2,045 articles · 12 videos found · page 67 of 69
Deployant
Buben & Zorweg are famous for their fabulous watch winders. This year, they decided to make a winder for manual wind watches, and as a show of virtuosity, they also decided to launch a small series of hand wound watches, which are quite exquisite. The movement, designed and constructed by Antione Martin…by a good friendRead More
Deployant
More novelties from ALS in SIHH 2011 Lange also introduced some new entry level watches to complete the Saxonia line. The line is now quite complete with the Saxonia Automatic, the Saxonial Flat Handwound, and the Saxonia World Time. First the Saxonia Automatic. The movement is a new movement, with a full rotor instead ofRead More
Deployant
The newest member of the Lange 1 family is the automatic Daymatic. Lange used this as the teaser for SIHH10, and indeed in this forum, Edwin has posted the press releases of the watch. Here in full glory: At first glance looks like the regular Lange 1. But its almost a mirror image of theRead More
Fratello
Grand Seiko has just added the limited-edition SBGW325 to its Elegance Collection, paying tribute to the SBGW003 from 2001. That model was the first Grand Seiko to feature a manually wound 9S mechanical movement, the Caliber 9S54. The new watch revisits one of its most distinctive details, the blocky Arabic numerals, while introducing a deep […] Visit Hot Take: Grand Seiko Introduces The SBGW325 to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Czapek celebrated its new flagship at Quai des Bergues 27 by releasing two limited editions during Geneva Watch Days 2026. The Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva pairs a 40.5mm steel case with a dark blue aventurine dial and Czapek’s seven-day, manually wound Calibre SXH1. The Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue places its open-worked double-escapement … Continued
Fratello
Breitling honors the centennial of Miles Davis’s birth with the new Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis. This limited-edition Navitimer revives a host of vintage design cues to create a fitting tribute to the pioneering jazz musician. At its heart is the manually wound B09 caliber, recalling the hand-wound Navitimers of the 1960s […] Visit Breitling Reimagines A Jazz Classic With The Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute To Miles Davis to read the full article.
Monochrome
Since its revival in 2023 under the direction of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, Daniel Roth has steadily reconstructed the distinctive design language of its founder, and the Extra Plat is perhaps its purest expression. A modern interpretation of Daniel Roth’s early time-only watches, it features the characteristic double-ellipse case and a slim, manually […]
Fratello
The Gérald Genta brand is putting its legendary founder’s philosophy at the top of its priorities. For Geneva Watch Days 2026, Gérald Genta releases a new Golden Obsidian version of the Geneva Minute Repeater. This 40mm 3N yellow gold novelty comes after the 2025 Geneva Minute Repeater Black Onyx. It also houses the manually wound […] Visit The Way Gérald Genta Intended: The Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The Longines Master Collection Chrono Monopusher is a compelling showcase of the brand’s industrial expertise and increasingly compelling value proposition. The watch pairs 1930s charm with a thoroughly modern manually wound monopusher chronograph. The advanced calibre is complemented by a richly textured dial — in soft blue or warm silver — that features period-inspired pulsometer typography and applied numerals. Initial thoughts The Master Monopusher is illustrative of the industrial transformation that has taken place over the past decade at Longines. Like its rival Tudor, Longines has aggressively moved to incorporate advanced features like silicon hairsprings to create distance between itself and the ever-growing roster of brands that rely on more generic movement platforms that are widely available from suppliers like Sellita and La Joux-Perret. A decade ago, Longines’ latest and greatest monopusher chronograph had an industry-standard Nivarox hairspring, and was adjusted by means of a generic curb-pin regulator. Power reserve was a reasonable — but unimpressive — 54 hours. Fast-forward to today, and every one of these details has been meaningfully upgraded, giving consumers and collectors a reason to choose a mainstream powerhouse over an independent start-up. The advanced technical content results in an attractive value at US$3,900, a price that undercuts rivals like Montblanc that offer similar monopushers. Furthermore, that’s less money — in both ...
Fratello
Neo-vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre is an enthusiast’s delight. The watch that crystallized this for me is a Reverso Classique reference 252.8.86. It is a steel, manually wound example from the mid-2000s that recently crossed the block at auction. On paper, it is an unremarkable watch. No complications, no complications, and a relatively humble (for the brand) view […] Visit The Quiet Case For Neo-Vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre to read the full article.
Hodinkee
What We Know Angelus is bringing back one of my favorite traditional chronograph designs with the new multi-scale Instrument de Mesures. The new version of their 2025 GPHG Chronograph award-winning monopusher features three scales for telemeter, tachymeter, and pulsometer, and comes in a black or white dial, harkening back to early 1930s and 1940s chronograph designs where chronographs were pure utility. Powered by the manually-wound A5000 movement, a version of a La Joux-Perret 5000-4 (a movement manufacturer which is under the same ownership umbrella as Angelus), the watch measures 39mm by 9.25mm with a stainless steel case and display caseback, a single co-axial crown pusher for the chronograph, and 30m of water resistance. The movement has a 42-hour power reserve and runs at 3Hz. If the movement architecture looks familiar, LJP owns the rights to the famous THA monopusher movement. The telemeter scale allows you to calculate distance by measuring the time between when you observe something and when you hear it. The tachymeter, of course, allows you to measure speed over a distance. And the pulsometer allows you to check your heart rate. Combining all three can be a mess of a thing, but long ago, the watch world settled on this beautiful stacked set of scales with a snailed, swirling effect. The watch also features lume at the hour markers, hidden in the three scales. The new Angelus Instrument de Mesures is limited to 25 pieces in each dial version and retails for ...
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Manually Wound Seiko Going to start off this week with a simple yet brilliant vintage Seiko. I’ve had a couple of these over the years, and it’s a great looking and reliable model. The steel case is around 36mm if I recall correctly, and this one is in excellent, unpolished shape. Classic round case with nice strong lugs. The dial is a bold blue, with a white bullseye ring and applied steel markers. Steel dauphine hands and no date give this a sharp, unique look that isn’t too flashy. The watch comes on the correct original Seiko beads of rice bracelet, which is so comfortable and great looking to boot. This example dates to April 1974. No movement pictures but the seller states it runs well, and my experience with these is that the movements are quite robust, like most Seikos. View auction here Vintage Waltham Next up is a nice vintage Waltham sporty/dress watch. The 34mm steel case looks sharp and unpolished, with stylish thin lugs. The classic silver dial is super clean, with nice applied steel thin arrow markers. It has steel dauphine hands with lume lines in them, and the second hand has a nice red arrow tip to help it stand out. No pesky date window to mar the peac...
Monochrome
Kross Studio has never been about conventional watchmaking, whether through its openworked designs or collaborations tied to everything from Star Wars to Batman. Last year, the Geneva-based brand introduced the MT1 Tourbillon, a manually wound tourbillon with a smooth lug-less case, crown-free construction, and fully openworked movement design. It was also a watch that carried […]
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) and Swatch have teamed up to launch the Royal Pop, a series of lanyard-borne pocket swatches in eight pop art-inspired colourways set to hit stores on May 16th. It also debuts new manually wound Sistem 51 movements, including one with small seconds, to capture the pocket watch feel. This could be seen as AP having a little fun on a project set in motion by a Swatch-obsessed former CEO, or long-term thinking to cultivate the next generation of customers. Initial thoughts I imagine ambivalence will define the general reaction to the Royal Pop, as it should. A pop art-inspired pocket Swatch is a challenging product to casual watch buyers and enthusiasts alike. And I mean that as praise — it would have been much easier to go the MoonSwatch or Scuba Fifty Fathoms route, but much less interesting. Ref. SSX03L101N. Case in point, a non-enthusiast friend texted me over the weekend expressing interest in the Royal Pop under the common assumption that it would take after the MoonSwatch. In short, he was expecting a plastic Royal Oak. He was less enthusiastic — but not entirely put off — when I asked him how he’d feel about a manually wound pocket watch. Ref. SSX03R100N. While my favourite watches are overwhelmingly pocket watches (or pocket chronometers), I can’t see myself wearing one regularly, be it a Swatch Pop or a Nicole Nielsen tourbillon. I do, however, see myself attaching an Otg Roz Royal Pop to my keychain or workbag. Considering the recent ...
Hodinkee
What We Know The cat is out of the bag on what is likely to be the biggest watch news of the year. The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" just launched, ahead of its official availability on May 16, 2026, at selected Swatch stores. There are no wristwatches here, just eight unique pocket watches in two different styles, cased in brightly colored Royal Oak-shaped bioceramic cases, powered by manually wound mechanical SISTEM51 movements. Eight watches, for each side of the iconic Royal-Oak bezel. All the watches are instantly recognizable as Royal Oak-inspired. They have a "Petite Tapisserie" dial and a Royal Oak octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws. Every watch comes with a 40mm case (without the clip) and measures 44.2mm by 53.2mm when mounted in the clip. The thickness is 8.4mm. The hands and indices on all watches feature Grade-A Super-LumiNova. The watches can be dropped in your pocket, worn in the pocket, or popped into a holder attached to a calfskin lanyard (in three lengths), attached to a bag, or placed in a removable stand that lets the watch function as a desk clock. Swatch and AP say this will change the way we wear watches, breaking free from the wrist (suggesting the expected wristwatch collaboration is unlikely at the moment). The new Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" comes in two main variants. There's the "Lépine" style, where the crown is at 12 o'clock on the pocket watch, which come in six varieties: Otto Rosso (pink case and dial with red ...
SJX Watches
Daniel Roth’s latest addition to its time-only portfolio is the Extra Plat Platinum. A familiar face in a new colourway, the Extra Plat offers the Tourbillon Platinum‘s stealthy look in a more accessible two-hand format. Powered by the DR002 in-house calibre developed by Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), this regular production model brings a decidedly subtle look to the brand’s simple dress watch. Initial thoughts It’s been interesting to observe Louis Vuitton’s confident foray into haute horlogerie through the revival of Daniel Roth. Despite the corporate structure, astute collectors continue to speak of Daniel Roth in the same breath as other leading independent watchmakers. To the independent-collecting cognoscenti, the platinum Extra Plat should prove a compelling option – rooted in the early history of the independent watchmaking movement but built to meet contemporary expectations. Following Daniel Roth’s launch of the Tourbillon Souscription, the time-only, manually wound Extra Plat — “extra flat” for non-French speakers — debuted in an 18k yellow gold souscription edition followed closely by regular production models in rose gold, with and without skeletonisation. The new platinum Extra Plat rounds out the set. Combined with the matching dial with contrasting finishes, it creates a rather stealthy profile for this otherwise opulently finished dress watch. Extra Plat-inum The platinum double-ellipse case shares the wrist-friendly d...
Hodinkee
What We Know Ahead of this weekend's Miami Grand Prix, Tudor has announced the Black Bay Chrono "Carbon 26," a follow-up to last year's Carbon 25. While Tudor's ties to motorsport date back to the late 1960s with the Tudor Watches Racing Team, its current partnership with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team began in 2024, and they have been quick to make the most of it, with two limited editions in two consecutive seasons. The Carbon 25 marked the first limited-edition release from that relationship, with the Carbon 26 continuing the same approach in 2026. At its core, the update centers on a revised color scheme reflecting the livery of the VCARB 03 car. The watch retains a 42mm carbon fiber case with a fixed tachymeter bezel, along with a titanium caseback, crown, and pushers with a black PVD finish. The dial remains "racing white," now with yellow accents and carbon fiber subdials. The carbon fiber case, introduced last year, carries over unchanged. It replaces the steel case used in standard Black Bay Chronographs, while keeping the same 42mm diameter, fixed tachymeter bezel, screw-down crown, chronograph pushers, and overall case profile. Inside is the Manufacture Chronograph Calibre MT5813, an automatic chronograph with a column wheel, vertical clutch, silicon balance spring, and a 70-hour power reserve. It is COSC-certified, and it also meets Tudor's more rigorous standards of -2/+4 seconds per day. The Black Bay Chrono "Carbon 26" is priced at $8,625, produced in a...
SJX Watches
A Vancouver native who studied watchmaking in Switzerland, Bradley Taylor spent the last four years working on his own movement, an endeavour that is has finally in the Ardea. Manually wound with three hands, the Ardea is powered by a hand-made movement made by Mr Taylor, who incorporated a retrograde seconds, setting this apart from the high-end time-only watches that are now common. Mr Taylor made his debut with time-only watches that were powered by high-quality, but essentially stock, Vaucher movements. The Ardea, in contrast, is of his own making. He fabricated his own movement by building on the vintage Omega cal. 30T2 architecture and then making most of the watch himself, right down to the guilloche dial and solid gold wheels of the gear train. Mr Taylor’s attention to detail extends to surprising aspects of the watch, like the platinum applied numerals in a custom typeface. Initial thoughts The Ardea, and especially its movement, is the product of substantial manual craftsmanship. From milling to filing to drilling to polishing – Mr Taylor does almost all of it himself and has documented the process with many photos and videos. As a result, the Ardea is more artisanal than other recent indie creations that are engineer-conceived timepieces, and Mr Taylor deserves credit. Tapping the main plate Applying guilloche to the dial ring with a hand-cranked rose engine Mr Taylor’s choice of movement construction is not surprising, since the Omega cal. 30T2 architectu...
Worn & Wound
At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko’s newest addition to the Elegance Collection brings together the things it does best. Namely, intricately textured dials with a nod to Japanese artistry, and its flagship Caliber 9R Spring Drive. Engraved to resemble a weathered rock face, the SBGY043’s striking dial suggests the appearance of a mountain at dusk: Grand Seiko calls this pattern iwao, which translates to rock or crag. Depending on the angle it’s viewed from behind its domed sapphire crystal, different facets take on intermingling light and dark tones of blue, purple, and black. Its color is inspired by the tradition of katsuiro dyeing, a centuries-old technique and reportedly a favorite among the samurai class, which produces a deep indigo hue. Set against bright silver markers and hands - no blued seconds hand here, which is almost its own Grand Seiko tradition - it makes for an especially understated contrast. This Iwao Blue version runs on the Caliber 9R31, a manual-wind Spring Drive movement with a 72-hour power reserve and visible through a clear caseback. The case is among the slimmest in the Elegance Collection, with standard zaratsu polishing and soft, rounded lugs. A nine-row stainless steel bracelet is the only option, which reflects the craggy-faced dial’s aura of ruggedness. Grand Seiko enthusiasts, of which there are many, might remember this dial from 2021 - albeit in a sharp-angled Heritage case and with a Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive mov...
Teddy Baldassarre
Let's face it: a gold chronograph is not exactly the most subtle style of wristwatch you can sport. Combine the high complication, the complex multi-level dial, and the gleaming precious-metal execution of the case (and, in some instances, also the bracelet), and the result tends to be a prominent, weighty, and expensive timepiece that inevitably attracts attention. Unlike standard, three-handed gold dress watches, gold chronographs are not built to be shy, discreetly hiding their assets beneath a shirt cuff. All the more reason, then, to make sure that if you're bold enough to rock one of these watches, that the face it's presenting to the world is one that inspires awe and admiration. Here are 10 of our favorites from an elite lineup of respected watchmakers. [toc-section heading="Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding Chronograph"] Price: $95,400, Case Size: 41mm, Case Height: 11mm, Lug Width: 23mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Audemars Piguet Caliber 4401 Audemars Piguet’s frosted white gold, used here for the 41mm case of a vibrant, blue-dialed chronograph within Audemars Piguet’s flagship Royal Oak collection, is achieved through a process of hammering the gold with a diamond-tipped tool to create tiny indentations - a process that dates back to ancient Florence. The dial’s surface is enhanced with the signature Royal Oak Grand Tapisserie texture and highlighted by contrasting golden-toned subdials at 3, 6,...
Teddy Baldassarre
While it’s more widely known for its jewelry these days, Piaget, founded in the small Swiss village of La Cote-aux-Fées by Georges Piaget in 1874, has been a watchmaker from the beginning. Its original trade, in fact, was making movements, and the company began making complete watches in In the 20th century. Before getting into the Piaget Polo, it's worth it to get into the brand's history in thin watchmaking. Since 1957, when Piaget created the historic 2mm-thick Caliber 9P, the company has been world renowned for the elegant thinness of its watches and movements. The world’s thinnest self-winding mechanical movement, Caliber 12P, followed Caliber 9P just three years later, in 1960, and Piaget has building upon these foundations ever since. Its most recent triumph in this area was the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, which debuted in 2018 as a prototype and hit the market in 2020; the entire watch, case and movement, is just 2mm thick, matching the wafer thinness of the original Caliber 9P. Along with Bulgari, another watchmaker known more for its jewelry, Piaget continues to embody the ne plus ultra of what ultra-thin watchmaking can accomplish. [toc-section heading="The Integrated Bracelet Era Begins"] However, while “thin and elegant” remains the calling card of the Piaget watch brand overall, the market was looking for something a little different - a little bolder, perhaps - in the 1970s. Audemars Piguet had introduced its groundbreaking Royal Oak “Jumbo...
Worn & Wound
Tudor just released a watch that fans have been clamoring for and perhaps manifesting since at least 2022. That’s the year Tudor released a new 39mm Ranger to a great deal of fanfare and also a great deal of “Well, this would be even better if it was just a little smaller.” To be fair, that 39mm Ranger was perceived by most as an improvement over the 41mm Ranger, introduced in 2014 during an era when the enthusiast voice demanding vintage inspired watches match actual vintage proportions was much quieter. Now, with a new Ranger in 36mm, it feels like it’s finally back to the correct size. What’s more, Tudor has taken this as an opportunity to release the Ranger in a new dial color. The “Dune” colorway is a really appealing, creamy off-white with contrasting black indices and Arabic numerals. The hands match the color of the dial but have been given a black outline to improve legibility, which looks great. The key difference between the black dial (also available in a 36mm size and unchanged in layout from the larger version) is that the Dune dial does not have lumed numerals, but small lume plots next to each numeral. The case, of course, is smaller, but the general design and proportions do not appear to have changed. It’s dominated by a brushed finish which bolsters the tool watch roots of the Ranger, and has a water resistance rating of 100 meters. The Ranger runs on the COSC certified MT5400 automatic movement, which has 70 hours of power reserve on...
Worn & Wound
Almost as soon as Grand Seiko released the SLGW002 and SLGW003 at Watches & Wonders 2024, we started to wonder what this new class of manually wound dress watch from one of our favorite brands might look like in different variants. This seemed like a natural platform for expansion, and we figured it was just a matter of time before we saw some alternative dial options and new metals. In the year and a half or so since Grand Seiko introduced these watches, and the 9SA4 caliber powering them, things have been quiet on the manually wound dress watch front. That is, until this week, when we finally got a peek at the new SLGW007, Grand Seiko’s first new launch with this case and movement since the big debut at Watches & Wonders last year. While the most obvious update on the surface here is certainly the new dark blue dial, it’s actually the case itself that really has my interest. The SLGW003, you’ll recall, was crafted from Grand Seiko’s Brilliant Hard Titanium. This is a very cool material, for sure, but has a niche appeal in a classically styled dress watch like this thanks to its ultra light weight and the associations we all have with titanium and tool watches. The SLGW007 is in stainless steel, and I’m incredibly curious to see how this might change the character of the watch on the wrist. One would certainly expect it to be a bit heavier, but I imagine the finishing will also have a slightly different, perhaps more traditional look to it, at least in the con...
Teddy Baldassarre
For many watch collectors, acquiring one's first tourbillon watch is a Holy Grail, a rite of passage into the upper echelons of horological connoisseurship. If you're new to the watch appreciation game, however, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. What is so special about tourbillon watches, anyway, and what makes them so desirable to so many while still being so prohibitively expensive for most? The short answer is that a tourbillon is, in this day and age, less of a necessity and more of a badge of historical high-watchmaking excellence. For a more detailed explanation, read on. The First Tourbillons and Early Innovations The inventor of the tourbillon is a name that is likely familiar to watch connoisseurs. Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), a native of Switzerland who plied his trade as a watchmaker in Paris, was one of horology’s most significant historical figures, among whose many innovations was the first self-winding movement, the first repeater movement with a gong, one of the earliest constant-force escapements, and the device that he famously patented in 1801, the so-called tourbillon escapement. While the tourbillon is today considered by many to be a complication, like a chronograph or calendar mechanism, its original purpose was a fully practical one, to compensate for the ill effects of gravity on the movement of a pocket watch and thus improve its long-term accuracy. Remember, in Breguet’s time, watches were not worn on wrists, where ...
Monochrome
When Chopard launched the L.U.C Quattro in 2000, powered by the ultra-thin, manually wound Calibre 98.01-L, it announced itself as a serious force in the world of haute horlogerie. Calibre 98.01-L was the second movement developed entirely in-house by the Chopard Manufacture, following the groundbreaking Calibre 96.01-L, an innovative microrotor design created in collaboration with […]
SJX Watches
Following the Classique Souscription, and Tradition Seconde Rétrograde, Breguet continues its 250th anniversary roll-out by turning to its signature pilot’s watch. The Type XX Chronographe 2075BH debuts in two variants in “Breguet gold”: a regular production with a black aluminium dial and a 250-piece limited edition with a sterling silver dial. Both are handsome and stay mostly true to the model’s heritage thanks to faithful sizing and a manually-wound movement. The regular production with a black aluminium dial (left), and sterling silver dial of the limited edition Initial Thoughts The new Type XX ticks many of the boxes from an enthusiast’s perspective with its compact dial and concise dial that does without a date and hour totalizer – both welcome reductions to the first-generation design. That said, the Breguet gold case is limiting due to the price. A stainless steel case would’ve been even more appreciated, though that will probably arrive in due time. While the cal. 7278/7279 in the new Type XX is technically excellent – like most Breguet calibres – the thoroughly modern construction doesn’t complement the vintage-inspired design. Adapting the cal. 582 used in the 1990s Type XX might have been more interesting due to its lateral clutch construction and increasingly rare cam-control system, though the cal. 7278/7279 reads better on a spec sheet with its vertical clutch. And to preserve the vintage feel, a solid, hand-engraved case back might...
The 2025 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco was one for the books. Thousands of attendees poured into the city’s vibrant Marina District for three days of hands-on horology, exclusive releases, and face time with the creators behind the brands we love. The energy was electric, and the programming only elevated what was already an unforgettable experience. Thanks to our sponsors, this year’s event reached new heights, with panels that brought depth, insight, and real-time connection to the forefront. Here are recordings of the full conversations that helped shape the weekend, plus some videos from our friends at Fortis and Bulova. Introducing the New Fortis Fliegers with the WERK 7 Manufacture Calibre The Fortis Flieger collection connects over 40 years of aviation heritage with the modern era. Redefined in collaboration with the Swiss Air Force, it stands as the most readable tool watch Fortis has ever crafted. This video goes into its new WERK 7 manufacture calibre with 70 hours of power reserve, as explained by Andreas Bentele, Marketing Manager at Fortis. Panel 1 – Making Watches for the Enthusiast vs. the Curious Worn & Wound’s Managing Editor Zach Kazan kicked off the programming with a lively conversation featuring Abingdon Mullin, CEO at Abingdon, Jonathan Ferrer, Designer & Founder at Brew, and Brandon Little, Founder & Designer at Artefkt. The panel explored how brands can speak to both hardcore collectors and casual newcomers-without diluting their voic...
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin (VC) continues its 270th anniversary festivities with its first minute-repeating sports watch, the Overseas Grand Complication Openface. In addition to the repeater, the manually wound movement also features a perpetual calendar, tourbillon, and rear-facing power reserve indicator. All of this is housed in a titanium case rated to 30 m, which is a notable degree of water resistance for a chiming watch. This is also the first Overseas model with the “Openface” treatment, which pays homage to rock crystal dials found in vintage clocks and pocket watches with a clear sapphire dial exposing the perpetual calendar works. Image – Vacheron Constantin Initial Thoughts It’s unusual, but a chiming sports watch makes sense considering the direction of consumer preferences for complications. That said, the minute repeater has been slow to make its way into sports watches, despite enjoying renewed popularity for the past few decades, due to the challenges of waterproofing the charging slide and preserving sound quality. This has created a perception of water resistance and sound being mutually exclusive, which has only recently been challenged. Audemars Piguet was an early pioneer with water-resistant repeaters, and now Vacheron Constantin has entered the fray with a water-resistant minute-repeating integrated-bracelet sports watch of its own. While 30 m of water resistance is low compared to other models in the Overseas collection, it’s significant for a ...
SJX Watches
One of several strong new releases from Patek Philippe this year, the Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G is a simple day-date watch distinguished by an all-new manually wound, eight-day movement. Carrying on the contemporary aesthetic of the Calatrava ref. 5226G and Annual Calendar ref. 5326G, the new watch features a grained fumé dial and an 18k white gold case with a middle fully encircled with clous de Paris guilloche. The ref. 5238G is purposeful in its design, which gives it a casual, almost tool watch-like appearance that offers a pleasing contrast to its overtly luxurious case and movement. Initial thoughts Patek Philippe put on a good show at Watches & Wonders this year, and the ref. 5328G might be my favourite of the bunch. The watch has a strong presence thanks to its hobnail case band and instrument-like dial, but it really stands out when you turn the watch over and see the vintage-inspired bridge architecture. Patek Philippe is usually pretty utilitarian when it comes to movement design, so it’s nice to see them let their hair down and have some fun with this one. The fumé navy blue dial features an asphalt-like texture first seen on the ref. 5226G introduced in 2022. The ref. 5328G also benefits from this predecessor’s lumed syringe hands and clean Arabic numerals, which give it the earnest, purposeful feel of a deck watch. Patek Philippe is not known for its typographical expertise, but here even the numerals on the date ring strike the right tone. The watch f...
Monochrome
The ultra-thin, 3.7mm Calibre 98.01-L, certified by both the Poinçon de Genève and COSC, was the second developed by the Chopard manufacture and followed the groundbreaking Calibre L.U.C 96.01-L, which was created in collaboration with Michel Parmigiani and laid the foundation for future movement development. The manually wound 98.01-L featured Chopard’s so-called Quattro technology: a […]
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