2,306 articles · 158 videos found · page 61 of 83
Monochrome
Founded by couple John and Claire, Byrne is an independent watchmaking brand that debuted in 2022. John, a watchmaker with a design background, serves as the creative driving force behind the brand, while Claire, his wife, handles business-related affairs. What makes Byrne’s creations stand out is their unique display. The face of their watches evolves. […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Historically, Breitling is a watchmaker known for two horological specialties: aviation watches and chronographs. In its most famous timepieces, in fact, like the Navitimer and Chronomat, the two genres elegantly merge into an iconic whole. While this is still largely the case today, Breitling has also staked out for itself a successful and impactful niche in the category of dive watches; its robust and stylish Superocean collection, introduced in 1957 during the early heyday of recreational diving, continues to command a large and avid audience today. Now divided into two distinctively different yet historically related families - the Superocean and Superocean Heritage - and offering both three-hand and chronograph models in a steadily growing array of sizes, materials, and colorways, Breitling’s seaworthy fleet offers a sporty option for just about everyone. Here is a brief history of the Superocean and a guide to the modern collection. 1957: Ref. 1004 Diver and Ref. 807 Chronograph The launch of the original Superocean, Breitling’s first purpose-built divers’ watch, in 1957, was timed to commemorate 25 years at the helm of the company for Willy Breitling, the only son of founder Gaston Breitling and the inventor of such enduring classics as the Chronomat and Navitimer. Commercially, it was also driven by the growing popularity of scuba diving as a hobby and the subsequent market desire for wristwatches that could be worn underwater. Several of that genre’s p...
SJX Watches
The Obscure Illustrated Glossary of Watchmaking. By Adriano Ramos Passarelli. Independently published; US$34.90 in paperback, US$28.90 in e-book format. Self published by a watch aficionado turned watchmaker, The Obscure Illustrated Glossary of Watchmaking is not an entirely accurate title. It is certainly more useful than the title implies. The book is a comprehensive and helpful – and includes obscure terms – with information presented in a clear, accessible manner. In fact, the glossary is wide ranging enough to be useful for enthusiasts who are reasonably knowledgeable, no doubt due to the author’s background. Based in Brazil and an architect by training, Mr Passarelli began as a watch enthusiast before joining the watch industry. Starting with journalism, Mr Passarelli then joined a service centre for Swiss brands as a manager, and finally arriving at the bench as a watchmaker in 2020. His breadth of knowledge – and certainly his interest in watches – is evident in the book, a project he has been working on part-time for over a decade. The book was first published in Portuguese and this is the first English edition. Traditional terms like anglage and PlexiGlas are found inside, but also trade names like Chronergy, Diashield, and KIF. In fact, the book even includes words that would be obscure to almost anyone but a watchmaker, including Rodico, Witschi, and Vibrograf. Importantly, most definitions smartly include the equivalent term in French, the working la...
Monochrome
Trilobe, a youthful indie watchmaker established in 2018 by Gautier Massonneau, embarked on its creative journey five years prior, germinating the seeds of innovation that would blossom into its subsequent creations. The inaugural series Les Matinaux, named after René Char’s 1950 poem collection, offered a unique “no hands”, wandering time display characterised by rotating discs […]
Fratello
Greg Petronzi is a passionate watchmaker who runs True Patina, a company that specializes in restoring vintage Rolex and Tudor watches. Recently, he sat down with me to share an ultra-rare Rolex Submariner 5510 that came across his workbench. Some of the best things about Rolex and Tudor are the stories. It has been a […] Visit Bringing A Rolex Submariner 5510 Australian “MilSub” Back To Life to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Unlike other well-storied brands, this watchmaker, dating back to 1884, isn’t shy about experimenting with new designs, materials, and even quartz movements, which have become rather taboo for many watch brands since the crisis in the 1970s and early 1980s. Breitling, however, has just released a new version of its Quartz Aerospace, with this one taking the name B70 Orbiter.
Monochrome
When Bernhard Lederer debuts his Central Impulse Chronometer in 2020, it didn’t go unnoticed. Here we had an esteemed independent watchmaker launching a watch with a double escapement inspired by George Daniels’ Independent Double Wheel Escapement pocket watch. Not only did Lederer use it as inspiration, but he also aimed to smooth out its driving force […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The TAG Heuer Carrera is widely regarded as one of the OGs of racing-inspired chronograph wristwatches, and today - decades after both the model and the deadly road race that gave it its name appeared to have been permanently discontinued - it claims a spot atop the leaderboard in the Swiss watchmaker's modern collection. Here's how the Carrera raced to worldwide acclaim, upgraded its engines along the way, and roared back from the Quartz Crisis to engage and energize a new generation of watch enthusiasts. The company we now know as TAG Heuer traces its history to 1860 and its founder Edouard Heuer; “TAG” would be added to the family business’s name in 1985, when the Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) Group obtained a majority share. From its beginnings, the company placed an emphasis on sports timing and on optimizing the precision of the hand-held and dashboard-mounted chronograph timepieces that were its specialty. Edouard Heuer’s most significant contribution to timekeeping was the oscillating pinion, patented in 1887. This device, which simplified the construction of chronograph calibers by decoupling the stopwatch mechanism from the timekeeping function, is still used commonly in movements today. In 1911, Heuer developed what is regarded as the first dashboard chronograph for cars and aircraft, the “Time of Trip,” and in 1914 released its first wrist-mounted chronograph (which, like many of its contemporaries, was a repurposed pocket watch with its sin...
SJX Watches
Already collaborators on several projects, Dominique Renaud, one of the founders of Renaud & Papi, and Julien Tixier, a young watchmaker and constructor, have established Renaud Tixier, a brand backed by investors. The inaugural creation of Renaud Tixier is Monday, a time-only watch with an automatic movement sporting a novel micro-rotor. Conceived to realise Mr Renaud’s many concepts and inventions, Renaud Tixier also aims to blend the styles of the two watchmakers. Each of the namesake founders comes from a different generation of watchmaking – pre- and post-Quartz Crisis – but the duo enjoy a shared philosophy that have made their past projects a success, something they are hoping to replicate with Renaud Tixier. Initial thoughts On a macro level, the Renaud Tixier and its first watch are noteworthy for a few reasons. One of its main points of appeal, at least initially, is the name, specifically Dominique Renaud. Even though he departed Renaud & Papi (APRP) over 20 years ago, his name still carries weight, particularly since many alumni of APRP, Anthony de Haas of Lange and Carole Forestier of TAG Heuer for instance, speak well of him. The name will certainly help sell the watch, particularly in countries with a strong reverence for creators and history, like Japan for example. And the fact that it’s a micro-rotor is noteworthy. Though relatively common in high-end watchmaking, micro-rotors are rare amongst independent watchmakers. The most prominent indie mak...
Fratello
Some 25 kilometers north of Geneva, on the shore of the city’s eponymous lake, lies the town of Nyon. This is the place that Renaud Tixier, the latest Swiss independent watch brand launching today, calls its home. It’s the latest collaborative effort between Dominique Renaud - the renowned watchmaker and co-founder of Renaud & Papi […] Visit Reinventing The Micro-Rotor: Renaud Tixier Makes A Mechanically Innovative Debut to read the full article.
Monochrome
A veteran of the Swiss industry, Dominique Renaud joins forces with a young independent watchmaker, Julien Tixier. They aim to revisit fundamental principles of mechanical watchmaking and micro-mechanics introducing innovative solutions. The first opus of this newly created brand Renaud Tixier reimagines a classic of fine watchmaking, the micro-rotor, with an auxiliary mechanism to enhance […]
Monochrome
At MONOCHROME, we are always delighted to discover and present new watchmaking projects. Founded by renowned Geneva-based dial maker, Atelier Olivier Vaucher, and watchmaker Olivier Gaud, TAOS emerges as a new independent watchmaking brand dedicated to métiers d’art and artistic crafts. Each of their watches is one-of-a-kind. The brand debuts with an inaugural collection of […]
Revolution
Join Wei, Eleonor, and Michel Navas, Co-founder and Master Watchmaker of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, as they explore the brand’s latest high watchmaking novelties of 2024. For over two decades, Louis Vuitton has been steadfast in its pursuit of excellence in watchmaking-an endeavor steeped in both tradition and innovation. With a commitment to […]
Monochrome
William Wood was not a watchmaker by trade, he was a distinguished firefighter in the British Fire Service with a 25-year tenure. To his grandson, Jonny Garrett, William Wood was not just a hero who saved lives but an extraordinary individual whose legacy deserved honour. In 2016, Jonny embarked on a mission to craft timepieces […]
Monochrome
As the leading watchmaker of his day, Abraham-Louis Breguet enjoyed the patronage of France’s royalty and aristocracy. Among the names on his A-list was Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest sister, Caroline Murat, also known as the Queen of Naples. A keen collector of Breguet’s timepieces, one of the 30 pieces she commissioned from Breguet was a watch […]
Fratello
What brand do you turn to when you’re looking for a watch with a classic design? Well, to be honest, there are many such brands out there. But one brand that certainly comes to my mind is Seiko. It looks like the people at Seiko think similarly about their watches because, today, the Japanese watchmaker […] Visit Seiko Introduces The Classic Series With Five New Soft And Gentle References to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Once a relative rarity, ceramics have today been firmly established as go-to materials in the luxury watch industry, alongside traditional metals such as gold, steel, and titanium. But no single watchmaker is more associated with ceramics in the horological realm than Rado, which has not only made the tough, scratchproof, hypoallergenic material a core part of its identity but continues to pioneer new frontiers in what can be done with it. Here’s the story behind Rado’s host of technical innovations, from early “hardmetal” alloys to today’s signature high-tech ceramic, and how two of the brand’s milestones from 1962 have become inextricably linked in the modern era. From DiaStar to Diver's Watch Rado was founded in 1917 by brothers Fritz, Ernst, and Werner Schlup, who converted their parents’ home in Lengnau, in the Swiss canton of Bern, into a watch factory. Originally dubbed Schlup & Co.,the family firm started out making movements, becoming an important supplier during the World War II years. Forty years after its foundation, in 1957, the company launched the Rado watch brand, taking its name from the Esperanto word for “wheel.” The very first timepiece made under the new Rado banner was the Golden Horse (modern tribute model above), which was also one of the first wristwatches marketed with an emphasis on its antimagnetic properties. It was the harbinger of the technical innovation that the company would adopt as part of its stock-in-trade going forwa...
Worn & Wound
Known for their luxury design at an approachable price point, British watchmaker Christopher Ward has brought their signature style to a new watch, the C65 Dune GMT White Sand. Inspired by field watch designs of the 1960’s, the C65 Dune GMT mixes vintage design elements with a totally modern upgrade. For one, unlike most GMT’s on the market, this model has an interior 24-hour bezel adorned with numerals, maintaining its streamlined profile that’s more complementary of the Dune silhouette. Further to this, the use of a fourth “GMT hand” allows for the wearer to always have their eye on a second timezone, a function that’s key for any explorer looking to up their wrist game. In terms of design, the C65 Dune GMT White Sand opts for a subtle charm that can easily be worn – and read – in a variety of circumstances. For one, the charm of the 38mm stainless steel case against the ivory-colored dial means this watch can be dressed up as needed. But like any good field watch, one should get their money’s worth in a variety of circumstances, and the C65 Dune GMT is no different. The ultra-legible White Sand dial is accentuated by the applied twin-flags logo at 12 o’clock and a date window at 6. Both the hour markers and handset are deep-filled with Super-LumiNova® Light Old Radium BL Grade X1, giving readability at any day of day – or night. The C65 Dune GMT White Sand is powered by a self-winding Sellita SW330-2 GMT movement, with a power reserve of 56 hour...
Monochrome
Those acquainted with Lang & Heyne’s collections know the watchmaker to consistently impart a historical narrative, with each series bearing the name of a past Saxony ruler. The design of each timepiece, unmistakably German, is steeped in traditional aesthetics that reflect its inspiration. The model under consideration today draws it from the straightforward thinking of […]
On episode 75 of A Week in Watches, we look at a handful of new releases. Things are a bit quiet right now with British Watchmaker’s Day and the Watches and Wonders looking around the corner. That said, we’ve got some cool stuff to look at, from a very dark Minase to some globe-trotting Farers to a departure for Fears and a funny Frederique Constant. This episode of a Week in Watches is presented by the all-new Tissot pr516 mechanical chronograph – based on a beloved 1970s design; this thoroughly modern reinterpretation is powered by a Valjoux hand-wound movement all for under $2,000 dollars – click here to find out more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 75: Can Watches be Funny? appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Quill & Pad
In 2015 with the launch of LM Perpetual. Irish watchmaker and movement designer extraordinaire Stephen McDonnell reinvented the previously breakage-prone perpetual calendar complication and LM Perpetual transformed MB&F; from a serious design-led boutique brand into a very serious horological brand. Now MB&F; has introduced LM Perpetual EVO BLUE, in titanium with light blue dial plate.
Teddy Baldassarre
Founded in 1853 in the Swiss Jura town of Le Locle, Tissot is today one of the largest Swiss watchmakers in the world, with a vast and diverse collection of timepieces, from dressy to sporty to high-tech, all offering one of the industry’s best value propositions across the board. Throughout its history, and starting as early as 1938, when a Tissot watch was used to time a series of Alpine ski races, Tissot has also been a watchmaker with close ties to sports - from tennis’s Davis Cup in 1957, to its close timing partnerships with bicycling and motorcycling championships from the 1980s to today, to its recent high-profile status as official timing partner of the NBA. And while Tissot is probably not the first brand that leaps to mind when you think of motorsports-inspired timepieces, it was indisputably one of the pioneers of that genre, a style most clearly and boldly expressed in the PR516 collection, a mainstay of the Tissot portfolio that has undergone a significant, vintage-inspired refresh in 2024. Tissot’s association with motor racing, and the seed from which the original PR 516 (originally spelled with a space between letters and numerals, and later hyphenated) would spring, began with what was essentially a fan letter from a satisfied customer. In 1958, Tissot received a signed photograph from a Swiss racing driver named Harry Zweifel, which was accompanied by a note in German that read, “Meine Tissot ist an jedem Rennen dabei,” or “My Tissot is ...
Monochrome
Pulling out all the stops before Watches & Wonders 2024, watchmaker Arnold & Son presents two skeletonised models powered by one of the world’s thinnest flying tourbillon movements, now dubbed Ultrathin Tourbillon Skeleton. While these new models have been treated to some design tweaks and a new tourbillon carriage, these editions of the Ultrathin Flying […]
Monochrome
German watchmaker Union Glashütte aptly labels its Noramis collection as “charming classics”, a description that is hard to dispute. The collection offers an array of chronographs and sporty and car-racing-inspired timepieces, yet the Noramis Date stands out as the most quintessentially classic in the lineup. Despite a range of special editions boasting themed dials and […]
Monochrome
The brainchild of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, known for his high-end tourbillons or chronographs, Kurono Tokyo is the man’s vision of a more accessible brand. Still driven by an almost obsessive attention to detail, which somehow explains the low availability of these watches, Asaoka is here focussing on design more than watchmaking. Following the […]
Fratello
Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta are two names that resonate with watch fans. The first was a watchmaker who made Breguet great again and later started a brand of his own. The second gave the world some of its most iconic watch designs. Both names are now on the LVMH payroll, so to speak. In […] Visit Shop The Look: Finding Alternatives For Future Unobtainable Watches From Daniel Roth And Gérald Genta to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Vladimir Négault, founder of Ataelier Haute Complication, a relatively new independent watchmaker based in Geneva who is making some of the most interesting and inventive watches Ian Skellern has ever seen.
Monochrome
Unveiled in 2022 and already a great success worldwide for the brand, the Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic NJ015 was the direct descendant of another important collection for the Japanese watchmaker, the NH299 series. But above all, the Tsuyosa collection offered the ability for many watch enthusiasts to access the highly desirable sporty-chic integrated style of high-end […]
Worn & Wound
Building on a rich heritage spanning over 165 years, Swiss watchmaker Vulcain continues to draw attention in the watch industry with each new reissue. Under the leadership of Guillaume Laidet, Vulcain’s Chief Revival Officer, the brand has been on a trajectory of reinterpreting its iconic timepieces, breathing new life into past references. Since 2022, Vulcain has been setting the tone for each season with strategic launches of emblematic collections, including the Cricket, Skindiver, Nautical, and more. Today, Vulcain has rereleased another popular model, the highly anticipated Grand Prix. Originally introduced in the 1960s to commemorate Vulcain’s triumph at the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition, the Grand Prix returns with a diameter of 39mm, a great contemporary size with plenty of presence for a variety of wrists. The Vulcain Grand Prix 39mm really exemplifies Swiss elegance. Its slim and uncluttered design is a no-fuss interpretation of a clean, vintage watch that will surely garner the attention of those looking for that “Old Money” aesthetic we hear so much about on TikTok nowadays. Equipped with a Swiss Landeron automatic movement, the time-only watch features a domed crystal over a dial in Champagne, Light Grey, or Black with a semi-glossy sunray finish. With a brushed/polished steel case and polished hour markers on the dial, these vintage-inspired elements are complemented by a double-dome sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, ensuring op...
SJX Watches
Based in Pennsylvania, Dewey Vicknair is a respected gunsmith who specialises in restoring rifles and shotguns, and has been doing so for decades, gaining an esteemed reputation in the process. Now in his mid-fifties, he is also a self-taught watchmaker who has been performing watch servicing on the side. Recently Mr Vicknair made the leap from fixing watches to making one. Mr Vicknair explained the genesis of his first watch: “When I saw your stories about Atelier de Chronometrie and what they do with vintage Omega movements, I was inspired.” His inaugural creation is a hand-wound wristwatch of his own making, literally. Although the movement started out as a 1950s Omega cal. 266, Mr Vicknair reworked majority of it and made many parts from scratch, including the going train bridge, as he did for the case, dial, and even the gasket for the crown tube. Because he made most of the parts himself, Mr Vicknair had to fabricate the equipment required to make the parts, including a cutter for the gasket and a screw holder for black polishing. He even did the silver plating of the movement parts himself. It is an unexpected accomplishment for a first-time watchmaker. Initial thoughts Ordinarily I would be sceptical of an unknown watchmaker seeking publicity for a new project with a five-figure price tag. But a few things changed my mind. One was seeing Mr Vicknair’s unusually thorough documentation of his production process, which is almost entirely manual – even the mach...
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