Results for Sapphire Crystal

T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Longines Spirit 39mm Review Smaller Oct 3, 2025

Longines Spirit 39mm Review: Smaller, Cleaner Pilot's Watches

The Longines Spirit Pilot watch collection was released back in 2020 and I recall going hands-on with the then-new pilot’s watches, which were a blend of contemporary with a dash of vintage styling. Since then, the brand has clearly listened to the response from enthusiasts who have been generally receptive to the collection, but with some consistent points of criticism. Namely, the five stars on the dial were divisive and even though it comes in 37,40, and 42mm case sizes, none felt like they hit that “Goldilocks” zone for a lot of people. Fortunately for those buyers, Longines just dropped two new watches that might be the best in the collection so far: the Longines Spirit 39mm three-hand and the new Flyback in a 39.5mm case. Longines Spirit 39mm Pilot's Watch First, let's look at the Spirit Pilot three-hand watch which comes in a stainless steel case measuring 39mm wide and 11.5mm thick with a lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm. While the gap between 39mm and 40mm doesn’t sound too dramatic, the latter has a lug-to-lug that measures just shy of 50mm which is simply too big for a lot of people. And 37mm is just too small for many of those same people. So, with that established, it’s not hard to see why this 39mm case size is so well received. The rest of the case is simple enough with alternating brushed and polished finishes, a sleek bezel, and a domed sapphire crystal with dual-sided AR coating. Finally, it also offers 100 meters of water resistance. Then there...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Sep 26, 2025

Elka Launches New Watches in a Vintage Inspired 36mm Case Size

Labeling a watch as “vintage-inspired” can open it up to extra scrutiny. How historically accurate are the vintage features? How well-executed is the styling? And mostly importantly, does it make enough practical sense to release today? With their re-launch in 2022, Swiss brand Elka Watch Co. released the original Série 1 line, and the X- and D-Series lead the charge as historically-inspired sport and dress-style watches. Now, in 2025, Elka is bringing back the D series, and introducing a field watch variant, the N Series, in a smaller 36mm size, further upping their vintage styling accuracy.  The new 36 N and D references first and foremost share the titular 36mm case diameter, 10.50mm thickness, and 41.10mm lug-to-lug measurements. Keeping both references ticking is a La Joux Perret G101 automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve, promising modern functionality under the vintage dress, and both feature a screw-down exhibition case back to showcase that movement and provide 50 meters of water resistance. A scratch-resistant box-type sapphire crystal, coated with anti-reflective treatment, tops off the similarities between the two models. The N Series bursts into the lineup as Elka’s first field watch, and the beige, black, and yellow styling matches that application. Two models are available for the 36 N line: a beige dial model with black numerals and indexes and yellow-orange details; and a black dial version with yellow numerals and hands and white indexes...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

A. Lange & Sohne Sep 25, 2025

Explained: Dial Making at A. Lange & Söhne

Since its rebirth in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has built an enviable reputation among collectors, based in large part on its rich portfolio of movements. Visiting the manufacture in Glashütte, it’s easy to see why; nearly all of the roughly 650 staff are engaged in some aspect of movement production. As a result, in little more than 30 years, Lange has commercialised 75 distinct calibers and has the manpower to apply a consistent level of finishing across the entire range, from the simple to the sublime. Historically, this single-minded focus on movements has meant that dials have often taken a back seat. Though uniformly high quality and made of noble materials like sterling silver and solid 18k gold, the brand’s dials tend to be simple, classical, and austere. An obvious exception that springs to mind is the sapphire crystal-dialed Lumen series, but sapphire crystal is a common material in watchmaking and these dials tend to be produced in a relatively industrial manner. Despite its focus on movements, Lange began to stretch its wings with artisanal dials as far back as the year 2000, first with enamel and later with mother-of-pearl, guilloché, tremblage, free-hand engraving, aventurine glass, and onyx. Most of these dials were produced by suppliers, but the brand has quietly built an immensely talented team of engravers and enamellists since launching the Handwerkskunst editions in 2011, and now crafts some of the industry’s most extraordinary dials within its own...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Bell & Ross Introduces Sep 24, 2025

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR-X3 in Two Metals

It’s all about case and dial materials these days in the design world it seems, and Bell & Ross have certainly not shied away from experimentation. The French brand expands their repertoire of big, brash, and blocky timepieces with the new BR-X3 line, conceived as an avant-garde interpretation of the classic BR-03 design, and a cousin of the popular BR-X5, featuring two new models: Titanium Black and Blue Steel. While the names of these new references are straightforward, their designs are everything but. Both feature the iconic rounded-square look that graces most Bell & Ross watches, with a round dial accentuated by a square case. Both cases measure 41mm in diameter, but likely wear bigger due to their shape and 13.30mm thickness. Three-plate dial construction, an openworked rubber strap, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and 100 meters of water resistance are also standard on both watches. As a final shared element, both references are powered by a Calibre BR-CAL.323 automatic mechanical movement, which promises a hefty power reserve of 70- hours.  The differences between the two BR-X3 models are easily explained by their nomenclature, but worth diving into further nonetheless. Titanium watches are massively popular these days, and for good reason: they wear incredibly light on the wrist, regardless of size, and promise durability in spite of that weight. The Titanium Black BR-X3 follows that trend, featuring a micro-blasted grade 2 titanium case in an appropriate...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT Limited Edition Sep 18, 2025

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT Limited Edition for Hodinkee

Introducing the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic GMT Limited Edition for Hodinkee, our take on a rare vintage design, featuring a subtle grey motif, upgraded sapphire crystal, water resistance, and a healthy dose of fully luminous printing.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Breguet s Finest World Time Sep 11, 2025

Breguet’s Finest World Time Yet to Celebrate 250 Years

Breguet’s quarter-millennial celebrations continue with the Marine Hora Mundi 5555, a reprise of the unique piece created for Only Watch two years ago. The world time wristwatch now returns with a phosphorescent enamel dial – that is notably grand feu on sapphire crystal – and a case in “Breguet Gold”. While the attire is new, the Hora Mundi 5555 still retains the clever movement that has a world time function that is instantaneously switchable between two pre-set time zones and unique amongst travel watches. Initial Thoughts Breguet facelifted the aging Marine line starting about eight years ago, but the integrated bracelet design language still feels fresh, though arguably remains unproven compared to long-established peers in the luxury sports watch segment. The Marine Équation Marchante 5887, which introduced the new look, leaned heavily on its excellent movement – it’s perhaps the best equation of time complication yet made – as a crutch supporting an experimental design. More practical and simpler models followed; the Marine Hora Mundi is certainly practical but not simple. The Marine Hora Mundi 5555 is likewise powered by an impressive movement, and one incorporating a complication apt for a sports watch, but the watch also has a metiers d’art distinction with its enamel dial. That is unusual for a sports watch, but the Marine is an unusual sports watch. The enamelling itself is even more unusual, done on sapphire using phosphorescent pigments, ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Sep 9, 2025

Hanhart and German Magazine Armbanduhren Unveil a Limited Edition Preventor HD12 in Purple

I’ve long had a contentious relationship with the color purple; between youth softball teams and grad school alma maters, it’s always difficult to find anything to wear with the color that isn’t immediately clashing. But purple is also a color associated with luxury and royalty, so I am approaching the new Silk Purple Hanhart Preventor HD12, a collaboration with German watch magazine Armbanduhren, with an open mind.  Hanhart’s Preventor HD12 was originally launched in August 2024, and has fast become one of the Swiss-German brand’s most popular pieces. A field watch-style dial design paired with HD12 scratch-resistant steel, and powered by a Sellita caliber SW200-1 or Soprod SOP P024 automatic movement, the Preventor combines the vintage styling that Hanhart is known for with robust construction and durability.  With easy-wearing case dimensions of 39mm in diameter and 46mm lug-to-lug, the Preventor positions itself as an everyday timekeeping watch with few complications-even lacking a date window. The HD12 steel is made scratch-resistant through a multi-stage hardening process, in which carbon is diffused into the steel and the case is covered in an additional PVD coating. Hanhart continues to tout the “hardness” factor of the Preventor by protecting the dial with a scratch-resistant convex-curved sapphire crystal.  Of course, the dial is where the fun happens for this limited edition Preventor. The matte Silk Purple contrasts starkly with the white Ara...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Maurice Lacroix Introduces Aug 25, 2025

Maurice Lacroix Introduces the AIKONIC, a New Sporty Take on the Popular AIKON Models

Since its inception in 2016, the AIKON line has been Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix’s bestselling collection. Nine years later, the brand is ready to kick it up a notch. The new aptly-named AIKONIC series packs updated mechanics and new materials into an upgraded case design with pops of color, promising innovation in the urban watch space while maintaining the original watch’s flavor. Does it land? Let’s take a look.  The first new aspect of note for the AIKONIC collection is the 43mm case; while it retains the familiar six double-wide “arms” around the bezel, a tactile grip cover is added to the crown. Both the bezel and the crown cover are composed of matt ceramic, which promises scratch-free usage for years to come. And while the case remains steel, it features both brushed and polished surfaces for visual and tactile complexity.  The carbon dial, too, is all-new on the AIKONIC. With carbon fiber strands running north to south in one direction as opposed to interwoven, each dial is slightly distinct from the next. Maurice Lacroix collaborated with a Swiss partner to create the dials, resulting in a construction that is fresh both structurally and aesthetically. The noth-south carbon pattern indeed gives each dial a vertical wave pattern, diversifying the design from both a textural and visual standpoint. Atop the dial sits silver text details, rhodium indices and second hand, and rhodium-facetted hour and minute hands. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflect...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Unimatic Introduces Aug 12, 2025

Unimatic Introduces the New Prodiver Collection

While minimalism may be as trendy as ever these days (one look at any modern car interior will tell you that) a lot of brands miss the mark when it comes to balancing that aesthetic with function, or the lack thereof. Not so with Unimatic’s all-new Prodiver line, which promises both a streamlined design language and robust mechanical functionality. But do the watches actually pull it off? Let’s take a deeper dive and find out. Perhaps the biggest factor in Unimatic’s favor here is the Italian brand’s penchant for design cohesiveness across their lineup. Even before taking the new Prodiver into consideration, Unimatic watches share aesthetic hallmarks, namely chunky, round indexes, sans serif typefaces, and symmetrical dial balance. Even models that deviate from this norm, like the UT1 and UT4, which feature hour numerals instead, carry a uniformly round and hardy profile, which gives each Unimatic watch friendly-yet-tough dimensions. This is all personal conjecture, of course, but rarely does a brand manage to maintain consistency in design across their entire lineup quite as well as Unimatic does.  Back to the Prodiver, though; like most other watches by the brand, it also bears the signature round indexes, though it adds some legitimate dive watch pedigree, too. Each of the three new Modello Uno models sports a democratically-sized case, measuring at 40mm in diameter and 49mm lug to lug. The case thickness is a healthy 14.4mm with the domed sapphire crystal, and...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Bulova Jet Star Review Retro Jul 30, 2025

Bulova Jet Star Review: Retro Design Meets Cutting-Edge Precision

The Bulova Jet Star is one of those watches that leaves no room for doubt as to the decade from which its distinctive design originates. Revived in 2023 to commemorate the original's 50th anniversary, in a trio of diverse colorways, all the modern Jet Star models vibe “‘70s throwback” in a major way, with their unconventional, turtle-shaped cases and boldly colorful dials. However, they’re also very avant-garde in ways that their predecessors simply weren’t able to be, particularly in their use of Bulova’s high-frequency Precisionist calibers, their elevated level of finishing, and the almost three-dimensional degradé effect enhancing their dials. Scroll down for a closer look at each of the 50th anniversary Bulova Jet Star watches. Bulova Jet Star Case And Bracelet The modern Jet Star case is more angular and multifaceted than the curvilinear “turtle” shape of its 1970s predecessor. Strictly speaking, the case is octagonally shaped and topped with a round bezel that hugs the domed sapphire crystal. Measuring 40mm in diameter, approximately 45mm lug to lug, and 12.5mm thick, it boasts an array of polished and brushed finishes that accentuate those multiple, subtle edges and surfaces and lend the Jet Star an air of luxury in addition to its unmistakable retro charm. The lugs themselves are relatively short, with a 20mm lug width to accommodate the bracelet (on the two steel versions) or strap (on the gold-tone model and the steel limited edition). The crown...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Jul 14, 2025

The Batavi Marine Chronograaf Conjures the Scent of Summer

As someone who lives within a mile of the Pacific Ocean, the smell of the sea is one of comfort to me. Naturally, this leads me to like candles and fragrances that have a hint of that crisp aquatic breeze. Of course, this has little to do with watches; or at least I thought it did. But Amsterdam-based microbrand Batavi has launched a yacht-inspired fragrance and wristwatch pairing that evokes the ocean in all its aesthetic and olfactory glory, so you can bring that sweet, salty scent with you in more ways than one.  The Marina Chronograaf lineup introduces four variants, each with identical specs but relatively singular designs. To start, each Chronograaf measures in at 46mm lug-to-lug, and a 38mm stainless steel case with 13.5mm of thickness conveys a sporty silhouette. Each model features two subdials, a running seconds and a 30-minute counter at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions respectively, a railroad track around the dial, and hands that lay somewhere between GMT, chronograph, and diver styling. Inside, a hand-wound Seagull ST1901 movement keeps the yacht-timer functionality of each reference ticking and promises a 45-50 hour power reserve. Fifty meters of water resistance, a domed sapphire crystal, see-through caseback, and stainless steel quick-release bracelet round out the package. Four dial options are available, and each colorway is about as distinct from the next as is possible. “Sunrise” features a cotton candy-esque combination of blue and pink, with a gr...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Review Jun 26, 2025

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Review

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” was released back in 2023 and has since been regarded as one of the finest vintage reinterpretations on the market. This mostly for two reasons, the first simply being that it was not a limited edition unlike every iteration dating back to when the line was introduced all the way back in 2015 with the Calibre 18 Telemeter. Second, they nailed the case proportions as well as the irresistibly charming domed sapphire crystal aka ‘Glassbox’. The original Heuer Carrera was the debuted back in 1963 as the brainchild of none other than Jack Heuer. Since then TAG Heuer has become one of the quintessential “chronograph brands” out there but it was the 2023 release of the Carrera Chronograph“Glassbox” that felt like a full-circle moment. The vintage-inspired design and 39mm case size coupled with contemporary finishing and manufacturing capabilities makes for one of the best chronographs on the market. TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph "Glassbox" Case The case size here is near-universally praised due to the nice and wearable proportions that balance that old school chronograph aesthetic with modern finishing techniques. Measuring 39mm wide and 13.86 mm thick with a 45.7mm lug-to-lug measurement (with 100 m of water resistance), the Glassbox is a compact package that makes a pretty strong statement. Sure, the original was 36mm and while I believe a re-edition in that case size would be a hit amongst a small enthusiast base (pe...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Greubel Forsey Reworks Jun 18, 2025

Greubel Forsey Reworks the GMT Balancier Convexe

Greubel Forsey has refined its GMT Balancier Convexe with improved wearability due to a slightly smaller case, while maintaining the model’s trademark three-dimensional rotating globe. This is paired with some subtle, but interesting tweaks to the movement itself, including a new, and more elaborately decorated, escape wheel. Initial Thoughts Since the original GMT in 2011, the three-dimensional globe has become a Grebuel Forsey signature. Time zone-related complications are a natural fit for a sports watch, so much so that the brand’s first sports watch was a GMT. The brand has built on the GMT concept through multiple iterations, but the current version is arguably the most focused, without a tourbillon (or four), to distract from the core idea. The latest GMT Balancier Convexe is essentially the same as the previous model, but more wearable. It’s still a large watch, but scaled down and also might lightweight. The added power reserve indicator is also appreciated, and in hindsight, it’s odd that the function was absent in the first place given the utility of a power reserve display on a manual-wind travel watch. The World on Your Wrist Grebuel Forsey’s sporty Convexe cases have always worn somewhat smaller than specifications suggest due to the lug-less design, and the curved sapphire crystal back, which allows the watch to hug the wrist. However, a large watch that wears well is still a large watch. For the new GMT, Grendel Forsey has trimmed the case diamete...

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D Deployant

Deployant

Jun 17, 2025

New and Reviewed: Amida Digitrend Open Sapphire

Amida releases another version of their stunning driver's watch , now with a sapphire crystal hood. With live photographs and hands on commentary.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Patek Philippe   Jun 5, 2025

Introducing the Héron Mirabel GMT, an Affordable, Vintage Inspired Dressy Travel Watch

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the amount of quirky young watch brands pushing to make their name in the horological world-it seems like we are in the current golden age of microbrands and upstarts. Canadian watchmakers Héron, founded in Montreal in 2021, are among that crowd, and looking to make a name for themselves with vintage-inspired styling that is aimed at collectors with old-school taste. With their latest, the Mirabel GMT, the Québécois brand is channeling both aviation functionality and upscale dressy styling to produce a dual-duty timepiece ala upmarket stalwarts like Longines and Patek Philippe.  The Mirabel GMT sits within a stainless steel “C-shaped” case, and measures in at a sporty 37.5mm in diameter and 43.5mm lug-to-lug. True to Héron’s vintage-look aspirations, the enamel painted sector dial has an art deco flair, and features applied Roman numerals, pilot-style “alpha” hands, and a boxed sapphire crystal with underside anti-reflective coating. Four references are available for the Mirabel GMT, with varying dial shades, Delugs Baranil leather strap options, and case finishes. The “black” option features a black dial with gold details and case, and sits on a black strap, while the “brown” option also features gold accents, but wears a luxurious brown dial. Likewise, the “white” edition features a crisp white dial with blue hands and a dark blue strap, and the “blue” model has a blue dial and the same dark blue s...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Christopher Ward Answers May 16, 2025

Christopher Ward Answers the Call of their Enthusiast Fans with the The Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé

Christopher Ward has smashed practically every boundary in their price bracket and continues to pick up loyal fans and newcomers like a cartoon snowball rolling down a mountainside. The Twelve-named somewhat confusingly for its dodecagonal bezel-has proven to be one of the brand’s most popular models, and likewise continues to expand its line of references since its inception in 2023. Responding to fan fervor, Christopher Ward has announced three The Twelve (Ti) Non-Fumé models to further round out The Twelve collection and prove to its followers that a little bit of fan-pleasing goes a long way. Each of the three new Non-Fumé models retains several distinctive characteristics from similar Grade 2 Titanium (or “Ti”) models, including a monotone dial finish, which has previously only been used for steel designs. The angular case wears at 40mm in diameter and 44.5mm lug-to-lug, giving it a significant, but not overbearing, presence on the wrist. Being titanium, the watch is a relatively lightweight 41 grams, and the screw-down crown at 3 o’clock paired with a screw-down display caseback ensures a fairly hardy 100 meters of water resistance.  Another shared element across the three Non-Fumé pieces is the repeating pattern on the dial, inspired by Christopher Ward’s “twin-flags” logo. When viewed at different angles-aided by the flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating-the motif’s texture reflects light back in varying ways. This type of t...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Seiko s Premier Diver-GMT Gets May 6, 2025

Seiko’s Premier Diver-GMT Gets an Update with the Prospex SPB519 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT

A new diver release from Seiko isn’t exactly going to set the world on fire, but it will surely please the legions of fans of the brand and its Prospex line. With a crisp white and blue colorway and nifty bracelet that can be microadjusted as wrist size changes throughout the day, the 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT looks to be a worthy-if subdued-addition to the ever-growing catalog of Seiko dive watches. Pulling from a long tradition of purpose-built Seiko dive watches, the new SPB519 reference features a stainless steel case measuring in at 42mm in diameter, 48.6mm lug-to-lug, and 13.3mm thick, giving it a heftier frame than 2023’s closely-related Heritage Diver’s GMT (SPB381). A unidirectional bezel, and screw-down caseback and crown at 4 o’clock further push the watch into “serious” diver waters, supported by the 300-meter water resistance rating. Stylistically, the SPB519 takes on a sort of jaunty sailor persona, with a navy blue ceramic bezel and a silvery white dial. The applied indexes and hands are coated in LumiBrite, as are numerals on the bezel, and an anti-reflective coating protects the inner surface of the sapphire crystal.  Inside, the Caliber 6R54 automatic hand-winding GMT movement adds some spice to the otherwise by-the-numbers functionality of the watch, and boasts a 72-hour power reserve and “caller-style” independent 24-hour hand. The most interesting feature of the 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT, however, lies with the bracelet, which ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

TAG Heuer Refreshes Apr 1, 2025

TAG Heuer Refreshes the Carrera Day-Date and Adds a GMT

Reinventing the wheel can be overrated-sometimes, expanding on an already-beloved design is the best way to drum up excitement. The original Heuer Carrera-released in 1963 as Jack Heuer’s horological love letter to the 1950s Carrera Panamericana Road Race held in Mexico-would develop as a symbol of motorsports success over the following decades, frequently gifted to victorious drivers at huge events. As the current official timekeeper of Formula 1, the Swiss company is continuing that legacy of motorsports prowess with new watches in the Carrera Day-Date collection, keeping the elements that have made the watch an icon, while pushing the design ever forward.  With six new models and ample features, the Day-Date collection can seem as daunting as an F1 circuit at first. Five of the models, though, are mechanically identical, with differences ranging from materials to color schemes-these are the “regular” Day-Date pieces, while the Date Twin-Time represents a distinct complication. First, let’s take a look at the new Day-Date references.  Each Day-Date features a fine-brushed and polished steel 41mm case with a steel polished crown at 3 o’clock, a beveled and domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, and a steel screw-down case back that touts a 100m water resistance. A Calibre TH31-02 automatic movement pulses inside each Day-Date, and a day-date window sits at the 3:00 position. White Super-LumiNova additionally coats the hour and mi...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Alpina Re-Issues Apr 1, 2025

Alpina Re-Issues a Classic with the Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding

The original Alpina Tropic-Proof, released in 1965 under mysterious origins-even the Swis brand itself can’t pinpoint the exact date-was emblematic of the newfound adventurous spirit ushered in by the now-accessible boom of transatlantic air travel. With a case designed by François Borgel and a handwinding movement, the Tropic-Proof was meant to be a watch-of-all-trades that could travel the globe with ease, rather than a specialized tool. Six decades later, Alpina is reissuing that design with key nods to the model’s history and future. Appropriately dubbed the Heritage Tropic-Proof Handwinding, the watch is enveloped in an understated stainless steel case that measures 34mm in diameter. Both dial options-shiny-finished white or black-contrast well with the applied silver indexes and polished silver hands, and the dial design excels in its simplicity, without conceding elegance. The hour and minute hands, as well as the dotted minute track, are coated in beige Luminova to give the Tropic-Proof ease of use in darkness. A beige Alcantara strap with a pin buckle adds a touch of sophistication, but not overzealousness, keeping the watch within the boundaries of subtle class. A threaded solid caseback with an engraved Heritage pattern hides the handwinding AL-480 caliber movement, which touts a 42-hour power reserve. Capping off the simple but elegant design is an anti-reflective glass box sapphire crystal, which curves downwards to maintain viewing ease at all an...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Norqain Launches New Independence Skeleton Mar 31, 2025

NORQAIN Launches New Independence Skeleton Chronos

After last year’s success in launching the Independence Skeleton Chrono 42mm, NORQAIN will be unveiling two new additions to this line-up for Watches and Wonders: purple and jade. Now, you may recall that there was already a purple Skeleton Chrono in September of 2024, but this one we’re told is slightly different – and not limited to just a 300-piece production. As the name suggests for these models, NORQAIN has continued its offering of high-end timepieces with a little peek under the hood, so to speak, with a skeletonized dial. While this may be a rugged watch that’s meant to be put to use, seeing the delicate pieces just underneath the sapphire crystal remind us of why we love this hobby. In terms of appearance and material, both new models feature Grade 5 titanium cases, weighing in at just 94 grams. For the purple version, the titanium complements the deep purple accents and rubber strap for a sporty look. As for the jade version, there is a DLC coating for a more sombre look that nicely contrasts the richness of the green rubber strap.  The Independence Skeleton Chrono 42mm is equipped with a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, a running seconds indicator, and a fly-back function. In terms of movement, both models run on an NORQAIN 8K Manufacture Calibre (NK24/1) with a 62-hour power reserve, which can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. Both new references in the Skeleton Chrono 42mm will be showcased during Watches & Wonders and you can expect h...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Mar 19, 2025

First Look - The New Artya Purity Wavy HMS Mirror in Titanium

Founded by Yvan Arpa in 2010, ArtyA is synonymous with avant-garde, wildly creative watches, some early models flaunting unconventional raw materials like butterfly wings and real bullets. However, this independent brand’s latest direction is far more restrained and minimalist, with elegant, skeletonised movements often showcased in transparent sapphire crystal cases congregated in the Purity Collection. The […]

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Seiko s Advanced Astron Collection Mar 17, 2025

Seiko’s Advanced Astron Collection Gets Four New References

If you like your watches complicated and your timezones varied, chances are you’re already aware of the Seiko Astron GPS Solar line, first launched in 2012. No, the watch doesn’t shout haphazard driving directions at you. Instead, its latest models use GPS technology and a solar-sensitive dial to automatically update the time according to your geographic position up to twice a day. But Seiko wasn’t done there-almost exactly a year on from the introduction of the Caliber 5X83, the first pairing of Dual-Time tech with a chronograph function, Seiko has unleashed four new Astron GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronographs. Each of the four new watches-references SSH175, SSH177, SSH179 and limited-edition SSH180-features a titanium bezel with a sapphire crystal insert, adding a touch of practicality and elegance to the already robust profile of the Astron. An imposing 44mm mirror-polished titanium case houses the Caliber 5X83 movement, which promises a litany of advanced features, most prominent of which is the aforementioned GPS-controlled time and time zone adjustment. A world time function, perpetual calendar correct to the year 2100, automatic DST adjustment, AM/PM and signal reception indications, accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month, and more round out the slate of functions. Of course, the titular chronographs also loom large on the dial, with a 1/20th second counter at 12 o’clock and a 12-hour counter with hours and minutes at 6 o’clock during chronograph operation...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Vacheron Constantin Mercator Mar 11, 2025

“Neo Vintage” Highlights at Phillips Geneva Online

The spring auction season is getting underway with the first sale being Phillips’ The Geneva Sessions Spring 2025 taking place online until March 12. The online auction is a warm-up for the Geneva live auction taking place in May, but the 70-lot sale nonetheless includes several interesting timepieces, including some unusual examples from the “neo vintage” era. Essentially watches made in the 1990s to the early 2000s, such watches tend to be good value today; 30 years on they still sell for a fraction of the original retail price. One of the best known watches from the era, perhaps even iconic, is the Vacheron Constantin Mercator. A double retrograde with hands taking the form of a compass, the Mercator was introduced in 1994 and produced for a decade. A little over 600 were made with most of them having etched brass dials; less common were the examples with cloisonné enamel dials. The sale includes a Mercator with a map of Portugal dating to 2004, making it one of the final pieces made. Part of a limited edition of just ten watches, this example includes an achieve extract. The Mercator Portugal is lot 19 with an estimate of CHF25,000-50,000. The enamel dial of the Mercator Portugal One of the quirkiest watches in the sale is the Alain Silberstein Kronomedio Saphir. The French designer was the first to employ sapphire crystal for the watch case way back in 1997. An exceptionally expensive watch at the time, the sapphire chronograph illustrated Mr Silberstein’s av...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Sinn 613 St Mar 4, 2025

Introducing the New Sinn 613 St and 613 St UTC

The new year has already seen a slate of new Sinn timepieces with fresh color schemes, designs, and materials. But the German brand hasn’t forgotten the importance of the watch as a tool, either, and the new 613 St and 613 St UTC are prime examples of Sinn’s dedication to functionality in tandem with form.  With a crisp matte black dial and white chronograph subdial at 6 o’clock, the 613 St embodies Sinn’s most recognizable principles of legible design. Day and date windows sit at the 3 position, with Sinn’s Ar-Dehumidifying Technology logo at 4, indicating that the 613 St comes with the proprietary anti-fogging technology. A second subdial-black with light gray borders and numerals-occupies the 9 o’clock position, giving the 613 St both 60-minute and “running seconds” stopwatch functions.  The 613 St UTC variant adds another layer of complication, with a second time zone featuring light gray 24-hour markers around the inside of the dial. Here, a UTC text detail also replaces the day window and the 60-second subdial is infringed upon, but all else remains the same between the two siblings design-wise. Indices and the hour, minute, and second hands on both models are luminescent, as is the key mark on the minute-ratcheting captive diver’s bezel. An anti-reflective sapphire crystal sits atop the dial. Both 613 St variants are protected by the same bead-blasted stainless steel case, measuring 41mm in diameter. A screw-down crown and caseback seal in th...

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Worn & Wound

Omega Introduces New Bronze Gold Feb 24, 2025

Omega Introduces New Bronze Gold and Burgundy References to the Seamaster Diver 300M Collection

Giving an icon a shiny new coat of paint can be daunting. Of course, if you’re Omega and the icon is the Seamaster Diver 300M, you have plenty of material-both literally and figuratively-to draw on. In that vein, the new Seamaster Diver 300M in Bronze Gold and Burgundy, inspired by the very well-received 007 Edition launched in 2020 for the release of No Time to Die, isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it sure is making it prettier.  This new Seamaster features a strikingly similar design ethos to the 007 Edition, with an oxalic anodized bezel ring and dial, dual screw-down crowns at the 3 and 10 positions, and a domed sapphire crystal. Setting it apart, however, is the Bronze Gold 42mm case, hands, and indices. Omega’s proprietary alloy is composed of 37.5% 9K gold, along with palladium and silver, creating a material that, according to the brand, touts corrosion resistance without verdigris-oxidization, which extends the patina process over a longer period of time than regular bronze. Of course, the Bronze Gold case isn’t the only noticeable difference from the 007 Edition-the new Seamaster’s bezel sports a deep shade of burgundy that contrasts beautifully with the case and gives the watch an air of royalty. Two different models will be available at launch, and both feature the burgundy bezel over a matte black sandblasted aluminum dial. PVD 18K Bronze Gold hands and blackened indices, all of which are coated in Super-LumiNova, populate the dial alongside t...

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Worn & Wound

Citizen Promaster Navihawk Feb 20, 2025

The Citizen Promaster Navihawk is Now Available in a New, Smaller Size

When it comes to “big” and “busy”, few do it better than the Citizen Promaster Navihawk. With a commanding presence packed with information, the aviation icon has always proven to be accessible in price, but not so much in size. That’s all changing, however, as Citizen unveils the 40mm Promaster Navihawk as part of their revamped Promaster Air collection.  Designed to favor legibility and functionality, the 40mm Navihawk will look familiar to those who know the larger model. It features a stainless steel case with satin finishing, polished accents, and a knurled crown, ringed by a rotating slide rule bezel. Inside the flat sapphire crystal, a complementary internal flange borders a metallic dial, available in three colors-khaki green, copper, and silver.  According to Citizen, the 40mm Navihawk features ⅕ second chronograph timing up to 60 minutes, and 12- and 24-hour time displays. Three black chronograph subdials take up the bottom half of the dial, and a rotated date indicator sits between the 4 and 5 indices. To balance out the date’s stilted location, printed details proclaiming the 200m water resistance and the Navihawk logo occupy the same location on the other side, between the 7 and 8 indices.  Inside, the 40mm Navihawk upholds the original model’s reputation of reliability and practicality. Citizen’s proprietary Caliber B620 Eco-Drive movement utilizes solar power to keep the watch running without use of a battery-very handy for those wit...

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Worn & Wound

Grand Seiko s Permanent Collection Perhaps Feb 12, 2025

The Rose Gold SBGH368 Enters Grand Seiko’s Permanent Collection

Perhaps the crown jewel of Grand Seiko’s automatic watches, the 62GS was the brand’s first to feature an automatic movement. Vintage 62GS pieces championed subtlety with small crowns, “bezel-less” crystals, and smooth, polished edges. The 62GS has lived on through many contemporary iterations, and most hold on to that understated elegance as a key design feature. The current lineup of Heritage Collection pieces reflects almost all the hallmarks of the 62GS that it’s based on, albeit with dials themed for the 24 solar terms of the Japanese sekki.  Grand Seiko’s newest 62GS piece continues the seasonal motif of the Heritage Collection lineup but adds even more color by enveloping it in 18-karat rose gold. This rose gold reference, SBGH368 in the Grand Seiko catalog, is meant to symbolize cherry blossoms covered in snow, featuring a textured copper pink dial encased in a dual curve sapphire crystal. The indices, dauphine hands, date window frame, and screw-down crown match the case material, as does Grand Seiko’s logo positioned just above the brand’s name, below the double-thick 12 marker. An exhibition case back showcases the Hi-Beat 9S85 automatic movement, which features 37 jewels and a 55-hour power reserve, as well as 100-meter water resistance.  In terms of sizing, the SBGH368’s case measures 38mm in diameter and 12.9mm in thickness, maintaining the standard specs of the 62GS line. The 20mm lug width promises easy strap-swapping, though the included...

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Worn & Wound

Feb 3, 2025

A Unique Military Inspired Watch For Under $300 - Prevail Onward Future

Veteran-owned Prevail strives to redefine what a military-inspired watch can be. With a unique contemporary design language and capable specifications, the young brand is unafraid to chart its own path. The Tampa Bay-based brand donates a portion of its profits to the Heart and Armor Foundation, a charity supporting scientific research and community programs for veterans’ health. The Onward, Prevail’s freshman offering, is the brand’s contemporary update of the classic field watch formula. Housed in a uniquely shaped 42mm matte stainless steel case with 200m of water resistance, it takes the century-old formula and modernizes it for the 21st Century. Underneath the recessed sapphire crystal are three dial colors - standard black, compass green, and shovelhead - with a 12-3-6-9 “Explorer” version and a broad skeleton marker variant called the “Tactical.” With its fixed strap bars, the Onward Future is purpose-built to hold up to any adventure. Inside the Onward is the Ronda Calibre 513, a Swiss-made quartz caliber. It features three hands, one jewel, and hacking with an expected accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per month and a battery life of approximately 45 months. Veteran-owned Prevail strives to redefine what a military-inspired watch can be. With a unique contemporary design language and capable specifications, the young brand is unafraid to chart its own path. The Tampa Bay-based brand donates a portion of its profits to the Heart and Armor Foundation, a ...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Rado Diastar Born Jan 30, 2025

Introducing - Compact and Colourful Versions of the Rado Diastar

Born in 1962, the Rado Diastar marked the brand’s incursion into the exciting territory of innovative materials. Combining carbide tungsten, hard metal and faceted sapphire crystal with a retro-futuristic case, the Diastar was the first step in Rado’s journey into the world of high-tech ceramics and other exciting materials. Celebrating its 60th birthday in 2022, […]

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Ming Introduces Jan 24, 2025

Ming Introduces the 37.09 Uni

Ming has unveiled the 37.09 Uni, the latest addition to its line of dive watches. Sharing the same architecture as its predecessor-the 37.09 Bluefin, the “Uni” has a black-and-orange aesthetic along with 600 m of water resistance. According to Ming, the livery of the 37.09 Uni takes inspiration from the sea urchin, uni in Japanese. The watch features a DLC-coated stainless steel case and an orange scaled on the inner sapphire dial that measures elapsed time. Initial thoughts I appreciate the distinctive Ming aesthetic with its signature flared lugs and minimalist here. Here it’s combined with a sapphire dial and subtle orange accents, and the result is appealing. The 37.09 Uni, however, costs CHF5,250, which is steep price tag for what it is. Although the overall execution is elaborate, it’s still a micro-brand dive watch equipped with an inexpensive (albeit customised) Sellita movement. While there was a moment during the pandemic where micro-brand offerings somehow made sense at various points of the price spectrum, due in part to the unavailability of everything else, but that time has passed. For Ming fans, the new diver is an appealing watch, but for everyone else there are alternatives. Uni Designed in the familiar Ming style, the DLC-coated stainless steel case is compact at 38 mm in diameter, though it has the height of a dive watch at 12.8 mm in thickness. Entirely matte brushed, the case sports a stepped bezel and domed sapphire crystal. Two oversized c...

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