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Fratello
Every year at the Théâtre du Léman in Geneva, the watch world comes together to celebrate the best horological creations it has to offer. This year marks the 24th GPHG awards ceremony, and many impressive timepieces are in the running. We looked at the nominated watches in the different categories and picked our favorites. Whether they will […] Visit Our Favorite Nominated Watches From The GPHG 2024 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s upcoming Geneva auction includes Treasures of Time, a small but impressive collection of watches consigned by a European gentleman of evidently sophisticated taste. While the most valuable of the 31 lots in the collection is a first-series ref. 2499 in pink gold, the most striking watch is arguably this Patek Philippe ref. 2499 third series with a glossy black dial featuring Breguet numerals. Only six examples of the ref. 2499 are known to have a black dial, and this is one of them. The black dial with Breguet numerals gives the watch tremendous appeal and presence on the wrist. Beautiful as it is, however, this ref. 2499 is not absolute perfect from a historical perspective as the black dial was added long after the watch was made. The watch was originally sold by Patek Philippe in 1964, probably with the typical silver dial, and it gained this black dial sometime in the 1980s. According to its well documented history, the owner of the watch in the 1980s was an important enough collector that when he asked for a black dial with Breguet numerals, Patek Philippe said yes. The dial was thus produced by Stern Frères and installed in the watch. It’s worth noting that most of the six known ref. 2499s with a black dial have a similar history in that the black dials were subsequent additions. Though it’s clearly not a vintage dial, Stern Frères executed it well. The dial is finished with a glossy black lacquer and gold powder print, while the indices are applie...
SJX Watches
One of the most intriguing and significant watches in Christie’s upcoming Geneva auction on November 11 is Breguet no. 3218, a tonneau-shaped wristwatch with a perpetual calendar and retrograde date sold in 1935. In all likelihood the first wristwatch ever with these complications, no. 3218 is also notable for its provenance: the original owner was Paul Iribe, Coco Chanel’s romantic partner. The watch is going under the hammer with a low estimate of CHF100,000 – modest considering its significance. According to Christie’s, there are only four known wristwatches with perpetual calendar and retrograde date made in the first half of the 20th century, regardless of brand, and this is one of them. Two others were also made by Breguet, while the final example is the unique Patek Philippe ref. 96 (no. 860’182) that is the classic round Calatrava case. This watch, no. 3218, is the earliest of the four, making it likely the first-ever perpetual calendar wristwatch with retrograde date. (Another wristwatch retrograde perpetual calendar and minute repeater is known, the Vacheron Constantin “Don Pancho” that is also tonneau-shaped.) The 18k white gold case remains well preserved Beyond its intrinsic features, no. 3218 is also historically interesting for its first owner. The watch was sold by Breguet in May 1935 – for a then-astronomical 10,000 francs – to Paul Iribe, a French designer who is perhaps most famous for being Coco Chanel’s lover. In September 1935, not...
Fratello
Romaric André, aka seconde/seconde/, is a busy man these days. I have barely recovered from the Christopher Ward Desk Diver, and now he is back with a collab with Spinnaker. It goes to show that the often snobby watch world is looking for some lighthearted fun. Well, lighthearted fun is what we get today! This […] Visit Introducing: The Spinnaker Fleuss 40 Automatic Seconde/Seconde/ For Halloween 2024 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
There was a time not too long ago when the new watches that Seiko debuted this week would have broken the internet. The new SPB481, SPB483 and SPB485 are, plain and simple, some of the strangest releases we’ve seen from Seiko in quite some time. It used to be that even a middling release from the brand, particularly if it was in the sports watch category, would generate days worth of discussion and hype on Instagram, forums, and group chats where watches are discussed. But it’s been about three days since these were made public and not only are they not dominating the enthusiast conversation, they’ve been met with what I can only describe as a collective shrug. You can see in these images why these watches are noteworthy. What we have here are a trio of Seiko divers in the Prospex collection with octagonal bezels in what appears to be an entirely new case design and a radical new bezel profile. The rounded octagonal bezel is matched to a 41.3mm case that comes in at 12.8mm tall and has lines that accentuate flowing curves at every angle. It feels very different for Seiko and kind of makes you see their core designs in a new way, most of which feature much harsher angles and severe geometry that these watches completely lack. Three variants make up the new range. The SPB481 has a beige dial matched to a glossy black bezel insert, the SPB483 is a blue on blue design, and then there’s the SPB485, which to my eye is the most striking of the group, featuring a brown...
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Quill & Pad
Ian Skellern's first reaction was that he didn’t like the design, too square and not elegant enough for Patek Philippe, even for a sports watch collection. But as the hours and days past,he found myself liking the design more and more.
Worn & Wound
There are a handful of constants in the watch world that are truly worth celebrating: the annual crush of people on Geneva each spring for Watches & Wonders, the annual debate over whether a “summer watch” is a thing, and that first comment on any IG post that begs a watch to be a millimeter or two smaller. Like clockwork (pardon the pun) you can count on these things, year in and year out, and there’s comfort in that. Another reliable watch industry trope comes to us on a regular basis from Seiko in the form of the Cocktail Time limited edition, a tradition that began with a watch that is a true enthusiast icon, and now stands as a running series of just plain good dress watches that Seiko is somehow able to keep at a remarkably affordable price point. The legend of the Cocktail Time really begins in earnest with the SARB065, a Japanese domestic market release that caught on with collectors in an earlier era of watch enthusiasm (the early 2010s) when message boards ruled the day. This particular watch is one that I can remember owning years ago and also being among the chorus of internet commenters recommending it to new enthusiasts when the inevitable question of “what dress watch under $XXX should I buy?” would come up. The new Cocktail Time watches, references SRPK93 and SRE015, are said to be inspired by the city of Tokyo at night, and the “Night-time Tokyo” cocktail created by STAR BAR owner Hisashi Kishi. Kishi is a celebrated creator of craft cockta...
![[VIDEO] Living the Life Exotic: A Year and a Half with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/09/CWARD_C1_BELCANTO_14_srgb.jpg)
Worn & Wound
I’ve spent a lot of time with the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto on my wrist over the last year and a half or so. I was lucky enough to pick one up at launch, so I only had to wait a few days before this incredibly special, unexpected, and ultimately charming watch ended up in my possession. Any enthusiast can relate to the incredible excitement of getting a new watch, but we also all know it can be a bit misleading. The honeymoon period, as it’s often referred to, is where you see your new acquisition with nothing but adoration. But, as any enthusiast is also aware, this feeling can fade over time, and that watch you once thought was the greatest thing on Earth begins to lose its appeal. Perhaps it’s a touch larger than you wanted it to be, or the crown annoys you, or it’s just too damn shiny. Whatever it is, you start wearing other watches more and more, and before you know it, that watch you thought you’d love forever is on your “willing to sell” list. The point of this story is that the C1 Bel Canto wasn’t like this. The joy and excitement I got when first putting it on have remained present for the entirety of my ownership thus far. While a new watch or two (just kidding, so many more than that) have entered and exited my collection since, the C1 Bel Canto has remained in constant rotation. It’s easily one of my favorite watches because it does more than most of my watches. Not in terms of functionality, though; yes, it’s the only watch I own that c...
Quill & Pad
If you want to love Rolex, but you love mechanical movements more than you love watch brands themselves, rejoice: Tim Mosso thinks that we are living in the halcyon days of Rolex movement innovation and shares a few well-illustrated technical and movement highlights right here.
Worn & Wound
Earlier this spring, when the Worn & Wound team was in Switzerland for Watches & Wonders, we had a somewhat impromptu meeting with the Holthinrichs team at a very pleasant but nondescript Geneva coffee shop, somewhat off the beaten path of watch fair hysteria that grips the city during show season. It was there that we got our first look at the Signature Collection, a major shift in strategy for the brand, now planning to offer watches with a familiarly intricate case design but at a much lower price point than previous collections, thanks to new manufacturing partnerships and a retreat from 3D printing, a process that simply became to expensive as the brand’s designs became more complex. Founder Michiel Holthinrichs also told us about an ambitious new project during this meeting, the Ornament Nouveau, a watch that sits squarely in the haute horlogerie space. At that last meeting, Michiel only had renders of the Ornament Nouveau to show us on his phone, and some crude 3D printed prototype cases (in plastic) of the Signature Collection. Just a few months later, I sat down with Michiel and his team once again, at that same coffee shop, and was able to lay my hands on real watches that were every bit as impressive as I had hoped they’d be. It was a particular treat to see the Ornament Nouveau, a watch that the team is immensely proud of. A quick caveat – we’re still dealing with prototypes here in the case of the Signature Collection pieces. The team had hoped to be...
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
I found my way into watch collecting in 2014, with the ubiquitous SKX009J. I agonized over spending a “huge” £135 on that watch for days, after scouring the reviews and forums, before pulling the trigger from a certain Asian website. This was where it all began, and for a time, I was satisfied with this fan-favourite diver. 2014, coincidentally, was the year that Tudor came back to the UK, after its global hiatus and slow return to other markets from 2010. I remember seeing the 79220R Burgundy Black Bay for the first time and thinking - “Eww”. It was a gaudy colour, and the hour hand was a stupid shape! Some forgotten cousin of Rolex? ETA-2824 calibre? £2330? No thank you, sir, I have ALL THE SEIKOS to buy, which I promptly set about doing.
Fratello
The older I get, the fonder I become of rectangular watches. Today, we have such a watch that got my attention last week. It’s one of the most beautiful rectangular jump-hour watches from the 1930s I have ever seen. And maybe it’s a bit surprising that it was made by Doxa. Until about 10 days […] Visit #TBT Jump Into The World Of Vintage Watches With The Stunning Doxa Jump Hour to read the full article.
Fratello
During last year’s Watches and Wonders, I repeatedly stated that €10K is the new €5K. This is something that applies to what it feels like you get watch-wise at the given price point. I raised the bar even further to €15K in this year’s Geneva show. For those of us who have been around, it’s […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K- RJ’s Picks From Breitling, Omega, And Grand Seiko to read the full article.
Monochrome
Summer is the time of year for fun in the sun, getting outdoors and simply enjoying life. So what better than to wear a suitable watch for whatever you’re doing? Swimming or scuba diving? Great, wear a dive watch! Travelling the globe? Awesome, wear a GMT watch? Heading into the mountains for a days-long trek? […]
Worn & Wound
Readers, I’d like to invite you to step back in time. Let’s go all the way back to the middle of April of 2024, in the days following this year’s Watches and Wonders. Amidst much content creation by many a watch media figure, there was a single story for which a consensus view began to emerge. While opinions might have differed on the viability of the new Lange Super Watch or the retail pricing of those gorgeous manually wound Grand Seikos, there was one brand on which just about everyone shared a take. Coming out of the fair, just about all of us agreed that Bremont was in trouble. There’s no need to dwell here on what we’ve already covered, except to say that the reaction to the new look at Bremont was the rare occasion in the watch media landscape where it felt like (almost) everyone was getting their unfiltered digs in. That usually doesn’t happen in our space. The reason is simple, at least at Worn & Wound, and that’s because here we tend to cover stuff we like. We want to share our enthusiasm for the things that get us excited, new releases included. But Bremont rebranding as they did at the biggest watch event in the world was newsworthy in a way that couldn’t be ignored, and we had to (as we always do) cover it honestly. We saw the watches in the metal, and gave our reactions, as did many others, and the many stories that were filed speak for themselves. It’s been several months since Bremont debuted their new look, and the storm has died down c...
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Worn & Wound
While Grand Seiko’s history stretches back to the 1960s, the brand’s story in America is quite a bit more contemporary. Grand Seiko, for years, was a true hidden gem in the watch world, an insider’s secret that you had to be fairly deep into the hobby to stumble across in the days before the watch collecting “boom” that we’re still living through. It wasn’t until the Grand Seiko Corporation of America was formed in 2018 that the brand really put down roots in the United States. Obviously, from that point forward, Grand Seiko’s footprint has grown considerably, and we’re way, way past the point where anyone could credibly claim they’re an under the radar enthusiast’s secret. But for those of us who can remember a time well before their flagship NYC boutique, and before these watches were easily accessible anywhere in the states, their periodic US exclusive releases carry special significance. The latest US exclusive limited editions, references SBGA507 and SBGA509, come at a time when Grand Seiko is experiencing enormous growth and success in the United States. These watches have been designed as a tribute to the very first US exclusive Grand Seiko releases, a trio of limited editions inspired by kirazuri, a traditional method used in Japanese woodblock printing that incorporates mica powder for a sparkling effect. Those limited editions have proven to be quite popular and collectible, so the release of the pair seen here should please collectors who...
SJX Watches
The Plan-les-Ouates district of Geneva is well-known for its concentration of watchmaking facilities, earning it the nickname “Plan-les-Watch”. But the standout structure is arguably the Vacheron Constantin (VC) manufacture, which houses both management functions and production under one roof – or more specifically, under one curving metal skin that wraps over the top of the building from east to west. The area’s other prominent residents include Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Piaget, but you can also find numerous other brands like Frederique Constant, Harry Winston, and Laurent Ferrier clustered together in what feels like a large office park. “Plan-les-Watch” is where most of the actual watchmaking in Geneva gets done, since most brands have relocated their production facilities to the suburbs over time, leaving FP Journe as the only industrial operation in the city’s historic center. And it is here that power is expressed through architecture, from the imposing black glass facade of the Rolex building to the superyacht-like decks that wrap around the Patek Philippe manufacture. The reception at the manufacture. Image – Vacheron Constantin Completed in 2005 to celebrate VC’s 250th anniversary, the Vacheron Constantin building was designed by Bernard Tschumi Architects as a single building. A second wing was then added by the same firm in 2014, increasing both production space and staff amenities. A key emphasis of the building is lighting, with expansive...
Monochrome
Most days, you’ll catch me wearing a dive watch or a classic chronograph. This is what I most enjoy as a watch collector (yes, we are first and foremost watch fans at MONO). I like to wear watches that I don’t have to worry about, and I love a timepiece with some heft. Not necessarily […]
Time+Tide
"We had more than 200 watch fans join us over two days... I can't wait for the next one!"The post Our first Time+Tide Studio Pop-Up in Sydney was a roaring success – so we’re planning more! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Yema’s latest release, the Skin Diver Slim CMM.20, celebrates the classic ’60s skin diver aesthetic in style. As a modern-day remake of the original Yema Skin Diver from 1963, the watch takes us back to the early days of the French brand. With the addition of a proprietary micro-rotor movement, we get the best of […] Visit Hands-On With The Yema Skin Diver Slim CMM.20 Limited Edition to read the full article.
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SJX Watches
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.
Monochrome
For obvious reasons, the watch world tends to glorify complexity and the accumulation of functions into a single watch. We, at MONOCHROME, are no better than the rest of the crowd and we can spend days contemplating a Grande Complication watch, or a timepiece with a novel, ultra-complex escapment. However, we also tend to forget […]
SJX Watches
The world’s most important watch trade show, Watches & Wonders, has just announced the dates for next year: April 1-7, 2025. Practically all major luxury watch brands present their latest wares at Watches & Wonder (W&W;), including Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier. The event also named additions to the board of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF), the governing body of the event. Chanel, Hermès and LVMH join Rolex, Richemont, Patek Philippe, and Cartier on the board, giving representation to the biggest brands or groups showing at the event. Alongside the enlarged board, the WWGF appointed Cartier chief executive Cyrille Vigneron chairman of the board, taking over from Rolex chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour, who now becomes the organisation’s treasurer. Still a key man on the board, Jean-Frederic Dufour (second from left) Give and take The changes at WWGF reflect longstanding rivalry between the brands and groups that emerged when the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, better known as SIHH, evolved into W&W; after the demise of Baselworld. Previously dominated by Richemont and Cartier, SIHH transformed into an event that included giants like Rolex and LVMH. LVMH long believed it deserved a seat on the board, according to a senior executive of its watch division. It is possible that the elevation of Cartier’s boss to the chairmanship is a concession for the jewellery agreeing to the enlarged board. Interestingly, the two-year term of Mr Vign...
Fratello
The French word millésime comes from the world of wine, not watches. It denotes a “vintage,” a wine produced from a single year’s grape harvest, especially a great one. So, the Raymond Weil Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph is a 2024 vintage from Geneva. Whether 2024 is going to be a fruitful watch year is yet to […] Visit Making This Monday Morning Count With The Raymond Weil Millesime Tri-Compax Chronograph to read the full article.
Fratello
Summer is just around the corner, and dive-watch season is well underway. This means long days in the sun, traveling to exotic locations, and plenty of action in the water, like swimming, snorkeling, and maybe even diving. But as much as we enjoy long, sunny summer days with our divers, we wanted a watch that […] Visit Available Now: The Jacques Bianchi Marseille × Fratello JB200 PoulPro Night Diver Limited Edition to read the full article.
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