Hodinkee
Buying, Selling, & Collecting: The Far-Out Audemars Piguet Disco Volante
Hands-on with a vintage AP Disco Volante, and correcting the record on who really designed it.
Results for DLC and PVD Coating
29,586 articles · 1,985 videos found · page 591 of 1053
Hodinkee
Teddy Baldassarre
Annual Calendar Watches Guide
Annual calendar watches have been on the scene for a while now, though they remain a somewhat niche area of horological interest - not as revered as lofty complications like the perpetual calendar and minute repeater but also not as obsessed over as more down-to-earth mechanisms like chronographs and GMTs. And yet, the annual calendar offers not only one of the most practical functions for an everyday wearer, but has also proven to be a canvas for some truly engaging designs. As per its name, an annual calendar displays the day, date, and month and need only be manually adjusted by its wearer once per year, at the end of February. Patek Philippe's Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar introduced in 2023 Most of the wristwatch complications we’re familiar with are relatively ancient in origin, and almost all of them old enough to have debuted in pocketwatches rather than wristwatches. The first wristwatch chronograph, made by Longines, appeared in 1913; the first minute repeater for the wrist goes all the way back to 1892, invented by Louis Brandt, founder of Omega; and the first wrist-borne perpetual calendar made its debut in 1925, engineered by none other than Patek Philippe, which had actually invented the compact-sized movement for it as early as 1889, using it at the time in a ladies’ pendant watch. The annual calendar, by contrast, even though it might seem to today’s enthusiasts to be a fixture among luxury watch complications, is much younger, tracing its origin st...
Worn & Wound
Omega Celebrates the Start of the Olympic Games with the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition
I think it might surprise some longtime readers and friends to learn that I kind of love the Olympics. I’m not the biggest sports fan and generally scoff at watches tied to athlete ambassadors and endorsements, but the sheer spectacle of the Olympics gets me everytime. I won’t sit here and say that I’m some great expert on competitive swimming or track and field, but without fail, every four years, I get drawn into the inherent drama of it all. So I’m looking forward to this weekend, when the Paris games begin in earnest, and following along as much of it as I can. And while it’s not the reason I’ll be tuning in, I’m mentally prepared for an absolute onslaught of Omega advertising and branding to blanket the telecast. Omega, of course, is the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, and they have a long history of producing watches to mark the occasion. They began counting down to Paris one year ago with a nicely refined white dialed Seamaster featuring a gold bezel. Gold, unsurprisingly, factors heavily throughout Omega’s run of Olympic watches. For mark the start of this year’s Games, Omega has unveiled a watch that, fittingly, makes use of all of the metals associated with the Games, the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold edition. Omega fans will immediately recognize this watch as a new version of the fan favorite CK 859, a limited production piece in a throwback 1930s style that is the antithesis of the often oversized sports watches Omega has special...
Monochrome
Introducing – The OW C-1000 A, a Tribute to the Famous Ollech & Wajs Caribbean 1000
Watch retail partners Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs spotted a niche for robust instrument watches in the late 1950s. Appealing to divers, pilots and soldiers, Ollech & Wajs produced impressively resilient tool watches but managed to keep prices in check by outsourcing production. Following Ollech’s death, Wajs renamed the brand OW and sold it in […]
Time+Tide
An exclusive look at two military-issued Tudors for the French special forces
It's not often we get to see watches made for these elite forces, and we've managed to get hands on with two.The post An exclusive look at two military-issued Tudors for the French special forces appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Hands-On With The Excelsior Park EP 884-SI
Handling a time-only watch that bears the name Excelsior Park is odd. We are used to seeing that elongated bottom “E” stroke on chronographs almost exclusively. Yes, Excelsior Park had some time-only pieces in the past, but the bread and butter for the brand has always been chronos. Since its resurrection a few years ago, […] Visit Hands-On With The Excelsior Park EP 884-SI to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing – The Junghans Meister Chronoscope in its Sportiest Attire, now with Steel Bracelet
Once one of the largest watch companies in the world, German brand Junghans was founded in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and his brother-in-law Jakob Zeller-Tobler and started as a clockmaker. Mostly famous for its collaboration with Swiss Bauhaus designer Max Bill, the company kept on bringing nicely designed and accessible watches over the years. Aside […]
Worn & Wound
Laco Introduces Green Dialed Versions of their Classic Flieger
Lacher & Co. (Laco) is widely considered one of the pioneers of the German pilot watch genre. They have been crafting Flieger style timepieces in Pforzheim since 1925 and have truly mastered the art. They are experts at blending almost a century’s worth of expertise with innovative new ideas and technology. Traditional Flieger watches are recognized for their large, high-contrast black dials featuring stark white hands, numerals, and indices. In an effort to add charm and flair to the traditional, Laco is introducing new variations of their classic Augsburg and Aachen watches with fresh green dials. The difference between those two models lies in their dial configurations. The Augsburg follows the typical Type A dial layout, with a standard minute track surrounding the outer edge of the dial, and features beautiful, oversized hands. Alternatively, the Aachen has a Type B dial layout known as B-Uhr, or Beobachtungsuhren, which translates to observation watch. The latter’s perimeter displays the minutes, while a smaller track closer to the center shows the hours. As a result, the hands are quite different. The sword-shaped minute hand has most of its weight in the second half of its length, and the hour hand is shortened so that its tip stays within the inner circle. With their polished steel-framed hands and new green dials, they most certainly feel more contemporary and fashionable. Powering these pilot watches is the Laco 2S, which is based on the Miyota 82S0 caliber....
Worn & Wound
Four of the Biggest Surprises from Chicago’s Windup Watch Fair
If you’ve never had the pleasure of attending a Windup Watch Fair in person, it’s hard to express the energy in the room or the unavoidable concentration of enthusiasm that greets you when you step through the doors. From the moment the show opens on Friday to the minute it closes on Sunday, every Windup is a marathon of excited conversation, new friends, and constant discovery - all bound by a vague sense of risk, a sense that (if you should stop and stare for a little too long) you may be walking out of Windup with something new tucked away in your bag and a slightly lighter wallet. Of course, for all their similarities, no two Windups are the same. The character of each host city plays a huge part in this - it’s hard to quantify the difference between a bay-side view in San Francisco in May and a downtown October day in New York City - but throw in different brands, different people, different venues, and (possibly most importantly) different watches and you’ll find that every Windup comes with the distinct chance to surprise. So, to that end, with a few days between me and the end of Windup Chicago 2024, I thought I would take a moment to fill you in on some of the watches and moments that surprised me at this summer’s hottest watch fair. NATO’s Don’t Need Holes It seems like a fitting place to start this endeavor would be with the only booth at Windup Chicago that got me to pull out my wallet not once, but twice. Like so many of us, I go absolutely...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Christopher Ward Announces the New C60 Trident Pro 300 GMT
A quick look at the updated Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300 GMT refreshed colorways and strap/bracelet options. Check out pricing, photos, and more.
Time+Tide
The best ways to modify your Seiko to make it unique
Though it's perhaps not as prevalent as with cars, watch modding is alive and well - and there are no mods like Seiko mods.The post The best ways to modify your Seiko to make it unique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Bulova is Seeing Red with their Latest Lunar Pilot
It’s officially Space Watch Season. We just saw G-SHOCK release their latest collaborative release with NASA, and now Bulova returns with a new version of their popular Lunar Pilot, this one in a “blood moon” colorway. While the Lunar Pilot doesn’t have “first watch on the moon” pedigree like the venerable Omega Speedmaster, it does have its own legitimate spacefaring history. In 1971, Dave Scott, mission commander of Apollo 15, wore a similar Bulova Chronograph when he became the seventh man to walk on the moon. Unlike the Speedmaster, which was conceived originally as a racing chronograph, the Bulova on Scott’s wrist was designed specifically for use in space, specifically for timing related to critical life support systems. The Lunar Pilot has some aesthetic similarities to the Speedmaster (in their purest form, they are both black dialed chronographs, after all) but Bulova has shown a willingness to experiment with the Lunar Pilot recently, and it now feels very much like its own thing, existing well outside the long shadow of the Speedy. This latest iteration is a good example of how Bulova uses this platform to play with color and our expectations for a sports watch like the Lunar Pilot should be. As you can plainly see from the images in this post, what we have here is a very red version of the Lunar Pilot, with a bright red main dial and three silvered subdials at 9:00, 3:00, and 6:00. The inspiration here, according to Bulova, is a total lunar ecli...
Fratello
#TBT How A Landeron 149-Powered Gallet Chronograph Became My Vintage Surprise Of The Year
I wasn’t planning on adding this watch to my collection. However, as it often goes, watches that are supposed to find their way to you simply will. And that’s exactly my story with this specific Landeron 149-powered Gallet. First, I will address why I was not planning to buy this watch. I am a huge […] Visit #TBT How A Landeron 149-Powered Gallet Chronograph Became My Vintage Surprise Of The Year to read the full article.
Deployant
Review: the new Cartier Santos Dumont Rewind
"Dear, do you notice anything different about me?" That's what the Cartier Santos Dumont Rewind would've asked it's imaginary husband. Now allow us to share what's unique, what's different and certainly what appeals to us.
Worn & Wound
A New Dial Color for the Nomos Ahoi
German watchmaker NOMOS Glashütte has just released their latest Ahoi Neomatik 38 collection. Alongside Sky and Sand, we now have the Atlantic colorway. Inspired by the outdoor culture of seaside and island life, the Ahoi Neomatik 38 series combines sporty elements with a distinctive, sophisticated style. Like others in the series, the Atlantic focuses on functionality without compromising on design. For swimming, diving, or sailing, legibility is key and this reference has large, readable numbers in an almost Art Deco font. The deep blue dial against the contrasting indices and hands aren’t just a great design choice, they also help to tell time in a variety of conditions while out at sea. Further to this, the hours and minutes are coated in Super-LumiNova to assist in low-light areas, such as during dives in open waters. The mixture of yellow hour markers, a red seconds hand, blue-black woven strap, and the 38.5mm stainless steel case all show a cohesive design language in the newAtlantic variant. The Atlantic runs on a NOMOS Neomatik caliber DUW 6101 with a 42-hour power reserve. This movement has a quick-set date function, which can be found at 3 o’clock. Given the aquatic inspiration for this watch, NOMOS has designed the case to be water resistant for up to 200 meters (20 atm). Two references of this watch are available – the 518 and 528. The 518 has a stainless steel case back, while the 528 has a sapphire crystal case back. Both versions are available no...
Monochrome
First Look – The New Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date Atlantic
Launched in 2013 as the German brand’s sportiest model, the Ahoi collection has always been something of a black sheep at Nomos. Loosely defined as an old-rounder sports watch, the Ahoi watch marries its robust 200m water-resistant case to the understated and elegant design of Nomos watches, elevating it from the burly dive watch category […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date In Classic Atlantic Blue
One year ago, I went hands-on with the then-new Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date collection. Two versions of the newly sized Ahoi debuted then, one in clear Sky blue and the other in beautiful Sand gold. The introduction of those two new models also meant the discontinuation of the 40mm Ahoi. That meant a larger Ahoi […] Visit Hands-On With The New Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38 Date In Classic Atlantic Blue to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Omega’s CK 859 in Bronze Gold for the Paris 2024 Olympics
A timepiece that pays tribute to the medals of the Olympic Games, the Omega Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition is a riff on the vintage-inspired CK 859. It retains the same dimensions and design, but manages to incorporate all three medal materials – gold, silver, and bronze. The case is a bronze-gold alloy, while the dial is sterling silver with Clous de Paris guilloche. Initial thoughts Among the countless Olympic-themed watches – Omega launched its first 2024 Olympics watch over a year ago – the Bronze Gold Edition stands out for its unique use of materials. It’s a thoughtfully designed watch that celebrates Omega’s status as the timekeeper of Paris 2024. With no Olympics branding or emblems on the front, it’s not obviously an Olympics watch, but smartly captures the Olympic ideal by utilising the three alloys in the case and dial. At the same time, the Bronze Gold Edition is more visually interesting than the CK 859 that had a simple grained dial that was arguably too plain for the relatively wide dial. Priced at US$12,000, the Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition is a good value proposition. Though not novel, the vintage-inspired design is appealing and made more interesting with the guilloche silver dial. And as Olympics editions go, this one is subtle in terms of design yet entirely apt in terms of concept. A special gold alloy The model gets its name from Omega’s proprietary Bronze Gold, an alloy launched in 2022 with the Seamaster 300 that is actually low-cara...
Fratello
It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810
The new Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 might be the perfect watch for spec-loving divers. Let’s look at the data, the numbers, and the cold, hard facts. Montblanc’s latest dive watch, the flagship of the newly formed Iced Sea collection, has a 43 × 19.4mm case containing no oxygen and is water resistant […] Visit It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – Montblanc’s Deep Diver, The Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810
A deep dive watch from a brand with a name referring to Europe’s highest mountain, specialized in making high-end fountain pens…? Surprising, to say the least. Surely, there’s more to Montblanc than what I just described. Indeed, the brand has long been active in watchmaking, producing appealing dress watches and superb chronographs equipped with Minerva […]
Fratello
Fratello Talks: Picking A New Watch For The Next James Bond
Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello Talks. While the rest of the world ponders who the next actor will be to don the tux and become the newest double-O seven, today, we ask ourselves what the man behind the gun will wear on his wrist. You join Nacho, RJ, and Lex to discuss James […] Visit Fratello Talks: Picking A New Watch For The Next James Bond to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Unimatic Introduces a Collection of Military Spec Tool Watches
Unimatic, the Italian watch brand known for bringing a contemporary design language to a variety of classic sports watch tropes, has just unveiled their new permanent collection, the Toolwatch Series. The new watches, at a glance, might not look all the different from previous Unimatic releases. This is not a rethinking of the brand’s aesthetic, and they are not trying anything completely revolutionary here. But the Toolwatch Series feels like a logical extension of what Unimatic has been up to since their founding all the way back in 2015, and could provide a new foothold for curious collectors to enter into the brand’s ecosystem. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Unimatic’s new watches are tailored to enthusiasts with “active, adventurous, lifestyles” who need their watch to keep up with the unusual demands of their lives. This is something we brands tell us all the time, and honestly I’ve gotten to the point where I tend to just glaze over any mention of “adventure” in a press release for a new watch. But it appears that Unimatic is putting their proverbial money where their watch is. Each watch in the Toolwatch Series meets what’s known as the MIL-STD-810 standard, which is a benchmark set by the United States military to guarantee the durability of items like watches that servicemembers rely on. What does that mean for the Toolwatch Series? It means that each watch goes through a battery of tests to ensure its robustness. Specifically, U...
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Joker Fiat Lux by Konstantin Chaykin
As an independent and highly talented watch and clockmaker and a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) since 2010, Konstantin Chaykin was already well-known in horological circles. However, his popularity soared with the introduction of his Joker and the Wristmons (Wrist Monsters) series in 2017. The original Joker, followed by releases like […]
Worn & Wound
Top 5 Vintage Inspired Watches
Vintage-inspired watches have been popular for a long time and with good reason. When a design is strong enough to stand the test of time, why shouldn’t it be revived? Look at Tudor’s success with the Black Bay, Oris with their Diver 65, and Doxa with their numerous Sub models. What about designs that originated in the 80s? Can they be considered vintage? Think about it: 1980 is as far away from us as 1936 was from 1980. That’s three full years before World War II even started! So, if anything made in the 1930s was considered vintage in the 1980s, most assuredly, things made in the 1980s are considered vintage now. If any of you feel old after reading that, here’s a list of 5 super-cool watches to make you feel young again. Vintage-inspired watches have been popular for a long time and with good reason. When a design is strong enough to stand the test of time, why shouldn’t it be revived? Look at Tudor’s success with the Black Bay, Oris with their Diver 65, and Doxa with their numerous Sub models. What about designs that originated in the 80s? Can they be considered vintage? Think about it: 1980 is as far away from us as 1936 was from 1980. That’s three full years before World War II even started! So, if anything made in the 1930s was considered vintage in the 1980s, most assuredly, things made in the 1980s are considered vintage now. If any of you feel old after reading that, here’s a list of 5 super-cool watches to make you feel young again. The post Top ...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Unimatic Toolwatch Series
Quartz-powered, ready for action, and with the option of a GMT function.
Fratello
Just In Time For The Summer Olympics: The Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (BG859)
If you’re the winning type that just can’t get enough of it, why not strive to bag all the medals you can win? “Impossible,” you say? Maybe, but you can get the new 39mm Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition, a watch that combines gold, silver, and bronze. This vintage-style timepiece pays tribute to […] Visit Just In Time For The Summer Olympics: The Omega Specialities Paris 2024 Bronze Gold Edition (BG859) to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing – The Innovative Self-Regulation Technology of the Horage Revolution 3 MicroReg
Horage truly stands apart in the watch industry with its start-up mentality, forward-thinking approach, and capacity to explore unconventional methods. This young Swiss watchmaking company, based in Biel, boasts a remarkable level of vertical integration despite its size. Led by Tsuyu Huang, Andi Felsl, and their dedicated team, Horage has introduced a smart concept aimed […]
Fratello
Introducing: Horage × Miniswys Microreg - A Revolutionary Invention
This one won’t be easy. I do not often have to write about an important revolutionary invention like Horage and Miniswys’s Microreg. I could tell the story in a few words, but background clarification is necessary to understand its importance. So this article will initially be pretty theoretical and technical, but a beautiful watch will […] Visit Introducing: Horage × Miniswys Microreg - A Revolutionary Invention to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Konstantin Chaykin’s Latest Joker Sports a Skeletonised Dial
An unusual variation of the brand’s bestseller, the Joker Fiat Lux has a skeletonised dial revealing the signature Konstantin Chaykin “rolling eye” module that’s been decorated by hand. Fiat lux is Latin for “let there be light”, and a reference to the see-through dial. It’s limited to 38 pieces and intended for the brand’s retailer in China, West Wood Time in Beijing. Initial thoughts Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker has become a cult classic of sorts and the brand’s strongest seller by far. Since the launch of the original Joker in 2017, it has evolved into an entire collection known as Wristmon, short for “wrist monster”. The brand has put out many, many different Wristmons since, though the original is arguably the purest (while some variants are admittedly gimmicky). Being based on the original, the Joker Fiat Lux stands out. It is almost the same as the original, with identical dimensions, design, and functions, but with a skeletonised dial and an exhibition back, both of which make it more aesthetically pleasing than the original. The dial is skeletonised to show off the display module The Joker Fiat Lux is priced similar to comparable past Wristmon models. It’s relatively affordable for a distinctive and unique example of unconventional independent watchmaking – seen that from that perspective, it is good value. Though the base movement is a no-frills ETA 2824-2, but the display module is built by Chaykin and furthermore hand finished. The ine...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Trilogy of Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic Models
Five years ago, Bell & Ross altered its flight path to include a luxury sports watch in its fleet of instrument watches. Transitioning from the more tool-watch looks of the brand’s flagship references, the BR 05 softened the edges, rounded the angles and introduced an integrated bracelet for a sleeker, more streamlined look. Earlier this […]