Northampton’s Ernest Wholecut Sneaker brings bench-made methods to an everyday silhouette. The leather is the kind you rarely see on sneakers. The construction is slow, precise, and designed to age well. The result is a clean profile that pairs with everything, backed by the kind of build quality we admire in a great watch. It is a product you can wear hard, care for, and enjoy for years. Click here to enter the giveaway, a...

Fleury Manufacture Reimagines the Classic Lemania Chronograph SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s Lemania-ba Sep 9, 2025

Fleury Manufacture Reimagines the Classic Lemania Chronograph

Components-specialist-turned-watch brand Fleury Manufacture created its own chronograph calibre inspired by the famous Lemania cal. 2310, which debuts in the FXR-4 Chronograph. Given Fleury’s origins as a supplier of parts, the calibre is built almost entirely by Fleury, and to a high standard. And the FXR-4 stands out for another reason: while independent watchmaking is rarely the value proposition it once was, the FXR-4 is priced well. The FM04 movement Initial Thoughts Self-developed chronographs are a risky proposition for high-end independents. Established brands offer fierce competition, and developing a new chronograph calibre is arguably a thankless task today since enthusiasts remain fixated on highly-decorated three handers that offer the watchmaker a greater return on a smaller investment. The FM04 movement inside scores well in terms of construction and finishing. The architecture is more refined than most other Lemania-esque chronographs, with the chronograph driving wheel integrated into the going train. And the finishing, a mix of machine and hand finishing, has enough of the latter to be considered high end; the black-polished clutch lever is especially outstanding. The design of the exterior doesn’t score quite as well, which is not surprising given Fleury’s background as a parts supplier. The date isn’t to my preference – and the date pusher looks strangely large – it will be a meaningful value-add to others. Vacheron Constantin’s Lemania-ba...

Ed Jelley’s Accidental Small Business: How a 3D Printing Experiment Led to the Miniphone Ultra, an EDC Inspired Case for the Apple Watch Ultra Worn & Wound
Sep 5, 2025

Ed Jelley’s Accidental Small Business: How a 3D Printing Experiment Led to the Miniphone Ultra, an EDC Inspired Case for the Apple Watch Ultra

When does an Apple Watch go from being a watch to being something else? I’m sure, for some, the answer is something like, “As soon as you walk into an Apple Store,” but (as I’ve discussed before) the Apple Watch has, especially in its last few iterations, really come into its own. Thanks to additions like GPS and cell service, it’s even become a decent phone replacement for those days when you want to leave your phone at home. Personally, I love the freedom I feel walking out of the house for a hike or bike ride without my phone, secure in the knowledge that if someone really needs to get a hold of me, they can (that I could also theoretically call for help isn’t the worst thing either). But despite that wonderful feeling, I still don’t love wearing an Apple Watch, especially not when it so often comes at the expense of wearing one of the many other watches I’ve picked up over the years to fill that bottomless hole that exists somewhere deep inside every collector. That’s where the Miniphone Ultra comes into play. Designed by our close friend and Worn & Wound Contributing Editor, Ed Jelley, the Miniphone Ultra is a case that transforms the Apple Watch Ultra (or Ultra II) into a kind of phone replacement, freeing up your wrist space, but still giving you the flexibility to leave the phone at home. Admittedly, using one screen to limit your use of another would sound ridiculous to our great-great-grandfathers, but it’s an elegant solution to what is a ver...

Orient Gilds the Retro World Map SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Breguet Sep 2, 2025

Orient Gilds the Retro World Map

Orient celebrates its 75th anniversary with a limited edition World Map, inspired by a 1969 fan favourite and priced under US$400. Distinctly retro in style, the World Map features an unusual world time arrangement using a striking map and rotating bezel for global time zones. It’s well priced and well made, and a break from the brand’s usual staples, which tend to be affordable but plain. Initial Thoughts It seems 2025 is a year of many anniversaries: Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, and of course, Orient. While never the most prominent Japanese watch manufacturer, Orient has built up a strong back catalog over 75 years, which includes the World Map. That said, I’d have preferred a reissue of the more formal looking World Trip, though I imagine the brand is saving that for the up-market Orient Star line. Beyond the watch, it’s important to remember that while Orient is a relatively small brand, it’s part of Seiko Epson, the company behind the Spring Drive UFA that made headlines this year (though a distinct entity from Seiko Watch Corporation that markets and sells Seiko and Grand Seiko watches). For the brand’s 60th anniversary, Orient equipped the Orient Star Skeleton with Japan’s first (and only) silicon escapement. With that in mind, it’s worth keeping an eye on Orient this year, as the brand has more to offer than just a pretty face. Post War Travel Ban and Boom In the aftermath of the Second World War Japan was devastated and isolated. ...

Hands On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh” SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh” Aug 29, 2025

Hands On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh”

With a swivelling case and unadorned back, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso has long served as a canvas for miniature enamelling (or double-faced complications). The Reverso Tribute Enamel “Shahnameh” is a fine example of the art, which is almost synonymous with Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC), one of the first brands to set up an in-house enamel workshop. Originally invented as a watch for polo players – the reversible case is meant to protect the crystal – the Reverso goes back to the historical origins of the game with this set. The quartet is inspired by scenes from Shahnameh, an epic poem written one thousand years ago that recounts the origins of the Persian Empire, and also depicts the ancient game invented by Persians that is today known as polo. Specifically, the four watches reproduce illustrations from the Shahnameh commissioned by Shah Tahmasp, the second ruler of the Safavid dynasty, in the early 16th century. The four piece set comprised of (from left) ‘Siyavush Plays Polo before Afrasiyab’; ‘Faridun Tests His Sons’; ‘Saam Comes to Mount Alburz’; and ‘Rustam Pursues Akvan’. Image – Jaeger-LeCoultre Initial thoughts JLC has long reproduced historical art on the Reverso – including Monet’s Venice series of paintings last year – but the artwork was often Western or East Asian, perhaps reflecting the watchmaker’s biggest markets. The “Shahnameh” set, on the other hand, reproduces scenes from a piece of art that might be less well known in...

[VIDEO] Christopher Ward Goes Ultra-Thin with The Twelve 660 Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Goes Ultra-Thin Aug 28, 2025

[VIDEO] Christopher Ward Goes Ultra-Thin with The Twelve 660

When Christopher Ward’s The Twelve debuted a few years ago, I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first. At the time, every brand under the sun was trying to get into the integrated bracelet sports watch game, and on paper The Twelve seemed a little derivative (there were many, many comments about its resemblance to a certain integrated bracelet sports watch from a much loved indie brand). Those first watches were…exactly fine. I appreciated the execution and the price point, but they weren’t really for me – I think it was the logo inspired dial texture that didn’t quite work to my eye. But over a relatively short time, The Twelve has evolved. Lots of new colors, sizes, and dial treatments means that there’s basically a Twelve for anyone, and the watch has become an effective platform for some of Christopher Ward’s most adventurous watchmaking. Indeed, their marquee release for 2025, the C12 Loco, is based on the architecture of The Twelve. And you know what? After being around these watches at Windups and other enthusiast events, I’ve even warmed up to that dial texture. Tastes change, what can I say?  All of this is to say that The Twelve is maturing, and has been around long enough at this point to win people over who might not have been on board at the start. And that’s the environment into which Christopher Ward is releasing what seems to be to be among the most exciting watches in The Twelve collection yet, the new The Twelve 660. The name ...

Thirty Days with the Christopher Ward C12 Loco SJX Watches
Christopher Ward C12 Loco ‘Micro-brand’ watches Aug 22, 2025

Thirty Days with the Christopher Ward C12 Loco

‘Micro-brand’ watches are rarely about finishing or movement design. The business model employed by this segment of the industry typically involves off-the-shelf movements combined with made-to-order cases and dials; this is how Christopher Ward (CW) got started. But having merged with its movement supplier a decade ago, the brand has become more ambitious, first with the striking Bel Canto and again with the C12 Loco, which reimagines the Valjoux cal. 7750 as a budget-priced mechanical sculpture inside a sporty steel case. Architectural watchmaking is not new, but it is new at the price point targeted by CW, which recently moved into larger premises in Maidenhead about 30 minutes west of London. Having spent a month with the Loco, it’s worth looking at what they did, and how. Initial thoughts I find architectural watchmaking inherently appealing, and appreciate it when watchmakers and designers work in tandem to elevate mechanical components into miniature works of art. It can come across as gimmicky, but when done well it results in an enthralling and educational wearing experience. Given the steep development costs, this type watchmaking has long been the exclusive domain of high end brands like MB&F; and Ulysse Nardin. But CW has been moving in this direction since the launch of the Bel Canto, and the Loco, despite its relative simplicity, is a worthy follow-up to its striking sibling. Sitting within the Twelve collection, CW’s take on the integrated bracelet sp...

Tudor Black Bay Pro Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor Aug 19, 2025

Tudor Black Bay Pro Review

At Watches & Wonders 2025, Tudor expanded its existing catalog to address some fan requests as well as to reset some long neglected collections. One release that does both is the new Black Bay Pro with a silver opaline dial. This is a configuration long requested from enthusiasts, and Tudor did the idea justice by getting the small details right. This is more than a mere dial swap, even if the underlying platform remains largely the same. This is the kind of methodical evolution we’ve come to expect from Tudor, though in some ways, the new Black Bay Pro plays things a little too safe.  Let’s take a quick look back at Tudor’s recent history with the GMT complication to set some context for the newest Black Bay Pro, because - while this configuration has been highly requested - as far as fan requests go, this watch has one glaring omission. Tudor released the Black Bay GMT back in 2018 with a black dial and a throwback red-and-blue aluminum bezel. As popular as the watch was right off the bat, the size made it a tough pill to swallow for some, particularly the thickness of the case paired with the relatively flat sidewall.  Tudor Black Bay Pro Case Tudor partially addressed this with the release of the first Black Bay Pro in 2022 in a 39mm steel case. The watch also played up ties to the Rolex Explorer II with a fixed steel bezel. It was an unexpected release but it hit many of the right notes, and it made the substantial thickness a bit easier to stomach. It wor...

Introducing – The New Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain, Celebrating 30 Years of The Skeleton Chronograph Monochrome
Chronoswiss Aug 18, 2025

Introducing – The New Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain, Celebrating 30 Years of The Skeleton Chronograph

When Gerd-Rüdiger Lang (1943–2023) founded Chronoswiss in 1983, his mission was to safeguard and advance mechanical watchmaking at a time when quartz technology threatened to eclipse traditional horology. A master watchmaker, Lang became renowned for pioneering features now considered staples of fine watchmaking, and the openworked mechanical chronograph. In 1995, Chronoswiss launched the Opus, the […]

Timex Expands the Marlin Collection with New Chronographs and GMTs Worn & Wound
Casio couldn’t So whenever Aug 18, 2025

Timex Expands the Marlin Collection with New Chronographs and GMTs

To me, a Timex watch is like an automatic Honda Civic; a taste of bigger and better fun that offers a lot of enjoyment on its own, even without a manual transmission and turbocharger. My first analog watch was a Timex Weekender, and it opened my eyes to the world of timepieces in a way that even a digital Casio couldn’t. So whenever the iconic budget brand announces something out of their normal range of basic watches, I get excited. Will it be my next easy recommendation to a young watch newbie, or “just another Timex”? It all depends on execution and, most crucially, price range. With that in mind, let’s take a look at two new additions to the Timex Marlin range: the Jet Quartz Chronograph, and GMT.  First, the Jet Quartz Chronograph. Two references are available, both with contrasting subdials at the 3 and 6 o’clock positions, and a date window at 12. The TW2Y4600 sports a silver dial with black subdials, while the TW2Y4700 swaps in a brown dial and white subdials. Both feature a 40mm recycled stainless steel case with pushers at 2 and 4, and a knurled crown. Strap options differ, though, as the silver dial model stays secured via a matching stainless steel 6-link bracelet, while the brown dial is paired with an obsidian leather strap with quick-release spring bars. Inside both is a quartz movement and the cases are water resistant up to 50 meters; a domed Hesalite crystal and screwed-on case back with “Jet” text cap off the 1960s look of the watch. It’...

Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Watches Under €500 From Small Brands Fratello
Aug 15, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Watches Under €500 From Small Brands

Another Friday, another list! This week, it’s time for the second installment of our series on affordable watches. Last week, we discussed our favorite mechanical watches under €500 from big brands. This second article focuses on the best watches for under €500 from small brands. Call them independents or microbrands, you get the idea. The […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Watches Under €500 From Small Brands to read the full article.

Introducing – Chinese Indie Watchmaker Qian GuoBiao Unveils the Double Balance Wheel Monochrome
Aug 13, 2025

Introducing – Chinese Indie Watchmaker Qian GuoBiao Unveils the Double Balance Wheel

Long considered a low-end production site for accessible timepieces (which is still partially true), the Chinese watch industry is fast changing and evolving in a positive direction. Besides industry giants such as Peacock and Seagull (the latter capable of making split-second chronographs), there’s a burgeoning indie scene that needs to be explored. We can name […]

The Pepsi Challenge: Seiko Continues their Summer of Licensing Worn & Wound
Seiko Continues their Summer Aug 6, 2025

The Pepsi Challenge: Seiko Continues their Summer of Licensing

A few months ago when Seiko unveiled their Jaws watch, I didn’t really think much of it. Jaws is one of the most popular movies ever made, and it’s celebrating a big anniversary this year. In a world where watch brands collaborate with all kinds of silly entities for all kinds of silly reasons, it seemed like a pretty normal release. Then, just in the last week, Seiko announced a trio of watches bearing the Datsun name. OK, a Japanese car – a cult classic car at that – doesn’t require a whole lot of mental gymnastics to figure out. But then yesterday, when I opened Instagram over my morning coffee and saw the new Seiko “Pepsi” watches, reader I have to admit: it broke my brain a little.  At first I thought it must be a prank or a joke. Maybe Seiko’s account got hacked and one of these new AI engines built an entire marketing campaign around the most on-the-nose “collaboration” yet? But no, a little digging revealed that the two new Seiko 5 Sports watches with blue and red Pepsi bezels were indeed an endeavor bearing the name of the number 2 cola in the country. We’ve been referring to bezels in this colorway as “Pepsi” bezels for longer than I’ve been involved in the watch industry, as a hobbyist and certainly as a professional. It certainly never occurred to me that one day the beverage company would sign on as what amounts to an official partner with a watch brand. But it’s a testament to the ultra-corporatized watch world we’re all livin...

Introducing – New Tuxedo and Atoll Versions for the Sherpa Ultradive Monochrome
Aug 6, 2025

Introducing – New Tuxedo and Atoll Versions for the Sherpa Ultradive

Sherpa Watches is the brainchild of Martin Klocke, an engineer and vintage Enicar enthusiast determined to revive the legendary Enicar Sherpa divers of the 1950s and 60s. Staying true to the pioneering compressor case technology initially developed by EPSA (Ervin Piquerez SA), Sherpa’s modern Ultradive series brings the same pressure-sealing construction into the 21st century. […]

Hands-On With The Stylish Unimatic Modello Uno Heritage GMT Diver Fratello
Unimatic Aug 6, 2025

Hands-On With The Stylish Unimatic Modello Uno Heritage GMT Diver

If you are a longtime reader of Fratello, you know I am a fan of Unimatic. I have often sung the brand songs of praise for developing one of the watch industry’s most recognizable and versatile visual design languages. The minimalist approach to watch design works miracles almost every time for the brand. As Unimatic […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish Unimatic Modello Uno Heritage GMT Diver to read the full article.

Inside the Watchmaking Journey of Dann Phimphrachanh SJX Watches
Citizen Aug 5, 2025

Inside the Watchmaking Journey of Dann Phimphrachanh

In the world of independent watchmaking, Phimphrachanh – pronounced “fin-fra-chan” – is a name worth learning. Born in France, Dann Phimphrachanh is a Portuguese citizen with Laotian heritage who produces watches in Switzerland. That multicultural heritage that informs his approach to horology, personified by the Seconde Vive, his first wristwatch. The Phimphrachanh surname, inherited from his Laotian grandfather, a political figure in Laos, speaks to this lineage, but Dann’s professional and personal identity is firmly rooted in Portugal. After training in Lisbon’s watchmaking school and working at traditional Swiss watch brands, Dann set out to build his first watch on his own terms: by hand, with minimal industrial tools, and a commitment to preserving classical methods in a modern context. In a world where “independent watchmaking” can sometimes feel like just another label, Dann reminds us what it really means. The Seconde Vive, the result of years of solitary work, is both a technical achievement and a reflection of a deeper pursuit, a journey shaped by tradition, silence, and the slow mastery of time itself. The Seconde Vive Origins When Dann first left for Switzerland, he carried with him an image shaped by the glossy pages of watchmaking magazines, a world where the watchmaker was portrayed as a solitary figure, pursuing perfection in a quiet, idyllic workshop. “It was that image I went looking for,” he recalls. Reality, of course, was more co...

Seiko Samurai Review: Smaller And Better Than Ever Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Aug 1, 2025

Seiko Samurai Review: Smaller And Better Than Ever

Last year, we saw a trio of new Seiko Samurai watches that aimed to broaden the collection’s appeal within the Prospex family. It’s fairly well understood that the Samurai has been seen as the odd man out among the “Seiko with a nickname” family, but why exactly is that? Well, it doesn’t have that vintage heritage, having only debuted in 2004. Also, the second generation has been around since 2017, and since then, tastes have certainly changed. The 44mm-wide case is a little too big for today’s tastes, where conventional wisdom puts anything above 42mm safely in the “huge” category (the case has been pretty thick, as well) . And while models like the Turtle, SKX007, or Willard (or even Tuna and Arnie) have rounded cases, the Samurai’s case has a very sharp and almost aggressively angular design that, again, is not for everyone. Wisely, Seiko’s third-generation Samurai addresses that persistent case-size issue while giving the dial a refresh too. Fortunately, the angular case is a bit more refined, yet no less geometrical. Sorry, that’s just part of the Samurai’s identity. Seiko Samurai Case and Bracelet First off, yes - the new Seiko Samurai has taken design cues from the Shogun. If that makes it not a “true Samurai,” then so be it, but the end result is one good-looking watch. The case improves over that of the second generation in just about every meaningful way (the older case is still available alongside this new iteration). First off, it ...