3,030 articles · 162 videos found · page 63 of 107
Time+Tide
As long-time lovers of the weird and wonderful, we’ll always support a controversial watch choice - here's what our community had to say.The post What are the most controversial watches in your collection? Here’s what you had to say appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you celebrated in style last night! As you may know, every year, we recap all the Seiko and Grand Seiko releases we covered here on Fratello. Last week, we published an overview of all the 2024 Seiko releases we wrote about. This time, we’ll focus on the Grand Seiko […] Visit A Condensed Guide To Grand Seiko Releases From 2024 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
David Ramsay was a renowned Scottish watchmaker and clockmaker who was born in the late 16th century. During the 17th century he was recognised as a prominent figure in the world of horology and appointed as the first Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and watchmaker to two Kings prior to the English Civil War. Born in Scotland, Made in London David Ramsay was born around 1580 near St. Andrews, in the county of Fife, Scotland and grew up as part of a relatively well-off family in a proudly Scottish household. He later moved to London, England, where he gained recognition for his skills in clockmaking. Ramsay was a mechanical genius and produced some of the world’s most extraordinary horological masterpieces – clocks and watches that are arguably works of art unto themselves. Although he rose to the top of his field as a watchmaker, operating from the seat of power in London, he struggled chronically with money, eventually falling out of royal favour and winding up in a debtors’ prison. In 1594, he was apprenticed to the master armourer Henry Smith who was appointed Royal Armourer to King James VI of Scotland. Ramsay’s training in metalworking certainly played a crucial part in his later development as a watch and clockmaker. This required specialist knowledge and training, such as in hardening and tempering steel, and in smelting iron ore to obtain a more uniform steel of higher quality. He would have also been trained in quality control, finishing a...
Hodinkee
Is the trend for baguette-set sports watches on the decline? And, are we on the cusp of a return to mid-century sobriety?
Worn & Wound
I had the opportunity to meet Zakir Miah, the founder of Chicago-based Haim Watch Co., at a timepiece-related event in Canada this past September. Before that, I had only admired his watches online, and I was especially drawn to the L2 Chronograph, which features a pink gold dial with blued hands and numerals. Zakir was gracious and patient enough to walk me through his entire lineup despite the line of people waiting to chat with him. It took nearly all my willpower to walk away without purchasing one. One of their most popular collections is the Legacy Automatic, a custom-built timepiece designed to order. This model marks several milestones for the brand, including its first custom-designed HWC-1 automatic movement based on ETA architecture assembled in the United States. Each watch is crafted specifically for the buyer. The Legacy Automatic has a hand-finished titanium TA2 (commercially pure grade 2) case with a coin-edge bezel and exhibition case back. Today, Haim is launching a new limited edition Legacy to celebrate their second collaboration with WatchesArabized x OPTO WATCH CO. This edition, named the Arabized (Al-Nimer), which translates to “The Tiger,” will feature a dial made of Tiger’s Eye stone. Tiger’s Eye is a chatoyant gemstone, typically classified as a metamorphic rock, recognized for its golden to red-brown color and silky luster. As part of the quartz group, its distinctive appearance is created through the intergrowth of quartz crystals and al...
Fratello
Welcome to the Season 2 finale of Fratello Talks. As we come to the end of the year, we’ll be looking back at some of the best watches of 2024. Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex, who have come prepared with a list of favorites under six pre-determined categories. And though they’ll discuss some […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Of 2024 to read the full article.
Hodinkee
The most notorious fashion designer of the 20th century made watches with Citizen dating as far back as the 1970s.
SJX Watches
At the dawn of the 20th century, Brazil’s cities were brimming with energy, driven by booming commodity markets. In Rio de Janeiro, trams clattered along bustling streets while conversations about ambition and progress filled the air in crowded cafés. Few aspirations were as compelling for the growing middle class, eager to leave their mark in this modernising world, as owning European luxury goods. And among these, nothing spoke of sophistication and success quite like a fine watch. For many Brazilians, timepieces from brands like Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, and Vacheron Constantin were the ultimate symbols of precision and craftsmanship. Yet, their presence was confined to gleaming shop windows along the most prestigious shopping streets, tantalising but out of reach for all but the wealthiest. The dream of owning one of these masterpieces seemed no closer than the distant European watchmaking centres where they were crafted. But Brazil found a way to close this gap. Here, the concept of watch clubs took shape-an innovative model blending weekly instalments with the thrill of a lottery draw. This system turned the unattainable into something not just possible but accessible. Spearheaded by visionary retailers and embraced by Europe’s finest watchmakers, the clubs reflected Brazil’s unique ability to adapt global trends to its local reality. Three retailers organised the most iconic watch clubs and positioned themselves at the forefront of this movement: G...
Fratello
Mühle Glashütte is a German watch brand with a deep fan base. The company is known for its robust and affordable watches. While the original brand began in 1869, the modern incarnation was resurrected in 1994. Today, we’ll highlight the sixth generation of the family now working with the company. We’ll also mention the final […] Visit Mühle Glashütte Celebrates 30 Years With The Teutonia IV Big Date Edition 1994 to read the full article.
Monochrome
Rolex has never been known as a watchmaker of grand complications. The core of its portfolio consists of purposeful and precise sports watches with a dose of luxury if desired. 904L stainless steel or “Oystersteel” dominates this lineup, but 18k gold in part or in full are popular choices and often a “flex” for business […]
Monochrome
Now that we’re in countdown mode for the holiday season, here’s a watch for those with a passion for pilot-themed action-packed watches lucky enough to be wintering in Zermatt. Hamilton’s Khaki Aviation collection, where you’ll find vintage-inspired pilot’s watches and state-of-the-art flight instruments, is home to the X-Wind Auto Chrono, an impressive tool watch bristling […]
Quill & Pad
With the Overall Market Index now at a two-and-a-half year low, the broad-based nature of the declines across the market continues: Rolex prices are now also at a 30-month low, while Patek Philippe has hit a 26-month low, and Audemars Piguet is at a 27-month low.
SJX Watches
To mark founder Michel Parmigiani’s 74th birthday, Parmigiani Fleurier created the L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse, a minute repeater without a tangible time indication on the face. Instead, the enamelled, guilloché dial on the front is purely decorative, with the repeater to tell the time on the wrist. But there is the time on the back of the watch thanks to a pair of discreet, peripheral hands. Initial thoughts Among the many complications, the minute repeater is one of my favourites. The beauty of a minute repeater lies in its acoustic time indication, which makes hands redundant in some ways. The L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse takes this concept to its logical conclusion in a gorgeously executed manner. The elaborate dial and case, however, result in the watch being very large, big enough that it loses some of the refinement and details present in a smaller case. Several notable artisans contributed to the watch, including Vanessa Lecci for the enamelling. The movement was supplied by Renaud & Papi, which is a fine, high-end movement but it’s a bit of a shame that Parmigiani didn’t utilise one of its in-house repeater calibres. A fascinating complication Like many historical Parmigiani models, the styling of the L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse is inspired by Ancient Greece. The fluted case middle is modelled on Doric columns, while the engine turning on the dial and the back are inspired by the Fibonacci sequence. It’s a large watch, w...
SJX Watches
One aspect of a watch that is often overlooked - but ironically the one that is front and centre - is the dial. While often conservative in terms of design, Rolex is perhaps at its most expressive in the details of its dials, which blend classic elements with modern touches, all accomplished by modern manufacturing techniques and finishes. Even though a dial may seem simple on its face compared to the moving parts of the movement, dials are complex. Much goes into making a high quality dial, the dial blank, applied ornaments, surface finishing, gold indices, and more recently even grand feu enamel. A diamond-set dial for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Unsurprisingly Rolex takes dial making very seriously. Reflecting its long-term vision, Rolex has invested tremendously in every aspect of manufacturing wristwatches, including producing its own dials. Dial manufacturing of the highest quality, and at scale, is a challenge few have truly mastered. Rolex accomplished that with a dedicated dial-making facility in the Chêne-Bourg district of Geneva, located about 15 minutes from Rolex headquarters, where some 500 people work exclusively on dial conception, prototyping, and production. Notably, the Chêne-Bourg facility also does gem setting as well as the production of Cerachrom components like the GMT-Master II bezel insert. In-house dial making has given Rolex control of the entire process, allowing the brand to innovate, even in rethinking the very foundation of a dial, n...
Fratello
Mühle Glashütte is known for its sporty and reliable timepieces. For 2024, the brand has big news with a brand-new line of watches. The Sportivo collection consists of three models made for sports, the office, and everywhere else. We’ll provide a brief overview of each release. The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo line includes a chronograph, GMT, […] Visit Mühle Glashütte Introduces The New Sportivo Line to read the full article.
Fratello
This week on Fratello Talks, we’re talking all things Breitling with author, collector, and brand historian Fred Mandelbaum. Nacho and RJ join Herr Mandelbaum in a conversation that starts in the early 20th century with some of Breitling’s earliest wrist-worn chronographs and spans the brand’s development to the present day. We touch upon the evolution […] Visit Fratello Talks: 140 Years Of Breitling With Fred Mandelbaum to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Vyntage Horology is a micro brand established by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the Middle East watch retailer giant best known for organising Dubai Watch Week. Vyntage has so far focused on small-run limited editions, with the latest being the Purity Tantonyx. The 24-piece edition is a time-only executed in a novel combination of exotic materials: a tantalum case with a polished black onyx dial. Inside is a manual-wind La Joux-Perret LJP7380 with a 90-hour power reserve that’s rotated 45 degrees from the usual position, giving the watch its signature four o’clock crown. Initial thoughts On its face, the Tantonyx seems like a familiar proposition from a micro brand. But a couple of things set this apart from the typical offerings in this segment. For one, the materials are unusual, especially at this price point. Granted, the tantalum case and onyx dial make this substantially more expensive than the base model Vyntage watch, but the pricing remains reasonable. The attention to detail in the execution also stands out. It’s obvious in the domed bezel and recessed seconds register (thanks to a two-part dial), but more notable in the finishing of the case, which has brushed flanks and polished tops for contrasting surfaces that are rarely done with tantalum due to its hardness. However, the design is a missed opportunity in terms of minimalism in my opinion. Though the dial is already clean – the model name is Purity after all – I would have gone a step further and eliminate...
Fratello
Watches can be striking in different ways. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Mechanica Calibre 362 and the Parmigiani Fleurier L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse are striking watches that sound the time on demand. The Bremont Terra Nova 38 “Pink” is a field watch that steps out of its comfort zone with an unexpected, striking pink dial. You’ve seen […] Visit Striking In Different Ways: Minute Repeaters From Jaeger-LeCoultre And Parmigiani Fleurier Plus A Banging Pink-Dialed Bremont to read the full article.
Fratello
Today, we’ll look at the new Moritz Grossmann Enamel Roman Vintage. This is a limited-edition watch celebrating the 16th anniversary of the brand’s revival. As always with Moritz Grossmann, the focus is on finishing and mechanical prowess. For fans of Moritz Grossmann watches, the new Enamel Roman Vintage isn’t a new model. It’s a variant […] Visit Sweet 16: The Moritz Grossmann Enamel Roman Vintage to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Over three days in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the 2024 Heuer Collector's Summit brought together the brand's most ardent fans.
SJX Watches
Having stepped in to acquire Brodbeck Guillochage in 2022, Voutilainen has announced the opening of a new, larger facility in Fleurier that is poised to become a new centre of excellence for guilloché. Retaining the name Brodbeck Guillochage in honour of its founder Georges Brodbeck, the new facility is located in what was once the local watchmaking school of Fleurier, the town adjacent to Voutilainen’s hilltop headquarters at Chapeau de Napoléon. The new home of Brodbeck Guillochage in Fleurier Initial thoughts This is welcome news for a number of reasons. First, it will help perpetuate the legacy of Mr. Brodbeck, ensuring that his life’s work will continue to have a positive impact watchmakers and lovers of fine objects for years to come. Second, the steady hand of Kari Voutilainen, whose accomplishments as an entrepreneur rival his skills as a watchmaker, should help the new enterprise navigate potential industry downturns in the future. Finally, the impressive scale of the operation should be a magnet for talent, improving the economic prospects for young artisans interested in guilloché. A new centre of excellence A self-taught guillocheur, Mr Brodbeck founded his eponymous firm in 2004, gradually building up a stock of more than 30 antique engine turning machines, each restored to working order by Mr Brodbeck himself. In 2023, Mr Brodbeck was awarded the Prix Gaïa, arguably the highest award in the Swiss watch industry, for his contributions to the preservati...
Fratello
Brellum is back with another limited-edition watch, the Pandial Bicompax Black DLC Ti Chronometer. As we’ll see, it has a familiar case shape with a new case color. Also, it’s the second piece from the brand to use a chronometer-certified La Joux-Perret movement. Brellum focuses on small runs. Therefore, the releases come frequently. The latest […] Visit Introducing: The Brellum Pandial Bicompax Black DLC Ti Chronometer to read the full article.
Fratello
The Sinn 717 debuted in 2021 and has won at least two major German design awards. It’s a large and legible chronograph with looks inspired by the NaBo 17 cockpit clocks from the legendary Tornado jet fighter. We’ll look at the 717 again and shed light on an interesting NaBo 17-related story that surfaced. My […] Visit Hands-On With The Cockpit-Clock-Inspired Sinn 717 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Today, Americans sit down at their Thanksgiving table with their friends and family, and consider all that they’re thankful for. Good health, a warm home, great company, and a delicious meal will top many lists, as they should. But if you’ll allow a quick thought experiment (really, all of this is just one big thought experiment, if you think about it) and narrow the focus of thanks to the watch world, I’d have to say that the singular event of the last few years that I’m most thankful for is whatever transpired during the first meeting between the team at Louis Erard and watchmaker Vianny Halter. It led to a collaboration that launched a thousand other collaborations (slight exaggeration, but maybe not), and brought an affordable indie brand and a Capital I Independent watchmaking legend together in a genuinely interesting way. There’s a compelling case to be made that the first Louis Erard x Vianney Halter collaboration was the seed of many similar LEs to come, from Louis Erard and other brands, so it makes sense that just like that first collab, their second drops on Thanksgiving weekend, bringing one of the most interesting stories in contemporary watches full circle. While the first collaboration with Halter felt like one of his watches in spirit, the new Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter II takes steps to make the physical object feel more like a watch that could have come out of Halter’s workshop. Using Halter’s iconic Antiqua as inspiratio...
Worn & Wound
In late October/early November, I started seeing various “rumor mill” sites teasing some new cameras from Sony. While my initial hope was for something in the Alpha 7 line, it was quickly determined that Sony was updating the A1, their sports/action camera line. This new camera has been dubbed the A1 II, although I’ll frequently refer to it as “Mark 2” to avoid any confusion when comparing models and specs. One of the best ways I’ve found to describe this camera is that it updates the A1 with features from other flagship models, which should position this camera as the “go to” professional camera for both photo and video, if you’re in the market for such a camera. One of the newest features, a first for the Alpha line of cameras, is a “dynamic subject recognition” which allows it to switch between various modes, without any intervention from the photographer. Additionally, the new mark 2 features impressive in-body image stabilization, offering 8.5 stops for the center of the frame. Among the list of features that have carried over, the mark 2 has the newest AI chip which boosts auto focus capabilities (30% improvement in eye detection for animals and humans and a 50% boost in bird eye detection), 30 frames per second image capture, and a 50 MP sensor. It’s my understanding that Sony has targeted wildlife and action photographers with the A1 line, and this mark 2 should suit the needs of these photographers with ease. Just as every watch needs a str...
Monochrome
In late 2022, luxury powerhouse Louis Vuitton announced a rather surprising but promising concept, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. A biennial prize organized by its Swiss-based watch manufacture, La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, its mission is “to recognize a passion for watchmaking savoir-faire, creativity, and innovation in the pursuit of excellence, […]
Fratello
Recent auctions in Geneva concluded with a relative bang. Eye-watering results occurred for some truly rare pieces. For many watches, though, the sales were solid but not awe-inspiring. I’ll kick off today’s article with my thoughts on the market, and then we’ll look at several lots. My colleague Lex recently penned an article about the […] Visit The November 2024 Geneva Auctions Retrospective - Highlights to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Watch history is often the story of unsung heroes. Zenith is commonly credited as the creator of the first automatic chronograph, while their collaborator Movado is often a footnote, if mentioned at all. The Omega Speedmaster, famously the first watch worn on the moon, gets most of the street cred when discussing out-of-this-world watches. However, any mention of the actual first watch worn in space, the Sturmanskie, is a deep cut rarely discussed. Mid-century watch cases tend to follow the same trend. While brands like Rolex, IWC and Zenith were busy becoming household names, the third party manufacturers making the cases of their renowned classics worked diligently in the shadows. One such case designer and manufacturer was Dennison, a brand you may never have heard of, but undoubtedly handled if you are a fan of vintage luxury Swiss watches. Founded in 1874 by Aaron Lufkin Dennison (who the ALD collection is named after), Dennison became a powerhouse of both design forward and spec focused watch cases. Their patented air and water tight cases could be found on the wrists of members of the British Military, housed the famous Smith dials that submitted Everest in 1953 and even accompanied Lt. Commander Lithgow when he broke the world air speed record. Dennison went dormant after the 1960’s and, like many other once-defunct brands that followed suit with the emergence of the quartz crisis, has risen from the ashes. Resurrection stories can be hit and miss, leading many e...
Fratello
Today, we’ll go hands-on with the new Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic. This is a modern-looking take on the brand’s entry into the sports-dress category. As we’ll see, the lack of an integrated bracelet and textured dial helps provide this watch with an identity of its own. The current Piaget Polo lineup features many models, including […] Visit Hands-On With The Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic to read the full article.
Monochrome
Independent Swiss watch brand Titoni has been run by the Schluep family since 1919. Originally registered under the name Felco in 1919 and then Felca AG, this Grenchen-based watch manufacturer embraced foreign markets early in the game, surviving the vicissitudes of the 20th century intact. Titoni’s Heritage collection is inspired by some of the brand’s […]
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