41,895 articles · 277 videos found · page 367 of 1406
Monochrome
The Freak, Ulysse Nardin’s avant-garde masterpiece, marked a before and after in contemporary watchmaking. Designed by wizard watchmaker Ludwig Oeschlin under the inspired leadership of Rolf Schnyder, the Freak was unleashed in 2001. With no dial, hands, or crown, the Freak upturned conventional time displays, relying instead on the movement’s rotation to tell the time. […]
SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin has revealed a new take on its flagship complication, the Freak S Enamel, now offered with a silvery titanium case and with the choice of either red or turquoise translucent flinqué enamel over an engine-turned guilloché dial. While mechanically unchanged, the cleaner case design and high-gloss dial plate transform the overall visual impression and intensify the focus on the central carousel, which serves as both the time display and the heart of the movement. A limited edition of 50 pieces in each colour, the enamel edition is the fourth member of the Freak S family, which was launched in 2022 as a higher-end, dual-balance evolution of the Freak Vision. Initial thoughts Since its debut a quarter century ago, the Freak collection has given Ulysse Nardin (UN) freedom to push the boundaries of movement design. While the usually crownless case and central carousel have become familiar over the years, each iteration still manages to feel like an experiment. The new enamel edition is the most aesthetically restrained Freak S yet; paradoxically, it also feels the most luxurious, trading exotic material combinations for polished titanium and brightly coloured enamel. The result is a watch that feels as radical as ever, but more refined. The 45 mm case, for example, is the simplest Freak S case to date: no carbon flanks, and no PVD coating. The traditional brushed and polished finish helps the large case fade into the background to allow the enamel dial and starshi...
Monochrome
Formex extends its Essence line with a new 41mm COSC-certified model, a permanent addition that bridges the gap between the existing 39mm and 43mm editions. First presented in the Space Ghost limited edition and later added to ceramic variants, this mid-size case now arrives in stainless steel as part of the regular collection. The 41mm […]
SJX Watches
Having opened on September 17th to coincide with the 270th anniversary of Vacheron Constantin, a philanthropic partner of the museum, Mécaniques d’art is an exhibition at the Louvre dedicated to mechanical art objects, specifically 10 historically significant clocks and watches (though some of the oldest are merely fragments). On display in the Sully wing until November 12th, the exhibit casts a welcome light on an often-overlooked facet of the museum’s decorative arts collection; objects that blend technical mastery with mankind’s insatiable desire to measure time and understand the heavenly bodies. The centerpiece (literally, as it’s in the center of the room) is La Quête du Temps, the spectacular astronomical clock unveiled last month by Vacheron Constantin. For those unable to visit, it’s worth a look at the remarkable objects on display, presented here in historical order. Exhibition overview Fragment of a Clepsydra Egypt, c. 332–30 BC At approximately 2,300 years old, the oldest clock on display predates mechanical clocks by centuries. Its age explains its condition – a mere fragment is all that remains of an ancient Egyptian clepsydra, or water clock. As old as this water clock is, the underlying technology was centuries old when it was built. The device was essentially a flat-bottomed vessel with a hole in it, precisely drilled so that water would leak out at a predictable rate; experts estimate that this type of clepsydra could measure time t...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Zenith Chronomaster Sport debuted back in 2021 and has evolved into one of the brand’s most compelling contemporary chronographs (and that’s saying a lot for Zenith). There was a lot of initial chatter about some similarities to the Rolex Daytona because the collection debuted with a panda and reverse panda dial model with ceramic bezel and, while the comparisons are certainly valid, it does warrant a reminder that the Daytona indeed used to be El Primero-powered. Earlier in 2025, Zenith went all out on the blue theme at this year’s Watches & Wonders in celebration of its 160th anniversary. The star of the show may have been the return of the Caliber 135 in the G.F.J. (see more on that one right here), but the supporting releases didn’t hold back either, boasting bright blue ceramic cases and bracelets. Together, this trio of watches comprise the Zenith 160th anniversary collection, touching on each of the cornerstones of the brand’s modern architecture. The watch I am going to focus on here is the Zenith Chronomaster Sport rendered nearly in its entirety in blue ceramic, showcasing a very different side of the brand’s most popular modern chronograph. Zenith Chronomaster Sport Context The Chronomaster collection has been around since 1994, building on the rather illustrious history of precision timing (outlined in more detail right here) that Zenith is known for. In 2021, Zenith found its modern stride with the release of the Chronomaster Sport with a blac...
Hodinkee
The St. Louis-based microbrand updates its classic field watch with a new generation.
Monochrome
Launched in 2021 for the Manufacture’s 25th anniversary, the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 was Chopard’s first in-house jumping hour watch, pairing a pure 40mm case with the long-autonomy L.U.C 98 calibre and a Grand Feu enamel dial. That model has since spawned further variants (including rose-gold reference with a gold-based dial graced with green straw […]
Hodinkee
The young duo has created a brand new caliber and expanded their design language, which is likely to grab new customers.
Worn & Wound
Just when you think you know an indie brand, they go ahead and make a watch that looks kind of normal. That was one of the initial thoughts running through my head when the Urwerk team showed us the new UR-10 SpaceMeter during our Geneva Watch Days meeting last month. It is, without question, one of the most confounding releases in the brand’s history. This is a brand that has singlehandedly carved out a niche for themselves with highly technical, futuristic timepieces that employ wandering and satellite hours complications in innovative and unique ways. Their watches are usually not circular, they do not have traditional hands, and they don’t even really have what we’d think of as complications in a traditional sense. But the UR-10 proves that even when a brand has defined a category, there’s still plenty of opportunity to surprise with something new. The concept of the SpaceMeter is to, unsurprisingly, measure space. That’s a pretty heady concept, but it’s rooted in classical watchmaking that has always been an influence on brand founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. In the case of the UR-10, the inspiration comes directly from an important clock in Baumgartner’s life, a 19th century pendulum clock signed by Gustave Sandoz. The unusual clock belonged to Baumgartner’s father, and upon taking ownership apparently had little idea of exactly what the subdials were meant to track. After a lot of research, Baumgartner determined that the clock was desig...
Monochrome
Czapek unveils the second special series created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand’s rebirth in 2015. Following the Antarctique Tourbillon introduced in April, this new release presents an exceptional interpretation of the maison’s integrated-bracelet sports watch, distinguished by a plique-à-jour enamel dial. Plique-à-jour is an intricate and delicate enamelling technique distinguished by its […]
Monochrome
Petermann Bédat is an independent watchmaking brand based in Renens, near Lausanne. The founders, Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat, first met at the Geneva Watchmaking School. After gaining experience at prestigious houses such as A. Lange & Söhne, Harry Winston and Andersen Genève, or restoring vintage timepieces, they decided to create their own brand. The […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Our hands-on guide to the best dress watches: picks across budgets with sizing tips, pros and cons, and insights from on-wrist testing.
Fratello
The Flyway Fata Morgana is the latest addition to Isotope’s collection of characterful, design-first watches. Inspired by the rare optical phenomenon in which land and sky appear to merge, it represents perhaps more of a poetic concept than a mere wristwatch. This new 36mm model introduces a mirror-polished titanium dial to an already rather exotic […] Visit Introducing: The Isotope Flyway Fata Morgana - A Mirror-Polished Optical Illusion to read the full article.
Monochrome
Arnold & Son introduced its first integrated luxury sports watch last year with the Longitude Titanium, featuring three dial colours. The 2025 Longitude Titanium 5°W Edition is the latest variant with a single dial colour inspired by the hue of the North Atlantic’s surface as autumn storms approach. Specifically, it’s from the waters off Lizard […]
Monochrome
Now that is something paradoxical… An Urwerk watch equipped with centrally-mounted hands rotating traditionally on top of a round dial, with concentric counters underneath. That’s nothing what you’d expect to see from Urwerk, a brand known for its unconventional displays of the time with wandering hours and satellites. Look at our retrospective of the entire […]
SJX Watches
As the first complication launched by the revived Blancpain in 1983, the triple calendar with moon phase is arguably the brand’s signature. Now Blancpain has reveal the latest generation of the model, the Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune. The new version is primarily a cosmetic facelift, which includes a blue ceramic moon phase disc, but it builds on solid foundations. The model retains the innovative and patented under-lug correctors for the calendar that make for easier setting and a clean case outline. The new Villeret Villeret Quantième Complet Phases de Lune (centre) is being launched alongside the the Quantième Phases de Lune, a 33.2 mm model for ladies (left), and Extraplate, the time-and-date base model (right), both of which have been similarly facelifted. Initial thoughts The triple calendar is a simple complication, but functions and aesthetically pleasing in the traditional layout that Blancpain employs. Though it is widely found across brands, Blancpain probably offers the most advanced triple calendar watches on the market thanks to its sophisticated movements. And Blancpain manages to do so at a reasonably competitive price relative to its peers. At a distance, the facelifted models look pretty much identical to the earlier generation – a good thing if you like the look, but the classical style might look dated to some. I find the aesthetic appealing, especially with details like the serpentine date hand and recessed dates scale. The facelift...
Deployant
Blancpain’s iconic Villeret collection feels like it has been around for a very long time, but officially, it’s ‘only’ existed for just over two decades. But beyond semantics, the spirit and style of the Villeret had long been established a further two decades before. In 1983, Blancpain introduced a watch that would become emblematic: theRead More
Monochrome
The latest Blancpain releases are classical watchmaking refined with a purpose. Long before the Villeret collection officially gained its name in 2003, Blancpain had already set the template in the early 1980s with a small, classically framed complete calendar moonphase (Cal. 6395). The look with the double-stepped bezel, Roman numerals, and slim cases became the […]
Fratello
A retro watch is a modern watch evoking a style from a bygone era - usually, in the case of dive watches, the 1950s and ’60s. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the “Retro Age” began in the watch world, but I don’t think we’re far off by considering the introduction of the Tudor Black […] Visit Retro Dive Watches Are Suffering From An Identity Crisis: They All Look The Same! to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A hit when it was launched a dozen years ago – time does fly – the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon was the first-ever Speedmaster in ceramic. Now Omega has refined and reworked the concept – the case is now almost 1 mm thinner – while retaining the all-ceramic construction and distinctive aesthetic. The new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon (DSOTM) makes its debut in four variants. The first two stick closely to the original, right down to the same automatic cal. 9900 movement, but in a slimmer format. More notable is the manual-wind version containing the cal. 9908, the first DSOTM offering with this movement, making it even thinner. And it has no date to boot. Rounding out the quartet is the Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon (GSOTM) that is also manual-wind but powered by the historically-based, Moonwatch-famous cal. 3861. This adopts the lunar-textured surface, front and back, first seen on the Apollo 8 edition. The first manual-wind DSOTM that has a black-and-red livery Initial thoughts Contemporary collectors are spoiled for choice when it comes to the Speedmaster, which is available in seemingly endless configurations. While that’s arguably a criticism, it demonstrates Omega’s industrial prowess, which enables the brand to deliver large volumes of watches that are objectively high quality and equipped with some of the industry’s best chronograph movements, without keeping customers waiting. Regardless of the shade of grey or black, the watches are ins...
Hodinkee
While the dial and case will get the most attention, it's what's under the hood that's worth a bit more attention.
Monochrome
The Carrera Extreme Sport series by TAG Heuer returns for 2025 with three new references: a travel-ready Twin-Time chronograph that merges a true GMT into the openworked Extreme Sport template; a rose-gold chronograph that disrupts the collection’s tool aesthetic using precious metal; and a Tourbillon Extreme Sport F1 75th Anniversary limited edition that celebrates seven-and-a-half […]
Worn & Wound
In the ever-growing sea of impressive microbrands, Swiss upstarts Furlan Marri have carved out a niche of dressy watches with vintage flair. That’s not giving them full credit, of course-they’ve also managed to create a wholly recognizable visual style within a few short years, to the point where “Furlan Marri-esque” is a perfectly reasonable compound adjective to sling around. Continuing their current theme of circular motifs, the brand is expanding their Cornes de Vache (“cow horns” in French, referring to long, curved lugs) collection of automatic watches with the Blue Sector joining the lineup, bringing a classically upscale blue and silver colorway to a collection already bursting with color. Like the other Cornes de Vache models already available, the Blue Sector is housed in a circular 37.5mm polished stainless steel case with cow-horn lugs, connected by a bridge at the 6 and 12 o’clock positions. Lug-to-lug, the case measures in at 46mm, with a 10.5mm thickness, placing it on the small-to-medium side of the dress watch spectrum. The sector dial from which the reference pulls its name features the same layout as the other Sector models, with double-stamped indications and applied Breguet-style indexes. The dark blue of the dial is further diversified by the textured center circle, split into four. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 numerals echo the quartering theme, and feature an elegant, vintage script. These numerals, along with the hands, indexes, and other ...
Monochrome
Bremont has a solid portfolio of rugged tool watches designed for airborne, seaborne and land exploration. Recently restructured under Davide Cerrato, Bremont’s 2024 Terrra Nova collection was the CEO’s trial by fire. With its cushion-shaped cases, vintage details, and excellent legibility, the Terra Nova collection is designed to capture the elemental spirit of yesteryear’s military […]
Hodinkee
Twelve years after the original release, the brand expands the ceramic Speedmaster catalog with four new iterations.
Monochrome
Omega turns its head once again to the Dark Side… of the Moon, of course. A now-classic member of the Speedmaster collection, the Dark Side of the Moon lineup, also known as the DSOTM, has been around for over 10 years now, always with a cool, monochromatic take on the brand’s emblematic space chronograph, made […]
Fratello
In 2013, there were two very significant releases in Omega’s catalog. One was the Speedmaster Professional “Racing,” which Fratello quickly dubbed “Tintin” due to its story with the Belgian reporter and his adventures on the Moon. The other was the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon. It was a revolutionary watch at the time, as […] Visit Video: Hands-On With The New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Watches to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we try our hand at predicting the fortunes of four key watch brands. These makers all have great pieces in their lineups, yet we wonder if they have more in store to become absolute powerhouses. Or perhaps some of these companies will go in the […] Visit Fratello On Air: Predicting The Fortunes Of Four Brands In Five Years to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Citizen marks 30 years of its upmarket The Citizen collection with a matching pair of limited-edition 30th anniversary watches with aquiline ivory dials. Representing the best of both worlds, the pair offer Citizen’s best calibres in mechanical and analogue quartz watchmaking: one contains the automatic Caliber 0200, while the other boasts the top of the line, feature-rich Eco-Drive A060. The Citizen Caliber 0200 30th Anniversary Initial Thoughts While little known outside Japan and certain enthusiast circles, the eagle-crested The Citizen watches are arguably the best Citizen has to offer, and also a tantalising value proposition. Both models are good in their own right, though the automatic is the winner here. The Calibre 0200 model is probably the best made-in-Japan integrated bracelet sports watch currently available, combining the impressive case and dial finishing we’ve come to expect from premium Japanese watches, and a significantly more upscale movement than the King Seiko Vanac or Credor Locomotive. The quartz model is appealing, The Citizen has plenty of other quartz offerings with the same movement but more interesting dials. The Citizen Eco-Drive 30th Anniversary Eco-Drive cal. A060 The conical bezel and flat lug chamfers of the Eco-Drive model are flat polished using a spinning tin-plate, creating a near distortion-free mirror finish. A Duratec “Platinum” treatment, with a hardness of over 1,000 Vickers, protects the case and bracelet, and also gives ...
Worn & Wound
Most enthusiast focused brands would find themselves extremely fortunate to have a single watch or collection that achieves “icon” status with the finicky hobbyist crowd. It’s not secret that watch enthusiasts are a picky and demanding bunch, and the watches that rise to the top and achieve a level of support by consensus are genuinely pretty special. Oris, I think, has at least two watches that fall easily into this category. There’s the Divers Sixty-Five (and the newer Divers Date) that have become forum favorites and are frequently spoken of when it comes time to recommend a solid sports watch to a budding collector. And then there’s the Big Crown Pointer Date. For my money, this is the iconic Oris. While dive watches, in general, might be more popular, the pointer date is special because it fills a very specific, old-fashioned niche, and there are just fewer brands making anything similar that’s still approachable for a casual or value oriented consumer. It has, of course, been a platform for many limited and special editions over the years, and the new version seen here made in collaboration with frequent partner Cervo Volante really stands out. Cervo Volante is a strap and leather goods maker that Oris has partnered with for a number of years now. The brand specializes in sustainably sourced deer leather, and the straps they have crafted for the Oris watches they’ve worked on are truly exceptional. Cervo Volante’s mission also folds in nicely with O...
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