3,590 articles · 1,627 videos found · page 86 of 174
Monochrome
Editor’s note – As our long-time readers might know, MONOCRHOME is usually quite (to say the least) technical. We like to go in-depth, to look at the ins and outs of watchmaking, sometimes tackling highly complex topics. This was the main objective behind our “Technical Perspective” series, where we’ve covered some of the most complex […]
Time+Tide
This Tissot offers a familiar look at an unfamiliarly accessible price point, with a few key differences to help it stand out from the pack.The post The Tissot Ballade now comes in 39mm with a COSC-certified movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Although Airain only returned to the global horological stage in 2020, its roots, famously, go much further back. So much so, actually, that the classic Type 20 turns 70 this year. Naturally, Airain could not let that pass without an appropriate celebration, so here we have the Airain Type 20 70 ANS. Let’s have a […] Visit Introducing: The Airain Type 20 70 ANS - Celebrating The Model’s 70th Anniversary to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
When Longines reintroduced the Ultra-Chron back in 2022, many enthusiasts and vintage watch lovers were excited by the possibility of the brand exploring one of their key collections with a new lens. To the surprise of many, the watches that have been introduced in the new-look Ultra-Chron lineup have frequently been on the more contemporary side when it comes to design. For a brand that has become known for raiding the archives, the most revered Ultra-Chrons of old haven’t really been a factor with the new pieces. That changes, however, with the introduction of the new Ultra-Chron Classic, which, as the name suggests, is a riff on the original Ultra-Chron, the one often seen by collectors as the most desirable. The Ultra-Chron has always existed as a testament to Longines’ commitment to chronometry. When the collection launched in 1967, it was the first time a watch with a movement based on those used in chronometry competitions had been successfully shifted to a mass produced product. The Ultra-Chron was one of several watches released in the 1960s that effectively threw down the gauntlet in the ongoing chronometry wars among many of the biggest Swiss brands (plus Seiko/Grand Seiko). So it makes sense that Longines would return to the original design of one their most historically important watches. The Ultra-Chron Classic is about as sturdy an example of a clean, midcentury watch design as you’re likely to see. Its circular stainless steel case comes in two si...
Worn & Wound
The GMT watch is a bonafide product of the jet age. Though examples of dual-time watches go back to the 19th century, it was the advent of jet-powered commercial aircraft in the 1950s that drove the introduction of this icon of modern watchmaking. Perhaps the best-known example is the Rolex GMT Master, the watch that gave the genre its name. Introduced in 1955 in collaboration with the “World’s Most Experienced Airline,” Rolex designed the watch for Pan-American World Airways pilots that would allow them to have a reference for Greenwich Mean Time (also referred to as UTC or Zulu Time) while maintaining the ability to track local time. This collaboration also resulted in the most recognizable colorway for dual-time watches, Pan-Am’s blue and red colorway. The GMT watch is a bonafide product of the jet age. Though examples of dual-time watches go back to the 19th century, it was the advent of jet-powered commercial aircraft in the 1950s that drove the introduction of this icon of modern watchmaking. Perhaps the best-known example is the Rolex GMT Master, the watch that gave the genre its name. Introduced in 1955 in collaboration with the “World’s Most Experienced Airline,” Rolex designed the watch for Pan-American World Airways pilots that would allow them to have a reference for Greenwich Mean Time (also referred to as UTC or Zulu Time) while maintaining the ability to track local time. This collaboration also resulted in the most recognizable colorway f...
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Fratello
Two years ago, Oris introduced the Aquis Pro 4000m. According to Gerard, it was “a pointless dive watch, hors catégorie, completely unnecessary for daily wear.” But boy, did he love it. Watches are kind of pointless anyway these days, so why not go all the way, right? But for all of you who thought a […] Visit Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis Pro 1000m - A More Wearable Pro Diver to read the full article.
SJX Watches
This December at its New York auction. Sotheby’s will bring one a hitherto secret collection of complicated Patek Philippe watches to market, The Olmsted Complications Collection. Accrued by late financier Robert M. Olmsted over six decades, the collection includes watches commissioned by the most prominent American collectors of the early 20th century, including Henry Graves Jr., Thomas E. Emery, James M. Morehead III, and Elliot C. Lee, some of which were completely unknown to the public until now. An “Extra” quality observatory watch made for Henry Graves Jr. It couldn’t be better timed either, with the flagship lot being a previously undocumented Patek Philippe perpetual calendar desk clock, just months after the brand launched its modern equivalent. Better still – at least for American bidders – these watches are already stateside, avoiding the hefty import taxes levied against Switzerland. In addition to rare and exotic pocket watches, the auction also makes room for a few watches with more mainstream appeal, including a Rolex ref. 6100 with a cloisonné enamel dragon dial. The Thomas E. Emery Desk Clock The headline lot is a Patek Philippe desk clock made for one Thomas Emery – the same client who commissioned Patek Philippe’s first wrist-borne perpetual calendar in 1925. Until now there were only two publicly known Patek Philippe perpetual calendar desk clocks, those made for James Ward Packard and Henry Graves Jr. Like its siblings, Emery’s desk ...
Fratello
Hermès surprised us a couple of years ago when the French fashion house launched a chronograph among its colorful time-and-date H08 editions. Stealth-launching products is not new for Hermès. The low-key tactic allows clients to discover new pieces for themselves without a deluge of flashy hype campaigns. The gentle marketing ripple in the brand’s horology […] Visit Introducing: The Hermès H08 Chronographe In Naples Yellow to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe surprises with an off-season launch, the Gondolo Serata Zebra Ref. 4962/200R-010. Based on the curvaceous model launched in 2006, the Zebra features a sapphire crystal dial framed by garnets on the bezel and lugs. The dial motif replicates the cloisonné enamel dial of the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50G-023 from the Rare Handcrafts collection of 2022, but here the technique and material are decidedly modern. Despite the radically different look, this is an evolution of the Retrograde Perpetual Calendar ref. 6159G that has a smoked sapphire dial. Here the dial is also clear sapphire, but engraved, varnished, and then metallised to create the striking zebra motif. Initial thoughts The Gondolo Serata has been in Patek Philippe’s catalogue for almost 20 years but it never really gained prominence. Though the case shape is elegant, the dials on the earlier versions were quite plain. The Zebra is the opposite – vivid and striking – and it instantly stands out amongst Patek Philippe’s ladies offerings. The fact that the dial motif is based on the Rare Handcrafts Ellipse is a nice touch, though watch enthusiasts may be disappointed the movement is quartz. Patek Philippe presumably understands its clients and those clients probably want the convenience of a quartz movement. The sapphire dial technique, however, is interesting enough that it is likely to make its way into other models, which will be a good thing. Savannah sapphire The Gondolo Serata is a longsta...
Monochrome
Founded by master watchmaker Gerd R. Lang (1943-2023) in 1983, Chronoswiss rowed against the tide of quartz to become a key player in the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking. Renowned for exceptional craftsmanship and a penchant for regulator displays, Lang’s brand released the Opus chronograph in 1995, the world’s first serially produced skeletonised automatic chronograph, revealing […]
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Fratello
Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to go hands-on with several new Norqain watches. It’s been a positive experience and somewhat surprising. Generally, I’m not a fan of open-worked dials, but on the wrist, the brand’s pieces shine. Comfortable straps and wrist-conforming case designs help too. Today, I’m taking my first spin […] Visit Hands-On With The Norqain Independence Skeleton Chrono 42mm Orange to read the full article.
Fratello
Every once in a while, a small change makes a big difference. For Bianchet, that change comes in the form of 18K rose gold. The new UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition, launched at WatchTime New York, takes one of the brand’s most technically impressive watches and gives it an entirely new personality. I had a […] Visit Bianchet Goes For Gold With The UltraFino Skeleton At WatchTime New York to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Just when you think you know an indie brand, they go ahead and make a watch that looks kind of normal. That was one of the initial thoughts running through my head when the Urwerk team showed us the new UR-10 SpaceMeter during our Geneva Watch Days meeting last month. It is, without question, one of the most confounding releases in the brand’s history. This is a brand that has singlehandedly carved out a niche for themselves with highly technical, futuristic timepieces that employ wandering and satellite hours complications in innovative and unique ways. Their watches are usually not circular, they do not have traditional hands, and they don’t even really have what we’d think of as complications in a traditional sense. But the UR-10 proves that even when a brand has defined a category, there’s still plenty of opportunity to surprise with something new. The concept of the SpaceMeter is to, unsurprisingly, measure space. That’s a pretty heady concept, but it’s rooted in classical watchmaking that has always been an influence on brand founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. In the case of the UR-10, the inspiration comes directly from an important clock in Baumgartner’s life, a 19th century pendulum clock signed by Gustave Sandoz. The unusual clock belonged to Baumgartner’s father, and upon taking ownership apparently had little idea of exactly what the subdials were meant to track. After a lot of research, Baumgartner determined that the clock was desig...
Time+Tide
With these new "Golden Hour" updates to three key models, Blancpain's underrated Villeret line gets its time in the sun.The post Blancpain updates its Villeret line with subtle, yet well-considered tweaks appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
In the ever-growing sea of impressive microbrands, Swiss upstarts Furlan Marri have carved out a niche of dressy watches with vintage flair. That’s not giving them full credit, of course-they’ve also managed to create a wholly recognizable visual style within a few short years, to the point where “Furlan Marri-esque” is a perfectly reasonable compound adjective to sling around. Continuing their current theme of circular motifs, the brand is expanding their Cornes de Vache (“cow horns” in French, referring to long, curved lugs) collection of automatic watches with the Blue Sector joining the lineup, bringing a classically upscale blue and silver colorway to a collection already bursting with color. Like the other Cornes de Vache models already available, the Blue Sector is housed in a circular 37.5mm polished stainless steel case with cow-horn lugs, connected by a bridge at the 6 and 12 o’clock positions. Lug-to-lug, the case measures in at 46mm, with a 10.5mm thickness, placing it on the small-to-medium side of the dress watch spectrum. The sector dial from which the reference pulls its name features the same layout as the other Sector models, with double-stamped indications and applied Breguet-style indexes. The dark blue of the dial is further diversified by the textured center circle, split into four. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 numerals echo the quartering theme, and feature an elegant, vintage script. These numerals, along with the hands, indexes, and other ...
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Fratello
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we try our hand at predicting the fortunes of four key watch brands. These makers all have great pieces in their lineups, yet we wonder if they have more in store to become absolute powerhouses. Or perhaps some of these companies will go in the […] Visit Fratello On Air: Predicting The Fortunes Of Four Brands In Five Years to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
In the world of Rolex, most people’s minds go straight to rarity, unattainability, and exclusivity. And in so many cases that rings true – except (and you may find this hard to believe) for the Submariner. That’s right, Rolex’s stalwart and most ubiquitous watch is also, kind of, its most accessible on the secondary market… and I am talking vintage and neovintage here. Sure, there are rare examples like Explorer dials (we will get to that in a bit), and early ref. 1680 Red Submariners that fetch a pretty penny at auction or from a vintage dealer. But there’s a very real reason for that. Those watches in particular fall into a bucket shared by many collectible rarities: They were only produced for a very short period of time. But there were many variations of vintage Subs, some rarer than others. And some still that weren’t rare at all. And the best example of that is the Rolex 5513, a Submariner model so common that it was one of Rolex’s most popular and best selling over the course of its – wait for it – 17-year run. Rolex 5513 History The Rolex Submariner ref. 5513 was in production from 1962 until 1989, and while there are some pockets of special ref. 5513 models within that run, it is for the most part of one the brand’s longest-selling and most-produced Submariners, or even sports watches full stop (the Explorer ref. 1016 has entered the chat). In 1962, Rolex had been producing its Submariner reference 5512 for about three years. The 5512 was a n...
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Hamilton 14k Gold Watch First up this week is a classic and stylish vintage 1971 Hamilton dress watch in 14k yellow gold. The 33.5mm solid gold case is unpolished, with crisp edges. The caseback is engraved with a 25 year service award inscription from Eaton. The dial is clean and simple, with a nice sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The original crown is signed with the Hamilton logo. The watch comes with the original Hamilton signed lizard strap, and it all comes in the original box with papers! The case is a front loading type, so no movement pictures, but the seller states the watch runs well. View auction here Vintage 1950s Benrus Here we have another small dress watch, but this one is gold filled and a little more ‘sporty’. This vintage Benrus 3 Star has a cool dial, with alternating Arabic numerals and thin arrows for hour markers, coupled with lume filled hands. The 33mm yellow gold filled case looks sharp, and has a steel screw in back. There is no movement picture, but the seller states the watch runs well. Nice little every day type of watch from an under-rated brand that should fit into any watch budget. View auction here Omega Constellation Next up is a whopp...
Fratello
Christopher Ward is not scared to go against the grain with its new releases. It has become a big part of its success. The brand seemingly slapped purists in the face with a manual-winding integrated-bracelet sports watch not too long ago. In itself, that’s nothing spectacular. However, if you are a Gérald Genta devotee, you […] Visit Hands-On With The Ultra-Slim Christopher Ward Twelve 660 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton returns to its watchmaking roots with a recreation of its first-ever wristwatch, the Monterey. The remake sticks closely to the aesthetics of the original designed by architect Gae Aulenti in 1988, but is made to modern standards. While the original was a design-oriented creation with a high-tech (for the time) quartz movement, today’s Monterey is high-end in every way – case, dial, and movement are all contemporary high horology. Initial Thoughts The Monterey is an unapologetically nostalgic watch, and a yardstick against which Louis Vuitton measures its progress. In 1988, the Parisian malletier made its first foray into the watch market with Montre I, a private label affair produced by IWC and designed by Gae Aulenti. The 1988 watch was an impressive in terms of design and concept, but somewhat dinky in terms of tech: a multifunction quartz watch in gold powered by an IWC quartz movement that is no longer reparable. (It is also worth nothing that follow-up Montre II was clad in ceramic, possibly hinting at a sequel to this limited edition.) Now, Louis Vuitton wants the world to know it can make make a watch itself, only relying on external suppliers for the very most specialised components – and to a much higher standard than the Montre of the past. And the Monterey (a play on the American mispronunciation of montre, French for watch) completely eclipses the original in quality – much like the recent revival of Daniel Roth by Louis Vuitton. The Mont...
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Worn & Wound
Standards and certifications in watchmaking were primarily developed for chronometry, as well as to reassure the buyer that their watch had been thoroughly tested to a certain level of accuracy. The standards we see most often in the technical specifications are COSC, METAS, and other company or regional chronometry certifications. In modern watchmaking, other key standards like the ISO 6425 dive watch standard, which was developed in the 1990s and followed by watch companies, also come into play. These standards were largely based on various military set standards for watches; however, since each military set their own requirements, there was not one universally followed standard. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published specific requirements and testing procedures for a watch to be officially designated a “Diver’s watch”. While there is no ISO standard for pilot’s watches, there are specific requirements set by militaries around the world. One of the most well-known standards is from the WWII German pilot’s watch known as the “Beobachtungsuhren” or “B-Uhren.” B-Uhren pilot’s watch standards are well documented and are still followed by many watch companies to this day. In March 2012, Sinn lead an initiative in collaboration with the Faculty of Aerospace Technology at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences to create TESTAF – Technical Standard for Pilot Watches. TESTAF was developed so that a pilot’s watch meets all mod...
Fratello
I do not embark on nearly as many adventures as I would love to. As much as I like to tell myself it’s due to a lack of time, I know that’s not true, and the watch on my wrist is an excellent reminder that I need to go out more. Most of us wear […] Visit Hamilton Puts The Khaki Collection In Its Natural Habitat In The “Step Outside” Campaign to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
In a roster packed to the rafters with hype-laden icons, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is deceptively simple. Or is it too simple? Let’s find out! What We Love: Simplistic, no-nonsense design and colour Solid, unobtrusive wearability A true GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) watch What We Don’t: Overshadowed by other Rolex models Lacks modern quality-of-life updates Date or no date? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Consistency is a hard thing to come by in the watch industry. Very few brands have managed to achieve it, and even fewer watches can truly be called consistent hits. Off the top of my head, I can probably name only a handful of brands and models that have managed to not only succeed but hold that sweet spot. Longines, Vacheron Constantin, and even Panerai all come to mind — but if you want to talk about longevity, you have to talk about the Crown. Since their founding in 1905, Rolex has been one of the most consistent brands in history. The numbers speak for themselves: the company has held the number one spot for revenue in the luxury Swiss watch industry since at least 2017, according to the Morgan Stanley LuxeConsult reports. But the evidence also lies in their catalogue. Much of Rolex’s mainline collection has become inseparable from the brand’s identity, thanks to timeless, slow-changing designs, robust functionality, and uncompromising craftsmanship. Their watches have changed so little...
Teddy Baldassarre
The beginning of October is the official marker of the beginning of spooky season, at least in my opinion. In the spirit of Halloween inching closer and closer on our calendars, I thought it would be fun to take a deep dive into a watch that really channels the energy of the season, at least as far as nicknames go – the Seiko Monster. And, to lean even further into the fanfare, I’ll be focusing solely on the most Halloween-appropriate colorways of the Seiko Monster universe – that’s right, it's the bright, pumpkin-y Seiko Orange Monster from here on out. Below, I’ll be walking you through a little history lesson for context, breaking down the various generations of Seiko’s Monster diver, ultimately to help you determine for yourself if this watch is an unlikely icon or a horological monstrosity. Seiko Monster Context First things first – the “Monster” moniker is a nickname for this line of divers that the enthusiast community came up with itself, and the brand has yet to embrace it officially. The early 2000s, at large, is representative of something of an identity crisis for the watch world, as the necessity of wristwatches as a time-keeping tool waned. Each brand has its own approach, but when I think of the early 2000s for watches, chunky, bold, imaginative, and somewhat overbuilt pieces are the first things that come to mind, especially on the heels of the relatively conservative watch designs of the 1990s. Ultimately, the origin story of the Seiko ...
Fratello
In June of this year, I had a chance to go hands-on with the stunning Celadon Haute Horlogerie Century Cloisonné Collection. It displayed an incredible level of Chinese craftsmanship that I adore. For another hands-on experience, the brand sent us a jump-hour version of its Century Cloisonné Double Phoenix model. While the basics are similar […] Visit Hands-On With The Celadon Haute Horlogerie Century Cloisonné Jump Hour Double Phoenix to read the full article.
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