Deployant
New: Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer SHH Edition
A special limited edition (only 12 pieces) of the Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer SHH Edition with a magnificent blue guilloche dial is released.
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Deployant
A special limited edition (only 12 pieces) of the Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer SHH Edition with a magnificent blue guilloche dial is released.
Time+Tide
Cue all the jokes about not being able to see it because it's camo.The post BezelHold’s Hat-Trick Marine Camouflage is an antidote to boring (and subpar) watch rolls appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
As we approach the leap day of February 29, the unofficial day of commemoration for perpetual calendar owners, it’s worth considering the technical advances in perpetual calendar movements of the past 20 years. The perpetual calendar is, and has always been, a staple of haute horlogerie. But for most of its history, the technology remained largely stagnant. It wasn’t until the beginning of the modern era, in the 1980s when Swiss watchmaking was regrouping after the Quartz Crisis, that a new generation of watchmakers revisited this complication in earnest. In particular, they sought to address fundamental weaknesses in the way traditional perpetual calendar designs switch from one date to the next. The quintessential perpetual calendar layout, here in the first serially-produced perpetual calendar wristwatch with a leap year indicator, the Audemars Piguet ref. 5516, which was produced in the late 1950s One of the more recent – and most notable – efforts at reimagining the complication came from Stephen McDonnell, who developed the MB&F; Legacy Machine Perpetual. According to Mr McDonnell, the traditional approach to the perpetual calendar was a flawed premise. “For decades in the Swiss watch industry, and even until the present day, it has been accepted and expected that [perpetual calendar] watches would often be damaged by owners while trying to correct them,” explains Mr McDonnell, “This was seen simply as an unavoidable factor of [perpetual calendar] owner...
Worn & Wound
The latest release from Louis Erard expands their Excellence Petite Seconde range, and includes another release in that collection’s 39mm case size. Louis Erard has really become a collector favorite over the last few years with their many collaborative limited editions and (relatively) affordable ways to buy into design codes that traditionally represent true high luxury watchmaking, and they’ve done it mostly on the back of a 42mm case. It’s always notable when we see them release something new in their easier to wear 39mm case size, and with the Excellence Petite Seconde Guilloche (in two sizes) we also have a watch that’s really playing into that high luxury aesthetic with an unusually complex dial. These watches are really a celebration of guilloche itself, and seek to present the decorative technique in a more classical way than something like the brand’s much more contemporary guilloche LE from a few years ago. The larger 42mm watch features gray and black tones, while the smaller 39mm watch features a rich blue and gray for contrast. The dials are made in four parts, and highlight contrasting guilloche patterns. The central section has a traditional wave-like pattern that is meant to cast light directly from the dial’s center. An outer section, where you’ll find the hour track, features what’s known as a “panier” motif, which has the appearance of slightly staggered scales. This pattern is repeated in the small seconds subdial at the 6:00 posi...
Worn & Wound
ARDIO is an independent U.S. brand based out of Pennsylvania and founded by Ron Oley. The Caribe is the brand’s first watch and is the product of over three years of design effort. ARDIO keeps a fairly quiet online presence, with their main website and an Instagram page being the most accessible sources of information for prospective buyers. According to Oley, each component of the Caribe is designed from scratch and the watches are assembled in small batches. This particular run is capped at 300 pieces per colorway with each watch triple-checked by three separate parties and hand-regulated before shipping. There are five dial colors offered at this time: light blue, gauge brass, isotope green, gilded black, and sunrise orange. I had the opportunity to review the blue and brass options. My first impressions of the watch were very positive. I had initial concerns about how it would wear on my wrist, since it looked sizable in the travel case it came in and felt fairly hefty before trying it on. Case diameters of 40mm can wear a myriad of ways depending on other factors – it seems to be a size where the number on paper doesn’t give the wearer the full picture of the fit. However, the Caribe really feels like it wears true to size due to its well-proportioned lugs and slim bezel. Part of the illusion of its overall dimensions can likely be attributed to its height: a double domed sapphire crystal adds two millimeters to its vertical presence, but also offers a nice effe...
Hodinkee
Everything you need in a watch. Nothing you don’t. For our latest limited edition collaboration, we looked to the past to usher in the next generation of Braun’s mechanical watchmaking.
Time+Tide
Retro colours and a sinister depth rating make Bulova's new travel piece a real corker.The post Bulova’s Oceanographer Devil Diver GMT brings travel-ready utility to a fiendish retro classic appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
I don’t think I would be wrong in saying that Girard-Perregaux doesn’t get much attention these days. The brand seems to pop up on the radar every so often, but - at least in the circles of obsessives I travel in - their name seems to resist coming up in discussion, and I have only very rarely seen modern GPs in the wild. That’s a shame because Girard-Perregaux continues to put out fantastic pieces and the release of the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite is just the latest example of how GP has continued to strike a rare balance between history and modernity. Girard-Perregaux has been around for a very long time, with its lineage (though not its name) reaching back as far as 1791. Less than a century later, Constant Girard, who would marry Marie Perregaux leading us to the now-familiar name, had developed what would become the hallmark of the brand; a symmetrical three-bridge design that would eventually lead to the creation of La Esmerelda in 1889. That pocket watch featured three beautifully finished gold bridges and was recognized with a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition. Despite its distinctly 21st century look, the Bridge collection, to which the Free Bridge Meteorite belongs, is inspired by and pulls from that history - especially by that very special 19th century watch and those three gold bridges. Where La Esmerelda showed off its bridges thanks to a hunter caseback, the Free Bridge Meteorite wears its bridge (it only sports one of the ...
Fratello
In 2019, Omega introduced the hand-wound caliber 3861 in both Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary editions. Then, in 2020, the brand used it as the movement for the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award edition with an automaton on the case back. One year later, Omega introduced an update of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, featuring a […] Visit The February 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Caliber 3861 to read the full article.
Monochrome
Louis Erard continues its path onwards and upwards with yet another artistic iteration of its Excellence Petite Seconde. A flagship model at Louis Erard since 2020, this model is an attractive dress watch with a small seconds counter available in 39mm and 42mm cases. The uncluttered dial of the Petite Second has been treated to […]
Deployant
A new collaboration from Reservoir with the cartoon character Popeye - their fourth. This time in partnership (exclusive) with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons.
Fratello
What if you like the looks of the angular Zenith Defy Skyline with its 12-sided bezel, but the running 1/10th-of-a-second indicator on the dial makes you nervous? The Defy Skyline Tourbillon with its 60-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock is the way to go. Yes, it’s a pricey alternative, but before we dismiss this Defy on […] Visit Introducing: The High-Frequency Zenith Defy Skyline Tourbillon In Steel Or Ceramic to read the full article.
SJX Watches
When TAG Heuer revamped the Carrera in 2023 to create the “Glassbox”, it managed to transform a vintage remake into something more modern. The result was praised by enthusiasts, and arguably expanded the brand’s audience. This year TAG Heuer built on the same concept with the Carrera Dato “Glassbox”, a design inspired by the ref. 3147 of 1968. Featuring an unusual date window at nine, the Dato has a single 30-minute register at three o’clock, giving it an asymmetric layout that still has visual balance. Quirky dial design aside, the Dato is standard Glassbox, right down to the highly domed crystal and in-house TH20 movement. Initial Thoughts I write this as the owner of the Carrera “Glassbox” with a black dial, nicknamed “reverse panda”, which was my first-ever TAG Heuer. I was never really a fan of the brand before but when I saw it, I was impressed by the aesthetics. Most striking was how much the dial stands out when on the wrist due to the relatively short lugs. I ended up pulling the trigger on the Glassbox after a few months of contemplation. The Carrera Glassbox in the “reverse panda” colourway On paper, the Dato is not much different from the original Glassbox, since it has exact same specifications aside from the dial’s colour and layout as well as a minor movement tweak to remove two counters. In reality, however, the aesthetic changes make it an entirely different watch. The Dato is a cleaner design that gives something of a dress-watch...
Monochrome
Pulling out all the stops before Watches & Wonders 2024, watchmaker Arnold & Son presents two skeletonised models powered by one of the world’s thinnest flying tourbillon movements, now dubbed Ultrathin Tourbillon Skeleton. While these new models have been treated to some design tweaks and a new tourbillon carriage, these editions of the Ultrathin Flying […]
Fratello
In this week’s episode of Fratello On Air, we ponder what’s wrong with the watch industry. Before you jump to conclusions, we’re not upset. We have a wish list and think that certain areas within this sector could use further thoughts or updates. Get ready for a lengthy episode! So, what’s wrong with the watch […] Visit Fratello On Air: Opportunities For The Watch Industry to read the full article.
Fratello
Pre-owned Grand Seiko quartz watches come with Rollie-beating Zaratsu-polished greatness at no extra cost. So, where’s the catch? There is none. I know many of you are still on the fence about even considering quartz for your collection, and I understand you. I was there myself for years until the charm of budget-winning meca-quartz got […] Visit Pre-Owned Spotlight: Grand Seiko Quartz Value Is Unbeatable to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Tissot has enjoyed a streak of appealingly affordable vintage-inspired models ranging from the PRX Digital to the distinctive Sideral. Now, the brand has turned to a sports chronograph from the archives, the PR516 Chronograph. Drawing inspiration from the 1968 model, the PR516 has been given an update with a larger case, sapphire-covered bezel, and a manual-wind Valjoux movement. Initial thoughts Like the Heuer Carrera and Rolex Daytona, the PR516 Chronograph is a motorsports racing chronograph of the 1960s and 1970s. But unlike its famous, and perhaps iconic, counterparts, the PR516 is hardly known. Despite being under the radar, the original does have a recognisable and appealing 1970s style. That’s been reworked slightly to transform it into the new PR516. The watch isn’t a replica of the original, because it has modern dimensions. In fact, it is chunky and quite thick, dimensions arguably suitable for a modern sports watch. The dial has also been tweaked slightly and now has less text, while the registers are cleaner. For now, the new dial is available only in the same colour as the original, black, though variants are likely if this sells well. With a price tag of US$1,850, the PR516 Chronograph is a value proposition. This is apparent when it’s compared with offerings from micro-brands like as Farer and Excelsior Park, which rely on comparable movements (typically Sellita) but cost a third more. A modern facelift The PR516 is the latest addition to Tissot’s...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watch lovers may be settling into a modern Golden Era of watch dial making, with many brands over the past several ramping up the creativity - experimenting with bolder colors, innovative layouts and textures, and even an array of unconventional materials and processes in their dials' production. This is happening from Kickstarter brands all the way to the top of the watch industry food chain - with independent brands as well as those owned by large luxury conglomerates making a concerted effort to offer watch dial options that set their timepieces apart. We've compiled a list - which many will, of course, find far from exhaustive - of some of our favorite watch dials that you can find on current models from an array of brands. Oris Big Crown Pointer Date - Maroon Dial The Big Crown Pointer Date is one of Oris's most well-established signature pieces and it has debuted in some very nontraditional colorways of late, most of which have been very well received. The dial that stands out from our perspective is this maroon version which is rich, warm and luxurious and provides a nice background for the off-white print and lume-treated cathedral hands. Maroon, sometime referred to as burgundy, is a color that has popped up on other brands (like the Rado watch a bit further down the list), and the execution on this Oris watch is among the best we’ve seen; it's also a color that is versatile enough to wear daily. Specifications: Price: $1750-$1950, Cas...
Monochrome
Partnering with auctioneer Sotheby’s, Omega has recently offered for sale 11 unprecedented MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases. Surfing on these vibe of the Moonshine gold watches wasn’t the idea, however. There was a good cause behind these sales, as all of the auction proceeds are to be given to Omega’s long-term partner, Orbis International. And with […]
Time+Tide
Left-field but classical, large but elegant - Felipe Pikullik's new watch has plenty to impress with.The post Felipe Pikullik presents the FP Klassik, an entry point into fine German watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
In this installment of Back To Basics, I’ll go into typical mistakes that beginner watch collectors often make. These are the common pitfalls that newcomers might find themselves running into. After reading this, you, as a new watch enthusiast, will hopefully be able to steer clear of them! And that might just save you some […] Visit Back To Basics: 10 Mistakes To Avoid As A Beginner Watch Collector to read the full article.
Deployant
The ever expanding Hanhart 417 ES collection has just added yet another return of an icon from more than 60 years. The Hanhart 417 ES Moby Dick.
Fratello
Even when something is objectively better, it could still be subjectively worse. I’m sure you can think of an example, be it cars, hi-fi equipment, boats, or watches, of course. When I had an unexpected encounter with the Rolex Submariner 16610LV “Kermit,” all kinds of thoughts went through my head. Yes, the current “Sub” is […] Visit The Original Frog Watch Leaps In On Monday - Rolex Submariner 16610LV “Kermit” to read the full article.
Monochrome
German watchmaker Union Glashütte aptly labels its Noramis collection as “charming classics”, a description that is hard to dispute. The collection offers an array of chronographs and sporty and car-racing-inspired timepieces, yet the Noramis Date stands out as the most quintessentially classic in the lineup. Despite a range of special editions boasting themed dials and […]
SJX Watches
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Musée Soulages, Baume & Mercier (B&M;) is launching a second edition inspired by Pierre Soulages (1919-2022). The Hampton Polyptyque Edition “Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary” features a dial modelled on Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque I. Inspired by the style of the French abstractionist, the dial reproduces the dense impasto of texture and shapes of the artwork. As with the first edition, it has an all-black case and an overall composition devoid of colour, except for the branding and hands. Initial thoughts While watchmakers often partner with museums, Baume & Mercier’s tie-up with the Musée Soulages’ that started in 2022 yielded the brand’s most compelling watch to date – which is saying a lot for this anaemic brand. The second edition is essentially identical to the first, but with a different artwork on the dial. Though simple, the latest Soulages watch still manages to capture the essence of his work on a tiny canvas. However, as is always the case with limited editions, the number of editions is inversely proportional to desirability and appeal. While the first edition was special – it reputedly sold out swiftly – the second edition is intrinsically less unique. If there are much more on the horizon then the concept will lose much of its interest. The Hampton “Hommage à Pierre Soulages” edition from 2022 Priced at US$6,900, the new Soulages edition costs US$1,050 more than the first edition...
Time+Tide
Minimal branding, maximal dedication to vintage goodness.The post Serica replay the greats with the deliciously chocolatey Ref. 8315 Travel Chronometer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
RZE is a brand that manages to impress me with every release. While not every one of the brand’s models might be right up my alley in terms of looks, there is no denying that RZE offers spectacular value for money. My favorite models from the brand are the Resolute Pro, Endeavor, and Fortitude. In […] Visit Hands-On With The Brilliant RZE Fortitude GMT Nighthawk - Can It Get Any Better Than This? to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
When the 2023 set of Louis Erard X Silberstein watches came out, GaryG wasn’t entirely certain they were for him. Happily, he had the opportunity to see the Monopoussoir at his favorite local dealer, and within minutes had decided to take it home.
Monochrome
When it comes to mechanical watchmaking, it’s common practice to split it down to the middle and group together manual winding watches on one end, and automatic ones on the other. But, as we will showcase in this Buying Guide, there’s a whole range of systems developed to provide energy to a watch. Sure, manual […]
Fratello
Nivada Grenchen is one of those “rebirthed watch brand” success stories. Today’s story, however, comes from the 1950s. First founded in 1926 in Granges, Switzerland, Nivada Grenchen went from strength to strength in the mid-20th century. Pioneering tough self-winding timepieces, Nivada Grenchen was one of the first companies to use the technology in 1930. Unfortunately, […] Visit Living With The Penguins: Operation Deep Freeze And The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic to read the full article.
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