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Results for Aluminum Bezel Insert

969 articles · 93 videos found · page 32 of 36

Hublot’s Latest Big Bang is Made From Novak Djokovic’s Racquets SJX Watches
Hublot s Latest Big Bang Dec 16, 2024

Hublot’s Latest Big Bang is Made From Novak Djokovic’s Racquets

Hublot’s latest release is a limited edition created in collaboration with Novak Djokovic, the tennis champion who has 24 Grand Slam titles. The Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is encased in a carbon composite that recycles the player’s tennis racquets and Lacoste polo t-shirts. And its movement has been reworked to utilise aluminium bridges and plates, ensuring the entire watch weighs less than a tennis ball. Initial thoughts Often criticised for its pricey, Sellita-equipped entry-level models and numerous limited editions, Hublot is sometimes controversial. The brand’s higher-end watches, however, are usually more interesting (and occasionally very complex) and sometimes better value. Priced at US$52,700, the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is expensive enough that it’s not a value proposition. It is, however, interesting for the case material. Moreover it holds a special appeal for fans of Novak Djokovic. And intrinsically, it is technically competent as it’s equipped with a modified Unico movement that is mostly aluminium and ultra light. Tennis racquets Sized like the standard Big Bang Unico, this measures 42 mm by 14.5 mm. The case material, however, is unique. The case and bezel are in a composite derived from 25 Head tennis racquets, 17 dark blue and 15 light blue Lacoste polo t-shirts used by Djokovic throughout the 2023 season. These ground-up racquets and shirts are mixed with an epoxy resin reinforced with quartz powder and glass, resulting in a distinc...

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Omega Introduces the Concise Seamaster Diver 300M “No-Date” SJX Watches
Omega Introduces Nov 29, 2024

Omega Introduces the Concise Seamaster Diver 300M “No-Date”

Teased at earlier this year during the Summer Olympics when it was photographed on Daniel Craig’s wrist, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M without a date has finally been officially unveiled. Making its debut in monochromatic colours, the no-frills Seamaster is essentially another take on the Seamaster 300M 007 Edition of 2019. The Seamaster “no-date” is available with either a black-aluminium dial laser engraved with the model’s customary wave-like pattern, or a vertically brushed steel dial with a silvery PVD coating. Less obvious but more notable for enthusiasts is the domed sapphire crystal that lends a vintage feel. Since Omega announced it will no longer be releasing limited edition watches, the new duo will be part of the permanent collection. Initial thoughts The date window has always been a hotly debated topic within watch enthusiast circles, which tend to prefer the purity of a date-less dial. No matter where a date window is placed, there will be critics. In my view, such criticism is sometimes valid. The Seamaster 300M certainly benefits from the facelift, which results in a more aesthetically pleasing dial. The clean dial also suits the functional nature of the model. Priced at US$6,500 on the mesh bracelet, the new Seamaster is priced right considering the feature, including the in-house cal. 8806, a METAS-certified Master Chronometer movement. Ironically, the new Seamaster is US$600 more expensive than the variant with a date. That said, it is arguably...

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Taking A Closer Look At The Yema Manufacture Morteau Fratello
Yema Nov 25, 2024

Taking A Closer Look At The Yema Manufacture Morteau

During one of the last years at Basel, we met the folks from Yema at a nearby hotel. They showed us fantastic and faithful reissues from the brand’s heyday of the 1960s and ’70s. Since then, a lot has changed as there’s now the Yema Manufacture Morteau where three calibers are produced. Let’s look at […] Visit Taking A Closer Look At The Yema Manufacture Morteau to read the full article.

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The Golden Age of Rolex Movements Part II: Rolex gets Complicated with Innovations and Patent Registrations Quill & Pad
Rolex Movements Part II Rolex Sep 7, 2024

The Golden Age of Rolex Movements Part II: Rolex gets Complicated with Innovations and Patent Registrations

From the public’s perspective, Rolex’s surge into its movement revolution began with the now anachronistic-sounding Basel 2000 World Watch, Clock, and Jewelry Show. But the evidence of a long-term engineering campaign was mounting at the patent office and in the dealers’ showrooms as this article by Tim Mosso highlights.

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Rolex Turn-o-Graph: What You Should Know About the Rolex Tool Watch th Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Jun 14, 2024

Rolex Turn-o-Graph: What You Should Know About the Rolex Tool Watch th

From the beginning of 1953 to the end of 1954, Rolex had perhaps the most productive and impactful period that any watchmaker had ever managed in a two-year stretch. The Explorer, the gold standard of adventure-oriented luxury watches, debuted in the summer of 1953 and the first Submariner, the quintessential diver’s watch, was manufactured that same year. The Submariner’s public debut wasn’t until 1954 at the Basel Watch Fair, but it wasn’t the only trendsetting Rolex watch the Crown released that year: the other was the original GMT-Master, the dual-time travel watch against which all others are measured. Photo: Matthew Bain We all are familiar with the three iconic Oyster Perpetual timepieces above, but few may be aware that Rolex released another tool watch in 1953, whose production not only preceded that of the Submariner and GMT-Master but whose signature design feature influenced the look of both. That watch is the Rolex Turn-o-Graph, the first serially produced Rolex tool watch equipped with a rotating bezel that could be used for timing intervals. (To be thorough, it should be noted that it was not the very first Rolex watch with such a feature: the Zerographe Ref. 3346, made way back in 1937, takes that honor, along with the distinction of being the first Rolex watch with a movement made in-house -  with a flyback chronograph, no less. The rarest of unicorns, the Zerographe (below) is nearly forgotten today, rarely mentioned in official Rolex literatur...

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Wait a seconde/seconde/: A Conversation with Romaric André Worn & Wound
Nivada Grenchen high end entry May 31, 2024

Wait a seconde/seconde/: A Conversation with Romaric André

If you’re involved in the watch industry to any degree, even as a collector, you’ve definitely heard of seconde/seconde/, or at least seen his work. Timex, Bausele, Lima, Squale, Atelier Wen, Bamford Watch Co., Spinnaker, Furlan Marri, Maen, Sequent, Isotope, Louis Erard, Vulcain, Nivada Grenchen - high end, entry level, micro brand, independent, and large established companies. Romaric André (seconde/seconde/) has vandalized the world of watches at every level. He makes us smile, and causes many of us to view this large and serious industry with a bit of levity and added consideration.  I connected with Romaric via Instagram. During the month of January my hand was broken, so instead of posting my own wrist shots I thought it would be fun to highlight friends in the Instagram watch community. One such friend had a Timex x seconde/seconde/ Polar collaboration with a wonderful whirling penguin rotating for a seconds hand. I made a comment in the caption stating that I wish I had jumped on the Timex x seconde/seconde/ collaboration, and moments later Romaric popped into my DM’s to let me know where I could get one at retail price. It brought me such joy to connect with him and get the watch, but it also opened the door for me to conduct an interview and get to know a bit about the man behind all the fun.  Although it might seem like seconde/seconde/ has been part of our community only recently, he’s actually been involved with watches for some time. After going ...

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Zenith Introduces Pilot Pair in Blue SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces Pilot Pair Jan 24, 2024

Zenith Introduces Pilot Pair in Blue

A year after revamping Pilot collection with fresh-faced aesthetics, Zenith releases a pair of boutique editions – the Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback. Both feature blue dials with a linear horizontal pattern inspired by stamped aluminium body panels of vintage aircraft. Initial thoughts Zenith is best known for El Primero of 1969, a high-frequency chronograph calibre now in its second generation, which is the movement found in both new Pilot models, although the former is not a chronograph. Both, however, share the same design that defines the current Pilot line-up. Unveiled last year, the Pilot has a friendlier, more modern face than most aviator’s watches that tend to be military-inspired. It has all of the hallmarks of a pilot’s watch, including large Arabic numerals and legibility, but manages to look distinct from all the other pilot’s watches on the market. Although blue is hardly a novel colour, the new patterned dials adds to the contemporary look, being even less military-esque than last year’s models in conventional black. The Pilot Automatic retails for US$7,500, while the Pilot Big Date Flyback retails for US$11,500. The time-and-date automatic is relatively pricey for a simple watch, although the high-beat, in-house movement helps justify the price somewhat. On the other hand, the chronograph is competitive against similar watches from rival brands, particularly since the calibre inside is the latest generation of the El Primero. Moreov...

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Tiffany & Co.’s Table Clock Inspired by 1950s New York Taxicab SJX Watches
Patek Philippe timepieces Dec 19, 2023

Tiffany & Co.’s Table Clock Inspired by 1950s New York Taxicab

Now a cultural icon of New York City, Tiffany & Co. has turned to 1950s taxicabs of its home city for its latest tabletop timepiece. The Tiffany Taxi is an eight-day clock in aluminium and steel – in brand’s signature colour naturally. Taking the shape of a typical 1950s American automobile with tail fins, the Tiffany Taxi is both a timekeeper and automaton – it incorporates a time display as well as a V8 engine with moving pistons. And like past Tiffany clocks, it is made by L’Epée 1839, the go-to specialist in Switzerland for high-end clocks. Initial thoughts While primarily known for jewellery watches like its signature Bird on a Rock and double-signed Patek Philippe timepieces, the New York jeweller has recently unveiled a line of table clocks. The Tiffany Taxi is its most elaborate to date. In addition to the time display inside the engine compartment, the Taxi clock also has an “engine”, a mechanism taking the form of a V8 engine with pistons that move when the engine is “started”. Charming as it is, the Tiffany Taxi is a pricey horological novelty, with a retail price of US$50,000. It is, however, an impressive object for the desk that is particularly faithful to Tiffany’s history as a New York City institution. Inspired by midcentury cabs The Tiffany Taxi is modelled on the iconic taxicabs of New York City, in particular the Yellow Cabs made famous the world over by films about the city – but the clock is of course in the familiar Robin egg bl...

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Hands On: Philippe Dufour Simplicity Prototype No. 000 in Pink Gold SJX Watches
Oct 30, 2023

Hands On: Philippe Dufour Simplicity Prototype No. 000 in Pink Gold

With “indies” all the rage now, auction catalogues usually have a generous helping of independent watchmaking. Amongst the many offerings from the genre this season, a handful stand out, including the Philippe Dufour Simplicity prototype no. 000 in Phillips’ Geneva watch auction that takes place on November 3 and 4, 2023. This is one of three prototype watches Mr Dufour made for the 2000 Basel fair when the Simplicity made its debut. Two of them were in white gold with a silvered guilloche dial – Mr Dufour himself frequently wears one of them – and the last was this watch, which is pink gold with a white lacquered dial. Initial thoughts Today Philippe Dufour has grown beyond the personality and is essentially a brand, an evolution that arguably took place after the 20th anniversary Simplicity was launched 2020. In contrast, this Simplicity prototype, along with the first 200 examples Mr Dufour made, encapsulates the artisanal beginnings of the man and his brand. At the time of the Simplicity’s launch, and for more than a decade after, Mr Dufour found neither fame nor fortune, given that he only made a handful of Simplicity watches each year and sold each for about US$40,000. The early watches are perhaps purer creations that capture the essence of Mr Dufour’s vision, which was to pay tribute to the heyday of Vallee de Joux watchmaking. Mr Dufour, of course, managed to do it slightly better, explaining why his creations are often regarded as having the best m...

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The Ulysse Nardin Freak One is a super-freak and chic Time+Tide
Ulysse Nardin Freak One May 17, 2023

The Ulysse Nardin Freak One is a super-freak and chic

Ulysse Nardin’s original Freak shook the watch-o-sphere to the core when unveiled at Basel in 2001. It was like nothing anyone had seen before; a complete reimagining of how a watch can function and display time where there was no crown, no dial and no hands. Seemingly so complex with a gear train sprawled across … ContinuedThe post The Ulysse Nardin Freak One is a super-freak and chic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Like coffee? The Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is made from it… Time+Tide
Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso May 14, 2023

Like coffee? The Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is made from it…

The Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin finds use for recycled aluminium and coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules. You can even see flecks of coffee running throughout the rubber strap. The Hublot Greenbox is also being introduced, which will house all Hublot’s future collections. Recycled materials have been appearing more and more in Swiss luxury … ContinuedThe post Like coffee? The Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is made from it… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Urwerk Introduces the UR-102 “Reloaded” SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces Mar 23, 2023

Urwerk Introduces the UR-102 “Reloaded”

The long anticipated revival of Urwerk’s first model has finally arrived: the UR-102 “Reloaded” is modelled on the watch Urwerk presented at its debut Basel fair in 1997. The new UR-102 preserves the pebble-like form of the original but with enough tweaks to make it different, most notably with a larger case and revamped time display. The model makes it debut as a box set containing two UR-102s, one in titanium and the other all black. Initial thoughts I was looking forward to Urwerk’s revival of the UR-102. And I’m not disappointed with the result – except for the fact that it’s sold only as a pair. The “Reloaded” version is obviously modelled on the 1997 original, but it’s also clearly a different creation. For one, it’s larger and the time display has been redesigned. Add to that the restyled lugs and repositioned crown and you have a watch that’s very much distinct. In short, the new UR-102 is not a remake but a successful and appealing reinterpretation of the original. Leaving aside its origins, the UR-102 also has intrinsic appeal. It’s a clean, attractive design with sci-fi vibes. But the UR-102 is being sold as a pair – both identical save for the case finish – but subsequent versions will be sold individually, making them more accessible. Coming full circle At 41 mm the UR-102 “Reloaded” is noticeably larger than the 1997 original that was just 38 mm wide. The enlarged case retains the same streamlined outline that was inspired b...

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[VIDEO] How We Travel With Watches Worn & Wound
Oris Jan 19, 2023

[VIDEO] How We Travel With Watches

Traveling with your watch offers the perfect opportunity to bond with it in ways not possible in your normal day to day routine. It might even give you the chance to use some of those complications you’re always telling people about. But beyond that, the hussle bussle of the airport and landing in a different time zone allow you the opportunity to appreciate your watch in a different light. Sometimes the best travel companions aren’t “travel” watches at all, but rather watches that are easy to adjust on the go, and have the broadest range within your wardrobe. This leads to some rather unexpected watches being well suited for the role of travel watch.  In this video, Blake Buettner and Thomas Calara discuss what they look for in a good travel watch, with a selection of watches from their own collections that often find themselves on the go. We’re also incorporating a good candidate from Oris, a new Diver 65 with a 12 hour bezel. All this in service of wearing our watches more often, and traveling with fewer rolls and pouches in tow. And, of course, actually using our watches. This is a topic we’ll visit in an upcoming podcast, but we’d love to hear your thoughts so jump into the video above and leave a comment on YouTube or in the comment section below. If you make the jump over to YouTube, be sure to give our channel a follow, we’ve got plenty of new video content in the works, from reviews to reactions, you’ll find it all there. The post [VIDEO] How We...

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Follow us at Geneva Watch Days 2021, starting right now with MB&F; madness and Moser magic Time+Tide
MB&F; Aug 31, 2021

Follow us at Geneva Watch Days 2021, starting right now with MB&F; madness and Moser magic

At first it was so strange. And it had the drama, the inevitability, of a tipping point being reached. SIHH’s changed name. Basel stumbled, fell, then disintegrated into dust. COVID-19 hit, everything stopped. Then out of these ashes, Geneva Watch Days 2020 emerged. I was unable to go, along with anyone from our Australian team, … ContinuedThe post Follow us at Geneva Watch Days 2021, starting right now with MB&F; madness and Moser magic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Harry Winston Unveils the Project Z15 SJX Watches
Jul 20, 2021

Harry Winston Unveils the Project Z15

Launched in 2004, the Project Z is Harry Winston’s flagship series within its Ocean line of sports watches, defined by the aluminium-zirconium alloy used for the cases known as Zalium. Traditionally dominated by chronographs and dual time zones, as is typical for a sports watch, the Project Z collection now is now joined by one of the most unusual models to date, the Project Z15. The new model boasts a gently upgraded design and novel mechanics, especially for a sports watch – a regulator-style time display with retrograde seconds, set against a skeletonised dial inspired by New York City’s Art Deco architecture. Initial thoghts Like its elder siblings, the Project Z15 is masculine in style but muted in colour, all about symmetry and clean, geometric lines, which results in a techno-industrial look that’ll appeal to someone who wants an interesting but understated sports watch. The new Z15 is a first for the brand in having a regulator-style display, which means the hours, minutes, and seconds hand indicated on separate axes arranged in a vertical line. The layout is not only vertically symmetrical, it improves readability, as much as possible for an open-worked, regulator dial. Most notable is the retrograde 30-second display, which means the seconds hand returns to zero twice a minute, creating near-constant action on the dial. Interestingly, the skeletonised bridges on the dial finished with a simple, linear graining, giving the face a look that brings to min...

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The Tudor Black Bay Bronze 58 is the first Tudor I’ve bought in over 5 years, these are the reasons why… Time+Tide
Tudor Black Bay Bronze 58 Jul 14, 2021

The Tudor Black Bay Bronze 58 is the first Tudor I’ve bought in over 5 years, these are the reasons why…

I still clearly and plainly remember the day I first saw a Tudor Black Bay. It happened to be my first ever Basel. The year was 2012, and I should really paint a picture of the minutes leading up to the discovery. Because these were also quite memorable. They were the first moments ever spent … ContinuedThe post The Tudor Black Bay Bronze 58 is the first Tudor I’ve bought in over 5 years, these are the reasons why… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Only Watch 2021: Urwerk UR-102 “Gaïa” SJX Watches
Urwerk UR-102 “Gaïa” While several Jul 2, 2021

Only Watch 2021: Urwerk UR-102 “Gaïa”

While several of the watchmakers taking part in Only Watch 2021 have turned to historical timepieces for inspiration, all have created new watches for the biennial charity auction, except for Urwerk. An intriguing blend of new and vintage, the UR-102 “Gaïa” is actually one of the brand’s earliest watches that’s been given a new case back decor. Launched in 1997, the UR-102 had a low-cost aluminium case contrasted with a platinum case back, along with a wandering hours display. Urwerk retrieved an original example of the UR-102 to create the Gaïa, which is named after the watchmaking industry prize Urwerk’s twin founders received in 2020. The Gaïa preserves the aluminium case and movement, but its platinum back has been finished with a speckled, blue-lacquer motif inspired by the Gaïa Prize trophy. Initial thoughts While the complexity and materials of the UR-102 “Gaïa” pale in comparison to the brand’s modern-day creations, the Gaïa is significant for the brand both intrinsically and philosophically. The watch itself is historically important, being one of the brand’s first watches, while the reference to the Gaïa Prize is a symbol of Urwerk’s success since the difficult early days when the UR-102 was introduced. In fact, the watch encapsulates Urwerk’s progress over the past 25 years in a tangible sense, with the aluminium case of its early days now bearing the Gaïa Prize motif that exemplifies its success. UFO The Gaïa retains much of th...

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Hands-On: Longines Heritage Silver Arrow SJX Watches
Longines Heritage Silver Arrow One Mar 30, 2021

Hands-On: Longines Heritage Silver Arrow

One of several historical reissues Longines launched this year, the Heritage Silver Arrow is modelled on a wristwatch produced for a brief period starting in 1955. Named after the aluminium-bodied Mercedes race cars of the period, the watch was sleek, simple, and accented with details in the metalwork, something that the remake captures well. Notably, this is the second remake of the Silver Arrow, the first was launched in 2009 as the Silver Arrow 1955, and it had a date at three. Initial thoughts It’s becoming a cliche, but Longines does vintage remakes well and also does a lot of them. The designers at Longines are well versed with remakes, and they have clearly gotten better with time. The Silver Arrow still manages to outdo its peers in many ways, because it manages to get practically everything right. Longines’ remakes are uniformly good, but to varying degrees, and the Silver Arrow is one of the best. That’s helped by the fact that the vintage original is a straightforward watch, with only a few key elements that define the watch. Longines got all that right: the details are reasonably correct and well executed, the quality of finish is good, and the watch is a good size that evokes the feeling of the vintage original. Like all vintage remakes, the Silver Arrow is neither creative nor imaginative, but it is a handsome watch that is strong value for money. And that’s enough to make this a compelling choice for someone looking for a time-only watch in the US$2...

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Longines Remakes the 1950s Silver Arrow SJX Watches
Longines Remakes Feb 10, 2021

Longines Remakes the 1950s Silver Arrow

Named after the aluminium-bodied Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 cars of the 1950s, the Longines Silver Arrow was introduced in 1956. Typical of mid-20th century gentlemen’s watches, the Silver Arrow is a functional but elegant design with a discreet flourish in the form of fluted hour markers. Notably, the Silver Arrow was first reproduced about a decade ago, but with a date and simpler execution all around. Now it returns as a more sophisticated remake that is far closer to the vintage original, but with a latest generation ETA movement equipped with a silicon hairspring. Initial thoughts Like the brand’s other recent remakes, the Silver Arrow maintains the look and feel of the original, albeit enlarged as most reproductions are. The dial has the details of the original, as does the thin case and even the crown. Longines’ Heritage remakes are often modelled on military-issue or sports watches, resulting in a strongly utilitarian aesthetic. The Silver Arrow is different, offering another look while still preserving the strong value of Longines’ historical remakes. Priced at US$2,100, the Silver Arrow will be difficult to beat in terms of classical watches in its price segment. Silver Arrow redux The silver dial features unusual, fluted indices just like the vintage original. That, along with the sword hands and correct typography create a faithful replica of the 1956 Silver Arrow. As is standard practice, the remake is larger than the original, although the new Silver Arr...

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Rolex, Patek, Tudor and TAG plus 34 other brands to show at Watches and Wonders in April Time+Tide
Tudor Feb 4, 2021

Rolex, Patek, Tudor and TAG plus 34 other brands to show at Watches and Wonders in April

I will be perfectly honest, ever since starting to write about watches, my sincere wish has been to meet up with the Time+Tide team at Basel, SIHH or even some far-flung Far Eastern destination. But then, KER-CLUNK! It was as if a giant hand pulled down a large POWER OFF handle, the lights dimmed and … ContinuedThe post Rolex, Patek, Tudor and TAG plus 34 other brands to show at Watches and Wonders in April appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Zenith Introduces the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces Jan 25, 2021

Zenith Introduces the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver

Launched alongside the Chronomaster Sport at LVMH Watch Week, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver is a limited edition that’s a nod to Zenith’s long history of aviation watches – with a twist. While the style is the 1920s-inspired look typical of Zenith’s Pilot range, the new chronograph is dressed entirely in sterling silver, giving it a bright finish. Inspired by the aluminium bodies of vintage aircraft, the silver case will darken with time as the alloy oxidises, but the dial will remain pristine, protected by the case. Initial thoughts Zenith has been on a tear in recent years, introducing a diversity of watches, ranging from the Chronomaster Revival A385 to the mind-boggling Defy Inventor. Few of the new launches were Pilot models, resulting in a quiet spell for the line, a shame considering Zenith’s storied heritage in aviation watches. The new chronograph will no doubt do its part to revive the line. Pilot’s watches are often aesthetically conservative – not so here. The Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Silver is meant to stand out on the wrist, and I’m all for it. I had the opportunity to interact with a prototype, and the riveted, silver dial looks even better in the metal. The brushed surface has a shimmering quality that changes under different light, allowing it to catch the eye from every angle. Clad in silver The Chronograph Silver is cased in sterling silver, or 925, indicating it is 92.5% silver by weight. While not the first Pilot ...

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Kross Studio Introduces the 1989 Batmobile Desk Clock SJX Watches
MB&F; Nov 11, 2020

Kross Studio Introduces the 1989 Batmobile Desk Clock

Only just established by a team of watch-industry veterans, Kross Studio is making its debut with the 1989 Batmobile Desk Clock. Instantly recognisable as the Batmobile driven by Michael Keaton as Batman, the clock is powered by an in-house, 30-day movement. The aluminium-bodied clock is modelled on the Batmobile from Batman, the hit 1989 film directed by Tim Burton. Its sleek, Art Deco lines defined the styling of the Batmobile in all subsequent movies, until the franchise was rebooted with Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, which reimagined the Batmobile as an aggressive, military-style vehicle known as the Tumbler. Initial thoughts The Batmobile Desk Clock is cool, especially for anyone who grew up in the 1990s, when Michael Keaton’s Batman was the definitive version of the “Caped Crusader”. Importantly, Kross Studio managed to capture the look of the vehicle while unobtrusively incorporating the clock elements without disrupting the design. Mechanically it is also well executed. Unlike most high-end desk clocks that are powered by movements made by L’Epee 1839, the Batmobile clock is equipped with a movement of Kross Studio’s own design and manufacture. At a bit under US$30,000, the clock is priced reasonably enough, though not quite a value buy. The cost is similar to comparable clocks by MB&F;, though not as affordable as the self-propelling car clock made by independent watchmaker John-Mikaël Flaux. A clockmaking startup Founded by a five-person team, ...

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Rimowa Introduces the Rimowa Watch Case SJX Watches
Oct 31, 2020

Rimowa Introduces the Rimowa Watch Case

Famous for its stamped aluminium luggage that’s has become a status symbol of sorts, Rimowa has just unveiled the Rimowa Watch Case. Like its signature suitcases, Rimowa’s watch box is made of matte aluminium with parallel grooves and also steeply priced, with a retail of just over US$2,000. Initial thoughts The utility of Rimowa’s aluminium luggage – namely its robustness – doesn’t feature in a watch case, since watch storage doesn’t need to be particularly robust. In fact, the weight of the case – 1.29 kg, or about 2.84 lbs – makes it ironically impractical for travelling. The distinctive all-aluminium aesthetic, however, does translate well into ultra-premium storage for three watches. And premium the watch case is. Rimowa’s diversification is no surprise, especially since the brand was acquired by French luxury conglomerate LVMH in 2016. And watch accessories are particularly sensible, because of the price premiums that can be charged for such accessories. Compare the price of a watch strap to a belt strap by the same maker for instance. The case is disproportionately more expensive compared to Rimowa’s aluminium luggage. In fact, the watch case costs almost 50% more than Rimowa’s largest check-in luggage in aluminium. It doesn’t make sense from a value perspective, but the watch case is cool, especially for someone who appreciates Rimowa’s aesthetic. Pressed, matte, and silvery The watch case is made in Italy, unlike Rimowa’s primary l...

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