1,496 articles · 154 videos found · page 33 of 55
Monochrome
In recent news, watchmaker Omega has recently announced the renewal of its role as the Official Timekeeper of one of the the world’s most intense sailing races and the oldest trophy in international sport, the America’s Cup. The brand began its partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand and legendary sailor Sir Peter Blake in 1995 […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Nomos Worldtimer is an interesting watch in the German Watchmaker’s catalog. It’s Nomos’ most complicated watch and their second most expensive, underneath the precious metal Lambda collection. The Zurich is called a worldtimer in name, but in reality it serves more as a GMT watch than a true worldtimer. Worldtimer’s tell time across time zones at a glance whereas the Zurich has the ability to advance the local time in 1hr increments while the sub-dial maintains 24-hr time in a set time zone. Nomos has made this watch for a long time. I found articles and blog posts referencing it going back to 2011. This is remarkable, on one hand, because it mean that Nomos’ has resisted the urge to build increasingly complicated watches and focused on truly honing their craft on the existing catalog.
Monochrome
German watchmaker Stefan Kudoke fell in love with watchmaking as a young man and cut his teeth in the complications and prototypes department of Glashütte Original, followed by stints in the New York service departments of Breguet, Blancpain and Omega. Since branching out as an independent watchmaker on the outskirts of Dresden with his brand […]
Worn & Wound
Hentschel has been on my radar for a while, and I followed the watch company casually for many years – until a mutual friend living in Berlin made the introduction. My curiosity level spiked, and I was ready for a deep dive into the background, manufacturing, watches, and everything that is Hentschel. A Brief Overview of Hentschel Andreas Hentschel is the watchmaker and founder of Hentschel, based in Hamburg, Germany. Established in 1993, Hentschel has garnered a decent reputation for its craftsmanship and producing high quality mechanical wristwatches. A majority of the watches feature manual winding movements and sub-seconds on the dial. The design is reminiscent of classic pocket watches, but with complex case construction and colorful dials, they appear refined modern. Under the expert guidance of Andreas Hentschel, the family-owned workshop consists of a team of four skilled watchmakers that produce approximately 150 watches annually. According to Andreas, this limited production approach maintains the highest standards of craftsmanship and ensures that every Hentschel watch remains unique. In-House Movements Before I provide you my impression of two watches that I test drove for a month, I would like to address Hentschel’s in-house movements. Hentschel refers to the HUW 1130 S caliber as a “in-house manufactory movement.” Without going into the definition of in-house, Andreas is upfront about it being based on the Swiss A-Schild manually winding 1130 moveme...
Monochrome
Usually, when it comes to Seiko Prospex dive watches, and specifically with an emblematic design as the 62Mas, it’s all about black or dark blue. But there are exceptions to the rule and the Japanese watchmaker has shown greater creativity in recent years – take a look at the Save the Ocean series, for instance. […]
Monochrome
Master watchmaker Svend Andersen has been a renowned figure on the independent watchmaking scene since 1980. The Danish watchmaker’s ingenious and original approach to complications, including his sophisticated calendar watches and world timers, has captivated collectors and top-tier watch brands for years. To celebrate his 40th anniversary in watchmaking in 2020, Svend Andersen produced a […]
Quill & Pad
General everyday contact with magnets isn’t going to cause your beloved wristwatch any real harm, but overdoses of magnetism may still present a problem, causing erratic timing and even stoppage altogether. Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains what to do.
Fratello
Krayon is a watch brand that has been around for less than a decade. I say “brand,” but I should probably say “independent watchmaker” instead. Krayon founder and owner Rémi Maillat debuted with his Everywhere watch in 2017. Today, he produces around 40 watches annually with 12 collaborators in their Neuchâtel atelier. Maillat’s signature is […] Visit A Close Look At Krayon And Its Sunrise And Sunset Complications to read the full article.
Time+Tide
I take thee, to be my wedded watchmaker, till death do us part.The post The three independent watch brands whose founders have tied the knot appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Watchmaker Shinola has created a new timepiece honoring the little-known role Detroit played in developing vehicles that rode the skyways, not the highways.
Monochrome
Together with sister-brand Glashütte Original, Union Glashütte represents the German side of the Swatch Group. Positioned as an attainable luxury watchmaker, delivering excellent quality for the price, Union is steadily growing and continues to bring fresh, appealing new models to the market. The latest in line is a handsome chronograph with vintage vibe and linked […]
SJX Watches
Having launched the Première Édition Originale two years ago, a bestseller modelled on the No. 5 perfume bottle, Chanel has now extended the concept, literally, with the Première Sound Watch. It’s a necklace watch, or a montre sautoir, with a pair of wired earphones, or more specifically in-ear monitors (IEMs), that loop through the links of the chain. Initial thoughts Chanel is now a proper watchmaker with an expansive manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds (where the Monsieur is produced) and a stake in movement maker Kenissi, but it’s primarily a luxury fashion house that derives majority of its revenue from cosmetics and fashion. The Première Sound is very much a fashion watch – and an expensive one at that – but a logical creation that is both useful and instantly recognisable as Chanel. As an aside, the fact that the Première necklace watch is delivered with a pair of wired earphones, instead of wireless earbuds, is low tech but practical since it does away with flaky rechargeable batteries, which will inevitably extend its useful life. Importantly, the earphone cable loops into the necklace and is removable, meaning the Première Sound can revert to just being a necklace watch. Jennie of Korean girl group Blackpink with the Premiere Sound A bottle stopper watch Introduced in 1987, the Première is Chanel’s longest-lived bestseller. Its case is modelled on the cap of the No. 5 perfume bottle, itself inspired by the shape of the Place Vendôme, the square in ...
Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward has just released the latest in their popular retro-dive line-up, the C65 Super Compressor Elite. With technical upgrades and a new color palette, it’s one of the most exciting new additions for the UK-based watchmaker this year. In terms of design, the C65 Super Compressor Elite has knocked it out of the park. There’s a playful use of color here, mixing a vibrant color palette that somehow doesn’t tip into garish territory. The main palette is orange and blue, complementing the stainless steel case. Most notable on the dial are the orange and light blue bands which contrast against the darker blue dial base. These bands aren’t just a stylistic choice, of course, but a functional throwback to previous dive watches. While dive computers are now common for dive safety, the compression dive timer scales outlined in blue and orange were once used to avoid decompression sickness. Divers would find their dive depth (marked at 12 o’clock on the Super Compressor Elite) and follow the scale clockwise. This showed the maximum time they could stay underwater without needing decompression. If they exceeded this time, the scale showed how long they needed to decompress before resurfacing. This is just one of the features which show that this reference is as much a stylish watch as it is a performance watch. Like the original from 2020, the C65 Super Compressor Elite features a true super compressor case mechanism that increases water resistance as you desce...
Deployant
The watchmaker for the King of United Kingdom, Parmigiani Fleurier has released their latest variant of the Tonda PF 36mm. It is aimed at powerful women with the most discerning taste for haute horology.
Monochrome
Parmigiani Fleurier, the upscale watch brand founded by master restorer and watchmaker Michel Parmigiani in 1996, changed management in 2021 with the appointment of Guido Terreni. Since Terreni’s arrival, the collections have been streamlined, and all efforts have been focused on developing the Tonda PF Collection (and the Toric recently). This collection, derived from Michel […]
Monochrome
Oris remains committed to its Change for the Better mission, whether by introducing a smaller, lighter, fully recyclable Sustainable Watch Box, celebrating Local Heroes who embody the watchmaker’s honourable values, or partnering with the social enterprise Bracenet. This July, in support of the Australian non-profit Reef Restoration Foundation, Oris presents the Great Barrier Reef Limited […]
SJX Watches
Now a legend in his own time, François-Paul Journe is an independent watchmaker who has created some of the most complicated and most ingenious timepieces in contemporary watchmaking. But having quietly previewed it last year, Mr Journe finally launched a watch that is, on its face, surprising for his brand: the Élégante Gino’s Dream. Many brands have “rainbow” watches in their catalogues, but as is always the case with Mr Journe, his “rainbow” creation is done his own inimitable way. Based on his inventive quartz watch, the Élégante Gino’s Dream is set with synthetic gemstones of glass-ceramic composite. The colours and model name are a tribute to the late Gino Cukrowicz (1959-2021), one of Mr Journe’s best friends and a longtime business partner. Initial thoughts With the popularity – and value – of “rainbow” watches, it seems like every watch brand has one in its line-up, from the Patek Philippe Aquanaut minute repeater in rainbow stones from end to end to Tudor’s special edition for the VCARB Formula 1 team. So an F.P. Journe in those colours isn’t surprising, yet the Élégante “Gino’s Dream” is unexpected. As with much he has done, Mr Journe didn’t do a “rainbow” like anyone else. Instead of an exceptionally expensive gem-set watch – a favoured approach as a sure way to increase revenue without boosting production – he created something entry-level, more or less. And the watch has a deeply personal aspect to it – Gino...
Fratello
There is so much to say about Patek Philippe, arguably the most significant and venerable watchmaker in high-end Swiss watchmaking. The brand certainly displays a mastery of complications. Perhaps even more relevant to today’s watch industry, Patek Philippe also expertly balances tradition with modernity. While the brand is famous for creating traditional, subdued, understated luxury, […] Visit Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G Vs. 5212A - Two Entryways Into The World Of Contemporary Patek Philippe to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
In 2022, Longines marked 190 years in operation, which means that the Swiss watchmaker’s bicentennial year is just around the corner. In nearly two centuries of continuous operation, Longines has not only been a reliable producer of watches in all kinds of styles for both men and ladies; it has also been responsible for more watchmaking milestones than you probably know. Here we take a look at the remarkable history of Longines watches. Foundations (1832-1908) Longines was founded in 1832, originally as Raiguel Jeune et Cie., in the Swiss Jura town of Saint-Imier by Auguste Agassiz and two partners. Agassiz (above, left) became the sole proprietor in 1846 after both partners, attorneys by trade, retired from the watch business, and shortly thereafter, he brought his nephew, an enterprising economist named Ernest Françillon (above, right), into the company. It was Françillon, in 1867, who moved all of the firm’s various watchmaking disciplines - which were scattered throughout dozens of independent workshops called établisseurs - under one roof, to a factory that was situated in a scenic area called “Les Longines” or “The Long Meadows,” thus giving the company its now-familiar name. In 1889, Francillon registered the famous Longines logo with a winged hourglass - today the world’s oldest unchanged, active logo according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Among Longines’ many milestones under Françillon’s management were the c...
Monochrome
Longtime Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee had a dream of creating beautiful, high-end watches. To manifest his vision, he created the BCHH (Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie) brand and reached out to master watchmaker Svend Andersen of Andersen Genève to create the Celestial Voyager, a sophisticated world timer with a handcrafted enamel dial. Following the sold-out success […]
SJX Watches
An academic, horologist, and innovator, Urban Jürgensen is today best known for giving his name for the watch brand that’s now run by independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen and his daughter, Venla. But Jürgensen was the most important watchmaker in Denmark in the early 19th century. He also developed a longstanding relationship with the most important Danish scientific society of the last three centuries, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (RDASL). This article explores the relationship that shaped his work on clocks and watches. A need for precision Being a horologist in Denmark at the turn of the 19th century was not necessarily a very noble job. A handful were highly regarded workmen, but none were on par with scientists on the social ladder. Astronomers were buying English precision clocks for observatories and sailors still navigated by the movement of celestial bodies[1]. But times were changing, chronometers were already known to the king and government of Denmark, and the benefit of precision timekeepers for various types of expeditions was already becoming known around Europe. Mudge & Dutton astronomical regulator clock. Previously in the Observatory of Copenhagen, now located in the offices of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. Image – The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters/A.B.L. As international conflicts were at the time were a limiting factor in importing chronometers from foreign countries, attempts were made...
Monochrome
Chronoswiss was founded in 1983 in Munich by the late Gerd R. Lang, a celebrated watchmaker with a penchant for classical regulators. Now in the hands of Oliver Ebstein and based in Lucerne, Switzerland, Chronoswiss maintains its repertoire of dynamic regulator layouts with old-school decorative techniques jazzed up with wild colours. The Chronoswiss Delphis, launched […]
Monochrome
Garrick, a distinguished brand from Norfolk, England, offers a limited series of fine timepieces for collectors who value its origins, unique character, and commitment to the “handcrafted in England” philosophy. Founded by David Brailsford, an experienced watch consultant and collector, and Simon Michelmayr, an accomplished British watchmaker, the brand has made significant strides since its […]
Worn & Wound
French watchmaker Henry-Louis Belmont established Yema in 1948 and quickly became known for manufacturing ultra-capable tool watches. By 1954 their production reached 130,000 watches and by the mid 1960s they were selling over 400,000 watches annually in 55 countries. Their motto “Time of Heroes” became their official slogan, and their watches were particularly suitable for diving, car racing, and military expeditions. Today, Yema is experiencing a resurgence and is introducing a new modern interpretation of their iconic Skin Diver. The Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 is not just another pretty face. Beneath the beautiful dark grey dial beats their in-house Calibre Manufacture Morteau 20 movement (CMM.20). It is rated for accuracy at -3/+7 seconds a day, has a power reserve of 70 hours, and is extra slim due to its micro-rotor. The watch measures 39mm in diameter, 47mm from lug-to-lug, and only 10mm tall to the top of the double-domed sapphire crystal. Despite being relatively thin, it is water-resistant to an impressive depth of 300 meters. Adding to its vintage styling is a dark grey, faded bezel insert covered by sapphire glass. Its lume pip, along with all the lume on the dial and markers, has that aged radium look, which complements the design very well. The watch comes mounted on a new slimmer Yema Scales bracelet, which integrates better with the Skin Diver’s slimmer profile. The screw-down case back offers a transparent view of the movement, featuring a black ALD (ato...
Monochrome
French brand Yema keeps pushing the quality of its watches higher and higher, and the recently released updated and refined Superman Slim CMM.20, featuring a proprietary automatic micro-rotor movement, rightfully received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Today, the watchmaker from the Morteau region presents a new interpretation of the brand’s emblematic 1960s skin dive watch series, the […]
Teddy Baldassarre
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...
Monochrome
With the appearance of so many niche indie brands, it can be hard to keep track of who’s who. Based in the UK, the Schofield Watch Company was not founded by a watchmaker but by the hip product designer Giles Ellis. Cultivating his British eccentricity to the max, Ellis’ self-described “British coastal styling” is inspired […]
Monochrome
A name with great importance for the Japanese watchmaker, King Seiko was created in 1960 alongside Grand Seiko as the result of a competition to create the best, most accurate watch the Seikosha brand could manufacture. The internal rivalry will be beneficial to GS, while KS would fall into oblivion a few years later. In […]
Monochrome
One of the Japanese watchmaker’s most emblematic modern dive watches (probably only rivalled by the Turtle), the Seiko Samurai was first introduced in 2004. A large, robust and angular model, this modern-looking watch soon became a classic, only to be discontinued. After almost 10 years of absence, it resurfaced in 2017 in a slightly updated […]
Monochrome
One of the most revered and respected names in the world of watchmaking, and certainly in the independent watchmaking scene, is Kari Voutilainen. The Finnish watchmaker is an expert in ‘wrapping’ the most brilliantly hand-finished movements in beautiful discrete cases with tear-drop lugs. With 20 years of track record as an Independent watchmaker and more […]
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