3,225 articles · 11 videos found · page 68 of 108
Monochrome
The orbital-infused world of Ressence is a rather special one, but it has just gotten even more exciting. Ever since its debut in 2010, the Belgian brand has etched away its place in the independent watchmaking scene with highly original creations revolving around a unique concept. From the Type Zero to the oil-filled Type 3 […]
Deployant
Urwerk resurrected the UR-101 with another uber cool transformation of the original model with a textured skin, scaly armour of the T-REX.
Monochrome
Trilobe is a young, independent watch brand founded by Gautier Massonneau in 2013. The brand debuted its first timepiece, Les Matinaux – French for The Morning Ones and a tribute to René Char’s poetry collection – in 2018. Distinguished by its unconventional time display, Les Matinaux introduced an original system developed by Jean-François Mojon of […]
Deployant
Interesting new release from ArtyA featuring a claimed fully in-house caliber designed to be showcased in front of a full mirror on the dial side.
Fratello
The Yema Yachtingraf had been on my list for years. When the opportunity came to snap an untouched piece in an original box, I didn’t hesitate. Then, it sat on my list of article ideas for a few years. Well, its time has finally come, so let’s look at it. I don’t think it’s just […] Visit Retrospective: Digging Into The Yema Yachtingraf’s Sophisticated Design to read the full article.
Fratello
In total, Swatch has introduced 30 MoonSwatch models since 2022. First, there were the original 11 MoonSwatch variants, and then, a year later, we saw 11 others with a Moonshine Gold-plated hand. In 2024, we got two MoonSwatch Snoopy models, three new MoonSwatch Mission on Earth variants, a Mission to the Super Blue Moonphase, and […] Visit Hands-On With The MoonSwatch 1965 - The 30th Version Of The Bioceramic Speedmaster to read the full article.
Monochrome
Swiss brand Breva Genève was founded in 2010 by Vincent Dupontreué. At one point, the brand garnered quite a bit of attention on the independent watchmaking scene with a series of original but niche complications such as a barometer, an altimeter or even a retractable speedometer! For multiple reasons, the brand unfortunately disappeared for a […]
Monochrome
With watches such as the Multifort Mechanical, the Ocean Star 39, or the Decompression Timer 1961, Swatch Group-owned brand Mido seems to be on a roll regarding dial creativity. Fun, colourful, original and bold, the brand’s latest creations stand apart with the use of unusual designs and clever application of SLN to add even more […]
SJX Watches
Drawn from a Russian fairy tale about a bun coming to life, the Kolobok 2 arrives a year after Konstantin Chaykin revealed the original Kolobok. Like its predecessors in the Wristmon collection, this features a dial inspired by the titular character’s face. But the Kolobok 2 marks a departure from the first version in two notable ways: it is now a regular production watch rather than a limited edition, and it features a La Joux-Perret base movement instead of an ETA. Initial thoughts The Kolobok 2 is the latest of many Wristmon models, arguably too many to date. However, the fact that this is a regular production model, as opposed to a limited edition, is a positive development since it indicates the brand is leaving behind the multiple-edition approach. That aside, the watch itself is an upgrade over earlier versions. Although the new Kolobok 2 has the same simple functions arranged as a face, it is powered by a new movement based on the La Joux-Perret G200, replacing the modified ETA 2892-A2 used in preceding entry-level Wristmon models. This calibre is a step forward for the Wristmon model. Amongst other things that put it ahead of the ETA 2892, the G200 sports a a full balance bridge with a free-sprung balance. Another wristmon The Kolobok 2 retains the same dimensions and technical specifications as its predecessors, measuring 40 mm in diameter and 12.2 mm in thickness. As with all Wristmons, it features a notched bezel with 12 screws and a case that’s predominan...
Monochrome
You thought you knew everything from Seiko’s immensely versatile archive? Well, think again, as this new King Seiko VANAC collection is a straight blast from the past that probably few saw coming! Based on just one of many designs that were part of the original Vanac models, first up is a set of five new […]
Fratello
Breitling introduced a new perpetual calendar chronograph caliber to celebrate the brand’s 140th birthday last year. The impressive movement was featured in a trio of rose gold limited editions. Today, caliber B19 gets a permanent foothold in Breitling’s collection. This is the Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar. With such a descriptive name, I […] Visit Introducing: The Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar In Steel And Platinum to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
From their distinctive lower-case name to their cohesive brand aesthetics, echo/neutra has upheld a reputation of stylized simplicity since their founding in 2019. With the Averau 39 Moon Phase, released in 2022 as a follow-up to the original Averau field watch, the young Italian brand proved that they could introduce complications without sacrificing the clean design ethos they’ve since become known for. A “Big Moon” version with both black and white dial options would follow in 2024 and become arguably the brand’s most recognizable watch, due to its strikingly photo-realistic moon disc. For the new Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum, however, echo/neutra has plucked the traditional double-moon phase indication from the first Moon Phase model and given it a new minimalist look. A limited edition project joint-helmed by echo/neutra and Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam, the Noctilum emphasizes bold legibility-while the subdial at the 6 o’clock position remains, the realistically-textured moons have been replaced by contrasting black and luminous white alternatives. Continuing with the paring-down of design elements, the hands and 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock indices are the same matte black as the dial, but feature luminous white borders, creating an impressively emotive and legible “inverted lume” effect in dark conditions. Further deviating from the original, the Noctilum deletes the Arabic hour numerals and the “2649 MSLM” script between 7 and 8 o’clock. The r...
SJX Watches
Nomos has just introduced four new references to its line of entry-level watches conceived for fresh graduates, the Club Campus Starlight and Night Sky. The new releases are set apart by the bold colours - blue or yellow - for the “California” dial combines Arabic and Roman numerals. Each is offered in the customary sizes for the line, 36 mm and 38.5 mm, and retain the no-frills closed case back with 100 m water resistance. Initial thoughts Appreciated for its value proposition watches with solid in-house movements, Nomos has recently suffered from a lack of novelty. Indeed, the new Club Campus models differ only in dial colours from their predecessors. But the watches are still have appeal, particularly the entry-level models like the Club Campus; some of the high-end models are arguably too pricey for a competitive segment. In short, the Club Campus is compelling value proposition, thanks to its accessible price and the basic but appealing Alpha calibre. Vibrant colours Sharing the same dimensions and overall design as its predecessors, the new pair is set apart by its vivid dial colours. Available in Starlight and Nightsky configurations, this model prominently features a small seconds display with a bold orange second hand that contrasts against the dial. Driving the watch is the Alpha movement, a manual-winding calibre based on the Peseux 7001 architecture but heavily reworked, dressed up, and now made in-house by Nomos. It delivers a 43-hour power reserve an...
Fratello
History repeats itself. You know of the debate about which automatic chronograph came first. Was Zenith’s El Primero, the Caliber 11 developed by Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton, and movement specialist Dubois Dépraz, or the Speedtimer by Seiko the first? Now we have a new case of “Who came first?” It involves two watches - the Hublot […] Visit Introducing: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic Ceramic - The First Production Watch Featuring Multicolored Ceramic to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar to the original. The case is slightly larger at 42.3mm yet it is still a stainless steel core that is now wrapped in bio-based resin instead of regular resin. Lug-to-lug is a compact 48.9mm which creates a very comfortable fit on the wrist. Even with the screw down case back, a design choice taken directly from the original, protruding from the back and increasing the overall thickness to 13.1mm. Inside the DW5000R-1A you’ll find the 3576 module. A huge leap forward from the original module 240 found in the DW5000C, the 3576 provides the wearer with an LED light, Stopwatch, Countdown Timer, Full Auto-Calendar and Alarm. This allows you to celebrate the original without sacrificing the comforts of modern watchmaking. 41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar t...
Fratello
Nomos released the original Club Campus in 2017. The watches are inspired by the age-old tradition of purchasing or receiving a mechanical watch to symbolize a significant event or achievement. The German brand even offers to engrave the bare case back as part of the sale. Today, two new colorways, Starlight and Night Sky, join […] Visit To The Heavens With The New Nomos Club Campus Starlight And Night Sky to read the full article.
SJX Watches
While the original Seamaster 300M from 2019 was a no-frills, James Bond-inspired watch, the Seamaster Diver 300M Bronze Gold and Burgundy is a refined evolution of the design that employs Omega’s proprietary gold alloy. Used by Omega as well as its sister company Blancpain, Bronze Gold is an alloy of bronze, palladium, silver, and 37.5% gold - making it a 9k gold alloy - that has enhanced corrosion resistance while having the warm hue of bronze but without the accentuated patina that accompanies conventional versions of the metal. Aside from the Bronze Gold case and burgundy bezel, the design remains virtually unchanged, retaining the signature “twisted” lugs of the Seamaster. Initial thoughts Omega has introduced several variants of the model since the Seamaster 300M 007 Edition, among them the recent “No-Date”. This time-only design, which omits the date window, has enjoyed commercial success, highlighting the appeal of a cleaner dial, especially on a watch with some vintage flavour. In this context, the Seamaster 300M Bronze Gold is a natural evolution of the collection, bringing it upmarket as is the norm for a successful model. The upgrade, however, comes at a price. At US$13,900 on a rubber strap, the Bronze Gold edition is more than twice the price of the steel model. And the version on a matching Bronze Gold mesh bracelet costs a whopping US$27,900. Granted, the new Seamaster 300M is gold, but not really, since it’s a 9k alloy, which is far below th...
Monochrome
The Glashütte-based brand introduced the Campus line to its Club collection in 2017 with a clear goal: to appeal to a younger generation, particularly graduates. Over the past few years, the Club Campus series has grown, adding fresh, playful colours while maintaining the same good technical foundation. The Campus watches featured Future Orange and Absolute […]
Monochrome
Presented in 2023, the Bovet Virtuoso XI is a masterpiece of high watchmaking, combining exquisite skeletonization, intricate hand-engraving, and meticulous hand-finishing… without mentioning an in-house movement with flying tourbillon and solid 10-day power reserve. Following the release of the original white gold versions, this typically Bovet watch is now available in 18k red gold, with […]
Deployant
Angelus releases a new collection with the Flying Tourbillon Titanium, adopting the maison's signature open work style and a new hand-wound caliber.
SJX Watches
IWC gives its exceptionally shock resistant – and strikingly expensive – aviator’s watch a new look. The Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff is dressed in the black and green livery of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team that’s sponsored by IWC and led by Austrian auto entrepreneur Toto Wolff. Although largely unchanged from the original version, the Toto Wolff edition features a stamped, grained dial with a cleaner aesthetic and open-worked hands. And the BMG shock-absorbing spring that rings the movement is coated in Petronas green Super-LumiNova for maximum visual effect. Initial thoughts Despite its (very) limited commercial success, the original Big Pilot XPL is an interesting example of horological engineering. While its considerable price tag was debatable, the technology inside was novel and exemplifies IWC’s historical focus on engineering. The new iteration is hardly revolutionary since it’s merely a cosmetic makeover, but it does bring a new aesthetics that might give the watch a bigger audience, especially with the high profile of Formula 1 and Toto Wolff himself thanks to the Netflix series about the sport. The new Toto Wolff edition is priced at US$102,000, comparable to the first version and steep for a time-only watch, especially so for an IWC. However, seen another way, the price is perhaps competitive since the another brand that has long emphasised shock resistance and Formula 1 is Richard Mille, and any of its watches is...
Fratello
Sternglas continues to evolve its watch lineup rapidly. Today’s new Tachymeter 2.0 is a great example because it replaces the original model after a short three-year production run. We like it when a company is not content to rest with its existing designs. The question, as always, is whether the newest watch is an improvement. […] Visit Hands-On With The New Sternglas Tachymeter 2.0 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is an idiom that will seemingly always ring true throughout the watch industry for brands of all different origins and ages. There are certain watch models that are so easily recognizable because of their distinctive and timeless looks, and while other companies eventually attempt to replicate them and hopefully attain the same amount of success, they can never truly capture the essence of the original. The Seiko Orange Monster may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a girthy diver with a bright dial, large lume-filled indices, and a heavy-duty stainless-steel shroud that I’m quite positive would look amiss with a three-piece suit. That being said, however, millions worldwide have embraced its robust and striking aesthetics over the years. The First-Generation models, while similar to their successors on the surface, have cemented themselves as cult classics within the collector sphere. Why? For a few reasons, I think. Reason 1: An Overall Oddity with Near Perfect Proportions When the Monster series was first announced, there was nothing quite like it on the market. Reception upon its initial release of reference SKX781 in 2000 was polarizing––some found the ambitious design, for lack of a better term, ugly. As time went on, more and more skeptics began to fall for its unique aesthetics and Seiko, noticing this trend, continued production of the Monster series for over two decades with minor tweaks here and there. The ...
SJX Watches
Rado taps Tej Chauhan for a new evolution of its 1970s-inspired ceramic wristwatch in the second collaboration between the watch brand and the British industrial designer. Featuring ceramic-metal composite bezel in a yellow gold PVD-coating, the DiaStar Original x Tej Chauhan Special Edition retains the signature helmet-shaped case, but sports a radial pattern also found on Mr Chauhan’s preceding Rado collaboration. And the day-date display utilises the designer’s own font in bold colours. Initial thoughts Rado is a pioneer in materials innovation for watch cases, having introduced the first “scratch-proof” watch in 1962 thanks to the use of a metal composite. The new edition continues that with the use of Ceramos, a tungsten carbide-ceramic composite, but adds flavour to the 1970s design with Tej Chauhan’s touch on the dial and hands. His additions to the design set it apart, but still remain coherently 1970s in style. The look is not for every, but it does well in being a 1970s-style design with a twist. As is typical for Rado, the new DiaStar is priced reasonably. It costs US$2,250, which is value considering the materials. Most of the competition’s watches with such features cost more. Arguably the only shortcoming is the Powermatic 80 movement. Though reliable and offering an 80-hour power reserve, it is also widely used in less expensive watches from Rado’s sister companies like Tissot. Helmet-shaped case Water-resistant to 100 m, the new DiaStar retain...
Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko’s Alpinist collection is welcoming a new member this week with the release of a new GMT reference featuring a dial inspired by the hornbill, a tropical bird of Southeast Asia. The watch is a Land Alpinist using the brand’s 6R54 caliber, and while this is an existing configuration released back in 2023, there are a few unique details here worth noting - from dial textures and colors to the black bezel piece. This watch is not only a celebration of the majestic hornbill, but also an expansion of the Alpinist platform that goes beyond the existing framework, hopefully opening the door to more expressive variations moving ahead. The Alpinist GMT was released in 2023 in what felt like a very natural move for the collection. As part of the Prospex Land family, the new Alpinist references utilized a fixed, 24-hour steel bezel and an internally rotating compass bezel. Use of the 6R54 allowed the addition of a 24-hour hand into the mix; however this is the so-called “caller” style of GMT hand, meaning the hour hand cannot be set independently on the go. Still, it’s a welcome addition to the modern series carrying forth Seiko’s historic Alpinist name, and retains the charming design of the original. This newest reference to the collection is the SPB493J, and it mixes up the formula just enough to stand apart from the rest. This watch uses base blacks set against the steel 39.5mm case and bracelet, with the inclusion of a deep green color used for the rotating inn...
Fratello
Tissot released the PR516 Automatic Chronograph last month. The cool colorway and automatic caliber piqued our interest. So today, I’m going hands-on with one to see what it is all about. Could this be the chronograph to buy the sub-€2.5K segment, or does it miss the mark? This video is blocked because you did not […] Visit Hands-On With The Tissot PR516 Automatic Chronograph to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 is a stunning embodiment of luxury and timeless style, drawing its roots from the heritage of the iconic Reference 325 model. In this review, I explore one of the most striking colour combinations to fully appreciate what makes this timepiece stand out. What We Love The black obsidian dial perfectly complements the 18k 5N gold case ideally sized to suit even small wrists A timeless design that references the original Prortugieser Reference 325. What We Don’t With a case thickness of 12.4mm, the watch’s water resistance of 30m seems too little. The lack of a date window may deter those who want a dress watch with this feature. Sixty seconds constant sub-counter needs to be a few shades darker to more closely match with the dial. Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Portugieser line has to be my favourite from IWC Schaffhausen, with its elegant and refined aesthetics complementing the sporty side. Previously, I had the chance to wear and test out the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 with the sliver-plated dial, and I certainly enjoyed my time with it! Before I had the chance to do the review, however, I was already a fan of the Automatic 42, especially its bi-counter layout displaying the power reserve and constant seconds. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 40 on Chamath’s wrist W...
Fratello
One of last year’s biggest surprises was the reintroduction of the Credor Locomotive. The original watch from the 1970s was one of Gérald Genta’s lesser-known creations. As soon as you see it, though, you immediately recognize Genta’s characteristic design signature. Having said that, it’s a divisive design because of its quirky presence. I also had […] Visit Introducing: The Gérald Genta-Designed Credor Locomotive With A New Dial to read the full article.
Monochrome
Last year, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Credor – the high-end, most classical brand owned by the Seiko Corporation – unveiled a very special watch based on the Locomotive concept and being a faithful recreation of Gérald Genta‘s original 1978 sketch. While Genta is best known for designing the iconic Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Ingenieur, […]
Fratello
Today, Grand Seiko introduces the SLGH027 “Mountainscape,” a limited-edition watch celebrating the brand’s 65th anniversary. The piece features the automatic Hi-Beat 9SA5 caliber, which debuted in 2020. As part of the Evolution 9 collection, this watch is not retro at all but a modern reference with stunning details. Grand Seiko always has a strong start […] Visit Introducing: The Grand Seiko SLGH027 “Mountainscape” Hi-Beat 65th Anniversary Limited Edition to read the full article.
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