Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Best Beater Watches Under $300 We’ve Ever Tested
Looking for a tough, affordable beater watch? We reviewed the best under $300 with real-world wear tests, accuracy checks, and pros and cons to guide your pick.
Results for Frequency / Beat Rate (vph, Hz)
5,493 articles · 175 videos found · page 80 of 189
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Monochrome
First Look - The New Zenith Defy Extreme Chroma Editions
Zenith continues to evolve its high-frequency El Primero chronograph platform with two new references that combine the brand’s core technical identity with a sharper, more architectural use of colour. The Defy Extreme Chroma Limited Editions mark the next phase of the Chroma concept, introduced in 2022 with the Defy 21 Chroma and followed by the […]
Worn & Wound
Brooklyn Meets Bauhaus: Recapping Our Junghans Showroom Experience
Last week, the Windup Watch Shop’s Brooklyn showroom transformed into a full-on Junghans universe-part design gallery, part biergarten, and easily one of our most successful showroom activations to date. Junghans has long been a top performer for us-one of our top five brands online and the number one by sales in the showroom. But we kept hearing the same thing from shoppers: the biggest reason they hadn’t pulled the trigger on a Junghans yet was simply not being able to see the watches in person. A complete Junghans takeover of the showroom changed that in a big way. For the entire weekend, the space became a design-forward Junghans shop-in-shop. Center tables and rear shelving were filled out with the full lineup-Max Bill icons, Meister classics, and the newest releases-all displayed in a way that encouraged lingering, comparing, and hands-on discovery. Junghans content looped across the main monitor, tying the whole activation together. Collectors and first-time visitors loved finally getting the chance to handle models they’d only ever seen online. A Bauhaus Biergarten Event The weekend kicked off with a high-energy evening that blended biergarten warmth with Bauhaus modernism. Guests stepped into a space decorated with themed touches, curated snacks, and plenty of beer-everything tuned to evoke that distinctly German mix of hospitality and design. The vibe was lively and relaxed, with friends and new acquaintances swapping impressions and leaning in...
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Clemence Photic MKII Divers
Admittedly, I don’t try many microbrand watches. I have nothing against them, but I haven’t found many here in the UK. This all changed when I attended the World Time UK event in late September with my buddies Dave (of Fratello fame), Lawrence, and Parm. I saw some nice things, but one of the standout […] Visit Hands-On With The New Clemence Photic MKII Divers to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing - Zenith Applies the Full-Gold Midas Touch to Selected Defy Skyline Models
Launched in 2022, Zenith’s Defy collection bridges the past and future in one fell swoop. The name dates to 1902 and refers to a line of robust pocket watches known as Defi. Following the launch of Zenith’s world-first high-frequency El Primero automatic chronograph movement, the Defy name was resuscitated for a line of hyper-robust, bulky […]
Fratello
Fratello Talks: Watches And The Stories They Tell
Watch collectors often discuss design, materials, and mechanical nuances, but the conversation frequently shifts toward something less tangible - the stories tied to these objects. Whether passed down through family, acquired during memorable moments, or simply worn through everyday life, watches tend to gather meaning in ways their manufacturers cannot always predict. On this week’s […] Visit Fratello Talks: Watches And The Stories They Tell to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Oris ProPilot Date Review: The Big Crown ProPilot Evolved
The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date has a prestigious history starting with the founding of the independent Swiss brand that makes it. Oris began making watches in 1904, when it was founded in Hölstein, Switzerland, by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, who named the company after a nearby brook. A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris has become a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-made watches, particularly sport-oriented models. Among the brand’s modern pillars are the dressy Big Crown Pointer Date and the more aviation-centric Big Crown ProPilot, which trace their existence all the way back to 1938. That year marked the launch of the first Oris watch dubbed “Big Crown,” named after its signature element, an oversized, fluted winding crown meant to be easy to grasp and to operate by a pilot wearing heavy gloves. The modern edition of the Big Crown ProPilot debuted in 2014 (example above), notably adding what is today one of its signature features: a knurled bezel that resembles a jet turbine. Oris has revamped, tweaked, and added complications to the original, ...
Fratello
Chopard Celebrates The 30th Anniversary Of Its Manufacture With The Stunning L.U.C Grand Strike
As 2025 draws to a close, we are slowly getting ready to look back at some of this year’s best releases. But the wonderful people at Chopard said, “Hold your horses! We are not done yet.” With the stunning L.U.C Grand Strike, the brand celebrates the 30th anniversary of its manufacture in style. Incidentally, it […] Visit Chopard Celebrates The 30th Anniversary Of Its Manufacture With The Stunning L.U.C Grand Strike to read the full article.
Fratello
Sunday Morning Showdown: Citizen Super Titanium Zenshin Small Seconds Vs. Tissot PRX Titanium 38mm
With the Fratello Dress Watch Season competition in full swing, our site has seemingly been full of expensive, heavy-hitting, precious-metal formal watches. That’s why, for today’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we decided to do something a bit different. This is the featherweight bout between two affordable integrated-bracelet sports watches. This is the Citizen Super Titanium Zenshin […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Citizen Super Titanium Zenshin Small Seconds Vs. Tissot PRX Titanium 38mm to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Hands-On Review Of The New Zenith DEFY Skyline Tourbillon
A tourbillon with attitude and a dial that refuses to be ignored. Zenith takes the DEFY Skyline to a whole new level with this rose-gold powerhouse. Bold, modern, and seriously impressive on the wrist! What We Love The combination of a brick-red dial with 18kt rose gold is the perfect combination. Rich, warm, and instantly eye-catching. High-frequency movement and a flying tourbillon is an extremely rare combination that Zenith has executed with some serious technical finesse. From the mirror-polished chamfers to the brushed facets and the rose-gold rotor, everything feels intentional, premium, and beautifully executed. What We Don’t Limited versatility when on the full-gold bracelet. It pushes the watch firmly into “special occasion” territory. A premium model with stunning looks and highly technical movement, the price, however, might put the watch out of reach for many. While the rotor and caseback finishing are gorgeous, much of the movement is still closed off, and some collectors may wish for a more open view. Overall Rating: 9.1/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build quality: 9/10 Zenith has long stood as a brand that has valued itself on precision and bold mechanical innovation, all the way from its roots back in Le Locle in 1865. This has become apparent even more with the invention of the El Primero movement, cementing the brand’s position as one of the leaders of high-beat performance. In the modern era of watchmaking, Zenith...
Fratello
Fratello Dress Watch Season: Semifinal 2 - Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P Vs. Breguet Classique Souscription 2025
Welcome to the second semifinal in the Fratello Dress Watch Season contest, our bid to find the best dress watch of 2025. In today’s matchup, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P takes on the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025. As we near the final, we see some of this year’s heavyweights going head-to-head. Both this Patek and […] Visit Fratello Dress Watch Season: Semifinal 2 - Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P Vs. Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 to read the full article.
Fratello
Spending Time With The New Quartet Of Nomos Tetra Origins Watches
In the words of the great Huey Lewis, “It’s hip to be square!” Just as the lyrics of this ’80s hit refer to it being cool to be conventional, the Nomos Tetra celebrates the traditional square dress watch in style. But there is a twist to both the song and the watches. As Lewis explained, […] Visit Spending Time With The New Quartet Of Nomos Tetra Origins Watches to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Les Must de Cartier: The Misunderstood Entry-Level Cartier
The Cartier of today is undeniably a symbol of luxury and has strategically manufactured that imagery. From its quintessential deep red boxes with gold filigree border to its looping cursive script, even before you get to the object itself, whether it be jewelry or a watch, the brand has carefully crafted the entire experience of its product to position it as such. But today, we’re taking a look at an anomaly in the maison’s past, for which Cartier descended from its luxurious heights to extend its hand to the mass market. Les Must de Cartier is representative of a pivotal time in the history of watchmaking, and its contrasting accessibility played a crucial role in the maison’s longevity and its ability to weather shifting market trends. Down below, I’ll be walking you through how Must de Cartier came to be, some significant design codes, how the line has reemerged after its discontinuation, and share some musings and philosophical ponderings about this strange chapter in Cartier’s history. Les Must de Cartier Context From its relatively humble beginnings as a local, artisanal jewelry workshop in 1847, by the turn of the 20th century, Cartier had already established itself as a global luxury powerhouse, operating in London, New York, and Paris by 1909. Each independent branch of Cartier at this time was operated by a trio of Louis-François Cartier’s grandsons, and while they often collaborated, each location developed its own unique flair and catered to ...
Fratello
Fratello Talks: Modern Watches That Could Be Future Classics
The pace of new watch releases has never been faster. Every week seems to bring a fresh wave of models vying for our attention. We’re certainly not complaining, but it does make us curious: which of today’s timepieces might one day become future classics? That’s the question at the heart of today’s episode of Fratello […] Visit Fratello Talks: Modern Watches That Could Be Future Classics to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Best Watch Brands We’ve Reviewed: From Seiko to Rolex
From daily beaters to luxury icons, a decade of hands-on testing by our team reveals which watch brands are worth your time.
SJX Watches
Breguet Reverses Polarity with the Classique 7225
Breguet’s 250th anniversary got off to a good start and the momentum continues with the Classique 7225, another take on one of the brand’s most inventive movements. Guaranteed to run within an impressive one second a day, the Classique 7225 contains the cal. 74SC that boasts a high-frequency balance wheel running at an uncommonly rapid 10 Hz, or 72,000 beats per hour. To achieve that without overwhelming friction, the balance pivot is magnetic, allowing it to “float” as it oscillates. The 10 Hz balance was launched some 15 years ago, but its predecessor, the Classique 7727, did not enjoy particularly attractive aesthetics. The Classique 7225 solves the problem with a striking dial modelled on an important series of tourbillon pocket watches from the early 19th century. To accommodate the dial layout, the cal. 74SC incorporates an additional constant seconds that can be instantaneously reset. Notably, the 7225 is not a limited edition, unlike its compatriot, the Classique 7235 launched at the same time. Initial thoughts The 7225 shows that Breguet’s revival is certainly well underway, stewarded by Gregory Kissling, who has been in the top job for slightly over a year. The 7225 isn’t a major revamp of the 7727, but it is far, far more appealing watch. The magnetic-pivot movement was ingenious at launch, and still is, but the 7727 was under-designed and over-logo’ed. With the 7225, Breguet’s ultra-chronometer finally has visual and tactile appeal. And it keeps...
Fratello
Fratello Talks: What Makes A Watch Elegant?
Longines famously says, “Elegance is an attitude.” But let’s be honest; there’s probably more to it than that. On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re asking the big question: what makes a watch truly elegant? Is it the proportions, the case material, or the strap? Maybe it’s how the watch sits on your wrist, or […] Visit Fratello Talks: What Makes A Watch Elegant? to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look - The New Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon in Full Rose Gold
The Defy Skyline collection by Zenith has quickly become the modern pillar of the brand’s angular, integrated, and technical sports collection. We’ve seen the series stretch into complications and materials, most notably last year’s steel and black ceramic Skyline Tourbillons built around the high-frequency El Primero calibre 3630. The latest chapter elevates form and finish. […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Arguably the Best Integrated Sport Watch Under $10k But With Some Odd
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Tritium Watches: How They Work, And How They're Still Being Made
The need to read the time in the dark has been a challenge for the makers of timepieces for hundreds of years. The first solution was not a visual but an audible one: watches that could chime the current hour and minute on demand. These types of watches, aka minute repeaters and sonneries, are quite rare and expensive today and regarded as luxuries rather than the utilitarian inventions they initially were. In the 1900s, a more practical option presented itself: treating a watch’s dial with luminous paint that made its time display visible in darkness. And while this approach proved to be much more cost-effective and practical, it also brought a new set of challenges, as the earliest substances used on the dials were discovered to be unsafe, for the people who made the watches and, to a lesser extent, those who wore them. Let There Be Light The first material applied to watch dials for nighttime luminescence was radium paint, which, thanks to radium’s half-life of 1,600 years, offered a long-lasting glow during that period before dimming - the catch being that, as its name implies, radium (specifically Radium-226, which was used as the base of the “Radiomir” substance registered by Guido Panerai ) is radioactive. In the 1920s, the mostly female factory workers who painted the watch dials with radium compounds started falling ill and dying at alarming rates, leading to lawsuits against the companies that produced the material and eventually, safer working conditio...
Teddy Baldassarre
Casio MRW 200H Review: The Allure Of The "Diet G-Shock"
The Casio MRW 200H has been around since 2011 and stands as one of the Japanese brand's most popular analog watches. Unassuming and tough, the MRW 200H is something of a more subtle and casual cousin of sister brand G-Shock. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s not up to the task. Image by AOPA In fact, I read something on the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) website about NASA doing some aircraft testing at Johnson Space Center in Houston, and what watch did I happen to notice strapped on the arm of the person wearing the suit cover? Yep, it was a Casio MRW 200H. Obviously, this isn’t the official watch NASA uses (you know which one that is) but it’s a cool endorsement nonetheless. Casio MRW 200H Case The specs of the MRW 200H actually make it seem like it would wear larger than it does. The resin case measures 44.6mm wide and 11.6mm thick (with 100 meters of water resistance) but the 47.9mm lug-to-lug measurement ensures that it’s actually not so much of a presence on the wrist that one would mistake it for a G-Shock. There is also a bidirectional rotating bezel which does not have any satisfying clicking action but is easy enough to glide when operated while not unintentionally moving. The simple, steel, screw-down caseback has some basic specs and info stamped onto it. As you can imagine, there are no frills to be found here. The rest of the black resin case and strap are lightweight though not particularly remarkable in any way (a...
Fratello
The G-Shock MR-G Collection Combines Modern Timepieces With Traditional Japanese Craftsmanship
We are big G-Shock fans at Fratello, but that’s probably not news. It should come as no surprise, then, that we love the brand’s flagship MR-G collection. This series of premium offerings takes familiar silhouettes and turns them into proper luxury versions of the classics. To achieve that, G-Shock combines innovative techniques with traditional Japanese […] Visit The G-Shock MR-G Collection Combines Modern Timepieces With Traditional Japanese Craftsmanship to read the full article.
Fratello
Looking At The New Glashütte Original PanoLunarTourbillon
Glashütte Original was founded in 1845, and to commemorate this milestone, the brand has unveiled a stunning new PanoLunarTourbillon. As we’ll see, the watch showcases the best of the manufacture, featuring an in-house movement and dial. With a limited production run and flagship status, this watch won’t be for everyone, but it’s a great example […] Visit Looking At The New Glashütte Original PanoLunarTourbillon to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
What is a Rehaut on a Watch Dial?
Most parts of a watch that you’ll encounter in your pursuit of horological knowledge are names that are fairly familiar and mostly self-explanatory: case, dial, hands, movement. (We run down the gamut of the most important watch parts in this article). But now and then, you may read about, or hear someone referring to, a watch’s rehaut - a somewhat intimidating-sounding French term that might give you pause at first. What is a rehaut, and what is it used for? Read on. Put simply, a rehaut (properly pronounced “Re-OHH” without the hard “T” sound at the end) is the French word for “flange,” which is the English term most often used in its place when discussing watches. It describes the rim between the periphery of the dial and the crystal. Unlike dials and cases and hands, not every watch has one. But for many of those that do, the rehaut is not only a frame that fills in the space between the dial edge and the crystal but also a utilitarian element that can add interest and even useful information to the dial itself. Some watchmakers use the rehaut for staging the hour or minute markers, In the case of chronographs, like the TAG Heuer Carrera featured above, the rehaut can provide a spot for added functional markings like a tachymeter scale (which can use the built-in stopwatch to measure speeds relative to distance) or a pulsimeter (which works with the chronograph to measure heartbeat rates). Other watches might use the rehaut for calendar indications ...
Fratello
Sunday Morning Showdown: Doxa Sub 750T Vs. Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II
Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown! Last week’s installment was all about sleek integrated-bracelet sports watches. This week, we’ll focus on two substantial divers that came out recently. For Geneva Watch Days, Doxa relaunched its Sub 750T with the same 45mm diameter but a slimmer 11.95mm profile. We thought putting that colorful […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Doxa Sub 750T Vs. Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II to read the full article.
SJX Watches
De Bethune Shrinks the DB25 Starry Varius
De Bethune narrows the diameter of the bestselling DB25 Starry Varius but broadens its horizons with an entrancing red-leaning-purple dial achieved by heating titanium. And it’s more than just a pretty face, the DB25xs Starry Varius packs one of the most advanced two-hand manual wound calibres on the market. Initial Thoughts A personal favourite of mine, the Starry Varius line is gorgeous, technically adept, and meaningfully customisable. De Bethune justifies this variant as representing the night sky after a volcanic eruption, and colour perfectly matches viral, and hauntingly beautiful, images taken after the Tonga volcano eruption in 2022. As a chronometry-focused movement that paradoxically lacks a seconds hand, I find the cal. DB2005 very interesting. I’d even argue it makes sense as the six-day power reserve paints it as an endurance timekeeper. It’s also more technically interesting than most of the – very finely decorated – three handers from younger independents, even if Be Bethune’s R&D; efforts have dwindled recently. Under A Sea of Stars The dials are mirror polished titanium, which De Bethune heat oxidises for colour. While the brand’s specific method is proprietary, the thickness of this oxide layer determines which wavelengths of light transmit back to the observer, and this Burgundy dial must have a thinner oxide layer than the brand’s typical blue. Next, artisans set dozens of tiny gold pins into the dial to marks starts, before a micro-mill...
Worn & Wound
Czapek Introduces the New Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R.
It’s hard to think that the first Antarctique is just five years old. In that time, what started as a bit of a surprise from a relatively unknown independent brand has become core to our understanding of independent sports watches, and the Antarctique in particular has become one of watchmaking’s most compelling platforms. Whether it be interpreted as a compact time-only sports watch or a highly complicated marvel, the Antarctique has been hard to ignore. Now, Czapek is bringing back one of its most notable variations - with a bit of a twist. The Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante ‘R.U.R.’ builds on what may be the most compelling Antarctiques to date (the GPHG Nominated Rattrapante Ice Blue), but brings in a bit of sci-fi to turn it into something fun and different. The new grey and blue colorway is a big part of this, as is the use of a fictional robotic language inspired by the Predator movies, but the most notable addition when compared to the Rattrapante Ice Blue is undoubtedly the inclusion of a robot’s head at 12 o’clock. This micro-sculpture - which, in titanium, is hand-polished, laser-engraved, and micro-painted to achieve an impressive amount of fine detail and depth - was made for Czapek by MD’Art, who previously collaborated with Czapek to make the mirror-finished dial used on the Antarctique S Mirrored Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition last year. The robot head sits just above the column wheel on the dial side of the watch and has eyes that cha...
Deployant
New: Zenith Chronomaster Sport Meteorite
Zenith has expanded its Chronomaster Sport collection with the release of the Meteorite edition, a stainless steel chronograph featuring a dial crafted from genuine extraterrestrial material. Previously available only in Japan, this model is now offered globally through Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers. Priced at $17,500, the watch combines Zenith’s high-frequency El Primero 3600 movement with a unique Widmanstätten-patterned meteorite dial, aiming to balance technical precision with visual distinctiveness.
Time+Tide
Christopher Ward has flattened The Twelve and it is the best version yet
Christopher Ward has cut the thickness of its integrated sports watch with staggering results as it simplifies and refines. The post Christopher Ward has flattened The Twelve and it is the best version yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Bell & Ross Nails It With The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display
Bell & Ross has long leaned into its aviation credentials, but the new BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display feels like one of the brand’s most authentic collaborations yet. Limited to 500 pieces, this watch celebrates the partnership with the Rafale Solo Display, the French Air and Space Force’s flight demonstration team. It is stealthy, purposeful, […] Visit Bell & Ross Nails It With The BR-03 Chrono Rafale Solo Display to read the full article.