Hodinkee
Introducing: Seiko Debuts The New Presage Classic Series With Softly Textured Dials
Three new Presage references showcase the dressier side of Seiko.
Results for The Silver Snoopy Award
42,547 articles · 249 videos found · page 370 of 1427
Hodinkee
Monochrome
Introducing - A Mint Green Palette for the Breguet Reine de Naples 8918
As the leading watchmaker of his day, Abraham-Louis Breguet enjoyed the patronage of France’s royalty and aristocracy. Among the names on his A-list was Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest sister, Caroline Murat, also known as the Queen of Naples. A keen collector of Breguet’s timepieces, one of the 30 pieces she commissioned from Breguet was a watch […]
Monochrome
First Look - The Scintillating Presence of the New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 37mm
When Audemars Piguet‘s iconic Royal Oak turned fifty in 2022, the brand announced that the permanent range of Royal Oak models would be updated aesthetically and mechanically. With this in mind, the 37mm Royal Oak was one of the beneficiaries of the ‘new design evolution’ and reappears in 2024 in two luxurious editions in gold […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Tadaima By Mr Jones Watches - A Poetic Ode To Tokyo
Sometimes, a watch brings something very different from actual time-telling. And when it hits all the right notes, the watch might as well be an artwork for your living room, but it’s on your wrist and happens to tell the time. This is the modus operandi for the British company Mr Jones Watches and its […] Visit Hands-On With The Tadaima By Mr Jones Watches - A Poetic Ode To Tokyo to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look - Launching From the Netherlands, this is the VPC Type 37HW
Many watch enthusiasts and collectors will undoubtedly dream of creating their own watch at some point, but few actually set out to do it. And from those that do embark on the Herculean undertaking of launching a brand, even fewer eventually make it and bring an actual finished product to the table. It’s by no […]
SJX Watches
Explained: Barrels, Mainsprings, and the Trade-off Between Power Reserve and Energy
Every mechanical watch employs at least one mainspring barrel as its energy source. When a watch is wound, the coils of the mainspring tighten, storing potential energy which is then slowly released through the gear train to the escapement. The mainspring is enclosed in a toothed barrel, essentially a drum covered by gear teeth. As a result the barrel is often considered to be the first wheel of the going train. Although one is the norm, two or even more barrels can be employed, typically to generate more energy. Double barrel movements usually feature two mainsprings kinematically linked in one of two ways: in parallel or in series. The number of mainsprings, energy stored, and power reserve are illustrated with equations (1), (2), and (3): As described by equation (1), the energy of a single barrel E is a function of its torque, angular discharge velocity and running time (autonomy). Linking two identical barrels naturally means having twice the energy, so 2E. By convenient association, equation (2) exploits the available energy to double the torque sent to the gear train, while equation (3) takes advantage of the total energy by doubling the running time. Parallel barrels The parallel arrangement of barrels embodies equation (2), which delivers twice the torque, increasing the energy available to run the movement (but not increasing the running time). Here two barrels unwind at the same time on a centre pinion connected to a second mobile of the going train. An embo...
Fratello
Hands-On With The Zenith Pilot Automatic And Big Date Flyback Boutique Editions
Zenith presented a fully redesigned and thoroughly modernized Pilot range at Watches and Wonders last year. Although many of our team members had a chance to try them on at the fair, we had not yet done a full hands-on article on Fratello. We figured it was long overdue! So, now that there is a […] Visit Hands-On With The Zenith Pilot Automatic And Big Date Flyback Boutique Editions to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Louis Erard Watches: How the Regulator King Became an Indie Darling
Louis Erard is one of those Swiss watch brands that may have registered on your radar only recently - earning both enthusiast buzz and critical acclaim in the past few years thanks to its very high-profile partnerships with indie watchmakers whose own timepieces might otherwise be unattainable. How did Louis Erard, which actually traces its origins all the way back to the Great Depression, manage to finally find its niche in the 21st Century? Family Foundations Born in 1893 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a historical hub of Swiss watchmaking, Louis Erard discovered his horological vocation early. In the early 1900s, he began plying his trade as a watchmaker for several of the town’s workshops, and in 1929 founded a watchmaking school where he served as instructor. At the same time, Erard started a watchmaking business with a partner named André Perret, originally as an “assembler” of complete timepieces for third parties using parts supplied by independent artisans. By 1931, the partnership was dissolved and Erard became a producer of watches under his own eponymous brand name. The company grew in the following decades, with Erard’s two sons, René and Jean-Louis, joining in 1945. Among the company’s milestones during this early period was helping to develop the now-legendary Valjoux 72 chronograph caliber. In 1956, Louis Erard, which still used third-party movements in its own watches, advanced to the next stage of horological prestige, starting production of it...
Monochrome
First Look - A new Sand-Gold Alloy for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked
While the Royal Oak was initially born in stainless steel – which, in our opinion, remains the material of choice for the classic Jumbo – the emblematic Audemars Piguet collection rather quickly embraced gold. Since then, precious metals have become integral to the series, always leaving a memorable impression. In its latest venture, the brand […]
Worn & Wound
Leica Unveils the Highly Anticipated SL3
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Leica is the Rolex of cameras. It’s a bit of a tired comparison, but it’s not an invalid one. They are each known for their impeccable build quality, a wonderful user experience, and for making beautiful objects. Both Rolex and Leica draw as much, if not more, attention to their vintage product as their modern, and each has a passionate and devoted fan base. And, at the end of the day, Leica and Rolex both make wonderful things. Today, we get to see a new wonderful thing from Leica; the SL3. The SL3 replaces the SL2 as Leica’s flagship full-frame, interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. At first blush, the new SL3 looks a lot like the SL2, but take a closer look and you’ll start to see major differences. Working from the outside in, the SL3 is smaller and lighter than the SL2. According to Leica, the SL3 has shed about 70g from its predecessor, and the overall dimensions of the camera have been shrunk down slightly. The SL3, despite these changes, remains weather-sealed to the IP54 standard. The SL3 also gets, for the first time in the model line, a tilt screen for its rear display, similar to the one the Q3 got last year. The 3.2” LED display has a slightly higher resolution than the display on the SL2 (2.3 million dots vs 2.1 million on the SL2) and the SL3 also comes equipped with a 5.76 million dot EyeRes EVF. The control layout of the SL3 has also seen a revision. Like with last year’s Q3, the introduction of a ti...
Monochrome
First Look - The Time-and-Date Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 43mm
While there have been time-and-date and triple calendar versions since the mid-1990s, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore or ROO, has always been primarily known as a chronograph watch. It was actually designed as such when it launched in 1993. In modern days, non-chronograph ROO watches were mostly known as the Diver version, which was […]
Hodinkee
Introducing: Audemars Piguet's New Watches Of 2024: From the Royal Oak To The Code 11.59, The Offshore, And More (Live Pics)
While John Mayer might have been the spring headliner, there's plenty else to love from Audemars Piguet's new releases – including camo like you've never seen.
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 in Pink Gold
To mark the collection’s fifth anniversary, Audemars Piguet (AP) has launched seven new variants of the Code 11.59 in pink gold that are available in both 41 mm and 38 mm cases, with the 41 mm option being available with or without a chronograph. While none of the individual elements are novel (the new models are a melange of successful elements from recent launches) the new 38 mm model in navy blue – specifically the same hue as the Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 5402 ST – is one of the most appealing variants of the Code 11.59 to-date. Initial thoughts Though often considered a gateway to the brand’s most sought-after models like the Royal Oak, the Code 11.59 has quietly evolved into a full-fledged collection that now includes everything from simple time-only pieces to the grandest of grand complications. The new references reflect the updated Code 11.59 aesthetic introduced last year in stainless steel, which comprised an updated hand set and stamped guilloché dials in crowd-pleasing colours like navy blue and dark green. It is in this respect that the 38 mm model with navy blue dial that stands out. While not the first 38 mm Code 11.59, it is the first in a mainstream colourway. Combined with the more wearable size, this new variant adds significant appeal to the overall collection. The pricing of the new Code 11.59 depends on the size and the complication: the 38 mm models are priced at CHF27,500, while the 41 mm is available for extra CHF1,000 and the chronogr...
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak Tourbillon Openworked “Sand Gold”
Audemars Piguet (AP) has introduced the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked in a new proprietary 18ak gold alloy known as sand gold. Essentially a precious-metal variant of the steel version released in 2022, the new Tourbillon Openworked showcases the brand’s commitment to interesting materials – possible in part due to AP owning its own case maker. While the hype for integrated-bracelet sport watches has ebbed, AP has continued to deliver successive variants of its popular Royal Oak in exotic materials ranging from brown ceramic to frosted gold. Priced at CHF250,000, this latest variant pairs a warm-hued gold case and bracelet with one of the brand’s most modern movements. Initial thoughts Unlike its “Holy Trinity” peers Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet has firmly embraced a contemporary, architectural aesthetic throughout its collections. The new Tourbillon Openworked is emblematic of this theme, eschewing traditional decorative finishes like Côtes de Geneve in favour of minimalist graining and sharp angles. Featuring the brand’s latest generation flying tourbillon movement plated to match the case, the sand gold tourbillon presents a striking monochrome appearance. While skeletonised watches can often look fussy and chaotic, the geometric bridges of the cal. 2972 were clearly designed with openworking in mind. As a result, the overall aesthetic is clean and organised. The 41 mm case is well-proportioned at just 10.6 mm...
Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet Social Club 2024 kicks off with the debut of a new ‘Sand Gold’ alloy & a John Mayer collab
Audemars Piguet's annual Social Club festivities kick off this year with a new AP House and a boatload of new APs.The post Audemars Piguet Social Club 2024 kicks off with the debut of a new ‘Sand Gold’ alloy & a John Mayer collab appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
#TBT Plan Your Life With The Certina Biostar
I don’t know if there are any left today. Late-19th-century biorhythm theory, which got another 15 seconds of fame in the 1970s, is the pseudoscientific idea that people’s daily lives are significantly affected by rhythmic cycles with periods. There is a 23-day physical cycle, a 28-day emotional cycle, and a 33-day intellectual cycle. In the […] Visit #TBT Plan Your Life With The Certina Biostar to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Next Generation Of Seiko's Prospex '20MAS' - Now Smaller And With A New Movement (SPB453, SPB451 & SPB455)
Refining Seiko's hit diver for 2024 with new proportions, deeper depths, and a new position for the date.
Worn & Wound
Seiko Introduces a Trio of Updated Divers in the SPB Range
Big news from Seiko today, as the brand announces a follow up to their wildly popular SPB143 diver (and its many siblings). The new SPB453, SPB451, and SPB455 use the same 62MAS derived format but offer small changes in specs that make the new versions of the watch correspondingly more appealing. It’s not a revolutionary update in design or anything, but a series of small changes that should result in a better experience for just about everyone, and reinforces the idea that this watch, the “1966 Diver’s Re-Interpretation,” is the core diver in Seiko’s lineup and will be forever tinkered with in an almost Rolex kind of way. Let’s start with the big changes, which are actually quite small in a literally sense. The new references have been tidied up a bit in their dimensions and are slightly smaller in every dimension watch enthusiasts care about than their predecessors. The diameter is down half a millimeter to a clean 40mm, and the case height has been reduced to 13mm, which is a barely perceptible 0.2mm thinner than the SPB143. The lug to lug measurement is 46.4mm, which is a more noticeable 1.4mm shorter. The new case size is welcome, in my opinion. It’s not that the SPB143 wore too large or was too aggressively chunky, but for a diver like this a little extra refinement is a good thing. A skin diver style dive watch isn’t meant to be a behemoth on the wrist, but rather the ideal combination of wearability and performance for regular folks. Getting this ...
Deployant
Review: the new Yema Superman Slim CMM .20
Hot off the manufacture is the latest iteration of Yema's Superman Slim CMM .20. The Superman is one of Yema and France's most iconic dive watch, after several iterations after it's revival in 2018, the latest iteration now features an in-house movement along side a micro rotor. Here's our take of it after a week on the wrist.
Time+Tide
The VPC Type 37HW shows that watch reviewers make great watch designers
With all the little nitpicks us reviewers pick up on, this has to be the ultimate WIS watch, right?The post The VPC Type 37HW shows that watch reviewers make great watch designers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Introducing: The VPC Type 37HW
After many months in the making, the VPC Type 37HW is here, and I have the distinct pleasure of penning this hands-on introduction. We often ask ourselves, “Is it impossible to be original when endeavoring to design a new watch? Have all paths in crafting this functional object truly been taken? Have we seen it […] Visit Introducing: The VPC Type 37HW to read the full article.
SJX Watches
VPC Debuts with the Type 37HW
Founded last year by Thomas van Straaten, VPC is a Dutch micro brand making its debut with the Type 37HW. Mr van Straaten, who formerly works for an Amsterdam-based watch dealer and now writes for media platform Fratello, started VPC with the goal of creating the “ultimate” everyday watch in his words. VPC is short for Venustas Per Constantiam, Latin that translates as either “beauty through constancy” or “charm through restraint.” Featuring numerous clever details, the Type 37HW is the result of Mr van Straaten’s own experience owning, and later growing bored with, numerous watches that, in his view, featured compromised designs. He appears to have approached this problem forensically, considering everything from the bracelet end-links to the typography on the dial. Initial Thoughts The Type 37HW is an impressive debut that manages to stand out in a crowded segment of the watch market thanks to several interesting details. The central premise of the Type 37HW is that it is a “go anywhere, do anything”, or GADA, watch. Almost every aspect of the watch appears to have been designed with this use case in mind. The Type 37HW offers goldilocks proportions, and is unusually slim at just 9.8 mm thick (including 2 mm for the domed sapphire crystal). The svelte profile is likely possible thanks to the use of a manually wound Sellita SW216-1. Unfortunately, the combination of a screw-down crown and a manually wound movement – one with a relatively short 45...
Monochrome
First Look - The New Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB463, SPB465, SPB467, SPB469 & SPB471 Make An Entrance
Seiko’s current lineup is one of the strongest in its price range. From the accessible 5 Sports series to the popular Prospex diver designs and the reintroduction of the King Seiko name, Seiko has consistently introduced impressive new timepieces since the turn of the century. The all-new Presage Classic line deserves significant attention as it […]
Fratello
Everything You Need To Know About The British Watchmakers’ Day
With the revival of watchmaking in the British Isles, the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers announces its first exhibition. The British Watchmakers’ Day will take place on Saturday, March 9th, 2024, at Lindley Hall (Royal Horticultural Halls) in Westminster. The event is dedicated to showcasing over 30 new and old member brands within […] Visit Everything You Need To Know About The British Watchmakers’ Day to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look - Tissot Is Revving Up With The New T-Race MotoGP 75th Anniversary Chronograph
The Tissot T-Race series holds a prominent position in Tissot’s catalogue, a testament to the brand’s history in sports timing, including motor racing. Tissot has been the official MotoGP timekeeper since 2001, and colleagues report Tissot’s T-Race watches are frequently spotted at race events globally, underlining their association with the fast-paced world of racing. Special […]
Time+Tide
Life on the left side with the Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite”
Tom talks about life with one of Rolex's most polarising releases in recent times.The post Life on the left side with the Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Introducing: The Seiko Prospex SPB451, SPB453, And SPB455 - Successors To The SPB143
The Seiko SPB143 is a veritable fan favorite among lovers of Seiko dive watches. And that’s for good reason. It combined the mid-range quality we know from this level of Seiko offerings with subtle, timeless dive-watch aesthetics. Today, Seiko releases the spiritual successors to this watch. These are the standard-production SPB451 (blue dial) and SPB453 […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Prospex SPB451, SPB453, And SPB455 - Successors To The SPB143 to read the full article.
Fratello
Seiko Introduces The Classic Series With Five New Soft And Gentle References
What brand do you turn to when you’re looking for a watch with a classic design? Well, to be honest, there are many such brands out there. But one brand that certainly comes to my mind is Seiko. It looks like the people at Seiko think similarly about their watches because, today, the Japanese watchmaker […] Visit Seiko Introduces The Classic Series With Five New Soft And Gentle References to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look - Seiko Updates Its Prospex 1965 Divers With The New SPB451, SPB453 & SPB455
Although Seiko’s expertise in waterproof watchmaking goes back a very long way, it wasn’t until 1965 that the Japanese manufacturer entered the professional dive watch market. Ever since, plenty of low- and high-end dive watches have been introduced with a good number of them becoming genuine icons. Collections like the 5 Sports, the Turtle, the […]
SJX Watches
The Latest Seiko Presage Features Silk-Pattern Dials
Usually focused on decorative and artisanal dials made affordable, the Seiko Presage collection now turns to traditional textiles for inspiration. Comprising five models, the Presage Classic Series features textured dials in a range of discreet colours, each inspired by the textures and colours of Japanese silk. The dials are matched with a redesigned case conceived to feel thinner, along with retro-style bracelets. Initial thoughts Unusual dials inspired by Japanese culture and priced affordably are precisely the appeal of the Presage. The Classic Series carries on with this specialty. The domed, silk-texture dials set them apart from similarly-priced watches. The SPB467, for instance, appears to have a fashionable salmon dial, but the fine texturing – inspired by araigaki (or “washed persimmon”) silk – distinguishes it from the competition. The texturing is finer than most dials in the same price range. That said, there are actually two distinct dial patterns in the Classic Series (and four different colours across five references). Three are time-and-date models that are concise and elegant. The two “open heart” models, on the other hand, are not for everyone since the aperture revealing the balance wheel disrupts the aesthetics of the dial. Besides the dial, the Classic Series also features a new case design that camouflages the height of the case with curved lugs and a thinner case middle. This is matched with a vintage-style bracelet that brings to mind o...