Hodinkee
Hands-On: Kari Voutilainen's 20th Anniversary Tourbillon
Spending time with a platinum masterpiece to celebrate the platinum anniversary of one of the most influential independent watchmakers alive.
5,033 articles · 43 videos found · page 78 of 170
Hodinkee
Spending time with a platinum masterpiece to celebrate the platinum anniversary of one of the most influential independent watchmakers alive.
Monochrome
Five years ago, Bell & Ross altered its flight path to include a luxury sports watch in its fleet of instrument watches. Transitioning from the more tool-watch looks of the brand’s flagship references, the BR 05 softened the edges, rounded the angles and introduced an integrated bracelet for a sleeker, more streamlined look. Earlier this […]
Fratello
Why would you chase rainbows? We already know that hardly anyone can buy an entry-level Nautilus or Aquanaut from a Patek Philippe boutique or AD. Why, then, would you put yourself in a situation that has you looking outside the official channels, only to face unrealistic asking prices (although they’re dipping a bit)? There are […] Visit An Impromptu Hands-On With The Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph 5960/1A-001 - An Extraordinary And Sporty Gentleman Of A Watch to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The Cartier Santos Dumont is a watch beautifully frozen in time – aesthetically and functionally true to the original, and it’s still as relevant as ever in 2024. What We Love Classic and timeless design Thin, elegant, and comfortable on the wrist Movement is smooth and appropriate for a dress piece What We Don’t Wears larger than anticipated (due to my small wrists) The pin buckle is finicky at times and hard to adjust A display case back would be great! Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Ah, Cartier: One of the pillars of modern watchmaking as we know it. Even though they are a High Jewellery Maison, their knowledge of horology is storied and epic, and through their achievements, sparked some of the most important innovations in the history of this beautiful art. I’ve known about Cartier and their reputation my whole life, but other than occasionally peering into their boutique and looking through the window, I always thought my opinion of them would never extend further than their occasional appearances in rom-coms, music, and other pop culture. The Cartier Santos Dumont Getting into the watch business gave me a whole new perspective on what I knew about the Parisian brand. Getting into Watch Advice also allowed me to take a massive deep dive into Cartier’s history, which naturally garnered a new respect for them. The Santos was the first ever wristwatch? How crazy is that? I won’t nerd you o...
Worn & Wound
I didn’t learn how to drive a car until I was 25 years old. This was partially motivated by the same frugality that draws me to budget watches, but mostly because bikes offered fun and freedom that cars simply couldn’t compete with. Whether running a quick errand as fast as my legs could carry me without fear of a speeding ticket or riding 100 miles in a single day just for the hell of it, bikes took me everywhere I needed to go. Representing simpler years filled with adventure, cycling was the only hobby that truly captured my heart in the same way watches do today. Though bikes are worth obsessing over and have their own enthusiast community not unlike watches, they have their limitations and mine went into the garage (which I suddenly needed for an old beat-up Volvo) when my daughter was born. It gathered dust, fell victim to tire rot, and was eventually forgotten all together due to its inability to house a growing number of car seats. It was around this same time I was bit by the watch bug, which in retrospect is no coincidence. Last year, cycling made an unexpected re-emergence in my life. I binge watched Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix, learning about different teams, seeing the colorful jerseys they wear, and getting a crash course in how much cycling has changed since I last checked in. Coincidentally, it was at this same time that my friends started pestering me to join them on the trail. Fun fact, did you know you can buy an entire bike for the price of...
Monochrome
The 2024 Paris Olympics, which will start later this week, mark 92 years of Omega‘s legacy as the official timekeeper for the Games. Since 1932 and for the 31st time, the Omega Timing team, with its unparalleled expertise, extensive personnel, and tons of equipment, will support the competing athletes. To truly grasp the extent of […]
Fratello
Designing anything, including watches, is an iterative process. You move from one design to another, and every time, you get a bit closer to what you had in mind. I’m not a designer, but Emmanuel Dietrich, who founded the Dietrich brand in 2010, is. When you look at his previous designs, you can see that […] Visit Hands-On With The New Dietrich ED-1 - Featuring A Soft Hexagonal Case to read the full article.
Deployant
Here is our hands-on comprehensive review of the Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition.
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin’s flagship launch for the year is the Les Cabinotiers “The Berkley” Grand Complication, but it a 1 kg pocket watch with 63 complications and an eight-figure price tag commissioned by a billionaire insurance entrepreneur. For more ordinary well-off persons, the brand’s halo product is the Tourbillon Chronograph Collection Excellence Platine. Based on a model launched in pink gold in 2020, the Tourbillon Chronograph Collection Excellence Platine is a large but elegant watch executed to a high level, with both fine movement decoration and the usual all-platinum CEP treatment. A periodic offering from Vacheron Constantin (VC) since 2006, the Collection Excellence Platine (CEP) is a series of limited editions that are variations of regular production models enhanced with the liberal use of platinum throughout the watch. Typically that means a platinum case and clasp, which are ordinary, but also an unusual sandblasted platinum dial and also a strap stitched with platinum-and-silk thread. Initial thoughts I’ve always liked the CEP series because it’s a subtle twist on the standard version, with the differences only really apparent to those in the know. At the same time, because the CEP treatment is simple, it often works better on some models than others. With the CEP line now almost 20 years old, there are about a dozen CEP editions to demonstrate that point. The platinum treatment arguably works best with more complicated watches like the Tradit...
Fratello
Please, come closer. It’s worth it. When you do, you can find that the movement inside the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Titanium comprises 194 parts and features no fewer than 16 types of manual finishing. This results in a sophisticated and impressive watch that is both complicated and minimalistic; indeed, it is a paradox in […] Visit Hands-On With A Hyper Watch: The Complicated And Minimalistic Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monotourbillon Titanium to read the full article.
Hodinkee
It took four years to get a second [RE]Master watch from AP and the result has been divisive. But a watch like this doesn't come from nowhere. Mark and Tony unpack it all in this two-part story.
Worn & Wound
At Worn & Wound, we are not typically drawn to watches with extravagant diamond bezels and dials. However, we have stumbled upon something truly unique and special that we are confident will pique your interest, the Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll in 39mm. This watch not only stands out due to its distinct design but also features a dial made of chrysocolla stone, a material rarely used in the world of watchmaking. In fact, the only other commercially produced watch we found that used this material was a discontinued Shinola Birdy lady’s quartz watch. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or chain of islands around a body of water called a lagoon. Many people associate the word “lagoon” with images of Gilligan’s Island-a small beach with crystal-clear turquoise water. That is the inspiration for this watch. Each dial is crafted from hand-cut natural stone, ensuring each one is unique, so the paradise depicted by its breathtaking mix of blue, turquoise, brown, and black is exclusively yours. So, what is chrysocolla? Chrysocolla is a mineral that belongs to the silicate mineral group. It is often found in association with other secondary copper minerals such as malachite, azurite, and cuprite. Chrysocolla is known for its vibrant blue-green or green color, reminiscent of turquoise. It is named after the Greek words “chrysos,” meaning gold, and “kolla,” meaning glue, due to its historical use as a flux in soldering gold. It is not considered a rare gemston...
Fratello
A little over a year ago, Lebond Watches unveiled its inaugural Siza model to the public. The Barcelonian brand works with famous architects to create each one’s take on a watch. After world-famous architect Álvaro Siza was the first to do so, the brand’s second effort debuted earlier this year. This time, Lebond founder Asier […] Visit Hands-On With The Well-Balanced Lebond Souto Moura to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The IWC Ingenieur is, in my opinion, one of Gerald Genta’s most underrated designs. But does it hold up compared to some of his most iconic pieces? Let’s find out! What We Love: Breathtaking design Moulds perfectly onto my wrist Genta heritage, but feels unique What We Don’t: A micro-adjust butterfly clasp would be nice Would love a display back Would be nice to have a COSC movement Final Score: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 8/10 IWC is a watch brand that for me personally, I hadn’t really done a deep dive into before. I feel that it is a brand that if you know, you know, and once you get into the brand, many people are hooked. But when I joined Watch Advice, I began to delve deeper into the industry and watchmaking itself. To my surprise (and nobody else’s), I discovered that IWC had contributed much more to horology than I had ever cared to know before. This and the fact that the guys visited the Manufacture in Schaffhausen in April, and regaled me of their adventures there! The giant perpetual calendar movement on the wall in the entry of the IWC Manufacture in Schaffhausen which we visited earlier this year before Watches & Wonders 2024 Founded in 1868 by Bostonian watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company found its roots during Jones’ time in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. From there, they would combine American manufacturing with Swiss craftsmanship to produce high-quality timepiece...
SJX Watches
Almost a dress watch done in sci-fi style, the most compact version of De Bethune’s trademark model gained a striking new look this year with the DB28xs Purple Rain. Clad entirely in purple – or more accurately, titanium heat treated to purple – the DB28xs Purple Rain is distinctive and striking because of its sheer colour. Though the colour is novel for De Bethune, the watch incorporates many of the brand’s signature design elements, including a “starry sky” dial and the DB2005 movement with a proprietary titanium and white gold balance wheel. Initial thoughts De Bethune didn’t invented flame-blued titanium, but the material has become something of the brand’s signature. It has been used extensively across its product line, arguably so much that it’s not as novel as it was. De Bethune later tried titanium heated to a bronze-gold finish, but that doesn’t have the vivid hue of blue. Titanium that’s been flamed to purple, however, is as vivid as blue. And the finish is still fairly unique, since it has only been applied to the DB28xs Purple Rain as well as a handful of one-off creations. As a result, while the Purple Rain is only a colour variation of an existing model, it is usually compelling because it is both different and striking. Because it’s essentially the same material as blued titanium, purple titanium will likely have the same durability. Like the blued finish, the purple is actually a thin oxide layer on the titanium that’s created by t...
Fratello
The Casio G-Shock GA-2100 series became a fan favorite immediately after its introduction and a staple of the collection soon after that. But despite it being one of the defining model lines in the G-Shock collection, we had not seen a premium MR-G version since the introduction of the “CasiOak” silhouette in 2019. That wait […] Visit Hands-On With The Impressive Casio G-Shock MRG-B2100B-1A to read the full article.
Hodinkee
An industrial tool dive watch straight out of the land-locked hills of Switzerland.
Fratello
You may have never heard of Cimier, but in the early 1970s, the brand produced over 1.5 million watches annually. Unfortunately, despite developing a quartz movement, Cimier struggled during the Quartz Crisis. Eventually, the company reopened its doors in 2003 after mechanical watches had become “cool” (again), opened the Watch Academy in 2010, and started […] Visit Hands-On With The Chunky But Funky Cimier 711 Heritage Chronograph to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Can you get into this new cycling-inspired Tudor like riding a bike, no matter how unseriously you ride?
Fratello
You might say that Omega’s Summer Blue collection is old news in 2024, and you’d be right. Omega’s Summer Blue line was hot and trendy in 2023, but it’s been a year, and aside from a few underwhelming Olympic models, we have not seen much from the Biel/Bienne-based brand. OK, there were the white-dial and […] Visit A Belated Hands-On With The Omega Seamaster Ultra Deep Summer Blue to read the full article.
Fratello
You may have never heard of the French poet René Char (1907–1988), but I’m sure you have heard of some of his friends. He counted among them Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, and Martin Heidegger. Char’s poems were filled with strange phrases and surreal, provocative images. Trilobe, a Parisian watch brand founded in 2018 by Gautier […] Visit Hands-On With A Horological Poem - The Trilobe Les Matinaux L’Heure Exquise Blue to read the full article.
Monochrome
Most days, you’ll catch me wearing a dive watch or a classic chronograph. This is what I most enjoy as a watch collector (yes, we are first and foremost watch fans at MONO). I like to wear watches that I don’t have to worry about, and I love a timepiece with some heft. Not necessarily […]
Monochrome
This task is no easy feat, for the story unravels like a rich tapestry woven with history, adventure, and revival. The latest Sherpa offering is the uncoated edition of the OPS, a version of a piece we reviewed last year alongside the Ultradive, made in collaboration with The Real Time Show (TRTS, a twice-weekly podcast). […]
Fratello
By now, you are probably aware that Christopher Ward is hard to beat in terms of affordable luxury watches. One of the brand’s most popular series is the C63 Sealander, and within it, the GMT models are particularly in demand. We never reviewed the watch, so it was about time that we did. But not […] Visit A Hands-On Comparison Of The Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT In Two Different Sizes to read the full article.
Fratello
Squale is a brand that holds a warm spot in my heart. I sold Squale watches when I worked at Amsterdam Watch Company. I was involved in the marketing of a limited edition back then, and I have gotten to know the team. It is one of those sympathetic smaller companies that rely on personal […] Visit Hands-On With The New Squale 1521 Marina Militare Limited Edition to read the full article.
Fratello
What happens if you elongate the design of a G-Shock “Square”? You get the new GD-B500 series. No, I’m just kidding. That’s an unfair and cheeky observation. However, the G-Shock Square is an immediate association as it is such an iconic silhouette. As a result, it’s tempting to compare any square or rectangular digital watch […] Visit Hands-On With Three ’80s-Inspired Casio G-Shock GD-B500 Models to read the full article.
Monochrome
In May of this year, we introduced Jiro Katayama, an independent watchmaker from Japan, and his brand Otsuka Lotec, which, despite its distribution being limited exclusively to his home country, has gained recognition across the continents. We had the pleasure of experiencing one of his models, the recently updated Otsuka Lotec No.6, and here are […]
Fratello
After a successful three-watch collaborative effort last year, the guys from Furlan Marri are back, remaining true to their creative nature. Instead of riffing off their existing catalog, the new Furlan Marri Disco Volante genuinely surprised me. Small brands tend to find a stable recipe for success and stick to it. And this is true […] Visit Hands-On With The New Furlan Marri Disco Volante - An Intricate Dress Watch With A Different Take On Vintage to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Among Tudor’s new releases for 2024, the most conservative is undoubtedly the Black Bay 41 METAS ref. 7941A1A0NU, which offers a monochrome, black-and-white alternative to the gilt-and-burgundy ref. M7941A1A0RU-0003 introduced last year. Initial thoughts The new Black Bay 41 (BB41) feels instantly familiar. In fact, it’s a little surprising that it wasn’t already in the collection, being about at straightforward as a contemporary dive watch can be. But what it lacks in surprise, it makes up for in simple, tangible quality. While the BB41 was the original Black Bay – launched a dozen years ago now – it now sits atop a range that also includes the smaller Black Bay 58 and even more compact Black Bay 54. The BB41 METAS’ dimensions of 41 mm by 13.6 mm thick mean it wears similar to a modern Rolex Submariner; those looking for vintage proportions should consider the BB58 and BB54. Of course, the big news is METAS certification for the MT5602-U movement, which now carries a “U” suffix to identify it as a METAS-certified Master Chronometer. The differences from the standard MT5602 used to date are likely minimal, since the movement has always had a silicon hairspring, one of the most important features for resisting the METAS standard’s 15,000 gauss anti-magnetism test. The difference, therefore, is that the movement’s high-performance specs have been confirmed by an independent test. Tudor is all about value, and the BB41 METAS is no exception. Available with...
Fratello
Last year, I bought a digital sports watch to keep track of my running and rowing sessions. Since I’m very much an amateur athlete, I went with a Coros Pace 3, an entry-level exercise tracker. I got it on a Velcro strap because I heard it helps with adjustability, and honestly, it’s very comfortable and […] Visit Hands-On With Delugs Delcro Straps - The Smartwatch Strap Makes A Move Toward Luxury to read the full article.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.