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Fratello
When the announcement of the Fears × Studio Underd0g Mim0sa landed in my inbox, I did not expect to eventually swim into the Pacific Ocean with one on my wrist. Yet that is exactly where this watch eventually found itself, bobbing around just off the coast of Sydney, thoroughly disproving the idea that colorful collaborative […] Visit Why I Bought The Fears × Studio Underd0g Mim0sa to read the full article.
Fratello
This introduction article is a bit different from the majority of release articles. Sure, I will go into the watch, the Jack Mason Palmera Skin Diver. However, it is the sales model that I find most interesting about this release. Jack Mason introduces this watch alongside a new program called Born & Raised, a “founder […] Visit Introducing: The Jack Mason Palmera Skin Diver And A New Way Of Bringing Watches To Market to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The King Seiko VANAC blends a bold 1970s-inspired design with Seiko’s modern 8L45 movement and a new vintage-style leather strap. What We Love: The textured dials with the gold coloured accents The angular vintage-style case The proportions and size for ease of wearing What We Don’t: The movement accuracy could be better at this price point The leather straps could not be up everyone’s alley The clasp on the strap doesn’t feel as solid as the watch itself. Overall Rating: 8.1 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 7.5/10 Build Quality: 8/10 The King Seiko VANAC is a watch designed to talk to the collector market, and as such, the VANAC name is one that long-time Seiko collectors will recognise straight away. Today, the modern re-interpretations of the VANAC stay relatively true to the original models, but of course, with modern materials and standards. They’re instantly recognisable with those in the know, and do harken back to a time where the Avant-Garde was becoming more the industry norm across certain collections. So, before we get into this review, let’s take a short walk back in time… King Seiko’s VANAC Line Returns In A New Lease On Life A Brief History Of King Seiko’s VANAC First introduced in 1972, the VANAC line represented a bold departure from the more traditional King Seiko dress watches. Designed primarily for the Japanese market, VANAC watches were intended to be Vibrant, Active, New, Advanced, Comfortable — the meaning...
Worn & Wound
There comes a time in every watch collector’s life when they fall in love with a watch they know others in the hobby may potentially scoff at. Whether it be misconceptions around the brand, the use of cheaper movements and parts, seedy advertising campaigns, or just overall subjective taste in design, it’s a phenomenon that exists as one of the very few downsides of the collecting space. It’s important to note, however, that this frame of mind lies on a spectrum of course, with some watches being far more notable enemies of the wristwatch state than others. The Chase-Durer Wing Commander X is a watch that has fallen into the cracks of the watch market and a piece, I believe, may initially conjure negative sentiments by some corners of the collecting sphere. Chase-Durer was originally advertised in magazines and on the very early days of the internet, where zealous dial-up internet subscribers would surf the World Wide Web in hopes of making their very first online purchase. They never held the same staying power as others of the watch industry, akin to the 38mm mail-order film cameras found in years’ worth of popular and print media when compared to Canon or Nikon. However, there is a lot to like about the brand and, in this case, the Wing Commander X. If you’re someone who’s on the fence about whether or not you’re a fan of this watch just from aesthetics and brand recognition alone, welcome in––let me walk you through what makes this an interesting pi...
Monochrome
Haute-Rive is a relatively young independent watchmaking atelier launched by Stéphane Von Gunten, previously the R&D; Director of Ulysse Nardin, where he was involved with filing no fewer than 30 patents. Quite a background. The first watch created under his own brand was the Honoris, and it was a powerful release, to say the least. A […]
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Fratello
Last year, Jorg reviewed the Berlin by the Hamburg-based brand Sternglas. Back then, it was a quartz-powered version of the watch inspired by the first train connection between Hamburg and Berlin, established in 1846. Now, the Sternglas Berlin is back, but it eschews the engraving on the case back commemorating the opening of the Berlin […] Visit Hands-On With The Newly Introduced Sternglas Berlin Automatik to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
I missed the Academy Awards on Sunday for the first time in, oh I dunno, 30 years? It’s a cliche to say that something is “my Super Bowl” but the Oscars really are. It was more than a little strange to catch up on the awards conversation the way most people do these days: through social media clips, podcasts, and, in our little community, celebrity watch spotting. The Oscars are known as “Hollywood’s biggest night” but it could be argued, based on the volume of press releases in my inbox, that it’s the watch industry’s biggest night as well. Worn & Wound doesn’t typically cover celebrity watch spotting – we think it’s all a little silly given that most of the watches you see on wrists are placed there by stylists or are simply contractual obligations. But I hope you’ll indulge me a bit because I have some thoughts on what we’ve seen recently from one of the most talked about movie stars of the last several years, by cinephiles and watch enthusiasts alike, and I think it could be a watershed moment in how independent watches enter the cultural conversation. I’m talking of course about Timothée Chalamet, star of Marty Supreme and three time Academy Award nominee. Chalamet has made news among the watch spotting crowd for the way he has casually worn some of the highest end and most sought after timepieces over the course of the last year. On Oscar night, he was wearing an Urban Jürgensen UJ-2, a six figure watch introduced less than a year ag...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Are in-house watch movements still worth it? Real-world ownership reveals the hidden tradeoffs and why a proven alternative may make more sense.
Fratello
Another Friday, another list. For this week’s Top 5, we look at another Rolex classic. The Cosmograph Daytona is one of the brand’s most iconic pieces in the watch world. The stainless steel versions of the racing chronograph are notoriously difficult to source through a Rolex dealer, and pre-owned prices are generally higher than retail. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Daytona Alternatives In 2026 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
A common critique leveled at Seiko over these last few years is that they’ve abandoned the affordable enthusiast dive watch market and have been creeping toward a higher priced product. Honestly, it’s fair. Those of us of a certain age can fondly remember the days when an SKX diver could be had for a few hundred bucks, and it basically stood alone in the Venn diagram of pedigree, dive watch bona fides, enthusiast credibility, and affordability. The fact is, there’s a lot of competition for affordable divers these days, much of it driven by the popularity of a handful of key Seiko references. So it’s no wonder that they’ve sought to expand their footprint elsewhere and make a higher end, more expensive product. What often gets lost in these conversations is that the higher priced Seiko divers are actually very good dive watches that still cover much of that hypothetical Venn diagram, perhaps leaning a little further away from affordability. Seiko recently announced a handful of new references and while many of us hoped a truly affordable SKX alternative might be in the mix, they’ve once again debuted a new diver at a higher rung of their pricing ladder. The highlight for collectors and serious Seiko fans will likely be the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch (the official Seiko naming conventions are always a bit cumbersome). Yes, this is yet another mostly historically accurate take on the first ever diver rated to 300 meters of water r...
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Worn & Wound
If you have been following us for a while, you are likely well versed in Squale’s divers, vintage-inspired designs, and limited edition runs. The brand has quietly been a leader in the realm of dive watches since the 60s with a cult following from hardcore dive watch nerds. In the past decade in particular, Squale has been getting more and more traction and recognition. In 2019, the brand notched its 60th anniversary and with that, introduced a new collection: the Sub-39. This limited edition fittingly paid homage to Squale’s early 1960s divers, using an original prototype with a 39mm case as reference. Following its success, the brand ultimately made the Sub-30 a permanent collection, upping the ante with COSC-certification and complications like a GMT. Today, we get the next evolution with the Sub-37 Legend. Focusing on the brand’s core tenants – proportions, function, and character – the new slightly sized down 37mm diver emphasizes form over function in a way that is faithful to the golden age of diving, an era when watches were designed to perform rather than to impress. Beginning with the dial, you have a fairly quintessential execution in matte black with a sapphire glass-box crystal reminiscent of vintage plexiglass while ensuring durability and optimal dial legibility. Visibility remains at the forefront of this utilitarian design with both the dial and hands treated with SuperLumiNova Old Radium. Framing the dial is a clean, highly readable unidirection...
Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain, founded in the Swiss village of Villeret in 1735, has been making timepieces for almost 300 years, but perhaps its most impactful contribution to wristwatch history was relatively recent - and began its heralded life as a military tool rather than a luxury item. In 1953, Blancpain was headed by Jean-Jacques Fiechter, an avid diving enthusiast who had long wanted to develop a watch that would be ideal for his hobby. Fiechter worked with Captain Robert Maloubier, a French naval officer, to design a reliable, mission-ready timepiece that Maloubier’s elite combat diving team could wear. Here we will take a look at the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, a more everyday take on the iconic diver. [toc-section heading="Blancpain Fifty Fathoms: A Historic Divers’ Watch"] The watch, called the Fifty Fathoms, had a 42mm steel case - exceptionally large for the time - and it was water-resistant to 91.45 meters, or 50 fathoms, the maximum depth recommended for scuba divers. Its dial was black and its numerals were luminescent for greater legibility underwater. It was the first divers’ watch with a self-winding movement, the first with an antimagnetic case, and the first to employ the patented, double-sealed crown that Fiechter had developed. Most notably, the Fifty Fathoms was the first watch to include a lockable bezel with dive-time scale that rotated in only one direction. This practical and potentially life-saving innovation prevented a diver from acciden...
Monochrome
More than just a game, Mahjong is a cultural bridge connecting global Chinese communities and the East and West, historically serving as a crucial medium for social bonding. And today, it serves as a source of inspiration for the creation of a new watch, or to be precise, the hand-carved Mahjong tiles are used as […]
Hodinkee
The UK's biggest watch brand says building a flyer GMT movement was a trying and 'painful' endeavor that took longer than expected.
Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward’s releases basically fall into two categories for me. There are the watches that the brand clearly intends to have broad appeal across a wide segment of the watch market. This is really most of their watches. Think of the Sealander and Trident collections, and indeed most of the Twelves, and you have watches that are very well made and attractive but not exactly groundbreaking. Then there’s the Loco, the Bel Canto, and some of their more experimental pieces that play with aventurine and sapphire dial elements. These watches veer into the avant-garde and serve as showcases for what Christopher Ward is capable of at a higher (but still very fair) price point. I’ll admit, I’m partial to the latter, and less interested in the former. The Loco and Bel Canto in particular really demonstrate Christopher Ward’s ambition to be more than just a former maker of homage watches. These watches fully escape the brand’s roots. Their latest release, the C63 True GMT, sits somewhere in the middle. Built on the Sealander platform, the new True GMT is exactly what it says on the tin: a sporty multi-time zone watch with an independently jumping local hour hand. A “true” travel GMT, offering significantly more use while on the move between time zones than a “caller GMT,” still the standard for this type of watch under about $5,000. What makes this watch special is that it represents nearly as much movement innovation and development as the brand’s more...
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
A look at the build and design of the new space-themed Timex Q Timex NASA watch inspired by the Apollo 17 lunar landing of 1972.
Fratello
Christopher Ward is, without a doubt, one of the most active watch brands around today. It has consistently shown us how to push the envelope of what is possible in the realm of affordable watches. This has led to an extensive collection of watches that show great diversity. Simply compare the Bel Canto to the […] Visit Hands-On With The Remarkable New Christopher Ward C63 Sealander True GMT to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Citizen invented the first solar-powered analogue watch way back in 1976, and now it’s marking 50 years of its signature timepiece with “The Citizen” Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary. Five decades on Citizen’s solar technology is amongst the most advanced, and the anniversary edition is equipped with a movement that runs within five seconds a year, and will last 18 months on power save mode. But the dial, on the other hand, is traditional Japanese craft: it’s made of washi, a paper that’s dyed by hand, and translucent enough to allow solar charging. Initial thoughts The combination of washi, Super Titanium, and high-end quartz is a familiar one, with Citizen having applied it to past limited editions. Although Citizen is repeating the formula, this remains impressive from both a technology and materials perspective. The ultra-accurate A060 is one of the most sophisticated analogue quartz movements on the market, while Citizen’s proprietary hardened titanium, first polished by hand then hardened, is equally impressive. Tech aside, the anniversary edition stands out for the washi dial that adds a little bit of traditional Japanese craft to all of the cutting-edge tech in the watch. The dial is made of Japanese paper that’s dyed by hand with old school dyes obtained from plants. That said, this anniversary edition is still a relatively niche product for enthusiasts who appreciate high-end quartz technology packaged well. All of that tech and finishing comes at a pri...
Monochrome
It’s just days ago when we first introduced you to the work of Finnish independent watchmaker Juha Eskola, and we’re already back for more. Building upon his N2, a gorgeous dress watch in a rather lovely size, Juha has now unveiled the next step in his collection. Leaving little to the imagination as to what […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Thinking about buying a microbrand dive watch in 2026? We break down when they outperform Seiko, Orient, and Citizen, and when they’re just not worth the risk.
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SJX Watches
Less than two years out from its 2024 relaunch, Seiko refreshes its flagship dive watch with the new Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch HBF001 and its limited edition counterpart, the HBF002. Both models feature a ceramic bezel, longer power reserve, better promised timekeeping, and a much-requested tool-less micro-adjust clasp - tangible upgrades that justify a near 25% premium over the previous generation. The regular production model launches alongside a more flamboyant 1,000-piece limited edition designed in collaboration with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Initial thoughts Seiko relaunched the Marinemaster brand three years ago with an unexpected trio of compact skin-divers. This was followed by a return to form the following year with a pair of 300 m Hi-Beat Diver-inspired models that dispensed with the “Professional” branding, front-loading case construction, and helium impermeability that distinguished Marinemasters of the past, but offered a more compact 42 mm size and a much improved bracelet. However, it still used the same stamped clasp body found on entry-level divers, just with an upgraded swing arm, and relied on the aging cal. 8L35 movement while Seiko rolled out the improved cal. 8L45 in the similarly priced King Seiko Vanac. The new HBF001 solves all of those problems, and introduces only a few new ones. Given the similarity to the SLA079, Seiko clearly felt the need for unambiguous differentiatio...
Monochrome
Released about a year ago, the King Seiko Vanac collection was quite a surprise and, in all fairness, caused some discussions. Based on bold designs from the 1970s, the name Vanac is far from new and was revamped in a sports watch with an integrated bracelet and sharp case, powered by a high-end movement derived […]
SJX Watches
One of the most influential watchmakers of the post-quartz era has re-emerged with a groundbreaking slow-beat oscillator that cleverly avoids the amplitude constraints typical of such constructions. The Pulse60 is the latest project from Dominique Renaud’s eponymous workshop Haute Horlogerie Dominique Renaud (HHDR), and the first watch to bear his full name in a decade. The Pulse60 runs at just 7,200 times per hour - a frequency of just 1 Hz – a quarter the rate of a conventional movement. Ordinarily, such a slow beat would leave the movement susceptible to external forces, but here it has been combined with a proprietary escapement that overcomes the challenge. While the technical ingenuity is expected given Mr Renaud’s pedigree, the relatively accessible price of under CHF50,000 is unexpected, especially given the state of the market today. Initial thoughts It’s been a decade since Dominique Renaud came out of retirement, but his most public contributions since then have come under the Renaud Tixier banner. Latecomers to independent watchmaking may be less familiar with Mr Renaud’s work, but he played an important role in establishing the contemporary high-end watchmaking landscape. The Pulse60 is the first watch to carry the Dominique Renaud name since the exotic and expensive DR01 Twelve First, which was not made in significant numbers. But unlike its short-lived predecessor, which featured a low-amplitude, high-frequency escapement of Mr Renaud’s own des...
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot traces its long history back to 1853, when it was founded in Switzerland’s Jura Mountains by the father-son watchmaking team of Charles-Félicien and Charles-Émile Tissot. Today part of the Swatch Group, Tissot can lay claim to several watchmaking milestones throughout its history, including the first pocket watch to display two time zones in 1853; the first watch built to resist magnetism, the Antimagnetique, in 1930; and the first tactile-screen multifunction digital watch, the T-Touch, in 1999, years before the smartwatch would come into existence. Today, Tissot markets more than 4 million watches per year to more than 160 countries and is known for producing what its parent group terms “midrange market” watches that are prized for their price-to-value ratio. Tissot’s 1950s-era Visodate was among the first fleet of watches to introduce an integrated date complication, but the line’s contemporary renditions have continuously flown under the radar within the enthusiast community – until today, that is. New for 2026, the brand has given the collection a complete overhaul, revamping the Visodate to be more everyday-carry friendly than ever without sacrificing its quintessential retro flair. [toc-section heading="History And Context"] Vintage 1950s Tissot Visodate Advertisement The original Tissot Visodate hit shelves in 1953, marking 100 years since Tissot’s founding. It was not the first wristwatch with a date display in a window - that woul...
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