Two Broke Watch Snobs
Timex American Documents Watches
A quick look at the new Timex American Documents watches featuring Swiss movements and made-in-USA quality.
3,803 articles · 48 videos found · page 32 of 129
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A quick look at the new Timex American Documents watches featuring Swiss movements and made-in-USA quality.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Just quietly, the Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic is an incredible amount of watch for the money. Cool dial, modern bells and whistles, and a strong power reserve. And it looks good. This is such a great watch. Honestly. I can’t think of many (if any) Swiss-made watches that offer such a punchy package … ContinuedThe post The value proposition on this Tissot is next-level. Seriously, it’s a lot of watch for the money appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: An affordable Swiss-made tourbillon. Words like that were once considered something of an oxymoron. That all changed, however, when in 2016, TAG Heuer’s Carrera Heuer-02T came along, causing something of a stir amongst the watchmaking elite. Well, with this year’s release of the chronometer grade TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Tête de Vipère, those shock … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Can TAG Heuer’s affordable tourbillon match it with the big dogs? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It’s all about the music, man, it’s always been about the music. At least it is for Raymond Weil. And the Swiss-made brand’s Music Icon Series. Not only does it feature limited-edition tributes to artists such as Bob Marley, David Bowie and The Beatles, but it also pays homage to the instruments and equipment that … ContinuedThe post LIST: 3 rockers that could rock the Raymond Weil Tango Marshall Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
This is such a great watch. Honestly. I can’t think of many (if any) Swiss-made watches that offer such a punchy package for this sort of price. Not only do you get the impressive Powermatic 80 movement (more than three days of power reserve rocks) in a good-looking, well-made 300m diver, you get nice little … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Is the Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 the best-value diver of 2018? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
With a refined 1960s aesthetic plus a new take on a lesser-spotted dive bezel, British-based Farer introduces an all-new Swiss-made sports watch.
Bulgari once again shocks the world by presenting the thinnest automatic watch ever made, the Octo Finissimo. Revolution examines this unique Italian-Swiss brand that is doing things differently… with great success.
Revolution
The COSC-Certified tourbillon chronograph that made the Swiss watch industry have to rethink its understanding of the term “value”. Revolution’s 2016 Best Complication award goes to, the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02T.
Deployant
In a stunning industry move, TAG Heuer launches the impressive Carrera Heuer-02T, which can easily be known as the most affordable Swiss-made tourbillon watch today.
Revolution
Would you believe that watches have souls of their own? Renowned watchmakers all over the world take pride in hand-made components, spending precious time on making only the most sincere pieces crafted from their fingertips. One fine Friday morning, reputable Swiss watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis generously hosted a watch craft making session in demonstrating the true […]
Revolution
The Advanced Fighter Weapons School In the 1970s, the Swiss mechanical watch industry was almost wiped out by an electronic threat called quartz technology, which instantly democratized accuracy in the form of cheap, Japanese-made watches. But ultimately, in the clash between soulless battery-operated machines and those handcrafted by human artisans, the mechanical watch won out, […]
Hodinkee
The watches that prove commercial and collector successes emerging from Watches and Wonders 2026 will have climbed a wall of worry. There was plenty to fret over heading into the watch industry's largest and most important annual salon this year. The eruption of war in the Middle East challenged travel plans and clouded the outlook for visitors from the region and beyond. Indeed, sales have certainly been impacted in the Middle East, and the question remains how quickly stability might return.The existing bugbears of the watch sector – rising input costs from raw materials, including record gold values, ongoing U.S. tariffs, not to mention the continued strength of the Swiss franc, as well as years of retail price increases – remained omnipresent. All told, these factors could have set the stage for a subdued, cautious event. Instead, the industry converged in Geneva, striking an optimistic and inclusive tone where it worked hard to show it's been paying attention to the demands of clients and customers with new watches that drove home a theme of demonstrating value in often, but not always, familiar packages. With public-facing events including Montreaux Jazz concerts in the Geneva city center, Watches and Wonders emphasized its role as a cultural tent pole for the industry and the Swiss watchmaking region, aiming to be more open and welcoming. The new, more public-oriented strategy certainly paid off as attendance jumped to nearly 60,000 unique visitors, a record for...
Monochrome
Goliardo Della Balda’s dream of producing high-quality Swiss timepieces at affordable prices materialised with the founding of Delbana watches in 1931. Like many Swiss brands, the quartz crisis took its toll in the 1970s, but the brand was rescued in the mid-1990s and, in 2002, merged with Delma Watch Ltd. to focus on accessible, mid-century-inspired […]
Monochrome
Hitting the road to Fleurier, the discovery of L’Atelier Bernard was not what I expected. Bernard is a rather dated first name – one you rarely hear anymore for young people in Europe’s French-speaking countries. So, when I pushed open the door of their workshop in Fleurier, I was expecting to meet two old Swiss […]
Monochrome
When it comes to watch brands, Moser is something of an iconoclast. From the start, Moser took a less conventional path, often taking jabs at the watchmaking industry with the Swiss Alp watch, deriding smartwatches, and the Swiss Mad watch with its Swiss cheese case. Time has worked its way, and Moser’s preoccupations have matured […]
SJX Watches
The world’s largest luxury group, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), just announced that it has taken a minority stake in Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret, an important supplier to the group’s watch brands as well as the industry at large. Owned by Citizen of Japan, La Joux-Perret also controls a few of its own brands, including Arnold & Son and Angelus, that will remain independent. The solar-powered TAG Heuer Formula 1 that relies on technology licensed from Citizen Initial thoughts LVMH’s investment in La Joux-Perret marks a logical next step in its long-term effort to consolidate movement production within the group. Such arrangements are becoming increasingly common - Hermès and Chanel, for instance, have taken similar minority stakes in movement makers Vaucher and Kenissi, respectively. LVMH, which owns TAG Heuer, Bulgari, Zenith, Hublot, and of course Louis Vuitton, had already hinted at this direction. Last year, Frédéric Arnault, son of Bernard Arnault and then the head of LVMH’s watch division, proposed expanding Zenith’s manufacture to supply movements to other group brands. That plan has been partly realised with Zenith now producing Bulgari’s Solotempo calibre. However, the idea of Zenith supplying a high-volume brand like TAG Heuer always seemed unlikely, which helps explain this latest move. La Joux-Perret’s solar technology for movements is particularly important to TAG Heuer, the most important watch brand in LVMH in terms o...
Monochrome
Eska may not be a well-known brand, but this revived Swiss watchmaker is gaining attention among enthusiasts. Initially founded in 1918 by Silvan Kocher (whose initials inspired the brand’s name), Eska built a reputation in the mid-20th century before succumbing to the Quartz Crisis in the 1980s. Reborn under the direction of Christophe Chevreton and […]
Monochrome
Cosmic Green, Funky Blue, Swiss Mad Red, Citrus Green… Indie brand H. Moser & Cie. is no stranger to bold, expressive colour. These vibrant hues have graced the dials of the Pioneer Centre Seconds series alongside Arctic Blue and Blue Lagoon. Now, Moser adds an Easter-related hue, or rather sun-related, for the new dial colour […]
Worn & Wound
While more marketable leagues like Formula 1 entice with hypercars, social media presence, and reality TV, rally racing continues to wow spectators with its gritty and furious breed of off-road motorsport. Still, the rally world isn’t without flashes of luxury, and Breitling’s three new Top Time B01 Racing models look to celebrate the sport in all its dirty, dangerous beauty. Fortunately, the Swiss brand has a wealth of innovations to pull from their Top Time line-most notable is the “dashboard” dual-chronograph dial design that helps give the new Racing models that rally-inspired edge. All three Racing models are anchored by a stainless steel cushion case that gives the watch a squared-off and recognizably retro-futuristic look. With a 38mm diameter and a 44.4mm lug-to-lug measurement, the Top Time Racing should wear comfortably on most wrists but remain legible-both important factors to consider in motorsports, where one wasted second could spell disaster (or mortal danger). Raised, grooved sections add texture and dimension to each rounded corner of the case and mirror the tight spacing of the ¼ second dashes around the dial. All three models feature perforated calfskin straps nestled within an 18mm lug width, a design that calls to mind vintage racing gloves but still emphasizes durability and sportiness. The aforementioned “dashboard” dual-chronograph dial mimics an instrument cluster, with “squircle” (yes, Breitling does call them that) subdi...
Monochrome
Chronofixe is a French brand created in the mid-19th century in Les Rasses, a small French village near the Swiss Border, just a few kilometres from La Chaux-de-Fonds. Despite the name falling into proverbial oblivion, it was relatively big at some point, with up to 200 workers. Among other watches, it is known for producing […]
Worn & Wound
With 140 years of history, there have been countless milestones for Breitling. One that comes to mind happened on March 21, 1999. It was on that day that an air balloon, called the Breitling Orbiter 3, landed in the Egyptian desert, making Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones the first two men to circumnavigate the globe during this mode of transportation. It’s this tenacity and adventurous spirit which has been imbued in the Swiss brand since 1884 – and there doesn’t seem to be any slowing down. In fact, Breitling’s latest watch, the Aerospace B70 Orbiter 25th Anniversary Edition is a watch to honor Piccard and Jones’ legacy, while hoping to inspire a new generation of adventurers – or those of us who are adventurers at heart. Each watch contains a segment of the original Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, visible through the transparent caseback. Adorned with the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo and the inscription “First non-stop flight around the world 25th anniversary,” this watch serves as a tangible reminder of humanity’s boundless spirit of exploration. The color scheme of the dial matches that of the Breitling Orbiter 3’s capsule, coming in a bright orange that will catch people’s eyes and surely become a conversation starter. The orange dial is complemented by a 43mm titanium case and a choice of a matching bracelet or black rubber strap. The dial itself features the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo at 3 o’clock and the numerals, indices, and hand...
Worn & Wound
At times the vintage watch world can seem like the Wild West: rife with danger and opportunity at the same time. Many who have gone deep down the rabbit hole may have discovered incredibly interesting watches at good value in mid-century watchmaking stalwart Nivada Grenchen. Established in 1926, the Swiss-based brand made a name for itself by building robust timepieces and was one of the first to mass-produce automatically winding watches. Nivada Grenchen, like many others, struggled through the Quartz Crisis but was relaunched in 2018 with the help of entrepreneurs Guillame Laidet and Remi Chabrat. It has emerged from the gates with a core lineup composed of some of its most beloved watches from the 20th century, and from a vintage enthusiast’s vantage point, few brands are doing it like Nivada Grenchen. Every model and configuration oozes old-school cool and has been thoughtfully reinterpreted for today. The Windup Watch Shop is proud to welcome Nivada Grenchen and offer two of its most famous models: The OG Antarctic and the inimitable Chronomaster. At times the vintage watch world can seem like the Wild West: rife with danger and opportunity at the same time. Many who have gone deep down the rabbit hole may have discovered incredibly interesting watches at good value in mid-century watchmaking stalwart Nivada Grenchen. Established in 1926, the Swiss-based brand made a name for itself by building robust timepieces and was one of the first to mass-produce automatically...
Quill & Pad
The history of commissioned timepieces is a long and colorful one, but collector group commissions are perhaps a more recent phenomenon. GaryG recently met with Adam Eisendrath of San Francisco-based collectors 49 Crowns to learn more about the club and to check out two customized watches commissioned from Swiss-based Finnish independent Torsti Laine.
Worn & Wound
Chris Baker is not the typical watch enthusiast we’re used to reading about. He’s not an actor, a titan of industry, or any sort of celebrity brand ambassador. He is, however, the type of person we need more of. Chris describes himself as a “homelessness and housing advocate and service provider.” In fact, he is the founder of The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) in Austin, Texas, a nonprofit that offers humanitarian aid, case management and extremely low-barrier work opportunities to people experiencing homelessness. You may know Chris from Netflix’s hit reality show, Queer Eye. He was the hero featured in season 6, episode 8. For those unfamiliar, Queer Eye is a feel-good show where five hosts come into the lives of extraordinary people who do and represent extraordinary things, but need a hand in claiming ownership of the incredible people that they are. This was my introduction to Chris. I connected with his story so much that I began following him on Instagram, and over the last couple of years he’s become a friendly online acquaintance. Eventually I found out that Chris is a watch enthusiast, so I reached out to him to have a conversation about his love of watches and where they fit into his life. Chris comes off as a rocker who’s made his way around the block, cracking jokes, delivering a bit of snark in a gravel tone, evoking some 90s grunge vibes – I was waiting for him to croon “Black Hole Sun,” alas, it didn’t happen. Instead he explained t...
Worn & Wound
Whether it’s New Yorkers migrating to the Hamptons or their Milanese counterparts holidaying during Ferragosto, it is a universal truth that Summer is the best time to escape the city. Swiss brand Maurice Lacroix’s most recent collection highlights the urban mad dash to vacation with their AIKON Automatic Limited Summer Edition series. The AIKON, first released in 2016, has long taken design inspiration from urban living, but the latest release has softened the steely nature of this watch for something more playful, delicate, and a bit more relaxed. The Summer Edition features a total of six options coming in three sizes: 35mm, 39mm, and 42 mm. Each option celebrates the warmer weather with tonal accents that are reminiscent of sand, sun, and the sea. The most diminutive option, the 35mm comes in two colorways: Ballerina Pink or Tanager Turquoise, giving wearers a desaturated take on classic baby blue and rosy pink, perfect for a feminine touch to one’s wrist. These smallest references include diamond hour markers, setting them apart from the 39mm and 42mm models, which use batons exclusively. The 39mm gets into more unisex territory with its larger size but in many ways remains similar to the 35mm model. The largest option, coming in at 42mm, is available in either Tanager Turquoise or a vibrant alternative, Orange Soda. The addition of the Orange Soda option doesn’t just inject a bit of flavor into the pale options of Turquoise and Ballerina Pink, but also hits...
SJX Watches
A much-anticipated series of auctions just concluded in Geneva, the first sale season to take place after financial markets started to crack in mid 2022. All the major auction houses – Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s – staged sales in the Swiss city, and almost everyone who was anyone turned up (or took part by phone or online). The season’s top performer by the numbers was Christie’s, which sold CHF55.5 million of watches, fees included, largely thanks to the collection of former Ferrari Formula 1 chief Jean Todt. It displaced the traditional number one, Phillips, which sold CHF45.0 million. The Phillips auction at La Reserve. Image – Phillips A few takeaways are immediately apparent in the results. One was widely expected: “hype” watches have come off their highs, often by a third or more. Including obvious candidates like sports watches, namely the Nautilus, Royal Oak, and Overseas, but also brands that enjoyed massive run-ups in value during the pandemic like F.P. Journe. Values are still up from the pre-pandemic lows, but if prices overcorrected on the way up, then it is likely they will do so on the way down. Sotheby’s, for instance, had several dozen examples of various Nautilus and Royal Oak models in its sale, mostly with estimates close to peak values from late 2021. As a result, a third of the watches went unsold. The dip in values was also evident with F.P. Journe, certainly not a “hype” brand but one that enjoy a stellar run during ...
SJX Watches
A Dane who spent eight years restoring the treasures of the Patek Philippe Museum, Christian Lass set up his own workshop in 2018 and has just unveiled his first timepiece, the 30CP. Inspired by mid-20th century Swiss timepieces – as many such watches are – the 30CP is powered by a movement of Mr Lass’ own design. Beyond its flowing lines and fine finishing, the movement is also notable for its intriguing “special hairspring adjuster floating on a ruby ball” that is based on a mechanism Abraham-Louis Breguet invented for marine chronometers. Initial thoughts The success of Philippe Dufour, and more recently Akrivia, has fuelled a slow proliferation of independent watchmakers specialising in highly-finished, time-only watches. Mr Lass, however, has managed to do something subtly different. Though the 30CP has a conventional, classical aesthetic on the front, the movement is unexpected. Its architecture is defined by flowing lines – the arched, almost wave-like balance bridge is particularly interesting – as well as some symmetry. But it is more than a pretty face, for Mr Lass has managed to incorporate a hairspring adjuster arm that pivots on a ruby ball. The combination of movement aesthetics and the adjuster help set the 30CP apart from its peers. I have yet to see the 30CP in the metal, but the photos of the prototype already indicate a high quality of decoration, which will surely be refined in the production watches. Simple done excellent “The main idea...
SJX Watches
Peter Baumberger (Koppingen, 1939 – Biel, 2010) Ten years ago, Peter Baumberger died in Biel. On the occasion of this anniversary, I would like to pay a brief tribute to the one who was a dear friend and an extraordinary character – pictured above with his favourite oval tourbillon pocket watch and wearing a Ref. 3 wristwatch – whose ideas and personality marked the Swiss watch industry after the Quartz Crisis. I first met Peter in November 1975, during a sale organised by Peter Ineichen auctioneers in Zürich. He was with the famous Derek Pratt. At that time, Peter was one of the world’s leading dealers in antique watches. His charming and authentic nature immediately fascinated me – this is how our friendship started, a friendship that lasted until the end of his life. The name of Peter Baumberger will remain forever in Swiss watchmaking history thanks to his rescue and his revival of the historic brand Urban Jürgensen at Le Locle, which he acquired in the late 1970s. Undeniably, Peter played a pioneering role in the renaissance of the high-quality Swiss mechanical watch, long before others. As a trained watchmaker, he combined cutting-edge technical skills with a very distinct aesthetic sensitivity, as well as with an intimate knowledge of the works of the old masters; the remarkable confluence of these aspects is therefore the basis of his creative work. Peter put all his strength and his spirit at the disposal of Urban Jürgensen to give a new spark to the...
SJX Watches
RJ Watches, better known as Romain Jerome, has just gone bankrupt. Announced almost exactly a month after De Grisogono met the same fate, the bankruptcy of RJ Watches SA is the consequence of its majority shareholder, a company controlled by a member of the Saudi royal family, deciding to “stop investing in the company”. Though RJ was never a major watchmaker – its peak revenue was around 20 million Swiss francs – the brand was often in the headlines thanks to its shrewd and occasionally ridiculous marketing. Founded in 2004 and named after the two sons of its founder, Alain Bajulaz, RJ started out making mechanical golf-counter watches, but swiftly took a drastic new direction after Yvan Arpa was appointed chief executive in 2006. By then owned by the Saudi investor, RJ enjoyed a brief period of turbocharged, and in hindsight unsustainable, growth under Mr Arpa. A former Hublot manager, Mr Arpa was a fervent marketer of the most preposterous ideas that were somehow weirdly compelling. Amongst his creations were the rusty-looking Titanic DNA watches and timepieces sprinkled with actual Moon dust. Perhaps the masterpiece was a rusty-Titanic double tourbillon that had no hands and did not tell the time. The 2008 collaboration between Romain Jerome and Cabestan producing the Titanic DNA tourbillon – and now both brands are no more The case has a stabilised and protected rusty-look finish Mr Arpa and the company parted ways in 2009 amidst a lawsuit, and he went o...
Time+Tide
It’s been a very busy month in Sydney’s watch retail space with a number of brands opening their doors, and an exciting Swiss brand has entered the fray with the first ever standalone Australian Hublot boutique in Sydney. Located in the heart of Sydney on King Street, the new space embodies the brand’s motto of … ContinuedThe post The first ever Australian Hublot boutique in Sydney offers an exciting future appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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