1,855 articles · 124 videos found · page 46 of 66
Monochrome
In 2015, one of the great names in 18th-century watchmaking was resurrected by Chopard’s co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807), the Swiss horologist who emigrated to Paris in 1745 and gained fame for his marine chronometers, was granted a second lease of life. Determined to perpetuate the legacy and chronometric credentials of F. Berthoud’s past […]
Monochrome
The saying “sometimes less is more” carries some weight in the watch world when done right and the new Fleux FLX004 gives us a proper look at minimalism. There’s unique styling that separates it from the ocean of microbrand dive watches in this price range and it features the specs you’d expect from an affordable […]
Worn & Wound
The independent brand Horage has produced some of the most genuinely interesting watches of the last several years. They’re a bit of a tough brand to pin down. Depending on how you discover them, you could mistake them for a brand obsessed with links between watches and photography, or one of a handful of small indies doing interesting things with tourbillons and other watchmaking tech for quite a bit less money than you’d typically expect. But the thing that links all of their products together is a desire to come up with creative solutions to long standing watchmaking problems and to do so in a way that doesn’t leave anyone out of the experience. Accessibility and approachability are as vital to Horage as their love-it-or-hate-it design language, often embracing an ultra contemporary sensibility. Two new announcements from Horage over the last week or so perfectly illustrate their commitment to quietly pushing horological boundaries. First came the introduction of their new K3 movement. Over the last several years, most of Horage’s big movement developments have come with some high end features and represent big swings for the brand. The tourbillon, of course, is arguably the centerpiece, but they’ve also introduced a micro-rotor caliber as well as a fascinating tool that allows for the periodic electronic regulating of that very movement. But the K3 is a comparatively simple idea, a high quality movement made from advanced materials at a relatively low cost....
Fratello
The “Code” is growing on me. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, to put it mildly. Still, with time and, more importantly, some much-needed significant cosmetic changes, I’m warming up to the watch that wasn’t just hindered by a seemingly lazy dial design and somewhat ridiculous name. Last year, I had a most pleasant […] Visit Infatuated By The New 41mm Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Selfwinding With A Gray Dial to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
As the enduring popularity of pre-worn and “distressed” denim should prove, fashion sometimes embraces wear and tear, or at least the illusion of such, as a bold stylistic statement. The phenomenon can also occasionally be found, albeit perhaps less overtly, in the world of watches. Consider the fascinating case of the Cartier Crash, a watch whose wildly unconventional, “banged-up” shape has made it not just a curiosity but one of the world’s most collectible timepieces - a quirky icon from a watchmaker with no shortage of iconic designs to its credit. The Crash has been around, mostly floating along the periphery of the watch-industry mainstream, since the 1960s, in various iterations, and while it has never achieved the household-name popularity of Cartier watches like the Tank and Santos, it has also never really gone out of style, either. Here is a primer on the Cartier Crash, and perhaps even a little insight on how it has stayed relevant in the marketplace, nearly six decades after its debut. Photo: Bonhams Let’s start at the beginning, with one of the main sources of the Crash’s multigenerational appeal, its decidedly lurid and now-debunked origin story. As legend had it, the Crash’s curvy, bent case design was inspired by a fatal automobile accident: the owner of a Cartier Baignoire Allongé - an oval-cased watch, example above - was wearing it when he perished in a fiery car crash (hence the name) and the watch, once recovered from the wrecka...
Monochrome
Trilobe is a young, independent watch brand founded by Gautier Massonneau in 2013. The brand debuted its first timepiece, Les Matinaux – French for The Morning Ones and a tribute to René Char’s poetry collection – in 2018. Distinguished by its unconventional time display, Les Matinaux introduced an original system developed by Jean-François Mojon of […]
Time+Tide
"Less, but better", the design ideology applies to all of these Bauhaus watches, though in vastly different ways.The post Teutonic minimalism – 9 of the best Bauhaus watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Less than one year since its debut, Albishorn is back with its third chronograph. The Thundergraph continues the brand’s theme of “imaginary vintage,” this time taking inspiration from mountaineering, specifically the Swiss expeditions to Everest in 1952. With a focus on legibility, the Thundergraph features an unusual “California ghost” dial in petrol blue. Available in a limited run of 99 pieces that will be produced over a period of three years, the Thundergraph features a new iteration of the brand’s proprietary manually wound chronograph movement, developed by founder Sébastien Chaulmontet. Initial thoughts I’ve been following Albishorn since its launch, and have become more impressed with each new release. The Thundergraph is my favourite to-date, retaining the best elements of its stablemates while introducing an appealingly bold take on the California dial. The stainless steel case of the Thundergraph largely mirrors that of the earlier Type 10 and Maxigraph, and retains the appealing asymmetric form and red anodised aluminium chronograph monopusher. The case is actually just 39 mm at the case band, but wears larger due to its 42.7 mm bezel. Where the Thundergraph differs most from its siblings is its dial, which offers a sunburst finish in petroleum blue, which pairs perfectly with the rose gold-plated hands and dial markers. The so-called “California ghost” dial features Roman numerals on the top half of the dial, but rather than Arabic numer...
Monochrome
Born less than a year ago, Albishorn is already launching its third watch… But what is Albishorn? It’s a rather cool concept brand that aims at creating vintage-inspired watches. Nothing really different from the crowd, but Albishorn and its founder Chaulmontet had an idea: imaginary vintage. And by that, he designs from scratch, together with […]
Worn & Wound
I have to start this one off with an admission: I am not a gamer. I really, really enjoy the Grand Theft Auto franchise and have fond memories of playing them deep into the wee hours of the morning with college friends in my younger, slightly less responsible days, but as a capital A “adult” I’ve never given all that much attention to the gaming world. Movies have always been my thing when it comes to getting lost in a narrative on a giant flatscreen TV. I make the comparison to movies here because it’s been frequently discussed how games have nearly replaced movies for a younger generation when it comes to immersive storytelling. Few things make me feel like an old fuddy-duddy more than talking to twenty year olds who have logged more hours watching Twitch streams than Scorsese movies. The new watch from Hamilton, a watch brand long associated with the silver screen, is an example of the gradual shift in interest from filmed entertainment to gaming, and represents a pretty big swing for a brand that has carved out a very clear spot in the mindset of most watch enthusiasts. Hamilton conjures thoughts of American watchmaking history, countless appearances in films over the course of many decades, and classically designed value oriented tools (among many other things – their catalog is vast and they make watches in every style imaginable). But one thing they aren’t frequently associated with is the avant-garde, or truly experimental design, their 2001 inspired ...
SJX Watches
Primarily vintage-inspired, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was given a modern makeover with the first “Tech” model launched in 2023. Now Blancpain follows up with the Fifty Fathoms Tech Ocean Commitment IV. While retaining the same lug-less case, the latest model is more compact and streamlined than its Tech predecessor, though it’s still 45 mm in diameter. And it features an “absolute black” dial - coated with a substance that absorbs 97% of incident light - ensuring maximum contrast for the luminescent hands and block-shaped hour markers. Like earlier Ocean Commitment editions, which were all vintage-inspired, this watch will help support the Blancpain’s marine conservation efforts, specifically the Blancpain x Sulubaaï Marine Research Center in Palawan, Philippines. Initial thoughts The new Fifty Fathoms Tech offers notable refinements over the earlier Tech Gombessa edition from two years ago. While the oversized, 47 mm Tech Gombessa was designed primarily as a specialised diving instrument, making it arguably too large for everyday wear, the new model adopts a more conventional dive watch dimensions. At 45 mm, it’s still large but more manageable, improving its wearability. The “absolute black” dial is also an interesting upgrade that makes sense in a dive watch given the need for legibility. While Blancpain doesn’t specify the details of the dial coating, it appears to be similar to Vantablack and other blacker-than-black coatings used by other ...
Fratello
Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve seen some of the guys pick favorites among some of the best vintage watches on the market for less than €5,000. I set them out to complete this task, so it only seems fair that I join in. Today, I’ve scratched the surface of the vast selection of […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K - Nacho’s Picks From Breitling, Omega, And Doxa to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A mechanical watch is not always spot on; less-than-perfect timekeeping can happen, often due to an unruly oscillator. The solution is direct adjustments to the hairspring and balance assembly, either slowing down or speeding up the oscillator, a practice known as regulation. Watchmakers have devised multiple innovations to achieve this, including the free-sprung balance, exemplified by the Gyromax of Patek Philippe and Microstella of Rolex. While a simple concept in principle, the mechanics and practice of regulation are nuanced. Here we’ll delve into the theory of regulation and the primary regulating systems: the curb-pin regulator and the free-sprung (or variable inertia) balance. The Lange L043.4 with a screwed balance inspired by pocket watches Basic concepts In order to better understand watch regulation, we need to first cover some of the basic physics behind the watch oscillator: The component responsible for the running rate of a movement is its regulating organ. The regulating organ is made up of a hairspring paired to a balance, which together are also known as a harmonic oscillator. The natural oscillation period is the time it takes the balance to make a full swing, back and forth. The period is made up of two vibrations, one for each direction of the balance motion, with the escapement being unlocked at each vibration. Notably, the natural period of a balance wheel is intrinsic to itself and does not depend on the escapement type or the going train ratio. ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Tastes great, less filling. That’s the tagline for a famous light beer, but the same could be said for Doxa’s latest version of its iconic Sub, the 200T. It’s a slimmed-down take on the iconic Doxa Sub diver, and although it features a new case size, this might be the Doxa for people who thought they could never wear the brand, including yours truly. It’s also available in a huge array of colorways, so now there really is something for everyone when it comes to the Doxa Sub. The Doxa brand is certainly among the stars of the classic dive watch universe, and the Doxa we think of first is almost invariably the orange-dialed Sub 300 Professional from 1967, along with the black-dialed Sharkhunter version made famous by legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, not to mention Robert Redford in Three Days Of The Condor. But today, we’re taking a look at the newest member of the Doxa Sub family, and there’s a lot to like here, not least of which is a lower price point. And although I haven’t been diving in quite some time, I can’t help feeling a little like an undersea explorer whenever I wear the 200T, which is quite often these days. The classic Doxa Sub 300 and 300T have always worn rather well for larger watches, due to that distinctive tonneau case shape and those short lugs, but now, there’s a new version for someone who wants a tool watch that’s a bit less…tool-like. Enter the Doxa Sub 200T, rendered in a just-right size at 39mm. Honestly, it feels li...
SJX Watches
One of the less prominent, but arguably interesting, debuts for Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary is the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 38 mm in sand gold. A compact watch in muted, pale tones but discreetly glammed up with diamonds, the new tourbillon is the first instance of the ultra-thin cal. 2968 (also known as RD#3) appears something other than a Royal Oak. Initial thoughts The 38 mm tourbillon is the sort of watch that’s more interesting than it initially looks. Though it appears to be a ladies’ watch at first glance, largely due to the somewhat unattractive beige stitch-less strap, it is arguably a unisex watch in both size and style. I would have preferred limiting the diamonds to the case middle for a low-key, formal appearance, but even as it is the gem setting is quite modest. But the new tourbillon isn’t just an aesthetic exercise. The cal. 2968 inside is a nifty movement with some clever details that keep it exceedingly thin. The 38 mm case also demonstrates the Code 11.59 works well in a smaller format. This is especially useful since many iterations of the Code 11.59 feel a bit too large (though in some instances the thickness is a technical requirement). Image – Audemars Piguet RD#3 Entirely in the brand’s proprietary sand gold alloy – best described as a pleasantly washed-out red gold – the case measures 38 mm in diameter and 9.6 mm in thickness. It’s set with 235 brilliant-cut diamonds on the lugs, crown, ...
SJX Watches
Having made its debut two years ago with the Schwarz Etienne-powered HN00, Havid Nagan returns with Classic One, a chronometer-certified dress watch with a multi-layered dial. Available in two dial finishes, ebony or ivory, the Classic One takes the nascent brand in a new, more traditional direction. The Havid Nagan brand was launched on Kickstarter in 2019 by Aren Bazerkanian, who at the time was working as Director of Operations at the FP Journe boutique in Los Angeles. One of the guiding principles of Havid Nagan is an emphasis on slimness, which is an obsession that Mr Bazerkanian picked up from his time working for Mr Journe. Initial thoughts The original HN00 and subsequent HN01 were thoughtful and appealing watches, but the Classic One feels like a more mature product. In my opinion, the debut models were a bit overambitious with their proprietary strap system, which, though sleek and attractive, result in the risk of not being able to find replacement straps in the future. The Classic One, on the other hand, is more traditional in its construction, with classic lugs that can accommodate a variety of straps (the watch comes standard with straps from Jean-Rousseau). As a result of being more classical in orientation, the central feature of the Classic One is its multi-part dial with an unusual construction made up of clear sapphire sandwiched by brass discs. Finished with applied Calatrava-style hour markers, the overall effect is dynamic and attractive. In terms of...
Time+Tide
The Tudor Black Bay has been a fan-favourite since release, but what if you're looking for bang for a little less buck?The post 8 of the best alternatives to the Tudor Black Bay, because you can always get better value appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Following the release of Audemars Piguet’s first semester novelties for 2025, another less publicised model caught us by surprise. While ostensibly a Code 11.59 Chronograph in a two-tone blue ceramic and white gold case, this special edition strays from the collection’s signature dials and incorporates a rare Tuscany dial in blue, something that will ring […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Havid Nagan is a small independent watch brand based out of Los Angeles that was founded by Aren Bazerkanian a few short years ago. Just released is the new Classic One watch, its third release after the debut HN00 from 2022 and the sophomore release of the HN01 Lucine Moonphase in 2023. Unlike some other independent brand founders, Bazerkanian is not a watchmaker or artisan by trade but rather he is a passionate enthusiast who understands that a watch is the sum of its parts. This parallels the Jean-Claude Biver model, which focuses on the “big picture,” and the result has been one of the more understated yet inarguably impressive runs of a new brand in the post-Covid landscape. The team of industry pros and talent assembled by Bazerkanian for the Classic One includes Guillaume Tetu (previously product manager at TAG Heuer, co-founder of Hautlence, and Director of Product Development at Ralph Lauren Watches & Jewelry) and Aurélien Theurillat of GLS2F, which specializes in design, sourcing, and supply chains. The lineup also includes Romeo Granito of Cadranor, which has previously done the dial finishes for Havid Nagan. Finally, the team at Jean-Rousseau will be making the straps. The Classic One goes in a different direction from the HN00 and HN01 with a more traditional case design that is inspired by pieces like the Parmigiani Tonic and the Daniel Roth-era Breguet Classique. Measuring 38mm wide and 9mm thick with a lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm, the Classic One ca...
SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-five marks the 350th anniversary of the hairspring – it’s hard to believe the spiral ticking away in tens of millions of mechanical watches is already over three centuries old. The hairspring’s history is marked by revelations, disputes, and technical advancements, driven forward by creative horological minds, making the story of the hairspring a fascinating one. But behind all of that lies the question: who invented the hairspring? There are two familiar contenders for the title and it’ll take a deep dive into history to figure out who deserves credit. The motivation Prior to the invention of the hairspring, most timekeepers were clocks. Watches existed, but were essentially miniature clocks that still relied on some sort of gravity pendulum, making such early watches wildly inaccurate. So the hairspring was born of necessity, the need to transform clunky, stationary clocks into relatively precise portable timekeepers. By the mid 17th century, Dutch mathematician and physicist Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) had already demonstrated a swinging pendulum could indeed serve as a reliable base unit of time measurement for a mechanical timekeeper. He designed his own cycloidal pendulum clocks equipped with oscillating bobs that were only dependent on gravitational acceleration and the cord’s length, making them true isochronous timekeepers. The first such clock was built in 1657 with the help of clockmaker Salomon Coster. “Isochronous” refers to an o...
Worn & Wound
Over the last several years we’ve seen all kinds of models pop up for the creation and distribution of limited edition watches. It’s becoming more and more clear that this most recent period in watch enthusiast history will almost certainly be known as the “Limited Edition Boom,” or something along those lines. Look at the pages of any watch media website, including this one, and you’ll find that news items about various LEs and collaborations dominate the conversation, so it’s no wonder that a cottage industry has sprung up to develop these kinds of watches specifically. Watch Angels is one such platform seeking to provide an ecosystem for brands (mostly independent) to create limited edition versions of watches that are funded by the eventual purchasers. It’s like the old souscription model crossed with Kickstater, with the main difference between Watch Angels and typical crowdfunding mechanisms being that these projects are largely one-offs from already established brands, and not debut collections from a start-up enterprise. Frederique Constant, certainly not a brand most observers would expect to dabble in a crowdfunding project, is the latest to partner with Watch Angels on a new limited edition release. The Frederique Constant Worldtimer Manufacture seen here is a new and slightly more refined spin on a signature Frederique Constant complication. They’ve been making some version of this watch since 2012 (remember their 10th anniversary worldtimer t...
Worn & Wound
Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that our enthusiast romance associated with a mechanical movement can be another’s annoyance. Our beloved rituals of winding and setting, feeling the grinding clicks in your fingertips, and double-checking you’ve set it correctly can act as a barrier to entry for some, leaving a mechanical watch inside a dresser drawer. That is why I am a proponent of luxury brands exploring quartz calibers, particularly within their more popular collections. Removing that barrier and often lowering its price point means that the watch and the hobby as a whole can be accessed by more people, which is the ultimate goal, after all. All that being said, if a luxury brand is going to make a quartz watch and charge a luxury price, you have to make it a good one. Stepping off of my soap box, I’ll happily admit that when TAG Heuer released the Aquaracer with a solar quartz caliber inside, I too scoffed at the price and questioned its purpose. While the design language spoke to me with its warmly hued titanium construction and tasteful accents, I just didn’t understand why TAG Heuer would charge a price many multiples of what other solar quartz calibers commonly sell for. That was until I had the opportunity to have a period of hands-on time with it. I found myself enjoying its lightweight yet solid construction, the fun application of lume, and even became a bit enamored by the angular case lines, which had previously been a bit off-putting. So when I s...
Worn & Wound
A few months back at a watch collector’s get together, I was asked by a friend how we at Worn & Wound decide what to write about when it comes to new releases. It’s a good question. Obviously, we can’t cover everything, so decisions have to be made somewhere about what we devote time and energy to, and what we ultimately think is less essential. Obviously, there are a number of brands that are almost always going to be somewhat newsworthy and of interest to our readers, and they tend to be prioritized. There are also watches that are of a more personal interest to some of us, maybe less commercial, but still noteworthy in some respect. A category, though, that almost always makes it through, is when a watch comes around that makes me want to check off the “unique” button in our content management system. Not a diver, not a dress watch, not sport or tactical. A watch that can only or primarily be described as “unique” is almost always going to get a pass. Bell & Ross has a knack for these, and the latest is the BR-03 Astro, a 999 piece limited edition inspired by nothing less than outer space, and our own solar system. Bruno Belamich, the brand’s co-founder and creative director, says he was inspired specifically by the view of the earth from the observation dome, the Cupola, of the International Space Station. The dial is blue aventurine (obviously evoking a star filled sky) with the brilliant blue, spherical representation of earth at its center. An engr...
Monochrome
Less than two months… This is the time left before the main watch fair of the year, also known as Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 – starting April 1st, 2025. Something that has become more than a tradition but a highly anticipated event in our yearly publication calendar, the MONOCHROME team has gotten creative to […]
Worn & Wound
Perhaps the crown jewel of Grand Seiko’s automatic watches, the 62GS was the brand’s first to feature an automatic movement. Vintage 62GS pieces championed subtlety with small crowns, “bezel-less” crystals, and smooth, polished edges. The 62GS has lived on through many contemporary iterations, and most hold on to that understated elegance as a key design feature. The current lineup of Heritage Collection pieces reflects almost all the hallmarks of the 62GS that it’s based on, albeit with dials themed for the 24 solar terms of the Japanese sekki. Grand Seiko’s newest 62GS piece continues the seasonal motif of the Heritage Collection lineup but adds even more color by enveloping it in 18-karat rose gold. This rose gold reference, SBGH368 in the Grand Seiko catalog, is meant to symbolize cherry blossoms covered in snow, featuring a textured copper pink dial encased in a dual curve sapphire crystal. The indices, dauphine hands, date window frame, and screw-down crown match the case material, as does Grand Seiko’s logo positioned just above the brand’s name, below the double-thick 12 marker. An exhibition case back showcases the Hi-Beat 9S85 automatic movement, which features 37 jewels and a 55-hour power reserve, as well as 100-meter water resistance. In terms of sizing, the SBGH368’s case measures 38mm in diameter and 12.9mm in thickness, maintaining the standard specs of the 62GS line. The 20mm lug width promises easy strap-swapping, though the included...
Fratello
In the great Grand Seiko tradition, the horological year starts early. We already covered the brand’s first releases of 2025 on January 31st, and Mike wrote about another on February 3rd. Now, less than two weeks into the month, Grand Seiko treats us to one more delight. Today, the brand announces the wonderful SBGH368 “Sakura […] Visit Introducing: The Absolutely Wonderful Grand Seiko SBGH368 “Sakura Kakushi” to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
After years of consideration, Bhanu Chopra took the plunge and bought both a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 mm and a Submariner Reference 114060. And less than 24 hours after finally taking ownership of them, Rolex discontinued both watches! Here he shares the story of how it all went down. Spoiler alert: he couldn't be happier!
Quill & Pad
To my longtime friends in the watch hobby, and perhaps to regular readers here as well, the mention of my name may conjure up a number of connotations: patron of the independents, fan of A. Lange & Söhne, admirer of Patek Philippe grand complications, and longtime customer of Jaeger-LeCoultre, among other characterizations more or less favorable. But vintage?
Time+Tide
A bit less sporty, a lot more blingy.The post The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox sprinkles diamonds beneath the crystal for subtle sparkle appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Our driver's license-less NYC-based editor Zach finds himself drawn to the new Mercedes-AMG Team IWC Mark XX.The post Why the new IWC Mark XX F1 Mercedes Team watch is my current favourite in the brand’s catalogue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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