34,772 articles · 4,920 videos found · page 870 of 1324
Monochrome
Albishorn is a young brand with a rather peculiar concept. Created by Sebastien Chaulmontet, ex-La Joux-Perret, in charge of the revival of Arnold & Son and Angelus, and now serving as the Head of Innovation and Marketing at Sellita Watch Co SA and Manufacture AMT, the brand launched with a rather cool idea: imaginary vintage. […]
SJX Watches
Seiko pinks out its affordable bestseller with the Seiko 5 Sports SKX Series 38 mm Pink Panther, a tribute to the award-winning animated short staring the vexatious feline. In addition unique dial, bezel, case back, and crown, the 9,999-piece limited edition is delivered in themed packaging along with a pink nylon strap – complete with pink paw prints. Initial thoughts Since its launch in 2019, the Seiko 5 Sports has served as a platform for seemingly countless co-branded limited editions. These collaborations span streetwear labels, anime franchises, consumer brands, artists, and American cartoon characters, from Snoopy to the Pink Panther. The “5KX” base makes commercial sense for such projects, offering the mass appeal of an easy-wearing diver-style watch that remains affordable enough for an impulse buy. While Seiko’s entry-level mechanical watches are arguably not as cost-competitive as they once were given the rise of micro-brands (many of which rely on Seiko-sourced movements), they remain a better value than most mass market watches given the brand’s in-house know-how and storied history. Editions like this Pink Panther model add extra appeal, both in terms of the theme as well as the (relatively) limited run. The Pink Panther The Pink Panther debuted in the 1963 detective comedy film of the same name as an animated embodiment of the titular pink diamond. Created by American animators Hawley Pratt and Friz Freleng, the character soon eclipsed the film its...
Fratello
Oris introduced an update to the ProPilot Date last month. I wrote the introduction article based on the press materials, and now I am back, having had hands-on experience with the new models. So, the big question of the day is: does the refresh make the ProPilot better? Let’s get into it! We’ll cover everything […] Visit Hands-On With The Second-Generation Oris ProPilot Date to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Biver expands its Automatique line with a diverse set of new dials that underscore the brand’s fascination with permanence, ranging from billion-year-old mineral stones to finely executed enamel and traditional guilloché. In a year crowded with stone-dial releases, the latest Automatique models stand out for the coherence of the concept and the quality of execution, offering collectors a mix of exotic materials, artisanal craft, and a technically unusual calibre across a wide price spectrum. Initial thoughts Jean-Claude Biver talks a lot about eternity. The slogan for his namesake brand, “eternity has no competition”, is an eloquent expression of what drives the Biver family enterprise, founded with his son Pierre and now led by chief executive James Marks. Beyond the ability to keep time, mechanical watches appeal to enthusiasts precisely because they seem to exist outside of time. Few modern products are crafted from such noble or enduring materials, and for many people a mechanical watch is among the most lasting man-made objects they will ever encounter. Biver’s obsession with eternity is clear in the products themselves. In the case of the Automatique, the brand has chosen to use especially long-lasting materials like gold for the movement plates and bridges, going so far as to used a high-palladium gold alloy that will not tarnish over time. The overly robust cases are another clue as to the motivations of the people behind the Biver brand. Water resistant t...
Teddy Baldassarre
Within the burgeoning small independent watch brand scene we find creative inspiration that takes many forms. Oftentimes, this is focused on a specific moment in time or place in history. With Atelier Wen, a young Hong Kong based manufacture, that inspiration is the celebration of culture and craftsmanship of a nation. The name is a combination of the French word for workshop, and the Chinese word for culture, and serves as a fitting description of not only the brand’s founders, but also the driving force behind their creative vision. Since their founding in 2018, Atelier Wen has become a showcase of Chinese culture and craftsmanship within a world of high-end horology generally dominated by European centric attitudes. [toc-section heading="Some Brand History"] Atelier Wen was founded by Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, two Frenchmen with a shared passion for, and deep connection to Chinese culture and watchmaking. Through their time living and working in China (Robin an advisor and expert in the China Horologe Association; Wilfried a graduate of Peking University and Tsinghua University), the pair developed a deep reverence for the watchmaking scene as represented through the community of collectors and watchmakers. Upon their return to Europe, the two quickly found that their experiences did not align with the general perceptions found in the west. Together, the founders sought to take advantage of the opportunity to put a spotlight on the true nature of Chinese...
Video
When it comes to luxury Swiss made automatic divers from $5000 to $10,000, it's difficult to beat the big three—Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster, and Tudor Pelagos. But under that price point, the water gets a litt...
SJX Watches
The 30th anniversary of the Chopard L.U.C. manufacture was one anniversary among many this year, but it will likely be remembered thanks to the Grand Strike, the most complicated watch in Chopard’s history and its first grande sonnerie. Building on the successful Full Strike minute repeater architecture and making full use of the brand’s patented sapphire gongs, the Grand Strike is a chronometer-certified two-train clock watch with a push-button minute repeater. In this context, the presence of the tourbillon is almost a footnote. Initial thoughts I can count on one hand the number of brands that have created their own grande sonnerie wristwatch. It’s one of the few things in watchmaking that’s proven challenging enough to still be rare, even in the days of computer-aided design (CAD) and advanced manufacturing technology like wire erosion. For this reason, the grande sonnerie has a towering cultural presence among watchmakers and collectors, looming above all other complications. For Chopard, the Grand Strike represents the culmination of 30 years of the L.U.C. manufacture, the brand’s haute horlogerie division. The first impression of the Grand Strike is one of extraordinary depth. There’s not much of a dial, save for the minutes scale etched on the inside of the sapphire crystal, and the small concentric sub-dials for the dual power reserve displays. This depth shrinks the watch visually, and it feels dense and compact despite its rather large 43 mm size and...
Teddy Baldassarre
The advent of the quartz watch was the most disastrous event ever to befall the traditional luxury watch business, an existential threat that nearly toppled the watch industry as we know it. The invention of the quartz watch was among the most significant advances in the history of timekeeping and brought affordable wristwatches to the masses in a way that had never been seen before. These are the two main schools of thoughts on what the quartz watch has meant to the history of watchmaking, and both are essentially correct. As you contemplate whether to purchase a quartz watch, ponder the main differences between quartz and mechanical movements, and try to wrap your head around the various types of timekeeping technologies, let’s explore how quartz watches originated, how they evolved, and what their place is in today’s ever-changing watch world. [toc-section heading="Quartz Movements Explained"] Unlike a mechanical movement, which stores its energy in a wound mainspring inside a barrel and releases it through a complex series of gears to move the hands, a quartz movement derives its power from a small electrical charge provided by a battery, which then passes through an integrated circuit that applies the charge to a tiny quartz crystal cut into the shape of a tuning fork. Thanks to something known as the reverse-piezoelectric effect, that tiny charge applied to the quartz tuning fork crystal causes it to vibrate at an incredibly high rate that dwarfs the output of ...
Worn & Wound
While the Eastern and Northern regions of the country start tucking their roadsters, cruisers, and drifters away in garages for the winter, West Coast car enthusiasts throw on some scarves and sweaters and keep the party going well through November and beyond. This month, I took my 1983 Volvo 240 DL to two shows, both of which touted an enormously diverse range of vehicles, people, and stories. The first show is a regular event that many Bay Area car freaks have come to cherish as a curated but laid-back treasure of a show, with an incredible backdrop. Held once a month right next to the beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin Civic Center in San Rafael, the Pre-Stage Automotive Gathering, run by the ever-creative folks at Breakfast Club Rally and catered by Red Whale Coffee, brings hundreds of people and dozens of cars together for an early morning gathering that feels as welcoming as possible, every single time. At each Pre-Stage, a themed section makes up the front of the lot; this month’s choice was pre-2000 BMW M cars, which always creates a buzz of fanaticism and Instagram opportunity. E30s and E36s (and a handful of their predecessors) battled for photogenic supremacy and attracted the gazes of wishful-thinking teenagers and wistful old timers alike. The rest of the lot is open to all, and BCR really does mean all. My Volvo was joined by several other Swedish bricks, Mercedes coupes from the 1950s onwards, more Porsche 911 generations than you can keep a...
Hodinkee
Swiss watch industry welcomes a shift in trade policy that pressured costs and pricing.
Worn & Wound
As I’m currently in the process of planning a 15-year anniversary, I can tell you one thing, Reader: it’s not easy finding a way to pack so much into only one measly day. I mean, does a single night out sharing a Caesar salad and a couple cocktails convey all the love, memories, and various milestones? Probably not. But it’s the thought that counts, right? But, then again, maybe I’m just doing it all wrong. Take, for example, the German watchmaker, Laco, who is celebrating a much more impressive anniversary this year: their 100th. Instead of doing a two-for-one special at a chain restaurant (which is always my back-up plan), they released a watch to celebrate the occasion: the Edition 100, which is, in a way, a culmination of an ongoing mission from the brand, which has released five limited-edition releases in the past, each celebrating a key chapter in Laco’s history. For the Edition 100 specifically, the brand used the 1950’s as the springboard for the design, taking inspiration from an archival model. While the cleaner lines, slim bezel, and two-tone colorway might all read as Art Deco-adjacent, Laco’s contemporary design language, such as adjusting proportions for a more modern appearance, has filtered through to make a watch worthy of bridging the gap between the watchmaker’s past and present. The 38mm stainless-steel case is coated in a gold-tone IP, which, in turn, softens the black center of the dial and complements the champagne outer ring simul...
Video
Hands on review of the Hamilton Khaki Mechanical Power Reserve
SJX Watches
De Bethune plans to bring hairspring production in house, aiming to become one of the very few firms able to process alloy wire into a finished balance hairspring. This requires De Bethune’s new hairspring workshop to master wire drawing, rolling, cutting, heat treatment, and assembly. The rationale? “Externally produced hairsprings meet standards based on averages that do not enable fine adjustment of the dimensions to suit a particular balance wheel or its specific positioning in a calibre,” according to De Bethune. De Bethune’s “flat end curve” mated to a hairspring sourced from a supplier. Initial thoughts As De Bethune explains it, making its own hairsprings will allow the brand to tailor its hairspring to a specific balance or movement. Since its founding in 2002, De Bethune has presented itself as being on the cutting edge of chronometry, debuting a new balance design every year from 2004 to 2010. The brand was also quick to embrace silicon, and even briefly attempted a kilohertz magnetic oscillator system, Résonique. A new year, a new balance. Sometimes two new balances. Given De Bethune’s focus on chronometry, making its own hairsprings seems like a natural next step. However, there is a reason so few brands make their own hairsprings: the process is a difficult and demanding one that benefits greatly from economies of scale. For example, H. Moser & Cie. makes less than 4,000 watches per year, however, its sister company Precision Engineering claims...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Seiko introduces a limited Save the Ocean 1965 Heritage Diver with a teal sunburst dial, gray bezel, and upgraded microadjust clasp.
Monochrome
For every good story, there is an end. First presented in 2023, the UR-230 series was Urwerk’s latest creation in the beloved 200 series, following the long-lived UR-210 and the short-lived UR-220. Built around the same design principles as its predecessors, and still featuring the immediately recognisable satellite display we have loved since 2006, the […]
SJX Watches
Urwerk’s latest satellite-display creation, the UR-230 Black Star, builds on more than two decades of the brand redefining the wandering hours complication. A concept first teased in the Harry Winston Opus 5 and later perfected in the UR-210, the retrograde-satellite display has become synonymous with Urwerk’s identity, and the Black Star demonstrates how far the idea has come. With a lightweight fibreglass-reinforced ceramic case, the Black Star is a 35-piece limited edition that looks to be the final instalment of the UR-230 series. Initial thoughts Urwerk didn’t invent the wandering hours display, but the brand deserves credit for dragging the complication into modernity in the late 1990s. While the brand has dabbled in watches with conventional hands, it’s still the satellite time display that carries the essence of Urwerk’s DNA. The UR-230 traces its roots back to the 2012 launch of the UR-210, which introduced the retrograde frame that travels with the satellite cube for hours. The concept for a retrograde hand paired with wandering hours dates back even further, to the 2005 launch of the Harry Winston Opus 5, which was also designed by Urwerk. While the concept has subsequently been elaborated with the UR-150 Scorpion, the UR-230 still looks strikingly advanced even after all these years. The latest black-and-yellow livery seems to be the flavour of the day, closely matching the brand’s recent collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. The signature detail of the...
Fratello
What do you do when you have a good thing going? You double down, of course! Formex spent years developing a ceramic Essence with best-in-class finishing and a first-ever ceramic micro-adjustable clasp. The Swiss brand fitted it with a skeletonized dial for its debut earlier this year. And then, Formex doubled down indeed. This September, […] Visit Formex Doubles Down On Ceramic With The Essence Ceramica Automatic COSC “Dark Matter” 41mm to read the full article.
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On this channel, we review watches that are available for purchase on TeddyBaldassarre.com
Time+Tide
We've assembled a comprehensive list of gift recommendations for all sorts of watch lovers at all sorts of budgets.The post The Time+Tide holiday gift guide: all the best gift ideas for watch enthusiasts appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Co-designed by a group of Aussie watch enthusiasts, this Carrera Glassbox Australian Limited Edition melds cues from two iconic vintage Heuers.The post How the Australian watch community helped create the TAG Heuer purist’s ultimate Carrera appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
The Bremont Supermarine 500m Polar feels tailor-made for a holiday escape to the woods, starring an icy dial that echoes fresh snow, paired with the sort of rugged dependability you want when you’ve traded city noise for crackling logs and cold morning air. Its crisp, high-contrast aesthetic is unfussy and calming, the visual equivalent of that first deep breath you take after settling into a quiet, wood-paneled retreat. Whether you’re strumming a guitar by the fire or stepping out for a morning hike through frost-covered pines, the Supermarine 500m Polar is exactly the kind of companion you want on your wrist. Its 43mm case crafted from corrosion-resistant 904L stainless steel shrugs off bumps from thrown-together gear and cabin chores, while the robust 500 meters of water resistance gives you the confidence to take on whatever the terrain and weather decide to throw your way. This is a tool watch in its element… comfortable, capable, and never demanding attention. The post Holiday Lookbook: Cabin Couture Essentials with Bremont’s Supermarine 500m Polar appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Teddy Baldassarre
We asked you on social media if there was someone you know that deserves the watch of their dreams. We received dozens upon dozens of stories highlighting potential worth recipients, but one stood out the most. Learn more about Lucas and why we chose to gift him his grail watch: the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch.Is there
Hodinkee
The Time Jumper is Czapek's first jump-hour watch and features a half-hunter case, a nod to the brand's pocket-watch legacy, in both gold and steel.
Video
Welcome to the hand-on review of a new diver watch from Venezianico - an Italian watch company. This model is called Nereide Chimera and it features a unique Tiger Eye stone dial, tungsten bezel insert, 200m of water...
Deployant
H. Moser releases Act II of their Genesis project which began with the Endeavour Centre Seconds Genesis as Act I, and continues the trilogo saga.
Monochrome
Founded in 1906 in the Place de Vendôme, Van Cleef & Arpels is the signature behind delightful high jewellery and timepieces inspired by fairies, flowers and butterflies. With its rich history and impressive lineup of artisans, Van Cleef’s Extraordinary Objects collection is home to some of the most spellbinding automata. The Brassée de Lavande (an […]
Monochrome
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Formex continues to excite while exploring materials and mechanical substance with the new Essence Ceramica Dark Matter, a watch that fuses the brand’s most advanced ceramic construction with a dial cut from the depths of space itself. Following the Essence Space Ghost and the full-ceramic Essence Ceramica, this latest creation unites […]
SJX Watches
On 27 April 1927 a nurse walked into a room at the Cleveland Clinic carrying a leather case. The patient was sixty-four, a section of skull removed, the ache of radiation still working behind his eyes. On the charts he appeared as James Ward Packard, co-founder of Packard Electric and Packard Motor Car Company. To the nurse he was a difficult case. To Geneva he remained the client for whom Patek Philippe had just completed movement number 198’023, an astronomical watch that had absorbed three years of calculation and bench work. James Ward Packard. Image – Lehigh University Photograph Collection Inside the case lay a carillon minute repeater on three gongs, coupled to a full perpetual calendar with moon phase, equation of time, and sunrise and sunset indications calculated for Warren, Ohio. On the reverse, a deep blue sky disk carried five hundred and twelve gold stars, turning at sidereal speed around a small Polaris. The sky above his birthplace had been compressed into a circle of lapis and gold, moving in his hands as it moved above the town where he had been born, built factories, endowed an engineering laboratory, and which he now understood lay beyond any realistic hope of return. Consolation held little appeal for him. Packard placed his trust in precision, in the ability to describe a situation so exactly that it became bearable. The watch answered a question he had circled since childhood: if the world always exceeds your grasp, can you still know, to the min...
Monochrome
For over a decade, Massena LAB has been a creative platform where contemporary horology meets historical inspiration. Founded by William Massena, a longtime figure in the independent watch scene and former Managing Director of TimeZone.com, the studio has earned a reputation for collaborative, limited-edition projects with some of the most talented watchmakers of our time, […]
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On this channel, we review watches that are available for purchase on TeddyBaldassarre.com
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