4,409 articles · 691 videos found · page 51 of 170
Time+Tide
A drunken idea involving Swiss rock became one of the most unique comeback stories in watchmaking history.The post The RockWatch from 1985 – 2025: how Tissot carved out a watch icon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Girard-Perregaux has an extensive track record in watchmaking and is one of the most enduring integrated manufactures of the Swiss watch industry. In the 1980s, at a time when the quartz crisis had crippled mechanical watchmaking, the brand was among the first to champion the renaissance of traditional movements. Today, Girard-Perregaux announces the launch of […]
Monochrome
Tissot’s PRX Grendizer watches are one of the editions that vividly embody the fusion of pop culture and Swiss watchmaking. What started in 2024 as a tribute to Go Nagai’s legendary anime UFO Robot Grendizer now returns in 2025 with a darker, dramatic sequel, the Black PVD-coated PRX Grendizer 50th Anniversary Special Edition. Limited to […]
Monochrome
If you’re looking for a classic watch with elegance, solid watchmaking credentials, a slight retro touch and a price that doesn’t break the bank, the Seiko Presage collection never falls short of offerings. While mostly known for its artistic dials, bringing Japanese crafts into the spotlight, the collection has grown dramatically to become the dressy/elegant […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The ETA 2824 caliber has been a presence in the world of mechanical wristwatches for more than 50 years, helping the Swiss watchmaking industry forge a path through the Quartz Crisis and serving as the engine for hundreds of three-handed timepieces from an array of brands, large and small. While it is a rarity here in the 21st Century, its legacy can still be seen across the horological world - from the proliferation of similar movements by makers like Sellita to the increasing ubiquity of the ETA 2824’s souped-up successor, the Powermatic 80. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the ETA 2824. A (Very Brief) History of ETA Nearly everyone that follows the wristwatch industry has heard of ETA, and most of those have probably worn a watch with an ETA movement, but few are likely aware of the Swiss movement maker’s long and convoluted history. We generally trace its origins back to the formation of the historical watchmaking firm Eterna, in 1856 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. But in reality its roots reach even deeper. Eterna is perhaps most famous today as the maker of the Kon-Tiki dive watch, and it is currently owned by the Hong Kong-based Citychamp Watch and Jewellery Group. Originally however, the firm was a manufacturer of ébauches - unassembled movements for sale to outside watchmakers - and was named “Dr. Girard & Schild” for its founders, Dr. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild. Renamed Schild Frères by the next generation of owners, the compan...
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Teddy Baldassarre
As it stands, Tissot remains one of the most cost-effective and dynamic points of entry into the wild world of Swiss watches. Last week, we took a deep dive into the history of Tissot, charting its journey from its beginnings all the way back in 1853 to how the brand has adapted to the watchmaking landscape of today. We are gathered here today to plunge even more granularly into the contemporary Tissot catalog with, you guessed it, the Gentleman collection, which is among the brand’s top contenders for a one-and-done watch collection, if such a thing truly exists. Though we’ve already taken on the subject of the Tissot Gentleman in various roundups and a couple of our videos, we, surprisingly, haven’t dedicated a standalone review to the subject. So buckle up, because all that’s about to change moving forward. Tissot Gentleman History While I’ve already alluded to our more sweeping article on Tissot’s over-century-long legacy, it’s always necessary to chart some hot historical plot points first, so we can have a more holistic view of how the brand has arrived at the Gentleman as we know it today. The story begins in 1853 in Le Locle, Switzerland (one of the historical hearts of Swiss watchmaking), with father-son duo Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot, who turned their home into a humble watch factory. At its start, the Tissot workshop began as a comptoir d’etablissage, combining the father’s skill as a gold case fitter with his son's ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Solar watches are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional quartz watches with lithium battery-powered movements. Watches with solar-powered movements still maintain the accuracy and reliability of quartz technology, which makes them much more precise than any mechanical watch. Here's a brief history of solar technology in watchmaking and a selection of notable solar watches on sale now. Solar Watch Technology - A Brief History In the late 1960s, the Swiss watch industry was on the precipice of a technical revolution that would ultimately threaten the very existence of traditional mechanical watchmaking while simultaneously ushering in the dawn of mass-produced electronic watches. By the 1970s, quartz movements had won out over a handful of other early technological approaches to producing electronic watches (you can delve a bit more into that history here), giving rise to the era now known known within the industry as the Quartz Crisis. Experiments with using solar power to charge watches, however, go all the way back to the '60s, to the development of the first solar-powered movement by American engineer Roger Riehl. This technology was introduced to the market in 1972, with the first prototype called the “Synchronar” and the first production piece, the Synchronar 2100, released later that same year. Priced at nearly $500 (about $3,200 in today's money), the Synchronar 2100 was considered something of a luxury product and struggled to compete in...
Monochrome
Since its founding in 1868, IWC has built a reputation for producing instruments where precision engineering meets uncompromising functionality. This approach, a combination of Swiss watchmaking tradition with an emphasis on mechanical problem-solving, has consistently produced watches designed to serve a clear purpose. This philosophy is very much evident in IWC’s dive watches, also known […]
Monochrome
For many, watchmaking is synonymous with Switzerland. While the Swiss industry remains influential, several other countries also play significant roles in the production of timepieces. Germany, Japan and China are obvious examples. But India, too, is increasingly important, both as a manufacturing hub and a growing market. At the heart of India’s watch industry is […]
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Founded in 1737, Favre Leuba is one of the few names in Swiss watchmaking that carries such a rich vintage sport-chic DNA. The brand is renowned for its robust designs and innovative approach, from iconic dive watches to distinctive cushion-shaped urban timepieces, such as the Chief. Revived in recent years with thoughtful updates, the Chief […]
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Credor is often regarded as being a connaisseur’s brand, one of those beguiling watchmakers known and appreciated by a small group of deeply devoted watch collectors and enthusiasts. Part of the Seiko corporation, Credor represents the high-end side of the company, combining the most special traditional craftsmanship techniques with Japanese watchmaking artistry. Although it has […]
SJX Watches
Continuing with its focus on unique, custom-order watches, Jaquet Droz’s latest brings together art, film and watchmaking. Commissioned by an unnamed collector (who presumably loves J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales), the Tourbillon Dragon “John Howe” stands as a fine example of Swiss watchmaker’s ability to blend artistic crafts with technical watchmaking. It reprises an earlier commission that similarly united The Lord of the Rings and Jaquet Droz watchmaking. Initial thoughts Custom-made one-offs are not uncommon in the world of high horology, with collectors regularly commissioning unique timepieces from both independent and established makers. Most of George Daniels’ creations were commissions, as were the ultra-complicated pocket watches delivered by Vacheron Constantin to a certain Mr Berkley. Unlike other brands, however, Jaquet Droz is now largely specialised in custom or bespoke commissions. It also takes a different and unique approach by collaborating with both the client and an artist of the client’s choosing in making wearable pieces of art. Here the artist John Howe, the Canadian illustrator who was responsible for visualising Tolkien’s fantasy world for the novels and later became artistic director of The Lord of the Rings film series. The timepiece reproduces an artwork created by Mr Howe as a large scale painting that was then was adapted to wristwatch format. Beyond the impressive miniature painting and pedigree of the motif, the watch stands firm...
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Benrus is one of the few American watch companies with a claim to fame for practical, no-nonsense timepieces. Founded in 1921 by the Lazrus brothers, Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph, the company combined Swiss precision with American assembly and marketing to carve out a spot in watchmaking history. Starting in New York City, the brothers pooled […]
Monochrome
France’s golden age of horology during the 17th and 18th centuries produced notable figures like Julien Le Roy, Ferdinand Berthoud and Abraham-Louis Breguet. And it’s fair to say that had it not been for the expulsion of French Protestants following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 by King Louis XIV, Swiss watchmaking […]
Monochrome
Hidden in the Swiss Jura mountains, in the small village of Villeret, is probably one of the most impressive manufactures we’ve encountered. A true hidden gem, a discreet diamond of traditional watchmaking. The name of this manufacture: Minerva. The brand was founded over 165 years ago and has gained an impressive reputation among a small […]
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SJX Watches
The world of Swiss watchmaking is a small one; everyone seems to know everyone. This is especially true among the exclusive ranks of enamellers. In total, there are about 120 practicing enamellers in Switzerland, largely concentrated in Geneva, which has been a leading hub for fine enamelling for more the 400 years. Of these, four artisans have recently taken up residence at Émailleurs de la Cité (EC) in Geneva’s Old Town. A newly established enamel workshop founded by Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia and Florent Olivier Martin, EC crafts a small number of grand feu enamel dials annually for Mr Rexhepi’s own watches and for select clients like Biver. Though recently opened, the workshop has the feel of a mature and highly organised operation, benefiting from the obvious experience of the staff – Mr Martin was formerly the production director at the respected dial specialist Olivier Vaucher – and the attention to detail for which Mr Rexhepi is known. The enamel workshop is a fitting addition to his growing empire, and is conveniently located just steps away from Akrivia’s watchmaking atelier on Grand-Rue, the picturesque cobblestone thoroughfare that runs through the Old Town. The hand-engraved gratté pattern is applied personally by Mr Rexhepi. The art of enamel Brands like Patek Philippe consider enamel a “rare handcraft”, and for good reason. While industrial groups like the Swatch Group seem to have largely mastered the production of quality enamel dials at (v...
Quill & Pad
Chronodate is a fusion of two different styles: Angelus, the historic brand and its Swiss watchmaking heritage, and Angelus, the technical, modern brand with a penchant for complications. With this colour combination, the house presents the most striking version of this chronograph collection.
SJX Watches
Between 1885 and 1920, Elliot Cabot Lee (1854-1920) quietly built one of the world’s largest collections of very complicated watches, but unlike the famous rivals Henry Graves Jr. or James Ward Packard, both of whom favoured Swiss watches (and primarily Patek Philippe), Lee was a devotee of English watchmaking during its heyday. Many remarkable watches that were commissioned by Lee, or passed through his collection, have surfaced over the last few years, such as the J.W. Benson Supercomplication, the Dent Astronomical watch, or even J.P. Morgan’s pocket-planetarium, but with their provenance unknown. Most of Lee’s collection of pocket watches. Image – The National Jeweler 1922 A patrician collector Elliot Cabot Lee was born on April 16th, 1854 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both of Lee’s parents hailed from Boston Brahmin families and were third cousins. His father, Henry Lee Jr., was a partner at investment bank Lee, Higginson & Company, where Lee also worked, though only briefly. His mother, Elizabeth Perkins Cabot, was the granddaughter of the extremely wealthy Thomas Handasyd Perkins – a slaver turned philanthropist. Lee graduated from Harvard with a law degree and passed the bar, though he seems to have practiced law little if at all. He was well-travelled and well-read, accumulating a notable book collection, according to the Brookline Historical society. Besides his watch collection, Lee also took an interest in the nascent automobile. He built a garage, o...
Teddy Baldassarre
The first Citizen titanium watch hit the market more than 50 years ago, and while it probably didn’t receive the breathless coverage that it may have garnered in today’s watch media, it was a watershed moment for the industry. Many watch brands make titanium watches today, but few of them have made the metal a signature of its identity to the extent that Citizen has, and fewer still have even attempted what the Japanese watchmaking giant has achieved in terms of improving and plumbing the full, unrealized potential of titanium. In this feature, we explore Citizen’s history in titanium watches and spotlight some of its most historic pieces, from 1970 to today. Long before it entered the watchmaking arena in the late 20th Century, titanium had played a role in numerous industrial developments. It was first discovered in 1791 by clergyman and mineralogist William Gregor, in Cornwall, Great Britain, and named several years later by German chemist William Kaproth, who had previously discovered Uranium. Like the latter element, named for the Greek god (and planet) Uranus, titanium’s name comes from a mythological source, the Titans who preceded the Olympian gods. Some of its earliest applications as a mineral ore included titanium dioxide, in products like white pigment, and titanium tetrachloride, in hydrochloric acid and smoke screens. Later, alloyed with metals like iron, molybdenum, aluminum, and vanadium, titanium became prized for its high strength-to-weight rati...
Fratello
The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship pairs attainable Japanese watchmaking with impressive traditional crafts. We recently saw the introduction of a version with an enamel dial and another with an unglazed porcelain dial. Today, we see yet another version, this time with a dial featuring urushi lacquer. This is the SPB499. The new Seiko Presage […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship SPB499 With An Urushi Dial to read the full article.
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We’ve covered independent Swiss watchmaker Horage many times in the past few years, including several of its in-house movements from automatics to micro-rotors to tourbillons. The latest Autark Tourbillon separates itself as it’s truly a rare feat in watchmaking, combining a micro-rotor and tourbillon within the in-house K-TMR calibre. It’s all wrapped in Grade 5 […]
Monochrome
It’s something we’ve told over and over again. Watchmaking isn’t only Swiss. Watchmaking is global and has, historically, been present all over the world. Surely, with industrialisation and the effects of the Quartz crisis, three giant hubs have emerged: Switzerland for high-end watches, Japan with its immense conglomerates and China, the silent factory… Italy surely […]
Teddy Baldassarre
When we talk about "the Holy Trinity of Watches" or "Holy Trinity of Swiss Watchmaking," or "the Big Three," most of us watch aficionados agree on which watchmakers we're referring to: Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet (that would be in ascending order of age). How did this triumvirate of historical maisons - one of which has been making watches since before the 19th Century, two of which remain family-owned - ascend to the highest echelons of prestige in the eyes of the watch connoisseur community? Each has its own intriguing history and can claim its own milestones in the evolution of modern watchmaking. Here, we briefly tell each of their stories and spotlight some of the timepieces that have made them immortal. PATEK PHILIPPE Founded: 1839; Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Ownership: Stern Family; Notable models: Calatrava, Nautilus, Aquanaut, Sky Moon Tourbillon Since its founding in 1839 in Geneva, Patek Philippe has been a leader in high watchmaking, pioneering many complications and design elements that are now seen widely throughout the watch industry. Polish watchmakers Antoine Norbert de Patek and Francois Czapek partnered to form the original company, Patek, Czapek, & Cie.; French horologist Jean Adrien Philippe, who invented the keyless winding and setting system still standard on watches today, joined in 1845, and the Genevan manufacture has been known as Patek Philippe ever since. Among its many horological milestone...
Monochrome
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 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.
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