Results for ETA 2892-A2

S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Aug 27, 2025

Albishorn Counts Down to First Anniversary with Marinagraph

We’ve been following Albishorn since the brand launched just shy of a year ago, and have enjoyed the themes the brand has chosen to explore with its ‘imaginary vintage’ concept. After applying this formula to aviation and mountaineering, the Marinagraph returns to the brand’s patented regatta countdown function for another take on the yachting chronograph. Available in classic black or sunray brushed teal dial finishes, the Marinagraph adds an aluminium bezel insert to provide at-a-glance reading of the current state of the local tides. Each version is limited to 99 pieces, which will be produced in small batches over the next three years. Initial thoughts Albishorn made its debut with a regatta timer, and it’s nice to see another foray into this genre to mark the brand’s first anniversary. Though regatta timers are surely among the least useful complications, the Marinagraph adds a tide bezel that adds a simple way for coastal buyers to monitor their local tides. As a seaside resident myself, I find this feature quite charming and it seems on-brand for Albishorn. Two dial colours are on offer, each limited to 99 (non-numbered) pieces. I prefer the classic black dial, which feels more in line with the imaginary vintage theme, but the sunburst teal dial, dubbed Paraíba Racing, is arguably more on trend with the prevailing tastes of the moment. The Marinagraph retains the best elements of Albishorn’s previous chronographs, namely its distinctive bowl-shaped be...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Rolex Aug 26, 2025

Rolex Bracelet Types Explained

Rolex has made many lasting contributions to the world of watchmaking since its foundation in 1905, not the least of which has been an array of massively popular and widely emulated bracelet designs. Here we take a close look at every type of Rolex bracelet, what makes it special, and which Rolex watches, if any, are using them today. Rolex Oyster Bracelet Rolex’s iconic Oyster bracelet is the template from which many other three-link bracelet styles have been drawn. Its name comes from its association with the Oyster case - introduced by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1926, and the most water-resistant watch case that had been made up to that point - and for which the original version of this bracelet served as an extension. Oyster bracelets are recognizable for their wide center links bordered by thinner end-links. Rolex patented the design in 1947 and fitted one on a watch in 1948. In the early versions, the links were riveted; these were phased out in favor of a “folding” style in 1967, which eventually gave way to the modern, solid-link style in 1975. Oyster bracelets come equipped with the accompanying Oysterlock clasp, a triple-deployant metal clasp with a safety-lock mechanism. Three-link bracelets like the Oyster and its various descendants are particularly popular on sports watches and dive watches, and this bracelet appears, as you’d expect on most of Rolex’s most popular “professional” models, including the Submariner, GMT-Master II, Explorer,...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Isotope Officially Debuts Aug 26, 2025

Isotope Officially Debuts the Long Awaited OVNI Jumping Hour

If you’ve attended the Windup Watch Fair, British Watchmakers’ Day, or any other watch event in the last few years where Isotope and brand founder Jose Miranda have been in attendance, chances are you got an early look at the OVNI, their long in the works watch with a jumping hour complication. Like the Moonshot before it, the OVNI Jumping Hour represents Isotope at their most ambitious, creating a watch with a design that seems to be dropped from another world entirely, and with a unique interpretation of a classic complication. Lots of enthusiasts have been waiting for the OVNI to land, and its general release is a big milestone for the brand, which happens to coincide with Isotope’s tenth anniversary.  Like other watches in Isotope’s collection, the OVNI borrows heavily from science fiction in its design language, most notably with the saucer shaped case, which the brand proudly admits was inspired by UFOs (the name of the watch, OVNI, comes from the Iberian/French abbreviation for “UFO”). It’s crafted from 904L steel and measures 40mm across and 13.6mm tall. Virtually every surface is either brushed (the body of the case) or sandblasted (the crown) for a look that is unmistakably industrial. The crown at 12:00 is mirrored by an Isotope badge on the 6:00 side of the case (wisely, there’s no branding on the dial).  The sci-fi vibes are perhaps even stronger on the dial, which is where Isotope reinterprets the jumping hour concept in their own way. It’...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Massena Lab Aug 26, 2025

Massena Lab and Vianney Halter Team Up for Steampunk Regulator

Massena Lab’s latest collaboration is a steampunk regulator wristwatch created together with Vianney Halter. Blending the best of both their respective styles, the Old Soul is an unusual yet appealing proposition for collectors looking to get a sampling of the independent watchmaker’s best known works. The Old Soul displays the time regulator-style, with the hours, minutes, and seconds on separate registers. But it indicates the minutes with a clever trick: a “floating” minute pointer on a clear sapphire disc. Inside is a vintage Minerva movement that’s been dressed up for the occasion but still recognisable as an early-20th century calibre. Initial thoughts The Old Soul a continuation of the collection that began with the Old School made together with Luca Soprana. If Massena Lab founder William Rohr’s aesthetic sensibilities prevailed with the earlier watch, it is Mr Halter’s signature style that dominates the Old Soul. The Old Soul is unquestionably quirky - both as a whole and in the details. The watch looks like a regulator, but lacks the traditional vertical sub-dial arrangement. It also lacks a central minute hand, featuring instead a “floating” diamond-shaped pointer. The “floating” hand is a nifty optical illusion but it’s a straightforward concept that replaces the hand with a clear disc. Inside the piece ticks an equally unexpected movement, a “new old stock” Minerva cal. 17.22. According to Massena Lab, it was the discovery of a fo...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Greubel Forsey or De Bethune there Aug 26, 2025

Massena LAB and Vianney Halter Team Up for the “Old Soul”

Before there was MB&F;, before there was Richard Mille or Greubel Forsey or De Bethune, there was Vianney Halter. Alongside brands like Urwerk, Vianney Halter helped to reimagine what watches could look and feel like coming into the 21st century. Writing in 2025, it’s hard to think of a time when the weird and wonderful wasn’t a core part of watch collecting, and Vianney Halter deserves no small amount of praise for his role in bridging the gap between a more traditional interpretation of independent watchmaking and the wide-open world of watch design we now get to enjoy. Still, nearly three decades on from the release of his first watch in 1998 (the inimitable Antiqua Perpetual Calendar), Vianney Halter is still working, and his latest release, the Old Soul - designed and executed in collaboration with William Massena and Massena LAB - is a sterling reminder that the old master isn’t out of tricks just yet. Like Halter’s last collaboration, the Louis Erard x Vianney Halter Regulator, which was released around Thanksgiving last year, the Old Soul leans into Halter’s Steampunk sensibilities, but blends the unique aesthetic with Massena’s signature eye towards historic watch design. The resulting piece is something both classically beautiful and wholly contemporary. Cased in a sedate and handsome 42mm, 12mm thick steel case, the Old School by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB is powered by the Minerva calibre 17’22, a vintage pocket watch movement first introdu...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Holthinrichs Signature Ornament LAB Series Aug 24, 2025

First Look – The new Holthinrichs Signature Ornament LAB Series 1.24

Headquartered in the historical centre of Delft, The Netherlands, Holthinrichs Watches, named after its founder Michiel Holthinrichs, is one of the rising stars of the indie watchmaking scene. The brand has a truly unique approach to design and manufacturing, combining advanced metal printing techniques (yes, 3D printed cases are THE signature feature there) with high-end […]

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Aug 21, 2025

Introducing – Indie Brand Guebly Updates Its Initial Concept with the new CH1 Rétrograde

Guebly isn’t an old brand. On the contrary, it’s a recently created independent watchmaking company that released its very first watch, the Prologue or Chapter 1, only a year ago. Guebly is the brainchild of Adnane Kerd, a collector who turned watch entrepreneur. A sober luxury sports watch that showed great attention to detail and […]

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Tudor Aug 19, 2025

Tudor Black Bay Pro Review

At Watches & Wonders 2025, Tudor expanded its existing catalog to address some fan requests as well as to reset some long neglected collections. One release that does both is the new Black Bay Pro with a silver opaline dial. This is a configuration long requested from enthusiasts, and Tudor did the idea justice by getting the small details right. This is more than a mere dial swap, even if the underlying platform remains largely the same. This is the kind of methodical evolution we’ve come to expect from Tudor, though in some ways, the new Black Bay Pro plays things a little too safe.  Let’s take a quick look back at Tudor’s recent history with the GMT complication to set some context for the newest Black Bay Pro, because - while this configuration has been highly requested - as far as fan requests go, this watch has one glaring omission. Tudor released the Black Bay GMT back in 2018 with a black dial and a throwback red-and-blue aluminum bezel. As popular as the watch was right off the bat, the size made it a tough pill to swallow for some, particularly the thickness of the case paired with the relatively flat sidewall.  Tudor Black Bay Pro Case Tudor partially addressed this with the release of the first Black Bay Pro in 2022 in a 39mm steel case. The watch also played up ties to the Rolex Explorer II with a fixed steel bezel. It was an unexpected release but it hit many of the right notes, and it made the substantial thickness a bit easier to stomach. It wor...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Louis Erard Makes Hand Engraving Affordable Aug 19, 2025

Louis Erard Makes Hand Engraving Affordable

Louis Erard’s niche is making either watchmakers or techniques affordable – the Gravée Main is hand engraving priced accessibly. The watch is entirely engraved by hand, across the bezel, case, crown, and buckle, with a classical leaf motif by Maksym Shavlak, a watchmaker and engraver from Ukraine. The resulting look is a blend of Gothic and Baroque, but the underlying watch retains the usual dimensions and movement of Louis Erard, while the dial is glossy black lacquer that evokes fired enamel. Initial thoughts I appreciate Louis Erard’s consistent focus on making interesting names or techniques affordable; its recent Damascus steel regulator being an example. Some micro-brands or one-man shops do the same for slightly less, particularly for certain decorative techniques, but without the finesse of Louis Erard. A good deal of credit for this goes to Manuel Emch, who oversees Louis Erard and lends his eye to the brand’s creations. The Gravée Main sits squarely in the sweet spot where Louis Erard excels. Admittedly, the ornate look is not for everyone, some might even find it tacky. But I like it; the look is appealing and the execution shows attention to detail. The tone-on-tone lacquered dial is a smart complement to the elaborate case. And that attention to detail is also evident in the engraving, which continues onto both the crown and buckle, which are sometimes overlooked. Price-wise the Gravée Main is pricier than the typical Louis Erard limited edition, bu...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 Good Aug 17, 2025

Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Vs. Chopard Alpine Eagle 41

Good morning and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Last week, we had a surprising matchup between two titanium high-beat chronographs that ended up in a tie. This week, we’re curious to see what happens when we put two stainless steel integrated bracelet reinterpretations up against each other. In 2023, IWC brought back the Ingenieur, […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Vs. Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 to read the full article.

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Aug 16, 2025

The Petrolhead Corner – This 1966 Cheetah GT V8 Will Bark, Bite and Bruise You, No Questions Asked

What would you do, as a Chevrolet-employed performance engineer and race car developer, when your employer suddenly decides to cancel all its racing programs in the middle of developing a new car? The most straightforward answer would probably be to change companies, but that’s not what Bill Thomas did. Working under contract with General Motors […]

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

De Bethune DB25 Monopusher Chronograph De Aug 15, 2025

Hands On: De Bethune DB25 Monopusher Chronograph

De Bethune once again has a single-button chronograph to its line-up with the compact DB25 Monopusher Chronograph. Styled after the DB8 from the brand’s early years, the DB25 chronograph has a smaller case but a larger, more refined movement. Importantly, it is most accessible chronographs from the brand in recent memory, both in size and price. Initial Thoughts I hold De Bethune in high regard for its technical ambition and an idiosyncratic design language that blends aesthetic codes from the 18th and 23rd centuries. The distinctive aesthetics were largely the brainchild of cofounder Davide Zanetta, who unfortunately departed the brand several years ago. Fortunately, however, both traits are alive and well in the DB25 Monopusher Chronograph. For several years the brand lacked a conventional chronograph, and I see the new DB25 as the brand’s long-term solution to that problem. Likely shaped by feedback on the recent DB Eight, the DB25 Monopusher has everything it needs to be a staple of the brand’s line-up – moderate sizing, good looks, and complementary calibre. Though based on the brand’s prior chronograph movements, the DB3000 inside the DB25 is interesting in several respects. For one, it retains the oscillating pinion found in the long-ago DB1. The oscillating pinion isn’t well regarded by collectors, seen as less advanced than a vertical clutch and without the theatre of a horizontal coupling. It is possible to make a handsome chronograph with an oscillat...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Audemars Piguet Advances Vertical Integration Aug 14, 2025

Business News: Audemars Piguet Advances Vertical Integration with Inhotec

Audemars Piguet (AP) has just announced a majority stake in Inhotec, a supplier of components for high-end mechanical movements. Long a supplier to AP, Inhotec produces parts ranging from base plates to springs, in both raw and fully decorated states. The value of the deal was not revealed, but founder Alexandre Eme will retain a minority stake and continue to serve as chief executive of Inhotec, which was founded in 2011. According to the announcement, AP will “provide strategic and financial support” while leaving Inhotec to retain “operational autonomy” over “managerial decisions, industrial activities and commercial relationships”. Lucas Raggi, the chief industrial officer of AP, explains the acquisition “is about consolidating key strategic skills and supporting the continuity of an expertise that is essential to the future of haute horlogerie“. AP’s acquisition of Inhotec reflects two trends. One is the longstanding and continued development of AP’s production capabilities, exemplified by the recent inauguration of the expansive Arc manufacture in Le Brassus. The other is macro, a slowdown in business for specialised suppliers across the watchmaking value chain.  

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase Aug 13, 2025

Hands On: Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase

Now into the second half of its second century, Piaget unveiled the Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase, an eccentric entrant in the crowded field of luxury sport watches. The charm of the watch lies in its unusual feature set: an extravagant dial and easy wearing format, which includes interchangeable rubber and leather straps. Housed in a sleek, 44 mm titanium case, the Polo Flying Tourbillon is the most complicated watch in the Polo collection since the underrated Polo Tourbillon Relatif introduced two decades ago. Initial thoughts I have a soft spot for watches like the Polo Flying Tourbillon that don’t fit neatly into any pre-conceived category. It’s risky to make watches like this; watches that look a bit odd on the spec sheet but feel good on the wrist. On one hand, it’s overtly sporty with a titanium case, a rubber strap, and a robust 100 m water resistance rating thanks to dual gaskets in the crown. Looked at from another perspective, it’s a piece of true industrial-haute horlogerie with a flying tourbillon and a thoughtfully executed pointer-style moonphase indicator, sans date. This last detail stands out to me, because the date and moonphase complications usually go hand-in-hand. To be clear, I don’t miss the date; its absence contributes to the care-free nature of the watch. The 44 mm titanium case looks large on paper, and indeed, the diameter is accentuated by its 9.8 mm case height, which is on the thinner side as such things go. But the Polo wears w...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Aug 13, 2025

G-SHOCK Enters the Metaverse with The Sandbox

There was a period of time in 2020 and 2021 when it felt like you couldn’t have a conversation with someone without hearing about cryptocurrency, the blockchain, or the metaverse. I mean, Facebook literally changed the name of the company to reflect what all signs pointed to being the future of the internet. Of course, watch brands got involved as well, with a variety of projects that sought to integrate watches (physical objects) with the digital world. I actually purchased a watch during that time period that, unbeknownst to me when I handed over the credit card, came with an NFT. The watch is gone, but somewhere on the blockchain, I guess, is an NFT tied to my watch and my watch alone.  Thankfully, in my opinion, metaverse mania has slowed a bit in the watch world. It’s been a while since I saw a press release that really touted any sort of blockchain specific features. But last week, some news from G-SHOCK caught my eye. It’s not a new watch release, but rather the implementation of a new virtual G-SHOCK themed world in the metaverse, produced in partnership with The Sandbox.  The Sandbox. I’ve learned, is a blockchain-based open world game that launched in November 2021. The Virtual G-SHOCK in The Sandbox project is effectively a G-SHOCK themed Sandbox experience, where you can purchase an avatar to play as based on classic G-SHOCK watch designs, play games that take you through G-SHOCK history. According to the brand, the gameplay involves “shock resistan...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Isotope Watches Hydrium Limited Editions Aug 13, 2025

Introducing: Four Unique New Isotope Watches Hydrium Limited Editions

UK-founded independent watchmaker Isotope Watches made a name by releasing remarkable watches that stood out through their original designs, whimsical details, and robust engineering. The brand helps you break from convention and embrace the eccentric side everybody has, no matter how deeply tucked away. You could do that with the four new Isotope Watches Hydrium […] Visit Introducing: Four Unique New Isotope Watches Hydrium Limited Editions to read the full article.

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art “Tribute Aug 12, 2025

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art “Tribute to the Celestial”

Long a pillar of Vacheron Constantin’s line-up, Métiers d’Art has usually been about figurative, decorative, and classical watches, with traditional motifs and techniques being a recurring theme. The Métiers d’Art “Tribute to the Celestial” is, however, different in style from the usual Métiers d’Art offers, although its distinctive look is inspired by a one-off grand complication from 2021. The Tribute to the Celestial is a combination of familiar elements, but executed in a surprising way. It’s centred on traditional techniques, namely the hand guilloche dial and gem-set case, but modern in approach and aesthetics. The palette is largely blue and almost monochromatic, while the guilloche forms a geometric, polygonal motif. Initial thoughts At a distance, the Tribute to the Celestial is not what you expect. Across a room, it looks like a shiny, all-blue watch that could be ceramic or another contemporary material. It also doesn’t reveal much detail. But up close the Tribute to the Celestial shows off lots of refined detailing; it’s a double dose of metiers d’art, engine turning and gem setting. The primary metiers d’art on the Tribute to the Celestial is the guilloche on the dial that is done by hand in-house at Vacheron Constantin’s engine turning workshop. Instead of the common guilloche found on many watches, this employs straight lines at different angles to create a polygonal motif that forms a zodiac symbol, illustrating the versatility of...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Minase Aug 11, 2025

Introducing – The Fresh & New Minase Uruga with Ice Blue Dial

Minase is a Japanese watch brand well known to those who appreciate fine case construction and artisanal finishing. It was founded in 2005 by Kyowa Co., a specialist in precision machining and metalworking since the 1960s. Minase began as a case and bracelet manufacturer before stepping into full watch production. With a strong focus on […]

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Fossil Aug 9, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Last Client, Huckberry’s Retail Store, and Fossil’s Fantastic Four Appearance

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Last Original Client For most people with an interest in architecture, the best you can do with respect to the works of Frank Lloyd Wright is to admire his buildings from afar, or perhaps get the guided tour experience if you visit his most famous pieces. Obviously, far fewer people actually get to live in the homes he designed, and fewer still are alive today that can tell you what it was like to work with the architect during the building process. This wonderful piece in NPR puts a spotlight on Roland Reisley, who recently turned 101 years old. He is, according to NPR, the last surviving original client of Frank Lloyd Wright, and he still lives in the home he designed. He’s been at the residence in Westchester County, NY for over 70 years, and has become a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright scholar in that time. This one’s a must read for anyone with an interest in architecture. Huckberry Opens Shop: Brick & Mortar in Georgetown For over 14 years, the team at Huckberry has worked to curate a collection of clothing, gear, and home accessories like no other. While their offerings have drawn the attention of many, you were only able to shop online or...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Aug 8, 2025

Business News: How One Legendary CEO, One Independent American Retailer, And One Swiss Pre-Owned Seller Are Responding To The Tariff Situation

Georges Kern says Swiss government can get a better deal with U.S. President Trump.

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F Fratello

Fratello

Aug 6, 2025

Hands-On With The Volan Type One Tyre And Wheel Watches

Do you remember tyre watches? I had completely forgotten all about them until the founder and owner of Volan, Diederik van Golen, visited our Fratello office a year ago. Being a boat and car guy, he devised a modern interpretation of the tyre watch concept. These were only drawings back then, but they looked great. […] Visit Hands-On With The Volan Type One Tyre And Wheel Watches to read the full article.

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F Fratello

Fratello

Aug 5, 2025

Fratello On Air: How The Watch Industry Can Reignite The Passions Of Collectors

In the nearly 15 years since I began collecting watches in earnest, the watch industry has experienced significant growth. The last couple of years, however, have been a challenge. Inflation, geopolitical events, and other headwinds have now emerged. This has resulted in a tough market and high retail prices. So, what should brands do to […] Visit Fratello On Air: How The Watch Industry Can Reignite The Passions Of Collectors to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Aug 4, 2025

We’re Still Doing This, Apparently: the Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold is Revealed

There’s almost nothing you can say to convince me the latest MoonSwatch, the not so elegantly named Mission to Earthphase Moonshine Gold, is not the product of a ChatGPT prompt entered by a Swatch exec. Maybe it said “What should the next entry in our never ending profit squeezing machine that is the MoonSwatch collection be called?” I can imagine an artificial intelligence suggesting something as silly, and also reminding the good people at Swatch that blue, and gold, and Snoopy are all very critical design characteristics that should be included.  Honestly, I hope AI is the culprit. I’d hate to think that human beings at a brand that I hold in such high regard are responsible for such a shallow mismatch of buzzwords and incoherent thematic elements. Let’s take stock of what we’re looking at here. This is a Bioceramic, quartz MoonSwatch much like all the others. It follows the original Earthphase model from last year and includes not just a moonphase complication, but an “Earthphase” that depicts the “phase” of the earth as seen from the moon. Useful? No. Whimsical? Perhaps.  There are a lot of little details though that are a bit of a grab bag of prior elements of MoonSwatches and Speedmasters of the past. Most notably, Snoopy and Woodstock are depicted right on the dial, watching the cosmic dance play out in front of them. The moons on the moonphase indicator are MoonShine gold plated. The graphical inspiration for the moonphase complication is the...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Rolex Jul 31, 2025

Rolex Land-Dweller Review

It's no understatement to say that the Rolex Land-Dweller was the talk of Watches & Wonders 2025, which took place in Geneva a few months ago. A new Rolex collection with an integrated bracelet and a brand new movement? Well, we would expect no less. There is something fundamentally earth-shaking about massive shifts in the Rolex atmosphere. Mixed metaphors aside, just because we have seen Rolex develop and launch an entirely new collection quite recently (with the 1908, released just two years ago, in 2023), it doesn’t make it normal. Before that it was the Sky-Dweller, and years before that, there were variations on the Yacht-Master. The launch of the Land-Dweller proved to be one of those milestone moments.  The Land-Dweller is the product of 18 new patents specific to this watch, as Rolex has developed an entirely new watch both inside and out. No, this is not a new complication, but it is a brand-new approach to timekeeping. It marks the first development of a new escapement system at this scale since the arrival of the Co-Axial escapement from Omega some twenty-five ago. In short this is big news. As you likely have seen by now, Teddy and I had the chance to see this watch up close and personal ahead of this year's Watches & Wonders a few months ago (you can find our full video hands-on review on YouTube now) and were also lucky enough to do it prior to a lot of the pre-release noise really reaching peak volume. That is to say, we were able to learn about the mech...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Jul 30, 2025

Hanhart Expands the Aquasphere Line with the New Ocean Fade Edition

These days, it can feel like the watch world is drowning in dive watches, making it increasingly difficult for brands to create standout pieces. Should you, as a designer, break diver conventions and risk sacrificing some of the core functionality that defines the category? Or should you tweak the finer details-like dial text, strap materials, or case sizing? There isn’t a definitive answer, but the Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade attempts to rise above the tide of new dive watch releases in a few key ways. The German brand, known for its history as a maker of stopwatches and chronographs since 1882, sticks with a classic blue and black color scheme for the Aquasphere Ocean Fade, a theme that remains hard to argue with in the dive watch category. The “Fade” refers to the dial’s soft gradient-bright ocean blue to deep black-with a matching blue or black bezel that mimics the change in light as one descends underwater. Legibility is maintained through bright white indices and text, and the stencil-style Arabic numerals contrast nicely with the more elegant Hanhart script just below 12 o’clock. Red accents at the tip of the seconds hand and around the bezel’s triangle marker add a layer of visual clarity to the overall package. Measurements on the Aquasphere Ocean Fade are typical for a tool-focused dive watch, though large by general watch standards. It comes in at 42mm in diameter with a 49mm lug-to-lug, dimensions that emphasize its purpose-built nature. Th...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Hublot Big Bang Unico Jul 28, 2025

Hands On: Hublot Big Bang Unico in Mint Green Ceramic

One of the year’s best summer watches, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Mint Green Ceramic is a fresh interpretation of the brand’s signature collection. Housed in a 42 mm case clad in candy-like, mint green ceramic, the Big Bang Unico features Hublot’s top-of-the-line HUB1280 flyback chronograph movement with an unusual, dial-side integrated construction. While technically identical to other ceramic Big Bang watches, the new mint green colour is unusually fun and approachable. This new edition of the Big Bang joins the permanent collection, and extends the brand’s industry-leading range of coloured ceramic watches. Initial thoughts Hublot is a brand that tends to elicit visceral polarisation among collectors, and it’s easy to see why. The bold designs are seen as outrageous by some, and the pricing puts them out of reach for those focused on maximising their horological dollar. But Hublot has outgrown its early reputation as a Royal Oak imitator and found its own identity, in part through its leadership in ceramics and willingness to experiment with design and colour. In this case, the mint green colour looks great, and considering the glossy finish, it looks almost like candy. This gives the watch a friendly countenance that results in an amusing tension with the overtly masculine, technical structure of the case and design of the dial, with its stencil-like hour markers. The Big Bang collection is all about its signature architectural case, and the mint green editio...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Marathon Jul 27, 2025

The Polar Dial Search and Rescue Dive Watch – Marathon OSAR-D White

In this video, we take a closer look at the newly released Marathon OSAR-D white dial dive watch. Not only has the dial been updated with a new color, but the details have all been updated and modernized as well giving the watch an entirly new look and feel compared to the more traditional OSAR-D from last year. In this video, we take a closer look at the newly released Marathon OSAR-D white dial dive watch. Not only has the dial been updated with a new color, but the details have all been updated and modernized as well giving the watch an entirly new look and feel compared to the more traditional OSAR-D from last year. The post The Polar Dial Search and Rescue Dive Watch – Marathon OSAR-D White appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Tudor Yashica’s City 300 Jul 26, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Splashdown With Tudor, Yashica’s City 300 and The OGR2

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. SPLASHDOWN While you might know the story of how the Omega Speedmaster became the official Moonwatch, you might know the story of Navy-UDT Frogman who were tasked with safely recovering astronauts as they returned to Earth. Just as the astronauts relied upon their speedmasters,  the UDT Frogmen had their own piece of critical time keeping kit: the Tudor Submariner 7928. While these divers would preform critical roles in supporting Nasa’s splashdown recovery program, their story remained largely untold, until now. On Thursday, June 24th, Tudor unveiled a short film dedicated to these men, aptly titled “Splashdown: The Little-Known Story of Navy Frogmen and the Space Program”.  Featuring members of the team, their family, and even Jack Carr, the short film can be watched on Tudor’s website alongside various historical images. Little Camera, Big Punch Yashica, a Japanese camera company, has announced their newest compact camera, the City 300.  Similar in size to a point-and-shoot camera or the Ricoh family of cameras, the new City 300 combines a 50MP sensor, a fast F/1.8 lens, and what appears to be a flip/tilt screen; all for an estimated US retail price of $4...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Jul 25, 2025

Hands-On: the Aera M-1 Blackbird

Is it too late to dub the summer of 2025 “Black Watch Summer”? That might be how I remember this particular season. The watch I’ve worn most, by far, as the temps have soared is my Ming 37.09 “Uni,” a blacked out void of a watch if ever there was one. And a few weeks ago at Windup I purchased my first vintage watch in ages, a DLC coated Favre-Leuba chronograph that I couldn’t pass on. And now, as we’re fully in the dog days, I sit here with the new Aera Instruments M-1 Blackbird on my wrist, another cool, sleek, blacked out watch that bolsters the notion that Aera is one of the most interesting accessible indies of the moment.  I reviewed Aera’s D-1 dive watch a few years ago, and the tone of that review was one of pleasant surprise. At the time, the brand was in the midst of launching their second collection, and from the photos and press materials I had seen, I was struggling to make sense of why this brand needed to exist. That might seem like a harsh standard, but we live in a period where it’s incredibly easy to churn out incredibly generic sports watches for minimal money and talent that absolutely no one needs. The whole point of this website, as I see it, is to find the stuff that has a real reason to be made because it offers something different. So I was surprised to find that the D-1 subverted my expectations by flipping the idea of a dive watch on its head. It kind of looks like a generic dive watch at a glance, but every single detail is act...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Jul 25, 2025

The 77 Best Microbrand Watches In 2026

When it comes to watch consumers' interest, there has over the past several years been a rising level of interest in watch brands that deviate from what might be viable for the mass market luxury watch brands but appeal to a niche but passionate audience. These so-called microbrands have represented one of the fastest-growing segments of the mechanical watch market, in which small shops can produce quality products that compete for connoisseurs' attention with the titans of the business. In the past several years, we've handled hundreds of watches from different microbrands out there; In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the best microbrand watches that the market has to offer in a variety of price ranges. What makes a Microbrand Watch? Now first, it is important to try to best classify what a microbrand is and what it isn’t. To me, a microbrand is a limited-production watch company that typically specializes in a particular style that does not have extensive resources to produce its own in-house calibers or other proprietary parts. This classification can get a little grey in the area of independent watchmakers that typically either have higher levels of watchmaking, like a Habring2, who have a master watchmaker like Richard Habring at the helm, or are a brand like Christopher Ward, who produce a high number of pieces and has in-house production capacities. The Best Microbrand Watches: The Latest Additions Santurce  A microbrand with a strong Puerto Rican per...

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