222 articles · 2 videos found · page 4 of 8
Monochrome
Rado’s long-standing connection with tennis has inspired a rich catalogue of special-edition timepieces that celebrate the sport in style. Over the years, the brand has released collectable models that nod to various facets of tennis culture through subtle design cues, commemorative engravings, and visual touches. From the 1998 DiaMaster ATP Tour and Roland Garros editions […]
Monochrome
As of now, you certainly know everything there is to know about Rolex’s latest collection, a watch that made great noise during its presentation at Watches & Wonders 2025, the Land-Dweller. Quite a surprise, both visually and mechanically (mostly mechanically), the collection has been quite a hot topic of discussion, with divided opinions amongst the […]
Quill & Pad
As regular readers know, the idea of the Behind the Lens series is to present great watches as seen from a variety of visual perspectives. Mostly, I feature watches on loan from my generous friends, but this time let’s look at a piece that I am very fortunate to have in my own collection: the legendary Simplicity by Philippe Dufour in a 37 mm white gold case with white lacquer dial.
Monochrome
ArtyA, the avant-garde, family-run Swiss watchmaker known for its expressive, often unconventional horological creations of its founder Yvan Arpa, introduces the next evolution of its Luminity collection with a significant update: the launch of its first proprietary micro-rotor movement, the calibre AMR-02. Combining a visually open design with chronometric performance, this new collection keeps movement […]
Monochrome
Gagà Laboratorio Milano, founded in 2024 by Ruben Tomella and his friend and renowned tattoo artist Mo Coppoletta, expands its Labormatic Cinquanta line with two new dial colour variants for 2025: Labormatic Azzurro and Labormatic Champagne. While visually updated, these models retain the same technical specifications and construction as previous entries in the collection, with […]
Monochrome
Unlike the tool-focused Superman line, the latest release of French brand Yema, the Granvelle, takes visual and mechanical cues from France’s long-standing horological tradition and is named after the Granvelle Palace in Besançon, the 16th-century Renaissance building that houses the Museum of Time. But while its inspiration is historic, the execution is modern and precise: […]
Fratello
Over the past six years, the current Seiko 5 Sports collection has become widely diverse. First announced in August 2019, spec-wise, it wasn’t a direct successor to the famous SKX dive watches. However, with the discontinuation of the SKX series and the SRPD models’ visual link to those watches, it’s clear where the inspiration came […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko 5 Sports SRPL83, SRPL85, SRPL87, And SRPL89 to read the full article.
Fratello
Many love an excellent mecaquartz chronograph. Brands can spend more money on the looks of such watches thanks to their affordable movements. These watches often punch above their weight, at least visually. Others say they are cheap interpretations of the real deal, a timepiece with a mechanical movement. I received the new Nivada Chronosport Blue […] Visit Hands-On With The Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Mecaquartz Salmon to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The Ship of Theseus paradox involves the legendary vessel that Theseus––a Greek mythological hero who rescued the children of Athens and slayed the Minotaur of Crete––traveled on. To honor his valiant efforts, the Athenians preserved the ship and, over time, swapped parts that decayed or had become damaged, eventually replacing all of its original components. This, in turn, begs the question: is it still Theseus’ ship even if all the parts have been replaced? If not, at what point did it cease to be the original? Now that our history lecture is over, I want to utilize this idea of time and identity to talk about a topic near and dear to our watch-collecting hearts: patina. A number of journalists and enthusiasts have discussed what patina is, how it can be defined in a horological sense, and the many forms it can take, but no one (to my knowledge) has discussed when deterioration or damage becomes patina. This may seem like a rather abstract subject to discuss, but most, if not all, collectors take condition into consideration when shopping for a watch. The two main questions that will help get to the bottom of this patina paradox are: 1.) At what point does damage become patina? and 2.) Is patina just a buzzword to market a watch with lots of aesthetic flaws? The Evolution of Flaws to Patina One of patina’s most essential characteristics is its dependability on age. The natural degradation of luminous material, the color-changing properties of a dial often...
Deployant
The Sinn 1739 Römerberg is a thoughtfully designed timepiece that pays tribute to Frankfurt's historic architecture. Its deep red sunburst dial reflects the red Main sandstone of the Haus zum Goldenen Rad, a building recognized for its restoration efforts. While visually striking, the polished stainless steel case and understated appliques maintain an elegant simplicity. The exhibition case back, featuring an engraving of the Frankfurt Römer, reinforces the watch’s connection to the city’s heritage.
Teddy Baldassarre
The pilot watch genre is a funny thing. These watches are marketed and sold for their connection to history and/or their usefulness within the field of aviation. This history has set a visual identity that defines the genre to this day, with complications like flyback timers and slide rules often featuring heavily. Of course, very few of the owners put these features to use, with fewer still serving as actual pilots. Thus, the pilot watch genre really serves as more of a vibe than any kind of practical watermark. There are exceptions to this, however, and ironically enough, some of the most practical everyday tool watches find themselves with the “pilot watch” designation, and there is perhaps no better example of this than the IWC Mark XX. The name of the game with any great tool watch is clarity. Ideally, there’s nothing superfluous to cloud the core goals of the tool, with a premium placed on simple legibility. One of the strongest templates based on this ethos is the IWC Mark XI from the late ‘40s. It wasn’t the first IWC Mk watch, but it is the one responsible for casting a die that persists to this day in the form of the Mk XX. There are important distinctions, which I’ll get to, but the underpinnings of the modern Mk XX collection are built on the same general formula that made the Mk XI great: it’s easy to use, easy to understand, easy to wear, and is exactly as stout as it needs to be. IWC enjoys a highly developed design language for its range of pi...
Monochrome
The name Depancel speaks volumes about where this independent French brand finds inspiration. Amalgamating the names of three prestigious French carmakers – Delage, Panhard, and Facel Vega – Depancel and the world of motorsports are inseparable. Its Allure collection of automatic and manual-winding chronographs welcomes a limited edition powered by a restored 1950s Valjoux 92 […]
Monochrome
Bracelets are a perfect example of how functionality and aesthetics work harmoniously, producing visually striking and surprisingly practical, literally pleasing results. A well-crafted bracelet elevates the value of a watch, which is why collectors pay such close attention to them – far more than the average wearer, for whom metal links may seem simple and […]
Deployant
The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Worldtimer brings a fresh dimension to the Planet Ocean series, combining the robustness of a professional dive watch with the practicality of a worldtimer complication. Featuring a striking black ceramic case and a visually detailed dial that includes a laser-ablated Earth map, it caters to travelers and adventurers alike. The new additions come in two colors.
Monochrome
One thing you could never accuse Jacob & Co. of is being boring. With some of the most extraordinary and extravagant timepieces on the market, Jacob & Co.’s watches are always spectacular visually and mechanically. The latest model is an evolution of the 2023 The World is Yours Dual Time Zone. Upgraded with a 30-second […]
Teddy Baldassarre
German luxury watchmaker Glashütte Original has been on a streak of masterful moon-phase creations in recent years, releasing some absolutely exquisite dial colors in its PanoMaticLunar model (including the green-dial model I review here) and unveiling the first PanoLunarInverse model toward the end of 2024. Today, the brand continues shooting for the moon, in a visual and horological sense, with the launch of two new versions of its Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase family boasting two eye-catching - and historically inspired - new dial colors. Both of the watches’ dials - one in frosted silver, the other in frosted copper, achieved in a galvanic process - are created in homage to the rich mineral deposits once mined in the Ore Mountains, near the state of Saxony and the watchmaking town of Glashütte. Their finely grained surfaces, meant to evoke the thin layers of ice on the mountain rock, play host to the familiar and elegant details of the Senator Excellence family - including hand-applied, blued Roman numeral markers in gold and blued, polished poire hands complemented by a central seconds hand with the brand’s “double G” symbol as counterweight. The watches’ signature functions occupy carefully chosen spots on the dial without disrupting its overall clean, harmonious look. The large “Panorama” date display settles snugly in a double window at 4 o’clock, while the moon-phase elegantly balances it in the opposite corner above, its ...
Monochrome
The Ripples Collection was presented as Speake-Marin‘s vision of a luxury sports watch with an integrated design, blending the brand’s signature aesthetic with a modern case and a distinctive dial, standing apart with its unique visual identity and refined details. When Speake-Marin celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022, it marked the occasion with a special […]
SJX Watches
One of the flagship high-tech analogue watches in Seiko’s catalogue, the Astron GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph has been reworked to give it visual elements more typically associated with Seiko’s higher-end mechanical watches. Amongst other things, the new Astron GPS chronograph features a sapphire-covered bezel, diamond-milled chapter rings, and facetted case details. It still retains the multi-function 5X83 movement that features GPS time- and time zone setting, perpetual calendar, and a six month power reserve on a full charge. Initial thoughts Someone recently asked me to recommend a useful watch for a person who has no interest in mechanical timepieces, with the condition that the watch has to be analogue and not look like a gadget. The Astron GPS chronograph fits the bill. The model’s newest iterations, four in all, have the styling details of a mechanical watch while having a multitude of high-tech features. One of its most useful features is the GPS time setting, which means the watch syncs with a GPS satellite and then displays the local time zone when travelling. The black and blue dial versions are especially restrained and well suited as a low-key everyday watch, though still a little large at over 44 mm in diameter. Useful watchmaking When sunlight is detected, the Astron GPS chronograph syncs with a GPS satellite automatically up to twice a day, while manual syncing can be done via a pusher in the case. Sunlight also powers the watch – under the dial ...
Worn & Wound
Imagination is at the heart of any good spy story or thriller, and MKII seems to know that well; with their latest release, the Fulcrum 39, they’ve crafted a watch fit for a speculative undercover mission in the 1970s. A diver-style piece that favors practicality and class over more visually militarized counterparts, the Fulcrum 39 is designed to convey MKII’s “vision of the perfect tool watch”. The Fulcrum 39 is a revised and sized-down successor to MKII’s Fulcrum, originally released in 2013. Aptly named for its discreet 39.50mm case size, the Fulcrum 39 is a watch that could have been made for military and covert ops; MKII has crafted a sort of horological fiction with the watch’s design and heritage. While mainly inspired by timepieces issued to the United States Military in the Vietnam War era, the Fulcrum 39 also tags in elements of more civilian-oriented designs, hence the smaller case size and understated appearance. The idea of a watch with a grounded yet fictional background is unique and lends an air of hushed intrigue to the Fulcrum 39 that helps elevate it from just another dive watch to a very functional gear piece for a theoretical (or real) adventure. With all these stylistic features in mind, the Fulcrum 39 is unmistakably a tool watch. It totes a 120-click unidirectional bezel, available in either 12-hour or 60-minute diver configurations, maximizing its utility as a dive watch-particularly when paired with its 200m water resistance. The b...
SJX Watches
Hermès is a brand with a distinctive, often whimsical, visual identity that translates well across products, even on its most complicated watches like the Arceau Duc Attelé, which combines a triple-axis central tourbillon (containing a high-frequency escapement) with a minute repeater featuring novel “tuning fork” gongs. Large, thick, and very complex, the Duc Attelé still manages to capture the elegant aesthetic of the brand, even in subtle details of the H1926 movement, like horse-shaped hammers for the repeater. Customised for Hermès, the calibre has an intricate, dense construction but is recognisable as being produced by a specialist. Initial thoughts The Duc Attelé demonstrates the strength of the Hermès house style. On the front, it looks elegant despite the size, while the movement feels appropriate even though it is third party. The watch does sit big on the wrist, though the titanium version is a little lighter in weight and visually smaller due to its dark colours. But the Arceau case has tiny lugs, so it doesn’t feel clunky. And although the case is almost 20 mm high, a good part of that is due to the highly domed crystal that accommodates the tourbillon’s height. All of the design elements, however, give it an elegant feel. These include the Breguet numerals on the domed chapter ring and the “Lift” motif tourbillon cage modelled on the elevator in the brand’s flagship store in Paris. But more than anything else, this is a watch characterise...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watches with meteorite dials are a decidedly small but steadily growing niche within the timepiece industry. As more and more watchmakers, large and small, turn to the literally out-of-this-world material to add intrigue and visual flair to their watches, meteorite’s profile among collectors and enthusiasts has risen — especially now that owning a meteorite-dial watch isn’t necessarily out of reach for all but the most deep-pocketed customers. The appeal of meteorite-dial watches is easy to discern: each dial is literally unique, with a textured surface made up of so-called Widmanstätten patterns formed by millions of years of heat, pressure, and slow cooling of the fallen space rock from which they are derived. Unlike more conventional dial materials, like brass, meteorite connects the watch’s wearer not only to the history, and even prehistory, of the natural world but also to the great beyond of outer space and the mysteries it holds. Here I have assembled a list of 15 meteorite-dial watches in a variety of styles and a wide range of price segments, starting under $1,500 and topping out in six-figure territory. Bulova Lunar Pilot Meteorite Limited Edition Price: $1,495, Case Size: 43.5mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Quartz HPQ NP20 Bulova’s Lunar Pilot is a modern homage to the watch worn by astronaut Colonel Dave Scott during the Apollo 15 moon mission for NASA — the only privately owned watch ever to visit ...
Time+Tide
We take a look at two variants of one of Ulysse Nardin's most visually engaging watches.The post Blue and rose gold or black DLC titanium: which Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon do you prefer? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
With it's open dial and sweeping skeletonized bridges, Andreas Strehler's Papillon d’or is both a horological and visual masterpiece. Now with his new Faune et Flore collection, Strehler takes the Papillon d’or to an even high artistic level.
Worn & Wound
Cherry blossoms have long been associated with Japan – and for good reason. These delicate little blossoms contribute an astounding $2.7 billion into the economy with over 63 million people (a number that includes both tourists and those living in Japan) viewing them annually. There’s even a word for this annual custom – hanami, meaning to stroll along, enjoy the blossoms, and nature’s transience. Now, isn’t that beautiful? Though the visual appeal of cherry blossoms might just be one of Japan’s strongest soft-power exports, you have to admit it’s a little overplayed. Yes, I know what I’m saying is a little controversial, but hear me out. After a while, the same old white and pink flowers on a skinny little twig just loses any impact of its natural beauty. You see it so much on towels, keychains, and stationery, one becomes blind to the fact that cherry blossoms are beautiful. It’s a sort of visual desensitization, if you ask me. That’s why I’m quite happy to see the two new models from Seiko being released early next year as Astron GPS Solar 2025 Limited Editions, the SSH171 and SSJ029. Both references are inspired by sakura, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of focusing on spring strolls during the daytime, Seiko has produced two watches that look to the starlight as their guiding principle. In doing so, we have two tonally rich watches that aren’t so clichéd. Like all well-designed Japanese products, the watches in this limited edition s...
Fratello
When the Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic landed on my desk, it instantly reminded me of two watches. The first was the skeletonized Rado Captain Cook in all its various guises. In all fairness, that’s not a bad visual reference. The second one was a little closer to home, though. In the 1990s, my brother […] Visit Hands-On With The Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic to read the full article.
Monochrome
Seiko’s humble and fun 5 Sports series of watches are revered for their value-for-money, and often fresh combinations of colours and styles. Through numerous limited edition, the Japanese powerhouse also likes to have a little fun with the platform, resulting in some very visually impactful watches, tying in watchmaking with pop culture, movie starts or […]
Worn & Wound
Maen’s Manhattan has proven to be a watch that works particularly well as a blank canvas of sorts. We’ve seen a number of limited editions of Maen’s integrated bracelet sports watch (including our own) and each finds new ways to present the piece’s central idea of a 70s inspired, elegant sports watch. Maen seems to enjoy riffing on the name of the watch – their collaborations with seconde/seconde/ are both visual puns of sorts that play on our reactions to the word “Manhattan,” and their latest takes that approach to another level entirely. Now, working custom dial specialists IFL Watches, they’ve developed a tribute to New York City culture that it feels like the brand has been building to since the collection was introduced. IFL Watches, for those unfamiliar, specializes in custom, handpainted watches, taking familiar references and personalizing them to varying degrees. They make a variety of limited editions and one-offs, and also offer bespoke services, and include popular enthusiast focused pieces from brands like Citizen, Seiko, Tissot, and more. There’s an enormous variety in the style of IFL’s handpainted work, with some designs being incredibly intricate, and others more minimal. Some are completely abstract. For their crack at the Manhattan, we see IFL working in a style inspired by the city itself: graffiti. Graffiti, of course, is not unique to New York, but nevertheless feels like an appropriate medium for the Manhattan. The dial featu...
Monochrome
Chronoswiss, founded in 1983 in Munich by the late Gerd Lang, acquired renown for the celebrated watchmaker’s regulator models and distinctive design language. Now in the hands of Oliver Ebstein, with headquarters in Lucerne, the brand’s traditional regulators have been given a 21st-century visual punch and reinterpreted with vivid colours and textures. Pushing the envelope, […]
Quill & Pad
A foudroyante hand is visually spectacular as it is running faster than the eye can follow – foudroyante is French for lightning fast! But the complication uses a lot of energy, or did until the Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT.
Hodinkee
Taking an affordable chiming watch and adding the visual impact of old-school handcraft (even if in a more modern process) keeps the cult classic rolling in a new – well – Classic way.
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