Hodinkee
Hands-On: Biver Returns With The New 'Automatique' And A Proprietary Micro-Rotor Movement
After their $550,000 Carillon Tourbillon, the brand is focusing on thoughtful and meticulous growth with their new automatic model.
Results for Automatic vs Manual Winding
1,812 articles · 1,137 videos found · page 42 of 99
Hodinkee
Monochrome
Introducing – The Patriotic Depancel Allure Valjoux 92 Bleu de France
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 […]
SJX Watches
Only For Japan – The Biver Automatique with Grand Feu Enamel Dial
Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre continue their journey of independent horology with the Biver Automatique Japan Edition. Made in collaboration with its retailer in Japan, this special release is based on the time-only automatic debuted last year, but reimagined to cater to the traditionally classical taste of the Japanese collector. The minimalist edition debuts in two elegant variants that explore the contrast of light and shadow through hard-fired enamel made by an enamel workshop in Geneva’s Old Town. A stark white enamel dial is paired with a platinum case, while the high-contrast version matches a glossy black dial with a rose gold case – both share a clean, old-school aesthetic with applied markers and a railway minute track. A tribute to the Japanese collector The Automatique epitomises Biver’s neoclassical and elaborate approach to watchmaking, which blends careful detailing with hand-finishing techniques, for both habillage and the movement. Now the Japan Edition further refines the approach, condensing the more elaborate execution of the original versions into something more traditional, more classical, and arguably more reflective of the taste of Japanese enthusiasts. The two distinct models pay homage to the Japanese appreciation of minimalist aesthetics combined with high quality and precision execution, along with a well-established love of mid-century precision Swiss wristwatches. The clarity of the vintage-inspired design makes the Japan Edition ...
SJX Watches
Biver Reveals Unique Automatique for Charity
Although it’s been less than two years since its founding, Biver has already launched its second model, the Automatique. Using that as the base, the brand created the Automatique “Echoes of this Moment”, a unique piece crafted in collaboration with a Swiss artist for TimeForArt, a charity auction taking place in November to benefit the Swiss Institute, a nonprofit focused on contemporary art education. Initial thoughts The standard Automatique is undeniably a finely executed watch, especially the micro-rotor automatic calibre within. Although the aesthetics of the regular-production model aren’t perfectly cohesive, the exquisite quality of the movement and attention to detail make it one of the most interesting new time-only creations from an independent. This unique piece improves the aesthetics of the Automatique because it simplifies the design. The standard version has an elaborately finished dial that combines too many elements – faceted indices, brushed sectors, an engraved seconds track, and sharp polished hands. In contrast, the unique Automatique keeps the look simple, while still having a complex, artisanal dial decoration. Here the handmade dial – that’s both engraved and enamelled – can be admired for what it is, with no distractions. An artful dial The New York-based Swiss Institute was set up to promote contemporary art through events and exhibitions. Now in its second edition, TimeForArt was conceived to benefit the non-profit. Biver is one o...
Hodinkee
Three On Three: Comparing In-House, Manually-Wound Dress Watches Under $20,000
The manually-wound dress watch is a basic in any man's wardrobe, and we're putting three that feature in-house movements for under $20,000 to the test.
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Why Villains Wear Rolex & Heroes Wear JLC: Reverso Duoface Calendar vs Day-Date Watch
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko debuts the manually wound Spring Drive SBGY011 in a 44GS case
Grand Seiko is known for their colorful and textured dials born from natural muses. The Japanese philosophy of translating their surrounding nature into their craft has long distinguished their creations but, in regard to the Grand Seiko catalogue, has resulted in an ample menu of dial flavours to choose from. For the watch geek looking … ContinuedThe post Grand Seiko debuts the manually wound Spring Drive SBGY011 in a 44GS case appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Introducing – Moritz Grossmann Hamatic Silver-Plated by Friction, For the Founder’s 200th Anniversary
The Hamatic is one of the more unusual watches from Moritz Grossmann, mainly because of how it handles automatic winding. Instead of a central rotor, it uses a hammer-style system, where a pendulum-like weight swings freely in both directions, constantly feeding energy to the movement. It is a more animated way of keeping the watch […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Ultra-Slim Christopher Ward Twelve 660
Christopher Ward is not scared to go against the grain with its new releases. It has become a big part of its success. The brand seemingly slapped purists in the face with a manual-winding integrated-bracelet sports watch not too long ago. In itself, that’s nothing spectacular. However, if you are a Gérald Genta devotee, you […] Visit Hands-On With The Ultra-Slim Christopher Ward Twelve 660 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 270th Anniversary Editions
The anniversary celebrations continue at Vacheron Constantin, which has introduced 270th anniversary versions of the Patrimony Self-Winding and Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date featuring asymmetric guilloche-style dials depicting the Maltese Cross. Both models are part of Vacheron Constantin (VC)’s 270th anniversary collection, with the simple automatic limited to 370 pieces each in either 18k white or rose gold, while the retrograde date limited to just 270 pieces in each metal. Initial thoughts This watch is all about its dial, which it shares with the Traditionnelle. I liked the look immediately, which is subtle yet appropriately self-referential for such an occasion. I often find the Patrimony to wear on the large side, given the expansive dial and slim bezel, but in this case I think the asymmetry of the dial design helps shrink the watch visually. The Patrimony Self-Winding duo Both references stick to roughly the same dimensions of their standard production counterparts, 40 mm by 8.65 mm thick for the simple automatic, and 42.5 mm by 9.7 mm for the retrograde date. Both sets of figures are on the larger end of the spectrum for dress watches, but this sizing should work well to highlight the special dial. Despite their functional differences, both models share the same automatic base caliber from the cal. 24xx movement family, which is configured either for central seconds or to accommodate the retrograde date mechanism. This 4 Hz movement platform has a relat...
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture
The moon phase indicator and date combination is a flagship model at Frederique Constant, appearing with the launch of the brand’s second manufacture movement in 2005. Early models, like the Heart Beat Manufacture, were equipped with the brand’s hand-wound moon phase and date movement (FC-915). Evolving over the years and replacing the manual-winding movement with […]
Video
$249 Beautiful Vintage Style Diver - TP & Co Automatic Dive Watch 38mm COMPRESSOR Tonneau Case
Deployant
New: Vacheron Constantin Novelties from Watches & Wonders 2024
Vacheron Constantin introduces a host of new timepieces for 2024, including one Haute Joaillerie piece. These novelties include new variations of the Overseas, Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph, Patrimony Manual-Winding, Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date and Égérie Moon Phase, as well the Égérie The Pleats of Time concept watch and Haute Joaillerie Grand Lady Kalla. Vacheron ConstantinRead More
Teddy Baldassarre
10 Best Watch Winders for Any Collector's Budget in 2026
If you own any automatic watches at all, especially enough of them to ensure that you’re not wearing the same one daily, you will inevitably face the issue of keeping those watches running, and set to the proper time and date, when they’re not on your wrist. Some collectors choose to simply commit to re-winding and re-setting their automatic watches when their power reserve runs down - it’s a ritual that many traditionalists actually enjoy - but others would rather invest in some high-tech hardware to lend a hand. Here is where a watch winder comes in. These helpful and often luxuriously appointed machines are designed to store your precious self-winding timepieces while also keeping them charged via electronic, motorized rotations - the timing, direction, and duration of which can often be pre-set and monitored - that mimic the natural movement of a wearer’s wrist. For those ready to dip their toe into the wide world of watch winders, we’ve gathered 10 favorites from 10 brands representing as wide a variety as possible in terms of styles, sizes, and price points. Wolf Roadster 4PC Watch Winder ($2,095) Wolf watch winders, known for their fusion of leather, wood, glass, and steel, work on a 24-hour cycle, with six-hour periods of intermittent activity followed by “sleep” periods that allow the tension in the watches’ mainsprings to ease, avoiding over-winding. Fifty different cycles are possible, allowing the owner to specify factors such as direc...
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph ‘Collection Excellence Platine’
When Vacheron Constantin celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2015 with the Harmony collection of cushion-shaped watches, the standout was easily the split-seconds chronograph. Seemingly ordinary on its face, the Harmony split-seconds was powered by the cal. 3500, an all-new rattrapante chronograph calibre with a novel automatic winding mechanism. The movement was gorgeous, but disappeared from the catalogue – until last year. The cal. 3500 made its comeback with the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine. Like the other Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) watches, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is a limited edition – only 15 pieces in fact – that utilises platinum generously throughout the watch, but it is unique as there is no standard production equivalent in the catalogue. In short, it is a special watch. The cal. 3500 with its intricate chronograph mechanism and novel peripheral rotor Initial thoughts On its face, the Traditionnelle split-seconds is an elegant watch with a restrained, almost simple style. Its proportions are wide and slim, creating a graceful profile. The thinness exaggerates the case diameter slightly, so it does seem a bit wider than it is, especially with the longish lugs. In typical CEP style, the dial is nearly monochromatic, rendered in grey and silver, with the only colour coming from the indicator hands for the chronograph and power reserve. It’s a simple combination, but a good one. The pla...
Time+Tide
INSIGHT: Inside the award-winning world of Rexhep Rexhepi’s Akrivia
The day after SIHH, I found myself walking around the cobbled streets of Geneva’s old town. It’s a very different Geneva to the vast, softly furnished halls of the Palexpo, or even the squat monoliths of the famed manufactures, with their clean rooms and airlocks. No, this street was winding, cobbled and, even though the … ContinuedThe post INSIGHT: Inside the award-winning world of Rexhep Rexhepi’s Akrivia appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
SJX Podcast: Freak Face-Off: Original vs. Freak S
On Episode 16 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss ongoing horology events in Paris and Singapore, and debrief on the new Piaget Andy Warhol. It’s also the debut of a new segment comparing two watches head-to-head. First up is the Ulysse Nardin Freak – how does the original, now 25 years old, stack up to the new Freak S? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.
Video
This 200m Diving Automatic GMT has a Trick Date Function, You will Love or Hate
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Orologi Calamai GMT Automatico, an Accessible and Stylish Italian Travel Watch
Orologi Calamai isn’t a household name in the industry, but this small Italian brand has been producing intriguing, aeronautical-inspired watches since its founding in 2012. Unfortunately, MONOCHROME can’t cover the entire array of small, independent brands out there (we try, believe me), but Orologi Calamai definitely caught our eye, and we’ve covered them in the […]
Hodinkee
Introducing: Zodiac And Craft + Tailored To Go Back To Their Roots With A New Manually-Wound Pre-Sea Wolf
You can trust real vintage lovers to dig deep to get a reissue right.
Worn & Wound
Sinn Unveils their Spring Novelties, Including a Manually Wound 103 Chronograph and New HYDRO U50 Divers
Sinn dropped their Spring novelties this morning, an event that’s always of keen interest to hardcore watch enthusiasts. Sinn is one of our favorite brands for a whole number of reasons, but I’ve always felt that part of their appeal is in their somewhat elusive, “if you know, you know,” nature. Part of that is the fact that they have a single American distributor, and don’t have the flashiest social media presence. In the US, they still seem very German and are truly a brand for connoisseurs. If you see someone wearing a Sinn, you know that they sought it out, and that it might not have been easy to find. Sinn’s pattern for novelty releases over the last few years seems to be to release a mix of modern tool watches and vintage throwbacks simultaneously. This year’s vintage throwback is a manually wound chronograph, the 103 St Ty Hd. The 103 is their core chronograph model, the simplest and arguably least fussy, and has been made in a huge number of variants over the years. This new version has a steel case and old-fashioned acrylic crystal, and a panda-style dial layout with red accents. Fans of the 103 will notice immediately that the 12, 6, 9 (with day/date at 3) layout from previous 103 references is missing, a result of the manually wound Sellita SW 510 M powering the new watch. Here we get a classic three register, no date dial in the same familiar 41mm case. This is Sinn’s first manually wound 103 in 20 years, which should make the release of the...
Worn & Wound
Vero Launches the Meridian, a Casual Weekend Watch with a Manually Wound Movement
One of the big hits of the recently completed Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco came from Vero, a brand we’ve been covering for years. The transformation that Vero has made as a company doesn’t get enough coverage. Longtime readers might remember the time we took a look at how Vero was manufacturing watches at their Oregon headquarters, but since that time, the brand has changed their strategy and found their groove with an entirely new aesthetic. In 2021, with the launch of the Open Water diver, Vero made a hard pivot toward outsourcing their manufacturing to trusted Swiss partners, and refocusing the brand on customer service (they now offer a ten year warranty) and shifting the design language into something a little bolder and more colorful. The Open Water and Workhorse Chrono have proven to be durable hits on the microbrand scene, each spawning multiple new references since they made their debuts, and now they’re joined by the Meridian, a handsome manually wound piece that is a completely Vero take on the classic field watch. Vero characterizes the Meridian as a “weekend watch,” which is borne out in the casual color schemes of the two models that recently launched the collection. First up is the Rambler, a bright blue dial with a red and white outer track, and easy to read black Arabic numerals at each hour. We also have the Rally, which is something of an inversion of the Rambler with its cream colored dial and accents in the perimeter in blue and r...
Hodinkee
Sunday Rewind: Three Manually Wound Chronograph Heavyweights
The best of the best go toe-to-toe
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Rolex Daytona vs Omega Speedmaster in 2024
SJX Watches
Face-Off: Seiko Credor Eichi II 7R14 vs. Grand Seiko Spring Drive 9R02
When it comes to finely-finished, time-only movements, the ultimate Seiko offerings are the Credor Eichi II and Grand Seiko Spring Drive 20th Anniversary. The Japanese equivalent of watches like the Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain and Philippe Dufour Simplicity, the pair are the work of the Micro Artist Studio and finished to the same magnificent level, broadly speaking. (The Grand Seiko 8 Day is of the same quality, but it is a much larger and more complex watch.) Because the movements, the 7R14 in the Eichi II and 9R02 in Grand Seiko SBGZ001 and SBGZ003, are fundamentally identical, comparing the finer details of the two – an enlightened, obsessive nitpicking – makes for some interesting conclusions. The 7R14 in the Eichi II (left) and the 9R02 of the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 The sampled are both finished examples that were purchased in stores, and not prototypes, so both are representative of their respective model and movement. Though both were made in the Seiko-Epson’s Micro Artist Studio, probably by the very same craftsmen, the Eichi II was produced in 2015, while the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 dates to 2019, which is the year of its launch, and is the property of Mark Cho, founder of menswear retailer The Armoury. Same but different Both movements share the same architecture and layout, with the key functional difference being the power reserve, in both duration and display. The Eichi II’s 7R14 has a single barrel and a 60-hour power reserve, indicated on a fan-sha...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Omega De Ville Trésor 40mm With Manually-Wound Master Chronometer Caliber
A thoroughly modern take on a classic dress watch.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5610P and Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin
Comparison is often said to be the thief of joy, but the numerous attributes of the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5610P and Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin ref. 2500v are arguably best understood in a side-by-side format. The watches are extraordinarily similar — each watch features a platinum case and bracelet, a slim micro-rotor automatic movement, and a rare two-hand, no-date configuration. Beyond their tangible similarities, both watches are limited editions priced within 7% of one another, and were launched to mark milestone anniversaries of their respective collections. Initial thoughts Rarely do rival brands treat collectors to such a perfect match-up. Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin could hardly have done more to go toe-to-toe, and have unexpectedly made 2026 the golden age of the platinum sports watch. The original Patek Philippe Nautilus from 1976 was provocative precisely because it was made in steel at a time when ‘high-end’ still meant precious metal. Five decades later, the steel sports watch trend has arguably peaked, making the stealthy platinum ref. 5610P a fitting tribute. It captures the look of the original without diluting its legacy with yet another steel variant. While Vacheron Constantin has dabbled in steel sports watches since as far back as 1977 with the 222, the Overseas collection only debuted in 1996. Now in its third generation, the Overseas has evolved into a substantive rival to both the Patek Philippe Nauti...
Fratello
Introducing: The New Panerai Luminor Collection
Last year, Panerai refreshed its Luminor Marina collection and introduced slimmer cases with increased water resistance ratings. This year, the brand is playing directly to my wheelhouse by updating its Luminor collection. For reference, these watches include manual-winding movements, which I love to see and use. We were fortunate to have these pieces in our […] Visit Introducing: The New Panerai Luminor Collection to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
New Release: Lab Series 1 by Holthinrichs Watches skilfully transports us into a retrofuturistic reality
Today, I present two new models that caught my attention: the automatic Lab Series 1.S, which offers the rare combination of automatic winding and small seconds, and the Lab Series 1.GMT, featuring a straightforward second time zone function with a central 24-hour GMT hand. The post New Release: Lab Series 1 by Holthinrichs Watches skilfully transports us into a retrofuturistic reality appeared first on Quill & Pad.
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