239 articles · 6 videos found · page 6 of 9
Fratello
I live about 25 minutes from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. I have lived there all my life, but I somehow never visited the museum. So, last week, when my wife and I had a free morning, we decided to take the plunge. This article isn’t about Van Gogh or about art at all. […] Visit The Watch Enthusiast Trap: Knowing More Can Lead To Enjoying Less to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Regular readers might remember our coverage of the debut watch from VPC almost two years ago. This was a special project as it comes from Thomas van Straaten, whose byline many of you may have seen over at his main gig, as a writer at Fratello. The Type 37HW, the debut release from VPC, was conceived as something as the ultimate enthusiast’s watch, with special attention paid to the small details that serious watch lovers are particularly attuned to. In practice, that means you end up with a watch that is very subtle, with lots of things that are special about it but perhaps don’t advertise themselves in big bold colors. VPC, after all, is an acronym for a Latin phrase that translates to “beauty through restraint,” and if that isn’t a mission statement of enthusiast focused watch culture, I don’t know what is. For the second VPC release, the brand is back with a watch that builds on the design language of the Type 37HW but shifts it specifically into the realm of the dive watch. The Type 39VM is, according to the brand, the thinnest 200 meter water resistant automatic dive watch on the market, which is a bold claim but seems to be backed up by a cursory review of the data. The case height is listed at 9.34mm, which is quite thin indeed for a watch like this. In keeping with VPC’s design principles, van Stratten set out to create a watch that was purely functional but also didn’t sacrifice ergonomics or aesthetics. Through an exploration of figuring out wh...
Monochrome
Young, independent Dutch brand VPC (Venustas Per Constantiam) returns with its next release, the Type 39VM, following its debut model, the Type 37HW. Founded by Thomas van Straaten, watch journalist at Fratello, collector, and now the founder of the design-driven microbrand, VPC was created around a beauty-through-restraint approach. After setting a standard with its hand-wound […]
Fratello
It has been nothing but an enjoyable experience to watch Fratello’s Thomas van Straaten build his watch brand. I greatly respect the passion and determination that Thomas puts into VPC Watch Co. Today, VPC launches its second model, the Type 39VM. This new dive watch is nothing short of impressive. The fact that the Type […] Visit Introducing: The Impressive VPC Type 39VM to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Tudor turns 100 this year. The same age as Dick Van Dyke and American Airlines. Anniversaries like this are a big deal in the watch industry – we’ve just been through a year where both Vacheron Constantin and Breguet celebrated major milestones, each with a series of special releases. That’s the playbook for a watch brand: milk the year for as long as possible with new releases that feel special. It’s a sensible strategy given that it inherently leans into heritage and prestige, both ideas that have been proven to sell watches successfully for years. This isn’t meant to be a prediction of what might be in store for Tudor this year – plenty of outlets and watch media figures have already weighed in on that topic. We don’t have any inside information, of course, so any guesses as to what Tudor might do would be just that. My hunch, though, is that we won’t see obviously anniversary inflected pieces dropped throughout the year in the same way we saw from the likes of Vacheron and Breguet in 2025. It doesn’t feel like that’s part of the Rolex DNA that Tudor shares. I expect we’ll see some very subtle 100 year mentions in Tudor marketing, a special watch or two that is not explicitly tied to the anniversary but as recognized as honoring it just the same, and perhaps something a little more celebratory around Watches & Wonders or an athletic event that Tudor is involved in (there will of course be many of those throughout the year). What I’m much more int...
Monochrome
Founded in 1934 by Raymond Dodane, Lebois & Co. built its reputation during the golden age of mechanical watchmaking, crafting elegant, precision-driven chronographs. After decades of dormancy, the brand was revived in 2016 by a Dutchman, Tom van Wijlick, with a clear mission: to honour its heritage through nicely executed timepieces inspired by its vintage […]
SJX Watches
Independent watchmaking continues to draw enthusiasm from collectors, particularly as a new generation of creators begins to establish its voice. New brands are springing up to cater to that demand, and one of the most interesting recent debuts is The Owl by L’Atelier Bernard, a sold-out six-piece limited edition that blends unconventional aesthetics with equally unconventional mechanics. Handcrafted in Fleurier by the young duo Bernard Van Ormelingen and Bernard Braboretz, the watch showcases now familiar elements of artisanal finishing and inverted-movement architecture, along with something rarely seen, a duplex escapement, which makes The Owl a more distinctive entry in the crowded field of emerging independents. Initial thoughts The Owl is handcrafted by a pair of young and talented watchmakers, the Bernards who gave their name to the brand. Clearly a show of their shared aesthetic sensibilities and technical chops, the Owl is meant to kickstart the independent creators’ artisanal venture in Fleurier. One of the Bernards is not new to independent watchmaking; those who closely follow independent watchmaking might remember Mr Van Ormelingen’s name from Van Bricht, a now-defunct brand for which he produced guilloche dials. The Owl is unexpected and intriguing on several fronts. Its aesthetics, mechanics, decoration, and layout seem almost at odds with one another, yet the result is a distinctly artisanal object. There is no conventional dial; instead, the watch pr...
Fratello
The folks at IFL Watches have made watch dials the small but very adaptable canvas for their art. We have seen a wide variety of different hand-painted dials from the brand over time. For its latest creative challenge, IFLW drew inspiration from the work of the renowned Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. To be more […] Visit IFL Watches Introduces The Bulova Super Seville Starry Night to read the full article.
Monochrome
A historical name of the watch industry (founded in 1934), Lebois & Co was revived in 2015 by Tom van Wijlick, a Dutch entrepreneur who’s also responsible for the comeback of Airain and its Type 20 and 21 pilot’s watches. Although still hesitant at the beginning, the brand truly found its stride with the 2022 release of the […]
Fratello
After weeks of discussion among our editors and a single session of reader voting, the results are clear: the Rolex Datejust 1601 has emerged as the favorite in our editors’ Datejust lineup. While initially highlighted by Thomas van Straaten as his pick, the 1601 received 41% of the vote, demonstrating broad appeal among collectors and […] Visit The People Have Spoken: The Rolex Datejust 1601 Reigns Supreme to read the full article.
Monochrome
Dutch watch enthusiast, collector and entrepreneur Diederik van Golen is back at it again, reviving a fun historical piece of watchmaking with his newly founded brand, Volan Watches. Inspired by his love for cars, yachting and watches, the goal is to bring back the Keyring Watch, an item that was very popular in the 1950s […]
Fratello
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.
Fratello
I dare say there wasn’t a single French Air Force pilot in the 1950s who could’ve foreseen a blue sky with pixelated white clouds in the sub-dials of his Type 20. Airain’s Tom van Wijlick, however, dared to do something different with one of the most iconic pilot’s watches of all time by contacting Romaric […] Visit Introducing: The Airain × Seconde/Seconde/ Type 20 “Up In The Air” Limited Edition to read the full article.
Monochrome
Founded in 1934, Airain was one of the original suppliers of the iconic Type 20 chronograph issued to French military pilots in the 1950s and 60s. The brand was dormant until its resurrection in 2020 by Dutch entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick, who also spearheaded the 2014 relaunch of Lebois & Co, which brought back the […]
SJX Watches
Having announced a partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art last year, Vacheron Constantin has just launched Masterpiece on Your Wrist, a programme that offers the opportunity to commission timepieces featuring enamel dials that replicate select artworks from the Met’s collection in a wristwatch created by Les Cabinotiers, the watchmaker’s workshop for custom and bespoke watches. A client could commission Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Cypresses as a minute repeater for instance. Naturally, clients who commission such a timepiece will receive more than a watch. The process includes a private tour of the Met and a visit to Vacheron Constantin’s Geneva manufacture. Wheat Field with Cypresses Initial thoughts Geneva’s important watchmakers, namely Vacheron Constantin and its crosstown rival, have long reproduced important works of art on wrist (or pocket) watch dials. In the late 20th century, Suzanne Rohr famously replicated various classical European artworks in miniature enamel. And more recently, Anita Porchet recreated Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring on the monumental Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie commissioned by a noted Asian collector. Masterpiece on Your Wrist is a continuation and formalisation of that historical practice that also allows privileged access to one of the world’s most noted museums. For an art lover, this is quite the opportunity. Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet Granted, most of the artworks in th...
Worn & Wound
VPC is a new brand founded by Thomas van Straaten, who may be familiar to some readers as a longtime writer at Fratello. The first watch from his new endeavor, the Type37HW, feels very much like the type of thing that someone fully engaged in this community would bring to life as a passion project. It has many of the hallmarks of an enthusiast focused watch, with lots of little details that get people in the business of writing about these things excited. Most of all, it feels foundational, like the beginning of a platform for future expansion. If there’s one thing watch writers can’t abide, it’s a watch that feels like a one off, vanity project, and, unsurprisingly, VPC doesn’t even have a whiff of that sentiment. The VPC acronym that gives the brand its name stands for “Venustas Per Constantiam,” which equates to “charm through restraint,” and if you look at the overall presentation of the Type37HW you can really feel the restraint. The watch is sober but doesn’t feel boring, and each individual component part seems to be well considered and thought through. Whether you like the design or not is of course subjective, but I don’t think anyone could reasonably argue that the watch doesn’t have a coherent aesthetic. The broad conceit here is that the Type37HW is a “go anywhere, do anything” style watch, and the specs reflect that. It’s 37.5mm in diameter and measures 9.8mm tall (including the crystal). The stainless steel case and bracelet ha...
SJX Watches
Founded last year by Thomas van Straaten, VPC is a Dutch micro brand making its debut with the Type 37HW. Mr van Straaten, who formerly works for an Amsterdam-based watch dealer and now writes for media platform Fratello, started VPC with the goal of creating the “ultimate” everyday watch in his words. VPC is short for Venustas Per Constantiam, Latin that translates as either “beauty through constancy” or “charm through restraint.” Featuring numerous clever details, the Type 37HW is the result of Mr van Straaten’s own experience owning, and later growing bored with, numerous watches that, in his view, featured compromised designs. He appears to have approached this problem forensically, considering everything from the bracelet end-links to the typography on the dial. Initial Thoughts The Type 37HW is an impressive debut that manages to stand out in a crowded segment of the watch market thanks to several interesting details. The central premise of the Type 37HW is that it is a “go anywhere, do anything”, or GADA, watch. Almost every aspect of the watch appears to have been designed with this use case in mind. The Type 37HW offers goldilocks proportions, and is unusually slim at just 9.8 mm thick (including 2 mm for the domed sapphire crystal). The svelte profile is likely possible thanks to the use of a manually wound Sellita SW216-1. Unfortunately, the combination of a screw-down crown and a manually wound movement – one with a relatively short 45...
Monochrome
Just a couple of weeks ago, we brought you news on the new Airain Type 21 and the updates for the Type 20. Now it’s time to focus on sister-brand Lebois & Co for a new and admittedly very handsome edition of the Heritage Chronograph. Both brands are owned and managed by Dutchman Tom van […]
Monochrome
Dutch entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick has made a conscientious effort to restore revival-brand Airain’s name and image through carefully curated re-editions of historic watches. Not only has the Type 20 captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts and collectors, but the Sous-Marine is set to do the same. Both collections are inspired by past designs […]
Time+Tide
Escapism is the source for a lot of humanity’s great works, whether it’s the novels of Jules Verne or the post-impressionist paintings of Van Gogh. For the legendary fashion designer Ralph Lauren, it was the John Wayne and Gary Cooper led Hollywood Westerns of the 1940s and ‘50s. When his company reached its 50th anniversary … ContinuedThe post The Ralph Lauren American Western is fit for the Wild West appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
At Watches and Wonders 2023, Jeremiah Chan, Deputy Digital Editor of Revolution, got his hands on an Alpina Extreme Regulator Automatic, which now comes with an integrated bracelet and blue dial. He discussed this cool novelty with the Brand Director of Alpina, Oliver van Lanschot. Alpina has also released an 888-piece limited edition black dial […]
Hodinkee
“As all experienced navigators know, it is extremely easy to get lost.” -Philip Van Horn Weems, Air Navigation, 1931"Where are we? Directly above the center of the Earth." -Old Joke
Time+Tide
Elite athletes seem to be taking more and more interest in our little corner of the world. From LeBron James sporting the AP Black Panther Concept Watch, Liverpool teammates Jordan Henderson and Virgil Van Dyk visiting the AP manufacture to NFL legend Tom Brady taking a stake in HODINKEE, many high-profiles athletes are packing serious … ContinuedThe post Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp has a few reasons to smile, including a new watch purchase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection consists of three Reverso watches featuring dials with exquisite miniature reproductions of lost paintings by three master painters: Gustave Courbet (1876), Vincent Van Gogh (1888), and Gustav Klimt (1917). Each piece's painting has its own interesting story highlighting why it was considered a “hidden treasure." Joshua Munchow shares those stories with us here.
Time+Tide
Longines have bided their time in launching a comprehensive line of wrist-ready pilot watches that are suited to any occasion. While their historical contributions in aviation can’t be ignored, working alongside gargantuan names such as Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and Philip Van Horn Weems, the Heritage lineup of watches that Longines have sold for years … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Taking flight with the Longines Spirit Collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Ross Povey catches up with Chronobay founder Timen van der Horn to talk about watches, lockdown and pesky clasp scratches…
Hodinkee
"As all experienced navigators know, it is extremely easy to get lost." - Philip Van Horn Weems, Air Navigation, 1931
Hodinkee
"As all experienced navigators know, it is extremely easy to get lost." –Phillip Van Horn Weems
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: It’s Father’s Day in the northern hemisphere this weekend. Frankly, that’s a good enough excuse for us to relive this glorious yarn from Matthew McConaughey about his dad’s love for “shady deals” that led him to make a regrettable purchase from the back of a van belonging to a man called Chicago John… … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Matthew McConaughey and the tale of his dad’s fake Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
As daylight savings time ended in the United Kingdom, the full-time horological conservator at Windsor Castle was setting some 400 clocks, one at time – a task that takes some 16 hours. As documented in a recent BBC story, horologist Fjodor van den Broek is responsible for all the clocks at Windsor Castle, while a colleague oversees the timekeepers in Buckingham Palace. Aside from the once-a-year task of setting the clocks for daylight savings time, Mr van den Broek has to wind all of them once a week, which takes an entire day. And he also keeps all of the clocks in running order, performing repairs in his workshop, which is also equipped to fabricate replacement parts for the movements. The story also covers some of the Mr van den Broek’s favourites in the castle, which include a lavish, porcelain-panelled clock gifted to Queen Victoria in 1844 by King Louis-Philippe of France. The 1844 clock given to Queen Victoria Other notable timepieces in the castle – the castle itself is home to about 250 clocks – include a 1740 organ clock that plays music by Handel, and houses a rock crystal casket that contains the bible owned by Gordon of Khartoum. You’ll find the full photo report on the BBC.
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