34,914 articles · 155 videos found · page 696 of 1169
Monochrome
It’s mind-boggling to think that Bulgari’s legion of Octo Finissimo watches has conquered the landscape of ultra-thin watches with ten world records in just 11 years. Equally impressive is the Octo Finissimo’s potent cocktail of horological virtuosity and contemporary Italian style. While the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days did not break any ultra-thin records, it […]
Monochrome
While most of you are familiar with Sarpaneva, the indie watch company created by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva, his other brand, S.U.F Helsinki, is slightly more confidential. Standing for Sarpaneva Uhren Fabrik, said to be “Finland, through and through,” S.U.F Helsinki is Stepan’s vision to explore simpler, sportier and more accessible watches… but still inspired by his […]
Fratello
HP Hercules watches, originally crafted in post-war Germany, made a comeback in 2022 under the leadership of Swiss watchmaker (of Dutch origins) Adriaan Trampe, formerly of EZA watches. The brand’s rebirth leans on nostalgia, but aims to recharge it with modern mountaineering efforts. I got a chance to go hands-on with the Hercules Hand-Wound Double […] Visit Hands-On With The Everest-Worn HP Hercules Hand-Wound Double Barrelled to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Part I of our story on the evolution of hairspring materials covered temperature compensation along with the development of the first specialised balance spring alloy, Elinvar. The story brought us to the 1920s, when scientist and horologist Charles-Edouard Guillaume (1861-1938) finished his work on nickel-iron alloys and watchmakers begun embracing Elinvar springs paired with mono-metallic balances. In this second part we turn to newer hairspring alloys, like the now-ubiquitous Nivarox. Then we look at today’s landscape and the future, touching on research done by the Swatch Group with alternative, niobium-based alloys and also the specialised but obscure Seiko SPRON 610 hairspring. Lastly we discuss silicon springs, which are growing more prevalent across a range of timepieces. Elinvar’s weaknesses Elinvar was by far the greatest breakthrough in self-compensating alloy hairsprings at the time. Guillaume considered Elinvar good enough and not needing further improvement - unsurprisingly since he was its inventor - but other watchmakers and engineers continued to experiment with iron-nickel compounds because Elinvar’s inherent properties made it a good, but imperfect, material. Even though the alloy behaved predictably with temperature changes, its physical properties were not ideal to begin with. Elinvar was a soft metal, which posed its own suite of problems for spring applications. The importance of softness in terms of hairspring performance is not related ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Back in 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso Tribute collection to celebrate the 85th anniversary of their iconic reversible rectangular-cased watch. Last year they added four new Reverso watches to this collection, two of which finally get us back to a case size that is nearly identical to that of the original Reverso from 1931. The Reverso has been a canvass for so many of JLC’s designs and watchmaking innovations over the years but I have to say it is so nice to get back to the basics with a legitimately unisex size and a monoface dial. As nice as the duoface Reversos are, the watch was conceived for polo players who wanted to protect their watch while leaving room for some personalization on the enclosed side. Here I am looking at the Reverso Tribute Monoface in steel with a blue dial, though it is also available in a white dial version. JLC Reverso History The year is 1931: Herbert Hoover is President, the Empire State Building in New York City is nearing completion, and the Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as America’s National Anthem. Of course, something entirely different is going on in the world of Swiss watchmaking when businessman and watch distributor Cesar de Trey attends a polo match while traveling in India. He notices one of the players watch crystal shattered while playing so he he pitched an idea to one of his colleagues who just happened to be Jacques-David LeCoultre. LeCoultre enlisted his partner Edmond Jaeger and the rest is, as they say,...
Teddy Baldassarre
With Tissot's revival of its 1978 Seastar design and its transformation into the PRX line back in 2021, the brand seemed to catch lightning in a bottle, offering the watch-collecting world an integrated-bracelet style at an affordable price point. While the PRX collection initially debuted with quartz-powered watches (with price tags to reflect that), the brand built on the initial success of the new identity and further developed its value proposition with the release of PRX models incorporating an automatic mechanical movement - the Powermatic 80 caliber - all while remaining under the $1,000 mark. In the years since, Tissot has only continued to diversify its repertoire of models within the PRX model family, offering a variety of case sizes, additional functionality, and, of course, nearly every color option that you can dream up, still at one of the most competitive price points in the industry. We know it, we love it, and though we aren’t through the decade yet, I think it’s safe to say that the Tissot PRX has solidified itself as one of the most influential watches of the 2020s. Today, I'll focus on none other than the Tissot PRX 35mm. Inarguably, the 40mm PRX remains the most popular size of the watch, but as someone who makes her preference for smaller watches well-known, I would argue that shaving off just 5mm in diameter has a profound impact on the versatility of the design, especially for those with smaller wrists. Tissot PRX History Size comparison: ...
Worn & Wound
It’s time to say goodbye. As the poet Rose once said, “nothin’ lasts forever, and we both know hearts can change.” That watch you once lusted after, saved for, and finally bought has run its course. It’s time to let it go, as sad as that might seem. You no longer reach for it in the morning. You no longer post it to Instagram. It has been absent from recent meetups, making room for newer pieces. It just sits there, reminding you of who you used to be. Once, you thought, this is it, I’ve found my one and only. A watch that represents me: my specific tastes and knowledge. It says, “I’m no casual watch fan,” but it isn’t flashy either. You’re an enthusiast, not a hype beast. This watch is for you, and those like you. A badge that says “I’m an insider.” You still like the watch and feel proud to own it, but you have to face the fact that you’ve outgrown it or changed altogether. you know the time has come You stop and think, “it’s not fair to the watch. A watch like this shouldn’t be collecting dust in a box or living its life in the darkness of a drawer.” You want to set it free. You say to yourself, “Hey, maybe there is someone who was just like me X years ago when I first bought it.” Younger, bright-eyed, still discovering who they are, horologically speaking. Maybe this watch can do for them what it did for you. After all, it wasn’t easy to get. You spent time finding it, waiting for the right reference in the right condition to ...
Time+Tide
Another stunning dial from Seiko and another accessible price point, this time with links back to the brand's origin.The post The Seiko Presage Classic Series Urushi dial pays homage to the brand’s origins appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Montblanc, the renowned producer of luxury fountain pens since 1906, entered the watchmaking arena in 1997. Keen to enhance its horological credentials, Montblanc acquired the famous Minerva manufacture in 2006. While the brand’s vintage-inspired 1858 line takes inspiration from Minerva’s historical watches and is named after the year the fabled manufacture was founded, it would […]
Deployant
Girard-Perregaux collaborates onc eagain with Aston Martin and releases a new openworked edition of their Laureato in a dark grey ceramic case and bracelet.
Hodinkee
A deal could not be reached in time to prevent the tariff from being implemented. Here's what you need to know about the new levies that could impact how much you pay for your next watch.
Monochrome
The symbiotic relationship between mechanical watches and motorsports shows no signs of waning. When Girard-Perregaux was in the hands of Italian CEO Luigi Macaluso, a former rally driver, the brand forged a partnership with Ferrari in 1994, lasting ten years. In 2021, with Patrick Pruniaux at the helm, Girard-Perregaux became the official watch partner of […]
Fratello
There is just something inherently different about a Rolex Day-Date. Putting the brand’s top-of-the-line model on your wrist isn’t quite like wearing a gold Daytona or GMT-Master. Why? The obvious answer would be that it’s not a sports watch like the other two. But that’s too easy. The true answer has more to do with […] Visit Hands-On With The Majestic Everose Gold Rolex Day-Date 36 With An Olive Green Dial to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Watches with mechaquartz movements are a small but quietly growing niche within the industry, particularly in the ambitious, creative, and extremely budget-conscious world of small independent watchmaking. Watchmakers have discovered that these “hybrid” movements, which offer quartz-level accuracy along with a dose of mechanical appeal, can often provide the opportunity to make chronograph watches that entice watch enthusiasts while still maintaining the affordable price points that keep their brands competitive. But what is a mechaquartz movement, exactly, and what watch brands are currently offering the most interesting examples of this technology? Read on. What is a MechaQuartz Movement? In a nutshell, mechaquartz (which various brands and other sources have also spelled mecaquartz, meca-quartz, or mecha-quartz) refers to a chronograph movement that combines a battery-powered quartz crystal oscillator for the main timekeeping (i.e., the hours, minutes, and running seconds) with a mechanical module for the stopwatch functions. The latter element ensures that the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly over the dial, as in a fully automatic watch, rather than in short jumps, as it would operate in a fully quartz one, and that the seconds hand will snap back instantly to zero at the end of a time measurement. A mecaquartz movement is often referred to as a hybrid movement, but it’s not a hybrid in the same technical sense as, say, Seiko’s Spring Drive calibers, ...
Monochrome
Panerai and its Submersible line of dive watches hardly need an introduction as these robust, military-inspired timepieces, crafted for modern adventurers yet rooted in Panerai’s mission to develop precision instruments for the Italian Navy’s underwater commandos, have excited enthusiasts since 1998, first as part of the Luminor collection, and as a standalone series since 2019. […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Omega Speedmaster is a strange watch. Omega’s most iconic chronograph enjoys an enviable history that has made it a household name, and instantly recognizable to even the most casual of enthusiasts. It has aged gracefully, changing surprisingly little since its introduction in 1957, which has no doubt buoyed its status as a bona fide icon. Along with, you know, landing on the moon and all that. But digging just a little bit deeper than the Moonwatch Professional reveals a mother lode of Speedmaster references of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Getting a grasp on the full lineage of the Speedmaster is daunting, and it’s something that we plan on breaking down in layman's terms in the near future, but it’s important to understand how these older (and at times obscure) references inform Omega’s latest and greatest releases. Of course, I am talking about the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch with a white dial. The newest Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional, released earlier this year, is the first regular-production steel Moonwatch to receive a white dial. There have been plenty of other Speedmasters to feature a white dial - from recent limited-edition Snoopy references, to the famed Alaska Project watches that originated in 1969 (and were seen again in a reissue from 2008) - so it’s not an entirely new look for the Moonwatch. This new variation is a bit different and, to my eye, draws inspiration from a different reference in the back catalog: the so-called Albino ...
Fratello
Do you remember tyre watches? I had completely forgotten all about them until the founder and owner of Volan, Diederik van Golen, visited our Fratello office a year ago. Being a boat and car guy, he devised a modern interpretation of the tyre watch concept. These were only drawings back then, but they looked great. […] Visit Hands-On With The Volan Type One Tyre And Wheel Watches to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Jaquet Droz is enjoying a good run with unique, dragon-themed watches. While last month’s debut was firmly in the mould of Anglo-Saxon fantasy lore, the Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold “Dragon Mask” is inspired by the Chinese dragon. A unique piece created at the behest of a client, like most of brand’s current repertoire, the Dragon Mask has an open-worked dial engraved and painted by hand – and set with emeralds – installed on a skeletonised, self-winding tourbillon movement. Initial thoughts Personalised commissions are, by definition, personal and not for everyone. This watch is over the top in its decoration, maybe even overdone to the point of kitsch, but I like it. Dragon-themed watches don’t always get the motif right – Breguet’s dragon was a little too fat – but this one is done well in its own way. The case is a little large for what it is, but the size is useful as it results in a larger canvas for the dial decoration. And because this is a Jaquet Droz, the execution, both in terms of dial and movement, will be good quality, as is usually the case with the high-end brands owned by Swatch Group. I imagine the client who commissioned this will be pleased – except maybe for the CHF450,000 price tag, which is steep but typical for a watch like this. A dragon in all its colours Despite its strikingly different look, the Dragon Mask is actually a variation of the clean and modern Tourbillon Skelet. Both share the same movement and case, but the Drago...
Fratello
Last month, we introduced the new Tissot PRC 100 Solar Quartz in 39mm. The watch was met with near-resounding praise for its design, approachable pricing, and ease of use. For those of us with smaller wrists, though, the size was on the edge of wearability. That’s where the new 34mm version comes into play. My […] Visit Hands-On With The Tissot PRC 100 Solar Quartz 34mm to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The Raymond Weil Millésime Tri-Compax Rose Gold is a timepiece that blends vintage-inspired design with modern execution and just the right amount of flair. From the case finishing to the tri-compax sector dial, this watch doesn’t just look good, it feels special on the wrist! What We Love The rose gold PVD finish truly enhances the watch’s luxurious appeal with the various finishes on the case. Sector dial layout with tri-compax subdials that balance complexity with elegance. Vintage-inspired design reimagined with modern-day elegance. What We Don’t The leather strap feels limiting for daily wear due to long-term durability concerns. No clasp option offered. Constant use of the pin buckle can wear out the strap quicker. The case may look thick from the side, which might put off some wearers despite wearing slimmer in person Overall Rating: 8.9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 It was only two short years ago that Raymond Weil unveiled their Millésimecollection. Raymond Weil’s creative elegance, innovative technology, and Swiss-made excellence were all rolled into one collection. The brand paid homage to the rich heritage and traditions of horology, which can easily be seen through the vintage-inspired case and dial design. The Millésime collection pays tribute to the golden age of watchmaking from the 1930s to 1960s. The word Millésime, meaning “vintage” or “vintage year” in French, couldn’t be more fit...
Monochrome
Sherpa Watches is the brainchild of Martin Klocke, an engineer and vintage Enicar enthusiast determined to revive the legendary Enicar Sherpa divers of the 1950s and 60s. Staying true to the pioneering compressor case technology initially developed by EPSA (Ervin Piquerez SA), Sherpa’s modern Ultradive series brings the same pressure-sealing construction into the 21st century. […]
SJX Watches
Urban Jürgensen made its comeback earlier this year with an impressive line-up that includes the flagship UJ-1 Tourbillon. Much of the credit for the brand’s watches and watchmaking goes to Kari Voutilainen. Mr Voutilainen has imbued Urban Jürgensen’s watches with the high standards of quality synonymous with his own brand, resulting in watches that are equally exquisitely craft and steeply priced, but arguably worth it. Though best known for his eponymous brand, Mr Voutilainen is also co-chief executive of Urban Jürgensen (and also a minority shareholder). His fellow steward of the Danish marque that is now headquartered in Bienne, Switzerland, is Alex Rosenfield. While Mr Voutilainen is in charge of watchmaking, Mr Rosenfield leads marketing and branding. From left: Kari Voutilainen, Andrew Rosenfield, and Alex Rosenfield. Image – Urban Jürgensen Given the opportunity to speak at length with Mr Voutilainen, I could not refuse. We discussed the true nature of artisanal work, ranging from movement decoration to guilloche, the details of Urban Jürgensen’s movements, and more. You can find his insightful answers below. But interestingly, my conversation with Mr Voutilainen reminded me of the first time I met him, which was at Baselworld 2006 when he launched the Masterpiece Chronograph (with a special hairspring from what turned out to be a questionable supplier). Even two decades ago, well before he was famous, Mr Voutilainen was passionate about the same thing...
Worn & Wound
I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short. How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...
Monochrome
A lot can be said about Hublot, but first and foremost, the brand is renowned for shaking things up with its daring designs and bold use of materials and colours. It has been doing so since 1980, when Carlo Crocco was the first to combine a gold case with a natural rubber strap (in itself […]
Fratello
When the Sternglas Marus 2.0 dive watches landed on my desk, I had to dig into the Fratello archives. I knew I had written about a Sternglas diver before. As it turns out, that was the first iteration of the Sternglas Marus released in 2021. Four years on, we’re graced with a duo of new […] Visit Hands On With Two New Bauhaus-Inspired Sternglas Marus 2.0 Divers to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Longines Legend Diver is one of the brand’s most popular and lauded vintage-inspired watches due to its distinct style and tremendous value for money. The original Legend Diver that serves as the template for the contemporary iterations is the Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042 that was launched back in 1959. In 2007, Longines debuted the Heritage Revival, which was a faithful reissue that was followed up with a date-window version in 2009. Fast forward to 2017 and Longines began to expand this collection to include options like a Milanese bracelet as well as a 36mm iteration to join the existing 42mm model. Then in 2023, we saw the Longines Legend Diver debut in a 39mm wide case that serves as the template for the white-dial iteration I review here. Of course, this is a truncated version of the Longines Legend Diver story, and you can read the full version by our resident historian Mark Bernardo here. There are currently eight dial-color variations in the Longines Legend Diver family: beige, black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, and white, which is the most recent and the one I am going to get into here. If I had to pick a favorite, it might actually be the orange, which is more of a muted terra cotta that looks just excellent. That said, the white-dial model introduced earlier this year is a sleeper diver that stays with you long after you first see it. It’s not too difficult to nail a watch when you’ve mastered dial color techniques the way Longines has, but ...
Worn & Wound
We’re several years deep into the era of collaborative, limited edition watch releases, and while a lot of the hype has subsided around some of these drops, there’s no sign that the overall strategy is shifting anytime soon. Brands both large and small are still keen to slap partner logos on dials and casebacks, and draw parallels between watches and, well, you name it. Obviously, the automotive world is ripe for these collaborations, and is the window through which a trio of new Seikos come into our lives. Three limited edition references made in partnership with Datsun are the headline here, but in a smart move, Seiko is simultaneously announcing corresponding regular production models that riff on the same themes without all the branding. So there’s something here for the Datsun enthusiast (of which we know there are many) as well as those that are more inclined to shun this type of commercial cross-polination and just want their watch to be a watch and not an exercise in remembering a very specific link to a carmaker’s history. The premise for all these watches (or rather, for the limited editions) is Seiko’s relationship with Datsun, which dates back to the early 1970s when Seiko supported the 240Z in races across the world. Most notably, Seiko was a sponsor of the #11 car that won the East-African Safari Rally, a 6,200 kilometer race that is generally regarded as one of the most challenging on the international circuit. All of the watches discussed here...
Monochrome
Some of you might remember the adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls wearing a Bremont pilot’s watch on an episode of his TV show Man Vs Wild. Since that was over 17 years ago, Bremont has refreshed its roster of ambassadors to feature more contemporary figures. To promote the latest white dial edition of the rugged […]
Fratello
I bought my first Omega Speedmaster Professional in 1999. This is also when my Speedy collecting officially began. During those 25 years of buying (and selling) Speedmaster watches, I made my fair share of mistakes. This was mainly because, back then, there wasn’t as much information available as there is today. But I also made […] Visit Five Mistakes I Made While Collecting Omega Speedmasters (And How To Avoid Them) to read the full article.
Fratello
Seiko is an absolute titan in the watch industry. The number of key timepieces in the brand’s catalog is too long to list here. Nevertheless, it’s a brand that has faced an identity crisis over the last half-decade or so, I would argue. The new SRPL91 and SRPL93 Seiko 5 Sports series show just how […] Visit Has Seiko Reignited A Little Magic With Its New Limited Edition 5 Sport? to read the full article.
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