Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for IWC Mark XX

4,853 articles · 2,335 videos found · page 69 of 240

View IWC brand page
Highlights: “The Ultimate Collection” at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts We round May 18, 2023

Highlights: “The Ultimate Collection” at Christie’s Hong Kong

Having concluded its Geneva sales that included an F.P. Journe thematic auction, Christie’s will soon open its spring sale season in Hong Kong. The auctioneer’s watch offerings include an impressive line-up of watches assembled over two decades by an Asian collector. Christened The Ultimate Collection, the selection is composed of 107 timepieces – almost all modern – ranging from Rolex to F.P. Journe. Although the watches are diverse, the collector’s keen eye can be discerned. The catalogue includes classic must-haves like various examples of the Rolex Daytona and GMT-Master II, but also rare and special watches from F.P. Journe as well as possibly-unique Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts. We round up nine notable picks from the sale, including the headline lots from F.P. Journe – a Chronomètre à Résonance “RTA” with a mother-of-pearl dial and the Tourbillon Souverain Coeur de Rubis. The “Coeur de Rubis” dial Other highlights including a Patek Philippe Dome Clock that was originally owned by Jean-Claude Biver of Hublot and Blancpain fame, along with uncommon variants of the landmark Lange 1, including the Lange 1A and ref. 101.027X. The Ultimate Collection takes place on May 26 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) – the catalogue is available here. Lot 2537 – F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain Anniversaire “Hong Kong”  In 2016, F.P. Journe marked the 10th anniversary of its first ever boutique (which was in Tokyo) with the ...

Read article
Ollech & Wajs Introduces the 8001, an Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Based on a 1970s Chronograph Worn & Wound
May 17, 2023

Ollech & Wajs Introduces the 8001, an Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Based on a 1970s Chronograph

Since Ollech & Wajs reconstituted itself in 2019, they’ve released a string of well regarded sports watches that pay tribute to some of the brand’s key designs from the 1960s and 1970s. This period, obviously, is fertile ground for watch design inspiration, with plenty of unusual, colorful attempts to build something different, along with your normal array of no fuss, black dialed divers. Ollech & Wajs has really focused on the hits, and on a somewhat insane commitment to build quality (my favorite example: the C-1000, one of the most under the radar 1,000 meter divers you’ll find anywhere). For this latest release, however, they’re looking toward an old design that is heavy with 70s funk, and then…un-funking it? At a glance, the new OW 8001 is the product of at least a few strange decisions.  Let’s step back a moment and take a look at the watch that inspired the OW 8001, the OW 8000. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ollech & Wajs’ early foray into the integrated bracelet market in the form of a sporty, “TV dial” chronograph with a smoked brown dial. The case of the 8000 appears to be overbuilt and chunky in a way that Ollech & Wajs has always favored, but there’s a certain elegance to the case shape and the way the case connects to the bracelet (notice the facet angled downward at the top and bottom of the case). Ollech & Wajs were far from the only brand to make a TV dial style watch, and they certainly weren’t the only brand to experiment ...

Read article
A Week In Watches Ep. 49: The Sea-Chron Returns & Rowing Blazers Hits the Seiko 5 Worn & Wound
Zodiac May 14, 2023

A Week In Watches Ep. 49: The Sea-Chron Returns & Rowing Blazers Hits the Seiko 5

This week in watches sees the return of the classic Sea-Chron diving chronograph from Zodiac. The watch has come back in multiple handsome colorways with full personality on display and case to match. See more details on the Sea-Chron in our intro here, and keep an eye out for a full review coming soon. Elsewhere, Seiko revealed yet another collaborative collection done with Rowing Blazers, this time in Seiko 5 watches with 4 colorways that will have you set for summer. More about the new Seiko x Rowing Blazers right here. That wasn’t all from Seiko this week, who also revealed a new member of their Sharp Edge collection within the Presage family. This watch opens the dial to reveal a view to the new 6R5J 3 day automatic movement within. More details on that Seiko right here. There’s more news from MessanaLAB and their new Massena HOUSE concept, as well as a new Miami Pink IWC Pilot Chronograph, all in the full episode below. This week’s episode is brought to you by the new Hydrotimer watch from Jack Mason. This distinctively handsome diver measures 40mm in diameter and features a ceramic bezel, a boxed sapphire crystal, and a quick adjust system built right into the clasp. Jack Mason regulates and assembles the movement for the Hydrotimer in the USA. Learn more about the Hydrotimer from Jack Mason right here. The post A Week In Watches Ep. 49: The Sea-Chron Returns & Rowing Blazers Hits the Seiko 5 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Read article
Maurice de Mauriac Celebrates an Insane Drive to the Tip of the Europe with a Special Chronograph Worn & Wound
Casio n.  If you’re from May 3, 2023

Maurice de Mauriac Celebrates an Insane Drive to the Tip of the Europe with a Special Chronograph

Zurich based brand Maurice de Mauriac has added a new watch to their Chrono Modern collection inspired by their participation in the grueling North Cape Expedition. The 11 day expedition took a team to the northernmost point on the European continent, the tip of Norway, across the 71st parallel and into the Arctic circle. The task was undertaken by the Alpineracer team in a BMW E30 (with a Genesis GV70 coming along as a support vehicle), and Maurice de Mauriac created a special version of their toughest chronograph to mark the occasion.  If you’re from a part of the world where there is significant snowfall in the winter, and you happen to also sometimes need to drive a car in those conditions, you know that even a few minutes on icey, snow covered roads in freezing weather can be anything from a nuisance to absolutely terrifying. It’s certainly not something I look forward to, and generally try to avoid when I have the opportunity to do so. Now imagine driving into increasingly more difficult and dangerous conditions for over a week. According to Maurice de Mauriac, the Alpineracer team experienced the requisite challenges with weather (hail, snow, and freezing rain, to start) and a handful of mechanical issues with the car, but ultimately they made it, and the photos that came out of the trip that you can see here are truly breathtaking. For participants (in both body and spirit) a watch connected to the journey feels like a fitting memento.  The Chrono Modern Nort...

Read article
MICRO MONDAYS: The Atmoss SR-01 may have set the benchmark for budget pilot’s watches Time+Tide
May 1, 2023

MICRO MONDAYS: The Atmoss SR-01 may have set the benchmark for budget pilot’s watches

Editor’s note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Warrick’s Atmoss project will have to be put on hold for the moment to ensure the products can be delivered to the desired standard once resumed. Follow @atmoss.watches on Instagram for the latest updates Bringing an idea to reality is a daunting task, and when it comes to watches, … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Atmoss SR-01 may have set the benchmark for budget pilot’s watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Features an Array of Upgrades Including a Built-In LED Flashlight, Extended Battery Life, and Improved GPS Accuracy Worn & Wound
Apr 24, 2023

The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Features an Array of Upgrades Including a Built-In LED Flashlight, Extended Battery Life, and Improved GPS Accuracy

You can tell a bit about a person just from the watch they’re wearing. A certain brand, particular style of watch, or a deep-cut reference can easily give away the wearer’s horology knowledge, adjacent interests, or occupation. To be fair, any ordinary person wearing a watch out in the wild could just have the watch on to tell the time, but watch enthusiasts in the room know what I’m talking about. This leads me to the smartwatch, and more specifically, the brand, Garmin. Does someone wearing a Garmin watch elicit that same mental process as someone wearing a mechanical watch? It does so for me. Whether it’s a waiter rocking their Garmin during a work shift or catching it on someone’s wrist during a casual grocery store run, in my head, I’m already painting a picture of someone who likes to “get out there.” Garmin remains as one of the most capable outdoor adventure and lifestyle smartwatch brands in the market today. In my opinion, the Garmin Instinct in particular happens to toe the line between analog and smartwatch. Yes, there is not an hour, minute, or seconds hand in sight (actually there is a model called the Garmin Crossover that offers this type of display). But relative to the entire Garmin smartwatch catalog, the Instinct is as analog as it gets. There is no touchscreen at all and navigation through the Instinct’s multi-function features requires an actual push of a button. The monochrome screen display is absent of any colorful distractions an...

Read article
MICRO MONDAYS: Fleux Watches revives the 1960s with two vintage-throwback divers for less than $500 each Time+Tide
Apr 10, 2023

MICRO MONDAYS: Fleux Watches revives the 1960s with two vintage-throwback divers for less than $500 each

There’s no shortage of vintage-inspired divers in the independent and microbrand market. While many brands have got this formula wrong and wheeled out bland homages, some have also got it right and today’s brand, Fleux, is a prime example. The two models that we’ll dig into below – the FLX001 and FLX002 – are launching … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: Fleux Watches revives the 1960s with two vintage-throwback divers for less than $500 each appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
Take Some Me-Time With Oris & The New ProPilot X Kermit Edition Worn & Wound
Oris & Mar 27, 2023

Take Some Me-Time With Oris & The New ProPilot X Kermit Edition

Oris is expanding on their popular ProPilot X range of watches this year (a watch we reviewed here), but probably not in the way you were expecting. Meet the ProPilot X Kermit Edition, a green dial ProPilot X with a positive message and an easter egg up its sleeve. This watch represents Oris’ first time collaborating with Disney’s The Muppets franchise to create a truly unique experience around their popular pilot watch, and it gives us a deeper insight into Oris the brand than ever before. The theme of this watch is taking a minute for yourself, not taking life too seriously, and a reminder to have some fun.  The most striking detail of this ProPilot X is, obviously, the bright green dial. It’s not just any green, this is a key lime pie, cartoon level of green, and with a name like this you had better bring it. And bring it Oris most certainly has with this dial. I’d go so far as to say they could have ditched the white hour markers altogether and fully leaned into the concept, but they are there, so there is a level of practicality to the watch. There’s even a date window, but that part isn’t as straightforward. The big reveal of this watch happens on the first of every month, where the date window will reveal not a number, but an icon of the watch’s namesake, Kermit the Frog, of The Muppets fame. This is the once a month reminder to take a step back, lighten up a bit, and reflect on the positives in your life. That’s the idea, at least, and it might jus...

Read article
The Black Bay’s Back, Alright! Tudor Launches the New Black Bay 54 and more Worn & Wound
Tudor Launches Mar 27, 2023

The Black Bay’s Back, Alright! Tudor Launches the New Black Bay 54 and more

We never know what to expect from Tudor at Watches & Wonders, and, well, they didn’t let us down in the surprise department this year, including with a new Black Bay model featuring a – get this – 37mm case. If you had called that one, you might be a psychic. But that was hardly it, we saw a new dial of the GMT, and the return of the Black Bay Burgundy, but with a METAS flavored surprise. The Black Bay’s Back – alright, let’s get into it. I recall being kind of blown away at Basel 2018 when Tudor launched the Black Bay 58. A 39mm Tudor dive watch! I couldn’t really believe it, as common as it might seem today. Well, today Tudor bested themselves once again with the Black Bay 54, a 37mm spiritual recreation of Tudor’s first dive watch, the 7922 from 1954. What you’ll find in the BB54 is a mashup of new (well, vintage-inspired new) and old, in, essentially, a scaled-down BB58. The case is said to have the proportions of the 7922 at 37mm x 11.24mm with 20mm lugs. Additionally, the bezel insert copies the layout of the 7922’s. The insert is black, and features numerals at intervals of 10 in a thin typeface, alternating with blocky rectangles that feel just a hair larger than they should be, but in keeping with the proportions of the original. It’s the kind of quirk that adds personality and quickly sets it apart from its slightly more contemporary siblings. I’m sure plenty of people will be excited to see that markings maintain the tone of the metal bel...

Read article
Highlights: Complications at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 5016 Mar 23, 2023

Highlights: Complications at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction

Having covered highlights from independent watchmakers at Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches I auction in Hong Kong, we now dive into the complicated timepieces in the sale that takes place on April 5. We look at eight notable lots. Some, like the platinum Patek Philippe ref. 5016 with its minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and tourbillon, are amongst the most valuable in the sale. But the catalogue also has value buys, notably including offerings from jewellers like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Bulgari. Registration for bidding and the entire catalogue can be accessed here. The Patek Philippe ref. 5016P Lot 2137: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux One of the most poetic timepieces by the Parisian jeweller, the Pont des Amoureux was a watch that helped make Van Cleef & Arpels as a watchmaker. This watch is the original and cleanest version of the model, which was discontinued in 2019 and replaced by a revised version. The watch is all about a uniquely whimsical depiction of the passing of time. A double retrograde display takes the form of two figures: a lady with an umbrella indicates the hours whilst a gentleman marks the minutes. The two figures move towards one another over the course of 12 hours, until they meet and “kiss” on top of the bridge that overlooks the Seine river – this happens twice in a day, at midday and midnight. The dial is executed in grisaille enamel, a meticulous process that dates back to the 16th century. The techn...

Read article
Citizen Takes a Big Step with a New Eco-Drive Movement in a 1970s Inspired Watch Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Mar 20, 2023

Citizen Takes a Big Step with a New Eco-Drive Movement in a 1970s Inspired Watch

A recurring theme that we’re seeing in the watch enthusiast space this year is a heightened interest in interesting quartz watches. It comes up all the time on our podcast, on Instagram, and certainly in the YouTube comments for our recent coverage of a quartz release from TAG Heuer. Clearly, there’s an appetite for this stuff, but it seems like the big Swiss brands are still a step behind their Japanese counterparts in terms of delivering watches that are high on value while pushing the envelope in terms of quartz tech. Exhibit A: Citizen, and their new Eco-Drive 365 line, which gives us a fairly substantial movement upgrade in a package that doesn’t look quite like anything else on the market.  The big news here is the introduction of the all new Caliber E365 Eco-Drive movement. As the name implies, these light powered movements have a running time of an entire year on a full charge. That’s an impressive accomplishment, just about doubling the running time of a standard Eco-Drive movement, which already made for the ideal watch to completely forget about in a sock drawer for months at a time. The new caliber is able to maximize power consumption for an even longer running time than previous movements while keeping the same 27mm diameter as its predecessor. The new E365 calibers are accurate to within 15 seconds per month.    For the first batch of E365 releases (which unfortunately won’t be available until fall of this year) Citizen is looking back to the e...

Read article
What’s happening to the value of your watch? New report delves into the secondary watch market Time+Tide
Mar 18, 2023

What’s happening to the value of your watch? New report delves into the secondary watch market

Whether it’s to justify your latest splurge or make a fast buck, the issue of resale value looms large in the mind of the contemporary watch buyer.  Selling a watch in order to fund another purchase is nothing new. But as the secondary market for luxury watches has heated up in recent years, more and … ContinuedThe post What’s happening to the value of your watch? New report delves into the secondary watch market appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Richard Mille Mar 18, 2023

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Beginning in early April, Sotheby’s spring sale season in Hong Kong also marks the auctioneer’s 50th anniversary in Asia. One of the headline sales is Important Watches I, a 210-lot sale that spans notable complications, artisanal decoration, and of course, independent watchmaking. The indie line up includes heavy hitters from the likes of F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, and Philippe Dufour, but also a few potential value buys such as the Christophe Claret Blackjack 21. And in the mix are some surprises, like the FVF Tourbillon Superligero. The auction takes place on April 5, 2023. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 2101: Gérald Genta Fantasy Retro Mickey Mouse in 18k white gold Gérald Genta was the first watch brand to place cartoon character in high-end watches, well before it became a fad amongst luxury watchmakers. The Fantasy collection depicted various Disney characters, usually combined with retrograde complications. Such watches are common enough that a few appear every auction season, but almost always in steel or occasionally yellow gold. This example, surprisingly, is entirely in 18k white gold, case and bracelet, making it very uncommon. While it will pass for steel at a distance, the heft of the case and bracelet is a giveaway.  The case is 36 mm, compact by today’s standards but the typical size for a men’s watch in the 1990s and early 2000s. And the dial is mother of pearl – Genta was a pioneer in exotic dia...

Read article
Seiko Introduces Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT SJX Watches
Grand Seiko models Mar 8, 2023

Seiko Introduces Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT

Responsible for some of the most reliable and well-priced diver watches on the market, Seiko is synonymous with the genre. The Japanese watchmaker continues to expand its dive watch offerings, but now with a second time zone complication. A “modern reinterpretation” of its Hi-Beat 300 m dive watch from 1968, the Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT is the first mechanical dual-time zone dive watch in Seiko’s Prospex sports watch collection. The SPB383 Initial thoughts Arguably the collection offering the best value in Seiko’s line-up, Prospex is going slightly upscale with the second time zone movement, while maintaining its strong price-performance ratio. The standout among the new models is the SPB381 with its deep green dial. While the limited edition SPB385 with its textured, “ice blue” dial is undoubtedly fancier, the SPB381 is clean and functional but appealing with its palette. The SPB381 Though it is a two-time zone watch, the Diver’s GMT is still primarily a dive watch. So it retains the traditional elapsed time bezel and clever places the 24-hour scale on the flange around the dial. That said, the Diver’s GMT is more accurately a dual time zone watch with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand, rather than a true GMT that has an adjustable local-time hour hand (as found in pricier Grand Seiko models). This means a few extra steps when setting the time for a change in time zones, though it is a perfectly acceptable compromise considering the price. At U...

Read article
Why Andy Warhol’s Patek Philippe ref. 2526 up for sale at Sotheby’s is the one to buy Time+Tide
Patek Philippe ref 2526 up Mar 4, 2023

Why Andy Warhol’s Patek Philippe ref. 2526 up for sale at Sotheby’s is the one to buy

Trends come and go, and the hype around particular watches, or watch segments, shift over time. These days, for example, integrated designs are all the rage – particularly in steel. And certain bold colour expressions begin to inundate the market, becoming certified colours of the year. But, while many lust over various in-trend watches of … ContinuedThe post Why Andy Warhol’s Patek Philippe ref. 2526 up for sale at Sotheby’s is the one to buy appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
Garrick Introduces the S6, an Evolution of their Entry Level Watch Worn & Wound
Garrick Mar 3, 2023

Garrick Introduces the S6, an Evolution of their Entry Level Watch

When we last checked in on Garrick, the small British indie had just unveiled the S5 series of watches, their most high-end and luxurious creations to date. Coming in at nearly $20,000, many longtime admirers of the brand might have felt some sticker shock (although not too many – the initial run was pre-sold to existing clients before the embargo lifted). It will be a relief, then, to note that Garrick’s latest watch, the S6, is back to four digit territory, and a deliberate evolution of the S4, the brand’s entry-level line. There are some minor aesthetic tweaks to the S6 that give it a noticeably different character than other Garrick creations, but they allow the artisans who work on these watches to really flex their muscles when it comes to dial work. And of course they are still completely customizable, so the end result, almost by definition, is precisely what you were looking for.  The key differentiating factor between the S4 and S6 is the dial layout, specifically the lack of large numerals at the perimeter that remain a defining feature of the S4. Garrick’s goal with the S6 was to achieve an aesthetic that’s more contemporary (the S4’s design language, like all of Garrick’s creations to a certain degree, is rooted in classic English pocket watch design). On the S6, time is read via a thin chapter ring at the outer edge of the dial, with small markers for the minutes and hours that have been hand filled with ink. Removing the numerals gives the dia...

Read article
TAG Heuer Hits the Track with New Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Hits Feb 2, 2023

TAG Heuer Hits the Track with New Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing

TAG Heuer and Porsche have revealed the latest fruits of their partnership in a new Cerrar Chronograph dubbed the Orange Racing. It’s been two years since the announcement of these two brands coming together once again, which came alongside this Porsche Carrera with road surface textured dial, and the latest member of that family turns up the color for an equal amount of drama. This watch represents the sixth creation of a TAG Heuer x Porsche watch, and while it treads into new territory thanks to its unique colorway, it also carries many of the familiar hallmarks we’ve come to expect from TAG Heuer chronographs.  This Carrera x Porsche Chronograph, much like the examples that came before it, features a full set of applied Arabic numerals around that dial marking each 5 minute segment rather than the hours. This lends itself to the sporty, speedometer-esque feeling of the dial, which in this case, is accentuated by orange outlines defining each area of the dial. The black base of the dial gets a fine vertical brushing that’s noticeable, but doesn’t quite compete with the application of color. The rings of color, which inspire the name of the watch, appear to be something near Porsche’s Lava Orange (paint code M2A), though that specific color isn’t referenced by TAG Heuer. This color lands somewhere between red and orange and obviously works in rather dramatic fashion against the black backdrop of this watch. The dial itself is outlined, as are each of the sub ...

Read article
ADPT x TOPO Designs Meetup Recap (with Watch Spotting!) Worn & Wound
Rado Feb 1, 2023

ADPT x TOPO Designs Meetup Recap (with Watch Spotting!)

This past week ADPT held its very first meetup, kindly hosted and in collaboration with TOPO Designs. The meetup was at TOPO’s Base Camp store in Denver, Colorado. A perfect location, Base Camp is a new marketplace in downtown Denver focused on outdoor gear and active lifestyle brands. With brands like Thule, Danner, and TOPO, it’s a pretty sweet spot. The TOPO Base Camp store was then a fantastic setting for a get-together. Colorful, vibrant, and full of awesome gear. The post ADPT x TOPO Designs Meetup Recap (with Watch Spotting!) appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Read article
There’s Something Very Strange About the New Timex Collaboration with Pop Trading Co. Worn & Wound
Timex Collaboration Jan 31, 2023

There’s Something Very Strange About the New Timex Collaboration with Pop Trading Co.

When you were a kid, did you ever attempt that prank where you’d move the clock in the classroom ahead in an effort to trick the teacher into letting you out of class early? I feel like that’s a thing that almost every kid has tried, or at least it feels that way. It’s one of those activities that’s burned into our collective consciousness from sitcoms, comic strips, and stories told in the school cafeteria whether or not you were an active participant. This is what the latest release from Timex immediately made me think of. It’s playful and almost subversive in the way it taps into your inner juvenile delinquent.  The new watch is a collaboration with Pop Trading Co., a Dutch apparel company I was heretofore unfamiliar with that is deeply rooted in skateboarding culture. The watch, dubbed simply the Timex MK1 x Pop Trading Co. takes the familiar 36mm Timex field watch design and shifts the hours such that the “1” is at the 12:00 position, “2” is at 1:00, and so on around the dial. Pop’s unique wordmark, a grouping of the letter “P” in a square with an “O” at the center, is recreated on the dial with the hand stack standing in for the “O.” A black resin case matches the tone of the dial and keeps the focus on the unusual layout.  There’s no other way to say this, but looking at the dial of the Timex x Pop collab is an immediately disorienting and disconcerting experience. It really reminds you, if you look at watches everyday, like we do...

Read article
Grand Seiko Introduces the Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary SBGH311 and SBGR325 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Jan 10, 2023

Grand Seiko Introduces the Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary SBGH311 and SBGR325

When Grand Seiko (GS) made its return in 1998, the inaugural SBGR001 model was powered by the 9S55, the first modern-day GS calibre. Now the brand is marking the 25th anniversary of the 9S movement family with a pair of limited editions. The Heritage Collection Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary Hi-Beat 36000 SBGH311 and the Heritage Collection Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary SBGR325. The Hi-Beat SBGH311 has a patterned dial, while the more affordable SBGR325 has a dial with a brushed finish. Both are modelled on the original model of 1998 and sport the same 37 mm case. SBGH311 (left) and SBGR325 Initial thoughts With their 37 mm cases and clean styling, the new 9S pair hark back to the GS watches made from the late 1990s to mid 2000s. That is unsurprising since they are meant to commemorate the first model with the 9S movement, which made its debut in 1998. The Hi-Beat SBGH311 does have a fancier pattern dial, but one that is relatively subtle in its shades-of-grey texture. As a result, they will appeal to anyone who wants a smaller, simpler GS watch. Another upside of the relatively simpler execution are the prices, which place the pair amongst the most affordable self-winding GS watches. The SBGH311 is US$6,600 and the SBGR325 about 20% less. SBGR325 Old-school size The SBGH311 has a textured dial in silvery grey inspired by clouds that’s matched with a blued-steel seconds hand. And the “GS” emblem is gilded in a nod to the fact that this is an anniversary edition. Not...

Read article