20,231 articles · 5,374 videos found · page 773 of 854
Fratello
Today, the Zodiac brand is predominantly associated with dive watches. But if we look back in time, we can find the Zodiac Hermetic family, which hides a few very interesting non-diving models. Among the Valjoux 72-powered chronographs and 24-hour Aerospace Jets sits one very appealing dresser that got my attention about four years ago. In […] Visit #TBT A Virgin-Like Zodiac Hermetic Small Seconds to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Watches & Wonders 2024 just closed its doors earlier this week, and as usual attendance was up. Visitors increased 14% over last year, reaching some 49,000. It certainly felt more crowded, though sentiment was muted. Glamour, however, was delivered by the visits of Gisele Bündchen and Kylian Mbappé at IWC and Hublot respectively. Interestingly, there seemed to be fewer notable independent watchmakers walking around the halls then before, perhaps reflecting their success (which means they needed to meet clients). Gisele Bündchen sporting the new Portugieser chronograph. Image – Watches & Wonders Destiny On the topic of people, the inevitable questions about who’s going where were circulating as usual. When will Cartier’s Cyrille Vignernon retire and who will replace him? Will there be management changes at the LVMH watch division with Frederic Arnault in charge? Insiders have some idea and the rest of us will have to wait. Questions were also asked about brands, specifically smaller players with mixed fortunes – whether they will be sold or simply shut down, like Rebellion was a few months ago. There is of course the perennial sale of Parmigiani, but that isn’t really news – the brand has been quietly on the market for years with no takers. Some brands might have been lucrative exits for their owners a year ago, but now the discussion about a dimmer fate reflects the palpably normalised watch business. Where the outlook is always bright. Image – Watches & W...
SJX Watches
Rolex has unveiled a luxe version of one of its top-of-the-line divers, the Deepsea ref. 136668 LB, which boasts a blue lacquer dial paired with a yellow gold case and bracelet. The timepiece makes a significant statement while preserving all the depth performance associated with its steel Deepsea Sea-Dweller. Initial thoughts Rolex has been hinting at forthcoming novelties on social media for a while, sparking anticipation among enthusiasts like myself who speculated that perhaps a new Submariner model was in development. However, the brand surprised us with something pretty unexpected. The new Deepsea features the iconic blue and yellow gold colour scheme reminiscent of past Submariner models, which adds a touch of nostalgia to the release. With a diameter of 44 mm, this watch carries considerable weight, especially with its heavy yellow gold construction, which adds substantial heft to the wrist. Priced at US$52,100, it far surpasses the cost of comparable steel models, which are roughly a third of its price. However, considering the solid yellow gold construction, the price is fitting, considering the current market climate. Blue and yellow gold The latest model is a successor to the steel Deepsea Sea-Dweller. It maintains the renowned pressure-resistant architecture, with a ceramic compression ring and the Ringlock system for the bezel. Sporting a vibrant blue hue, the bezel, compression ring and dial all sharply contrast with the gilded gold lettering on the dial a...
Fratello
In 2013, Oris released the Aquis Depth Gauge, which spawned a new collection of modern dive watches. This deep diver had a unique mechanical depth gauge, highlighting the brand’s ambition to create practical applications rather than superfluous complications. The Aquis was made a bona fide collection when the core design cues of the Depth Gauge […] Visit Introducing: The Updated Oris Aquis Date Range to read the full article.
Monochrome
Denis Flageollet, the founder of De Bethune, is renowned as a master watchmaker who has steered his reverence for ancestral horological craftsmanship into radically contemporary settings. Perhaps his credentials should also include ‘master alchemist’ because when Flageollet starts playing with fire in his workshop (which includes a blacksmith), the results are out-of-this-world spectacular. The latest […]
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Deployant
Our next stop is Norqain, where they introduced numerous watches, but our highlight is their One of 1. A unique configurator which is allows huge customisation capabilities for the Wild One of 1. Live from WWG24: the new configurator from Norqain Willd One of 1 When we first heard of the key product is aRead More
Monochrome
Montblanc introduced its white star logo in 1913, an emblem which has graced the caps of its fountain pens and, later, the crowns of its watches. While the logo is universally recognised, some folk might not know that it represents a stylised bird’s eye view of the snow-capped peak of Mont Blanc and its six […]
Monochrome
With a legacy extending over 80 years, including the renowned Cottier watches, Worldtimers stand out as one of Patek Philippe’s quintessential complications. Patek Philippe was the brand to reintroduce this complication in 2000 with the unveiling of the 5110 model. Subsequently, the 5110 was succeeded by the 5130 in 2006, which in turn was replaced […]
Fratello
One of the youngest Rolex lines is the Sky-Dweller, which debuted in 2012. It’s also the most complicated watch in the modern Rolex catalog, providing an annual calendar and a clever way to set it using the Ring Command bezel. You can read about it here. Rolex Sky-Dweller 336935 and 336938 The new Rolex Sky-Dweller […] Visit Hot Take: The Rolex Sky-Dweller On A Jubilee Bracelet In Yellow Gold Or Everose Gold to read the full article.
Fratello
Besides one or two focus releases, Grand Seiko releases a plethora of new variations to its current models every year. In this article, we’ll summarize most of Grand Seiko’s Watches and Wonders 2024 releases, which will be available later this year. There is plenty to enjoy with a beautiful addition to the Evolution 9 lineup, […] Visit Grand Seiko Releases A String Of New References At Watches And Wonders to read the full article.
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Worn & Wound
Watches that do more than a human being is capable of are nothing new. Rolex, Omega, and others make dive watches that are capable of reaching depths that no man or woman could survive. The Rolex Deepsea Challenge is rated to 11,000 meters (which means it’s tested to even greater depths) while the deepest point in the ocean is about 10,900 meters, give or take. That means this particular dive watch can go deeper than any depth possible on the planet. Even that, somehow, feels more practical than IWC’s big release at Watches & Wonders, the Portugieser Eternal Calendar. This is the brand’s first secular calendar, which accounts for leap-year exception rules in the Gregorian calendar that play out over a 400 year span. A calendar complication that no living human will have a chance to observe do its thing in real time is one thing, but it’s the moonphase on this watch that is truly looking ahead: IWC claims it’s accurate to 45 million years. And just think, it wasn’t even ten years ago that the Apple Watch had many in this industry scared that watchmaking could be killed by smart-gadgets. Talk about confidence. The concept of a secular calendar will be worth a refresher for many, as it’s a truly rare complication that most brands simply don’t attempt given the incredibly long timeframes involved (the last one we discussed in these pages was from indie Furlan Marri). The gist is this: in addition to a leap year every four years, Gregorian calendar needs an ad...
SJX Watches
For IWC, 2024 is the year of the Portugieser. The collection receives a full refresh that covers the Portugieser Automatic 40, Portugieser Automatic 42 (previously known as the 7 Days), Portugieser Chronograph, and Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 44. In addition, IWC has introduced an all-new model, the Portugieser Hand Wound Tourbillon Day & Night with a flying (and hacking) tourbillon. The standout debut, however, is without question the Portugieser Eternal Calendar – which we cover in a separate story. With the facelift, IWC has refined its core collection with subtle nips and tucks, including slimmer cases, while retaining the familiar design. The revamp includes new liveries including metallic finish dials in baby blue and champagne. The champagne finish, known as “Dune” Initial thoughts I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetic of the Portugieser collection, which is perhaps the only collection of dress watches of any brand where the (over)sizing is a feature rather than a drawback. The new collection is no exception; each piece is attractive and several models have received thoughtful technical upgrades, including an escapement with enhanced magnetism resistance. And the dials are not merely new colours, but sport detailed finishing and thoughtful details. Of course, there’s little in the way of true novelty in the collection outside of the Eternal Calendar that is a rare complication executed smartly but for an hard-to-believe six-figure price. Even the Tourbillo...
Monochrome
Independent watchmaker Hautlence, which made its debut 20 years ago in Neuchatel, has always been known for its modern approach to watchmaking with creative designs, exposed mechanics and innovative ways of displaying time. Now a sister company of H. Moser & Cie, the brand made a comeback a few months ago with modernized, streamlined aesthetics […]
Fratello
The Japanese watchmaker has introduced a new series within the Seiko 5 family, which pays homage to the past but somehow feels very natural in the present. Seiko is one of those few brands for which an enthusiast can buy a very humble automatic watch. Or a mechanical marvel with very tight tolerances that competes […] Visit Hot Take: Seiko Introduces Three New Seiko 5 SNXS Series Celebrating Its Heritage to read the full article.
Fratello
Ambrose Bierce published Fantastic Fables back in 1899. It is a bundle of short fairy tales, most of which are absurd and feature an ironic plot twist. This unique combination reminds me of our behavior as watch lovers. Just as Bierce wrote about a woman who shot her man dead to prevent him from leaving […] Visit Fantastic Fables: Are We Fooling Ourselves To Justify Liking Watches? to read the full article.
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Worn & Wound
Swiss watchmaker Norqain has just released the colorful Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm collection. Showcasing three colorways, this collection is inspired by the idyllic charm of Tuscany, capturing the essence of la dolce vita, mixed with the precision and design elements for which Norqain is known. Each watch in the collection features a 316L stainless steel case in the now familiar Freedom 60 silhouette that evokes classic sports watches from the past. With a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of 14.90mm, these timepieces strike the perfect balance of having presence on the wrist without too much additional bulk. The Freedom 60 Chrono 40 mm collection is available in three new pastel color options: Sky Blue, Pistachio, and Peach, each dial reminiscent of one’s favorite gelateria. Each dial has a darker complementary sub-dial, outer ring, and tachymeter scale to tie the everything together. An anthracite Norqain logo and black counters at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock add depth to the dial, while diamond-cut flat indexes ensure readability in a variety of lighting conditions. The color matched date window, positioned between 4 and 5 o’clock, adds a practical complication, while diamond-cut faceted hour and minute hands, filled with Superluminova, enhance visibility in low-light environments. The Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm collection is powered by the mechanical Norqain caliber N19 (a modified Sellita SW510), offering 62 hours of power reserve. Watches are offered in three strap varie...
Fratello
Since 2024 began, I have wanted nothing more than a chance to talk and laugh with my grandfather again. This year is the 18th since his passing, which was also half of my life ago now. Perhaps because of that, I feel as if I could finally comprehend and appreciate all of his insight and […] Visit Remembering My Grandfather Through His Watches: Part 1 - An Elgin 6703E And Hamilton Yorktowne From The Early ’40s to read the full article.
Fratello
The speed at which Christopher Ward releases new watches is impressive. But it’s even more impressive that the brand maintains a certain level of variety that keeps every release fresh. There’s truly something for everyone in Christopher Ward’s rapidly expanding collection. The newest creation from the CW kitchens is the C63 Valour. This quartz timepiece […] Visit Christopher Ward Introduces The C63 Valour - A Quartz Chronograph Inspired By Military Watches From The 1980s to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The Horological Society of Utah is a growing consortium of collectors and enthusiasts in Salt Lake City and throughout the Intermountain West. Their nonprofit is dedicated to supporting the culture of horology through education and community. John Liley and Aaron Recksiek, some of the Society’s founding members, reached out to Worn & Wound to co-create a fun event designed to delve into a handful of brands right in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley- which is, of course, Squatters Pub Brewery. Alpina, Bulova, Accutron, and Frederique Constant answered the call. Last Thursday, with an epic view of the Wasatch Front, the entire second floor of the well-known SLC-based brew pub was filled with enthusiasts and collectors all seeking to get their hands on the latest and greatest from each brand. Alpina led the charge, with a full complement of their latest Alpiner Extreme Automatic models, including their California Dial variant-clearly a crowd favorite that evening. Bulova and the Windup Watch Shop joined forces to outfit their line of Hack field watches with US-made Mil-Straps. Anyone who purchased a Hack watch was able to pick out an ADPT strap of their choice to pair with their new watch. As you can see from the images, It’s clear that those watches and straps are just meant to be together. We also gave away one of the Hack Watches to a very lucky attendee. As guests sipped on a selection of Salt Lake Brewing Co.’s very own IPAs, TJ Harris, the Director of Br...
Worn & Wound
Last week, we told you about new offerings from Citizen in their high end “The Citizen” collection, which can be thought of, I think, as the brand at its most refined. These are the watches where no expense is spared, and they make full use of the craft techniques available to them and some pretty impressive high accuracy quartz timekeeping. Right on the heels of those Washi paper dialed releases, Citizen has also expanded their Series 8 collection, which is perhaps a more familiar expression of what Citizen has always done really well to the typical enthusiast. These are integrated bracelet sports watches that borrow from the past (as all integrated bracelet sports watches do), while still feeling quite contemporary with a modern footprint, interesting dial designs, and the specs you’d expect in a modern sports watch. Two of the new Series 8 890 watches seen here feature the same checkered pattern (inspired by the Tokyo skyline) that Citizen used on the previous 880 series watches that were introduced last year, but they’ve taken steps to make the pattern appear bolder in these new releases. From the images provided, it does indeed appear to be a deeper and more pronounced stamping, which should make for a dynamic experience on the wrist as the dial plays with ambient light. A third watch, limited to 1700 pieces, has a new dial execution in what Citizen calls a “copper pink” color, and is inspired by cherry blossoms in bloom. Like the ocean and mountain vi...
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Monochrome
French brand Depancel has a distinct automotive-inspired approach to watchmaking, which starts with its name. The name Depancel is derived from Delage, Panhard and Facel Vega, three of the most respected French car manufacturers. With such a backstory, it’s not hard to figure out what Depancel loves to do most; build car- and motorcycle-inspired watches! […]
Worn & Wound
With 140 years of history, there have been countless milestones for Breitling. One that comes to mind happened on March 21, 1999. It was on that day that an air balloon, called the Breitling Orbiter 3, landed in the Egyptian desert, making Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones the first two men to circumnavigate the globe during this mode of transportation. It’s this tenacity and adventurous spirit which has been imbued in the Swiss brand since 1884 – and there doesn’t seem to be any slowing down. In fact, Breitling’s latest watch, the Aerospace B70 Orbiter 25th Anniversary Edition is a watch to honor Piccard and Jones’ legacy, while hoping to inspire a new generation of adventurers – or those of us who are adventurers at heart. Each watch contains a segment of the original Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, visible through the transparent caseback. Adorned with the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo and the inscription “First non-stop flight around the world 25th anniversary,” this watch serves as a tangible reminder of humanity’s boundless spirit of exploration. The color scheme of the dial matches that of the Breitling Orbiter 3’s capsule, coming in a bright orange that will catch people’s eyes and surely become a conversation starter. The orange dial is complemented by a 43mm titanium case and a choice of a matching bracelet or black rubber strap. The dial itself features the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo at 3 o’clock and the numerals, indices, and hand...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Unlike other well-storied brands, this watchmaker, dating back to 1884, isn’t shy about experimenting with new designs, materials, and even quartz movements, which have become rather taboo for many watch brands since the crisis in the 1970s and early 1980s. Breitling, however, has just released a new version of its Quartz Aerospace, with this one taking the name B70 Orbiter.
Fratello
Hi there, and welcome to a new episode of Fratello Talks. Excuses, excuses, excuses… Letting them get in the way of a good thing is a shame. So it’s time to cut them out and enjoy watches. This is this week’s topic of discussion, which Nacho, Lex, and RJ explore in detail. It’s an interesting […] Visit Fratello Talks: Cut The Excuses And Just Enjoy Watches to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
We’re huge fans around here of ochs und junior, an independent brand known for radically simple executions of complications that are traditionally anything but. Their latest is a release of one of their most whimsical and complex pieces, the Day/Night, which was first seen in 2018 but now enters the “ochs line,” meaning it gets a standardized, serialized production, without the vast array of customization options offered on most watches in the brand’s catalog. That said, considering the astronomical nature of the complication, some custom work is required, so the Day/Night really splits the difference. Even more than ochs und junior’s fairly radical calendar watches, the Day/Night really shows off the ingenuity at work behind Ludwig Oechslin’s watchmaking. Looking at the dial, it’s hard to grasp at first exactly what you’re seeing. The time, of course, but the rest of the indicators are so far removed from what we’re used to seeing on a watch, the Day/Night really does require something of a primer to fully grasp. Here’s what you can see at a glance on the dial: the length of day and nighttime for a given location, sunset, sunrise, solar noon, moon phase, sun and moon position in the sky, the date, and of course the current time. Much of this information is dependent on the wearer’s current location, so in the ordering process, ochs und junior make a note of where the watch will live, and create a custom part to “synch” the watch to that locatio...
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