Hodinkee
Introducing: The Tudor 1926 Luna Adds A Moonphase Complication To The Lineup
The Shield expands its 1926 line with new models tracking the phases of the moon each month.
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Hodinkee
The Shield expands its 1926 line with new models tracking the phases of the moon each month.
SJX Watches
In a surprise launch from a brand best known for its dive watches, Tudor just rolled out the 1926 Luna. It’s a thinnish, 39 mm dress watch with a moon phase – a first for Tudor – as well as a date, though in the typical Tudor style the case is still rated to 100 m and fitted to a solidly constructed steel bracelet. And unusually for a new launch from Tudor, the 1926 Luna is equipped with an ETA (or Sellita) calibre, which means lower specs than models powered by Tudor’s in-house movements, but also substantially more affordable at just US$2,800 or CHF2,400. The 1926 Luna debuts in three dial colours, including a champagne iteration that was conceived with the help of Jay Chou, a Taiwanese singer who’s one of the most famous musicians in the Mandarin-speaking world. Initial thoughts Tudor has long excelled at sports watches with high specs and low prices – making them some of the best value propositions out there – but dress watches have always been a weakness. The brand has made several attempts at dress watches with mixed results. The 1926 Luna, on the other hand, is much more promising. The design is classical, even a little conservative, but the look is appealing. The brushed dial in metallic colours give this a much more modern look than the rest of the 1926 line, which appears a little dated. Purists will complain about the date window, and it probably looks better on a leather strap than a bracelet, but the 1926 Luna is a strong proposition in its price...
Fratello
Is there such a thing as an endgame watch? It’s not something we often consider. But just about two weeks ago, Henry wrote an article about his new Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600, referring to it as the ultimate diver and his “endgame” watch. This got us thinking about what this would be for us, so today […] Visit Fratello Talks: Endgame Watches to read the full article.
Hodinkee
The new model in Ever-Brilliant Steel gets a dial as dramatic as the movement is accurate.
Teddy Baldassarre
Within the last few years, one watch has received more hype - or overhype - than any other: the multi-brand collaboration that set the watch world on fire three years ago, the Omega x Swatch Moonswatch. People waited hours in line for it. Flippers grabbed as many as they could and listed them well above their retail cost all over the internet. People were charmed. People were horrified. Either way, people were talking. Wherever you stand on the old Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch debate, no one can argue that its very existence didn’t change the landscape of watches irrevocably. We have firmly entered the post-MoonSwatch era. But now, three years later, what change did this unlikely Bioceramic collaboration incite? What’s up with this collaboration now? And will this duo of watch giants ever be stopped? Below, I will tackle the controversial topic we’re gathered here today to mull over: the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch. Further, I will do my best to break down the context of it all in an easily digestible manner, mix in my own philosophical musings on ways to look at this Frankenstein hybrid of luxury-meets-mass-production, and dive into one specific piece from the 11 original models, in form and function. So without further ado, let’s get into the good stuff. Some Context When the first round of the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch blasted onto the scene, it was something of an example of right product, right time. The hallowed (or blasphemous) year was 2022, which, as ...
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Worn & Wound
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...
Teddy Baldassarre
In 2023, Rolex released the special edition Daytona Le Mans celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This began something of an annual tradition of Rolex introducing a new iteration of their rarest and most desirable chronograph in precious metal with a few distinguishing features that has collectors fawning over them. I doubt anyone isn't familiar with the Rolex Daytona but for anyone needing a refresher, I would recommend this review of the modern reference. But before we get into these contemporary models, I want to briefly discuss the Paul Newman Daytona as so many design touches and throwbacks on the Rolex Le Mans are tied directly to these legendary vintage Rolex Chronographs. The real parallel here has to do with the dial about which our Mark Bernardo has said: "The model - now regarded as the first “official” Daytona, though that name would not regularly appear on dials until later versions - also featured the two-tone dial arrangement, with contrasting main dial and subdial colors, that we now refer to in shorthand as “panda."...the Rolex Daytona Ref. 6239 with a so-called “exotic” dial, highlighted by some very particular details. Its main dial was an off-white cream color, punctuated by black subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock with square-ended hashmarks and Art Deco-style numerals. Other aspects of the “exotic” Daytona dial include a crosshairs motif on the subdials, which appear in a contrasting hue from the main dial...
Monochrome
It seems like more and more, we’re uncovering new gems from the land of the Rising Sun. There seems to be a real surge in exciting independent watchmaking with an eye for tradition, craftsmanship and creativity in Japan, and we are loving it! Brands like Otsuka Lotec, Kurono Tokyo and Quiet Club are just a […]
Hodinkee
A Minimalist (with a capital M) execution of a unique new moonphase indication serves as the last 37-series moonphase to be made.
Fratello
Ming is probably best known for its simple, time-only watches. After all, these are the types of pieces responsible for the small brand’s dramatic rise in popularity. However, the eight-year-old brand has offered chronographs, GMTs, worldtimers, and other complications. In 2021, the first Ming watch with a date indicator arrived. It also included a moonphase […] Visit Introducing: The Ming 37.05 Lunatic to read the full article.
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Monochrome
For three decades, the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow (or Prix des Talents Horlogers de Demain in French) has been a unique opportunity for aspiring young watchmakers, offering them both recognition and a platform to shape the future of the craft. Launched in 1995, the Prize embodies Cartier’s commitment to preserving centuries-old savoir-faire […]
Time+Tide
Vieren celebrates its 5th anniversary with its new “One-Of-One V Collection” with 5 piece uniques. The collection enlists five world-renowned artists to put their stamp on the first Vieren model: the OG Automatic Matte White. Each unique piece can be purchased individually, or all five can be bought at once as a box set (depending … ContinuedThe post Vieren enlists 5 artists to reimagine its first watch with their own piece unique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Baltic updates its flagship dive watch with the Baltic Aquascaphe MK2, featuring new sizes, lume, and a sharper vintage-modern design.
Fratello
“Around this table, the bravest knights will gather as equals. They will set forth in search of adventure, righting wrongs, protecting the weak and humbling the proud.” If you can read this engraved in pink gold, you’re up close and personal with an exclusive watch. This engraved line on the case back of the new […] Visit Introducing Watch Magic: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights Of The Round Table, The Enchanter Merlin to read the full article.
Monochrome
Imagine getting a design brief for a new watch collection along the lines of, “once upon a time, in the legendary court of Camelot, King Arthur and his knights convened at the round table to discuss their next adventure in search of the Holy Grail”. A tall order, but one that Roger Dubuis’ creative team […]
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SJX Watches
Almost exactly a year after launching a special edition of the PRX celebrating the short-lived but much-loved Japanese anime series, Tissot returns with the PRX Grendizer 50th Anniversary Special Edition. Given its niche sensibility, the new addition to the PRX collection will fly under the radar for most watch buyers but should strike a chord with anime fans. Limited to 1,975 pieces, a nod to series’ debut 50 years ago, the watch is mostly standard PRX fare, but with an all-black finish and a lume-embossed dial depicting Grendizer, capped with an 18k gold seconds hand that references the hero’s signature weapon – the Double Harken. The upper section of the dial flange is engraved with the series’ Japanese title, “UFOロボ グレンダイザー” Initial thoughts Close on the heels of the RockWatch, the introduction of another limited edition of the PRX is telling. Tissot has long been the standard-bearer for value-priced watches within the Swatch Group portfolio, but value-oriented pricing can only get you so far; collectors buy watches because they are exciting. And the Grendizer is certainly that, managing to transform the widely appealing but somewhat generic ’70s look of the PRX into something more distinctive. In other words, it’s not trying to look like anything else. The watch itself is the familiar PRX, meaning it has an easy-wearing 40 mm case that’s a hair under 11 mm thick. But here the stainless steel case is coated with a black finish, and t...
Hodinkee
The brand's ever-popular retro-inspired diver has been updated, and the new design spans two attractive sizes.
Teddy Baldassarre
If you’re new to your appreciation of fine watches, you have undoubtedly read a lot of references to and heard a lot of opinions about watches’ bezels. It is somewhat of an esoteric term but it describes something very simple and essential. The bezel is the front part of the case (often but not always ring-shaped) that frames the dial and secures the crystal. Bezels can be made of the same material as the case middle and/or the caseback, but can also be made of a different material. Here we run down the various types of watch bezels you’re likely to encounter. Polygons and Exposed Screws Watch cases, of course, are not uniformly round, which means that bezels, the front-facing parts of those cases, can also be found in a variety of shapes - sharply squared or rectangular, like the Cartier Tank and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (above); softy cushion-shaped, like the Panerai Luminor and Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921; oval-shaped, like the Breguet Reine de Naples and other luxury ladies’ models; tonneau (“barrel”-shaped), like the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang and many Richard Mille models; and a host of others that combine elements of these and other polygonal shapes. The shape that has proven to be the most popular and influential is the octagon: eight-sided bezels have proliferated ever since Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak (above) in 1972, and watchmakers have also dabbled in other unconventional shapes: the sharply faceted bezel of the Zeni...
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko has been fairly quiet over the summer, but has just unveiled the latest addition to its Evolution 9 collection, the “Moonlit Birch” SLGW007. Effectively a new variant of the “Birch Bark” SLGW003 with a steel case and navy blue dial, the Moonlit Birch is a competent alternative to its titanium stablemate. In other words, it’s an attractive new livery for what was already a compelling watch, and retains its best characteristics including a nuanced and ergonomic case, gorgeous dial furniture, and the brand’s latest manually wound cal. 9SA4 movement. Initial thoughts The original “Birch Bark” launched last year and was one of the standout releases at Watches & Wonders due to its elegant case profile and impressive new movement. The Moonlit Birch is identical in most respects, but the case is stainless steel, rather than titanium, and the dial is finished in navy blue instead of bright white. Despite these modest differences, the Moonlit Birch is appealing in its own right. The dial texture is subtle, but it’s enough of a Grand Seiko calling card to prevent the watch from looking too generic; a common trap for time-only dress watches. The stainless steel case exhibits the brand’s Evolution 9 styling, which gives the Moonlit Birch a bold, angular presence. In answer to the demand for slimmer options from Grand Seiko, the dimensions are nearly ideal, 38.6 mm in diameter and just under 10 mm thick. The watch is powered by the cal. 9SA4, which is pa...
Time+Tide
A piece unique Gérald Genta created for the Royal Family of Sarawak is tributed by three new Gerald Charles Masterlink Gem Set watches.The post This Gerald Charles Masterlink Gem Set trio tributes the piece unique that started it all appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Worn & Wound
“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Ahead Of Time: Celebrating 15 Years of Ressence Ressence has partnered with the Belgian publishing house Luster on Ahead of Time, a new book released to celebrate the independent watch brand’s 15 year anniversary. This, however, is not a typical watch book (which we’d never expect from Ressence, anyway). Ahead of Time is billed as an exploration of what the future will look like, and features interviews with 20 leading voices in design and technology. Among the participants are OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, and Kering CEO Luca de Meo. The new book is available now through the Ressence website, and sells for $35. Stroup Hobby Shop In a recent New York Times article, Michael Venutolo-Mantovani pulls back the curtain on the operation, showing just what makes the Stroup Hobby Shop tick. Originally founded by H.M. Stroup in 1949, the Stroup Hobby Shop began as a retirement hobby that would become the foundation for four generations of master clockmakers. Working alongside his grandfather, father, and brother, Luther joined the shop part time in 1972, before turning the family hobby into a business the following year. Over the last 76 years, nea...
Monochrome
Without a doubt, one of the most important racing chronographs ever created and arguably the most emblematic watch of the entire history of Heuer and TAG Heuer… From the first 1963 Heuer Carrera chronographs in the original round cases, the C-Shape cases to house the new automatic movements in 1969, the barrel-shaped Carreras, powered by […]
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko has unveils three gold Spring Drive models with the new 9RA2 movement, the Japan-only Heritage Collection SLGA030, SLGA027 and SLGA028, in rose, white, and yellow gold respectively. The new collection benefits from a slimmer case, a longer power reserve, and some new dials to go with the satisfying heft of a full 18k gold bracelet that weighs in at almost 200 g. SLGA030 in rose gold. Initial Thoughts While mostly unknown outside Japan, a trio of gold Spring Drive models in 44GS-style cases on full gold bracelets were a staple of the domestic Grand Seiko catalog for nearly a decade, powered by the cal. 9R15 that was once the brand’s finest automatic Spring Drive movement. While identical to the cal. 9R65, save for a gold medallion on the rotor, Seiko set aside the best performing quartz timing packages for these special movements. The earlier generation of all-gold models, from left to right: SBGA364, SBGA361, and SBGA362. Grand Seiko has decided that now is the time to refresh the line with the upgraded cal. 9RA2, while preserving the heavyweight gravitas and luxurious bracelet of its predecessor. I have anticipated these watches since the second generation of Spring Drive movements launched in 2020; it took five years, but the result meets my expectations, though I would have liked a gold winding weight to match the case material. Selling watches on full precious metal bracelets in this segment is a mark of a strong brand. Gold prices and luxury margins bein...
Time+Tide
Our UK Editor visited the "Top of Europe", where the stone for the new RockWatch was cut from, to get immersed in this new release.The post Tissot took Russell up a mountain to celebrate the return of the RockWatch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The 20-piece limited edition is inspired by Vacheron Constantin's automaton clock masterpiece, also unveiled today, and combines the highest-end artistry with a brand-new complicated caliber.
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