1,753 articles · 3 videos found · page 54 of 59
The most clever perpetual calendar in the business just got a meaningful upgrade, and it's still only 41 mm
The mechanical calendar that knows leap years automatically through 2100.
From Nivachron to Besançon, ISO 6425 to the Quartz Crisis. A working glossary built for people who read spec sheets for fun.
36 mm × 8.9 mm, lug 19 mm, Cal. 240 Q
Monochrome
Earlier this year, alongside multiple new watches such as the RO Perpetual with John Mayer and the Sand Gold alloy applied to an RO Openworked Tourbillon, Audemars Piguet also presented an unexpected and entirely novel multi-coloured ceramic called chroma ceramic featuring a polarising but cool camouflage pattern. In the same vein, Audemars Piguet now applies […]
Monochrome
The aphorism “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not often used by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the mastermind behind MB&F;’s most complex timepieces enhanced with his innovative technological breakthroughs. Responsible for the 2015 LM Perpetual and the LM Sequential EVO, fans of MB&F;’s wonderful watches will be delighted to learn that Stephen McDonnell is […]
Worn & Wound
Tudor has released a new watch in their growing Pelagos FXD collection with the Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition.” The new watch borrows a formula from last year’s FXD releases tied to the Alinghi Red Bull Racing, but this time the focus is on Tudor’s own cycling team, which makes their debut in the Giro d’Italia this weekend. The Giro d’Italia is one of the most important cycling races on the competitive calendar, and this new chronograph has a handful of little touches that might make it particularly appealing to fans of the sport. It strikes many of the same chords, though, as last year’s Alinghi releases, and could point to a new and developing strategy within Tudor in how they work with athletic partners. At a high level, this is essentially the same watch as the Alinghi FXD chronograph. They share the same 43mm black carbon composite case and run on the same MT5813 chronometer certified movement. The differences, of course, come in the details. The new Cycling Edition watch features a black dial with plenty of red accents, a nod to the colors of the Tudor cycling team. And rather than a rotating dive bezel like the one on last year’s chrono, here we get a fixed 60 minute bezel. The most interesting change, and I think the one that will have hardcore cyclists most excited, is a tachymeter scale that has been designed with cycling specific intervals in mind. Virtually every other tachymeter scale on modern sports watches is designed to measure th...
Worn & Wound
One of the prevailing narratives to come out of Watches & Wonders 2024 was that it was, across the board, a pretty quiet year. That may have been true for some, but others, like IWC, came to play. A good portion of the attention IWC got this year was (justifiably) directed at the new Portugieser Eternal Calendar that Zach Kazan introduced a few weeks ago, but that watch was far from the only Portugieser IWC brought to Geneva this year. The Portugieser is not the first watch that springs to mind for most of us when contemplating IWC - far more likely would be some sort of Pilot’s Watch or, more recently, the Ingenieur - but it has been, at times subtly, possibly the most important collection in the IWC catalog. I know so many collectors for whom the Portugieser was their first nice watch, and it is a model I continue to see in the wild, especially in cities like New York or London where people still routinely wear suits to work. IWC, like Rolex, is a brand that prefers evolution over revolution when it comes to its designs - one only has to look at the slow transformation of the Pilot’s Watch for evidence of that. The last few years have seen the brand slowly tinkering with the Portugieser line, bringing it up to date and refining what was already a great watch to make it better. This year, they continued that process and introduced a slew of new models and colorways, all of which come together to make up possibly the best lineup of Portugiesers ever assembled. Co...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
As you can probably tell, I'm slowly morphing into bit of a Zenith fanboy. Something about their recent releases just hits all the marks for me. From a titanium Chronomaster to a cool triple calendar-I'm here for all of it. But one thing that we brought up on the podcast once was the possibility of Zenith reissuing a dive watch. It seems crazy, considering we all probably think of high-tech chronos when we think of Zenith. But, it's here! And it's expensive. Let's take a quick look at the new Zenith Defy Revival A3648.
Monochrome
Rolex is broadening its higher-end collection with the addition to the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 collection of an ombré slate dial within the line-up (understand a gradient toned dial). Notably, Rolex ombré dials were previously exclusive to the Day-Date 36. This new reference introduces another first: faceted, deconstructed Roman numerals and index hour markers in […]
Fratello
One of the youngest Rolex lines is the Sky-Dweller, which debuted in 2012. It’s also the most complicated watch in the modern Rolex catalog, providing an annual calendar and a clever way to set it using the Ring Command bezel. You can read about it here. Rolex Sky-Dweller 336935 and 336938 The new Rolex Sky-Dweller […] Visit Hot Take: The Rolex Sky-Dweller On A Jubilee Bracelet In Yellow Gold Or Everose Gold to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One of the leading names in contemporary Russian independent watchmaking alongside Konstantin Chaykin is Anton Suhanov, an ACHI candidate mostly known for his triple-axis table tourbillon clocks. He now applies his inventive mind to the calendar wristwatch to create the Chronotope, a timepiece with simple functions executed in a clever and sophisticated manner. Initial thoughts Russian watchmaking is more obscure compared to Swiss or German, but the country has a rich history of watch and jewellery artisans, most famously Faberge. Modern Russian haute horologerie harks back to that history, with Konstantin Chaykin and more recently Anton Suhanov being prime movers. The Chronotope is a day-date watch with an unusual dial design. A day-date complication is not difficult generally regarded as uninteresting because of its basic nature, but the unexpectedly original execution of the Chronotope makes it appealing. Displayed on a wide arc almost 360 degrees wide, the day of the week is indicated with a retrograde hand labelled “today”, which flies back to Monday at the end of the week. It is controlled by an exposed snail cam at six that forms an integral part of the aesthetic. The dial looks modern and almost industrial, with an interesting combination of muted greys with spots of colour, primarily in the form of ruby components – a clever way of utilising functional rubies as decorative elements. The industrial feel is underlined by the simple, but smartly detailed case. ...
Monochrome
Here it is… the most exciting time of the year for watch enthusiasts, retailers, and journalists is upon us once again. The most important event of the watch industry calendar, Watches and Wonders 2024 is set to kick off on April 9th, 2024 at 08:30 AM Europe Time. The event gains even more importance this […]
Monochrome
First released in 2019, the Heritage BiCompax Annual quickly became a best-selling watch for Carl F. Bucherer. Merging retro design elements with modern complications and practicality, it is one of the very few timepieces on the market to combine a chronograph and an annual calendar – something you’d imagine only Patek is capable of manufacturing… […]
Monochrome
While there have been time-and-date and triple calendar versions since the mid-1990s, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore or ROO, has always been primarily known as a chronograph watch. It was actually designed as such when it launched in 1993. In modern days, non-chronograph ROO watches were mostly known as the Diver version, which was […]
Time+Tide
Perpetual calendars in celebration of the leap year are the order of the week.The post New releases from Blancpain, Corum, Louis Erard and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Taking its inspiration from yesteryear’s rudimentary tower and table clocks, MeisterSinger has built a solid brand around a rather unusual premise: all its watches are equipped with a single hand. Although a single hand might be equated with simple watches, MeisterSinger defies expectations and has escalated the complications ladder with everything from calendar indications to […]
Fratello
The original Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II 1655 that debuted in 1971 is probably my favorite Rolex watch of all time. I wish I’d felt the same in the mid-1980s when you could pick up an unloved “Freccione” at a huge discount. Unfortunately, I only started warming up to the Explorer II with its steel […] Visit This Monday Morning, I Realized I Should Have Bought The Black-Dial Rolex Explorer II 16570 Instead Of The White One to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The last two weeks have been big for Zenith’s El Primero line. First an El Primero Triple Calendar, then two new Chronomaster Sport references, one in green the other in rose gold with a gem set bezel. Now Zenith is dropping another entirely iteration, in a new metal: the Chronomaster Sport Titanium. The watch was announced as a part of Zenith’s partnership with famed tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown league, which kicks off its season this month. (Mouratoglou is well-known to tennis fans, but to give outsiders a sense of his stature, this guy coached Serena Williams for her last decade on tour, arguably her most dominant era.) Zenith has been the official timekeeper for the league since it launched in 2020, and the new Chronomaster Sport seems designed with that relationship and serious athletic activity in mind. The Chronomaster Sport Titanium features a 41mm grade 5 titanium case, bezel, and bracelet–though a strap option is also available for $500 less–making the watch 30% lighter than the steel models. (Surprisingly, the titanium model is also not that much more expensive than comparable steel models, coming in at $11,800 on the bracelet, versus $11,300 for a stainless steel Chronomaster Sport on the bracelet.) Titanium is also highly-resistant to corrosion, making it an ideal metal for a watch that’s meant to be worn in sweat-inducing environments. A signature of the Chronomaster Sport is its use of color, particularly on the thr...
SJX Watches
Best known for its astronomical complications, Christiaan van der Klaauw (CVDK) has created a special run of its chronograph with complete calendar and moon phase for its retailer in the Netherlands. The Ace x Christiaan van der Klaauw stAriadne Amsterdam Star is preserves the original design but adds a “fog grey” dial with star-shaped indices inspired by the “Stelline” dials found on 1950s Rolex watches. Initial thoughts The independent brand’s collaboration with Ace Jewelers is logical since both hail from the same country. The stAriadne stands out with its star indices that replaces the Arabic numerals of the standard model. A nod to the Rolex ref. 6062, star dials are relatively rare in contemporary timepieces, rendering this release quite distinctive. That being said, this is essentially an Ariadne with a new dial. Ideally, it would have been more interesting with mechanical tweaks to the largely standard Valjoux chronograph movement, a reliable but thick movement with shortish power reserve. But considering it is a limited edition of 50 pieces priced at €7,180 – about the same as the standard model – it is a reasonable proposition. A “star” dial The stAriadne is the latest iteration of the Ariadne, one of the longstanding models in the CVDK line-up. Since its launch, the model has been powered by the Valjoux 7758, a variant of the familiar 7750 chronograph movement that has the addition of a complete calendar and moon phase. Last year, the Ari...
Hodinkee
Plus a Patek Philippe Annual Calendar (Regulator), and a limited Grand Seiko U.S.-exclusive.
Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre‘s Master Thin collection is home to sophisticated, understated, ultra-thin dress watches ranging from time-and-date to moon phase models and more complex proposals like tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Offered with understated beige or sunray decorated dials, JLC introduced métiers d’art dials to the collection at the end of 2018. First appearing on the Master Ultra […]
SJX Watches
Arriving just as the Dragon year begins in February, the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon” is the latest illustration of the Geneva brand’s artisanal and technical capabilities, with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture on a grand feu enamel dial and an in-house calibre that indicates the time and calendar on discs. The “Year of the Dragon” is the final chapter in the brand’s Chinese Zodiac collection, an annual series of limited editions that began in 2012 with the rabbit. With the Chinese zodiac made up of a repeating 12-year cycle – with each year represented by an animal – the series reaches its conclusion with this dragon edition, which like its predecessors is available in either pink gold or platinum. Initial thoughts Dragon-themed watches have already started to proliferate with the incoming Year of the Dragon, simply because the dragon has the most universal appeal amongst all of the zodiac animals. It carries desirable symbolism across East Asia, as opposed to say, the rodent or pig, which have a niche audience. So the appeal of a dragon watch is arguably less about the motif, which is now common, but the execution. And here the Metiers d’Art “Year of the Dragon” excels in both presentation and technique. I’ve always been fond of Vacheron Constantin’s quadruple-disc display because it is both logical and attractive. The display makes sense because it leaves majority of the dial free fo...
Worn & Wound
The New Years holiday is typically a time to reflect and set some goals for the upcoming year ahead. Even if you’re not into setting New Year’s resolutions, the turning over of the calendar is a good opportunity to take stock. I’m not normally the type to set New Year’s resolutions myself, so I hope you won’t think it’s presumptuous that I’m about to lay out a goal for the entire watch community. I’d like to humbly propose that 2024 be the year we collectively abandon a practice that I’ve personally always found a bit strange: the “watch” Instagram account that sits alongside your “regular” account. Two accounts! One just for watches, one for – and I’m gesturing wildly here with both arms – everything else. To me that seems like a lot of work. Why do we do this? I’ve heard all kinds of explanations. The most common is that we, as watch collectors, don’t want to endure the weird looks and questions from friends and family when they see regular wrist shots pop up in their feed. To that I say: they already know how weird you are. We should fly our watch freak flags high, with wrist shots alongside pics of your breakfast burritos, gym selfies, and summit photos. Current grid: Just about all watches In 2024, let’s say goodbye to the idea that a watch focused Instagram is somehow not worthy of the views of your non-watch obsessed friends. They should accept you for who you are. And if somehow you’ve kept your watch hobby a secret all t...
Monochrome
Watches cost money; it’s as simple as that. And it’s also a given that luxury watches cost luxury money. But the assumption that you need to spend a fortune to wear something cool and stylish is wrong, luckily. While most of us might dream of tourbillons, split-second chronographs, minute repeaters or perpetual calendars, not many […]
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the year was how predictable much of it was. We saw more sports watches with integrated bracelets and more time-only watches with ostensibly artisanal decoration. Paradoxically, most of the notable surprises came from establishment marques that would ordinarily be predictable. Amongst them are the Rolex Perpetual 1908 and Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time ref. 5224R, both thoughtful creations that are typical for their respective brands. Here are our picks for the year’s best surprises in watchmaking. Brandon Moore Technical Contributor An unexpected, but user-friendly complicated watch that debuted this year is the Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Ref. 5224R, a simple dual time watch with a twist: both time zones are indicated on a 24-hour dial, eliminating the need for an auxiliary day-night indicator. Not only is the functionality appealing, but the aesthetic and ergonomic execution is done well. While 42 mm may seem large for a Calatrava, the watch is visually smaller thanks to its abundant use of applied markers on the dial and stepped case and lugs. Moreover, and importantly, it is different for Patek Philippe, which is notable since the brand usually errs on the side of the tried and tested. Who would have thought Patek Philippe would remake the Chronometro Gondolo into a wristwatch? Richard Lee Technical Editor I was surprised when I first saw the Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater ref....
Monochrome
Frederique Constant is well-known for its wide portfolio of manufacture movements, ranging from classic time-only to high-end tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Still, not all watches from FC are powered by these internally developed and assembled calibres. Specifically, most of the brand’s entry-level models rely on Sellita movements. A new collection, which has just been presented, […]
SJX Watches
Highly regarded by his peers, Stephen McDonnell is a horological engineer best known for his work with MB&F;, where he devised the LM Perpetual EVO and LM Sequential EVO double chronograph. Mr McDonnell’s twin inventions for MB&F; reflect the ingenuity of his approach. Mr McDonnell delivered one of the most fascinating and enlightening lectures of Dubai Watch Week 2023, where he explained his process, methods, and philosophy in a heartfelt and sincere talk. It’s recommended watching for anyone interested in mechanical creativity and the people behind it.
SJX Watches
Dubai Watch Week (DWW) is the last major international event of the year’s horological calendar. Organised by Middle East retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, DWW takes place from November 16-20 at its traditional venue of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The event promises to be bigger and better than before, with exhibitors spanning the spectrum of watchmaking, from Rolex to Rexhep Rexhepi. From its origins as an event focused on niche and independent brands, DWW has grown to involve major marques. The exhibitors this year include Rolex and Audemars Piguet, while independent watchmakers continue to have a major presence. F.P. Journe, MB&F;, Urwerk, and Rexhepi Rexhepi are amongst the indies taking part. DWW founder Hind Seddiqi Many of the industry’s notable personalities will be Dubai Watch Week, with speakers including Frederic Grangie, head of Chanel’s watch and jewellery division; Francois-Henry Bennahmias, the outgoing chief executive of Audemars Piguet; and Jean Arnault, director of watches at Louis Vuitton. And independent watchmaking will have an equal share of the limelight, with Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, as well as Maximilian Büsser and Stephen McDonnell of MB&F; amongst the speakers. The event includes classes intended to give the public a taste of the watchmaking crafts. These include a gem setting workshop by Audemars Piguet and a miniature painting class by Louis Vuitton. DWW takes place from November 16-20, 2023 at DIFC. Entry is free but...
SJX Watches
Regarded as a bellwether of the market, the Geneva auction season just concluded with the main players – Phillips, Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Antiquorum – having staged their sales over four days. Several records were set over the season, including CHF2.1 million for an immaculate Rolex ref. 6062 triple calendar in steel at Phillips, and CHF2.2 million for the George Daniels Millennium also signed by Roger W. Smith, both including fees. Trending one way Despite the record holders, the tone of the season was set by moderating or even weak prices. This was already evident with the most faddish of the “hype” watches last season six months ago. The May auctions saw prices for such watches gap down substantially, reflecting a new reality. Now the same appears to be happening for independent watchmaking – a good thing in my view as it will hopefully shake out the opportunists and no-hopers. The Roger W. Smith Series 2 hammered for CHF400,000 at Phillips (or CHF508,000 with fees), which is below the current retail price for the model and a third below the price of the lower-priced Series 1 that sold in the same venue in May 2023. The Phillips saleroom at La Reserve. Image – Phillips This phenomenon was not unique to Roger W. Smith, with prices gapping down for significant independents like F.P. Journe and Voutilainen. However, these brands remain buoyed by their relative reasonable retail prices, which still remain below recent auction valuations. Even if some exa...
SJX Watches
Arguably the most storied Rolex model in history, more so than the “Paul Newman” Daytona, the ref. 6062 triple calendar is beautiful, and unusually for Rolex, complicated. At the same time, the ref. 6062 boasts the trademark water-resistant Oyster case, something that its closest cousin, the ref. 8171 “Padellone” triple calendar, lacks. Soon to go under the hammer at Phillips in Geneva is a particularly impressive example of the ref. 6062. While there have been more storied examples of the ref. 6062 sold in recent years – including the “Bao Dai” owned by the last emperor of Vietnam – the upcoming ref. 6062 is possibly the best preserved. It is a steel example, and while a steel ref. 6062 is rare, the condition of this watch truly sets it apart. The case appears original in shape and detail, though it shows wear; modest wear considering the seven decades since the watch was made. Phillips describes the case as “unpolished” and while that cannot be ascertained with absolutely certainty, the claim is certainly a credible one. The Oyster case has its full shape, defined edges, and even the tiny step at the very top of the bezel where it meets the crystal. More so than any of the other external components, the case back of this model typically shows the most obvious wear as the engravings are shallow. But here the original engravings look almost like they did fresh out of the factory, right down to the rectangular blocks separating the two lines of text. Int...
SJX Watches
After recently introducing a pilot’s watch with a fully-luminous dial and the Big Pilot perpetual in white ceramic, IWC continues to grow its aviation-inspired offerings with the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert. First introduced as a limited edition in 2019, the sand-coloured ceramic chronograph is now regular production and in a more wearable size of 41 mm. Initial thoughts One of the standouts in the Top Gun collection has been the Mojave Desert with its beige tones – definitely an unusual colour for a oversized sports watch. However, the colour was only applied to larger models to date. The reintroduction of the Mojave Desert in a more compact size, and standard production to boot, is a good thing – though probably not such a good thing for owners of the limited edition version. The smaller case helps with wearability, making this desirable colour combination available to a wider audience. Size aside, there is no major point of difference. The same can be said for price: the new Mojave Desert chronograph retails for US$11,700, mirroring the price tag of the other ceramic chronographs in the collection. A new size, but same style The Mojave Desert chronograph is the latest addition to the “Colours of Top Gun” collection that draws inspiration from the US Navy’s flight school. The colour choice for this model is influenced by the Mojave Desert that surrounds the US Navy’s TOPGUN fighter pilot academy, and its pilots’ distinctive flight...
Deployant
The Traditionnelle collection is Vacheron Constantin’s take on Geneva haute horlogerie traditions stemming from the 18th century. Yet time and time again, the manufacturer has shown that it isn’t afraid of adding contemporary touches to its Traditionnelle timepieces. Recent additions such as the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface have seen the collection embrace the use ofRead More
Time+Tide
Longines’ classic Flagship line gets a handsome new 38.5mm Heritage model in three colourways The new models feature both a moonphase and calendar function on a well-balanced dial The original Flagship made its debut in 1957, and was one of Longines’ first wristwatch collections Longines are one of the oldest watch brands in the world, … ContinuedThe post Longines send you over the moon with their newest Flagship Heritage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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