Hodinkee
Photo Report: Inside The Whimsical Workshop Of François Junod, Master Of Automata
A treasure trove of living machines from the king of mechanical artistry.
Results for Mechanical vs Quartz
2,052 articles · 466 videos found · page 42 of 84
Hodinkee
SJX Watches
Precious Porcelain: The Seiko Credor Goldfeather GCBY991
Foreshadowing Credor’s Watches & Wonders debut in April (located alongside sister brand Grand Seiko), the Goldfeather GCBY991 Imari Nabeshima Porcelain is the brand’s first launch of the year. It pairs an ultra-thin hand-wound movement with a dial made using a traditional – and reputedly highly secretive – Japanese porcelain technique. But now the secret is out, cased in steel and limited to 60 pieces worldwide. Initial thoughts Originally envisioned in the 1970s as a vehicle for precious metal quartz watches, Credor later expanded into a catch-all brand for Seiko’s high-end offerings that didn’t fit the Grand Seiko aesthetic. Over the last few years, however, Credor has refocused and shrunk its catalogue from over 200 references in 2021 to fewer than 70 today, shedding legions of ladies’ quartz models while redoubling emphasis on artisanal crafts. The porcelain-dialed GCBY999 embodies this tighter focus and exemplifies the brand’s new motto: “the creativity of artisans”. Despite the Goldfeather branding – and Credor’s original purpose – the GCBY999 is cased in stainless steel. This is a welcome concession given the current price of gold, which is near all-time highs, especially since Seiko generally charges a higher premium for precious metal models than is typical for Swiss brands. As a result, the GCBY999 is good value within the Goldfeather lineup, despite its artisanal dial. The watch retails for JPY1.98 million in Japan, equivalent to about ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Seiko Celebrates 145 Years Across King Seiko, Presage, and Prospex
Seiko celebrates 145 years with four anniversary watches, from enamel-dial dress pieces to mechanical and GPS chronographs.
Fratello
Which 1,000m-Rated Dive Watch Is Right For You?
When you talk about dive watches rated for the sort of depths only a handful of human divers - let alone cameras, regulators, or submersibles - will ever see, you cross the border from sporting gear into mechanical heroics. Dive watches are built to match these endeavors. In this article, I’ll explore five extraordinary timepieces […] Visit Which 1,000m-Rated Dive Watch Is Right For You? to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Year in Review: 2025 – The Year I Got Into Keyboards
One day this year, I woke up and thought, “Zach, you know what you need? Another hobby that is expensive, nerdy, and takes up space in your relatively small Brooklyn apartment.” Ok, that’s not true, but it might as well be because the results are the same. This year, without any premeditated intention to do so, I got into the world of custom mechanical keyboards. The true origin of this newfound obsession is a happy accident. For a long time, I had been using a very compact and very crappy Logitech for my home setup. One day, it just began to really annoy me. So, I looked into getting something new, and my searching led me to a brand called NuPhy. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I picked up the “Air 75 V2” based on many positive reviews. When I got it, I was surprised to find extra keys, a strange tool with bent wires, and a little bag containing what I learned were different types of switches. Before getting to that, though, the feel of the Air 75, a mechanical keyboard with low-profile switches and keys, was the breath of fresh air I didn’t realize I needed. As someone who spends the majority of their waking hours at a computer, I am constantly interacting with a keyboard, and like the crown or clasp of my watch, the better that point of interaction is, the better the overall experience. the Mode sixtyfive in green with GMK CYL Abstract keycaps Back to those extras. After discussing it with Blake Malin, co-founder of Worn & Wound and keyboard enth...
Video
In Search Of The Perfect Submariner: Rolex 16613 & 1680 vs Tudor 79090 Watches
Worn & Wound
The Greatest Horological Masterpieces of All Time: The Great Clock of Westminster AKA ‘Big Ben’ – A Horological Marvel of Its Time
A series of features identifying the most extraordinary mechanical masterpieces in history, blending precision, innovation, and craftsmanship. We all have our favourite timepieces either in our collection or those incredible horological masterpieces that have been invented or created through the ages. This series will showcase examples from the previous centuries up to the present day and look at the importance and impact on modern day timekeeping. The Great Clock of Westminster, often known simply as Big Ben, is one of the most iconic landmarks in London and a symbol of the United Kingdom’s rich history and architectural brilliance. Housed in the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, the clock was completed in 1859 and has since become a celebrated masterpiece of Victorian engineering. Designed by clockmaker Edward John Dent and architect Augustus Pugin, the Great Clock is renowned for its remarkable accuracy and the deep, resonant chime of its massive bell, Big Ben. Over the decades, it has stood as a steadfast guardian of British tradition, witnessing countless historic moments and continuing to captivate visitors from around the world. Preliminary studies for the Big Ben clock tower, Houses of Parliament, Palace of Westminster, London. James Murray, 1840. Image courtesy of RIBA Charles Barry’s design for the Houses of Parliament did not originally include a clock tower. He was asked to include one and his first designs were added in 18...
Time+Tide
The Eylandt Puck is a lug-less everyday watch with a smoother sweep
The latest release under American brand Hemel's affordable Eylandt sub-brand says it all in the name: puck-shaped, quartz and accessible.The post The Eylandt Puck is a lug-less everyday watch with a smoother sweep appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Fratello’s Favorite Solar-Powered Watches Of 2025 - Including TAG Heuer, Tissot, And More
We mostly write about mechanical watches here on Fratello. However, we certainly get excited about the occasional solar-powered watches we see released. Solar-powered watches are ideal grab-and-go pieces. They are always running and often come in very capable configurations to withstand most everyday situations. It’s no wonder that big brands, such as TAG Heuer, Seiko, […] Visit Fratello’s Favorite Solar-Powered Watches Of 2025 - Including TAG Heuer, Tissot, And More to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Rolex Daytona Ref. 126508 "John Mayer 2.0"
The new model is starting to be delivered, and it's more than just another kind of green dial. We go in-depth to compare old vs. new.
Hodinkee
Dispatch: Inside The Swatch Sistem51 Factory
How exactly does one fully automate the making of a mechanical movement?
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HEDONE SCULPTEUR An Affordable Skeletonized Watch With a Hand Finished Mechanical Movement
Monochrome
First Look – The Voutilainen 28MPR, the Farewell Edition to the Exceptional Vingt-8 Series
Kari Voutilainen is one of the most respected names in independent watchmaking. Since founding his atelier in 2002 in the Swiss Jura, the Finnish-born genius has been creating timepieces that combine the best of traditional craftsmanship with true mechanical ingenuity. His watches won’t be mistaken for someone else’s work, with elaborate guilloché dials, exceptional finishing […]
Monochrome
First Look – Zeitwinkel Updates Its Classic 082° Central Second Watch
For more than 15 years, Zeitwinkel, an independent watchmaker based in Saint-Imier, has quietly crafted mechanical watches focused on precision, clarity, and long-term reliability. Founded in 2006, the brand produces all its movements in-house and builds every watch by hand in small numbers. Its collections, including the 273° with large date, the 188° with small […]
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Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece
Seiko launched the Astron in 1969, changing not just the brand’s trajectory but the way watches were made. The first commercially available quartz wristwatch, it arrived in solid gold and cost ¥450,000, about $1,250 at the time, or roughly $10,000 in 2025. Though “vintage” to modern eyes, its design was surprisingly luxurious and quietly radical, blending traditional finishing with industrial design cues in a way only Seiko could achieve. The exterior, however, was not the main story. The caliber 35SQ inside is what rewrote horology. With a quartz oscillator vibrating at 8,192 Hz, it delivered accuracy far beyond the mechanical watches of the day. It was not only a proof-of-concept that pushed horology into the 20th century, it also proved that Seiko was willing to innovate in an industry steeped in tradition. The post [VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece appeared first on Worn & Wound.
SJX Watches
Space Time: Seiko’s Star-Powered Astron GPS
In the run-up to the holidays, Seiko facelifts its high-spec, multi-function quartz watch with the Astron GPS Solar refs. SSJ039 and SSH187 - limited editions of its satellite-linked models. While not available in stores until January, the new references make their public debut almost exactly 56 years to the day when the original Astron, the world’s first quartz wristwatch, was launched on December 25, 1969. Initial thoughts Despite pioneering efforts to develop quartz watches in Switzerland, and the commercialisation of category-defining products like the Swatch, the alpine nation has tended to lag a step behind its rivals from the land of the rising sun when it comes to quartz technology. As quartz watches matured and the underlying technology became commoditised, much of the Swiss watch industry redoubled its focus on mechanical watches, seemingly content to cede quartz leadership to brands like Seiko and Citizen. For their part, the dominant Japanese brands have continued to develop quartz watches with conscientious enthusiasm, bringing solar charging, radio frequency and satellite-based connectivity, and ultra-precise oscillators to maturity. In that context, the Seiko Astron is the embodiment of more than half a century of quartz leadership, and combines several of the brand’s strengths in two distinct limited edition models. Though the four-figure prices may come as a shock to buyers more familiar with offerings from brands like Apple, Garmin, and Casio, the A...
Monochrome
Introducing – New Dials for Lebois & Co, with the Heritage Chronograph Linéaire
Founded in 1934 by Raymond Dodane, Lebois & Co. built its reputation during the golden age of mechanical watchmaking, crafting elegant, precision-driven chronographs. After decades of dormancy, the brand was revived in 2016 by a Dutchman, Tom van Wijlick, with a clear mission: to honour its heritage through nicely executed timepieces inspired by its vintage […]
Video
This! The thinnest mechanical watch OF ALL TIME. 1.8mm thin, meet the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra
Monochrome
Just Because – The Best on the Back, Six Watches with Drop-Dead Gorgeous Movements
We all love a good watch, that much is obvious. And what constitutes “good” is fairly straightforward in most watches, too. A solid, legible design, attractive details, fine ergonomics and a reliable mechanical movement. But sometimes, you want a bit more. Or a lot more, in the case of these six fine mechanical marvels. Each […]
Fratello
Memorable Moments: What Shook The Watch World In 2025?
What shook up the watch industry in 2025? There are plenty of things, I suppose, but since the watch industry is a multifaceted entity, I think I should elaborate. In terms of innovative watchmaking, 2025 proved to be an interesting year. Many prominent brands released technical innovations that demonstrate how the universe of mechanical timepieces […] Visit Memorable Moments: What Shook The Watch World In 2025? to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – Lederer Inverto Titanium 39mm, a Superb Inverted Take on the Central Impulse Chronometer
With the Inverto Titanium, independent watchmaking atelier Lederer refines the 2023 Central Impulse Chronometer InVerto, a large 44mm watch in a blackened case, into a compact, titanium-framed display of one of the most sophisticated escapement architectures in modern watchmaking. It’s a culmination of forty years of mechanical experimentation, distilled into 39mm of pure chronometric artistry, […]
Monochrome
First Look – COSC x Ceramic x Meteorite… Meet the Formex Essence Ceramica Dark Matter
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Formex continues to excite while exploring materials and mechanical substance with the new Essence Ceramica Dark Matter, a watch that fuses the brand’s most advanced ceramic construction with a dial cut from the depths of space itself. Following the Essence Space Ghost and the full-ceramic Essence Ceramica, this latest creation unites […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Do Rolex Watches Tick? It's All In The Beat
“Do Rolex watches tick?” This is, apparently, a frequent question and a common concern of newbie Rolex owners, but the premise of the question is actually driven by a misconception. Virtually all Rolex watches - in fact, all watches equipped, as most Rolexes are, with a mechanical movement - are indeed ticking while they are running. If your ear is not perceiving it, that is only because the ticking is so rapid - nowadays, at least eight times per second - that the watch’s seconds hand appears to be moving in a smooth, sweeping motion. This can be quite noticeable if you have experienced only the much more visible, (and easily perceptible) one-tick-per-second movement common to the seconds hand of a quartz watch. In fact, if your Rolex watch is ticking once per second, it might be worth taking a moment to authenticate whether or not it is real or counterfeit. Allow us to explain. [toc-section heading="The Difference Between Mechanical and Quartz Movements"] A mechanical movement is the oldest type of movement in horology. It uses a coiled metal spring, called a mainspring, that releases energy as it uncoils through a series of gears to drive a weighted, oscillating wheel called a balance wheel. The balance wheel’s oscillations are linked to an escapement, which periodically releases the gear train to move the hands forward to record the passing of hours, minutes, and seconds. Originally, the mainspring needed to be wound periodically by hand, first by a...
Video
Nine Four Culture Chronograph 2 - Meca-Quartz Chrono - Full Lume Dial $200 Arabic Dial Rally Style
Monochrome
Introducing – Eska Launches the New Racing Chronograph Automatic, a Sub-500 Euros Take on Motorsport Design
Originally founded in 1918 in Granges, Switzerland, Eska Watches vanished during the quartz crisis and was revived in 2024 by Christophe Chevreton and Sinicha Knezevic. The partners quickly captured the essence of Eska’s heritage and adapted it to modern trends. The rebirth began with the Amphibian 250 dive watch and the Heritage Chronograph, both assembled […]
Teddy Baldassarre
How Tight Should A Watch Be?
In the watch enthusiast community, we often find ourselves wading deep into the weeds of the most minute details. Typically, this concerns the mechanical inner workings of watches, whether a date window throws off visual harmony, or if the price of a watch is really justified. But as much nuance as there is in choosing a watch to add to your collection, so too is there nuance in getting that just-right fit on your own wrist. We’ve recently dove into the deep end on the subject of how to actually wear a watch, and today, I’m charting a similar, yet deceptively simpler path: how to decide how tight your watch should be. This is more geared towards those folks out there who are just getting their hands on their first watch and need a little guidance before making any rash, link-related decisions. God forbid you’re facing a rubber strap that you’ll be cutting yourself. Down below, I’ll be sharing some quick and fast tips for finding the right fit for the watches in your collection, and some less obvious tips to consider before you go on your merry way. [toc-section heading="Telltale Signs Your Watch Is Too Tight"] First and foremost, your watch is not a tourniquet. If you feel any lightheadedness, numbness, or tingling, remove the offending piece from your wrist expeditiously. Image: WatchUSeek Forum On a less dramatic note, comfort is your guiding light. Ideally, we want our watches to feel like an extension of ourselves, not an uncomfortable obtrusion. The...
WatchAdvice
Owner’s Perspective: Seiko 5 Sports SKX SRPL87K In The Vibrant Yellow Dial
A bright yellow Seiko that reminds you that watches are meant to be fun. They don’t all have to be technical and serious, just pure enjoyment on the wrist! This is my story with the SRPL87K. What We Love The mango-yellow dial brings instant personality and fun to any outfit. It’s an easy grab-and-go mechanical watch you never have to think twice about. The 5-link bracelet upgrade elevates the whole look far more than expected. What We Don’t The lume is good, but not as strong as some other Seiko models. 100m water resistance is fine, but 200m would’ve felt closer to classic SKX DNA. No bracelet option for the yellow dial out of the box — a missed opportunity given how good it looks on one. Overall Rating: 8.6/10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 There’s something about Seiko’s SKX range that leaves an impression on you. Even if you never owned the original model, the SKX collection of modern is the entry-level diver and the perfect canvas for those who love to mod their timepieces. It is the watch that turned a lot of casual wearers into full enthusiasts! While Seiko may have closed the chapter on the original SKX line many years ago, the spirit of the collection certainly didn’t disappear. There have been many modern iterations in Seiko’s current collections that have been inspired by SKX models of the past, each carrying hints of the familiar dive watch DNA: the practicality, the simplicity, everyday toughnes...
Fratello
Food For Thought With The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic 35mm - Should We Go Back To “Small” Tool Watches?
I have a deep-running fondness for Nivada Grenchen’s watches. Brought back to life in recent years, it was a brand that brought out a lot of interesting designs in the golden era of mechanical watchmaking last century. The wonderful thing about the modern brand is that it is one of the better ones out there […] Visit Food For Thought With The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic 35mm - Should We Go Back To “Small” Tool Watches? to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – Ressence Type 3 Marc Newson, A Meeting of Two Design Worlds
Ressence is not what one would call a conventional watchmaker, and let’s hope it never will be. Since its founding in 2010, Benoît Mintiens’ Antwerp-based brand has built its catalogue and reputation by rethinking what a mechanical watch should feel like rather than what it should represent. This time, Ressence reaches out beyond its own […]
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