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31,918 articles · 177 videos found · page 665 of 1070

The Breitling Navitimer Evolves into a No-Frills GMT SJX Watches
Breitling Navitimer Evolves into Apr 1, 2024

The Breitling Navitimer Evolves into a No-Frills GMT

To celebrate its 140th anniversary, Breitling is launching the Navitimer Automatic GMT 41. Zooming into the watch, the signature slide-rule bezel is still present, although this Navitimer omits the chronograph and replaces it with a GMT function. Featuring a 41 mm case in either stainless steel or 18k rose gold, it retains the classic Navitimer style, albeit with a cleaner look without the chronograph sub-dials. Initial Thoughts After revamping the Navitimer in 2022, Breitling gave its trademark aviator’s chronograph more vintage-inspired aesthetics, including more compact cases. Given that the Navitimer is synonymous with the chronograph, it’s not unreasonable to criticise the GMT has having lost some of the spirit of the original. However, I dig the cleaner aesthetics without the pushers and the triple registers. And this is also more affordable. Most Navitimer chronographs are equipped with the in-house B01 movement, resulting in an hefty entry price of US$9,600. The Navitimer Automatic GMT 41 is equipped with an ETA calibre, resulting in a slightly more affordable price that starts at US$6,200 on a stainless steel bracelet. Many other brands in this price bracket now utilise in-house or heavily improved movements, which puts this at a disadvantage in terms of mechanics. That puts it in the middle of the pack for accessible GMT watches: not as affordable as a Longines or the same value proposition as a Tudor, but it has the advantage of the classic Navitimer look th...

The Ulysse Nardin Freak - The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part III SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Mar 31, 2024

The Ulysse Nardin Freak - The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part III

An outlandish concept that originally sprang from the mind of Carole Forestier Kasapi, the Ulysse Nardin Freak of 2001 was perfected by Dr Ludwig Oechslin and then made reality thanks to the advent of silicon in watchmaking. Lightweight and magnetism resistant, silicon was used for the escape wheels but that was only the beginning of the story. [This story, the third and final instalment in the series, details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor. The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part I covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and unique escapement. Part II deals with the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement.] Silicon, Silicium, Silinvar Now used interchangeably with silicon, silicium is actually French for “silicon”, but now it is also used as the trade name for the proprietary form of silicon used by Ulysse Nardin for movement components, namely silicon with a hard oxide outer layer that gives the material thermocompensating properties. Silicium was developed by Swiss scientific institute Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) in collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. Notably, the material is also known as Silinvar, which resulted from a separated but related CSEM project backed by a consortium made up of Rolex, Patek Philippe and Swatch Group. As a ...

Diving into the design details of Baltic watches down to half a millimetre with founder Etienne Malec Time+Tide
Furlan Marri Baltic Mar 31, 2024

Diving into the design details of Baltic watches down to half a millimetre with founder Etienne Malec

Editor’s note: Back in January, many of you joined us in our Time+Tide Discovery Studio in Melbourne to celebrate our tenth anniversary. It was a week full of celebrations, events, and even three exclusive launches from three of the most respected microbrands in the game: Furlan Marri, Baltic, and Studio Underd0g. Unfortunately, not everyone was … ContinuedThe post Diving into the design details of Baltic watches down to half a millimetre with founder Etienne Malec appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Swatch Sistem51 - Including A Tour Of ETA In Boncourt Fratello
Swatch Mar 31, 2024

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Swatch Sistem51 - Including A Tour Of ETA In Boncourt

What better way for a watch brand to mark a significant anniversary than to present the result of a project that is equally challenging, ambitious, and just a little bit mad? Swatch introduced its revolutionary Sistem51 mechanical movement in 2013. It did so to mark 30 years since the brand’s inception. The challenge Mr. Nick […] Visit A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Swatch Sistem51 - Including A Tour Of ETA In Boncourt to read the full article.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Vs. Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium Fratello
Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium It’s Mar 31, 2024

Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Vs. Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium

It’s Sunday morning! To be more specific, it’s Easter Sunday. So grab a warm cup of coffee with a chocolate bunny, and get ready to vote. In this week’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we decided to revisit a battle that we have had in the past. It’s the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona against the Zenith Chronomaster Sport. […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Vs. Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium to read the full article.

Why You Shouldn’t Get Your Better Half Interested in Watches Quill & Pad
Mar 31, 2024

Why You Shouldn’t Get Your Better Half Interested in Watches

“What, another watch?” she almost screamed in disbelief no sooner than I had opened the front door to our little love nest. Rewind to last week. I had been looking for a Roger Smith Series 1 for some time now, and Jones, my watch dealer, happened to finally locate one. I thought that I had played it pretty safe, so I really don’t know how she could have noticed. But then what happened next changed the rest of my life.

Swatch Art Journey 2024 - Meet The Swatch × Tate Gallery Collection Fratello
Swatch Mar 30, 2024

Swatch Art Journey 2024 - Meet The Swatch × Tate Gallery Collection

The Swatch × Tate collection debuted on March 20th at London’s Tate Modern gallery, home to over 76,000 art pieces. The reason for that is the latest Swatch art collaboration with Tate. There are seven new Swatch × Tate models, each representing a specific artwork - Turner’s Scarlet Sunset, Chagall’s Blue Circus, Miró’s Women and […] Visit Swatch Art Journey 2024 - Meet The Swatch × Tate Gallery Collection to read the full article.

The Unintentional Watch Collector: An Unplanned Watch Collection Spanning Eight Decades Quill & Pad
Casio ns Mar 30, 2024

The Unintentional Watch Collector: An Unplanned Watch Collection Spanning Eight Decades

Colin Alexander Smith never set out to collect watches; in fact, he suspects that deep down he aspires to being a one-watch guy. He has only bought himself a new watch on two occasions in his life. Nevertheless, through a combination of new and used purchases, gifts, hand-me-downs, and inherited pieces, Colin has managed to accumulate a selection of watches that rather neatly spans eight consecutive decades of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Find out what is behind each of these watches remaining in Colin's collection right here.

Brew’s Metric Chronograph is Now Available in Titanium Worn & Wound
Brew s Metric Chronograph Mar 29, 2024

Brew’s Metric Chronograph is Now Available in Titanium

Brew’s Metric line continues to grow, with the introduction of the first version of the Meca-Quartz chronograph in titanium. The Metric, as we’ve seen through several earlier iterations, has proven to be a fantastic canvas for Brew founder Jonathan Ferrer’s design chops, and now the watch takes on another slightly different shape (not literally, it’s the same 36mm case) in a new metal. This marks Brew’s first use of titanium, so they’re breaking the dam a bit here, and we can’t help but wonder what might be coming in our favorite lightweight metal.  But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. The new titanium Metric has a subdued black dial with red accents that complement the utilitarian vibe of a titanium sports watch. The overall feeling you get here is one of a certain tactical sensibility, rather than the colorful playground of the earliest Metrics. The subdials are recessed for an added sense of depth, and the word “Titanium” appears, curved over the 6:00 subdial, proudly announcing the use of a new material.  Brew has gone with a simple brushed finish for the case and bracelet of the titanium Metric, which makes a lot of sense for a few reasons. First, this kind of presentation will just always work with titanium, which has an inherently sporty quality to it. Second, it surely keeps costs down. Somehow, the titanium version of the Metric is only priced at only a small premium over the stainless steel versions, coming in at $495. That’s a pr...

Aquastar’s New Benthos 500 Founder’s Edition is the Release Dive Watch Fans Have Been Waiting For Worn & Wound
Mar 29, 2024

Aquastar’s New Benthos 500 Founder’s Edition is the Release Dive Watch Fans Have Been Waiting For

If you’ve been following the reestablishment of Aquastar over the last few years, today marks an important milestone in the brand’s new chapter. After a series of well regarded divers offering takes on both Aquastar’s actual history and a sort of imagined version of it, we’ve finally come to the Benthos, perhaps the brand’s most famous watch, at least among the cult of divers and sports watch fanatics who have always held the brand in such high regard. This release, the Benthos 500 Founder’s Edition, very much feels like the watch that Aquastar has been building toward for the last few years, and it’s quite impressive in the metal.  First, a little background on the Benthos for those unfamiliar with its history. The Benthos was introduced in 1970 as a diving chronograph, but it uses one of the most uncommon executions of what is a fairly common complication that we can recall. This is a monopusher chronograph with a centrally mounted minute hand, and no chronograph seconds hands. That means that when you activate the chronograph, the user has the strange experience of wondering if anything just happened. But wait a minute, and you’ll see that minute hand tick over to the first minute marker, and the functionality here becomes a little more clear.  For most divers who would need to engage a chronograph underwater, it’s the minutes that truly matter, and a chronograph like this gives you exactly what you need, and none of what you don’t. The other piece...

Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2024 on Show in Geneva SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2024 Mar 29, 2024

Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2024 on Show in Geneva

Continuing its annual tradition, Patek Philippe is exhibiting the year’s Rare Handcrafts its Geneva Salon from April 13 to 27, alongside the final few days of Watches & Wonders. Aside from the 82 watches and clocks – the largest Rare Handcrafts collection ever presented – the engravers and enamellers will be on hand to demonstrate their craft. The timepieces in the exhibition, comprising seven Dome Clocks, three table clocks, nine pocket watches, and 43 wristwatches, showcase the brand’s mastery of traditional techniques, ranging from the familiar like cloisonné and champlevé, to those less often encountered in watchmaking, such as wood marquetry and Longwy enamel on faience. As has long been the case for the Rare Handcrafts collection, all of the timepieces on show are available in theory, but typically allocated to the best clients. The Rare Handcrafts collection will be exhibited in three sections, each grouped according to the particular timepiece form. Upon entering the Salon, guests will encounter a dozen Calatrava wristwatches with enamel dials bearing the constellations of the zodiac, executed in a range of techniques, namely grisaille, cloisonné, and paillonné. The Napoleon room The exhibition continues into the Napoleon room facing Lake Geneva. Here are the watches inspired by nature, including the pocket watch ref. 995/143G-001 “Portrait of a White Egret” with a wood marquetry dial. The ref. 995/143G-001 with its matching stand The last section ...

Introducing: The Orient Star M Collections - A Different Take On Japanese Top-Shelf Horology Fratello
Orient Mar 28, 2024

Introducing: The Orient Star M Collections - A Different Take On Japanese Top-Shelf Horology

If you’re already into watches, Japanese brands have a different design mindset and offer big value. Orient Star is a brand you’ll think of if you’re a seasoned watch geek like me, especially if you actually remember watch forums (ask your dad or an uncle). Most brands have a lot to offer, but with microbrands […] Visit Introducing: The Orient Star M Collections - A Different Take On Japanese Top-Shelf Horology to read the full article.

Christopher Ward Introduces the C63 Valour Chronograph Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Introduces Mar 28, 2024

Christopher Ward Introduces the C63 Valour Chronograph

Christopher Ward is expanding its military watch line, with the new C63 Valour chronograph. Past Christopher Ward military watches have paid tribute to the British Army, Navy, and Air Force. The C63 Valour is the first watch in Christopher Ward’s lineup dedicated to all three branches. In creating the C63 Valour, watch designer Will Brackfield turned to “the British Military quartz watches of the 1980s, with applied and polished numerals.” The C63 Valour similarly features applied numerals and an applied logo in steel that pop against the black dial. In military watches, legibility is key, and it’s clear the C63 Valour draws on pilot watches in particular with its large Arabic numerals. It’s a minimalist watch face, with a lot of information laid out very simply, making it easy to read and a pleasure to look at. Lumed hour and minute hands make sure that it’s easy to read even at night. The three branches are represented on the watch in the steel subdials, which feature a light blue hand for the Air Force, a dark blue hand for the Navy, and a red hand for the Army. The caseback also features the three heraldic crests of the military branches, along with the queen’s crown in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The watch features a 39mm stainless steel case with a lug-to-lug of 45.8mm. Inside is a battery-powered movement with a lifespan of three years and accuracy of plus or minus 10 seconds a year. Fitting for a watch that also pays tribute to the Royal Nav...

Tudor Introduces the Limited Production Black Bay Chrono “Pink” SJX Watches
Breitling derived MT5813 movement I Mar 28, 2024

Tudor Introduces the Limited Production Black Bay Chrono “Pink”

In a surprise launch just before Watches & Wonders 2024, Tudor has just revealed the Black Bay Chrono “Pink”. Departing from the brand’s typical no-nonsense and occasionally military aesthetic, the new chronograph is based on a watch created for Jay Chou, the Taiwanese musician who’s one of the biggest stars in Asia. Though not a limited edition, Tudor states “few of [Black Bay Chrono “Pink”] will ever be made”. Initial thoughts Tudor’s watches are almost uniformly good value, regardless of model, so I am a fan. But most have either a sporting instrument or military equipment, which is to say the variety in design is limited (save for a handful of unpublicised special runs). It’s difficult to describe most Tudor watches as fun, which this certainly is. The Black Bay Chrono “Pink” is appealing because, well, it’s pink. The colour instantly sets it apart from the average Tudor watch, while also having being a subtle reference to historical models. And of course it is the value proposition that a Tudor always is, particularly with the high-spec Breitling-derived MT5813 movement. I like the watch, but I am unsure about the “5-link” bracelet (that is clearly Jubilee inspired), particularly on a watch of this size. Still, it’s a compelling enough proposition I would buy one given the opportunity. Jay Chou Otherwise serious looking This is based on the standard Black Bay Chrono that is ordinarily a low key watch, available either as a “panda” o...

Tudor Surprises with a Pink Black Bay Chrono Worn & Wound
Tudor Surprises Mar 28, 2024

Tudor Surprises with a Pink Black Bay Chrono

A surprise release from Tudor this morning, less than two weeks ahead of Watches & Wonders. The Black Bay Chrono “Pink” is a very limited and very pink iteration of the brand’s Black Bay Chronograph, and coincides with the recent announcement of Tudor’s partnership with Inter Miami CF, the Major League Soccer Club owned in part by David Beckham (who is, of course, a longtime Tudor ambassador). Pink is the color most associated with the club, hence the pink dial for this release.  On the surface, what we have here is quite simple: it’s a pink version of the Black Bay Chronograph that we’ve become familiar with over the last few years. Like the other watches in the collection, it’s a panda style dial, with black subdials complementing the pink main dial, framed by a black tachymeter bezel. The specs of this chronograph are exactly the same as other Black Bay Chronos, with a steel case measuring 41mm and water resistance to 200 meters.  Tudor fans (and watch enthusiasts with great memories) will immediately link this watch to another, somewhat lesser known watch in Tudor’s collection, the Black Bay Chrono Dark. This watch was also made for a professional sports team (the New Zealand All Blacks, a rugby team) and has been made in very limited quantities since its unveiling (which was also a surprise) in 2019. The point here is that Tudor just does this sometimes, dropping a surprise chronograph outside the bounds of a big trade show, in association with one o...

Introducing - The New Chronoswiss Strike Two Series with Horizontal Regulator Layout Monochrome
Chronoswiss Strike Two Series Mar 28, 2024

Introducing - The New Chronoswiss Strike Two Series with Horizontal Regulator Layout

The allure of contemporary Chronoswiss designs is palpable to watch enthusiasts, as evidenced by the plethora of limited-edition models marked as sold out in the company’s online catalogue, which offers both cutting-edge models and classic designs in peaceful coexistence. The new Strike Two series unveils yet another bridge between the brand’s esteemed past, exemplified by […]