Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hamilton Just Dropped the Coolest Khaki Field Yet-But There’s a Catch
Hamilton's Khaki Field Mechanical Zermatt pairs a glacier-inspired dial with classic military design. Available at the brand’s boutique in Zermatt.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hamilton's Khaki Field Mechanical Zermatt pairs a glacier-inspired dial with classic military design. Available at the brand’s boutique in Zermatt.
Worn & Wound
American watchmaking is having a moment. And if there’s any day that’s worth celebrating, it’s the Fourth of July. Happy birthday, America, hope you like Damaskeening! Just in the last month or so, we’ve seen a new release from J.N. Shapiro that could point to an entirely new and more accessible concept for the brand. Cornell Watch Co. revealed their new Lozier, with a case, dial, crown, and handset machined in the United States. Colorado Watch Company, the Fort Collins, CO based brand making cases and dials in-house with movements assembled in the United States, just shipped their first batches of new watches to customers after extensive prototyping. And Keaton Myrick, who makes watches completely by hand in vanishingly small runs in Oregon and somehow has flown under the worldwide watch community’s radar for years, just saw a fantastic result in a public sale via Phillips that went for just over the high estimate. And it’s not just that there’s a lot of activity. The watches mentioned above are all, actually, very very good, and show that American watchmakers and brands can succeed in multiple ways, using different models. Myrick and Shapiro operate at the very highest end of the spectrum, while Colorado Watch Company has the ethos of a microbrand (the project was funded via Kickstarter, just like their sister brand, Vortic). The Cornell model, though, is probably the most interesting to me. The majority of the watch is manufactured in the United States, bu...
Deployant
Greubel Forsey's very successful Balancier has come to its final run, now executed in a stainless steel case, with a gorgeous blue dial.
Fratello
Just in time for summer, Clément Gaud presents us with the lightest and smallest Laventure watch to date. The Marine Type 3, available with either a black or full-lume white dial, features a case crafted from Grade 23 titanium. Like all of Clément’s watches, the Marine Type 3’s design takes inspiration from vintage timepieces. This […] Visit Hands-On With The Laventure Marine Type 3 - A Specialized Instrument In Grade 23 Titanium to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey bids farewell to what was once its smallest watch, the Balancier Contemporain, with a final edition in stainless steel with a blue dial. The brand aims to finish the run of 33 watches later this year, after which the Balancier Contemporain will be no more, marking the end of its just-under-40 mm case. Notably, this is not a move away from mid-sized watches; in fact, the brand intends to double down on them with future launches. Initial Thoughts When launched in 2019, the Balancier Contemporain was the Greubel Forsey’s smallest watch – relatively speaking. The brand’s quality may be irreproachable, but wearability is another matter – several of its watches are well over 44 mm – and as consumers’ tastes gravitate back to mid-sized watches, Greubel Forsey was arguably in a tricky position with its near pocket-watch-sized calibres. But the brand was prepared for that. Just last year, Greubel Forsey set a new direction with the Nano Foudroyante EWT, a flyback chronograph (and flying tourbillon with lightning seconds) that was just under 38 mm in diameter and 10.5 mm thick. And even before that, the Convexe sports model cases already helped wearability massively – I’d even say the nominally larger Balancier Convexe and Double Balancier Convexe wear better than the Balancier Contemporain. So while the Balancier Contemporain is still a great watch, I’m not sad to see it go. As Greubel Forsey transitions to small-diameter watches, I expect to see it...
Fratello
This watch might not be for field-watch purists. But for those who are more open-minded and don’t mind chill frivolities, this icy-cool Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm might be just the watch they’re looking for. It will involve a bit of traveling, though, because this frosty-dial watch is only available in Zermatt. You will have […] Visit Introducing: The Icy-Cool Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm Zermatt Exclusive Edition With A Matterhorn Engraving to read the full article.
Fratello
Last year, I shared the story of finding an Art Deco Oris watch in a suitcase. I had been looking through the case at a vintage shop here in Sydney when I saw something glistening. It turned out to be a rather battered and rusty Oris watch. It didn’t run, but I liked the dial […] Visit Restoring An Old Art Deco Oris Watch Found In A Suitcase to read the full article.
Deployant
Bvlgari celebrates with Singapore on our 60th National Day with a special edition of their World Timer, with Singapore prominently marked on the dial.
Worn & Wound
One of the things I really enjoy about covering microbrands and small independents is seeing how young brands develop in unexpected ways over time. My first exposure to De Rijke & Co. was through Zach Weiss’s review of their Amalfi 1S back in 2020. At that point, the brand’s calling card was their trick case design that allowed the wearer to easily rotate the dial for a better viewpoint while driving, as well as customized design options so clients could effectively create their own unique version of the watch. This “gentleman driver’s” watch, as they referred to it, remains quite appealing, and the case of course is still a part of their collection. In no way, however, could it have predicted the success the brand would find making watches featuring the “Miffy” character, a staple of Dutch children’s books since the 1950s. Over the last three years, De Rijke & Co. has released several Miffy themed watches that go well beyond simple character dials. The Miffy motif has been used to experiment with bold colors, lume, and different expressions of the moonphase complication. These watches are whimsical, a lot of fun, and quite far removed, in my opinion, from the earlier Amalfi pieces, and it’s fascinating to consider how the brand got to this point. Today, they’ve unveiled what is said to be the final Miffy watch. According to the brand, the new White Ceramic Miffy Moonphase has been in the works for three years. It is, it turns out, quite complicated...
Time+Tide
An idiosyncratic shape and a retro-tastic dial (complete with pinion cap!) make this indie offering a love letter to the 1970s.The post Vintage vibes abound with the Ferro Time Master 70 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
A subtler version of its flagship model, the Biver Carillon Tourbillon Signature Series looks almost like a time-only watch. It does away with the dial cutout for the tourbillon, leading to a more toned-down appearance for the complicated watch that combines a three-gong carillon repeater with a tourbillon. Notably, the new model is also available in a two-tone configuration of titanium and 18k rose gold. Initial thoughts Watchmakers usually highlight the tourbillon, putting the regulator front and centre of the dial (and charge a lot more for the mechanism too). Back in 2023, Biver made its debut with a tourbillon minute repeater, which proudly displayed the tourbillon at six o’clock. Now the brand has reprised the model, but conceals what was the main showpiece on the dial. The two models are delivered with a set of cufflinks, material-matched to the watch The closed dial plainly conceals the tourbillon underneath. And due to the movement’s construction, the tourbillon can’t be seen from the case back either - making for a confusing sight. The end result is a very understated timepiece that doesn’t reveal itself easily, or much at all. In fact, the apparent simplicity is underlined by the dial, which is almost identical to that of the time-only Automatique. It features the same brushed circular sectors and micro relief minute track have become staple design elements of the brand. Were it not for the repeater slide, one would even be tempted to assume this is...
Deployant
Breguet releases their first ever flying tourbillon in the new Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255, with a case in Breguet gold and an aventurine dial.
Worn & Wound
Baltic’s Hermétique feels like a little bit of a secret weapon to me. It’s riffing on vintage watches in a much more subtle way than many of the brand’s earlier releases, and has proven to be a great canvas for creative dial variations and is, honestly, one of the only bronze watches I actually like. When it was announced back in 2023, there was some grousing about the case size, but putting the watch on makes it clear that 37mm is exactly right for a watch in this style. It’s sleek (thanks in large part to the inset crown) and thin, and can be dressed up or dressed down – it’s just a very solid watch at a very easy to digest price point (check out Ed Jelley’s hands-on thoughts from the original launch right here). And while there’s a timeless, almost generic (in a good way) quality to the Hermétique, you can’t really fault Baltic for wanting to capitalize on the seemingly irrepressible desire of watch lovers to adorn their wrists with loud colors in the summer months. Hence, we have the new Hermétique Summer collection. These are watches that do exactly what it says on the tin. They’re the same Hermétiques we’ve become familiar with, but with dial colors that pop up when you search the #summerwatch hashtag on Instagram. Specifically, Baltic tells us they are drawing inspiration from the “California of the 70s.” Not being a Californian, nor alive in the 1970s, I can’t really speak to this personally, but as an evocation of a summery ideal,...
Fratello
This is the new Straum × Fratello Jan Mayen Titanium Edition. If you’re getting a sense of déjà vu, that’s no accident. This latest evolution of Straum’s flagship design builds directly on one of our most successful collaborations to date, the original Jan Mayen with its bold red dial and dramatic lava-inspired texture. This video […] Visit Straum’s Jan Mayen Fratello Limited Edition Returns In Titanium And Rubber to read the full article.
Hodinkee
With strap tech that punches above its price tag, a new Grade 5 titanium case vies for attention alongside Nordic dial art.
SJX Watches
Breguet celebrates a milestone by looking to the stars with the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255, which is the brand’s first flying tourbillon and also dressed up with an aventurine enamel dial. The Tourbillon Sidéral is the brand’s latest anniversary edition – and the most complicated so far – coming after the Classique Souscription and more recent Type XX 2075BH. Initial Thoughts Abraham-Louis Breguet’s workshop only built between 40 to 49 tourbillons in his lifetime, explaining the mythical rarity of the mechanism in historical watchmaking. Now more tourbillons are built in a single day – possibly even by a single brand – than during Breguet’s entire lifetime. Consequently, the tourbillon is no longer regarded with the reverence it enjoyed for centuries. Tourbillons aren’t inherently special today, but still have appeal when executed well; the whole of the parts can be more than the sum of the parts. The Tourbillon Sidéral is executed well and appealing. Flying tourbillon aside, the rest of the watch is very good, though not ground breaking. As with Breguet’s other 250th anniversary models, the Tourbillon Sidéral is more interesting aesthetically than technically since the movement is derived from the longstanding Lemania calibre. That approach will change as the year’s end approaches as Breguet has something bigger in the pipeline. For now, the Tourbillon Sidéral is an excellent watch that may suffer under the weight of expectations, but per...
Time+Tide
Stunningly decorated, and sporting an aventurine grand feu enamel dial. The post Breguet’s Classique Tourbillon Sidéral flying tourbillon is so good its price (upon request) hurts the soul appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
French brand Baltic has really been on a roll lately with several standout models, including the best-selling MR micro-rotor series, and the popular Hermétique Tourer field watch just got a fresh dose of summer colours inspired by the 1970s California vibe. While the design and specs haven’t changed, the new dial and strap colours really […]
Hodinkee
A new dial color to commemorate the brand's new dial-making facility in the famed German town for watchmaking.
Deployant
Glashütte Original celebrates 180 years of Saxon watchmaking and their new dial manufacture in the city with a new PanoLunaTourbillon.
Time+Tide
GO celebrates a milestone for German watchmaking (plus its new dial manufacture) with a heavy hitting flying tourbillon.The post Glashütte Original celebrates 180 years of Glashütte watchmaking with a stunning platinum PanoLunarTourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
The 1972 catalog lists it as the Gallet Maritimer, although it says Yachting Timer on the dial. You choose. The new designation is still connected to water use…well, sort of. I hereby announce with all due respect that I turned it into my Gallet Soft-Boiled Egg Timer. And I love it! I will start with […] Visit Retrospective: Tomas Finds A New Purpose For His Pocket Gallet Yachting Timer to read the full article.
Time+Tide
A solar chronograph with a lovely purple dial. The post Seiko is off to the races with a limited, lilac Speedtimer Solar for the World Athletics Championships appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
As regular readers know, the idea of the Behind the Lens series is to present great watches as seen from a variety of visual perspectives. Mostly, I feature watches on loan from my generous friends, but this time let’s look at a piece that I am very fortunate to have in my own collection: the legendary Simplicity by Philippe Dufour in a 37 mm white gold case with white lacquer dial.
Monochrome
The latest Peren Regia LE Dark follows recent models like the Regia X Automatic 39 Diver, but with a stripped-down aesthetic that’s very monochromatic and a bit futuristic. The diving bezel is sterile save for a white circle at 12 o’clock, and the white dial elements seem to almost float over the depths of the […]
SJX Watches
Piaget combines its traditional expertise in stone dials and ultra-thin movements with the Polo Perpetual Calendar Blue Obsidian, a handsome – and more original – take on the complicated Polo. The slim white gold case is combined with a mesmerizing dial in blue obsidian, which is not a mineral as often believed, but instead volcanic glass. Initial Thoughts The latest Polo Perpetual Calendar is arguably Piaget’s strongest release of the year. It plays to two of the brand’s traditional strengths, thin movements and natural stone or mineral dials. Piaget is of course not the only brand with a perpetual calendar sports watch. In fact, the Polo perpetual with a blue obsidian dial is similar enough to the competition to be competitive – it possesses the key characteristics of being slim and blue – but manages to do so without being derivative, which is arguably an issue with the earlier iteration of the model. The blue obsidian dial in particular sets this apart from comparable watches since exotic dial materials are relatively rare in this segment. The mechanics inside the latest Polo perpetual remain the same. While not the most sophisticated perpetual calendar mechanism in the segment, the ubiquitous Dubois Depraz calendar module is solid and reliable if adjusted according to protocol. Its widespread use also makes it easy for watchmakers to source parts, which is not always a given when it comes to complicated ultra-thin watches. That, paired with a competent ult...
WatchAdvice
The Hublot Aerofusion Titanium Chronograph isn’t your normal sports watch. It’s unapologetically bold, has striking wrist presence and ultimately, fun! What We Love The skeletonised dial looks great The look of the polished titanium gives it a lot of wrist presence Has the DNA of the original Classic Fusion Original, which is the essence of Hublot What We Don’t The clasp design could worry some wrists 45mm will be large for some The power reserve is on the smaller side compared to others on the market today Overall Rating: 8.25/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 It doesn’t get too much more Hublot than the Classic Fusion collection, well, at least from a brand DNA perspective. The Classic Fusion is really where it all kicked off for the brand back in 1980 when Carlo Crocco had the crazy idea of putting rubber and precious metal together on a sports watch. Although it wasn’t called the Classic Fusion back then, that came later under the leadership of Jean Claude-Biver. The design was also something new and daring. Hublot is French for “Porthole” as as such, the design mimiced this with the bezel design and “H” shaped screws that are found on the case. From those beginnings back in 1980, the brand has grown immensely to what we know today. Hublot is a brand that is not afraid of breaking convention, going against the norm, and really just doing it their way! Over the years, Hublot has evolved substantially an...
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 Citizen Here is a brilliant vintage Citizen. The stainless steel case is unpolished with nice sharp edges on the bezel and killer lugs. The clean white dial has two vertical silver stripes that give it a really sporty look. Simple applied steel baton markers and a day/date window at 3 o’clock. Overall a classic looking Japanese sport/dress watch. The watch comes on a steel Jubilee-style bracelet that fits the look, but is not original to the watch. The crown is signed as it should be. No movement picture but it runs well per the seller. View auction here Texas Instruments Starburst Now this one is interesting! A vintage Texas Instruments Starburst digital watch that has an analog style display. The square case is gold plated, as is the integrated bracelet. The watch looks almost new-old-stock, and is in stellar condition with no wear. The dial has a gold radial starburst pattern, with a round digital display in the middle. It has LCD hands that show the time, as well as a day/date function. Really a trippy and unique vintage LCD watch that I haven’t seen before. The watch comes with the original box as well as the original instruction booklet. Works well per the seller, ...
Fratello
This little introduction article is going to leave you wanting more. No, I don’t mean the watch itself, the most impressive and one-of-a-kind Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface. I mean more pictures of this highly complicated piece of Haute Horlogerie with its open dial, subtle use of color, and the impressive […] Visit Introducing: The Single-Edition Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Les Cabinotiers is Vacheron Constantin’s programme dedicated to one-off and special-order watches. The latest to emerge from the workshop is the Les Cabinotiers Temporis Duo Grand Complication Openface, a large, complicated watch with an intricate calibre and an unusually modern, clear sapphire dial. The look is more contemporary than usual for a Les Cabinotiers grand complication, thanks to both the sapphire dial with its off-centre displays and a monochromatic grey finish on the movement. An evolution (and stylistic upgrade) of the solid-dial Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Split-Seconds from 2022, the Temporis is underpinned by a base movement that features a minute repeater and tourbillon; on top sits a traditionally constructed split-seconds chronograph mechanism that is paired with the calibre in an unconventional manner. The layers inside the cal. 2757 S of the Temporis Initial thoughts Twenty twenty-five has been good for Vacheron Constantin in terms of complicated watches – the brand started the year with the Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch ever made, and has followed up with the Temporis. In comparison to the Solaria with 41 functions and a price tag in the mid-millions, the Temporis is simple and affordable, but still impressive. Though it is largely identical in terms of the movement to the 2022 model with a solid dial, the Temporis offers a lot more visually with its open dial. Though the look is modern – compare this to the baroque B...
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