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Monochrome
Although Grand Seiko is now firmly established on the international watch scene, Credor is still something of a niche brand. Founded in 1974 as the high-end division of Seiko Corporation, with a focus on refined, ultra-thin dress watches decorated with artisanal techniques, Credor was originally available only in Japan until the release of the Locomotive […]
WatchAdvice
In a slimmer 41mm case size, the time-only versions of IWC Schaffhausen’s TOP GUN Editions are great daily watches. We went hands-on with each to see which was the favourite! What We Love The white ceramic on the Lake Tahoe is super fresh. The size and lighter weight make these very easy-to-wear watches Both rubber straps are comfortable, and each has nice design touches. What We Don’t The Mojave Desert can blend into your skin depending on your skin type The anti-reflective coating on the slightly domed crystal does make it hard to take a good photo! The luminescence on the hands and dial could be better and of a higher grade. Overall Rating: 8.9 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 This article was originally published as IWC Pilot’s Watch 41 Automatic TOP GUN Editions Review First Impressions When I first saw the white Lake Tahoe Pilot’s Watch 41 Top Gun earlier this year, I was keen to get both it and the Mojave Desert model to compare them properly. My initial impression? They’re essentially the same watch, just in different colourways, with the Mojave on a fabric-inlaid rubber strap and the Lake Tahoe on straight rubber. But sometimes, that slight aesthetic difference makes all the impact, as I was to find out! The Lake Tahoe feels fresh and bold. With its all-white case and strap against a black dial, it jumps off the wrist. The Mojave Desert, with its sand-coloured case, strap, and matching indices on a gre...
SJX Watches
The value-forward, design-savvy French micro-brand Baltic debuts its first worldtimer, the Heures du Monde with a trio of stone dials – sodalite, tiger’s eye and labradorite, each limited to 200 pieces as a lead up to a future regular production version. It’s a fully functional and sharp-looking vintage-styled worldtimer, with a modern set of features that includes a brushed ceramic bezel, plenty of lume, and a surprising 100m depth rating, for a reasonable price. Initial thoughts Stone dials and worldtimers are each in vogue, and it is only natural to combine the two – especially as worldtimers as a genre are predisposed to vibrant dials, such as enameling, engine turning, or miniature painting. It doesn’t hurt that the Heueres du Monde is a competent watch and fair value proposition over all. Baltic pitches the model as an homage to the work of Louis Cottier, who invented the format. It specifically takes after his earliest worldtimers, which comprised a simple 24-hour disk geared to the hands, and a rotating bezel with the names of cites arrayed around its perimeter. The sodalite, tiger’s Eye and labradorite dials are tasteful, fit the overall watch, and will no doubt age better than many other stone dial offerings from micro-brands today. That said, it was the probably the right decision on Baltic’s part to make these colourways limited, as it doesn’t fit with what I suspect is a more vintage, rather than neo-vintage, vision for the model. Given the br...
Time+Tide
The Gerald Charles Masterlink Perpetual Calendar jumps straight to the top of its offering, combining a high complication with Darkblast®.The post Gerald Charles proudly shows off the shaped calibre of the new Masterlink Perpetual Calendar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Longines HydroConquest gets its biggest update in nearly 20 years, with a ceramic bezel, new dial options, and pricing under $2,500.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Credor's new Kuon GCLX995 pairs a blue ceramic dial with hand-wound Spring Drive in a 39mm steel case. Here's what stands out.
Monochrome
Introduced in 2024 as a project to encourage independent watchmaking, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives has gathered great interest among the watch community, depsite being backed up by the world’s largest luxury conglomerates. A truly interesting initiative in the field of independent and high-end horology, it now a biennial prize that celebrates […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The updated Seiko Marinemaster HBF001 and HBF002 models bring a new movement, ceramic bezel, and real upgrades. Here's what stands out.
Fratello
Last week, I reported on a new high-end Citizen Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition with a beautiful green washi (Japanese paper) dial. In the same week, Citizen also introduced two new watches powered by a brand-new Eco-Drive caliber. The new lightweight Photon models feature state-of-the-art dials that combine an intriguing design with the latest in Citizen’s […] Visit Citizen Introduces Two New Limited-Edition Photon Models That Take Eco-Drive To The Next Level to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
In general, a conversation about the top watch producing countries centers around two nations: Switzerland and Japan, with Japan often occupying the more affordable end of the spectrum and Switzerland more commonly associated with luxury watches and high watchmaking. Of course, this is an overgeneralization of the highest degree, as Japan is home to some of the finest purveyors of high watchmaking, and there are indeed great deals to be found from Switzerland. However, the real tragedy here is the omission of the often overlooked superpower in watchmaking that is Germany. Home to dozens of brands, including some of the best in the business according to a variety of metrics, Germany is an excellent country for watchmaking. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best German watch brands to provide an overview of names you should know if you’re new to German watches. In each synopsis, We'll begin with a bit of history, share a few of the brands' major accomplishments or best-loved models, and say a bit about what they’re up to these days. [toc-section heading="Laco"] Laco began life as Lacher & Co. in 1925 in Pforzheim, where it is still based today. The company is most famously known for being one of the five brands contracted to produce flieger watches (such as the Beobachtungsuhr) for pilots in the German Luftwaffe ― alongside A. Lange & Söhne, Stowa, and Wempe. The Laco of today continues to be popular for its flieger watches. And unlike IWC an...
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Monochrome
Indie watchmaking is very much on the rise, and we see a surge of cool new watches high and low. From the ever-intriguing industrial wonders of Otsuka Lotec to the ultra-artisanal The Owl by L’Atelier Bernards, it all seems to find its audience across the globe. Yet some of these low-volume watchmakers are challenging to […]
SJX Watches
Less than two years out from its 2024 relaunch, Seiko refreshes its flagship dive watch with the new Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch HBF001 and its limited edition counterpart, the HBF002. Both models feature a ceramic bezel, longer power reserve, better promised timekeeping, and a much-requested tool-less micro-adjust clasp - tangible upgrades that justify a near 25% premium over the previous generation. The regular production model launches alongside a more flamboyant 1,000-piece limited edition designed in collaboration with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Initial thoughts Seiko relaunched the Marinemaster brand three years ago with an unexpected trio of compact skin-divers. This was followed by a return to form the following year with a pair of 300 m Hi-Beat Diver-inspired models that dispensed with the “Professional” branding, front-loading case construction, and helium impermeability that distinguished Marinemasters of the past, but offered a more compact 42 mm size and a much improved bracelet. However, it still used the same stamped clasp body found on entry-level divers, just with an upgraded swing arm, and relied on the aging cal. 8L35 movement while Seiko rolled out the improved cal. 8L45 in the similarly priced King Seiko Vanac. The new HBF001 solves all of those problems, and introduces only a few new ones. Given the similarity to the SLA079, Seiko clearly felt the need for unambiguous differentiatio...
Monochrome
Released about a year ago, the King Seiko Vanac collection was quite a surprise and, in all fairness, caused some discussions. Based on bold designs from the 1970s, the name Vanac is far from new and was revamped in a sports watch with an integrated bracelet and sharp case, powered by a high-end movement derived […]
Monochrome
If high-frequency is often marketed as the pinnacle of precision in modern watchmaking, things are actually more nuanced and more about managing the inevitable trade-offs. Every gain in one area usually comes with a drawback elsewhere. Although he has already worked on high-frequency, low amplitude oscillators, industry veteran Dominique Renaud is now taking the opposite […]
SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey’s entry-level sports watch has been in production for five years and is now at an end. The brand is saying goodbye with a pair of final editions, the Balancier Convexe S² in ceramic. The first version is entirely in white ceramic, and the second is black ceramic with the bezel and case back in 18k red gold. Each limited to 11 pieces, the two editions share the same movement, but decorated differently to match the case. It’s manual wind, time-only calibre that is anything but simple; the movement is equipped with the brand’s trademark inclined balance wheel as well as titanium bridges and plates. Initial thoughts A bestseller for Greubel Forsey when sports watches were all the rage, the Convexe line (and related sports models) is gradually being reduced. The Balancier Convexe S² is one of the few sports models that Greubel Forsey has launched since the change in management resulted in the pivot towards more classical watches, exemplified by last year’s Nano Foudroyante. It might be also one of the last: Greubel Forsey notes besides the end of the model’s production, “[this year] also marks the beginning of a gradual transition toward an almost entirely new collection”. While this change in direction has been welcomed by many enthusiasts who appreciate Greubel Forsey returning to its root, the Convexe watches do have their charm. The Balancier Convexe S² illustrates this – the case is large but ergonomic and wearable, and the sporty constru...
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Deployant
Greubel Forsey releases the final two editions of the Convexe S2, one in black ceramic with 5N red gold and the other in full white ceramic.
Monochrome
First introduced in 2021 alongside its smaller, less pro-oriented M-40 version, the Fortis Marinemaster M-44 was part of the new collections to mark the renewal of the brand, and yet it carried a name with historical importance. For once, not a watch linked to pilots, the Marinemaster (specifically the rugged, high-performance M-44 versions) is more […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Serica 5330 is the brand's first date-equipped dive watch-a 39mm, COSC-certified chronometer with a new dial and ceramic bezel.
Fratello
The guys at Serica take their vintage-inspired designs very seriously. The brand’s watches are all about the perfect proportions, high legibility, and great wearability. Up until now, a date window wasn’t part of that equation. However, as representatives of many brands tell us, some people won’t buy a watch unless it has a date window. […] Visit Serica Introduces The 5330 Dive Chronometer - The Brand’s First Watch To Feature A Date Window to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
As Watches & Wonders approaches, I find myself thinking back to last year’s fair and the various high and lowlights from that crop of releases. I’ve commented before about a pretty big highlight of last year’s show being Parmigiani Fleurier’s output, particularly their very strong Toric perpetual calendar. This is one of those watches that I rarely go a week without thinking about, like the woman in the white dress that Bernstein remembers from the ferry in Citizen Kane. Anyway, Parmigiani is always a fun meeting at Watches & Wonders and my expectations are high after last year. In what I imagine will be their last release before the show next month, the brand has just introduced a new pink colorway to the Tonda PF line in 36mm. I’m not sure if we can consider this a preview of things to come (honestly, we probably can’t) but it’s a strong release nonetheless further bolsters the Tonda PF platform as an important player in the integrated bracelet sports watch landscape. The new Tonda PF Automatic 36mm Alta Rosa brings a lighter dial color to the steel version of the 36mm Tonda PF for the first time – previously this watch had been available in blue and two shades of gray. Pink dials of course are often associated with watches targeted toward a female clientele, but hopefully the greater watch collecting community has moved beyond these types of prohibitive norms around gender and watch preferences. This is a really attractive color that can be worn by a...
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Monochrome
In a market overcrowded with vintage-inspired dive watches, ranging from truly affordable models to high-end watches produced by esteemed brands, Eska, a name with over 100 years of history (with a stop from 1987 to 2024), has managed to find a place for its cool-looking, well-built and fairly priced Amphibian 250 collection. Modelled after a […]
Teddy Baldassarre
When it comes to luxury watches, rarely is a timepiece experienced on the wrist before it is admired through a lens. Horological photography has evolved so much that high-resolution imagery and macro-cinematography have become a virtual loupe, portraying the watch’s qualities and character through focus stacking and special lighting. For brands like MING, the photograph is the primary medium of truth, since the founder of the company is a world-class photographer. Ming Thein spent years dissecting the world’s finest timepieces through the lens of a camera. Before long, he became one of the industry’s most respected photographers, forming an obsession with light and how it behaves on the surface of a watch. Since building his own brand, Ming Thein has continued to nurture this special relationship between timekeeping and imagery, so much so that it has become part of the brand’s unique story. Every curve of a flared lug or inverted lume track on a dial is designed to catch, bend, and manipulate light – a philosophy that has translated into a string of global successes, including the "revelation" of the 17.06 Copper and the 2024 GPHG-winning 37.09 Bluefin. [toc-section heading="The Brainstorm That Gave MING Its Lift-Off"] Early concept sketch Plenty of business ideas have probably been dreamt up while racking up air miles, but the origins of MING were perhaps among the most unexpected. During a return flight from a 2014 watch fair, cruising 30,000 feet above the gr...
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) is a storied name in haute horlogerie, and has long been the public face of the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of high complications in Switzerland. It’s also the only brand in the so-called ‘holy trinity’ to employ a Chief Industrial Officer (CIO). We sat down with Lucas Raggi to understand his role in shaping AP’s industrial strategy. The historical home of Audemars Piguet. Image – Audemars Piguet The context Having closed the chapter on the brand’s first 150 years, AP is flying high. According to Vontobel estimates, the brand generated more than CHF2.4 billion in 2025, making it the third-largest brand by revenue after mass market masters Rolex and Cartier. The brand is estimated to have produced more than 50,000 watches in 2025, up from 30,000 just a few years ago. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of AP’s new Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus. Image – Audemars Piguet The new Arc Manufacture, which just came online, might raise the ceiling further. In a 2022 interview then-chief executive François-Henry Bennahmias suggested AP would be capable of making up to 65,000 watches annually by 2027. These numbers represent extraordinary growth for a century-old family owned brand that makes complicated watches. So how does a brand like AP (nearly) double its output in less than a generation without sacrificing small-scale craftsmanship? In short, thoughtful industrialisation. The recently opened Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus. Image – A...
Monochrome
One of the major watch brands from Japan, and a proper industrial giant producing millions of movements a year through its Miyota manufacture, Citizen covers everything from entry-level watches to high-end models with impressive attention to detail. In between the highly accessible Tsuyosa collection and the luxury The Citizen collection sits the Series 8, a […]
Worn & Wound
If you had told me a few years ago that much of what I’d be doing at Worn & Wound in terms of new release coverage would be writing about mother of pearl and stone dial executions like a beat reporter at small town paper assigned to the high school basketball team, I probably would not have believed it. But here we are, multiple years into a trend that does not really seem to be letting up. It started with a resurfacing of high end vintage watches with exotic stone dials, moved to bigger brands capitalizing on the hype, shifted to smaller makers and microbrands offering impossibly affordable options, and now we’re back at the high end, and seeing brands looking for new ways to combine stones and materials in novel ways. Last week, Czapek announced a pair of watches that make particularly interesting use of mother of pearl. The Antarctique S Ice Cloud is, at a glance, simply an Antarctique with a mother of pearl dial. But there’s some special artisanal work that has gone into the making of this particular dial, which has been conceived as a “poetic interpretation of cloud formations in an icy landscape.” The dial is constructed from a piece of white mother of pearl that is cut to just 0.2mm thick – the height of two sheets of paper, according to Czapek. A varnish is then applied to the underside of the mother of pearl surface using a horsehair brush, which creates a cloudlike pattern that is unique to each dial. The varnish itself is tinted blue, and the art...
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