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Results for Watch Dial Text Conventions

23,198 articles · 5,992 videos found · page 43 of 973

Out of Office: The Wandering Bezel of the Seiko Land Tortoise Worn & Wound
Seiko Land Tortoise Tool watches Aug 22, 2023

Out of Office: The Wandering Bezel of the Seiko Land Tortoise

Tool watches are, as the name suggests, utilitarian by design. When I bought an SRPG13, the green Seiko Land Tortoise with a compass bezel, I thought I was purchasing yet another tool watch with practical non-timekeeping functionality. After an overnight family backpacking trip, I’m not convinced my field watch is the useful tool I tried to force it to be. The Land Tortoise is a tool watch- in the sense that it’s technically capable of tasks beyond displaying the time. True North can be found with any analog watch by pointing the hour hand at the sun, bisecting the angle between the hour hand and the sun to find South, and then locating the opposite point to identify North. A compass bezel is an enhancement that allows the wearer to mark North after finding it. This summer our family of four is section hiking the entire Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail; A 50 mile peak to peak path through New Hampshire’s backcountry. What better place to put this tool to the test than on the first section of the trip? The day before our first overnight section, as I organized gear, sprawling out sleeping pads, a tent, trekking poles and various knick-knacks across our living room floor, I made sure to put on the SRPG13. I pictured standing on a mountain top, getting the kids set up with a celebratory lunch, lining up the hour hand, and then bisecting with ease. With a real compass in my pack, I was excited to check my accuracy.  Two miles away and 2000 feet above the parking lot whe...

Everything you need to know about dial finishing Time+Tide
Aug 14, 2023

Everything you need to know about dial finishing

When you look at a watch, what’s the first thing you notice? Do you immediately comment on the movement, or perhaps case finishing? Of course not – it’s the dial. No matter how nice the movement is, or even how suitable the dimensions are for your wrist, the dial is the likely the one to … ContinuedThe post Everything you need to know about dial finishing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Roger Dubuis Combines the Inclined Balance and Flyback Chronograph SJX Watches
Richard Mille which Jul 21, 2023

Roger Dubuis Combines the Inclined Balance and Flyback Chronograph

One of the latest releases from Roger Dubuis, the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, makes the most of its openworked dial to show off a newly-developed calibre, the RD780, which combines an inclined balance wheel with an integrated chronograph. A complex movement with two patents pending, the RD780 is notably elaborate with unusual features like a digital minute counter and twin barrels. And technically-minded enthusiasts will also note the RD780 boasts diamond-coated silicon escapement parts, which are both wear- and magnetism-resistant. Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis’ current chronographs distinguish themselves through bold design and flashy technical features. While the style is outlandish, it is refreshing to see this unique approach to a chronograph design, particularly since the technical features are novel and interesting, such as the inclined balance wheel and column wheel, visible through the openworked dial. But the Excalibur chronograph’s technical merits are perhaps overshadowed by the design, which is excessive in a hyper-mechanical style. The chronograph’s dial is busy, even for an openworked dial. It is not easy to read, even when compared to what is being offered by the likes of Richard Mille, which is perhaps the closest comparison to the Excalibur chronograph. The Excalibur chronograph is priced at US$101,500, making it more affordable than the equivalent from Richard Mille, the RM 72-01. In fact, the Excalibur is half as expensive as the Richar...

Biver’s Creation for Only Watch 2023: A Repeater with No Hands SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Jul 12, 2023

Biver’s Creation for Only Watch 2023: A Repeater with No Hands

Shortly after the release of their initial timepiece, the Carillon Tourbillon, Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre are making their debut at Only Watch with the Catharsis. A bold take on the chiming watch, this unique piece has no hands on the dial, but indicates the time with the carillon minute repeater. The dial is instead decorated with a mixture of gemstones, semi-precious stone marquetry, and guilloché to create an abstract scene depicting the Moon over a seascape. Inside is a variant of the movement as Biver’s first watch, but with an hour hand on the reverse. Initial thoughts  The father-and-son duo behind Biver have to be commended for a daring debut at Only Watch, even though the watch will no doubt be polarising. They have gone extremely conceptual with the Catharsis. The idea of creating a watch with no visible way of telling the time is nothing new, having been done recently by H. Moser & Cie. in 2019 and earlier by Haldimann and Romain Jerome. However, the Catharsis aims to make a statement and chart a course for this newly minted independent brand. The aesthetics of original Biver repeater model were mixed, so this watch actually addresses that issue in a weird yet logical manner. The visual focus of the watch is the dial, which is not really a dial but a canvas for elaborate decoration. The 89 sapphires that make up the waves have been invisibly set and create a pleasing effect alongside the meteorite moon, silver obsidian sky and mother of pearl stars...

Atelier de Chronométrie Introduces the AdC30 “Only Watch 2023” SJX Watches
Omega Jul 10, 2023

Atelier de Chronométrie Introduces the AdC30 “Only Watch 2023”

For its second outing at Only Watch, Barcelona-based Atelier de Chronométrie (AdC) created the AdC30, which takes the independent watchmaker’s proven formula to a new level with an in-house movement, a new case design, and a handmade dial.  Initial thoughts The AdC30 stands out from most of the other lots in the upcoming Only Watch auction due to its restraint. While most of the other lots are characterised by their use, or overuse, of bright colours, the AdC30 sticks to the mid-century motifs that have enabled the brand to establish a distinctive brand identity in just nine years – no easy feat for a brand that exclusively produces one-off watches by special order. This coherent aesthetic is no doubt thanks to founder Santi Martinez’s cultivated eye for detail. AdC’s watches are perhaps best described as a love letter to classical designs and the single-minded chronometric purpose of wristwatches of the 1940’s. Since its founding in 2014, the brand has focused on producing bespoke watches built around vintage Omega and Venus movements, which are upgraded in-house to meet contemporary haute horlogerie standards.  But earlier this year, AdC introduced the AdC22 featuring the M284, the brand’s first in-house movement. The AdC30 is the second publicly announced watch to use this movement, though the gap between the model numbers (which are usually consecutive) suggests there may be other watches with this movement that have been commissioned by collectors. Rega...

Dumoreau Follows Up their Debut with an Attractive Contemporary Dress Watch Worn & Wound
Jul 3, 2023

Dumoreau Follows Up their Debut with an Attractive Contemporary Dress Watch

The DM02 is the sophomore release from California-based micro brand Dumoreau, following the DM01 we touched on here. Designed by architect and designer Carlo Aiello, this dress watch takes his expertise in architecture and product design into the realm of the dress watch, while drawing on basic principles of proportion to create a compelling new release that slots in nicely with his debut. The dial features a two-piece construction with recessed concentric circles at the center, complemented by a brushed circular section for numerals and minute track. The indexes maintain their orientation as they encircle the dial, while the only branding present is the hand-applied Dumoreau name, seamlessly integrated into the concentric circles. The curvaceous all-polished 39mm case directs works to draw the eye to the dial, with lyre lugs providing additional visual interest. The stated goal of the design was to create a “dynamic organic geometry,” and the end result is a case with both gentle and dramatic curves that cohere nicely with the details of the dial. The screw-in sapphire caseback exposes the manually wound Sellita SW 210-1 movement, decorated with Geneva stripes and circular graining. With dimensions of 39mm wide, 46mm lug to lug, and a slim profile of 9.5mm thanks to the hand wound caliber, the DM02 is designed to fit comfortably on wrists of all sizes. Conveniently, it boasts a water resistance rating of 100 meters, uncommon for a manually wound dress watch. The DM02 ...

The Ace x Elka Watch Company Diversity series Time+Tide
Brew Jun 25, 2023

The Ace x Elka Watch Company Diversity series

Ace Jewelers and Elka Watch Company have teamed up to celebrate Amsterdam’s diversity. Both companies have links to the historical Dutch brand Elka. It’s available with dials in Western Arabic, Eastern Arabic, Chinese or Hebrew. Collaborations between watch brands and dealers have historically been as simple as printing a name on a dial, and sometimes … ContinuedThe post The Ace x Elka Watch Company Diversity series appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Premieres this Month, and a Hamilton Boulton is Featured on Indy’s Wrist Worn & Wound
Hamilton Boulton Jun 1, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Premieres this Month, and a Hamilton Boulton is Featured on Indy’s Wrist

The fifth, and presumably final, installment of the Indiana Jones series hits theaters at the end of June, and with a title like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, you kind of had to expect that there would be a watch tie-in. For this film, the watch on Indy’s wrist is a Hamilton, a fitting choice given the character’s occupation (the most heroic archaeologist in cinema history) and the long history of the brand showing up in major Hollywood movies. Hamilton watches have been featured on the wrists of movie stars for nearly 100 years, worn by everyone from Elvis Presley to Matthew McConaughey (with the watch sometimes playing a critical role in the storytelling). While it remains to be seen if the watch itself is a plot point in Dial of Destiny (we’ll let you know as soon as we see the film), the Hamilton Boulton selected for this new installment helps draw in some of the finer details of one of the all-time great movie characters.  Indiana Jones is a character with a well established aesthetic. He’s one of a small handful of characters that movie buffs can easily identify with only a silhouette, or by the sight of a key prop. Indy’s fedora and whip have helped to establish a specific iconography for the character since Raiders of the Lost Ark premiered in 1981, so it’s important to get the watch right as well – it has to exist within an environment that is already well established and understood by fans of the franchise.  The Boulton is part of Hamilto...

TAG Heuer Introduces the Monaco Skeleton Dial SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces May 26, 2023

TAG Heuer Introduces the Monaco Skeleton Dial

As has become tradition, TAG Heuer is launching a new Monaco chronograph to mark the annual Formula 1 race in the principality of the same name. While past editions for the Monaco Grand Prix leaned towards vintage in terms of style, the Monaco Skeleton Dial is almost entirely modern. Though the watch retains the trademark Monaco case and even many elements of the dial, it has no practically no dial, most of which has been removed to reveal the movement below. Initial thoughts Just like the recent Monza Flyback and Carrera “Glassbox”, the Monaco Skeleton Dial continues TAG Heuer’s pivot towards contemporary designs that its chief executive Frederic Arnault has indicated is the way forward. This is a good thing, because it allows the brand to move away from being reliant on the vintage-esque sports watches that are all too common in this price segment. The new Monaco itself manages to look very much like a Monaco while still being very different. Despite the seemingly opposite characteristics, everything works well together, although the look is certainly more appealing in the all-black iteration than its siblings. The only caveat is the price, which at about US$11,000 makes this a third more expensive than a Monaco with the same movement and case but a conventional dial. That feels like a bit too much for the open-worked dial, which admittedly required substantial reworking of the movement. Loosely vintage inspired The Monaco Skeleton Dial gets its name from, well, a...

Celebrity watch challenge – do you pick the black or blue TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph? Time+Tide
TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph? Apr 29, 2023

Celebrity watch challenge – do you pick the black or blue TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph?

Blue or black is an age-old formalwear quandary that can divide any demographic, but the choice between colour or monochrome also extends to some of the most popular sports watch dials. With the release of the new TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph, the debate continues between the reverse panda configuration and the blue dial, … ContinuedThe post Celebrity watch challenge – do you pick the black or blue TAG Heuer Glass Box Carrera Chronograph? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Fratello and Straum Collaborate on a Limited Edition with a Lava Red Dial Worn & Wound
Apr 17, 2023

Fratello and Straum Collaborate on a Limited Edition with a Lava Red Dial

Fratello announced their latest limited edition last week, a collaboration with Straum, a Norwegian brand on the rise who made some noise a few years ago with the Opphav, a stainless steel integrated bracelet sports watch made for an affordable price with a dynamic textured dial. The new collaborative watch with Fratello is notable in that it appears to be a true collaboration, with Straum making rather significant changes to their design at Fratello’s request. This is somewhat rare in the world of collaborative watches, and in this case has resulted in a rather compelling edition with a fiery red dial and some key refinements made from the brand’s earlier watch.  The Fratello x Straum Jan Mayen Limited Edition is named for a Norwegian island that the brand has tapped for inspiration when it comes to the striking red dial. Fratello describes it as “lava red” fumé, appropriate given Jan Mayen is home to the Beerenberg volcano. Ridges emanating from the dial’s center replicate flowing lava, and the effect is achieved via a stamping process followed by several steps of painting and surface finishing treatments. The dial text is minimal, just the brand’s logo and wordmark at 12:00, allowing the unique texture to truly take a starring role. There are several small details beyond the new dial design that differentiate the new LE from Straum’s earlier Opphav. First, the case size has been slightly reduced, from just shy of 41mm to 39mm. At the same time, the bezel...

The Czapek Antarctique Révélation opens its heart to watch aficionados Time+Tide
Czapek Antarctique Révélation opens Apr 11, 2023

The Czapek Antarctique Révélation opens its heart to watch aficionados

Czapek has expanded their best-selling integrated Antarctique line with the stunning open-worked Révélation The new in-house SXH7 auto-winding movement is an evolution of their SXH5, completely reworked for maximum visual impact on both sides The Révélation is also the first non-chrono Antarctique with a skeletonised dial Open-worked dials can be one of the most thrilling … ContinuedThe post The Czapek Antarctique Révélation opens its heart to watch aficionados appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Panerai Radiomir California offers a more compact take on their classic dial Time+Tide
Panerai Radiomir California offers Apr 7, 2023

The Panerai Radiomir California offers a more compact take on their classic dial

The Panerai Radiomir California is their first California dial in a 45mm case. For the first time, Panerai have experimented with a faux-aged PVD case. The green and gilt dial gives the watch a lot of old-world charm thanks to modern techniques. Panerai haven’t been the fastest brand to pick up on new trends historically, … ContinuedThe post The Panerai Radiomir California offers a more compact take on their classic dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Nathan Schultz Worn & Wound
Oris TT1 Day Date reference Mar 10, 2023

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Nathan Schultz

Editor’s note: This week’s Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition, we welcome reader Nathan Schultz and his trio of unusual, unexpected, but entirely awesome watches.  You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. As watch enthusiasts, we have a penchant for forming opinions. We talk about what belongs on a dial, and where it should go. We discuss case dimensions, say “sweet spot” regularly, and debate if the Black Bay Pro is too thick. With time, forming an opinion about every aspect of a watch is inevitable. This opinion making frenzy is one of my favorite things about the hobby. When I have down time, I browse watches online. Do I buy them? Usually not, but it’s fun to dream. Through all this browsing and fantasizing, I’ve learned something unexpected about myself: I’m a lugs guy. My core lug opinion: the weirder the better. Oris TT1 Day Date reference 7518 – ~$1,000 It started with the Oris TT1 Day Date reference 7518. I did a double take the first time I saw this one. The lugs looked like an afterthought on a child’s art class pottery project. As if Oris spent so much time perfecting the big bubbly case, they forgot about the lugs until the last day, and just grabbed four spares from the lug bin.  The individual lug oddities on the 7518 seem nonsensical. Yet, combined, they just work. The case on this reference is beautifully rounded. It’s big and has a substantial pr...

Everything you need to know about watch finishing Time+Tide
Mar 9, 2023

Everything you need to know about watch finishing

Looking for a singular resource on all the watch finishing techniques you should ever be familiar with? Look no further, as we try to list every polishing, brushing and dial-creating process we knew of and could come across. Ctrl+F away, dear reader. Anglage Anglage, bevelling or chamfering, describes a movement finishing technique in which the … ContinuedThe post Everything you need to know about watch finishing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watch Jewels: What Do They Do and Why Do They Matter? Teddy Baldassarre
Feb 24, 2023

Watch Jewels: What Do They Do and Why Do They Matter?

Those who are very new to appreciating watches may be surprised, and a bit confused, upon reading about a watch that boasts “21 jewels” and afterward looking it over and finding no diamonds or emeralds or any other precious stones on its dial or case. Many watches do, in fact, offer such adornments, but those are not what’s being referred to on a watch’s spec sheet in the “jewels” column; to clarify, “jewels” in horological parlance are not shorthand for “jewelry.” A watch’s jewels are, in fact, not even really intended to be seen and admired. Like the screws and gears and tiny wheels inside a watch’s movement, they are there to do a job, to play a vital and functional role in the smooth operation of a watch’s timekeeping.  So what are jewels in a watch movement, anyway, and what are they for? And do watchmakers really use valuable, precious gems as workhorse components inside these micromechanical engines? On the latter question, well, yes and no. As to the former question, read on.  The movement in a mechanical watch is a machine with lots of moving metal parts that tend to rub and grind against one another, creating friction that can wear down these components, adversely affecting the performance of the watch and ultimately shortening its functional life. The challenge in the early days of watchmaking was finding a substance harder than these metal parts to place at the vital pivot points to reduce metal-on-metal wear and tear. The answer pr...

Citizen Promaster Dive (You Know the One) Gets Full Lume Dial Worn & Wound
Citizen Promaster Dive You Know Feb 10, 2023

Citizen Promaster Dive (You Know the One) Gets Full Lume Dial

I haven’t been shy about sharing my adoration for this particular Promaster Dive watch from Citizen. Zach Kazan and I wrote about our impressions as owners of the same variant of this watch, with a perfectly unsubtle blue camo dial, and it’s a watch we both come back to often. To me, Citizen is at their best when they lean into the slightly strange, and they’ve got a number of designs that qualify, including these wonderful Ecozilla “ashtray” watches recently released. If camo isn’t quite your thing (I don’t blame you), their latest take on this platform might be right up your alley. And if you are into camo, you’ll probably still like it as well. The latest Promaster Dive uses the same fabulous gunmetal titanium case, but pairs it with a full lume dial and a bright orange minute hand.  Lume dials are a tricky thing to pull off properly, but here it feels like a totally natural extension of the design of this watch. It feels right at home. The camo execution was funky enough to jive with the unusual case design, but the full lume feels like a more practical solution to bring a unique level of clarity and contrast to the watch as a whole. It takes a near novelty level watch to a supremely practical level of watch. Like the Aqualand JP2007-17W, the lume dial here is a light creamy green color that jumps off the black backdrop of the case and bezel. The hour plots are filled with lume of nearly the same color, but appear a bit brighter after a flash of light ...

AP Social Club Day 2: 40 functions, 23 complications, ONE WATCH?! Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet Universelle boasts 40 functions Feb 3, 2023

AP Social Club Day 2: 40 functions, 23 complications, ONE WATCH?!

New RD#4: Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Universelle boasts 40 functions and 23 complications in one watch. Royal Oak Concept debuts in 43mm size with split-seconds chronograph GMT. New Royal Oak Perpetual Colander Ultra-Thin has a smoky-blue dial exclusive to the model As if yesterday’s announcements had not already satiated our appetite for new Audemars Piguet pieces, … ContinuedThe post AP Social Club Day 2: 40 functions, 23 complications, ONE WATCH?! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 37 mm Turquoise Dial SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 37 mm Feb 2, 2023

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 37 mm Turquoise Dial

Audemars Piguet (AP) just launched over a dozen new models, ranging from the Royal Oak “Jumbo” with a grained dial to the first Offshore Chronograph with a ceramic bracelet. But one stands out despite being the smallest watch amongst the new launches. Dressed in yellow gold and a striking stone dial, the Royal Oak Selfwinding 37 mm Turquoise Dial is a throwback back to an earlier era when the Royal Oak was offered with a range of mineral stone dials. Initial thoughts Though relatively common in the 1970s and 1980s when stone dials were a thing, the turquoise-yellow gold combination is unusual today. But it has a certain timelessness so the combination remains attractive. In fact, it even feels current, a testament to the longevity of the Royal Oak design (and the current fad for robin-egg blue dials). The watch is intrinsically attractive in its design and palette. The design is simple – almost minimalist in Royal Oak terms – but the watch has presence due to its colours. It is vibrant and loud, very much the opposite of, say the new “Jumbo” in white gold, which is decidedly low key in comparison. One element I wish was different is the seconds hand – I would have preferred a two-hand dial as on the vintage Royal Oak models with stone dials. That simplicity would further accentuate the dial material. The case does feel slightly small for a modern men’s watch. It is an acceptable size, but the dimensions of the model means it feels slightly smaller than it...

Zenith Defy Revival A3691 Gets Throwback Red Dial Worn & Wound
Zenith Defy Revival A3691 Gets Jan 18, 2023

Zenith Defy Revival A3691 Gets Throwback Red Dial

Around this time last year, Zenith introduced a new watch to their Revival series focused on the A3642 Defy “Bank Vault”, a particularly stylish example of the brand’s willingness to skirt conventional designs. The Revival perfectly captured that watch’s charming size and smokey aesthetic, and this year they are returning to the platform with the Revival A3691, honoring the first Defy model with a vividly colored dial, released in 1971. The newest Defy Revival A3691 gets the same deep red dial as the original, and keeps all the funk of the design in the process.  The late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s were a pretty wild time for watch design, and Zenith was among those at the forefront of pushing the boundaries. Seriously, check out some of their old Port Royal and Defy designs and marvel at their oddity. As far as I’m concerned, we could use a bit of the same thinking today. These Zenith Revival watches are an apt reminder of their creativity, both then and now. Not only do the Revival watches do a great job of looking back, they balance against other Defy watches that are looking to push ahead, such as their latest Defy Skyline range. Or their collaborations with the likes of Felipe Pantone. The Defy Revival A3642 featured a dramatic smokey gradient dial that faded from light to dark, and the latest A3691 retains a bit of this quality within the rich red hue, with a gentle shift from light to dark at the dial’s edge. The oversized hour markers look a bit lik...