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Eric Giroud

Architect-trained Geneva designer behind MB&F\'s entire HM and LM series, plus Bovet, Manufacture Royale, Greubel Forsey commissions.

Exclusive · Guide
MB&F HM12 The Guardian: The Robot Watch That Actually Transforms

MB&F's twelfth Horological Machine is a flying-tourbillon wristwatch that docks inside a 15 kg, nearly 400 mm tall transforming robot companion, and only 36 will ever exist

Farer Introduces Four New References in their Cushion Case Collection Worn & Wound
Farer Introduces Four New References Aug 9, 2024

Farer Introduces Four New References in their Cushion Case Collection

Farer has long been on my radar as a watch brand to trust not only for exceptional quality, but a distinct design language imbued into every new reference the British brand puts out. Take, for instance, the four new references from their latest Cushion Case collection. Already a favorite (or should I say favourite) of Farer fans, the cushion case is at once totally classic and modern. Because of this chameleon-like quailty, Farer has played with the coloring and design of each watch to make four distinct “personalities” to the series.  Let’s explore each model here. The new lineup features four distinct models, each offering a different style while maintaining the signature cushion case silhouette that has become a hallmark of Farer’s design ethos. First up is the Benham, which stands out with its bold cherry red dial, accented by horizontal grooves and a playful baby blue seconds hand on the sub-dial. The brushed bezel adds a sporty touch, complementing the watch’s contemporary look. Inspired by Gertrude Benham, an English explorer and mountaineer, this watch embodies adventure and boldness without veering too much into ostentation. On the other hand, the Mansfield Midnight offers a more refined and sophisticated aesthetic. Its deep inky blue dial is highlighted by polished rose gold batons and numerals, further complemented by its rose gold dauphine hands, for a classic look. This watch balances metallic tones with polished rose gold accents, making it a sligh...

Discovering Hentschel Watches, One of German Watchmaking’s Best Kept Secrets Worn & Wound
Aug 8, 2024

Discovering Hentschel Watches, One of German Watchmaking’s Best Kept Secrets

Hentschel has been on my radar for a while, and I followed the watch company casually for many years – until a mutual friend living in Berlin made the introduction. My curiosity level spiked, and I was ready for a deep dive into the background, manufacturing, watches, and everything that is Hentschel.  A Brief Overview of Hentschel Andreas Hentschel is the watchmaker and founder of Hentschel, based in Hamburg, Germany. Established in 1993, Hentschel has garnered a decent reputation for its craftsmanship and producing high quality mechanical wristwatches. A majority of the watches feature manual winding movements and sub-seconds on the dial. The design is reminiscent of classic pocket watches, but with complex case construction and colorful dials, they appear refined modern. Under the expert guidance of Andreas Hentschel, the family-owned workshop consists of a team of four skilled watchmakers that produce approximately 150 watches annually. According to Andreas, this limited production approach maintains the highest standards of craftsmanship and ensures that every Hentschel watch remains unique. In-House Movements Before I provide you my impression of two watches that I test drove for a month, I would like to address Hentschel’s in-house movements. Hentschel refers to the HUW 1130 S caliber as a “in-house manufactory movement.” Without going into the definition of in-house, Andreas is upfront about it being based on the Swiss A-Schild manually winding 1130 moveme...

The Enduring Appeal of the Dunhill Rollagas Lighter Worn & Wound
Aug 7, 2024

The Enduring Appeal of the Dunhill Rollagas Lighter

While the term “everyday carry” is broad enough already, I’d bet my money that a lighter which costs close to $1,300 would not be included in anyone’s list. But, for me, it’s hard to deny that a Dunhill Rollagas is the epitome of style and functionality – and here is where I’m willing to expand the definition of “EDC” just a little bit. For many of us who consider ourselves collectors – whether it be watches, pens, or knives – I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “My cheap X works just as well!” And while this may be true (and trust me, my house is littered with matchbooks and cheap Bic lighters), I know that I’m not just buying something for functionality. When I buy a luxury good, I’m buying into the brand itself and the history behind it. While the $5 Spongebob watch my nephew wears and my Datejust both tell time, sure, there’s an undeniable difference that exists beyond timekeeping. When a brand does it right, you can almost feel it.  I’d call it nearly talismanic while my more cynical peers may call it just plain ol’ good marketing. But whatever the case might be, I feel a little different holding a Dunhill lighter in my hands. When I run my thumb across the sparkwheel on a gas station Bic, I’m instantly brought back to when I was sixteen and trying my first cigarette. When I do the same with a Rollagas, I feel like a proper adult. I like who I am when I have one in my pocket. The History of Dunhill For a brand to have been on a...

Audemars Piguet Debuts Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding “Rubberclad” SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Debuts Royal Oak Offshore Aug 5, 2024

Audemars Piguet Debuts Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding “Rubberclad”

Audemars Piguet’s oversized sports watch line-up gains a pair of entry-level models with the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 37 mm and 43 mm. While the current versions in the catalogue are the colourful (and polarising) Music Edition, the new duo are no-frills with clean designs and muted colours. The 37 mm model combines light grey with 18k pink gold, while the 43 mm model is stainless steel and blue. Both feature “rubberclad” bezels for a more robust and sporty finish that harks back to the original Offshore Rubberclad of some two decades ago. Initial thoughts While some recent Royal Oak and Offshore launches felt over the top in design, the new Selfwinding pair op to keep it simple. They preserve the key elements of the design, namely a chunkier case with crown guards, but keep the styling clean. The low-key design is attractive, especially for someone who wants an Offshore without any of the fuss. That said, the rubber-covered bezel means the signature Royal Oak finishing is absent, though the covering makes it arguably more resistant to bumps than metal. Although the Offshore has often been a testing ground for different materials, such as carbon composite, ceramic, and rubber coating, the designs usually retain a metal alloy bezel finished with the high-end polishing technique traditional for the Royal Oak that results in the trademark play of light on the contrasting finishes. Rubberclad The 18k pink gold model is compact at 37 mm in diameter and 12.1 mm thic...

Omega Celebrates the Start of the Olympic Games with the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition Worn & Wound
Omega Celebrates Jul 26, 2024

Omega Celebrates the Start of the Olympic Games with the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition

I think it might surprise some longtime readers and friends to learn that I kind of love the Olympics. I’m not the biggest sports fan and generally scoff at watches tied to athlete ambassadors and endorsements, but the sheer spectacle of the Olympics gets me everytime. I won’t sit here and say that I’m some great expert on competitive swimming or track and field, but without fail, every four years, I get drawn into the inherent drama of it all. So I’m looking forward to this weekend, when the Paris games begin in earnest, and following along as much of it as I can. And while it’s not the reason I’ll be tuning in, I’m mentally prepared for an absolute onslaught of Omega advertising and branding to blanket the telecast.  Omega, of course, is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, and they have a long history of producing watches to mark the occasion. They began counting down to Paris one year ago with a nicely refined white dialed Seamaster featuring a gold bezel. Gold, unsurprisingly, factors heavily throughout Omega’s run of Olympic watches. For mark the start of this year’s Games, Omega has unveiled a watch that, fittingly, makes use of all of the metals associated with the Games, the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold edition.  Omega fans will immediately recognize this watch as a new version of the fan favorite CK 859, a limited production piece in a throwback 1930s style that is the antithesis of the often oversized sports watches Omega has special...

It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 Fratello
Montblanc Iced Sea Jul 25, 2024

It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810

The new Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 might be the perfect watch for spec-loving divers. Let’s look at the data, the numbers, and the cold, hard facts. Montblanc’s latest dive watch, the flagship of the newly formed Iced Sea collection, has a 43 × 19.4mm case containing no oxygen and is water resistant […] Visit It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 to read the full article.

Just In Time For The Summer Olympics: The Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (BG859) Fratello
Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Jul 24, 2024

Just In Time For The Summer Olympics: The Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (BG859)

If you’re the winning type that just can’t get enough of it, why not strive to bag all the medals you can win? “Impossible,” you say? Maybe, but you can get the new 39mm Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition, a watch that combines gold, silver, and bronze. This vintage-style timepiece pays tribute to […] Visit Just In Time For The Summer Olympics: The Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (BG859) to read the full article.

Hands-On: the Bravur Team Heritage Collection Worn & Wound
Bravur Jul 23, 2024

Hands-On: the Bravur Team Heritage Collection

I didn’t learn how to drive a car until I was 25 years old. This was partially motivated by the same frugality that draws me to budget watches, but mostly because bikes offered fun and freedom that cars simply couldn’t compete with. Whether running a quick errand as fast as my legs could carry me without fear of a speeding ticket or riding 100 miles in a single day just for the hell of it, bikes took me everywhere I needed to go. Representing simpler years filled with adventure, cycling was the only hobby that truly captured my heart in the same way watches do today. Though bikes are worth obsessing over and have their own enthusiast community not unlike watches, they have their limitations and mine went into the garage (which I suddenly needed for an old beat-up Volvo) when my daughter was born. It gathered dust, fell victim to tire rot, and was eventually forgotten all together due to its inability to house a growing number of car seats. It was around this same time I was bit by the watch bug, which in retrospect is no coincidence. Last year, cycling made an unexpected re-emergence in my life. I binge watched Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix, learning about different teams, seeing the colorful jerseys they wear, and getting a crash course in how much cycling has changed since I last checked in. Coincidentally, it was at this same time that my friends started pestering me to join them on the trail. Fun fact, did you know you can buy an entire bike for the price of...

Review: the Venezianico Redentore Bellanotte Worn & Wound
Venezianico Redentore Bellanotte I’ve never Jul 22, 2024

Review: the Venezianico Redentore Bellanotte

I’ve never been to Venice, so I’m ill equipped to comment on how accurate the representation of St. Mark’s Square is on the dial of the new Venezianico Redentore Bellanotte, perhaps the brand’s most ambitious watch to date. What I am prepared to say, however, is that the new watch is impressive, charming, and full of little surprising details. And while it’s ultimately not a watch I’d personally wear day to day, it’s full of individual elements that I really love, and I’ve come away from it genuinely impressed at what Venezianico is capable of producing at what frankly feels like a made up price point. The fact that this watch comes in at under $1,000 is honestly kind of insane.  Let’s back up a bit, though, because Venezianico is a brand that’s still new enough and small enough that they might require an old-fashioned introduction before we get to the watch at hand. As you may have guessed, Venezianico is an Italian brand, founded by brothers Alberto and Alessandro Morelli in 2017. They have a varied collection that includes watches across sport and dress categories, but they’re tied together by design elements inspired by the city of Venice, filtered through a modern design sensibility with little touches of classicism thrown in. The brand prides itself on its engineering acumen and has experimented quite liberally with materials, finding interesting uses for forged carbon, tungsten, mother-of-pearl, and aventurine in watches where you wouldn’t n...

The New Ulysse Nardin Atoll Diver Features an Uncommon and Beautiful Stone Dial (And a Whole Bunch of Diamonds) Worn & Wound
Ulysse Nardin Atoll Diver Features Jul 22, 2024

The New Ulysse Nardin Atoll Diver Features an Uncommon and Beautiful Stone Dial (And a Whole Bunch of Diamonds)

At Worn & Wound, we are not typically drawn to watches with extravagant diamond bezels and dials. However, we have stumbled upon something truly unique and special that we are confident will pique your interest, the Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll in 39mm. This watch not only stands out due to its distinct design but also features a dial made of chrysocolla stone, a material rarely used in the world of watchmaking. In fact, the only other commercially produced watch we found that used this material was a discontinued Shinola Birdy lady’s quartz watch. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands around a body of water called a lagoon. Many people associate the word “lagoon” with images of Gilligan’s Island-a small beach with crystal-clear turquoise water. That is the inspiration for this watch. Each dial is crafted from hand-cut natural stone, ensuring each one is unique, so the paradise depicted by its breathtaking mix of blue, turquoise, brown, and black is exclusively yours. So, what is chrysocolla? Chrysocolla is a mineral that belongs to the silicate mineral group. It is often found in association with other secondary copper minerals such as malachite, azurite, and cuprite. Chrysocolla is known for its vibrant blue-green or green color, reminiscent of turquoise. It is named after the Greek words “chrysos,” meaning gold, and “kolla,” meaning glue, due to its historical use as a flux in soldering gold. It is not considered a rare gemston...

REVIEW: Hands On With The Beautiful IWC Ingenieur WatchAdvice
IWC Ingenieur Jul 22, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Beautiful IWC Ingenieur

The IWC Ingenieur is, in my opinion, one of Gerald Genta’s most underrated designs. But does it hold up compared to some of his most iconic pieces? Let’s find out! What We Love: Breathtaking design Moulds perfectly onto my wrist Genta heritage, but feels unique What We Don’t: A micro-adjust butterfly clasp would be nice Would love a display back Would be nice to have a COSC movement Final Score: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 8/10 IWC is a watch brand that for me personally, I hadn’t really done a deep dive into before. I feel that it is a brand that if you know, you know, and once you get into the brand, many people are hooked. But when I joined Watch Advice, I began to delve deeper into the industry and watchmaking itself. To my surprise (and nobody else’s), I discovered that IWC had contributed much more to horology than I had ever cared to know before. This and the fact that the guys visited the Manufacture in Schaffhausen in April, and regaled me of their adventures there! The giant perpetual calendar movement on the wall in the entry of the IWC Manufacture in Schaffhausen which we visited earlier this year before Watches & Wonders 2024 Founded in 1868 by Bostonian watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company found its roots during Jones’ time in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. From there, they would combine American manufacturing with Swiss craftsmanship to produce high-quality timepiece...

Behind the Scenes with Tudor at Giro d’ Italia Worn & Wound
Tudor Jul 19, 2024

Behind the Scenes with Tudor at Giro d’ Italia

A subtle tactile click of my right finger sends a wireless signal to my rear derailleur as I shift down one cog, my legs ramping up the cadence as my speed increases. Despite the jetlag and poor sleep, I feel as if I have a tailwind. My excitement, fueled by the imagery of chasing down a fellow racer for the win, cuts through the mental fog and gives me another 20 watts. I glance down at my wrist on which the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition” is strapped to, checking my time as I ascend the famous Category 2 climb to the Superga.  In a few short hours, professional riders from all over the world will be ascending this very same climb in the first stage of the famous Giro d’ Italia. The amount of time passed since I began the ascent accurately revealed my pro-rider fantasy as a delusion, as the true pro’s will be completing this climb significantly faster than my pace.   To experience that feeling of a professional cyclist is not by happenstance. It is by intended design and exactly what Tudor strived to deliver in every detail. On this 30 km portion of the route, I am sporting the same kit, riding the same bike, and wearing the official watch of a Tudor Pro Cyclist which is why Tudor has flown me out to Turin, Italy. For the next 48 hours I would be fully immersed into what the life of a professional road cyclist would be when competing in a multi-stage national race. Everything about the next two days would expose me to the extreme precision that a...

Size Matters: The Philosophical Guide To A Perfectly Proportioned Watch Collection Fratello
Jul 15, 2024

Size Matters: The Philosophical Guide To A Perfectly Proportioned Watch Collection

Three is the magic number - or so they say. Many a watch enthusiast has boldly claimed that all you will ever need is the minimalist and perhaps mythical three-watch collection. While I do see the logic behind this, I struggle to accept that an arbitrary number should define my collection without at least trying […] Visit Size Matters: The Philosophical Guide To A Perfectly Proportioned Watch Collection to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Beaufort Seatrekker - A Big-Hearted Dual-Crown Diver From New Zealand Fratello
Jul 12, 2024

Hands-On With The Beaufort Seatrekker - A Big-Hearted Dual-Crown Diver From New Zealand

When I feel my appetite for retro filling up, something catches my eye in a typical fashion. A good dégradé dial does that to me, and green is supposedly the color of 2024, right? Combining this with a busier-than-usual Super Compressor-style dial sounds like too much, but the Beaufort Seatrekker might prove me wrong. I’ll […] Visit Hands-On With The Beaufort Seatrekker - A Big-Hearted Dual-Crown Diver From New Zealand to read the full article.

Hands-On: the Haim Viajero Worldtimer Worn & Wound
Vacheron Constantin e “Cornes de Vache” Jul 12, 2024

Hands-On: the Haim Viajero Worldtimer

I’ll be honest, I started off my experience with the new Viajero coming from a pretty far off and distant place. No, not some cool and remote corner of the world, but as a person who was largely unfamiliar with both Haim as a brand and also the concept of a worldtimer. While I have a GMT in my personal collection, the idea of tracking several time zones via a worldtimer never seemed like something on my radar. Am I classy enough for this? Is a worldtimer even worth the typically large price tag that they command? I remember seeing an Omega worldtimer that was pretty cool…oh right, that’s pushing $10k and not exactly at the top of my spend-ten-thousand-dollars-on-a-watch list.  When the Haim Viajero came across my desk, the first thing I thought was how interesting it is to get a worldtimer complication for a fair amount under a thousand bucks, and that’s exactly what the watch accomplishes. Pack your carryon and prepare for a few layovers, we’re going worldtiming. Case A 38.5mm diameter is a pretty nice spot to be if you’re a watch case. It often hits that goldilocks “just right” feeling, especially on my 6.75” wrist. At 45.5mm lug-to-lug and12mm tall, the watch is firmly in mid-sized territory. The Viajero is largely circular from the top down, featuring lugs that borrow heavily from the celebrated Vacheron Constantine “Cornes de Vache”. The result is nice and clean, and it looks as though the sharp, yet curved lugs are holding up the case in an ele...

Zenith Introduces the Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Jul 11, 2024

Zenith Introduces the Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic

A new livery for one of Zenith’s most popular models, the Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic shares the styling of its siblings like the Defy Skyline 36 mm but with a few notable tweaks including a white ceramic case and blue-treated skeletonised movement. And though it appears to be a simple time-only watch, the Defy Skyline features a discreet complication in the form of a “lightning” small seconds hand that completes one rotation every ten seconds. Initial thoughts Zenith has recently been playing it safe with new launches by building on current bestsellers, like the Defy Skyline. The new skeleton in white ceramic is a good looking watch, and an excellent execution of one of Zenith’s modern-day classics. The combination is also novel. Although each key element of the watch is common in itself – a skeleton movement plus the white ceramic case and bracelet – they are relatively uncommon together. The Defy Skyline Skeleton on the wrist However, the Defy Skyline arguably tries too hard to capitalise on the recent (and waning) popularity of integrated-bracelet sports watches. It is not difficult to see a resemblance to the Royal Oak, in particular the one-off Royal Oak made for Only Watch 2023, making it a bit cliché. Priced at US$17,500, the Defy Skyline Skeleton in white ceramic is a decent value proposition compared to similar watches, most of which are from pricier brands like Hublot or Audemars Piguet. Besides the ceramic case and bracelet, it stands out ...

The Louis Vuitton Tambour One Year On: Has The Infatuation Lingered? Fratello
Louis Vuitton Tambour One Year Jul 10, 2024

The Louis Vuitton Tambour One Year On: Has The Infatuation Lingered?

This week, exactly one year has passed since the Louis Vuitton Tambour 40mm Automatic appeared in its new braceleted guise. With heavy hitters like the Polo ’79 having appeared this year, what are my thoughts on the Louis Vuitton Tambour one year on? There’s no escaping from the fact that retro and integrated bracelets are […] Visit The Louis Vuitton Tambour One Year On: Has The Infatuation Lingered? to read the full article.

Maurice de Mauriac Introduces the Rallymaster III, Inspired by the Lawn Courts of Wimbledon Worn & Wound
Jul 5, 2024

Maurice de Mauriac Introduces the Rallymaster III, Inspired by the Lawn Courts of Wimbledon

I don’t know about you, but after seeing Challengers, I’ve been on a tennis kick lately. Having discovered the sport late in life, I’m now ravenously consuming all things tennis. So when I heard that Maurice de Mauriac has partnered with Racquet Magazine for the next iteration of their Rallymaster, I had to take a look. Like previous models, the Rallymaster III combines vintage elements with a clever eye for details, thanks to designer Carlton DeWoody’s playful touch points throughout the watch. With Wimbledon being the inspiration for this model (previous points of reference included Roland Garros and the US Open), there is a level of retro charm to this one that carries the theme throughout the watch. Most notably in this new reference, we have an olive-green dial that’s reminiscent of lawn courts and the use of 18-carat gold, giving the watch an overall elegant finish while still being playful. I’m particularly fond of the tennis ball indices and the seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock, which features 20 second increments (the traditional tennis serve time). Finally, playing into British design language, DeWoody incorporates tan-colored straps to complete the ‘green over tan’ look, a favorite among British vintage and luxury car enthusiasts. Of the overall design, DeWoody says, “I aimed to bridge past and present, reinterpreting classic design with a contemporary lens. The colorful sub-dials and patterning of yachting and racing dials were the perfect insp...

Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer Fratello
Jul 5, 2024

Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer

Today’s Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer visited us at Fratello HQ, and we were left impressed by the brand’s latest release. Brellum focuses on numbered, low-production editions with a high value-to-price ratio. This piece may be the most compelling yet. It’s hard not to be cynical when looking at the prices of new watches. […] Visit Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer to read the full article.

The Zenith Defy Skyline Gets the White Ceramic, Skeleton Dial Treatment Worn & Wound
Zenith Defy Skyline Gets Jul 4, 2024

The Zenith Defy Skyline Gets the White Ceramic, Skeleton Dial Treatment

I’ll be upfront here: I love the Defy. All the Defys. I’ve said many times to many people that the Defy is probably my favorite sports watch line of all time. It’s certainly my favorite corner of the Zenith catalog, and vintage Defy references are some of the coolest you can own, and somehow still represent a great value compared to comparable sports watches from other brands. To me, these watches have historically been exactly the right combination of avant-garde design and sports watch functionality. A Defy, unlike a Submariner, for example, can be both an art piece and an everyday wearer. They are also consistently interesting from a materials perspective, particularly when they get into colored ceramic, as they have with the newest Defy introduced today, a successor of sorts to one of my favorite watches from last year.  The Defy Skyline White Ceramic Skeleton is in some ways a predictable, natural evolution of the current generation Defy. It takes the ceramic case and bracelet we saw in last year’s black model, turns them white, and gives us the skeleton dial treatment that debuted early last year. It’s a similar trajectory to the Defy Classic releases from several years back, which started in titanium, with colorful skeletonized ceramic versions to follow.  This new reference is a little different though for how it plays with contrast. Against the stark white of the case and bracelet, we get a skeletonized blue dial and a movement in a matching shade. Tha...

Hands-On With The Mondia Top Second Reissue - The Cult-Classic Flashing Dot Makes A Comeback Fratello
Jul 2, 2024

Hands-On With The Mondia Top Second Reissue - The Cult-Classic Flashing Dot Makes A Comeback

It has been quite some time since I wrote a hands-on review of a modern watch. When the news announcing the revival of my beloved Mondia Top Second hit our press mailbox last September, I instantly volunteered to look at it. A deep green sample of the new Mondia Top Second eventually landed safely on […] Visit Hands-On With The Mondia Top Second Reissue - The Cult-Classic Flashing Dot Makes A Comeback to read the full article.

Hublot Releases the Classic Fusion in an “Essential Grey” Edition Worn & Wound
Hublot Releases Jul 1, 2024

Hublot Releases the Classic Fusion in an “Essential Grey” Edition

You know the old philosophical question about the tree falling in the forest without anyone there to hear it? The new release from Hublot, a pair of Classic Fusions that make up the third installment of their “Essential Grey” collection, has me thinking of a similar question that could be aimed at the watch community: if a Hublot is reserved and muted, is it still a Hublot? Obviously, of course it is. But my personal interest in the brand is so geared toward their more experimental side, a release like this really flies under the radar. As a point of fact, however, the Essential Grey releases are a very big deal in the Hublot collector community, and this one ought to prove every bit as popular as the prior two.  For the uninitiated, the Essential Grey watches in Hublot’s catalog are an annual release of a watch in a simple grey colorway, always sold through a single channel and always focusing on a single model. It only happens once a year, so it’s a drop that Hublot fans eagerly anticipate. Previous Essential Grey releases included versions of Big Bang Unico and Spirit of Big Bang. This year, Hublot steps away from the bombast of those watches, opting for a watch that is meant to remind collectors of the brand’s origins.  The Classic Fusion is Hublot’s most straightforward watch, and the watch most closely in tune with the brand’s past. It’s a model that’s often used to explicitly connect the Hublot of the 1980s to the Hublot of today, as it did with ...

Vero Updates the Open Water with a Smaller Case and New Colors Worn & Wound
Timex es were Jul 1, 2024

Vero Updates the Open Water with a Smaller Case and New Colors

What was your first watch? Not your first mechanical watch, not your first nice watch, but actually your first watch. If you’re around my age, I’d hazard a guess that it was probably something fun. Neon Shark watches, bright G-Shocks, and outdoorsy Timexes were the thing on my playground growing up, and it’s a recipe that still works just as well approaching (or beyond) 30 as it did approaching 10. All this is to say that colorful and waterproof is a recipe for success, and one brand that really gets this is Vero. I don’t exactly remember the first time I crossed paths with a Vero, but I do remember the minty green dial standing out against the stark black bezel, and that I found myself pretty taken with their line of colorful dive watches from the get. It’s an interest I haven’t really shaken, and one only compounded by the latest iteration of their signature dive watch, the Open Water, now in a  38mm case. The big headline here is a series of subtle refinements to the Open Water model, all of which add up to a stark evolution of Vero’s flagship diver. To look at the new Open Water 38 in isolation, one might be hard-pressed to call out many of these changes but put the old and new models next to each other, and the difference will be clear.  The most visually dramatic of these changes is the shift from a black DLC finish on the bezel to a boldly colored Cerakote treatment. A stark black bezel has been a key visual hallmark of the Vero Open Water, so moving...

Photo Report: Assembling Caliber 9SA4 at the Grand Seiko Boutique Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Boutique I’ve always had Jun 30, 2024

Photo Report: Assembling Caliber 9SA4 at the Grand Seiko Boutique

I’ve always had a fascination for peeking behind the curtain. Whether it was tearing apart broken electronics, rebuilding car engines, or opening the caseback of my first Seiko, I’ve always wanted to see and know how things work. As I’ve gone deeper into the horology rabbit hole, I’ve become more interested in the physical process of assembling a movement. While I can watch any number of YouTube videos, there’s something special about seeing it done in person, especially when you get to watch a Grand Seiko Watchmaker at work. Last week, I was invited to Grand Seiko’s boutique for a live assembly of their new 9SA4 movement, a high-beat, manually wound high frequency movement featuring Grand Seiko’s proprietary dual impulse escapement and 80 hours of power reserve. If you’d like to learn more about the 9SA4 and how it was created from the 9SA5, Zach Kazan covers that in detail here. This event was hosted at Grand Seiko’s Madison Avenue boutique (we celebrated the grand opening of this boutique in March, click here for the recap article) which features a gorgeous open concept main level, and an intimate lower level they’ve dubbed “The Cellar”. Unlike any cellar I’ve ever been in, this lower level features multiple lounge spaces, a full bar, a dedicated presentation space and, of course, plenty of watches. You’ll also find various items of cultural significance from the towns surrounding the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, which inspire the design o...

Introducing: The Vero Open Water 38 In Off-White And Emergency Yellow Fratello
Jun 27, 2024

Introducing: The Vero Open Water 38 In Off-White And Emergency Yellow

I’m surprised we’ve never covered the previous version of Vero’s Open Water. It’s a no-nonsense 41mm watch with a DLC-coated bezel and a selection of colorful dials. I remember it was quite a hit on Instagram when it came out. Now, based on that predecessor, the US-based brand is introducing the Vero Open Water 38. […] Visit Introducing: The Vero Open Water 38 In Off-White And Emergency Yellow to read the full article.

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Raymond Weil Millesime Collection Worn & Wound
Raymond Weil Jun 26, 2024

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Raymond Weil Millesime Collection

Sometimes the little moments inform our collecting more than the big ones. A big moment might be the first time Dad trusted you to wear his watch. While formative, there’d be a lot more two-tone bracelets on Instagram if those moments drove purchasing decisions. My “big moment” came on my seventh birthday. After weeks of begging for a digital watch, I opened a package to be greeted by black resin and the coolest digital screen I’d ever laid eyes on. The subsequent victory lap through the kitchen resulted in a trip to urgent care. Though I still have the scar to remember the watch that unleashed the horological nerd within me, my watchbox is currently void of a single digital watch. On the contrary, little moments are constantly influencing how I think about and consume watches. These are often as simple as offhand remarks I hear at a meetup or a comment I read on Reddit. One of these little moments came while I was listening to Rico’s Watches Podcast a couple years ago. A RedBar chapter head was the week’s guest, and he made some brief, unflattering remarks about Raymond Weil. Sharing a story of buyer’s remorse, he cited a lack of demand on the secondary market and a design language that was an amalgamation of other brands rather than something original. These quick quips stuck with me. As a newer collector, I’d already discerned that anything with “mall watch” vibes might not receive the nod of approval from my enthusiast peers. And, having personally ...

Singer Reimagined Expands their 1969 Collection Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Carrera Jun 20, 2024

Singer Reimagined Expands their 1969 Collection

There is almost no end to watches inspired by motorsport, but very few watches take that inspiration and do anything truly unique with it. Just yesterday, we brought you news of a new TAG Heuer Carrera that, in my opinion, is something of a by-the-numbers collaboration between an automaker and a luxury watch brand. It has design notes that convey a watch that’s sporty and modern, the “Porsche” wordmark prominently featured on the case itself, and it’s a Carrera, a collection that is naturally imbued with racing history. I’ve written about a lot of watches that say “Porsche” on them in one way or another, but it’s honestly difficult to tell them apart after a while. Singer Reimagined takes an entirely different approach.  The brand itself is part of the Singer Group, which rose to prominence with their bespoke restorations of vintage Porsche 911s. What Singer brings to the table is a very unique and highly specialized perspective. You might love it or hate it, but they don’t suffer from the same problems that inevitably plague large luxury watch brands, namely casting an impossibly wide net, resulting in products that, even when ostensibly “niche,” have a certain generic quality to them. Being intrinsically connected to the car world, it’s no surprise that Singer only makes chronographs. Expanding on the very idea of the chronograph in an adventurous way is part of what makes Singer Reimagined exciting. Their chronographs use unconventional movement...