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Results for Snowflake Hands

3,923 articles · 385 videos found · page 89 of 144

Hands-On: Forty-Eight Hours with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo Worn & Wound
Hublot Spirit Oct 27, 2023

Hands-On: Forty-Eight Hours with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Ceramic Carbon Beige Camo

If you’ve listened to the podcast, follow me on Instagram, read what I write here on the website, or even have just had a five minute conversation with me about something innocuous, like who makes the best fast food cheeseburger, there’s a good chance you already know that I’ve kind of become obsessed with Hublot. I try not to waste an opportunity to be sure people know that to overlook this brand on the basis of their perception in the larger watch community is to be, frankly, a snob. I don’t much care for snobs, or gatekeeping, or for not looking beyond the surface of a particular watch or brand, so the widespread Hublot-hate that cuts across the watch community is a continued annoyance.  Because the thing is, Hublot is very good at doing what they set out to do, and judging them on the merits of fulfilling their intention seems like the only fair way to evaluate them, or any brand for that matter. Hublot, as it exists today, is essentially a brand full of statement pieces, but made with intention and a real focus on materials. The common gripes that they’re gaudy, or over-the-top, or even overpriced miss the point entirely. They are exactly what they are supposed to be. For a watch to be “gaudy” it would have to be so unintentionally, and as far as I’m concerned, a watch that’s over-the-top should wear that attribute as a strength.  As much I like and admire Hublot for being a weird mix between class clown, Rebel Without a Cause, and, I don’t know,...

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[VIDEO] Hands-On: The Surprising Zenith Pilot Automatic Worn & Wound
Zenith Pilot Automatic Zenith has Oct 18, 2023

[VIDEO] Hands-On: The Surprising Zenith Pilot Automatic

Zenith has taken a methodical approach to fleshing out the collections of their 4 families of watches, balancing a weighty heritage against an ethos that forces progress. How they’ve gone about this has been the subject of several of our reviews, and even editorials about the brand’s more recent history. Their newest collection of watches, released earlier this year at Watches & Wonders, explores another realm of the brand’s past: pilot watches. Zenith first filed a trademark for the French term “Pilote” in 1888, decades before the Wright brothers made history in Kitty Hawk, and to this day are the only brand permitted to print the word on the dial (they trademarked the English word “Pilot” in 1904). Zenith has made some unforgettable pilot watches in their day (the A3822 being a personal favorite), but it’s been many years since they’ve done so in a way that’s captured modern enthusiasts.  Zenith has a checkered recent past when it comes to pilot watches, with releases dotted through the 20-teens not quite hitting the notes they needed to lay the groundwork for a permanent collection in the same way their classic sport watches have. But then, Pilot watches are a different breed altogether. Zenith’s approach with their newest collection of Pilot watches feels very different from those recent efforts, and feels like a genuine, modern approach to building a collection with some legs. To get a better sense of that direction, we spent some time with the ...

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Hands On: Louis Vuitton x Rexhep Rexhepi LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton x Rexhep Rexhepi LVRR-01 Oct 10, 2023

Hands On: Louis Vuitton x Rexhep Rexhepi LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie

In an unexpected movement, Louis Vuitton and Akrivia have just announced the Louis Vuitton x Rexhep Rexhepi LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie. Reflecting the collaborative nature of the watch, it has two faces – the tinted sapphire dial for the time and a fired enamel dial on the back for the chronograph. The LVRR-01 also boasts an unusual combination of complications: a chronograph with a chiming mechanism that strikes once every elapsed minute, along with a five-minute tourbillon – and a constant-force gear train. [NB: The watch pictured is one of two prototypes so the finishing, particularly the cleanliness of the movement, is not up to par.] Technically-minded enthusiasts will appreciate the sophistication of the movement, since the chronograph and sonnerie are driven by secondary barrel and going train that is effectively a one-minute constant force mechanism. Limited to 10 watches, the LVRR-01 is the first of a series of five collaborative projects between Louis Vuitton and independent watchmakers. The next project will be revealed in a year’s time, with the subsequent projects following the same annual timetable. Initial thoughts The LVRR-01 has the heft and gleam of a finely made watch. The chamfered edges on the platinum case immediately catch the eye, particularly because of the contrast with the brushed surfaces, and then the movement finishing becomes apparent through sapphire crystal. In fact, the smoked sapphire crystal perhaps obscures too much of the...

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Hands-On: the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Automatic in Rose Gold Worn & Wound
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Automatic Oct 6, 2023

Hands-On: the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Automatic in Rose Gold

Something I think about quite a bit in this hobby is the idea that the watches we wear are often just part of a costume that we’re presenting to the outside world. They exist as aspirational symbols of what we’d like our life to be. There’s a cosplay aspect to wearing certain watches that I’m never quite able to shake, even watches I love. I wear, on most days, either a pilot’s watch or a diver, and I don’t fly a plane and I don’t even really like to swim. I wear these watches because I genuinely enjoy them as watches, but I’d be lying if a small part of me didn’t feel like a pretender, a guy asking himself who he thinks he’s kidding with this super tactical pilot’s instrument strapped to his wrist. I’ve never felt that feeling more acutely than in my time with the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Automatic in rose gold. This watch, let’s just say, is not in my normal wheelhouse. While I appreciate it aesthetically (in fact, I find it quite beautiful) it’s not the kind of thing I’d choose to wear. But more than that, this watch is part of a micro-genre of watches that is very specific, one that I’m fascinated by, but am personally so far removed from, I am legitimately probably closer to the pilot walking into the US Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program than I am the dude who this watch was made for.  The Tonda PF Sport Auto is part of a class of watches I think of as “leisure sport,” with a heavy emphasis on the leisure. Th...

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Hands-On: the Isotope Hydrium California Worn & Wound
Isotope Hydrium California Isotope initially Sep 28, 2023

Hands-On: the Isotope Hydrium California

Isotope initially piqued my interest two years ago with their uniquely design-forward Hydrium “Will Return” dive watch. This timepiece was intentionally crafted to resemble the iconic “Will Return” sign often seen in shop windows, and its “Why not?” approach left a lasting impression on me.  Fast forward two years, and Isotope, founded in 2016 by José and Joana Miranda and headquartered in England, has expanded its Hydrium line with the Hydrium California. This watch, like its predecessors, boldly defies the conventions of typical dive watches, drawing inspiration from Isotope’s own heritage as much as from classic dive watches from the past century.  $1115 Hands-On: the Isotope Hydrium California Case Stainless steel Movement Landeron Automatic Dial Black Lume Yes Lens Sapphire Strap FKM Rubber Water Resistance 300 meters Dimensions 40 x 48mm Thickness 12.9mm Lug Width 22mm Crown Screw down Warranty Yes Price $1115 When the Hydrium Califonia first arrived the first thing I noticed was its case. The starkly uniform bead-blasted finish, which reduces the risk of unwanted reflections that may attract predators during ocean adventures according to Isotope, immediately let me know I could expect this quirky dive watch to be utilitarian not only by design, but also in practice.  I eagerly strapped it to my wrist and, despite its generous thickness of 14.9mm, including the double-domed Sapphire Crystal, was pleased to learn that it wears true to its 40 mm diame...

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Hands-On: the Manime La Fidele Worn & Wound
Baltic Serica Beaubleu Sep 26, 2023

Hands-On: the Manime La Fidele

It takes a certain courage and determination to start a watch brand. One has to articulate his or her vision into three-dimensional, complex, and mechanical objects. I sometimes struggle to transfer thoughts and ideas about watches to paper, let alone deal with prototypes, source components, and market the final product. In order to get our attention, one must also offer something that is familiar while being different, well-made but not too expensive. If the watch looks too much like something we’ve seen before, we tend to shoot it down. If it comes attached to a price tag orbiting that of fashion watches, we frown at it. So, perhaps we should celebrate the efforts brands put out on an almost daily basis to bring us new watches, as many of us wouldn’t be able to do the same.  In that spirit, today we’re going to take a look at the second model from a young French brand called Manime. The model in question is La Fidèle (“The Loyal One” in French) which is the founder’s take on the popular genre of sport watches with integrated bracelets.  Manime was founded in 2020 by Edouard Paris, a countryman based out of Thailand. I say countryman because I was born and raised in France, a country which was put back on the horological map ten years ago thanks to popular brands in the likes of Baltic, Serica, Beaubleu and Yema. I may (obviously) be biased here but I believe that French watches come with a certain aesthetic that leans strongly towards elegance and sobriety...

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Hands-On: the D1 Milano Polycarbon Sketch Worn & Wound
Seiko VJ21 Dial Matte black Sep 25, 2023

Hands-On: the D1 Milano Polycarbon Sketch

At this point in my watch collecting journey, most of my purchases are considered. They are often the result of months, or even years, of planning, or simply waiting until the planets align and the rarest of pieces comes up for sale. However, I’m gleeful to see that sometimes I can still be blindsided by a new release and find that my fingers have entered my card details even before my brain has realized what’s happening. That’s how the Polycarbon ‘Sketch’ from D1 Milano ended up in my watch box. It’s cheap and cheerful, but is it good value? After a close examination, I’m still happy. Looking at D1 Milano’s online catalog of watches, most play heavily on the current integrated-bracelet sports watch trend, and it would be fair to say that some models are influenced rather heavily by other luxury watches. The Polycarbon series, for example, features an 8-sided bezel and overall vibe that definitely brings a specific, more expensive, watch to mind. What has drawn me to this particular variant though, is not the likeness it bears to anything else, but the immediate impact it has and individuality it displays. It just so happens that the case, bezel and bracelet lines on show here, whether original or not, make a great canvas for the sketch effect that D1 Milano has embellished it with. $195 Hands-On: the D1 Milano Polycarbon Sketch Case Polycarbonate, soft-touch coating Movement Seiko VJ21 Dial Matte black Lume None Lens Mineral Strap Polycarbonate, soft-touch...

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Hands-On: Fleux Skin Divers Balance Throwback Inspiration with Modern Vibes Worn & Wound
Sep 12, 2023

Hands-On: Fleux Skin Divers Balance Throwback Inspiration with Modern Vibes

We love seeing watches that break free of the well established genre specific design codes, offering an original perspective that doesn’t necessarily take the beaten path. When it comes to dive watch in particular, this can be a challenge, though it can indeed be done. The dive watch template is simple and straightforward, making it especially challenging to carve a unique path, which often happens in subtle ways. This is a genre with a deep and easily recognizable heritage, and many new watches and watch brands tend to lean on these a bit too heavily, creating a somewhat homogeneous landscape of divers. The watches we’re looking at today from Fleux, are no exception, however they do bring something unique to the table at the same time.  The watches are the FLX001 and FLX002, a pair of skin divers that offer a perfectly comfortable design at a glance, sitting well within that dive watch archetype mold. There is clear old-school inspiration at work, but there’s a modern sheen applied that manages to find a pleasant balance between the inspiration, and the forward looking intent. These watches manage this in a manner that can be tricky to put a finger on, meaning it feels relatively organic in the process, and somewhat retro-futuristic as a side effect. A fact first tipped off by the brand’s motto: “vintage inspired; continually new”. $450 Hands-On: Fleux Skin Divers Balance Throwback Inspiration with Modern Vibes Case Stainless Steel Movement SII SH38A Automati...

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Hands-On: the Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Worn & Wound
Sep 8, 2023

Hands-On: the Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph

Originally introduced in the early 1930s, Lebois & Co was a brand that flew a bit under the radar for most of its original existence. Based out of France, the brand began making fine Swiss-made timepieces which were used regularly in the military. After going out of business in 1972, the brand sat dormant for 40 years or so, coming back into the world thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. The new stewards of the brand kept much of what made Lebois & Co what it was - quality Swiss manufacturing, and handsome designs. After a few years of crowdfunding, Lebois decided to keep the crowd involved in the design and production in an interesting way. By creating their own “CoLAB” community, fans of the brand can have a direct say in what the next watch from Lebois would look like.  $2750 Hands-On: the Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Case Stainless steel Movement LC-450 manual wind column wheel chronograph Dial Silver / Salmon Lume None Lens Sapphire Strap Leather/Suede Water Resistance 50 meters Dimensions 39 x 47.35mm Thickness 10.5mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Push/Pull Warranty Yes Price $2750 That watch is what we’re looking at now - the Heritage Chronograph, a faithful reissue of Lebois & Co’s original chronograph watch from the 1940s. WIth several options open for voting, the people have spoken, and the watches here are a result of feedback from the community. It is really cool to be able to go back to the CoLAB page and see the number of votes and steps in ma...

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We Finally Got Our Hands on the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter, and Here’s a Video to Prove It Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter Sep 4, 2023

We Finally Got Our Hands on the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter, and Here’s a Video to Prove It

Ever see a watch and just can’t get it out of your head? Of course you have – it’s a common side effect of the hobby. Sometimes, for reasons we can’t quite wrap our arms around, a watch becomes something we fixate on. It could be uncommonly beautiful, or genuinely unique, or some combination of the two. Or it could be for an entirely different reason altogether. The point is: some watches have a way of lingering in our brains long after we’ve first seen them, and like a pop song that gets stuck in your head, sometimes you just have to give yourself over to it.  For Blake Buettner and Zach Kazan, few watches have come along in recent years that are more emblematic of this idea than the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter. It made its debut, somewhat under the radar, during Watches & Wonders 2022, and ever since then has been an object of obsession, mystery, and genuine fascination. It’s come up on the podcast, inspired editorials, and has taken up space in our brains rent free for months.  Recently, we finally were able to see one in the metal (actually, ceramic), so of course we wanted to document the experience on video. This strange watch, with a dial featuring a total of five timing scales in a layout that seems designed to intentionally make you think about “closing the rings” is without a doubt one of the weirdest new watches we’ve seen from a major brand in recent years. Is it a pilot’s watch? A doctor’s watch? A very manual health and fitness tra...

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[Hands-On] De Bethune Goes All Blue (Again) with New Kind of Blue DB28XP Worn & Wound
De Bethune Goes All Blue Again Sep 1, 2023

[Hands-On] De Bethune Goes All Blue (Again) with New Kind of Blue DB28XP

De Bethune is returning to their Kind of Blue concept within a new frame that combines the best of the DB28XP and the DB28 Kind of Blue to create the, you guessed it, DB28XP Kind of Blue. The new watch is trimmer than ever, and bluer than ever (insert Tobias joke here), and leans into the absolute best of DeBethune’s design language. It’s a smaller, thinner watch, but there’s still plenty of visual impact thanks to the wide frame that the lugs define. And as complex is it may look at a glance, at its core, there’s a very straightforward watch here.  The case and dial are made of thermally blued titanium with “microlight” pattern finish, and the result is stunning under any amount of light. It shifts between blue hues that pick up notes of purple at certain angles, and the finish creases a near liquid-metal appearance. All of this applied to the shapes and structures that De Bethune uses with the DB28 create an incredibly dramatic presence that will have you staring at the watch without a moment’s thought of the time. There are a set of hands reading off the hour and the minutes, but they feel secondary to the rest of the experience of this watch. De Bethune is using the thin, hand wound DB2115v12 movement with their own balance wheel, which is visible at the bottom of the dial, under the arch-like structure. The XP in the name denotes that this is an extra thin (plat) watch, and indeed it stands at just 8.5mm in thickness, but this isn’t a watch about the ...

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Hands-On: The Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB Worn & Wound
Massena Lab Massena LAB takes another Aug 30, 2023

Hands-On: The Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB

Massena LAB takes another big step this week with the introduction of a new collaboration with independent watchmaker, Sylvain Pinaud. The watch, a monopusher chronograph, is immensely impressive, shifting expectations around the collaborative space as a whole. We had the chance to meet Sylvain Pinaud in Geneva during Watches & Wonders 2022 at a space dedicated to the AHCI (The Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants), where his Origine watch made one of the strongest impressions of the entire week. The watch would go on to nab a GPHG award for Horological Revelation later that year. If you weren’t familiar with that watch, this latest effort should place him firmly on your radar. This project, done in collaboration with Massena LAB, uses Pinaud’s existing Monopoussoir Chronograph movement, and places it into a new platform with a slightly more classically designed 42mm titanium case. That case is how the collaboration began, with the new design coming at the request of William Massena himself. The process resulted in enough interest to create a limited run of 10 pieces. The watch itself makes an immediate impression, with an open dial revealing the beautifully finished chronograph works below. The movement, crafted by Pinaud, is hand wound, and features an integrated column wheel and horizontal clutch, which can be started, stopped, and rest all via the single button nestled discreetly within the crown at 3 o’clock. Turning the watch on its side reveals an...

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Hands-On: The Eucalyptus Green Ressence Type 3 EE Worn & Wound
Ressence Type 3 EE Aug 30, 2023

Hands-On: The Eucalyptus Green Ressence Type 3 EE

The Ressence Type 3 collection welcomes a new member this week with the introduction of the serene Type 3 EE. The brand continues to work in subtle and interesting green hues, following up on the sage Type 8S (reviewed here) with this rich eucalyptus green dial. It’s a slightly unconventional execution within the more dramatic Type 3 collection, which we’ve only seen rendered in black and soft white up to this point. In person, the green is a perfect companion to the Type 3’s primary accent colors and rotating dial sets. Given the case it’s set within, that green is given an oil filled canvas for maximum impact.  The Type 3 is one of two oil filled Ressence watches, along with the “world-proof” dive watch, the Type 5. The effect is remarkable in person, and one that I’ve always found core to the Ressence experience. The Type 3 EE features the eucalyptus green on both the font and back panel of the watch (hence the EE), and comes through brilliantly, as though it were painted directly on the crystal, thanks to the oil filled dial. The color is subtle but rich, somehow, and the colors used for the various displays have been desaturated enough to hit the same value scale as the green itself, so as not to create a distracting level of contrast. The Type 3 is on the maximalist side of Ressence, boasting the oil temperature gauge, a dial for the day of the week, and the date itself, on top of the hours, minutes, and seconds, of course. It all leads to a rather dra...

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[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Tudor FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Watches Worn & Wound
Tudor FXD Alinghi Red Bull Aug 25, 2023

[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Tudor FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Watches

When Tudor began teasing a new release over the summer, paired with a countdown clock planted in the wake of a passing boat, speculation quickly ended up in the usual places. A new steel BB58? A GMT Pelagos? Perhaps a regatta timer chronograph? As usual, these guesses ended up off the mark, with Tudor instead revealing a new pair of FXD watches made in conjunction with the Alinghi Red Bull Racing team. Along with them, a look at some wholly new features that will undoubtedly spur more predictions about what’s to come. After reviewing the FXD upon its launch in 2021, I’ve grown quite fond of the platform, as I often profess on the Worn & Wound podcast, but how well does it hold up in a different trim? The FXD is a watch that works better in person and on the wrist than it does on paper. It’s large and relatively flat stature that touts a lug to lug measurement north of 50mm thanks to a fixed lug design meaning only passthrough straps can be used. But it’s more than all that on the wrist. It wears slim and the widest bit of the lug is under a strap, so while it’s not as easy going as something like the Pelagos 39, it’s perfectly easy to get along with overall. On top of that, it’s got one of the most low-key interesting personalities of any of the mainline dive watches out there. Additionally, after having completed my open water dive certification with the FXD on my wrist every step of the way, I can attest to its qualities under the surface, as well (more on ...

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Hands-On: the Vero Smokey ’44 Worn & Wound
Seiko NH38A automatic Dial Black Aug 23, 2023

Hands-On: the Vero Smokey ’44

Just a few short weeks ago, Vero introduced their officially-licensed Smokey the Bear watches that were inspired not only by the bear himself, but the era in which he came into existence. Today, we’re taking a look at the Smokey ’44. It’s inspired by the military watches of the 1940s, blended with a wildfire-themed color palette and a depiction of the friendly-but-stern bear right at 12 o’clock on the dial. This officially-licensed piece of Smokey swag is a great representation of both Vero as a brand and what Smokey the Bear stands for. Vero isn’t all talk either, being that 10% of all sales go directly back to the US Forest Service for conservation efforts. Let’s take a closer look, and remember - only you can prevent wildfires. $450 Hands-On: the Vero Smokey ’44 Case Stainless steel Movement Seiko NH38A automatic Dial Black, textured Lume Green SuperLuminova Lens Sapphire Strap Leather + canvas Water Resistance 120 meters Dimensions 38 x 46mm Thickness 12mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Screw down Warranty 10 years Price $450 Case Clocking in at a comfortable 38mm, the case of the ’44 wears really well on my 6.75” wrist. There’s nothing overly notable about the case, and I say that in a good way. It’s a straightforward field watch with a sturdy case that inspires confidence that it’ll stand up to whatever you want to throw at it. With 120m of water resistance, the ’44 has more than enough protection from H2O for a swim and then some. I like how Vero c...

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