Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

Business News: Swiss Watch Exports Drop Sharply In May After April Tariff Surge

Wholesale Exports to U.S. decline 25% as FHS warns exports outpace slower sales.

Swiss Watch Exports Dip In February As Key US Market Loses Steam

Monthly exports fall 8.2% as luxury watch sales face declining demand.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 Vs. Blancpain Air Command In Titanium And Green

It’s Sunday morning, so we have a new Sunday Morning Showdown lined up for you! This week, Daan and Jorg face off for this battle between high-end pilot’s watches that you, the Fratelli, requested. The first is the new green-dial titanium Blancpain Air Command that came out not too long ago. It’s going up against […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 Vs. Blancpain Air Command In Titanium And Green to read the full article.

IAMWATCH in Singapore, an Independent Watchmaking-Centric Event

Singapore retailer The Hour Glass is staging IAMWATCH over four days in October 2024. The event is conceived as a gathering for watch enthusiasts with notable independent watchmakers in attendance, including Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, Florian Bédat and Gaël Petermann, Kari Voutilainen, Raúl Pagès, and Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia. IAMWATCH will serve as a platform for face-to-face engagement between watch enthusiasts and noted industry personalities like Aurel Bacs, Jean Arnault, Maximilian Büsser, and Pierre Biver, providing enthusiasts opportunities to connect and learn. The event includes presentations, lectures, and fireside chats with more than 40 industry insiders. IAMWATCH will be held at the Singapore Edition hotel. Admission is free and open to the public daily October 18-20, from 11 am-8 pm, however, registration is required and it can be done online at Iamwatch.com.  

Masterpieces of Historical English Watchmaking at Phillips

Phillips’ upcoming New York auction, taking place on June 8 and 9, includes an unusual number of exceptional, highly complicated English pocket watches. Notably, these watches were consigned by the same discerning collector who owned the unique Patek Philippe ref. 767 with double split-seconds that recently sold for US$1.30 million including fees. All dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, the pocket watches exemplify the most prestigious type of timepiece in the world during the period, the high-quality English watch. Banker J. Pierpont Morgan, for instance, was an avid collector of English watches, and owned what was then the most complicated watch in the world, and made in England naturally. Quintessentially English That, however, was also when English watchmaking of this quality peaked. A victim of economic crises, war, and unwillingness to adopt new manufacturing technologies, high-end English watchmaking would go extinct after the Great Depression, though it has been revived in the 21st century in artisanal form thanks to the likes of Charles Frodsham. English watches in their heyday were often very complicated, but restrained in terms of movement decoration. This same philosophy would later be employed by George Daniels, who understood that quality did not equal decoration. He famously said on several occasions that a high-quality watches does not need fanciful decoration (which he implied was customarily Swiss). The auction includes five English pocket ...

The Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad Combines Adventurous Contemporary Watchmaking with Old School Craft

Very few things put a smile on my face quite like the Ulysse Nardin Freak. It’s one of the first haute horlogerie watches I can remember encountering, well before watches were ever a hobby or preoccupation,  in a glossy magazine advertisement that I probably saw while waiting for a doctor’s appointment or something else similarly trivial and forgettable. The Freak, though, has stayed with me. How could it not? It’s one of the most cleverly named watches ever made, for one. And its “no dial, no hands, no crown” concept continues to endure, and even after multiple decades of horological innovation surrounding Ulysse Nardin (which they very much had a role in kicking off) it remains every bit as avante-garde, insane, and completely delightful as its always been.  For the third straight year, Ulysse Nardin has brought just one watch to show at Watches & Wonders. The Freak S Nomad, a follow up to 2022’s Freak S, is a futuristic tour-de-force that pays tribute to classical watchmaking at the same time as it shows us something we’ve never quite seen before. The movement, an imposing flying carousel that rotates around its own axis, features two balance wheels posted at a 20 degree incline linked to a vertically integrated differential mounted to ball bearings. Every Freak movement, no matter how advanced or comparatively simple (this one is the most advanced there is) is an exercise in problem solving. When the movement itself is in motion, it adds a whole layer o...

SIHH 2017 A. Lange & Sohne Overview: Epitome of Watchmaking

For SIHH 2017 A. Lange & Sohne unveiled a new Tourbograph Perpetual "Pour le Mérite”, new day/night indicator for Lange 1 Moon Phase and a new Lange 31.

Blancpain’s Six Masterpieces: The Watches That Revived High Watchmaking

Omega Speedmaster vs TAG Heuer Monaco: Which Chronograph Is Worth Owning?

Find out how the Omega Speedmaster 3861 and TAG Heuer Monaco compare in movement performance, build quality, and wrist comfort and why reputation only tells part of the story.

Istanbul Watch Festival 2026 brings watchmaking and customisation to the Bosphorus

Inside the inaugural Istanbul Watch Festival, where 7,500 visitors gathered to explore brands including Quantum, Nomos, Bremont and Doxa

Mido vs. Oris: Which Brand Makes The Better Dive Watch?

At nearly three times the price, does the Oris Aquis really outperform the Mido Ocean Star 200? Our hands-on experience reveals a surprising winner.

Casio Duro vs Seiko 5 Sports: Which Affordable Dive Watch Wins?

We put the Casio Duro and Seiko 5 Sports head-to-head, comparing build quality, movements, wrist comfort, and everyday practicality to find the better buy.

Why George Daniels 100: “The Genesis of Artisanal Watchmaking” at IAMWATCH is a Must-See

Does Harry Styles’ Latest Corp-Core Costuming Tell Us Something About the Staying Power of Classic Watchmaking?

I hail from the boyband era. NSYNC was not my first concert but my second, following the Spice Girls. However, the allure of the pop group seems to fade with age. By the time One Direction came around, I had graduated from college, and my musical tastes had shifted to bands like Vampire Weekend, The 1975, and Chvrches. Now, a decade since the quintet dismantled, the concept of an ensemble seems nearly obsolete in the age of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. So, perhaps Justin Timberlake and Harry Styles had the right idea to branch out on their own, become solo artists, and evolve not just musically but in other forms of self-expression. Circling back to first concerts, I recently took my 10-year-old niece to hers at Harry Styles’ Madison Square Garden residency. Like any good watch nerd, I immediately noticed a timepiece on his wrist during the show and could vaguely ID the model – something simple, classic, and square, perhaps a Cartier. Turns out I was right – I did a quick search, and the internet confirmed it was not just a Cartier but a vintage one at that – an 18-karat gold Tank Louis on a black leather strap to be exact. If you’ve been unable to escape the Harry Styles fandom over the years, you’re well aware he’s known for his audacious, colorful, and flamboyant looks that defy gender norms – think glitter, pearls, and feather boas, literally – something you might pair with a watch from an independent like Moser or Studio Underd0g. Yet, at his New York City r...

(Hands-On) Does Raymond Weil’s Toccata Heritage Revive Accessible Dress Watchmaking?

Raymond Weil’s Toccata Heritage wears its inspiration on its sleeve, but is the flash backed up by substance? Let’s find out! What We Love: Elegant, flowing case Beautiful movement Incredible price point What We Don’t: Soft but fragile strap Power reserve feels low compared to on-paper Is luxury ever attainable? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8/10 The definition of luxury is, for the most part, anyone’s guess. Maybe it’s the hundred-million-dollar, feature-laden superyacht crewed by Playboy models, or perhaps it’s something as mundane as a carton of eggs at the grocery store. I find that luxury is relative to one’s financial circumstances: a want that’s just slightly out of reach, not entirely necessary to one’s sanity or physical wellbeing, but something whose acquisition feels like reaching a new level in life. This is entirely different from a pipe dream, such as the aforementioned superyacht, but the watch world often treats the two as one and the same. Luxury watches aren’t often considered truly luxurious until they cross a certain price threshold, usually somewhere in the high four or five figures, if not six. But ‘accessible luxury’ isn’t quite the oxymoron the industry might have you believe, and Raymond Weil is proof. Since 1976, the independent watchmaker has sought to make traditional elegance more attainable, offering classically styled timepieces at comparatively acce...

Timex Deepwater vs Citizen Promaster: Two Affordable Dive Watches, One Winner

We compare the Timex Deepwater Meridian 200 and Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver hands-on, examining their movements, build quality, legibility, and everyday wearability.

The Beaubleu La Pièce No. 1 is a wonderfully eccentric celebration of French watchmaking

Discover the Beaubleu La Pièce No. 1, a distinctive French dress watch with circular hands, a mysterious dial, and elegant vintage styling

Seiko Turtle vs Bulova Caravelle: Which Affordable Dive Watch Would We Keep?

We've reviewed the Seiko Turtle and Bulova Caravelle Sea Hunter hands-on. Here's which affordable dive watch we'd keep, and why the other fell short.

Omega Speedmaster vs Christopher Ward C63 Valour: What Makes a Great Chronograph?

We compare the Omega Speedmaster and Christopher Ward C63 Valour hands-on to explore chronograph performance, ownership appeal, and what separates their prices.

Portrait - Miyota, The Engine Behind the Watch, And The Rise of the Japanese Movement Maker

For more than four decades, Miyota has been quietly powering watches from brands around the world. As the watch industry evolves, however, the movement manufacturer is increasingly stepping into the spotlight – highlighting not only its technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities, but also the role movements play in the identity, reliability and long-term value of […]

Casio Duro vs Omega Seamaster: Is a $6k Dive Watch Really Better Than a $50 One?

We compare the $50 Casio Duro and $6,000 Omega Seamaster Diver 300M hands-on to see whether a luxury dive watch is actually better where it matters.

Seiko Turtle vs Citizen Promaster NY0040: An Affordable Dive Watch Reality Check

We compare the Seiko Turtle and Citizen Promaster NY0040 after hands-on testing to find out which affordable automatic dive watch delivers more.

Tudor Black Bay GMT vs Christopher Ward C63 GMT: Is Tudor Worth the Premium?

We compare the Tudor Black Bay GMT and Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT on wearability, movements, build quality, and value to see which GMT makes more sense.

A Majestic Journey Through Clocks & Watches Made for Royalty: The Victorian Age of Time - Queen Victoria and the Watchmaking Revolution

From the imposing astronomical clocks of Tudor England to the exquisite pendant watches of Victorian Britain, timekeeping has long been a symbol of power, prestige, and technological marvel within Europe’s royal courts. This new series explores the fascinating evolution of clocks and watches crafted specifically for royalty, tracing how these intricate masterpieces reflected the tastes, ambitions, and innovations of monarchs. Through the lens of craftsmanship, artistry, and historical significance, we reveal how these royal timepieces marked the passage of dynasties and empires. Victoria (1819-1901) was the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland between 1837 and 1901 and empress of India from 1876 to 1901. She was the last monarch of the House of Hanover and a queen whose reign defined an age known as the Victorian Era. It was a period of immense change and expansion that shaped Britain and the modern world. Under her rule, the monarchy evolved into the symbolic, ceremonial institution it is today. Victorian Britain was the workshop of the world, a place where science, engineering and artistry converged to define a new age of progress. From railways and telegraphs to the marvels of the Great Exhibition, innovation pulsed at the heart of empire. In horology, too, Britain played a commanding role with its precision chronometers keeping the navy supreme, while its watchmakers and clockmakers set standards of craftsmanship that resonated across Europe.  In...

Affordable vs Luxury Military Watches: Is More Money Worth It?

After years of testing military watches, we break down what spending more actually gets you, from better engineering and materials to genuine military provenance.

The ABCs of Time - The History of American Watchmaking

Pocket watches were born in the early 16th century in Germany (Nuremberg eggs) but were very expensive, handmade curiosities that kept horrible time and were composed of components unique to each piece. Replacement parts had to be custom-made, and manufacturing times were long – it could take a year to produce a single watch. This dynamic […]

Time to Drive Brings Watchmaking and Motoring to Miami

Rolex Perpetual Padellone: A New Era of Complicated Rolex Watchmaking

Titan Stellar Review: Indian Watchmaking Makes A Move For Enthusiasts

Exploring Titan's audacious leap into the enthusiast space with proprietary mechanics and aerospace-grade materialsMore

Rdunae RA03 vs Benrus DTU-2A/P: A $45 Quartz Field Watch Meets a $990 Reissue

Can a $45 field watch capture what a $990 Benrus does? I wore the Rdunae RA03 and Benrus DTU-2A/P to find where the money actually goes.