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Results for Automatic vs Manual Winding

2,136 articles · 21 videos found · page 71 of 72

Piaget Polo Review: How The '80s Luxury Watch Icon Holds Up Teddy Baldassarre
Audemars Piguet had introduced Dec 1, 2025

Piaget Polo Review: How The '80s Luxury Watch Icon Holds Up

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...

Did Tudor Read Our Minds? The Ranger is Now Available in a 36mm Size (With a New Dial Color) Worn & Wound
Tudor Read Our Minds? Nov 19, 2025

Did Tudor Read Our Minds? The Ranger is Now Available in a 36mm Size (With a New Dial Color)

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...

Grand Seiko Adds a New Dress Watch with the 9SA4 Caliber to the Collection, Plus a New Tentagraph Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Adds Sep 11, 2025

Grand Seiko Adds a New Dress Watch with the 9SA4 Caliber to the Collection, Plus a New Tentagraph

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...

What Is A Tourbillon? Teddy Baldassarre
Breguet 1747-1823 Aug 21, 2025

What Is A Tourbillon?

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 ...

First Look - The Stunning, Contemporary Chopard L.U.C Quattro - Mark IV in Ice Blue & Platinum Monochrome
Chopard L.U.C Quattro – Mark Jul 28, 2025

First Look - The Stunning, Contemporary Chopard L.U.C Quattro - Mark IV in Ice Blue & Platinum

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 […]

Breguet’s Latest Type XX is Vintage Inspired and No-Date SJX Watches
Breguet s Latest Type XX Jun 5, 2025

Breguet’s Latest Type XX is Vintage Inspired and No-Date

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...

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Fortis May 29, 2025

All the Panels of the Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2025 and More!

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...

Vacheron Constantin’s First Chiming Sports Watch, the Overseas Grand Complication SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s First Chiming Sports May 13, 2025

Vacheron Constantin’s First Chiming Sports Watch, the Overseas Grand Complication

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 ...

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref 5328G May 8, 2025

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G

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...

First Look - Chopard Celebrates 25 Years of the Quattro with a Refreshed & Compact L.U.C Quattro Monochrome
Chopard Celebrates 25 Years Apr 2, 2025

First Look - Chopard Celebrates 25 Years of the Quattro with a Refreshed & Compact L.U.C Quattro

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 […]

Patek Philippe Says Desk Clocks Are A Big Deal Again: Introducing The Ref. 27000M-001 Housing A New Movement With Nine Patents Fratello
Patek Philippe Says Desk Clocks Are Mar 31, 2025

Patek Philippe Says Desk Clocks Are A Big Deal Again: Introducing The Ref. 27000M-001 Housing A New Movement With Nine Patents

Wristwatches are so 2024. In 2025, Patek Philippe says desk clocks are a big deal again. Proof is the ref. 27000M-001, a table clock inspired by models created in the 1920s and 1930s. The new creation features both a perpetual and weekly calendar and is powered by new manually wound high-performance caliber with a 31-day […] Visit Patek Philippe Says Desk Clocks Are A Big Deal Again: Introducing The Ref. 27000M-001 Housing A New Movement With Nine Patents to read the full article.

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Responds Feb 20, 2025

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection

“Through constant emails, face-to-face requests at events, and in the comments of our social posts, it has been impossible to ignore the requests for this ‘Goldilocks’ case size. We are a brand that listens to our customers––you asked and we delivered.”  –Christopher Ward’s CEO and Co-Founder Mike France It’s always refreshing when the feedback of the watch community is recognized by at least one company or representative within the watchmaking industry. To hear Mike France and Christopher Ward directly address their customer’s concerns is exactly what makes the microbrand/indie sphere so great. Whether you believe they’ve expanded beyond their microbrand status to “legacy micro,” “independent,” or some other higher level of categorization, the brand’s acknowledgement of customer input speaks volumes about their character and ability to take and utilize constructive criticism––perhaps a result of their humble beginnings as a true microbrand. After the critical acclaim the 36mm and 40mm Twelve models received, Christopher Ward is set to release a fresh take on their popular design with the new Twelve 38. The stainless-steel case, which made its limited edition debut last year in the “Ice Cream” collection, measures 38mm across, 43.3mm lug-to-lug, and 9.95mm thick, thanks to its ultra-slim Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. With 26 jewels, a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a 38-hour power reserve, these reliable and durable automatic move...

In-Depth: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph CFT Carbon SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Feb 7, 2025

In-Depth: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph CFT Carbon

On its face, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Date in CFT carbon is familiar. The aesthetic is the oversized, stylised, and modern look that defines the Royal Oak Concept (ROC), with aggressive pusher guards and a complex, open-worked dial. And this latest version has the added feature of a carbon composite case produced via Chroma Forged Technology (CFT) that adds both colour and luminosity to the material. But the ROC Split-Seconds is more than just another Royal Oak chronograph because of the cal. 4407 inside. Launched in the 2023 titanium model, the is a latest-generation in-house movement and a notably innovative rattrapante calibre. The ingenuity of the movement lies in the fact that is both a traditional, integrated split-seconds chronograph and self-winding – a feat achieved with an elegant and patented automatic mechanism. Initial thoughts The very first Royal Oak Concept in Alacrite of 2002 was an enormous, heavy watch. Since then, the design of the ROC has been refined to become more wearable, and more lightweight thanks to new materials. The ROC Split-Seconds is perhaps the most wearable to date. Even though it’s a big watch, it doesn’t actually feel that large; the curved, tonneau-like form clings to the wrist well. The look is typical ROC – technical, aggressive, and modern. While I like the look, it is a little over the top. The style is now; I am not sure how it will age. Visuals aside, the ROC Split-Seconds is int...

Introducing - The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph, now in full Pink Gold Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph now Nov 13, 2024

Introducing - The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph, now in full Pink Gold

The classic Reverso Chronograph, a watch initially presented in 1996, is a piece of great historical importance. It was the first manually wound integrated chronograph to be developed in the post-quartz era, marking the return to classic watchmaking. Last year, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Reverso Tribute Chronograph, a Duoface model looking back at this 1990s classic, […]

Albishorn Introduces the Type 10 Chronograph SJX Watches
Breguet Oct 17, 2024

Albishorn Introduces the Type 10 Chronograph

Less than two months have elapsed since Albishorn made its debut, but the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet is back with the Type 10, an “imaginary vintage” prequel to the Type 20 pilot’s watch made famous by Breguet. Available with black or green textured dials, the Type 10 features a proprietary manually wound monopusher chronograph movement with an unusual layout that differentiates it from other Type 20-inspired watches. Though not a limited edition, the Type 10 will be produced in small batches of just 25 watches in each livery. Initial thoughts Conceptually, I like the idea of “imaginary vintage” – the brand’s tagline – because it liberates the design from the constraints of the past and avoids coming off as a copy or homage. While I don’t like every detail of the Type 10, there’s a lot to be excited about, especially as a preview of what might be coming next from the fledgling brand. The Type 10 is powered by the proprietary ALB02 M, a manually wound chronograph movement that, like the Maxigraph, shares some of the architecture of the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750. But to call this a cal. 7750 would be to miss the numerous refinements implemented by Dr Chaulmontet that result in a slimmer movement with, reportedly, a more pleasant pusher action. The Type 10 retains many of the best features of the Maxigraph, including its case. Interestingly, the case is not quite identical; the Type 10’s case is slightly thinner on account of its manually wound ...

Rado Over-Pole Review Two Broke Watch Snobs
Rado Over-Pole Review Sep 16, 2024

Rado Over-Pole Review

In 2022, Rado re-released the Over-Pole as a limited edition of 1,965 pieces. The diameter remains as svelte as the original at 37mm. The height of the case is 10.4mm, and the lug-to-lug is 43mm. The lug width is 19mm, and it has a water resistance rating of 100m, though it does not have a screw-down crown. The case is fully polished. Interestingly, Rado chose to use a manually-wound movement for this reissue, rather than the automatic movement an original Over-Pole would have used. The movement is known as the Rado R862, and is modified from a Powermatic 80 found in other Swatch group watches. It has 80 hours of power reserve, and the Nivachron hairspring to increase its anti-magnetic properties. The movement is well finished, and can be seen through the watch’s transparent caseback.

Nivada Reintroduces the Chronosport, One of the Brand’s Rarest Historical References Worn & Wound
Nivada Grenchen rose from Jul 29, 2024

Nivada Reintroduces the Chronosport, One of the Brand’s Rarest Historical References

Four years ago, like a phoenix, Nivada Grenchen rose from the ashes to reintroduce two of its most famous watches: the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver and the Antarctic. Shortly after, the Depthmaster and the F77 re-emerged, the latter joining the integrated bracelet sports watch craze that has gripped the industry over the last decade. In 2023, in collaboration with Fratello, they launched their Racing Chronograph, a 38mm tonneau-shaped, manually wound watch deeply inspired by the automotive world, mixing many features and design cues from Nivada models from its back catalog. And now, for 2024, Nivada Grenchen is re-introducing the Chronosport, one of their rarest historical pieces. Only ten original Nivada Grenchen Chronosport watches from the 1970s were ever produced, making this model quite sought after by collectors. That is precisely why they have decided to reintroduce it, allowing more enthusiasts to own one. This new model utilizes the same 38mm stainless steel case as the Racing Chronograph. However, the similarities end there. Instead of an outer tachymeter scale printed on the bezel, it is replaced by a unidirectional diver’s bezel. The tachymeter scale is printed on the outer edge of the dial under the double-domed sapphire crystal. The Chronosport’s dial was designed by Jean Singer, who was responsible for the dials on the Omega Speedmaster racing and the Heuer Skipper. Both watches are famous for their good looks and functionality. Mr. Singer knows a thin...

Hands On: Grand Seiko “Birch Bark” SLGW002 and SLGW003 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Birch Bark” SLGW002 May 27, 2024

Hands On: Grand Seiko “Birch Bark” SLGW002 and SLGW003

Nature-inspired textures are a consistent motif across Grand Seiko’s portfolio, so it comes as little surprise that the brand would choose this familiar theme for the launch of its newest dress watches, the hand-wind and mechanical Evolution 9 “Birch Bark” SLGW002 and SLGW003.  With a dial that features a fresh take on the texture of tree bark, the Birch Bark is also noteworthy for the movement within: the first manually-wound caliber in Grand Seiko’s 9S movement family that hitherto was entirely self-winding. The SLGW002 (left) and SLGW003 Initial thoughts There are few things I like more than a manually wound, chronometer-grade dress watch. With this bias in mind, I am predisposed to like watches like the Birch Bark. But Grand Seiko made things easy by making it attractive as well, with a new iteration of its Evolution 9 design language that is lighter in terms of visual weight. The big news is, of course, the thickness, or rather the lack thereof. The Birch Bark is 1.75 mm (15%) thinner than its automatic siblings like the SLGH003, answering’ calls for slimmer, dressier options in the Grand Seiko catalogue. The watch is also 1.4 mm (3.5%) smaller in diameter, resulting in a form factor that sits comfortably on the average wrist and will slide under most shirt cuffs. Dimensions aside, the Birch Bark in titanium feels smaller and lighter than expected due to the case material. This runs counter to expectations, since most dress watches are in precious metal....

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood Hand-Wind Chronograph SJX Watches
Tudor Monte Carlo But May 23, 2024

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood Hand-Wind Chronograph

Oak & Oscar has just launched its second chronograph, the Atwood, a modern take on vintage racing chronographs that’s powered by a manually wound Sellita AMT5100M. The movement is a derivative of the Valjoux 7750 that has a few tricks up its sleeve, namely a column wheel and flyback functionality. Chicago-based Oak & Oscar was founded in 2015, making it part of the early wave of ‘micro brands.’ Over the past nine years, the brand has managed to develop its own recognisable minimalist aesthetic across a range of versatile go-anywhere, do-anything sports watches. Initial Thoughts I tend to be fond of Oak & Oscar’s designs, and a lot of that has to do with the expert use of colour. The Atwood is offered in three colourways that are each appealing in their own right, and will feel familiar to fans of the brand. The brand’s signature orange seconds hand is complemented by matching accents on the sub-dials, a stylistic choice that evokes sporty ’70s chronographs like the Tudor Monte Carlo. But the design still manages to feel fresh, thanks in part to the brand’s own strikingly modern typeface. The Atwood is the brand’s second chronograph, after the Jackson which debuted in 2017. The Atwood addresses one of the few shortcomings of the Jackson, which is the latter’s 14.5 mm case thickness. The 39 mm Atwood is comparatively slim at just 12.9 mm, a figure that includes the domed sapphire crystal, meaning that visually it will appear even thinner. While the dimensio...

Eberhard & Co. Debut Two New Chronographs at their First Watches & Wonders Worn & Wound
Breguet numerals Apr 29, 2024

Eberhard & Co. Debut Two New Chronographs at their First Watches & Wonders

Earlier this month at Watches & Wonders in Geneva, Eberhard & Co. unveiled two new chronographs, expanding its 1887 line-up, first developed in 2019. The Swiss brand unveiled both the Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée and the Chronographe 1887 Automatique. These timepieces represent a fusion of tradition and modernity, paying homage to the brand’s founding date and its rich heritage that has made it a staple on the Swiss market for over 130 years. According to the Maison, the development process of these chronographs was meticulous, involving extensive research and study of original Eberhard & Co. chronographs dating back to the 1930s. Preserved at the Eberhard & Co. Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds, these timepieces served as the primary source of inspiration for the design and technical aspects of the new releases. Both the Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée and the Chronographe 1887 Automatique are powered by exclusive calibers developed in collaboration with Manufacture AMT. The movements (EB 280 and EB 380, respectively) feature a column wheel and the fly-back complication, a nod to the precision timing required in aviation during the 1930s. The EB 280 in the Limitée is manually wound, while the EB 380 in the Automatique is, as the name of the watch implies, self-winding. The primary aesthetic difference between the two references is the use of baton style hour markers on the Limtée and Breguet numerals on the Automatique. Each is available with white or black dials...

Grand Seiko Introduces the SLGW002 and SLGW003 “Birch Bark” SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Apr 12, 2024

Grand Seiko Introduces the SLGW002 and SLGW003 “Birch Bark”

Grand Seiko has introduced the Evolution 9 “Birch Bark” SLGW002 and SLGW003, in rose gold and “brilliant hard titanium” respectively. Named after the dial pattern, the “Birch Bark” is powered by a new manually-wound, high-beat caliber that features the brand’s proprietary dual-impulse escapement. The only completely new model introduced by Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonder this year, the new references introduce a new, notably slimmer aesthetic to the brand’s Evolution 9 collection.  Initial thoughts Grand Seiko has earned a devoted following in recent years, but collectors have been asking for slimmer options for some time; this release proves the brand is listening. While there’s nothing revolutionary about it, the watch has been nipped and tucked in all the right areas, getting the case down to 38.6 mm in diameter and just under 10 mm in thickness.  Compared to the most similar existing watch in the catalog, the Spring Drive SLGA009 “White Birch” launched two years ago, the new Evolution 9 feature a new movement, a thinner case, slimmer dial markers, and a horizontal interpretation of the brand’s signature white birch-inspired dial texture. The slimmer profile is made possible thanks to the new 9SA4 movement, which is essentially a 9SA5 without automatic winding. This makes it the first manually wound caliber from Grand Seiko’s latest generation of mechanical movements, and also the first to be available without a date function. Perhaps the onl...

Blancpain Finally Gives Fifty Fathoms Fans What They’ve Been Asking For Worn & Wound
Blancpain Finally Gives Fifty Fathoms Apr 1, 2024

Blancpain Finally Gives Fifty Fathoms Fans What They’ve Been Asking For

Last year marked the 70th anniversary of Blancpain’s iconic Fifty Fathoms dive watch, and to celebrate they launched three new watches in three acts. Act One was a contemporary take on the Fifty Fathoms in stainless steel, Act Two was a high-tech modern piece geared toward pro divers in titanium, and Act Three was a historical MIL-SPEC interpretation in 9K Bronze-Gold. Despite the critical acclaim, collectors seemed to have been left wanting. There has been an appetite for a contemporary sub 45mm diameter, non-limited-edition version of the Fifty Fathoms for many years, and for 2024 Blancpain is finally making it happen with new 42mm-diameter Fifty Fathoms Automatic models in the permanent collection. They will be offered in both red gold and corrosion resistant grade 23 titanium. The latter is like grade 5 but has lower oxygen, nitrogen, and iron content. It also has better ductility and fracture toughness, which, according to Blancpain, makes it excellent in saltwater environments. Powering these new Fifty Fathoms is the in-house Blancpain Caliber 1315 automatic movement. Its construction includes three series-coupled barrels that can provide a class leading five days of power-reserve. It is elaborately decorated, at least compared to most divers, and has an 18K red gold oscillating weight sporting an NAC coating, whose design is inspired by the rotor of the original 1953 Fifty Fathoms. All of this, of course, is visible through the screw-down sapphire display back. Th...

The Roundup: A Legend Reborn, Stylish Storage Solutions, and a Bargain Timex Worn & Wound
Timex Jan 14, 2024

The Roundup: A Legend Reborn, Stylish Storage Solutions, and a Bargain Timex

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. This week, we run the full gamut of watches – solar quartz do-it-alls, affordable automatics, and magnificent manually wound classics. We also chat about storage and accessories that will take your enthusiasm and appreciation to the next level. This is a Roundup you won’t want to miss. Let’s jump in. The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. This week, we run the full gamut of watches – solar quartz do-it-alls, affordable automatics, and magnificent manually wound classics. We also chat about storage and accessories that will take your enthusiasm and appreciation to the next level. This is a Roundup you won’t want to miss. Let’s jump in. The post The Roundup: A Legend Reborn, Stylish Storage Solutions, and a Bargain Timex appeared first on Worn & Wound.