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5,022 articles · 46 videos found · page 94 of 169

HANDS-ON: The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni brings a new case finish to the collection Time+Tide
Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni brings Sep 3, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni brings a new case finish to the collection

Panerai are generally not a brand to depart from their established successes, usually riffing around the same ideas for years with subtle tweaks and colour options. That’s not a bad thing by any means, as the jumbo-sized cushion case watches are as iconic as they come. However, every now and again, they break some new … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni brings a new case finish to the collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

[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 ...

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...

Opinion: Selling Points that Don’t Sell Me Part II – Deal Breakers, Pet Peeves, and Collecting Authentically Worn & Wound
Urwerk s Aug 30, 2023

Opinion: Selling Points that Don’t Sell Me Part II – Deal Breakers, Pet Peeves, and Collecting Authentically

What makes watches so expensive? It’s a question enthusiasts ask themselves at the beginning of their horological journeys, and later on, a question we find ourselves answering from curious friends and family. The answer comes down to options. Not all watches are powered by in-house movements, but some are. And if that’s what you’re into, companies will ask you to chip in for the research and development required to develop a new caliber. Likewise, not all watches go through extra testing to confirm accuracy to a few seconds per day. But if that level of reliability is a priority for you, plenty of brands are willing to provide that service for a fee. With enough rationalizing, it’s easy to see how even six digit price tags offer fair value. On the other end of the spectrum, if those options that increase MSRP don’t excite you, then maybe a one watch collection of a single $15 Casio F91W makes the most sense…but where’s the fun in that? For most of us, myself included, the sweet spot lies somewhere between the Casios and the Urwerks of the world. In the previous installment of Selling Point that Don’t Sell Me I explored what options excite me on my personal quest for quality on a budget. But enjoying watches at modest price points doesn’t mean I can’t still be picky. And so, for this installment of Selling Points that Don’t Sell Me, I’ve compiled my personal list of deal breakers and pet peeves. This list is less focused on keeping costs low, and mo...

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...

Louis Erard and The Horophile Collaborate on a Sleek Art Deco Inspired Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Aug 29, 2023

Louis Erard and The Horophile Collaborate on a Sleek Art Deco Inspired Limited Edition

If you had told me a few weeks ago that Louis Erard’s new collaboration with Amr Sindi, AKA, The Horophile, would be an Art Deco inspired watch with a quite literal approximation of the Empire State Building within the handset, I probably would have let out an audible groan. Not because I don’t have faith in Louis Erard (their run of limited editions over the past few years is basically a parade of nonstop hits) or The Horophile (whose Instagram feed reveals his exceptional taste), but because it just all seems so on-the-nose. Art Deco inspired designs are a pretty niche interest in 2023, but calling out the Empire State Building, perhaps the single most well known symbol of the design and architecture movement as a major point of reference, seems to me like a recipe for something that you’d find in the building’s gift shop. Well, I should have known better. Because the new watch from Louis Erard is beautifully subtle, and surprisingly modern in its sensibility.  The Petite Seconde Metropolis incorporates a number of Art Deco hallmarks into a clean design that takes advantage of a Louis Erard platform that we’re starting to see used more frequently. As you might expect given the Art Deco themes, there was a large focus on the typeface used for the hours around the dial’s perimeter. Each numeral is very subtly “openworked,” and they’re presented in an uncommon circular fashion, which mimics the circular motif at the dial’s center. Importantly, these hou...

Bravur Releases the La Vuelta III, the Third and Final Leg in their 2023 Grand Tour Series Worn & Wound
Bravur Aug 29, 2023

Bravur Releases the La Vuelta III, the Third and Final Leg in their 2023 Grand Tour Series

This past weekend, the cycling world turned its attention to Spain for the start of the Vuelta a España. One the most prestigious Grand Tours, the Vuelta takes riders through the Pyrenees as they race towards Madrid over the course of 23 days. At the end of the race, which consists of 21 day-long stages, the rider with the lowest aggregate time is crowned the winner and wears the famous red jersey. While the watch world is often linked to motorsports, we have seen meaningful partnerships with cycling as of late. To commemorate the start of this year’s Vuelta, Sweden-based Bravur Watches has released its third and final addition to the Grand Tour chronograph series, the La Vuelta III. Housed in a 38.2mm (46.3mm lug-to-lug) PVD-coated stainless steel case, the new Vuelta III really leans into using red accents to both pay homage to the Vuelta lead jersey and establish a distinct aesthetic. The subdials – seconds at nine, hours at six, and minutes at three o-clock – are framed in red and recessed in a lower layer, as is the triangle at twelve o-clock (which Bravur says represents the flag at 1 km remaining). In another nod to cycling, the red band around the edge of the dial is subtly textured to resemble racing tires.  Inside beats the Sellita SW511, an automatic chronograph movement that features Côte de Genéve and perlé decoration, rhodium plating, and heated blue screws. Owners can full-send on the red theme by pairing the watch with a red rubber strap or pare ...

[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 ...

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...

HANDS-ON: The Briston Streamliner Urban and its retro-modern inspiration Time+Tide
Cartier Baume & Mercier Aug 23, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Briston Streamliner Urban and its retro-modern inspiration

After working for lofty brands such as Cartier, Baume & Mercier, and Zenith, Brice Jaunet needed to forge his own path. Briston was founded to be the culmination of his experience, as well as a blend of French and British styles to represent both his homeland and university days. Small watch brands can sometimes struggle … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Briston Streamliner Urban and its retro-modern inspiration appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 is horology over hype Time+Tide
Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 Aug 22, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 is horology over hype

Much of today’s focus in watches revolves around hype pieces, at least in the mainstream. Breguet, however, has zero concern for hype – their total focus and effort is devoted to horology in the traditional style of their namesake. Therefore they do not bend to trends, or cut corners. It is as if with everything … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 is horology over hype appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Glasgow’s Paulin Returns with the Modul, Available in Quartz and Mechanical Versions Worn & Wound
Casio nal collaborators Aug 21, 2023

Glasgow’s Paulin Returns with the Modul, Available in Quartz and Mechanical Versions

For watch enthusiasts, some big news out of Scotland this month: Paulin Watches, the Glasgow based brand that this year marks a decade in business, has been acquired by anOrdain, fellow Glaswegians and occasional collaborators. This, quite obviously, begins a new chapter for Paulin, a brand that has long been a favorite of ours here at Worn & Wound for their quirky and contemporary designs. The reboot happens under the watch of Imogen Ayers, a founding member of the anOrdain team, and Paulin’s Creative Director. Right out of the gate, they’ve introduced a new watch that signals a new direction, offering some hints about where the brand is heading.  The new watch, dubbed the Paulin Modul, is so named because it was inspired by the very concept of modular design. The Paulin team, having sourced a variety of unused vintage movements and not being certain of what types of calibers they’d have access to in the future, wanted to create a watch that could accommodate those different movements. This is a fairly radical idea, as anyone who has lamented slightly changed (usually increased) case dimensions following a movement “upgrade” in a product line can attest. For the Modul, the movement, dial, and hands are placed within a watertight, steel inner case, which is then attached to a steel outer case via a pair of screws on both sides. The cushion shaped case measures 35mm in diameter and is just 8.2mm tall.   To drive the modular point home, the Modul is available wi...

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Citizen Aug 18, 2023

[VIDEO] All the Panels and Podcasts from Windup Watch Fair Chicago

Couldn’t make it to Venue West for last month’s Windup Watch Fair Chicago? We’ve got you covered. Not only can you find a photo recap and video of the entire event right here, you can now view the panels and podcasts from the event as well. Time On Screen LIVE!: Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood presented by Citizen In celebration of the release of the reimagined Citizen Promaster Tsuno Chrono 50th Anniversary Edition, we dig into Quentin Tarantino’s critically acclaimed ninth film, Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood. Zach Kazan, Editor at Worn & Wound and host of the Time On Screen podcast, is joined by Neall Brick, Director of Merchandising at Citizen Watch America, and Kyle Snarr, Head of Partnerships at Worn & Wound, to tackle this other famous reimagining. We Love The 90s The 90s! You remember the 90s. Or maybe you don’t? Either way, you’re probably aware of the cultural touchstones of the era. Jurassic Park, The Discman, Dial-up internet. It was a complicated, but innocent time, and the watches of the era reflect that. For many of us, the watches of the 90s are the very first watches we had a real connection to, way before social media could even hint that we might actually be watch enthusiasts. In this conversation with Blake Buettner, Managing Editor and Zach Kazan, Sr. Editor at Worn & Wound, as well as Gabe Reilly, Co-founder and Creative Director at Collective Horology, we’ll discuss the watch era that shaped and molded us, whether we realize it or ...

Allure and Architecture – Patek Philippe Dome Clocks SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Dome Clocks Aug 17, 2023

Allure and Architecture – Patek Philippe Dome Clocks

A fixture in the Patek Philippe catalogue in the second half of the 20th century, the Dome Clock can nonetheless be considered a rather odd creation when juxtaposed against the main product lineup. Still today, the company seems rather keen on prolonging and even strengthening a product range that, otherwise, should have gone extinct decades ago. A few years after being introduced, Dome Clocks – formally known as Pendulette Dôme – began to appear as unique pieces with an unreasonable amount of exceptional artistic handwork mainly based on cloisonné enamel. And even though the timekeeping mechanism housed inside evolved over the years, it also became secondary, while its unusual and particular shape remained a unique artistic canvas becoming inextricably intertwined with Patek Philippe itself. The influence of accuracy, precision and Observatory Competitions Following the period where prestige was measured by the number of medals and prizes handed out during the historic World Fairs of London, Paris or New York, the growing accuracy and precision of timekeepers required different metrics. One that could only be conceded by Astronomic Observatories during demanding chronometric competitions. The prominent dome at the United States National Observatory in Washington D.C. Image –Wikimedia Commons From 1879 onwards, chronometric contests at the Astronomical Observatory of Geneva became an institution in how watchmakers promoted the overall quality of the watches they ...

[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 There’s not Aug 16, 2023

[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38

There’s not much left to say about the resurgence of the integrated bracelet sport watch and the many modern iterations we’ve seen on the theme. Some have history, many more don’t, and it certainly hasn’t gotten any easier to decipher the unique elements that make one stand out from another. I’d argue that this comes down to execution which, when paired with a historically relevant and idiosyncratic approach, tends to produce the best example of the genre. Though that’s not a rule, merely a subjective observation. One of the more peculiar examples of this is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, a watch that was released smack in the middle of the ‘70s, designed by an Italian architect, and has experienced a slightly tumultuous lineage, all leading to this graceful 38mm reference with copper dial.  The Laureato has an interesting and varied history, yet is often absent from the discussion around great sport watches of the ‘70s. It wasn’t designed by Gerald Genta, like the Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Ingenieur watches of the same era, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a great origin story. Similarly to those other watches, the original design holds up remarkably well today, and Girard-Perregaux has preserved the core of the Laureato admirably, though some less than flattering eras to boot. $14900 [VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 Case Stainless Steel Movement GP03300 Dial Copper Clous de Paris Lume Super LumiNova Lens Sapphi...

A Modern Take On A Classic Pilot’s Watch: Hands On With The Bremont Fury WatchAdvice
Bremont Fury If you’re after Aug 16, 2023

A Modern Take On A Classic Pilot’s Watch: Hands On With The Bremont Fury

If you’re after an aviation styled watch, that can go from the beach to the boardroom, then the Bremont Fury may just be the watch for you! We wrist tested it for a couple of weeks, and here’s what we thought… What We Love The textured dialThe aviation stylingPower reserve indicator at 6 o’clock What We Don’t Lack of lume on the dialLack of character in the strapUnsure of what category of watch to fit it in Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 As you may know from previous articles we’ve written on Bremont and its founders, Giles and Nick English, you no doubt be aware of their love of aviation, and the reasons for starting up Bremont over 20 years ago. If not, then you can get brought up to speed in our interview with Giles here. So it’s no surprise that when they were designing their H1 series of watches with the Bremont assembled movement (the first for the brand) that one of these pieces had to be a pilots inspired watch. The Bremont Fury in blue – a modern take on the classic pilot’s watch. The Fury was that piece in both a blue and black colourway, designed to be a contemporary take on the classic aviation watch. I first saw this piece in person when I caught up with Giles back in April, and liked what I saw. So needless to say it was one of their pieces that I immediately wanted to put on my wrist to see how it wore and looked as I went about my day to day. When asked which colour I wanted...

HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph is the sportiest take on the sportiest Octo Time+Tide
Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph Aug 14, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph is the sportiest take on the sportiest Octo

When it comes to big watch fairs like Watches & Wonders Geneva, it’s often the brands that aren’t officially exhibiting at the show that have some of the most exciting releases. Step out of the frenetic hive of activity that is Palexpo and go exploring Geneva’s streets, hotels and bars and you’ll find all manner … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph is the sportiest take on the sportiest Octo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Cartier Santos Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor once again proves the brand is more than just a pretty face Time+Tide
Cartier Santos Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor Aug 13, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Cartier Santos Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor once again proves the brand is more than just a pretty face

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but I often compare Rolex and Cartier due to a strong commonality. Yes, they are very different brands with very different products. But an element I believe they do share is a very key point. Watch enthusiasts often point out that Rolex practises incremental updates. The … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Cartier Santos Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor once again proves the brand is more than just a pretty face appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 and 1963 Heritage Chronograph Time+Tide
Chopard L.U.C 1860 Aug 12, 2023

HANDS-ON: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 and 1963 Heritage Chronograph

Watches & Wonders 2023 feels like a lifetime ago, but certain releases have stuck with us. Chopard’s L.U.C collection continues to impress with every release, and they doubled down on proving their worth at Watches & Wonders by unveiling both a reissue and a new design. The Chopard L.U.C 1860 returns to the collection’s 1997 … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 and 1963 Heritage Chronograph appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

eBay Finds: Squale, Universal Geneve, and More Vintage LED Discoveries Worn & Wound
Seiko Chronograph 6139 How do Aug 10, 2023

eBay Finds: Squale, Universal Geneve, and More Vintage LED Discoveries

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 Universal Geneve Polerouter With eBay, some weeks are slim pickin’s and some weeks the bounty is plentiful. This week it’s the latter. Starting off this week with a bang, with this amazing vintage Universal Geneve Polerouter with Microtor movement. This example is the classic black dialed, no date version and it is stunning. Gerald Genta’s Polerouter design is an absolute masterclass on aesthetic design. From those sexy bombe lungs to the crosshair black dial with the signature fluted outer dial ring down to the Universal Geneve signed crown and Polerouter logo caseback, it’s just pure beauty. This example looks to be all original and in very good condition with the only issue I see being there is some corrosion on the hands. The watch needs an external cleaning to be sure, but I love finding vintage watches with all the funk on them, it just means it was worn and loved and hasn’t been messed with! If you’ve been wanting one of these, take a close look at this gem! View auction here. Vintage Seiko Chronograph 6139 How do you follow a vintage Polerouter? With arguably one of the most famous and popular Seiko chronographs, that’s how! This vintage Seiko 6139-6005 ...

Hands-on with the Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton WatchAdvice
Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton Pros Aug 8, 2023

Hands-on with the Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton

Pros Unique sapphire crystal The cool Ceramos bezelSkeletonized dial Cons Crown operations can get trickyCombining Square faceted sapphire crystal and Skeleton dial can get busy.Design cues for the DiaStar are not for everyone. Overall Rating: 7.75/10 Value for money: 7.5/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 8/10 Rado’s iconic DiaStar model gets another update following last year’s 60th anniversary of the DiaStar edition, getting a case material change from hard metal to Rado CeramosTM and a one of kind Square faceted sapphire crystal. The Rado DiaStar was first introduced in 1962, and what an introduction it was. A milestone for the watch industry, the Rado DiaStar came with a ‘funky’ design and, more importantly, a scratch-proof case. Rado designed the very first DiaStar as a ceramic timepiece with a material called “tungsten carbide”. Although some people may argue that it’s not ceramic, tungsten carbide is considered ceramic, at least by the American Ceramic Society.  This is important because no timepiece at the time of DiaStar’s debut could offer a scratch-proof watch. When it comes to material innovation, the Diastar in ceramic was a breakthrough for the watchmaking industry. In modern times, the use of ceramic on timepieces is a more regular occurrence; however, for the industry as a whole, brands didn’t get on board with this material till around the 1980s. This highlights how far ahead in terms of material expertise and usage Rado wa...

The Sportiest Nomos Gets an Update with a New Size and Two New Dial Colors Worn & Wound
Nomos Gets Aug 4, 2023

The Sportiest Nomos Gets an Update with a New Size and Two New Dial Colors

Any watch enthusiast who has been around the corner once or twice has no doubt discovered Nomos, Germany’s worst-kept secret in distinctive design and excellent quality and finishing for its price. Nomos’ unapologetically Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic may not be for everyone, but it’s easy to admire how far this Glashütte-based watchmaker has come in just over three decades. Today we look at the Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38, a watch that is new inside and out. The Ahoi is the sportiest line in the catalog, which admittedly isn’t saying much. But it does have crown guards and 200m of water resistance, considered by Nomos as “suitable for diving.” To that end, the winding stem features a red ring that is only visible when the crown is unscrewed, a reminder that full water resistance is only guaranteed when the crown is entirely secure. The case is pleasantly thin at 9.9mm thanks to a new movement – more on that in a moment. And the lug-to-lug distance has been reduced to 48.7mm, compared to 51mm on the standard Ahoi. Other nice details include a contrasting orange second hand, double-sided anti-reflective coating on the domed crystal, and a waterproof textile strap suitable for diving. Inside, the new Ahoi is powered by the DUW 6101 for the first time. Developed by Nomos and introduced in 2018 with the Neomatik line, this caliber is both beauty and brains. The rotor and bridges get some love with ribbing polish and perlage, and the movement utilizes Nomos’ re-imagine...

Hands On: Panerai Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01347, PAM01348 and California PAM01349 SJX Watches
Panerai Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01347 Aug 4, 2023

Hands On: Panerai Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01347, PAM01348 and California PAM01349

Though much of Panerai’s current line up tilts towards more contemporary designs, its new launches for the year included a trio of Radiomir models that will please enthusiasts who appreciate Panerai’s historical watches: the Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01347 and PAM01348, and the Radiomir California PAM01349. All three are equipped with the eight-day P.5000 movement, but are presented in a more wearable 45 mm case with an aged finish. Initial thoughts Panerai’s distinctive aesthetic has given birth to a few iconic designs, all of which have been iterated numerous times. Though the brand has been rightly criticised for repetitive renditions, it is inevitable given a history centred on just a handful of models. The Radiomir is one such iconic design, and it seemed to have fallen out of favour in recent years with the brand choosing instead of roll out many, many Luminor models. The Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01348 Consequently, it is gratifying to see the brand’s renewed emphasis on the Radiomir while infusing the design with fresh elements to make it more than a mere vintage remake. Furthermore, the new models offer enhanced wearability with a 45 mm case, in contrast to older references that mostly had a larger 47 mm case. As an aside, the three have “Brunito” cases with a simulated aged finish that is a bit of a gimmick but suits the design of the watches. I would have preferred a conventional mirrored finish as found on earlier Radiomir models, but the ...

Photo Report: Diving Lake Michigan with Benrus and the New Ultra-Deep Worn & Wound
Aug 1, 2023

Photo Report: Diving Lake Michigan with Benrus and the New Ultra-Deep

During the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago this year Benrus took the opportunity to introduce a familiar dive watch to their expanding collection, with a re-issue of the classic Ultra-Deep. The small watch made a big impression on a select group of divers who were given the opportunity to explore a shipwreck east of Chicago under the crisp waves of Lake Michigan with the watch in tow. A similar dive expedition took place during the fair in Chicago last year as well, which makes this something of a tradition unfolding. We weren’t in the water this year with the divers, but were on hand to witness them at work, and see some of the watches worn in action, including the new Benrus Ultra-Deep.  I see and deal with plenty of dive watches here at Worn & Wound, heck I own enough to create a private special forces squad of sorts, but the act itself always falls into slightly conceptual territory, as I am not a certified diver. That will be changing soon, however, in large part thanks to my experiences on this trip. Witnessing the gear-centric commotion felt strangely foreign apart from the very familiar watches that took their places right alongside high-tech dive computers. One takeaway here is that there is a lot of gear involved in diving. I could barely identify anything beyond the facemasks and knives, presenting a bevy of eye candy for a curious newcomer. Seeing how mechanical watches fit into this context was an eye opening experience, especially compared to the marketing ma...

Hands-On: the MAEN Brooklyn 36 Triple Calendar Worn & Wound
Maen Jul 31, 2023

Hands-On: the MAEN Brooklyn 36 Triple Calendar

I have to start this review by being honest about something: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about calendar watches. I just don’t.  When I think “calendar watch,” for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, my mind jumps to “perpetual calendar,” even though a watch with a simple date function is also technically a calendar watch as well. My curse, I guess, is that I immediately start thinking about a complication that is, for the most part, completely out of my reach. So when someone says there’s a cool new calendar watch to check out (I can count on one hand the number of times this has actually happened) I’m usually less interested than if someone were to, for example, suggest we go out and get dumplings at the Chinese restaurant down the street, or go see Oppenheimer for a second time, or some combination of those two things.  The other problem, because I tend to associate the very idea of calendar watches with the most complex watches in production, is that when talk turns to calendars, I think of very expensive service costs. A local watch friend once owned a vintage triple calendar made by one of the most respected and admired Swiss brands. It broke, and the bill was, how can I put it this…kind of brutal. Again, not something I want in my life.  This line of thinking, of course, is deeply unfair, and a bias that I freely admit and am trying to break out of. A new watch from MAEN, a Swedish brand with a Dutch name, reminded me rece...