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Ball Watch Roadmaster M Model A Review Teddy Baldassarre
Ball Watch Nov 14, 2024

Ball Watch Roadmaster M Model A Review

The best bit of trivia I’ve heard about the Ball Watch Company, founded by its eponym, Webster Clay “Webb” Ball in 1891 — and one I have admittedly kept alive in conversations over the years — is that the expression “on the ball” actually has its origins in the world-renowned accuracy of the railroad watches the company produced in the early 20th Century. The legend, likely apocryphal, has it that “on the ball,” which today denotes a general sense of efficiency and promptness, once referred to a train being dependably on time thanks to the conductor’s use of one of Webb Ball’s meticulously adjusted pocket chronometers. Whether or not any of this is true, what cannot be disputed is Ball Watch’s impressive track record in making tool watches — initially for keeping the railways that knitted together the modern, interconnected United States running smoothly, and eventually pieces engineered specially for divers, pilots, firefighters, and even storm chasers.  Ball’s latest release is the Roadmaster M Model A, a timepiece that ushers a mechanical alarm function (that’s the “A”) into the lineup for the first time. As a diehard fan of the somewhat niche complication (I sing its praises and explore its storied history here), I was excited when the Ball Watch team sent me the heads-up on the model several months ahead of its debut and even more eager to get my hands on it for a review.  As with most Ball watches, the case of the Roadmaster M Mode...

Opinion: Patek Philippe, the Cubitus, and Elitism in Modern Watchmaking Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Armin Strom Garrick Tudor Nov 13, 2024

Opinion: Patek Philippe, the Cubitus, and Elitism in Modern Watchmaking

Last month, Patek Philippe launched their first new watch collection in decades: the Cubitus. It was met with, as you’ve surely seen by now, a chorus of widespread skepticism and bewilderment. Ostensibly a replacement for the now discontinued stainless steel Nautilus, the Cubitus borrows the bracelet and dial treatment from that watch, and makes the case square. The consensus seems to be that they turned one of the most elegant luxury sports watches ever made into something ungainly, and they didn’t even take the time to do it in a thoughtful way. Words like “lazy” and “ugly” fill out the diatribes from commenters who disapprove.  For me and the rest of the team at Worn & Wound, new releases from Patek Philippe are something of a spectator sport. I can’t speak for all of my colleagues, but feelings about the brand range from lukewarm appreciation for watches that are objectively well made and designed, to a more straight up boredom (that’s me), to some version of the “I don’t think of you at all” Mad Men meme (also me). It’s fair to say, though, that none of us are die hard Patek fans in the same way, for instance, that we follow new releases from brands like, I dunno, Grand Seiko, Christopher Ward, Armin Strom, Garrick, Tudor, and the like. The watches we get excited about span a huge range of accessibility both in terms of price and actual availability. But a good watch is a good watch.  This is all to say, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise t...

Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Limited Edition In Full Rose Gold Attire Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Limited Nov 13, 2024

Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Limited Edition In Full Rose Gold Attire

The new stainless steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph was among our favorite releases during Watches and Wonders 2023. The contrast between the clean blue/gray sunburst dial and the open-worked chronograph dial especially earned our admiration. Of course, the version with a rose gold case and indexes on its black sunburst dial was also very impressive. […] Visit Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Limited Edition In Full Rose Gold Attire to read the full article.

The Latest From Elka is a Limited Edition with a Whiskey Inspired Dial Worn & Wound
Nov 12, 2024

The Latest From Elka is a Limited Edition with a Whiskey Inspired Dial

Just hearing the brand Elka brings back nostalgic memories of my trip to Neuchatel back in 2019, a picture perfect Swiss town bordering a very large lake. It’s often known as the “land of watchmakers” and hosts the headquarters for some of the most renowned Swiss watch brands, including Elka Watches.  Elka has launched a watch and whiskey collaboration with the limited release of 25 S series watches, each to be paired with their own unique bottle of golden hued Single Malt Whiskey. Many watch collectors, including myself, take pleasure in the opportunity to enjoy an evening dram of fine Scotch or Bourbon while gazing into the dials of our most prized watches. Oftentimes you can find us comparing notes from the liquor that complement the vibe of the watch, or even superficial aesthetic cues such as the color of the whiskey matching various earthy colors found on the watch – such is the case with this limited pairing from Elka.  The Whiskey that comes with this new limited edition watch from Elka is not a Scotch, nor a Bourbon – but rather a single malt by the name of Loch Lat that has been distilled in Neuchatel and aged in Cognac casks. Whiskey that has not been distilled in Scotland lawfully cannot bear the official name of a Scotch (the same goes for Bourbon which needs to be made within the USA) and that’s the case here with this Swiss single malt not bearing either label.  This new S series release from Elka is very elegant and dressy in appearance, but ...

Introducing – The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Line Expands with New Ceramic Models Monochrome
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Line Nov 12, 2024

Introducing – The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Line Expands with New Ceramic Models

A classic from Blancpain‘s range of sports watches, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is a sleeker and more daily-oriented vision of a dive watch. Available in a host of materials (titanium, gold or ceramic), in various sizes and with an array of complications, the brand now returns to classic functions with two new time-and-date editions and […]

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Tourbillons, Marquetry and Multi-Axis SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Tourbillons Marquetry Nov 12, 2024

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Tourbillons, Marquetry and Multi-Axis

Continuing its annual tradition, Vacheron Constantin (VC) reveals the year’s Les Cabinotiers collection of one-of-a-kind watches that are both technically complex and decorated by skilled artisans. The line-up includes two distinct tourbillon offerings, Le Temps Divin Ode to the Four Guardians featuring marquetry dials inspired by mythical animals of East Asia, and Le Temps Divin Armillary Tourbillon Greek Mythology, a pair of double-axis tourbillons featuring hand-engraved decor. “Divine time” Known for its pursuit of traditional artisanal techniques like enamelling, wood marquetry, and engraving, the Geneva watchmaker integrates such decorative techniques into its Metiers d’Art and Les Cabinotiers timepieces, which are as much works of art as they are timekeepers. This year’s collection is titled Le Temps Divin, or “Divine Time”. Though united by a tourbillon regulator, the new models are each very different, both in the thematic inspirations as well as the decorative and technical execution.  Le Temps Divin refers to the mythological concepts of time from different cultural perspectives. The quartet of “Ode to the Four Guardians” tourbillons is inspired by four mythological creatures of East Asian culture, each representing one season. The Armillary Tourbillon pair, on the other hand, focuses on the ancient Greek god of time, the titan Chronos. The fabled creatures of the East Ode to the Four Guardians draws inspiration from the four seasons and the...

The Fratello Watch List: Jorg’s Pre-Owned And Neo-Vintage Favorites From Omega, Rolex, And Tudor Fratello
Tudor Welcome Nov 12, 2024

The Fratello Watch List: Jorg’s Pre-Owned And Neo-Vintage Favorites From Omega, Rolex, And Tudor

Welcome to another installment of the Fratello Watch List! Thomas and Daan opened the series with several interesting picks. Some of them could easily be on my list too. But as there is so much to find in the world of pre-owned watches, it’s easy to come up with a series of different options. Like […] Visit The Fratello Watch List: Jorg’s Pre-Owned And Neo-Vintage Favorites From Omega, Rolex, And Tudor to read the full article.

Collector’s Story: My Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5 Financed By The Spy Who Loved Me Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5 Financed Nov 12, 2024

Collector’s Story: My Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5 Financed By The Spy Who Loved Me

We often receive great personal stories from our readers about their watches. Some of them stick with us for a long time, like this story submitted by Nick about his Speedmaster Mark 4.5 and its connection to the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. We published this article nearly 10 years ago, but in […] Visit Collector’s Story: My Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5 Financed By The Spy Who Loved Me to read the full article.

Bremont’s Latest Terra Nova is a Caramel Colored Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Bremont s Latest Terra Nova Nov 11, 2024

Bremont’s Latest Terra Nova is a Caramel Colored Limited Edition

I think it’s possible that when it’s all said and done, no brand will have had a more consequential 2024 than Bremont. I can imagine a watch environment three or four or five years out into the future where this brand is fundamentally changed (even from how we see it now, after what most would agree is a tumultuous recent period), and we can pinpoint the start of that change in 2024. Specifically, at Watches & Wonders 2024, when the brand unveiled its new look, and the watch world, almost in unison, shook their heads.  We wrote about Bremont’s big rebrand when it happened, after getting a look at the watches themselves. It’s the single article we’ve published this year that I find myself being asked about over and over again. The Bremont rebrand comes up at local watch meetups, in Instagram group chats, and even in conversations with enthusiasts at our Windup events this year. People still have strong opinions about Bremont’s new direction. Predictably, something else has happened: more people are seeing these watches in person, and public opinion is shifting accordingly.  I stand by my original assessment, which is mostly just total confusion and a desire to wait and see what happens next. I thought the new Supermarine references I saw were quite unremarkable, but the Terra Nova references, particularly the simple time only model, had some promise. I still like the way this looks in the wrist shot I took in the Bremont booth at Watches & Wonders, even if the...

Subverting Expectations: the Papar Watch Company and their Debut GMT, the Anillo Worn & Wound
Nov 11, 2024

Subverting Expectations: the Papar Watch Company and their Debut GMT, the Anillo

As a journalist in the watch industry for over a decade, I’ve received dozens upon dozens of emails, DMs, LinkedIn messages, and even WhatsApps from unknown numbers pitching me on new watches and brands. I remember the thrill of these messages early in my career, but after twelve years and thousands of timekeepers later, it’s hard not to become a bit jaded.  A couple months ago, one of these messages popped up in my inbox about a new brand coming to market and the model that would be their debut offering. After a few weeks of writing back and forth, I begrudgingly relented and agreed to get together over drinks to see what the brand and watch were all about.  Admittedly, I walked into the meeting ready to be thoroughly underwhelmed with the arrogance that I’ve already seen it all, and it would take a lot to really blow my socks off. I was prepared to politely nod and smile, provide a few encouraging words welcoming the brand to the community, and be on my way to the event I had later that evening. But after just a few minutes with Josh Blank, founder of Papar and creator of the Anillo, the brand’s inaugural timepiece, I was eating my words.  Josh’s watch story and approach to watchmaking is anything but ordinary. He’s a lawyer who splits his time between his home in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico-a lifestyle he and his wife/business partner Emily have built for their daughters to be bilingual. These elements of p...

Andreas Strehler Debuts Hand Engraved Faune et Flore SJX Watches
Nov 11, 2024

Andreas Strehler Debuts Hand Engraved Faune et Flore

Andreas Strehler, known for his complex movements, recruited master engraver Roman Houdek for a collection of floral-themed watches, the Faune et Flore. With each made to order, the timepieces of Faune et Flore are presented in Strehler’s signature ovoid Papillon case and powered by an in-house calibre. The dials are open worked and intricately hand engraved by Mr Houdek. Initial thoughts Though the new line is a departure from the brand’s usual focus on complications, free-hand engraving is no less of an achievement. An art that requires tremendous skill, it is refreshing to see Strehler attempt something different. Elaborate in style, the Faune et Flore departs from Strehler’s traditional aesthetic. While that may not appeal to technical-minded enthusiasts at first glance, the quality of the engraving is easily apparent and complements the case shape. Unsurprisingly given Mr Strehler’s technical talent, the engraved dials are not actually traditional dials. The engraved 18k gold plate serves as a functional bridge for the movement, supporting part of the going train and the two barrels. As a result, there are jewels set into the plate, which form decorative elements in the engraving. Because the engraved plate is functional as well as decorative, this construction requires even more careful work than a conventional engraved dial, in order to ensure the open-worked sections don’t compromise with integrity or flatness of the bridge. That in turn has to be balance...

Introducing – The New GoS by Martin Key, Sweden’s Prominent Fashion Designer Monochrome
Nov 11, 2024

Introducing – The New GoS by Martin Key, Sweden’s Prominent Fashion Designer

With Patrik Sjögren, the Master Watchmaker at the helm and Conny Persson, the Bladesmith producing the intricate hand-forged Damascus steel, the Swedish watchmaking brand GoS continues to amaze. Infusing Scandinavian folklore, nature themes and traditional crafts into their creations, GoS watches are distinguished by their intricate patterns and story-telling details. The new GoS timepiece is […]