Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli
Zenith continues a year of blue with a brilliant new take on its triple calendar chronograph.
4,362 articles · 1,843 videos found · page 46 of 207
Hodinkee
Zenith continues a year of blue with a brilliant new take on its triple calendar chronograph.
Fratello
Tudor released the Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” for this year’s Miami F1 Grand Prix. The watch celebrates the collaboration with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula 1 team with a 2,025-piece limited run. I got a chance to go hands-on to see what’s what. I was delighted to get this opportunity because […] Visit Hands-On With The New Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The Windup Watch Fair is all about what makes this hobby great: passionate communities, hands-on experiences, and a chance to discover something new. This year’s San Francisco edition checked every box, delivering an unforgettable weekend of horological energy, Bay Area vibes, and the best of watches and everyday carry. Thanks to our lead sponsors-anOrdain, Christopher Ward, Fortis, Frederique Constant, and Oris,and, of course, you, our readers and extended Worn & Wound family, Windup SF 2025 was one for the books. Back at the Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason on Pier 2, the venue once again proved itself a perfect stage. With a wide-open two-level floorplan and sweeping views of the bay, over 90 watch and EDC brands set up shop, creating a space where enthusiasts could get up close with everything from microbrand gems to industry heavyweights. And it was packed with action. The Panel & Podcast Room buzzed with live talks and behind-the-scenes conversations. We unveiled exclusive drops, including the Bulova Snorkel Edition-made just for the show-alongside special events like Bulova’s 150th anniversary documentary screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in the Mission. Christopher Ward brought the premiere of Freewheelin’, their new documentary on the innovative C12 Loco, with North American Brand Director Mike Pearson and Senior Designer Will Brackfield on hand to dive into the story behind the design. The ever-growing EDC Expo presented by NOMATIC also turned heads. Th...
Worn & Wound
Before receiving the G5 Meridian, I had what I thought was a clear idea of Vaer in my head: mil-spec watches at an affordable price. Founded in Venice, California in 2016, the brand has built themselves a reputation of earnest capability and practical styling that appeals to budding enthusiasts looking for an everyday watch that leans towards rugged simplicity rather than fast-fashion. Vaer watches have been built in the States since 2018, with their first mechanical piece coming to market in 2019. Whether through my own lack of in-depth research or via social media algorithms showing me exclusively the brand’s field watches for some reason, I had apparently missed the relatively diverse other half of their catalog, spearheaded by the release of their first dive watch in 2020, first solar diver in 2021, and first chronograph in 2022. Since then, they’ve expanded each category into multiple references that cover a wide array of functions and styles, shirking my own narrow-minded ideas and, apparently, their own social media advertising algorithms. Thus, with a heap of welcome and humble surprise, I received the new G5 Meridian GMT and began my Vaer re-education. Unboxing My G5 arrived in a slim navy box with a clean, minimalistic design-appropriate for its price range, but not “cheap”-feeling in any way. I prefer minimal packaging (what the hell am I going to do with all these empty boxes anyways), and Vaer has done a nice job presenting the G5 as a serious, ent...
Hodinkee
Is the young independent brand's first round watch a hit?
Video
SJX Watches
With its fifth new model in as many months, MB&F; has been on quite the run to kick off its third decade. Fresh off the launch of the fun and affordable M.A.D.2, which followed closely on the heels of a collaboration with Bulgari and the introduction of the the Legacy Machine Longhorn editions, the brand has returned with the SP One, a contemporary take on the open-worked dress watch. Sleeker than the typical Horological Machine yet more avant garde than a Legacy Machine, the pebble-like SP One is the first model in a new “Special Projects” collection that packages the brand’s signature contemporary aesthetic in a smaller more wearable 38 mm footprint. The SP One joins the collection as a regular production model in either platinum or 18k rose gold. Initial thoughts Picking up the SP One for the first time, one is struck by the light and airy nature of the watch. On the wrist, the minimalist case almost disappears, making the the SP One something of a wrist-worn display case for the Y-shaped movement. This effect is accentuated with a brushed internal flange dubbed ‘the amphitheater’ that focuses attention on the spectacularly three-dimensional mechanical architecture. The smooth pebble-like case measures 38 mm and is just 12 mm thick, making it the most compact MB&F; watch to-date. The front and rear sapphire crystals are cambered to blend seamlessly with the case, giving the SP One the feel of a polished stone. Visually, the smoothness is emphasised by lugs that ...
Fratello
Yema’s current catalog mainly consists of sports watches, so it’s nice to see a new dressier option, especially because it has quite an original design. The inspiration for the all-new Yema Granvelle’s cushion shape came from the arches in the courtyard of the Granvelle Palace in Besançon. The building also houses the Museum of Time, […] Visit Hands-On Introduction: The Yema Granvelle CMM.20 - Inspired By 16th-Century Architecture to read the full article.
Monochrome
It’s not every day we get to see a new Ressence, but in the past decade and a half, the brand has carved out an impressive reputation for originality and creativity. And in all honesty, it really is one of the most original brands around, with a unique take on how to display time. Especially […]
Fratello
The names are the same, but the looks are very different. A hands-on experience with the new Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Chronograph revealed strong similarities between the black-and-rose-tone model and its green sibling made of plasma high-tech ceramic. With a matte black ceramic case adorned with a rose-gold-colored PVD-coated steel turning bezel, the chronograph […] Visit Hands-On With The New Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Chronograph: The Brand’s First Ceramic-Cased Captain Cook Chrono to read the full article.
Fratello
Possibly one of the most unexpected novelties released during this year’s Watches and Wonders was a double-retrograde calendar watch with a 40mm pink gold case. Now, a timepiece of that size, in that material, and with that complication - I mean no disrespect to double-retrograde indications - doesn’t sound too surprising when you think of […] Visit Hands-On With The Surprising Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar - Celebrating The Brand’s 30th Anniversary With A 40mm Watch to read the full article.
Video
Hodinkee
A twist on the classic Reverso, JLC's latest Tribute is the ultimate reminder of the brand's core capabilities.
Hodinkee
A compact cushion-cased chronograph powered by the mighty B01 and rocking an iconic motorsport livery.
Fratello
You will remember a Ball watch once you encounter one. The brand’s distinct style immediately stands out from the large crowd of watches available these days. Several of Ball’s watches have tritium micro-gas tubes that light up in the dark. This unique form of lume has led to an instantly recognizable numeral style that defines […] Visit Hands-On With The Surprising Ball Roadmaster M Model A to read the full article.
Fratello
When Ming offers to send you a watch to spend time with, you don’t say no, even if it’s something you have seen before. The Ming 29.01 Worldtimer hit the market almost exactly two years ago. This week, the model received an upgrade or, better yet, a line extension with the new Ming 29.01 Midnight. […] Visit Hands-On With The New Ming 29.01 Midnight to read the full article.
Fratello
Did you know an amagnetic mechanical watch is a key part of an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) diver’s equipment? Admittedly, I didn’t. However, as it turns out, the slightest magnetic disturbance can set off explosives, rendering any battery-powered watch dangerous to EOD divers. Because of this, the French Navy turned to Serica for an amagnetic […] Visit Hands-On With The New Serica 5303 PLD - Made In Collaboration With The French Navy to read the full article.
Video
Worn & Wound
Never one to shy away from their heritage as a British watchmaker, Fears has cooked up yet another savvy partnership that highlights their ability to innovate while holding down a cohesive aesthetic. This time, however, the collaboration isn’t with another watchmaker or boutique. Rather, it comes to us in the form of a watch built for “A Great British Odyssey” in which ultra endurance athlete Angus Collins will attempt to become the first person to complete an unsupported, solo row around mainland Great Britain. Fears has signed on as Collins’ official timekeeping partner, and has designed and produced a purpose-built timepiece for the task-a special version of their Brunswick 40mm, the EXPERIMENTAL 01. A savvy British watch fan may pause here and say, “hang on-since when does Fears do tool watches?” The EXPERIMENTAL 01 is the brand’s first foray into the ultra-utility category of timekeeping since the 1970s, and though it’s based on the structure of the Brunswick 40 (originally launched in October 2022), it also features eight highlighted improvements that make it purpose built for Collins’ task: a fixed bar attachment (laser-welded onto the lugs), a satinised case finish, 300 meters of water resistance, a glare resistant dial, Grade X2 Super-LumiNova on the hands and appliques, ultra-contrast hands, an MN Elasticated strap, and rigorous in-house precision time testing. Style-wise, the EXPERIMENTAL 01 draws heavily from its source material, the B...
Fratello
Many love an excellent mecaquartz chronograph. Brands can spend more money on the looks of such watches thanks to their affordable movements. These watches often punch above their weight, at least visually. Others say they are cheap interpretations of the real deal, a timepiece with a mechanical movement. I received the new Nivada Chronosport Blue […] Visit Hands-On With The Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Mecaquartz Salmon to read the full article.
Deployant
A new GMT two timezone watch is released for SEVENFRIDAY, and we met up with Daniel Niederer, Co-Founder and CEO to get a hands on with this novelty.
Worn & Wound
Sometimes, no matter how many hours we spend scrolling on Instagram and monitoring various watch-focused group chats, things slip through the cracks. Watches that check all the right boxes to rise above the noise of a crowded market go unnoticed and become sleeper hits instead of hits, and creativity that deserves widespread celebration instead receives a splattering of quiet applause. For collectors that enjoy witnessing brands evolve and develop distinct design DNA in real time, it can be a bummer to discover your radar missed something great. But on the bright side, this scenario allows for instant gratification and the opportunity to speed run a brand’s evolution to the present day. This was my experience when Italian microbrand echo/neutra released the Rivanera at the end of last year. Like many of you, I was pleasantly caught off guard by the rugged take on the classic rectangular dress watch, but didn’t recognize the name divided by a distinct slash on the dial. This sent me digging through surprisingly sparse reviews and forum threads where I discovered that the Rivanera was far from beginner’s luck, and was actually the result of a year’s long evolution that began in the way many do, with a safe and somewhat generic field watch on Kickstarter. Watching aging YouTube videos, this actual first release called the Averau (which later included a very cool moon phase) looks like exactly the type of watch I would’ve chased in 2019 when specs and MSRP were my pr...
Hodinkee
It might not be the most surprising or revolutionary, but it sure is really damn cool.
Video
Worn & Wound
When is a watch more than a watch? It honestly sounds like a pretty dumb question, but it’s a question that I just asked myself when writing about the Cedric Bellon CB01 – a grade 5 titanium watch that’s just as much a watch as it is a case study in sustainability. I’ll admit, when I first laid eyes on the watch, I thought it looked very raw, almost unfinished. Upon closer inspection and a deeper dive into the brand itself, it started to click. The CB01 is a joint partnership between Watch Angels (a crowd funding platform), Ace Jewelers (an Amsterdam-based retailer) and Cedric Bellon (a watch designer) – by their powers combined, this watch is good for the planet! Captain Planet jokes aside, the CB01 is a 40mm titanium watch that features a mix of finishing techniques, an interesting movement, and very wrist-friendly dimensions. Let’s dig in and take a closer look at this collaboration that aims to bring sustainability to your wrist in a big way. Case Measuring in at 40mm wide by 47mm lug-to-lug, the CB01 is a nice fit for my 6.75” wrist. The case is crafted from repurposed titanium. At first, I thought that repurposed was synonymous with recycled, but it’s not. The core belief behind this watch design is that when possible, materials from other productions will be used for this project. So maybe there was too much material ordered for another project that can be used here, having the watch achieve a higher “circularity score”. The principle behind ci...
Monochrome
German watchmaking company Stowa has been around for more than a century, and throughout that time, it became primarily known for two things: pilots’ watches and marine chronometers. These instruments were crucial in the early days of navigating the seas, as they were vital instruments in pinpointing where you were on your journey and where […]
Fratello
Vertex is a brand with a storied past. It was one of the watchmakers that provided watches to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) during World War II. The watch we are looking at today, the Vertex M36, pays homage to that watch from the 1940s. Let’s take a look. Recently, I spent several weeks […] Visit Hands-On With The Vertex M36 to read the full article.
Fratello
Tusenö has been making a name for itself with the Shellback V2 dive watch. The Swedish brand has been around for a decade this year, but the Shellback has done the most to get the Tusenö name out there. With cleverly designed details and solid build quality, this dive watch has become a fan favorite […] Visit Hands-On With Two New Versions Of The Popular Tusenö Shellback V2 Dive Watch to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Tudor has been busy expanding the Pelagos collection in recent years, focusing primarily on military and racing associations. But until now, none exceeded the 500 m depth rating of the debut model from 2012. Just launched at Watches & Wonders 2025, the Pelagos Ultra (ref. 2543C1A7NU) can dive to double that depth, making it the deepest diving watch in Tudor’s current collection. The Ultra is differentiated primarily by its headline 1,000 m depth rating and teal accents, and is otherwise a familiar mix of elements from the Pelagos range including the lumed ceramic bezel, a fully brushed grade 2 titanium case and bracelet, and legible snowflake hands. Initial thoughts I personally enjoy overbuilt dive watches, despite the fact that I don’t dive. Practicality aside, there’s just something fun and reassuring about wearing what feels like a vault on the wrist. And that’s what the Ultra feels like – it’s tangibly overbuilt but still wearable thanks to its titanium construction. The biggest, baddest Pelagos yet, the Ultra measures 43 mm and 14.5 mm thick. But it doesn’t look overly large thanks to its 22 mm lug width, which gives it the visual proportions of something a little smaller. That said, the sizing may be too much for some, who would likely find a better fit with the standard Pelagos or Pelagos 39. The dial design is similar to that of the Pelagos 39, with applied polymer-ceramic lume plots. But the Ultra is a little more extreme, with beefier hands and ma...
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.