2,980 articles · 246 videos found · page 72 of 108
Monochrome
What started as Massena LAB’s venture to create watches in collaboration with accessible niche brands or renowned independent watchmakers has grown to another level. Now, the horological creative studio not only designs and develops watches but has gotten to the point of co-developing its own proprietary movements. First seen with the Old School watch, made […]
Fratello
The contemporary Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris debuted six years ago. Since then, new variations have emerged, including a chronograph, a perpetual calendar, and the Mariner Memovox alarm model. But a multi-time-zone version was missing from the revived lineup - until today. The Polaris Geographic is a travel watch with one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s signature complications. One glance at […] Visit Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Geographic - A Characteristic Complication Surfaces to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Backbone Media has been a long-standing force in the outdoor industry as a media and PR agency representing some of our most beloved gear brands. Each spring they bring a curated selection of their clientele to NYC for their Spring Showcase. The Worn & Wound team was on the scene and here are 3 standout products that we couldn’t stop talking about. Gerber – ComplEAT Cook Set We likely all know the Portland, OR-based brand Gerber for their multitools, as well as their folding and fixed blades. However, their new modular camping cook and dining set was a show-stealer. The 16-piece ComplEAT Cook Set has everything you need to easily feed a group of hungry campers. It features a stock pot and sauté pan, both with generous cooking surfaces. The dining set comes with space-maximizing designs that complement their custom utensil sets perfectly. Best of all, when it’s time to break camp, everything packs together in the storage bag for ultra-compact stowing between destinations. Wiley X – WX Founder Sunglasses It’s not only great to visit Backbone’s Spring Showcase to see what’s new from some of your favorite brands, it’s great for discovering new brands as well. One of those discoveries for us was the sunglasses brand Wiley X out of Texas. They have been creating tactical and safety lenses for military and tactical use since 1987 and now have a stylish line of daily use sunglasses that don’t sacrifice any of the safety and ballistic ratings of their professio...
Quill & Pad
GaryG won’t soon forget the pre-opening independents party at Baselworld in 2019 where Kari Voutilainen wasted no time in showing him and a few friends a breathtaking timepiece: his 28ti, number 0, in titanium. Gary shares what happened next here and how it resulted in him photographing this unique piece.
Fratello
Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. The temperatures are rising, and the Sun is showing its face more and more often. It’s time to get ready for summer and choose the right dive watch to wear. Today, we’re putting two vintage-inspired divers up against each other, both of which could serve very well as your […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Doxa Sub 200T Vs. Aquastar Model 60 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The trajectory of Sartory Billard over the last few years has been one of the most unusual and interesting stories in the world of independent watchmaking. The brand had long been established as a leader in fully bespoke watches. The entire premise of the brand was built on the idea that every piece is unique, with wide customization options available to virtually every aspect of the dial. They’ve also been associated with great value, and were generally seen as an affordable option for adventurous fans of independent watchmaking who wanted something literally unique well under five figures. None of that has changed, really, but Sartory Billard’s recent output has seen them upping the ante considerably, with a new tourbillon movement and plans for an even more complex caliber featuring jumping hours and jumping minutes. Another example: a new collaboration with Grail Watch featuring an incredibly ornate and over-the-top mirror finish on nearly every visible surface. Grail Watch 11, the Sartory Billard SB07 “Ghost,” takes the brand’s integrated bracelet sports watch design and a design motif they’ve become known for and turns the proverbial volume up past the breaking point. Of the many options Sartory Billard offers to customers in their customization program, one particularly popular one is their fully polished dial. The SB07 seen here takes that idea and expands it to the case and bracelet, effectively making the steel components “invisible,” hence the ...
SJX Watches
Just released at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Rolex GMT-Master II in steel with a grey and black bezel (ref. 126710GRNR) is the newest addition to the famous line of dual time zone watches. More restrained in terms of colour, the new GMT-Master sports a 24-hour bezel with a grey-and-black Cerachrom insert. It’s still immediately recognisable, but a bit more discreet than its siblings in the collection, especially the famous “Pepsi” that is perhaps too recognisable. Like several other Rolex sports models, the 126710GRNR sports green accents on the dial and GMT hand. And the 126710GRNR is available on either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Initial thoughts The GMT-Master II is a almost perfect, with little that needs revision. While some expected a “Coke” GMT this year, the 126710GRNR is a solid proposition for anyone who wants a GMT-Master dressed more subtly. The bi-colour bezel is functional without being too loud unlike the better-known GMT-Master “Pepsi”. Flashy or recognisable watches sometimes attract unwanted attention, so dialling back the bezel colours is smart. In fact, the 126710GRNR may as well be more appealing than the discontinued 116710LN with its all-black bezel. Although I prefer the all-black bezel of the 116710LN, the grey and black bezel of the 126710GRNR is more functional as it separates day and night. The Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” 126710BLRO The green accents are a nice touch and also logical since green is the Rolex corporate c...
Worn & Wound
It’s hard to relaunch a brand. We’ve seen it over and over in the watch industry: brands, in an attempt to reinvigorate themselves, gain more traction in the market, and adapt to changing times, will sometimes make a decision to completely rethink their philosophy, aesthetic, and core models. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and there are varying levels of intensity in how fully relaunched a brand will actually go. Sometimes the shift is drastic, with new logos, new ideas, new price points, and completely new watches. And sometimes it’s more subtle, representing a small but noticeable and important tweak that fundamentally changes something about the presentation. HYT, a high end Swiss brand that has been through its fair share of tumult recently, debuted a new collection recently that we got a chance to look at during Watches & Wonders week, and it struck me as one of the smartest recalibrations we’ve seen from a brand in a long time. If you know HYT at all, you know them for their unique time telling system that involves moving liquid around the dial through a pair of bellows that expand and contract throughout the day. There is quite literally nothing else like it on the market, and the watches have always had a half futuristic, half steam-punk vibe to them. There is real horological ingenuity at the heart of HYT, but the watches, in the past, have often been dominated by literally showing you the mechanism in a way that was, to put it bluntly, a bi...
While at the recent 2024 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, we had the chance to spend some time with fine folks at Paulin, a watch brand out of Glasgow, UK. Their booth was a hit with Windup attendees and they made the fair the launch moment for their new collaboration with the type design house OH no. Check out this Windup Meet & Greet video to learn more. The post [Video] Windup Meet & Greet: Paulin is a Brand Built for the Design-Minded appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Fratello
Many of us have developed a deep affinity for Hajime Asaoka’s Art Deco lines and Kurono Tokyo sub-brand. The story of Asaoka-san creating Kurono Tokyo so that he could actually wear one of his designs never gets old. In fact, it only deepens my respect for him. Now the Japanese watchmaker closes a circle by […] Visit Introducing: The Kurono Tokyo 2024 Anniversary Reiwa - Its Final Spot In The Limelight to read the full article.
Fratello
Today’s Venezianico Bucintoro 1969 is an example of a watch that has already come and gone. However, as space fans, we wanted to share it with you because it may have rocketed past your orbit. This was a surprising one when it hit my mailbox for many reasons that we will soon see. Let’s take […] Visit Entering The Space Race: The Venezianico Bucintoro 1969 Limited Edition to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
A few weeks back, I found myself sitting at the end of my kitchen island on a phone call with a man I have never met, but with whose collection I am intimately familiar. After all, CB - better known as @onlybuyingtime - has over 30k followers on Instagram, he is a voting member of the GPHG, and he is the owner and caretaker of, quite frankly, one of the most diverse collections of independent watches I’ve seen anywhere. CB has been collecting for the entirety of his adult life, though his fascination with watches extends back further. As he describes it, CB had “fun watches as a kid,” but it was only in adulthood that he really started collecting in a tangible way. “It wasn’t like I had a parent or anybody that was really into watches. I think I really fell into it as an adult and realized this is something that’s very unique to each man. It tells a lot about a personality. If you are in a sports watch vs. a dress watch; the colors, the make, the models, the complications, all that stuff tells a lot about somebody. And for me, it’s just another level of expression.” Modern Day Patronage One of the great treasures of Philadelphia is the Barnes Foundation which is, for those unfamiliar, one of the world’s stand-out collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art. When I first moved to Philly in 2022, it took me less than a week to visit the Barnes for the first time, and, in a city filled with great museums, it remains my favorite, and...
Monochrome
Indie watch brand Byrne may have only emerged on the scene in 2022, but its innovative concept of “one watch, four faces” creates an impression of a more extended presence, almost as if there are four times as many references in its collection. The brand’s distinctive Gyro Dial complication is the key here, allowing the […]
Hodinkee
It's not a revival of the old Toric, but it's certainly the best we've seen in years.
In 2022, a group of intrepid watch enthusiast divers began a grand tradition of coupling a Lake Michigan dive adventure with the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago, affectionately referred to as Windup in a Lake. Well, this tradition has expanded to include more divers and, as of last week, a new destination. Monterey Bay was the inaugural location of the first Windup in a Bay, part of our Windup Watch Fair San Francisco festivities. Best of all, our friends at Marathon were interested in participating in this adventure as well. When search and rescue pros from around the world reach for a mission timer, the Canada-based watchmaker Marathon has been a go-to solution for over 80 years. So, their SAR collection-short for, you guessed it, Search and Rescue-was an ideal catalog to outfit the team of pros who gathered to kick off this dip into the Pacific. For this trip to the iconic Monterey Bay, we paired a slew of dive-rated Marathon SARs with five watch enthusiasts, each with major diving chops. Here’s our official photo recap and impressions from the team. The post Marathon’s SAR Lineup Outfits the Inaugural Windup in a Bay appeared first on Worn & Wound.
SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) unveils a new variant of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 World-Timer, combining an 18k pink gold case with a domed, champlevé enamel dial depicting the Northern Hemisphere. As the name suggests, the watch features the cal. 948 with an orbital tourbillon that makes one revolution around the dial every 24 hours in conjunction with the map, mimicking the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Dial and case metal aside, this is essentially identical to the white gold model released in 2022. Initial thoughts As a variation of an existing model, the new Calibre 948 World-Timer is not entirely novel. It is, however, a quite a stunning watch in both looks and mechanics. The enamel dial and pink gold case are in a rich, complementary colours, resulting in a striking, warm aesthetics. And the level of execution is also high, reflecting JLC’s strength in industrial-artisanal high-end watchmaking. That said, with JLC’s storied history, it feels like the brand can do more than rehash this tourbillon (and the Duometre as it did at Watches & Wonders earlier this year). The watchmaker’s watchmaker Sometimes known as the watchmaker’s watchmaker, JLC historically supplied calibres to many notable brands, including the “Holy Trinity” of Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin. As a result, it has a manufacturing know-how that is amongst the best in the mid- to high-end of Swiss watchmaking. A world-time orbital tourbillon with a champlev...
While at the recent 2024 Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, we had the chance to catch up with Andreas Bentele of the Fortis team. When asked what his favorite Fortis watch was at the fair, he immediately responded with his love for the Fortis S-41 Stratoliner. The Stratoliner is the first watch designed and tested for the burgeoning space tourism industry! Check out this Windup Meet & Greet video to learn more. The post [VIDEO] Windup Meet & Greet: The Fortis S-41 Stratoliner is Designed and Tested for Space Tourism appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
It’s always fun when we get to introduce you to a new entrant in the micro-brand tool watch space, and today is no exception. Tuul (pronounced tool) is a brand new Brooklyn-based micro-brand with a focus on - you guessed it - tool watches. If you spend too much time on Instagram (who am I kidding, we all do), you may have seen teasers for their first watch peppered through your feed over the last year. Now, with the introduction of the Filthy 13, we’re finally getting to see what a Tuul watch looks like. For a new brand building their first watch, it is almost always the right choice to go simple. Making a watch is hard, making a good watch even harder, and overcomplicating the process can easily turn the whole thing into a jumbled mess. Besides, tool watches should be simple and straightforward, ready to do their job and not much else. So it’s no big surprise that Tuul has fallen back on a familiar source of inspiration for their first release - the Dirty Dozen watches issued by the MoD to British troops during World War II, which is in many ways the prototypical tool watch. The Filthy 13 follows closely in the footsteps of the Dirty Dozen Watch, Wrist Waterproof spec and carried over the familiar dial layout with central hour and minute hands, small seconds at six o’clock, large Arabic numerals, a railroad minute track, and an abundance of lume. The Filthy 13 swaps the radioactive paint used on the original dials for Super-Luminova, which here has a slightl...
Monochrome
Watch clubs are burgeoning worldwide to gather enthusiasts around a single passion: their appreciation of beautiful timepieces. We’ve seen this in all regions, such as, for instance, the Emirates Watch Club founded by Malek bin Easa. Travelling further East is the Singapore Watch Club, which was founded in 2015 and has been gathering collectors and […]
Fratello
Japanese independent watchmaking has a particular charm, often showing a spare yet intricate way with dials and small-cased sensibility. With a few quietly released collaborative efforts, Hida-san’s main focus is on a small output of orders. Nevertheless, the 2024 releases from Naoya Hida & Co. show a more extroverted side to the brand coming through. […] Visit Introducing: The 2024 Releases From Naoya Hida - Including A Rectangular Grail Candidate to read the full article.
Monochrome
Now that the dust has settled and we had the time to digest the hundreds of watches we’ve seen and written about at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 and off the fair, we’ve decided to take some time and talk about it. Somehow a new format for us, we’ve invited our founder, Frank Geelen, and […]
Monochrome
Watches & Wonders 2024 and The Geneva Watch Week are now far behind us… But it’s the perfect time to look back, with more relaxed minds, at the best watches we’ve seen around town. These fairs are primarily bringing the spotlight on large brands, such as Rolex, the Richemont Group or LVMH. But thankfully, it […]
Monochrome
Louis Erard has developed a close working relationship with contemporary artists, watchmakers, artisans, and designers to position itself as one of the most exciting and original brands on the watchmaking scene. To bring the delights of high-end watchmaking to a broader audience, Louis Erard sticks to its policy of accessible prices. What other brand can […]
Fratello
You’ve seen the press pics, and you’ve read the comments. Now it’s time to slip on and try out the double-denim Patek Philippe duo - the World Time Date 5330G and Nautilus Self-Winding Chronograph 5980/60G. I had to find out how these somewhat controversially styled watches felt and wore in reality. While I was at […] Visit Slipping On The Double-Denim Patek Philippe Duo World Time Date 5330G And Nautilus Self-Winding Chronograph 5980/60G to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Rolex GMT-Master II is one of the most coveted luxury travel watches on the planet, and its predecessor, the original, non-numerical GMT-Master, basically established the template that other dual-time zone timepieces have been following for more than half a century. Here is a detailed look at the history and evolution of the GMT-Master II, from its aviation-inspired beginnings in 1954 to the iconic status it enjoys in the modern era, with all the major models spotlighted in between. 1954: “PEPSI” FOR PILOTS Rolex, the luxury watch firm founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, achieved one of its many milestones in 1953 with the launch of the Oyster Perpetual Submariner, the first serially produced wristwatch with a case water-resistant to 100 meters and hence one of the first and most influential watches purpose-built for diving. If the watch community was wondering what Rolex could possibly do for an encore, they didn’t have long to discover the answer. The following year, 1954, saw the introduction of another trend-setting, genre-defining timepiece, the original Rolex GMT-Master (Ref. 6542, which actually hit the market in 1955), the first watch capable of displaying the time in two separate time zones thanks to the clever addition of a fourth, central 24-hour hand and a bidirectional rotating 24-hour bezel. The initials in the watch’s name signify “Greenwich Mean Time,” the system of world timekeeping based on the calculation of mean solar time from the Royal ...
Quill & Pad
This month’s Dispatch explores the changes in the market we’ve seen against the backdrop of new releases and discontinuations at Watches and Wonders 2023. We also bring you our usual coverage of high level trends for our Overall Market Index and the Big Three brands: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet.
Revolution
Join Zen, Troy, and Joe Kirk, National Training Manager of Grand Seiko, as they go through their exciting new novelties for Watches & Wonders 2024.
![[VIDEO] The Dial as a Canvas: Our Favorite Artistic Dials](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2023/07/Arcanaut_arc_2_fordite_19.jpg)
Worn & Wound
Of all the watch collecting niches, few are more curious (and potentially divisive) than watches that are completely (or almost completely) without any markers and branding. In our hobby, legibility and a relative ease of use are often seen as high priorities, so what happens when a watchmaker decides to forego these things entirely in favor of pure artistic expression? We’ve noticed an increase in dials of this type from brands as diverse as Christopher Ward, Arcanaut, and H. Moser recently, and it’s interesting to consider what each is attempting to accomplish. These watches fly in the face of the idea as a watch as a practical tool, and lean toward a more overtly artistic style of watchmaking. But that doesn’t necessarily make them impractical. In this video, Zach Weiss and Zach Kazan look at a number of watches that prioritize the artistic vision of the maker by eschewing traditional markers, or other dial indicators that make it easy to precisely note the time at a glance. The post [VIDEO] The Dial as a Canvas: Our Favorite Artistic Dials appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
An absolute must for any respectable watchmaker, the chronograph complication was once again well-represented at the 2024 edition of Watches and Wonders… To say the least, as we’ve seen some fascinating new models. What struck us most was the fact that many of these chronograph watches came with more than just a start-stop-reset function. Flyback, […]
Fratello
You’ve probably seen all the Watches and Wonders 2024 recap articles and read how this year’s releases weren’t the most exciting ones. But, as I’ve already stated in my “favorites” article, that certainly doesn’t mean there weren’t any releases worth mentioning. Today, I’d like to highlight two watches we haven’t yet covered here on Fratello. […] Visit Jumping Hours With The Monsieur De Chanel Superleggera Intense Black And Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 to read the full article.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.