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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,215 articles · 305 videos found · page 42 of 118

The 20 Best Watches For Women In 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Jul 4, 2025

The 20 Best Watches For Women In 2026

Over the past several years, the topic of women and watches, women in watches, and the best watches for women has become a much-debated topic, both by the enthusiast community and by watchmakers and brands themselves as they struggle to get on the pulse of what women consumers in theory want. After the angry mob raised their symbolic pitchforks across forums at the watchmaking world’s perceived lazy marketing strategy – distilled by the catchy term “pink it and shrink it,” which pointed to the industry's tendency to supply smaller, pink or mother-of-pearl-hued, quartz models in its designs, specifically marketed toward women – I think there is still a great scrambling by brands to pinpoint what women with their exponentially growing purchasing power really want, and will actually transform this demographic into a healthy and dependable consumer base. But I will concede that this is a great challenge indeed because, as we should all know by now, the tastes and stylistic ideals of the women consumer are as varied and complex as women themselves. As a woman in the watch world, I think we are simply looking for a watch landscape that more accurately reflects that, and one with the same consideration and attention to craft (especially in the mechanical department) that has been given to watches marketed towards men.    Taking all of the above into consideration, I’ve put myself to the daunting task of rounding up what I think are the most compelling watches, both ...

A New Perspective: Hands-On with the Leica ZM12 Worn & Wound
Junghans ?” question comes up Jul 3, 2025

A New Perspective: Hands-On with the Leica ZM12

There are certain objects that just feel “right” the moment you pick them up-think a favorite camera, a well-worn leather jacket, or the satisfying heft of a perfectly balanced lens. That was my first impression handling the new Leica ZM12: a reassuring, Goldilocks weight in the hand, neither too heavy nor too precious to wear daily. Leica’s latest foray into watchmaking isn’t a camera for your wrist, but in true Leica fashion, it does reward a closer look. Leica, Watches, and the (Inevitable) NOMOS Comparison For those mostly familiar with Leica for their cameras, here’s a bit of background: the company’s roots are a little more “watch” than you’d think. Ernst Leitz, the original founder, was trained as a watchmaker before getting into optics. That bit of DNA is still present, even if Leica doesn’t make a big deal about it. In the past few years, they’ve taken their time bringing watches to market-first with the ZM1 and ZM11, and now the ZM12, which really feels like it brings their whole design philosophy full circle. Now, when most folks see a minimalist German watch, the “Is this a NOMOS?” or “Is this a Junghans?” question comes up immediately. And honestly, I get it. All three have that clean, modernist feel. But the ZM12 does its own thing. The case finishing has more going on, the strap quick-change system is the kind of clever you wish was more common, and the movement is honestly more interesting in person than in press shots. NOM...

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Worn & Wound
Jul 1, 2025

A Keepsake in Time: The Wedding Watch Gift Guide with Hampden

When the wedding invitations start rolling in and the summer air warms with celebration, there’s a timeless question every groom and wedding party must answer: What gifts can truly mark this moment? For the groom and his closest friends, a Hampden watch does more than tell time-it tells stories, turning a single day’s memory into a lifetime keepsake. A Heritage of Craft and Personal Touch Hampden has earned the distinction of America’s oldest family watch brand, now in its fourth-generation of continuous family ownership. Founded in 1922 and rooted in Chicago’s rich horological past, its relaunch this year to mark a century in business balances classic American watchmaking sensibilities with contemporary Swiss precision. While their dials and movements are built to endure decades of wear, it’s Hampden’s mastery of custom caseback engraving that makes each watch singularly meaningful. From precise monograms to heartfelt messages and even sketches or handwritten notes, Hampden’s engraving technology is among the best in the industry-a nod to its historical reputation for innovation and personalization. The post A Keepsake in Time: The Wedding Watch Gift Guide with Hampden appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Hanhart Introduces New Versions of the ES 415 Chronograph at a Launch Event in their Historic Factory Worn & Wound
Jul 1, 2025

Hanhart Introduces New Versions of the ES 415 Chronograph at a Launch Event in their Historic Factory

Last week, Hanhart invited 60 guests to their workshop in Gütenbach, located in the Black Forest region of Germany. The schedule for the day was packed, beginning with a factory tour, an 8 kilometers long Black Forest hike, a Hanhart Museum tour, and finally the unveiling of two new 415 ES chronographs.  Felix Wallner and Simon Hall, co-managing directors of Hanhart, guided us through the factory and museum tour. The Gütenbach workshop opened in 1934 as the second production facility for Hanhart. It is now their only manufacturing location. It is impressive that this workshop has been in continuous production since 1934. There is a sense of authenticity, and you can almost taste the oil accumulated over eight decades.  Simon took us to the first floor where the raw parts are made. Hanhart is in a unique position as a watch company since they manufacture mechanical and quartz stopwatches along with wrist watches. The machines are from the 1960s, but according to Simon, they outperform the modern machines in terms of repairs and total cost of ownership. These machines are used for making pinions, wheels, mainplates, and more. Hanhart manufactures 90% of the parts for their mechanical stop watches in this workshop.  Hanhart in the past manufactured more stopwatches than wrist watches. In 2007, they made 20,000 stop watches, but this number decreased significantly as the demand cooled. Simon says that demand is again picking up with annual production of approximately 5,00...

The Forgotten Boston Collector Who Rivalled Henry Graves Jr. SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Jul 1, 2025

The Forgotten Boston Collector Who Rivalled Henry Graves Jr.

Between 1885 and 1920, Elliot Cabot Lee (1854-1920) quietly built one of the world’s largest collections of very complicated watches, but unlike the famous rivals Henry Graves Jr. or James Ward Packard, both of whom favoured Swiss watches (and primarily Patek Philippe), Lee was a devotee of English watchmaking during its heyday. Many remarkable watches that were commissioned by Lee, or passed through his collection, have surfaced over the last few years, such as the J.W. Benson Supercomplication, the Dent Astronomical watch, or even J.P. Morgan’s pocket-planetarium, but with their provenance unknown. Most of Lee’s collection of pocket watches. Image – The National Jeweler 1922 A patrician collector Elliot Cabot Lee was born on April 16th, 1854 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both of Lee’s parents hailed from Boston Brahmin families and were third cousins. His father, Henry Lee Jr., was a partner at investment bank Lee, Higginson & Company, where Lee also worked, though only briefly. His mother, Elizabeth Perkins Cabot, was the granddaughter of the extremely wealthy Thomas Handasyd Perkins – a slaver turned philanthropist. Lee graduated from Harvard with a law degree and passed the bar, though he seems to have practiced law little if at all. He was well-travelled and well-read, accumulating a notable book collection, according to the Brookline Historical society. Besides his watch collection, Lee also took an interest in the nascent automobile. He built a garage, o...

20 Classic Casio Watches From Under $25 to Over $1,500 Teddy Baldassarre
Casio Jun 30, 2025

20 Classic Casio Watches From Under $25 to Over $1,500

When watch enthusiasts think of Casio, most think first and foremost about G-Shock, the undisputed flagship of the Japanese brand's timepiece lineup and the model that put Casio, a multinational tech giant known primarily for calculators, digital cameras, and electronic musical keyboards, on the map as a watchmaker. (G-Shock has in recent years become so dominant that it now identifies as its own brand, separate from other Casio-branded watches, with its own distinctive design language and sub-families; we list the most notable G-Shock watches here.) But throughout its relatively short history of watchmaking, which began in 1974, Casio has released other very memorable watches, several of which became not only commercially successful (particularly in the 1980s, the heyday of digital watches) but also pop-culture touchstones to their era. Here we list 20 noteworthy Casio watches and make the case for their classic status; you will find some G-Shocks here, because any list of classic Casio watches would be incomplete without them. But you'll also discover a few modern models from Casio watch series you may be less familiar with, as well as some that you may find familiar from movies and TV. You'll also find that nearly all the watches on the list, arranged in ascending order of price, will cost much less than you might expect.  Casio F91W Digital Sport Watch Price: $22.95, Case Size: 38.2mm x 35.2mm, Case Height: 8.5mm, Crystal: Resin glass, Water Resistance: Water resis...

Biver’s Latest Carillon Tourbillon is All About Discretion SJX Watches
Jun 30, 2025

Biver’s Latest Carillon Tourbillon is All About Discretion

A subtler version of its flagship model, the Biver Carillon Tourbillon Signature Series looks almost like a time-only watch. It does away with the dial cutout for the tourbillon, leading to a more toned-down appearance for the complicated watch that combines a three-gong carillon repeater with a tourbillon. Notably, the new model is also available in a two-tone configuration of titanium and 18k rose gold. Initial thoughts Watchmakers usually highlight the tourbillon, putting the regulator front and centre of the dial (and charge a lot more for the mechanism too). Back in 2023, Biver made its debut with a tourbillon minute repeater,  which proudly displayed the tourbillon at six o’clock. Now the brand has reprised the model, but conceals what was the main showpiece on the dial. The two models are delivered with a set of cufflinks, material-matched to the watch The closed dial plainly conceals the tourbillon underneath. And due to the movement’s construction, the tourbillon can’t be seen from the case back either - making for a confusing sight. The end result is a very understated timepiece that doesn’t reveal itself easily, or much at all. In fact, the apparent simplicity is underlined by the dial, which is almost identical to that of the time-only Automatique. It features the same brushed circular sectors and micro relief minute track have become staple design elements of the brand. Were it not for the repeater slide, one would even be tempted to assume this is...

TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Review Teddy Baldassarre
TAG Heuer 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...

Introducing – The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 Celebrates the Brand’s 250th Anniversary Monochrome
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 Jun 26, 2025

Introducing – The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 Celebrates the Brand’s 250th Anniversary

It will come as no surprise that the fourth instalment of Breguet’s 250th-anniversary celebrations honours Abraham-Louis Breguet’s most celebrated invention: the gravity-defying tourbillon. Following the Souscription, the Seconde Rétrograde and the Type XX Chronograph, the release of the latest celebratory watch coincides with the day and month Abraham-Louis Breguet obtained a patent for his tourbillon […]

First Look – The Colourful and Fun Baltic Hermétique Summer Collection Monochrome
Baltic Hermétique Summer Collection French Jun 26, 2025

First Look – The Colourful and Fun Baltic Hermétique Summer Collection

French brand Baltic has really been on a roll lately with several standout models, including the best-selling MR micro-rotor series, and the popular Hermétique Tourer field watch just got a fresh dose of summer colours inspired by the 1970s California vibe. While the design and specs haven’t changed, the new dial and strap colours really […]

Retrospective: Tomas Finds A New Purpose For His Pocket Gallet Yachting Timer Fratello
Jun 26, 2025

Retrospective: Tomas Finds A New Purpose For His Pocket Gallet Yachting Timer

The 1972 catalog lists it as the Gallet Maritimer, although it says Yachting Timer on the dial. You choose. The new designation is still connected to water use…well, sort of. I hereby announce with all due respect that I turned it into my Gallet Soft-Boiled Egg Timer. And I love it! I will start with […] Visit Retrospective: Tomas Finds A New Purpose For His Pocket Gallet Yachting Timer to read the full article.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas: The Essential Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Vacheron Constantin Jun 25, 2025

Vacheron Constantin Overseas: The Essential Guide

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas has been a major pillar of the Swiss maison’s collection since its high-profile revamp in 2016, but its roots stretch back much further, drawing elements of its distinctive design from the mechanical-watch revival of the late 1990s, the embryonic sport-luxury era of the 1970s, and even as far back as 1880, the origin of Vacheron’s Maltese Cross emblem. One of the oldest continuously operating watch manufacturers on the planet, Vacheron Constantin laid its foundation in 1755, more than a decade before the United States, eventually one of its most important markets, was even a country. Established as a watchmaking workshop by 24-year-old watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron, the company  took on its current name when the founder’s grandson, Jacques-Barthemi Vacheron, partnered with businessman Francois Constantin. Over its first two centuries-plus in existence, Vacheron Constantin gained renown as an innovator of horological complications and a pioneer in design, as well as a watchmaker to royalty, including Egypt’s King Fuad I, who famously commissioned one of the world’s most complicated pocket watches (and also, for a time, the most expensive watch in the world sold at auction).  The OG of Overseas: Vacheron Constantin 222 Historiques Revival 222 in gold In 1977, Vacheron Constantin commemorated its 220th anniversary of watchmaking with a boldly different and now highly collectible timepiece that helped lay the foundation for what we ...

Owner’s Review: the Second Hour Mandala Mk3 Worn & Wound
Jun 25, 2025

Owner’s Review: the Second Hour Mandala Mk3

If you were to ask any of my coworkers or friends about my style when it comes to watches, the words “tactical,” “diver,” and “tool” would likely come to mind. It’s no secret that I have an affinity for watches with more utility than just telling time, and a good clicky bezel might be my favorite fidget toy of all time. As someone who has had a preference for black and olive drab colors for years, when I dove into watches, it seemed like black and sometimes blue were the only colors available, especially at the price range I considered spending on a watch. That said, as I’ve learned more about watches and discovered some interesting microbrands making bold and adventurous divers, I also realized that if I wanted something more colorful, I’d have a lot of options if I expanded my reach to non-diver sports watches. With the growing number of stealthy items in my collection, I’ve wanted to add something to my collection that you might describe as “flashy” to balance things out a bit. Working to break this mold that I’ve created for myself, I wound up coming across the Mandala Mk3 by Second Hour Watches, and thought that it might make an interesting addition to my collection of tactical and tool focused pieces. In fact, when I wore this watch home from the office for the first time, my girlfriend immediately remarked, “That isn’t a watch I’d expect you to wear, but I like it,” and that’s exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Before I dive i...

Ressence Collaborates with German Artist Daniel Engelberg on a Pair of Limited Edition Versions of the Type 8 Worn & Wound
Ressence Collaborates Jun 24, 2025

Ressence Collaborates with German Artist Daniel Engelberg on a Pair of Limited Edition Versions of the Type 8

Ressence is one of my favorite independent watch brands for a number of reasons. Chief among them, of course, is the novel time telling system invented by the brand, which is unlike anything else in watchmaking. It’s an example of both mechanical ingenuity and a design triumph, and like others who have had a chance to experience it, I’m continually blown away by the intuitive layout of these watches and the creativity in rethinking something as basic as telling the time. Another reason Ressence has such a strong appeal is that this design language has proven to be incredibly flexible, something we’ve observed over the years as the brand has collaborated with a variety of partners on interesting limited edition projects. The Grail Watch release with Alain Silberstein remains a personal favorite, as does their Dubai Watch Week LE from a few years ago (a new limited edition celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi is also pretty great). A pair of new watches made in collaboration with the artist Daniel Engelberg might just be my favorite Ressence limited edition yet. We got a very quick preview of these watches when we met with Ressence at Watches & Wonders earlier this year, and were immediately taken with their bold color palettes and a design that really leans into the brand’s aesthetic while still being wholly unique works. Engelbert is a German artist and a quick look at his Instagram feed reveals his interest in color and shape, and these dials immediat...

Omega Speedmaster Reduced Review Teddy Baldassarre
Omega Jun 24, 2025

Omega Speedmaster Reduced Review

The Omega Speedmaster Reduced was released back in 1988, intended as a smaller and more affordable cousin of the Speedmaster Professional. The Speedmaster Reduced shares most of the same design codes as the Moonwatch but it is undoubtedly one of the more divisive watches out there, especially for those Speedy purists who see it as an imposter that should never have been manufactured. I would imagine that sales were fairly robust, considering how many of these are available on the secondary market and the fact that it was produced from 1988 all the way to 2009. Speedmaster Reduced Case & Bracelet Considering this is called the Speedmaster Reduced, it should be no surprise that the case is indeed smaller than the 42mm Speedmaster Professional (which we did a comprehensive guide to here). Done in stainless steel measuring 39mm wide and 12mm thick with a very compact lug-to-lug height of 45mm compared to the Speedy Pro’s 47.5mm. One of the funny tradeoffs that you get from using an automatic movement instead of a manually wound one is a thicker case, so even with the reduced case size, the 12mm thickness is only about a millimeter slimmer than the Pro. Still, the compact proportions make for an easier wear for those with smaller wrists. The Speedmaster Reduced has 30 meters of water resistance, which is shy of the 50 meters of the Speedy Pro, but I think both require quite a bit of caution with anything more than a splash. The familiar tachymeter bezel is done in aluminum, w...

Hands On: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian SJX Watches
Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Jun 24, 2025

Hands On: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian

Piaget combines its traditional expertise in stone dials and ultra-thin movements with the Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian, a handsome – and more original – take on the complicated Polo. The slim white gold case is combined with a mesmerizing dial in blue obsidian, which is not a mineral as often believed, but instead volcanic glass. Initial Thoughts The latest Polo Perpetual Calendar is arguably Piaget’s strongest release of the year. It plays to two of the brand’s traditional strengths, thin movements and natural stone or mineral dials. Piaget is of course not the only brand with a perpetual calendar sports watch. In fact, the Polo perpetual with a blue obsidian dial is similar enough to the competition to be competitive – it possesses the key characteristics of being slim and blue – but manages to do so without being derivative, which is arguably an issue with the earlier iteration of the model. The blue obsidian dial in particular sets this apart from comparable watches since exotic dial materials are relatively rare in this segment. The mechanics inside the latest Polo perpetual remain the same. While not the most sophisticated perpetual calendar mechanism in the segment, the ubiquitous Dubois Depraz calendar module is solid and reliable if adjusted according to protocol. Its widespread use also makes it easy for watchmakers to source parts, which is not always a given when it comes to complicated ultra-thin watches. That, paired with a competent ult...

The Best Dive Watches (2026) Teddy Baldassarre
Jun 23, 2025

The Best Dive Watches (2026)

For everyone from the most passionate watch collector to the total watch novice, dive watches are one of the most popular timepiece categories - despite the fact that almost no one goes diving with a watch. So what gives? Why should regular people on the street want a watch originally designed for use as a tool in the ocean’s murky depths? For most of us, the enduring popularity of dive watches stems from several factors: Because dive watches obviously need to be water-resistant, they are as a rule over-engineered and solidly built, making them more than stout enough for rough-and-tumble everyday wear on dry land. Since divers require at-a-glance legibility underwater, dive watches also tend to have some of the cleanest dial designs. Finally, dive watches are culturally associated with a strong sense of cool, from James Bond’s Omega Seamaster, to Steve McQueen’s Rolex Submariner, all the way to the military watches worn by U.S. Navy SEALs. Whether you’re a "desk diver" or actually want to get your watch wet, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 62 of the best dive watches on the market - from entry-level to well into the world of luxury in price range. Of course, the usual suspects are in here, but we're also aiming to share some new pieces with you. Before the keyboard aquanauts attack, let me state upfront we’re looking at both professional-level dive watches, i.e., meeting the ISO 6425 specifications, as well as "dive-style" watches here. Enjoy. Casi...

SpaceOne Launches the All New WorldTimer Worn & Wound
Jun 20, 2025

SpaceOne Launches the All New WorldTimer

Over the last three years or so, as the idea of the “micro indie” has gained steam in our hobby, SpaceOne has been on the bleeding edge of this movement. Their first two releases perfectly capture every element of what we love about this type of watchmaking: inventive case designs, clever movements, the interesting use of materials, and, importantly, a price point that welcomes enthusiasts rather than shutting them out. The Jump Hour and Tellurium impressed on these fronts and more, and the brand’s third release, a worldtimer that they’ve been quietly showing to clients and press over the last few months, continues the brand’s impressive run, and cements their status as a leading indie brand, micro or otherwise.  The new SpaceOne WorldTimer once again pairs watchmaker Theo Auffret with designer Olivier Gamiette. The case has an oblong shape that’s somewhat reminiscent (in broad strokes, at least) of their Jump Hour debut, but is quite a bit more complex. It mixes sci-fi, spaceship influences with subtle automotive design influences, and a multi-window display that will make some fans of independent watchmaking think of names like Vianney Halter and other similarly adventurous icons of the contemporary indie scene.  This is one of those watches that no matter how experienced you are with these things, it kind of needs to be “taught” on some level, but once you understand what you’re looking at, it’s fairly intuitive. Here’s how it works. In a move th...

Neo-Vintage Case Sizes Were Spot On - Are We Seeing A Return? Fratello
Jun 17, 2025

Neo-Vintage Case Sizes Were Spot On - Are We Seeing A Return?

It’s funny how things can come right back around in the world of luxury, fashion, and design. As someone once said, fashion is fleeting, but style lasts forever. The same can be said for watches, and we need only rewind the clock 20 years to see a host of designs with sweet-spot 37–40mm case sizes. […] Visit Neo-Vintage Case Sizes Were Spot On - Are We Seeing A Return? to read the full article.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain Jun 17, 2025

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

[This feature article has been updated to incorporate the newest models – including the new 42mm and 38mm sizes – in the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms collection as of 2025. Prices listed are current as of this article's posting but subject to change.] Founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, Blancpain is the oldest luxury watchmaker in the world, full stop. The 287-year-old manufacture, now headquartered in Le Brassus in the Swiss Vallée de Joux, has an uninterrupted history of producing horological complications but its most iconic timepiece in this modern era began its life as a tool watch for military divers in the (relatively) recent year of 1953. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, however, is not just any tool watch; it’s recognized as one of the foundational examples of the modern dive watch, helping to establish a template that many others would follow. Today, it’s the foundation for a vast and versatile collection within the Blancpain portfolio - despite the fact that the watch almost didn’t make it out of the 1970s.  DIVING INTO HISTORY The quest to make a watch water-resistant enough for diving was already well underway when Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then-CEO of Blancpain, began working on the watch that would become the Fifty Fathoms. Rolex had developed the water-resistant Oyster case in 1926, which paved the way for watches such as Panerai’s Radiomir in 1936, which combined a waterproof case with a luminous dial for the underwater missions of the Italian n...

First Look – The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph with Ocean Grey Lacquer Dial Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph Jun 16, 2025

First Look – The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph with Ocean Grey Lacquer Dial

First released in 2018, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection was designed to reintroduce a sports range alongside the brand’s classical Reverso and Master lineups. Deeply inspired by the 1968 Memovox Polaris dive watch with its alarm mechanism, there was more to the collection than just this complication, as the brand also released some pretty attractive chronographs. […]

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Worn & Wound
Zenith Jun 15, 2025

A Week in Watches Eps. 103 + 104: We’re Live!

A couple of weeks ago, we did a little experiment. Rather than filming and editing A Week in Watches, as had been the method for the previous 102 episodes, we live-streamed it. Yup, off the cuff, come as you are, talking right into the camera: A Week in Watches Ep. 103: Live on YouTube. It went well, as far as we can tell. We quickly learned a thing or two, such as not to put large microphones in front of our faces. As that episode was an experiment in the format, we didn’t let anyone know we were doing it, though there was still a decent turnout. You can check that episode out here. As the experiment was successful, we went live again this past Wednesday at 5 PM Eastern for A Week in Watches, Ep. 104. On this episode, Zach Weiss was joined by Worn & Wound Contributing Editor Griffin Bartsch. They covered several releases, including a new Seiko Presage, a duo of J.N. Shapiros, a killer new Zenith, and much more. They also took questions live from the virtual audience, which adds a whole new dimension to AWIW, and had a call-in from Zach Kazan, who discussed some of his recent popular articles. Check out that episode below. We believe this new format will be successful, so expect another episode in a couple of weeks. We’ll be sure to post the time and date on social media, W&W;+, as well as on YouTube, so be sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it. These episodes are quite literally live, so we hope to see you there! The post A Week in Watches Eps. 103 + 104: We...

Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue Worn & Wound
Omega Aqua Terra alternative Jun 13, 2025

Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue

It has been a while since I last had a Monta watch on my wrist, so it was nice to approach this one with a fresh set of eyes. As one of the longer-standing smaller brands, Monta seems to be a bit of a known quantity at this point. They have very specific targets in both what they offer and their demographic, and seem to nail it almost every time in a very calculated way. Looking for an Omega Aqua Terra alternative for a fraction of the price? Check out the Monta Noble. You have a Rolex GMT Master II on your wishlist but can’t reasonably afford it, and need an alternative option? Well, there’s the Monta Skyquest for you. Thirsty for a Rolex Submariner but only looking to spend about one-third the retail price? Then, chances are good that you have already looked at previous iterations of the Monta Oceanking. I was in that camp almost a decade ago. Staring at older versions of the Aqua Terra online while signing up to be notified of the next restock of Monta Triumph models. No, I wouldn’t consider them one-to-one comparisons, as Monta does inject a bit of their own design language into each piece. However, while so many brands introduce new models year after year, chasing trends and sales, Monta instead takes the approach of refinement. Rather than pumping them out, they take in community feedback, look at their manufacturing capabilities and target price point, and make subtle but meaningful tweaks. That is how we’ve wound up with the Monta Oceanking in its third ver...

The J&Berg; B2 Returns With Two New Dial Colors Fratello
Jun 13, 2025

The J&Berg; B2 Returns With Two New Dial Colors

Almost exactly one year ago, J&Berg;, a new Finnish brand, launched with its debut model, the B2. The watches were met with near-universal praise due to their looks, materials, and specifications. A clean, modern design that could only be described as Nordic seemed to be a crowd-pleaser. After the success of the initial references, the […] Visit The J&Berg; B2 Returns With Two New Dial Colors to read the full article.