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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

4,703 articles · 45 videos found · page 82 of 159

Reflecting on Twenty Years of MB&F; SJX Watches
MB&F; Aug 4, 2025

Reflecting on Twenty Years of MB&F;

It’s difficult to picture what the independent watchmaking landscape would look like without MB&F;. In some ways, it feels like the brand has always been around, perhaps because for me, it has. I first discovered MB&F; in 2008 when the HM2 was launched, but even back then the brand had an aura of polish that belied its short history. With the benefit of hindsight, Max Büsser’s decision to step away from corporate life, and leave the top job at Harry Winston Rare Timepieces to build his own brand rooted in collaboration, transparency, and imagination, seems obvious. But at the time, it was seen as a risky move that would never work. To understand why it did, we need to go back to the early 2000s. Max Büsser during the launch of the HM1 It’s called what? Let’s rewind. In the early 2000s the watch community was obsessed with the topic of in-house movements. The internet was slowly helping collectors find one another and share insider knowledge, which revealed how many watches were powered by the same handful of movements. If a new brand wanted to be taken seriously, it was increasingly important to be a manufacture and do as much as possible in-house. It was a simpler time, and we had yet to see such widespread misuse of the term.  So when Mr Büsser explained that MB&F; stood for ‘Maximilian Büsser & Friends,’ and that he would actively celebrate the friends and collaborators that he was working with, people told him he was crazy. But he understood that the coll...

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Rolex Goes Atomic, Brooklyn’s First Rooftop Soccer Pitch, James Bond’s New Writer, and a Rolling Duffel Turned Workstation Worn & Wound
Hublot X KidSuper Rooftop Football Aug 2, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Rolex Goes Atomic, Brooklyn’s First Rooftop Soccer Pitch, James Bond’s New Writer, and a Rolling Duffel Turned Workstation

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Hublot X KidSuper Rooftop Football Pitch Luxury Swiss watchmaker, Hublot, renowned for creative and bold innovation and its deep ties to the world of sport, culture and art, is proud to announce its official partnership with the new rooftop football pitch at KidSuper World in Williamsburg. This collaboration brings together two creative powerhouses united by a shared devotion to football, avant-garde design, and artistic expression. Founded by artist, designer, and former professional soccer player, Colm Dillane, KidSuper is a globally recognized creative collective that is redefining American fashion. At the heart of KidSuper’s identity is a love for soccer – not just as a sport, but as a unifying language, lifestyle, and global connector. The new football pitch that now sits atop KidSuper World represents this ethos in its purest form: a creative space where sport, design, and storytelling converge. To kick off the grand opening, Hublot and KidSuper have revealed a custom referee board for the pitch designed by Colm Dillane. This exciting start to the partnership promises new dynamic creative projects and engaging on-field activations that will capture the spirit...

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Omega Aug 1, 2025

Join Us for the Premiere Screening of “Giles” and a Special Q&A; with Taylor Scott Mason and Giles Clement

We’re beyond excited to invite you to the premiere screening of “Giles”, a documentary film by Taylor Scott Mason that follows Giles Clement through his journey of becoming a one-man watch brand. After two decades as a photographer, the pandemic gave Giles an unexpected pause. Instead of baking bread like his friends, he bought a broken Omega on eBay and fell down the rabbit hole of watchmaking. What started as a desire to bring new life to old watches turned into a years-long journey of designing and building his own CNC machines from scrap and eventually releasing a handmade watch that people actually bought. RSVP HERE Before the screening, guests will settle in for brief remarks from the Worn & Wound team, setting the stage for the premiere of the documentary. After the film, you’re invited to participate in a Q&A; session with Watchmaker Giles Clement and Filmmaker Taylor Scott Mason. We hope you’ll join us and enjoy an evening of storytelling and conversation about what goes into building your own watch from your basement. Concession-style bites + beverages will be served. The Windup Watch Shop will also be hosting a giveaway for your chance to win an Expedition Starter Pack at the end of the night. You must be present in order to win. Please come and celebrate this special moment for local watchmaking here in the Brooklyn community! Tuesday, August 12, 2025 6:30 PM – Doors open 7:30 PM – Film Screening 7:45 PM – Q&A; 8:15 PM – Giveaway Drawing Windup ...

Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar SJX Watches
Patek Philippe alumni who caught his Aug 1, 2025

Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar

Roger Dubuis is celebrating 30 years by looking back on its days as a trend-setting independent. The Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar deftly balances the spirit of Genevan watchmaking from the brand’s early years in the 1990s with the boisterous designs of the 2000s in a manageable size, but less manageable price. While the style is reminiscent of the oversized Excalibur models that were far from ergonomic, the Biretrograde Calendar has been redesigned for wearability. The retrograde calendar mechanism on the front is an in-house construction, built on top of the brand’s own automatic movement that is unexpectedly sophisticated and classical. Initial Thoughts Roger Dubuis is a marque built on calendars, so the new Excalibur has historical resonance. The late Roger Dubuis was a Patek Philippe alumni who caught his big break working with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, who would go on to found Agenhor, on a double retrograde perpetual calendar developed for New York jeweller Harry Winston. It was during the project that Dubuis met his future business partner, Carlos Dias, an entrepreneur who would help establish the Roger Dubuis brand and transform it into a hit maker in the 2000s. The same double retrograde perpetual calendar mechanism would accompany the first Roger Dubuis model the brand’s debut in 1995. And the retrograde calendar also has a historical connection to Geneva, as a local watchmaker named Marius LeCoultre created the most prolific retrograde perpetual design of ...

Hands-On With The Highly Impressive New Casio Edifice EFK-100 Fratello
Casio Edifice EFK-100 Casio Jul 31, 2025

Hands-On With The Highly Impressive New Casio Edifice EFK-100

Casio is probably one of the strongest brands in the watch world. It is so, however, primarily in the digital-watch world with its G-Shock sub-brand. The Japanese company has produced analog watches for a long time already under its other sub-brand, Edifice. Those watches always came with battery- and solar-powered quartz movements. Well, no more! […] Visit Hands-On With The Highly Impressive New Casio Edifice EFK-100 to read the full article.

First Look - The New Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ055 Monochrome
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph Jul 31, 2025

First Look - The New Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ055

The original 1969 Seiko Speedtimer marked a milestone as the world’s first automatic chronograph with both a vertical clutch and a column wheel, boosting timing precision and reliability. That same year, the Datsun 240Z debuted as a Japanese sports car that proved its performance in global rallying, famously winning the East African Safari Rally in […]

Introducing: Six New Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Models, Including Three With A Nod To Datsun Fratello
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Models Including Jul 31, 2025

Introducing: Six New Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Models, Including Three With A Nod To Datsun

Seiko releases six new additions to the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer collection. Three of them celebrate the brand’s historic relationship with Datsun, the iconic Japanese carmaker that made waves with its affordable yet impressive 240Z sports car in 1969. The other three become part of the regular Speedtimer line. The link between Seiko and Datsun runs […] Visit Introducing: Six New Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Models, Including Three With A Nod To Datsun to read the full article.

First Look - The Retro-Cool Datsun-Themed Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Limited Edition Collection Monochrome
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Limited Edition Jul 31, 2025

First Look - The Retro-Cool Datsun-Themed Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Limited Edition Collection

What defines something as an icon is generally down to the public’s perspective of its significance. It can be anything, really, as long as it stands for something extraordinary. In watchmaking, we have a fair few of them that we regularly celebrate. Think of watches like the Seiko Speedtimer 6139, which was among the very […]

Up Close: Vanguart Orb Tourbillon SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi APRP Jul 30, 2025

Up Close: Vanguart Orb Tourbillon

Vanguart is surprisingly under the radar, despite having been eight years old. The brand was founded in 2017 by a quartet that includes alumni of Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi (APRP), and last year introduced its most notable product yet, the Orb. The watch arguably goes against the grain of independent watchmaking today. Instead of being traditional, simple, and brightly finished, it is appears intricately mechanical and distinctly modern in style. A flying tourbillon wristwatch with an inventive, thoughtful technical approach, the Orb is powered by a layered, skeleton movement with a novel winding-function selector that allows for switching between manual and automatic winding. And it’s been trending recently after having been spotted on the wrist of singer Ed Sheeran during a concert in Germany. Initial thoughts I first encountered Vanguart when it launched the Black Hole Tourbillon in 2021. The brand caught my interest because it was set up by an all-star team that included two technical experts from APRP. Though the Black Hole was technically impressive, the oversized, space-ship shape felt overdone and way too much on the wrist (and also twice as expensive). The Orb, on the other hand, is (almost) just right. When I first saw the Orb, I thought it might be yet another basic tourbillon movement in fancy dress but priced exorbitantly. I was wrong. The movement is impressive in many respects. The Black Hole Tourbillon. Image – Vanguart The Orb is both minimalist and...

40 Best Chronograph Watches (2026) Teddy Baldassarre
Jul 28, 2025

40 Best Chronograph Watches (2026)

Watchmaking, at its core, has always been about functionality. By wearing a timekeeper, not only did you get an instant update on at what point in the day you are in, but dependent on complication, you also had the opportunity to see at what point the moon was at in its cycle, what year you are in and even the opportunity to time various events (the big race or dinner). Since their invention more than 200 years ago, chronographs have established themselves the most versatile additions to the field of timekeeping. The very first was conceived as an aid to astronomical observations; over the years, chronographs have proven visually appealing as well as useful in day to day life. While nobody is entirely sure when the first chronograph was conceived, we do often point to Mr Nicolas Rieussec’s creation of 1821, which saw a spot of ink dropped onto a rotating disc of paper and dropped another when the timed event came to an end. Since then, it has become a complication we have seen from almost every brand out there. As we begin a new year, we felt the time was right to spotlight some of the best chronographs that are on the market in 2026. Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC813 Price: $695, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 13.3mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.5mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 100m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Seiko Solar Caliber V192 The original Seiko Speedtimer, released in 1969, was among the world’s first self-winding chronograph watches, equipped with the legendary Calib...

First Look - A Titanium Or Colouful Sapphire Case for the ArtyA Purity Curvy HMS Mirror Monochrome
Jul 28, 2025

First Look - A Titanium Or Colouful Sapphire Case for the ArtyA Purity Curvy HMS Mirror

Yvan Arpa is not your conventional Swiss watchmaker. Eccentric and imaginative, he founded his brand, ArtyA, in 2010 with a portfolio of exotic models. Arpa’s taste has matured over the years, and his latest creative direction is characterised by openworked movements housed in diaphanous cases congregated in the Purity collection. A new model, the Purity […]

Introducing: The David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk Fratello
Jul 23, 2025

Introducing: The David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk

If David Candaux is a new name for you in watchmaking, you’re probably not alone! I hadn’t heard of him and his eponymous brand before March. Fortunately, Phillips held an event in London featuring a handful of up-and-coming Haute Horlogerie independents. It was there that I met David and saw several of his watches. Even […] Visit Introducing: The David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk to read the full article.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor Jul 23, 2025

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Review

The Tudor Black Bay Chrono hit the market, somewhat unexpectedly, in 2017, boldly elevating the already red-hot Black Bay collection into a new tier of horological prestige and marking the debut of a collaboration (again, rather unexpected) between Rolex-owned Tudor and its Swiss sport-watch competitor Breitling. Nearly a decade later, the model still represents the highest level of complication in Tudor’s 21st-Century lineup, and yet this Tudor chronograph also remains very manageable, as a subfamily, in terms of material, size, and colorway options - an area in which the larger Black Bay collection, some might argue, has gone a bit far in the opposite direction, now encompassing three distinctive iterations: original Black Bay, Black Bay 58, and Black Bay 54 (which we reviewed here), all touting different sizing and multiple colorways and materials. And this doesn’t even include the other “complicated” extension of the line, the Black Bay GMT, which recently debuted in the “58” sizing and which seems to unveil a new bicolor bezel or dial color every year since its 2018 debut. Originally called the Heritage Black Bay - as it was clearly an homage to vintage dive watches from Tudor’s watchmaking history, which began in 1946 - the OG Black Bay model traces its aesthetic roots to the Oyster Prince Submariner, released in 1954, one year after big brother Rolex rolled out its own much more famous Submariner watch. This original version, Ref. 7922, used the ...

Bulgari “Beyond Time” Exhibition and a Singapore-Exclusive Octo Worldtimer SJX Watches
Bulgari Beyond Time” Exhibition Jul 23, 2025

Bulgari “Beyond Time” Exhibition and a Singapore-Exclusive Octo Worldtimer

Bulgari has just opened Beyond Time in Singapore, which takes place in Paragon Mall from July 18 to August 10, 2025 and is open to the public daily. An exhibition dedicated to the brand’s watches and jewelled timepieces, Beyond Time also marks the launch of the Octo Roma Worldtimer SG60, a limited edition only for Singapore. The exhibition includes the record setting Octo Finissimo complications – some of the thinnest wristwatches ever made – as well as a watchmaking “masterclass” led by a watchmaker from Bulgari’s Neuchâtel manufacture. Singapore National Day The event coincides with Singapore’s 60th year of independence on August 9. For the occasion, Bulgari has created the Octo Roma Worldtimer SG60, a limited edition accented in white and red, the national colours of Singapore, with a case in black DLC-coated steel. Other goodies specific to Singapore’s National Day weekend include postcards by Singaporean artists, and personalised poetry verses. The Octo Roma Worldtimer SG60 is delivered on a pair of straps in red and black Located on the ground floor of the mall, the B-shaped exhibition space is inspired by the work of German architect Mies van der Rohe and his close collaborator, designer Lilly Reich. The exhibits are organised thematically, with the Serpenti and Octo collections each having a space of their own, but the complicated watches are the centrepiece. The complicated watch display showcases the brand’s accomplishments in pushing the bound...

Industry News - Swatch Group Reports Sales Down 7% and Profit Decline for First Half of 2025 Monochrome
Longines Tissot Jul 17, 2025

Industry News - Swatch Group Reports Sales Down 7% and Profit Decline for First Half of 2025

In a challenging environment for the watch industry, Swatch Group, the Swiss powerhouse owner of brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot and Breguet, reported sales of CHF 3,059 million for the first half of 2025, representing a decline of 7.1% at constant exchange rates and 10.4% on a comparable basis. The operating profit dropped to […]

Voutilainen Realises a Collector’s Dream, the 28 Kohan SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Jul 17, 2025

Voutilainen Realises a Collector’s Dream, the 28 Kohan

Voutilainen recently completed a custom commission with the 28 Kohan, a one-off example of its signature chronometer wristwatch that blends Finnish cultural symbols with Japanese decorative arts. Much of the decoration on the watch is maki-e, traditional Japanese lacquer, that is the work of artisan Tatsuo Kitamura, a frequent collaborator who was also responsible for past Voutilainen maki-e timepieces. Initial Thoughts Unique pieces and commissioned watches were historically the norm at the highest end of the watch market, which was then much smaller. Clients could be more demanding, and for the watchmaker, the risk of being unable to find a buyer was very real. Today off-the-rack watches dominate, largely for commercial and production reasons. Even brands with a long history of bespoke or custom watchmaking eschew custom dial colours. Some, however, keep the practice alive, like Vacheron Constantin with its Les Cabinotiers. Many independents also remain amenable to customisation, even established names that no longer need to, like Voutilainen, albeit with a long wait. Bespoke watches are inherently difficult to criticise – such watches are a success as long as the commissioner is satisfied, even if it’s the most hideous thing ever. Fortunately that isn’t the case here, the adjective that comes to mind is bedazzling. I suspect maximalist designs are often common on Voutilainen’s custom watches because collectors want to make the most of the opportunity. Some deta...

Franck Muller Returns with the Fxxking Rabbits of #FR2 SJX Watches
Franck Muller Jul 17, 2025

Franck Muller Returns with the Fxxking Rabbits of #FR2

Franck Muller returns with cheeky rabbits in an Asia-Pacific limited edition reprising its earlier collaboration with Japanese streetwear brand #FR2, which is also known as Fxxking Rabbits. Following the first edition in black and white that was launched two years ago, the #Fr2nck Muller Vanguard Beach features a glass fibre composite case in three bright, marbled colours, along with a dial featuring a relief of the titular rabbits. Initial thoughts Like the first edition, the Vanguard Beach is bold, rude, and fun. The twin rabbit logo is small so it’s only visible at arm’s length, but the brightly coloured case still makes this hard to miss. The watch doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is a good fit for Franck Muller’s brand ethos. But this fun comes at a price of about US$14,000. It’s about 30% more expensive than the first edition, which is passable in today’s market where everything feels like it has gotten pricey quickly. Rabbits on holiday Each variant of the Vanguard Beach depicts rabbits having fun at the beach. One notable detail is the unusually positioned date window at two o’clock that has a gilded round frame that is meant to represent the Sun. Rabbits aside, the notable aspect of the #FR2 edition is the glass fibre composite case in the lug-less Vanguard format. Though it’s not a new material, glass fibre composite is relatively novel in watchmaking, where carbon fibre composite is most common. Glass fibre composite is similar to its car...

Valjoux 7750: The Story Of The World's Most Famous Chronograph Teddy Baldassarre
Jul 16, 2025

Valjoux 7750: The Story Of The World's Most Famous Chronograph

The Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber has been a mainstay of the Swiss watch industry for more than 50 years, finding its way into hundreds of watch models, under many dozens of names, and providing the technical base for numerous high complications over the years. Why is it so ubiquitous and still such an enduring presence in the watch world today? Here is a brief history of the "workhorse" mechanism that became the world's most famous and familiar chronograph movement.   Valjoux 7750 Roots: The Vallée de Joux   Sunset over the Vallée de Joux In actuality, the origins of the Valjoux 7750 go back much longer than the half-century it has actually been on the market. The company that came to be called  “Valjoux” started up at the very beginning of the 20th century, taking its original name, Reymond Frères SA, from its founders, brothers John and Charles Reymond. The company, which specialized in making mechanical chronograph movements for military and sport-oriented timekeepers, changed its name in 1929 to Valjoux - a shortened reference to the scenic Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, where it and many of its client watchmakers were located. The firm’s most successful and historically impactful creations included the manually wound, column-wheel-driven, monopusher Caliber 22, in 1914, and its even more significant successor, the smaller, longer-lived Caliber 23, in 1916. In honor of the founding brothers' surname, Valjoux movements were inscribed with a shield em...

Introducing - The Darker Mood of the New MING 37.02 Monolith Monochrome
Ming Jul 16, 2025

Introducing - The Darker Mood of the New MING 37.02 Monolith

When it was launched last year, MING’s 37.02 Minimalist represented several firsts for Ming Thein’s independent Malaysian brand. For starters, it was the brand’s first watch made at MING’s facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Ironically, though, the watch could not bear the “Swiss Made” label because the design and engineering were executed in Kuala Lumpur. […]

Hands-On With The Albishorn Thundergraph Himalaya Fratello
Jul 13, 2025

Hands-On With The Albishorn Thundergraph Himalaya

There’s something about watches with a story - even if the story is almost entirely made up. When I strapped on Albishorn’s third model, the Thundergraph Himalaya, I wasn’t just wearing a watch but also connecting to a moment in history. Inspired by the 1952 Swiss expedition to Mount Everest, this watch combines vintage charm, […] Visit Hands-On With The Albishorn Thundergraph Himalaya to read the full article.

Review: the new Zeitwinkel 240° Noir Deployant
Jul 12, 2025

Review: the new Zeitwinkel 240° Noir

In the contemporary landscape of high-end watchmaking, where legacy maisons often overshadow younger independents, Zeitwinkel offers a compelling counterpoint: a brand unafraid to do things its own way. Founded in 2006, Zeitwinkel operates with a spirit of authenticity-designing and manufacturing its own movements in-house while maintaining an understated aesthetic that eschews superfluous detailing in favor of architectural purity.

First Look - The New David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk, Sculpting Time Beyond Conventions Monochrome
Jul 10, 2025

First Look - The New David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk, Sculpting Time Beyond Conventions

Contemporary independent watchmaking thrives on unconventional ideas, but only a few creators dare to shape them with such sculptural poetry and technical finesse as David Candaux. His latest creation, the DC7 Blue Hawk, embodies his philosophy of a masterful fusion of mechanical virtuosity, architectural depth, and visual intrigue. Building on the vision first introduced with […]