Hodinkee
Introducing: TAG Heuer Celebrates The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix With Three New Monacos
From history to high-complication, TAG Heuer drops a bit of everything with these new releases in honor of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.
Results for Plasma High-Tech Ceramic
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Hodinkee
Time+Tide
New releases from anOrdain, Bulgari, Unimatic and more
High-end Bulgaris, a trio of TAG Heuer Monacos, a new collection from MB&F; and porcelain dials from anOrdain dropped this week.The post New releases from anOrdain, Bulgari, Unimatic and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Best-Looking Marathon Watch Yet? Meet the Steel Navigator ‘Blue Yonder’
Discover the Marathon Steel Navigator ‘Blue Yonder’-a limited edition military-inspired quartz watch with bold blue styling, high-accuracy ETA movement, and rugged specs built for real-world adventure. Only 500 pieces available.
Monochrome
First Look - Luca Soprana Goes Independent, with his New, Minimalist yet Sophisticated Time Only Watch
Luca Soprana is an independent watchmaker, not widely known by a large audience, yet highly regarded by collectors and industry insiders for his work with renowned brands. Situated in Vaumarcus, near Neuchâtel, his Atelier 7h38 focuses on restoration as well as developing and producing high-end movements for external clients. While some projects have been unveiled […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain Swatch Review
The origin of Blancpain x Swatch is the story of two vastly different watchmakers. One is the oldest watch brand in the world, in existence since 1735, and renowned for making some of the most high-end luxury timepieces in the industry, regularly carrying prices of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. The other traces its origins only to the 1980s and made its name by producing plastic-cased, mass-market fashion watches for youthful consumers at average prices around $300. Through a convoluted series of events arising from watch-industry upheavals in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the newbie department-store brand bought the historical prestige brand, making it part of a modern-day Murderers Row of legacy watchmakers within what is now known as the Swatch Group. Both brands continued to do what they did best, and never did their efforts really intersect. Blancpain has adhered to its philosophy of never, in its almost-300-year history, making a watch with a quartz movement. Swatch, by contrast, was the brand that brought quartz into the mainstream of Swiss watchmaking in the first place, and still uses quartz movements in most (but not all) of its voluminous output of watches. But the watchword (no pun intended) of the 21st Century timepiece industry seems increasingly to be, Never Say Never. The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch (Obviously) Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch "Mission On Earth" In 2022 came a scenario that was somehow both unthinkable and inevitable at the same ...
Monochrome
Introducing - Naoya Hida Presents the NH Type 6A, Its First Perpetual Calendar
It’s certainly not the first time we’re talking about Naoya Hida & Co., a niche, artisanal watchmaking company from Japan, but it’s always with great pleasure that I write these articles. NH is one of these hidden gems from the Land of the Rising Sun, a rather young company that focuses on high-end, classic designs […]
Worn & Wound
A Minute Repeater You Can Take for a Swim: Vacheron Constantin Launches the Overseas Grand Complication Openface
Another day, another cool Vacheron Constantin release. Barely a month on from Watches & Wonders (where I will remind you, Vacheron dropped the most complicated wristwatch ever made), the iconic brand, currently celebrating its 270th anniversary, has released another high complication heater - a skeleton dial, perpetual calendar, minute repeater with tourbillon dressed up as a titanium Overseas. Coming into 2025, it was pretty clear to see that Vacheron was ready to make some noise. For one thing, the brand was (as I mentioned) celebrating its 270th birthday, something the marketing folks at Vacheron have not been shy about, but more than that, the brand has been on a pretty incredible run over the last few years. Even without the cover of an anniversary year, recent new releases from Vacheron Constantin have increasingly been greeted as objects of interest, both in a technical and cultural sense, and there’s a real feeling that someone at Vacheron HQ clearly knows what they’re doing. The new Overseas Grand Complication Openface is an objectively impressive offering. Measuring in at 44.5mm across and 13.1mm thick in grade 5 titanium (a material also seen in last year’s Overseas tourbillon) this latest Overseas does feature slightly reworked case proportions, with a narrower bracelet relative to its smaller siblings and what looks to me to be a slightly longer lug to lug and thinner bezel, relative to its admittedly larger case size. The watch is also water resistant...
Monochrome
Introducing - The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days Gübelin Special Edition
Collaborations are one of the hottest trends in watchmaking today, as brands, high and low, team up with artists, retailers, collectors – you name it – to create special customised editions. The latest collaboration involves Italian powerhouse Bulgari and Gübelin, the Swiss, family-owned jewellery and watch retailer. The model selected is the Octo Finissimo Skeleton […]
Fratello
BA111OD Introduces The Chapter 4 Skeleton Tourbillon Ice White
BA111OD is a young Swiss brand with a bold mission - to bring high-end watchmaking complications like the tourbillon to enthusiasts at a far more attainable price point. Since its founding in 2019, BA111OD has gained a reputation as a rising force in contemporary Swiss independent watch brands. It blends innovation with a commitment to […] Visit BA111OD Introduces The Chapter 4 Skeleton Tourbillon Ice White to read the full article.
Time+Tide
11 of the best manually wound watches, from cheap and cheerful dailies to the downright avant-garde
Hand-winding watches remain popular despite their old-school movement tech. Here are the ones that prove why that's the case.The post 11 of the best manually wound watches, from cheap and cheerful dailies to the downright avant-garde appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
First Look - Scaling New Heights, The Titoni Seascoper 300 Ice Blue DLC
Considered one of the most solid, well-built and finished dive watches for under EUR 2,000, Titoni’s Seascoper 300, the smaller brother of the Seascoper 600, was recently put to a high-altitude test on Swiss speed climber Nicolas Hojac’s wrist. Instead of braving underwater depths, the Seascoper accompanied Hojac as he climbed all three north faces […]
Time+Tide
New releases from Louis Vuitton, Hanhart, Massena LAB x Raúl Pagès and more
In these past seven days, we’ve seen a focus on high watchmaking from both independents and big brands alike.The post New releases from Louis Vuitton, Hanhart, Massena LAB x Raúl Pagès and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Gold Is King - Why Gold Watches Are More Expensive Than The Material Warrants
The gold price stands at an all-time high. Still, gold watches command prices far exceeding the value of the material added to the base price of the equivalent watch in steel. Why is that? What makes gold watches so costly? The popular answer is because of greed. But that is cutting some corners. Let’s try […] Visit Gold Is King - Why Gold Watches Are More Expensive Than The Material Warrants to read the full article.
Time+Tide
12 of the best watches putting the macro lens on the micro-rotor
From affordable micro-rotor micros to high-end wonders pushing the complication forward, these are the best micro-rotor watches around.The post 12 of the best watches putting the macro lens on the micro-rotor appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
First Look - The Luscious Haute-Rive Honoris I Lagoverde
Haute-Rive may be a young brand founded in 2022, but it comes with serious horological backing. Its founder, Stéphane von Gunten, is a micromechanical engineer with decades of experience in academic research and high-end watchmaking. When the time came to launch his brand, he named it Haute-Rive, a nod to the original workshop of his […]
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Goes to Space with the Tambour Taiko Galactique
After voyages through the cultures of Europe, China, and Japan, Louis Vuitton sets course beyond the terrestrial realm. The Tambour Taiko Galactique is a minute repeater with automata depicting an astronaut on the Moon. With its newest creation, Louis Vuitton once again marries artisanal decoration with high-end mechanics – all accomplished in-house at its manufacture in Geneva, La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). Initial thoughts For several years now, Louis Vuitton has endeavoured to preserve and perpetuate traditional watchmaking and related crafts. From the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives to its collaborations with independent watchmakers, and the massive, nine-figure investment in its Geneva manufactures and the vertical integration of metiers d’art, Louis Vuitton is a large luxury brand, the world’s biggest in fact, but still remains in touch with artisanal horology. The latest launch from the French marque is a minute repeater that defies traditional dogma. With the Galactique, Louis Vuitton pays tribute to both the space age and classic watchmaking by dressing an otherwise traditional complication in a space-themed attire. It is literally a “Moonwatch”, but of another type. The lunar-centric watch is appealing, a little whimsical, and well-executed, with consistent design choices unifying the case and dial. The only decidedly classic element is the movement that is visible through the case back. An artful dial The centrepiece of the Gala...
Monochrome
Introducing - The Noctograph by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès
Founded in 2018 by industry veteran William Massena, design studio Massena LAB has grown rapidly to become a burgeoning project with more than one string to its bow, ranging from accessible watches with Unimatic to high-end timepieces conceived with independent watchmakers. In the latter category, Massena LAB has worked already twice with talented watchmaker Raúl Pagès, […]
Fratello
Fratello On Air: The Latest News Including Breguet And Rolex
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we cover the latest news on watches and other subjects. We discuss the 250th Anniversary of Breguet and several other high-end brands. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings It was a relatively quiet week on the […] Visit Fratello On Air: The Latest News Including Breguet And Rolex to read the full article.
Fratello
Introducing: The New Garrick S3 Deadbeat Seconds
When you buy a high-end mechanical watch, you may expect a few things - a fine guilloché dial, for example, and/or a smoothly sweeping seconds hand. British watchmaker Garrick sure knows how to deliver both of those. However, you get neither of them with the new S3 Deadbeat Seconds. What you do get, though, is […] Visit Introducing: The New Garrick S3 Deadbeat Seconds to read the full article.
Monochrome
Recap - The Best Sub-5k Watches From Watches & Wonders 2025
We’re coming back down to earth for a more sensible and approachable watchmaking, after the slew of high-end and ultra-complicated watches. Obviously, tourbillon or perpetual calendar watches aren’t for everyone’s budget, but luckily, there are still plenty of very endearing watches for those with a more limited budget. As we set our sights on the […]
Monochrome
First Look - The New Rose Gold Version of the Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar
Last year, Zenith presented the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar, a masterful mix of a complete calendar complication with the brand’s high-frequency chronograph movement and a surprising history. Housed in a compact 38mm case to replicate the proportions of the iconic round-shaped A386 from 1969, the three stainless steel models were well received. Today, Zenith introduces […]
Quill & Pad
Presenting the Black Tulip by Annelinde Dunselman: New Independent Watchmaker, New Watch
"Making my own watch is a bit like flying like an eagle high in the sky, seeing everything hearing everything and going where I want."
W
Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Designing the Future of the Watch Purchasing Experience - Meet Quaid Walker of Bezel
For those of you haven’t come across Bezel just yet, we’re happy to introduce you. Bezel is a trusted marketplace for buying or selling your next high-end watch. They have set out to create a platform that’s way less intimidating than anything else we’ve seen out there and strives to build trust with each and every transaction. We had the chance to speak with Bezel’s Co-Founder & CEO, Quaid Walker. A Product Designer, by trade and schooling, Quaid has set out to personally design a user experience that takes the fear and apprehension out of the purchasing process, while creating a digital environment that helps buyers feel empowered, educated, and enlightened. Prior to this interview, we were given a deep dive tour of the Bezel app. There’s an undeniable amount of design and thoughtfulness woven into the experience, which the team here at Worn & Wound was certainly impressed by. With intuitive and compelling features like free in-house authentication with every purchase, personal concierge service, and fully-insured overnight shipping, Quaid says that he and the team at Bezel are out to push the watch industry forward. If you’re in the mode of seeking either your first or your next high-end watch, we’d say please continue reading this interview with Quaid, download the app, and decide for yourself. The post Designing the Future of the Watch Purchasing Experience – Meet Quaid Walker of Bezel appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Hodinkee
The Alchemy of Style & Substance
The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Gets A Bold Makeover With Three New Black Ceramic Models And A Selection Of Seductive Green Dials
Monochrome
Introducing - The New IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 41 TOP GUN Lake Tahoe
It is widely known that IWC has experience with ceramic watches since it was the first brand to release a timepiece made of zirconium oxide (the real name for ceramic) in 1985 with the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar. In recent years, the Schaffhausen-based brand has been playing a lot with colours, releasing Top Gun models […]
Fratello
Vintage Cool And The Orfina Porsche Design Chronograph 1
An all-black vintage chronograph with the design chops of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche makes for an intriguing vintage option. Today, we’re looking at the Valjoux 7750-powered Porsche Design Chronograph 1 by Orfina. I love blacked-out watches. There is something particularly cool about them. The IWC RAAF with its black ceramic case has been a personal favorite […] Visit Vintage Cool And The Orfina Porsche Design Chronograph 1 to read the full article.
![[VIDEO] Owner’s Review: Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M 2220.80.00](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2025/04/Omega-Seamaster-Owner-Review-CGB-5.jpg)
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] Owner’s Review: Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M 2220.80.00
“That makes perfect sense, since MI6 looks for maladjusted young men who’d give little thought to sacrificing others in order to protect queen and country. You know, former SAS types with easy smiles and expensive watches - Rolex?” “Omega.” I’m not James Bond. I know it may come as a surprise, but I don’t spend my time playing in high-stakes poker games (or baccarat, if you prefer the books), I don’t chase terrorists across European cities, and I don’t save the world from a colorful megalomaniac every few years. But I do have a bit of a crush on Eva Green, and I do wear an Oh-meeg-uh, so I guess I can forgive the confusion. Specifically, and for about the last half-decade, I’ve been wearing a reference 2220.80.00 Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M, the same watch worn by Daniel Craig in the infamous train car scene of Casino Royale quoted above, and, for my money, the best Seamaster to come out of Bern, maybe ever. I don’t make that claim lightly. The Seamaster is, by the standards of a ‘luxury’ watch, remarkably ubiquitous. I see Seamasters a lot - on the wrists of my bartenders, on the subway, and almost every time I move through an airport. A lot of that is thanks to one thing: Bond. But while most people know the Seamaster thanks to its starring role in three decades worth of Bond films, the name goes back far further - all the way to 1946. Granted, those first Seamasters have very little to do with the dive watches we most associ...
SJX Watches
Biver Automatique’s in Yellow Gold with a Carbon Option
Having launched the Automatique last year in a range of metals except yellow gold, Biver has now revealed a pair in the classic precious metal. The Automatique in yellow gold debuts with a matching solid yellow gold dial or a more unusual dial in glossy, woven carbon fibre composite. Initial thoughts I was already a proponent of the Automatique, mainly because of the high quality of construction inside and out. The yellow gold duo add more options to the offering, but arguably bring more than just a new colour because the material evokes a vintage feel that suits the design. Between rose and yellow gold, I would pick the latter. The carbon dial version is interesting because it brings to mind the era of the 1990s when woven carbon fibre was a thing. The novelty of the material has since been supplanted by more exotic carbon composites, but the retro feel of the carbon dial is appealing. Moreover, it brings to mind the black-and-gold livery of John Player Special Formula 1 cars, which is precisely the point of this version according to Biver chief executive James Marks. Both versions are priced identically to their equivalents in the standard and Atelier Series. That’s fair enough but the carbon should be priced a little lower since the other Atelier models have mineral stone or fired enamel dials, which are typically costlier and harder to work than carbon fibre. The original colour of gold The new Automatique retains all of the features of the earlier versions, includin...
Monochrome
Introducing - The New Biver Automatique Yellow Gold & Atelier Series Carbon Edition
In 2023, Jean-Claude Biver, an industry veteran who requires no introduction, returned to the spotlight after retiring from his latest position at LVMH when, with his son Pierre, he unveiled the Biver Carillon Tourbillon, the debut timepiece from the newly minted family-name brand. True to form, expectations were sky-high, with the launch setting a tone […]
SJX Watches
A New Dial for the Grand Seiko’s Tentagraph
Grand Seiko’s flagship chronograph gets a new dial with the Tentagraph SLGC007 that just launched at Watches & Wonders 2025. Nearly identical to its predecessor, the SLGC001 with a dark blue dial, the new iteration distinguishes itself through a striking grey dial embossed with a pattern inspired by freshly fallen snow. This is matched with contrasting black sub-dials that coordinate seamlessly with the ceramic bezel, setting it apart from the earlier model. Initial thoughts The SLGC001 was a significant milestone for Grand Seiko - serving as the brand’s first mechanical chronograph - the new iteration of the Tentagraph is a just cosmetic variant. It has all the strengths and weaknesses of the original, though the dial is more attractive. This refreshed dial is far more appealing than the original in blue, as blue is somewhat overused in sports watches. The “panda”-esque black registers are also a nice touch that add to the sporty design. Priced at US$14,700, the Tentagraph SLGC007 is priced reasonably – but not quite the same value proposition as the average Grand Seiko. The Tentagraph has an impressive list of features, most obviously the in-house cal. 9SC5 with Grand Seiko’s proprietary Dual Impulse Escapement, and a high level of fit and finish, but the movement is modular in construction, which should not be a case for a flagship chronograph from a respected watchmaker. Nature inspired once again As is often the case with Grand Seiko dials, the SLGC007...