3,456 articles · 40 videos found · page 91 of 117
Revolution
It’s the small company with a big reputation: A. Lange & Söhne hit the ground running when it was revived by Walter Lange and Gunter Blümlein, and since then has gone from strength to strength, building both its reputation and a worldwide following of enthusiasts for whom the first name in ultra-high-end German watchmaking is […]
Revolution
Carole Forestier-Kasapi, director of fine watchmaking at Cartier has been an industry trailblazer since her tenure at Ulysse Nardin. Having overseen the high profile ID concept watch project, Forestier-Kasapi has addressed some of haute horology’s nagging issues namely- lubrication and energy loss in geared movements. Since production of the exemplary Cartier Astrotourbillon and the Rotonde […]
Deployant
Presenting the latest Urwerk…the UR210. Last week, I wrote about how cool Urwerk watches were, and featured the progression of cool from the early years to the UR210. Today’s post will provide some additional high resolution photographs of the UR201. I find the visual impact of the watch to be quite amazing. It looks likeRead More
Revolution
We don’t think about magnetic fields often and though they are thoroughly pervasive in our high technology environments, we tend to think of magnets as these little buttons of fun used to “hover and drag” metal cars across table tops. It’s time we grow out of childish notions and understand that magnetic fields are generated […]
Revolution
A new world-time watch from iwc, inspired by its highly coveted historical mark timepieces The enforced passivity of modern air travel has probably been responsible for more fantasies of actually sitting in the cockpit of a high-performance fighter jet than The Right Stuff, Top Gun and all of the Iron Eagle movies put together. But for […]
Deployant
The Gronefeld brothers in Holland are one of the secrets of high end horology. Independents, they were both trained in the stables of Renaud et Papi. And have been making their own watches, as well as contracting for others from their little workshop in The Netherlands. I had the opportunity to meet them several timesRead More
Deployant
As promised on Friday, here are the high resolution photographs of what was to me, the highlight of the show. The historically important Esmeralda, a wonderfully decorated, beautifully restored pocket watch tourbillon with three golden bridges. Historically important Girard Perregaux Pocket Watch with Three Golden Bridges And to give a flavour and spice to theRead More
Deployant
Girard Perregaux is one of the Grande Dames of horology…and this year, they celebrate their 220th anniversary. They are showcasing 220 years of watchmaking history and expertise in a travelling exhibition. I will cover the event and exhibition today, and next week, will present you with high resolution photographs of two of the most outstandingRead More
Deployant
Jaeger LeCoultre has been pushing the envelope of high horology for some time. With the Gyrotourbillon announced in 2004. The original series is produced in a platinum case, and I had the opportunity to photograph and view the final run of 30 pieces in rose gold. The Gyrotourbillon has grown more beautiful in its newRead More
Deployant
The Hamilton Watch Company is one with an illustrious history. Founded in Lancaster, Pensylvania in the US in 1892, nearly 120 years ago, it stood right at the forefront of high precision watchmaking. They focussed in those days principally in the production of railroad watches. Pocket watches which often with two timezones though sometimes onlyRead More
Worn & Wound
I occasionally have a hard time understanding why some brands are so popular. It’s not that they don’t deserve to do well, but I see brands that don’t seem to be doing anything much different from their peers, let alone special, yet are many times more hyped. Why does one Calatrava-esque watch with Breguet numerals outperform another? But with Ōtsuka Lōtec, I get it. In fact, I don’t just get it, I’ve fallen for it. Then again, Ōtsuka Lōtec isn’t like any other brand. Jiro Katayama, the brand’s founder and lead designer/watchmaker, works from a different playbook. Where other brands pursue finishing and neoclassical elegance, he seeks beauty in the raw and industrial. Inspired by analog machines, measuring instruments, gauges, and the industrial design of the pre-digital age, there is something rough and unintentional (though completely intentional) about his watches. Considering he taught himself watchmaking in a workshop nestled in Tokyo, there is a certain logic to this aesthetic. It’s not born in the farm-strewn hills of Jura, but rather in one of the densest cities in the world. Nor is his education from a lineage of tradition. You won’t find perlage or anglage; surfaces are typically raw, brushed metal, and rarely painted, with only the occasional red highlight. While potentially a love-it-or-leave-it aesthetic, it has resonated deeply with the watch community, touching on a pure joy of mechanics. But, there is more to it as well, as his watches...
Worn & Wound
The latest from Ming is a collaboration that I think most enthusiasts could never have predicted, but makes quite a bit sense when you take a few steps back and look at the participants from a high level. The new 37.06 Royal Selangor is a new limited edition made in partnership with Royal Selangor, the well known pewter manufacturer, by some accounts the largest in the world. Both brands have roots in Kuala Lumpur, and the collaboration took shape after Ming Thein helped a client collect his camera, reskinned by Royal Selangor in Malaysia. Thein and Royal Selangor CEO Yong Yoon Li shared a meal, and that was enough to generate the seeds of a collaborative watch. Pewter is not commonly used in watchmaking. Used since antiquity to craft a variety of objects including decorative metal items and tableware of all kinds, it is an alloy that is largely made from tin, which is highly malleable and has a low melting point. That makes it relatively easy to work with compared with some metal alloys, but the process is necessarily undertaken largely by hand, which opens up all kinds of craft opportunities which is what Royal Selangor excels at. Pewter does not generally tarnish or corrode, but it does develop a patina after long periods of use. The 37.06 Royal Selangor features a pewter dial with a hammered texture, similar to those used in Ming watches in the past. According to Ming, the filing, polishing, and finishing of pewter is all traditionally done by hand, even now at a tim...
SJX Watches
All timekeeping is astronomical in origin. Perhaps for this reason, clocks and watches capable of reproducing the movements of the heavens in miniature have long ranked among the highest expressions of horology. Astronomical complications mechanically encode vast celestial cycles into concise visual displays. Such mechanisms featured prominently in the collections of European monarchs and nobles, and later those of the industrialists and financiers who succeeded them as horology’s most ambitious patrons. The Vacheron Constantin Copernicus Celestial Spheres depicts the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun, resulting in a calendar of sorts read against the signs of the zodiac. Yet many astronomical complications are based on principles that have been understood for thousands of years, and are often simpler — mechanically speaking — than more commonplace complications like chronographs. The tension between their relatively straightforward operation and their profound historical meaning makes them difficult to place within the traditional hierarchy of complications. This calls into question whether such a hierarchy even exists. Time comes from above Long before the development of mechanical clocks, humans attempted to relate the passage of time to observations of the heavens. The rising and setting of the Sun, the changing phase of the Moon, and the return of the seasons helped determine when to plant, harvest, travel and perform religious ceremonies. A fragment ...
WatchAdvice
Vacheron Constantin have bolstered their 34.5mm collection, but is ‘small’ the new ‘mid-size?’ Let’s find out! What We Love: A compact but unisex sizing Remarkable quality-of-life features Gorgeous red dial What We Don’t: A big ask for a small watch No Geneva Seal on the movement Can 34.5mm be considered midsize? Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 10/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 The effects of a shrinking watch world have been felt across all brands. No, not ‘shrinking’ as in fewer watches, but rather the growing trend towards smaller case sizes. Everyone from the highest levels of luxury to the most obscure microbrands has shifted to accommodate the change, and, as a result, it has redefined what constitutes a ‘small’, ‘medium’, or ‘large’ watch. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence in the industry. In the past, even 40mm designs were often referred to as ‘jumbo’. As proportionality has become a greater priority for consumers, it has become just as important for watch brands. Vacheron Constantin, despite its age, has proven remarkably adept at responding to these shifts. In 2023, the brand introduced a new 34.5mm size to its flagship Overseas collection. Sitting between the significantly smaller 30mm models and the more traditionally masculine 41mm cases, the 34.5mm joins the collection as its ‘mid-size’ offering. It’s an unusual size for a watch, especially one positioned as the middle ground within...
Hodinkee
Happy Friday, everyone, and I hope you're all staying busy during summer's dog days, perhaps seeing The Odyssey or reading about Milsubs (please note I'm including that not because I have any dog in that fight, just found it interesting). Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Hermès Caleche sold, the Angelus chronograph passed, the Rolex GMT Master II SARU remains available, as does the Bulova White Princ. The Goldberger collection auctions tomorrow. Strays Photo courtesy Weiss Auctions. If you're into impossible projects, here's a decent-looking Heuer 3647T that's missing its outer seconds track. If you know your Carreras, you know that track's actually a tension ring, and you likely also know it's gonna be quite a search indeed to find another, but here at BAL, we scoff at impossible projects. If you'd prefer to chase your own vintage Tudor Ranger rather than buy one of the ones highlighted two weeks back, have at it. For the completist who'd like every last horological oddity, I present this Pigeon Timer. I'm including this Movado M90 not because it's without flaw, but because it's already been bid up to $3750 at the time of writing, which seems high for what's likely mostly a parts watch (that dial can't be original, right?). Please, experts, weigh in in the comments. Finally, here's a wonderful Omega Ranchero. A few weeks back I highlighted an Omega Railmaster (there's another of those up this week, too). I'm highlighting each of them simply because they're so often...
Fratello
It’s been a little over four years since Swatch and Omega surprised us with the MoonSwatch. The hype was tremendous after the official announcement that the two brands would release a series of Bioceramic watches inspired by the iconic Speedmaster. Four years later, the hype might have died down somewhat, but people are still interested […] Visit The Top 5 Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch Models to read the full article.
WristBuzz
It is July, wrists have grown, and half the industry still ships bracelets without on-the-fly micro-adjust. A serious question, delivered with love.
Monochrome
Many don’t realise just how complicated casebacks have become. Whether they’re contributing to high water resistance, displaying the movement or becoming part of the case itself, casebacks aren’t simply covers snapped on the back (although those do exist, of course). There are several ways to attach them to the case, and each method has a […]
Worn & Wound
Many watches have been named for athletes, explorers, and artists, mostly to boost an air of sportiness, robustness, or sophistication. Still, it’s hard to imagine a more appropriate arena for a wristwatch than the field science as a whole; British brand Bremont agrees, and to celebrate one of the most famous and culturally pervasive scientists of the past two centuries, they have created the Supernova Hawking Limited Edition, named for preeminent thinker, Professor Stephen Hawking. Known more for their mil-spec pieces, Bremont may seem like a strange choice for such a namesake watch, but given their status as a British brand of repute, it makes sense that they’d want to showcase a fellow English pioneer. The base of the Hawking is the Supernova, first launched in April of this year, and boasting a 41mm ultra black DLC-treated steel case with multilayered construction. The geometric aesthetic of the case, pushers, and crown, reflect Hawking’s work in the space engineering field—most notably his groundbreaking research into black holes. Black watches have had a bit of a renaissance as of late, and wear well with almost any other color, so the choice here makes sense from a source-of-inspiration standpoint, as well as an aesthetic one. A black decahedral ceramic bezel surrounds the dial, which in turn features an interlocking, galvanic black grid motif with triangular pathways, inspired by the design of solar arrays. Two meteorite subdials adorn the dial, at 3 an...
SJX Watches
A recent design patent filing gives us a sneak peek at a mechanical clock from the most unexpected source, Rolex. Last year Rolex debuted the Submariner desk clock; the new clock is more ambitious, an inclined plane clock. In other words, a rolling Rolex. Notably, prototypes of this clock have already been produced: two were on show at the Rolex stand during Watches & Wonders 2026. One sat in the lobby on an upper floor, and another was in chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour’s office. No photos were allowed of either, a rule strictly enforced by eagle-eyed security guards. The inclined plane clock, sometimes also known as a gravity clock, will be Rolex’s first in-house mechanical desk clock that’s commercially available, and its first skeletonised movement, in a minimalist, architectural package. While yet unnamed, Rolex filed a trademark application for “Haplos” within a few weeks of the design patent. Initial thoughts Twenty twenty-five was dominated by clocks, kicking off with a production version of Patek Philippe’s 31-day desk clock, crescendoing with Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête Du Temps. Even Rolex joined in unexpectedly, with a Submariner desk clock. The adorable Submariner-Date-inspired desk clock. Yes, the bezel is ceramic. No, it does not rotate. But Rolex seems to have more ambitious plans for its desk clock project, including a skeletonised inclined plane clock. A recently published Swiss design patent application gives us a clearer look at t...
Worn & Wound
For better or worse, but likely worse, I have always attempted to be an iconoclast. When the iPod debuted, I eschewed it for an oddball Korean MP3 player, which I loaded up with nu-metal at a time when all my fellow high school students were evolving into emo kids. I shamelessly drive a 38-year old Saab instead of the Porsche that I thought I could own by this age. And it’s a mentality that has extended into my watch enthusiasm as well: whenever the perennially popular Omega Speedmaster Professional sometimes seems like one of the only watches that exists among enthusiasts and lifestyle publications alike, I look at Omega’s adjacent, oddball chronographs that were in development around the same time as the moon landing. Such as the Flightmaster: an Omega chronograph which also has an enviable space legacy, hewn from a single block of Swedish steel, same as the aforementioned Saab. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Blake Z. Rong (@bzrong) But it’s the Speedmaster’s sequel that commands my attention: once envisioned as a permanent successor to the Moonwatch, the Mark II Speedmaster is as bold as any seventies chronograph, worthy of the original’s lofty aspirations. I came across this watch at Theo’s Haberdashery, a recently-opened vintage shop that highlights vintage Americana. Think woolen pennants for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Playboy matchbook covers, turquoise jewelry and custom-rolled cigars, complete with a 1950s Dodge flatbed truck parke...
Worn & Wound
As Christopher Ward has grown in stature in recent years, it’s their most ambitious watches that have resonated the most with me, personally. Nothing against the Sealanders, Tridents, and the like, but the brand has really become interesting to me with watches like the Bel Canto and the Loco, and even the more artistic, design forward stuff like the C1 Moonphase. The Twelve collection falls into a middle ground, of sorts. The Loco, their most avant-garde watch, is built on the Twelve platform, but at its core it’s a fairly straightforward (though incredibly well made) integrated bracelet sports watch, something the hobby is not exactly in short supply of these days. But they occasionally stretch the bounds of the Twelve, exploring a variety of materials, ultra-thin case designs, and even finishing techniques. And that brings us to the latest release from the UK based brand, the all new The Twelve Xander, a 150 piece limited edition made in collaboration with The Dial Artist, otherwise known as Chris Alexander. Chris has been expanding his portfolio as of late, after getting his start in the watch world adding custom, graffiti inspired art to off-the-shelf watches. He’s now an in-demand collaborator, having worked with brands like Holthinrichs on completely original dial designs and executions. What makes this new project somewhat different is that there’s no actual “dial” for The Dial Artist to paint. The Twelve X is fully skeletonized, so Chris has added h...
Hodinkee
Double tourbillons, quadruple tourbillons, movements assembled with such three-dimensional ambition that they sit like sci-fi architecture on the wrist, every time I have a Greubel Forsey in hand, I'm reminded just how much the brand operates in its own lane. Yet there has always been something faintly contradictory about the Balancier 3, the model the brand first introduced in 2023 as its most moderate, most structurally legible entry point. With three bridges, a clean balance, no tourbillon, and no theatre, the Balancier 3 on paper is reserved. And yet my first thought with this recently released version on the wrist is that even a restrained Greubel Forsey is a startling object. Balanced beautifully between spotlighting its technicality and marrying that with a new execution, this might be the brand's simplest watch on paper, but it is not, by any reasonable measure, a simple watch. The Balancier 3 has been with us for three years now, and with this latest edition, the large central bridge has been hand-frosted across its entire curved surface. The result is a deep, matte texture, the kind of pronounced surface that a machine couldn't lay down convincingly on a shape this complex, running from the edge of the movement between one and two o'clock down to the seconds between seven and eight. Around it, the balance and barrel bridges remain in a bright, polished titanium, producing an incredibly captivating contrast of reflection and depth. Then there is the blue, worked i...
SJX Watches
This weekend, the United States marks its 250th Independence Day — the perfect opportunity to reflect on recent American contributions to the field of horology. On episode 43 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss the latest entry in this field — the Liberty 250 from 1776 Atelier — and break down the claim that 90% of its components are manufactured in the US. The conversation also discusses RGM and J.N. Shapiro — brands that have contributed substantially to contemporary American watchmaking. Finally, to look into the future we go back to school by visiting the Watch Technology Institute in Seattle — the last remaining full-time public watchmaking programme in the US capable of granting a major certification. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Hodinkee
Roy Davidoff has spent a life keeping up with the time. Born into a family of jewelers and a youth spent in Geneva, followed by a move to Miami, watches have been a constant throughout his professional career. Roy Davidoff (Photo Courtesy Cartier). A return to Switzerland saw stints at brands including Bovet and Jacob & Co., before becoming a dealer of vintage and pre-owned with his brother and the launch of their business - Roy & Sacha Davidoff SA - more than a decade ago. The fraternal duo gained prominence as dealers and experts regarding the Omega Speedmaster - a specialized section of the vintage market that has most certainly had its ups and downs. A respected name and authority in the industry, Davidoff most recently served as a jury member for The Cartier Prize For Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow, where, alongside fellow judges including Kari Voutilainen, were tasked with making selections for creations from European watchmaking students who were chosen for their technical and artistic interpretations reconsidering different ways to tell time. Davidoff's role as a dealer and collector demands deep knowledge and constantly taking the pulse of the secondary market, shifting tastes, and changing demands. At the high-end and elite level, the market has changed, Davidoff says, as many collectors seek assurance and certainty in modern, independent brands and watchmakers. He's candid, enthusiastic, and dedicated to the Swiss industry, where he's found a place amon...
Worn & Wound
I don’t really have a ton of evidence to support this, but I have a vague sense that clocks are maybe about to have a moment. There seem to be some signs. There’s the Audemars Piguet x Swatch collaboration, which, for all the ink spilled about the disaster of a rollout, has the potential (still!) to be a big pop culture moment this year, and I have a feeling many future owners of the Royal Pop will use it as a desk clock in some fashion. There was the recent launch of a new Horological Machine from MB&F; which is, basically, a big robot clock. Earlier this year, a real highlight of the Louis Vuitton slate was a clock made in partnership with L’Epée (also a collaborator on the MB&F;). It just seems like an unusual amount of clock activity, coupled with a similarly unusual amount of interest in said clocks. That leads me to one of the more unexpected and interesting things I’ve seen from Timex in a bit, the new Waterbury America 250 Table Clock. Part of a series of releases commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the clock draws on classic pocket watch design language and is a pretty attractive hunk of stainless steel that I think would look good on many a desk, whether it belongs to a watch lover or not. The clock case is a mix of brushed and polished steel, with star accents along the caseband and a guilloche engraving with a gold tone emblem on the retractable lid. A button on the side of the case releases the lid ...
Monochrome
Swiss watch exports have been volatile for some time. Sluggish, oscillating between highs and lows, they reflect a global environment marked by uncertainty – not least because China, once the engine and Eldorado of the industry, has slowed down significantly. In this context, some analysts – armed with Excel spreadsheets, demographic curves and rising purchasing […]
Worn & Wound
Citizen is one of those brands that conjures a certain image in the mind of a watch collector as soon as you utter the brand name. The watches, for the most part, are pretty ubiquitous, and the brand name is easily recognized by most people who have ever shopped for a watch at a department store, or noticed an advertisement in a magazine. Which is to say, they are huge, and make watches that are largely appealing to a broad swath of the public, which in turn means that many of them are affordable or at least accessible. But it would be a mistake to diminish Citizen as simply a brand that produces affordable mall watches. Their size means that not only do they play a significant role in the mass market and enthusiast watch spaces, but that they have the resources to operate at the higher end as well. My favorite example of this, by far, is Citizen’s “The Citizen” line of watches. We’ve covered these many times before (I reviewed one here), and while they are somewhat awkwardly named, they do a great job of distilling with I think Citizen really is at their best, marrying competent manufacturing, their own Eco-Drive technology, and some cultural references to Japan that actually make sense in the context of the watch and how it works. As part of the brand’s ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of Eco-Drive, Citizen has just announced a new limited edition version of The Citizen, reference AQ4094-58L. It follows the format of many of the previous iteratio...
Monochrome
Make a list of independent watchmakers working outside Switzerland, highlight the most fascinating ones, and Dutch creator Machiel Hulsman will be among them. After leaving a career in IT, Hulsman dedicated himself to watchmaking, gradually acquiring the expertise required to design and manufacture complete movements from scratch, and to produce watches that are all one-of-a-kind […]
Time+Tide
Historic water-resistance pioneers Mido have refreshed their Ocean Star 200 with an all-new case, dial and bracelet.
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