Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for Proprietary Gold Alloys

2,432 articles · 552 videos found · page 95 of 100

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds – A Classic With A Modern Touch WatchAdvice
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Apr 26, 2023

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds – A Classic With A Modern Touch

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is an iconic watch and sets the standard of what a Dress watch should be. Refined, subtle and easy to read. And the new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds is just this. What We Like Timeless DesignClean and easy to readGood size and wears well What We Don’t No LuminescenceNot an everyday watchStraps take time to break in Overall Rating: 8.4/10 Value for money: 7/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 9.5/10 I’ll be honest here. Even with all the watches I’ve tried on and owned over the years, I’ve never owned a square or rectangular watch, nor had I tried one on for longer than 2 minutes in a boutique or dealer. So when Jaeger-LeCoultre offered two of their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds to wear around for a week, I jumped at the chance to test out this icon of the watch world. The pink gold and black dial Reverso Tribute Small Seconds mid flip – a fun watch to play with on the writst! Jaeger-LeCoultre launched their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds at Watches and Wonders last month in four dial/colour variants – three in pink gold with black, burgundy and silver dials, and a steel with silver opaline dial. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. All are stunning examples of their heritage and as the name suggests, a Tribute to the originals from 1931. I had the pleasure of going hands on with the steel variant with silver opaline dial, and the pink gold variant with the classic black dial, both with the Fagliano Co...

Read article
Highlights: The Notable and Interesting at Christie’s Dubai Online Auction SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref 4100BA Apr 24, 2023

Highlights: The Notable and Interesting at Christie’s Dubai Online Auction

Christie’s kicks off the spring auction season with Watches Online: The Dubai Edit, a 136-lot sale taking place entirely online. Featuring a diverse selection of watches, the sale by big-ticket items like a Richard Mille RM 69 tourbillon and a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/111P with a sapphire-set bezel. But the sale also encompasses some unusual and interesting timepieces that are worth a second look, including the Richard Mille RM 36-01 with a G-force sensor and a Grand Seiko 8-Days produced by the same workshop responsible for the better-known Credor Eichi. Some lots are uniquely reflective of the Middle East: amongst them is the Gerald Genta Octo Mosaic with a perpetual calendar in Eastern-Arabic script and a Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse gentleman’s set of a solid-gold lighter and cufflinks enamelled with the flag of Oman. A Royal Oak with the signature of Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai under 12 o’clock where the brand name typically is Watches Online: The Dubai Edit takes place online from April 24 to May 4. All the watches will be on show at the same time in the preview exhibition in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Registration for bidding and the catalogue can be found on Christies.com. Lot 1: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 4100BA “Sheikh Mohammed” One of the sale’s headline lots is an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 4100BA that, from a distance, looks like an ordinary mid-sized version of the emblematic sports watch. But up close this exa...

Read article
Cartier Introduces the Tank Normale Skeleton SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 21, 2023

Cartier Introduces the Tank Normale Skeleton

Having just introduced a revived version of the classic Tank Normale, Cartier also debuted a modern take on the design, the Tank Normale Skeleton. It’s equipped with a in-house skeletonised movement done in Cartier’s typical geometric style, but with a discreet twist in the form of a 24-hour time display. Initial thoughts  At a glance the Tank Normale Skeleton might seem like yet another skeletonised Tank, of which there have been several over the years. But look closer and it emerges as something more interesting. The dial tells the time on a 24-hour scale, a modest complication in mechanical terms but one that references Cartier’s historical day-and-night timepieces. And the complication is echoed in the sun-and-moon motif of the bridges rendered in a complementary Art Deco style. In short, it’s an elegant take on the day-and-night display done in quintessential Cartier style. Created especially for this model, the calibre inside is notably attractive. It’s fairly symmetrical in layout – the balance is at 12 o’clock while the barrel sits at six – and finished to match the style of the bridges. But it does still have an Etachron regulator, which is found in all Cartier skeleton movements but still out of place considering the price. And the price is steep. At US$71,000 in yellow gold and slightly more in platinum, it is pricey for a relatively straightforward skeleton watch. In comparison, the Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor also launched this year is ...

Read article
Norqain Celebrates their Fifth Anniversary with a Quintet of New Releases, and a Bracelet with a Frequently Requested Feature Worn & Wound
Norqain Celebrates their Fifth Anniversary Apr 14, 2023

Norqain Celebrates their Fifth Anniversary with a Quintet of New Releases, and a Bracelet with a Frequently Requested Feature

Norqain is celebrating their fifth anniversary this week with the release of five all new watches in the Independence collection. Five years is an interesting marker to consider. It’s both an impressive accomplishment for any new brand to stick around for that long – we can all point to small, upstart brands that have come and gone in much less time. But it’s also a vanishingly short period in the grand scheme of watchmaking, where the most durable brands have had literal centuries to build their identities. All the more impressive for Norqain then, as they’ve carved out an aesthetic that is immediately recognizable, and have made a ton of progress in developing a culture around their watches that focuses on a new generation of collectors. All of the new anniversary pieces seem to be born out of those ideas, and continue to iterate on what is now a well established design language.  The new watches breakdown as follows: we have two new Independence Skeleton references in 42mm cases, one DLC coated, the other with blue accents; two Independence 40mm pieces, one with a brown gradient dial, the other with a green gradient dial; and a new reference aimed at the female market, an Independence 40mm with a mint mother-of-pearl dial and diamond accents.  The Independence Skeleton watches are follow ups to earlier skeleton releases dating back over the last two years. The DLC coated version has red gold plated hands and applied hour markers, while the non-coated version f...

Read article
SJX W&W; Highlights – The Unexpected and the Well-Executed SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Apr 7, 2023

SJX W&W; Highlights – The Unexpected and the Well-Executed

Because it was the world’s biggest watch brands showing off their latest products at Watches & Wonders (W&W;), surprises seemed unlikely. Yet there were a few surprises at the fair, with several coming from the most conservative brand of all, Rolex, which debuted the now infamous “Bubbles” and “Puzzle”. But the unexpected aside, the fair also saw a number of well-executed new models that were just right, most notably from Cartier, which stuck to what it does well. The Tank Normale in yellow gold with a matching bracelet Surprises A surprise launch, but certainly not unexpected as a highlight, is the Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time ref. 5224R. Although it appears to be a typical Calatrava at a distance, the ref. 5224R is elegantly different. For one, it is surprisingly large for a Calatrava at 42 mm but typically thin at under 9 mm. The ref. 5224R More unusual is the 24-hour display that is a convenient and smart method of showing two time zones without the need for a day and night indicator. But as is often the case with Patek Philippe, the novelty of the watch was not invented. Its key features, namely the time display and case size, are rooted in history – the watch is modelled on the oversized Chronometro Gondolo pocket watches of the early 20th century. But at over US$57,000, the ref. 5224R is unusually expensive for a two-time zone watch, though that is explained in part by the high-end movement inside that’s shared with the top-of-t...

Read article
Rolex Reveals New Formal Collection With 1908 Worn & Wound
Rolex Reveals New Formal Collection Mar 28, 2023

Rolex Reveals New Formal Collection With 1908

Among the bevy of new Rolex watches released this year were a few unexpected watches, which isn’t a phrase we often mutter about the brand. We saw some unusually colorful dials (more on those later), and the launch of an entirely new formal collection called the Perpetual 1908, a reference to the brand’s name coinage by Wans Wilsdorf. With its introduction, the existing Cellini line has come to a close. The 1908 lives within the ‘classic’ range alongside the likes of the Oyster Perpetual and Sky-Dweller, but feels distinctly different from any existing line. Coming from a brand that’s been at the center of the sport watch craze over the past decade, the 1908 feels like a breath of fresh air. The Perpetual 1908 is a three hand time only watch offered only in 18k white or yellow gold. The trim case measures 39mm in diameter with a divided, partially fluted bezel framing the austere dial. Within resides the Rolex automatic caliber 7140, which gets a healthy amount of decoration worthy of being presented through an exhibition caseback. This is a new move from Rolex this year, appearing on both this watch, and the 60th anniversary platinum Daytona. The bridges of the 7140 receive a finish that the brand is calling “Rolex Côtes de Genève”, a re-interpretation of the classic technique seen often in Swiss movements. It differs from traditional Côtes de Genève in that it places a narrow polished groove between each of the parallel bands. Being a Rolex, there’s a...

Read article
The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech returns with a modern take on vintage style Time+Tide
Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech returns Mar 27, 2023

The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech returns with a modern take on vintage style

The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech marks a return for the 40mm Radiomir case. The use of Goldtech and a white dial offers a modern and sophisticated take on the vintage-inspired watch. It’s also the thinnest watch in Panerai’s current lineup, at a cuff-friendly 10.15mm. This seems to be the year of the Radiomir for Panerai, … ContinuedThe post The Panerai Radiomir Quaranta Goldtech returns with a modern take on vintage style appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
How The World's Most Accurate Watches Are Made Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 24, 2023

How The World's Most Accurate Watches Are Made

Nearly every advance in watchmaking technology has been in the service of increased utility and functionality - even inventions that we now consider entirely luxurious affectations. The minute repeater, for example, was invented so a watch wearer could audibly check the time in the dark in the days before luminous treatment on dials. Even the tourbillon began its existence as a device for enhancing timekeeping accuracy, countering the effects of gravity on a pocketwatch’s movement. Thus it should come as no surprise that as the world entered the electronic era in the mid-20th century, watchmakers would attempt to harness the new technologies to improve the precision - and hence the desirability - of their products. Read on as we trace the evolution of timekeeping technology all the way up through today’s most accurate watches.  Birth of the Chronometer Not long after the tracking of time migrated from giant clocks in the town square to portable devices carried in waistcoat pockets, and eventually worn on wrists (click here for a brief history of watches), the need for a standard of dependable accuracy in these mechanical timekeepers became evident. Hence the establishment of standards for which a timepiece could be deemed a "chronometer." The classical definition of a chronometer goes all the way back to the golden age of seafaring exploration in the 18th Century, when ships required the use of a highly accurate onboard clock that enabled their navigators to det...

Read article
[Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden We’re Mar 20, 2023

[Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden

We’re not yet at the stage that the BR05 is seen as THE Bell & Ross-there’s still a long way to go before it could dethrone the classic square silhouette of the BR01 and BR03 models-but it feels like it has grown up enough to be seen as not just another brand jumping on the integrated bracelet sport watch bandwagon. It’s not even four years since the first of the BR05 variants were unveiled, and during that time we have seen three-handers, chronographs and GMTs. Stainless steel watches have seen bead-blasting and ‘Artline’ finishing. There have been rose gold and two-tone cases. Dials have come in black, white, copper, green, and blue. And lets not forget the Kenissi powered BR-X5 which has also evolved from the same case. As I browse the BR05 catalogue, both past and present, I’m struck by two thoughts. Firstly, there have been a LOT of different watches in this line. It’s not surprising that a brand should choose to repeat and rework a flagship model, but even allowing for quite a number of limited editions, that’s still a lot of releases since the original 2019 debut. This leads to my second thought. Despite always being impressed with the overall aesthetic, case design and finishing, why haven’t I found one that I really like? Finding my own answer to that has required me to attempt to classify what type of watch the BR05 actually is. $6600 [Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden Case Stainless Stee Movement BR-CAL.322 (Base SW300-1) Dia...

Read article
Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Richard Mille Mar 18, 2023

Highlights: Independent Watchmaking at Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Beginning in early April, Sotheby’s spring sale season in Hong Kong also marks the auctioneer’s 50th anniversary in Asia. One of the headline sales is Important Watches I, a 210-lot sale that spans notable complications, artisanal decoration, and of course, independent watchmaking. The indie line up includes heavy hitters from the likes of F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, and Philippe Dufour, but also a few potential value buys such as the Christophe Claret Blackjack 21. And in the mix are some surprises, like the FVF Tourbillon Superligero. The auction takes place on April 5, 2023. Registration for bidding and the full catalogue can be accessed here. Lot 2101: Gérald Genta Fantasy Retro Mickey Mouse in 18k white gold Gérald Genta was the first watch brand to place cartoon character in high-end watches, well before it became a fad amongst luxury watchmakers. The Fantasy collection depicted various Disney characters, usually combined with retrograde complications. Such watches are common enough that a few appear every auction season, but almost always in steel or occasionally yellow gold. This example, surprisingly, is entirely in 18k white gold, case and bracelet, making it very uncommon. While it will pass for steel at a distance, the heft of the case and bracelet is a giveaway.  The case is 36 mm, compact by today’s standards but the typical size for a men’s watch in the 1990s and early 2000s. And the dial is mother of pearl – Genta was a pioneer in exotic dia...

Read article
Atelier de Chronométrie Partners with The Lavish Attic on Ultra Limited AdC33 Worn & Wound
H. Moser Mar 13, 2023

Atelier de Chronométrie Partners with The Lavish Attic on Ultra Limited AdC33

Earlier this year, we saw the debut of a new ‘in-house’ caliber from Atelier de Chronométrie called the M284 within a beautiful watch called the AdC22 which we introduced to you right here. Today we’re getting a glimpse at the next chapter for this movement in the form of the AdC33, a limited edition collaboration with The Lavish Attic, a Hong Kong based collective that curates exclusive high craft products and experiences, serving as area distributors for Urwerk and H. Moser. Here, the outfit is collaborating with Atelier de Chronométrie on an exclusive watch that offers buyers a few interesting choices, including white “Grand Feu” enamel dials with ancient Chinese characters, and an alloy called Gray Gold.  Precious metal cases have expanded beyond the likes of just yellow and rose gold, with stuff like tantalum, black platinum, and proprietary mixes like Omega’s Moonshine offering a wide selection of pricey yet tantalizing choices when it comes to cases. Let’s add gray gold to that list, a gold alloy with high palladium content that apparently lands somewhere between white gold and platinum in appearance. In the case of the AdC33 seen here, it takes on the stepped 37mm case in beautiful fashion, and it’s offered alongside more traditional yellow and rose options. Not to be outdone by the case, the dial brings plenty of intrigue as well thanks to its finish as well as the markings at the 3, 9, and 12 o’clock positions. The white grand feu dial is ins...

Read article
Tissot Debuts PRX “Ice Blue” Powermatic and “Blue Panda” Chronograph SJX Watches
Tissot Debuts PRX “Ice Blue” Mar 2, 2023

Tissot Debuts PRX “Ice Blue” Powermatic and “Blue Panda” Chronograph

Since its 2020 launch, the PRX has been a crowd favourite for making the currently-fashionable integrated-bracelet aesthetic affordable. Now Tissot has announced new additions to the collection: first the base-model PRX Powermatic 80 with an “ice blue” dial, and also the PRX Chronograph with a blue “panda” dial. Initial thoughts The commercial success of the PRX made additional variants inevitable. Fortunately, the new additions are crowd pleasers. The colourways are familiar so neither is novel but both give enthusiasts what they want. Save for the dials, both models are intrinsically identical to their predecessors. The prices remain the same, leaving them competitively priced and strong value.  The shade of light blue chosen for the Powermatic 80 caters in part to the ongoing craze for robin egg blue and also brings to mind the colour of the Rolex Daytona and Rolex Day-Date in platinum. For me, this is a solid update to the model that will undoubtedly be a strong seller. Also, the Powermatic 80 now has the option of a rubber strap as an alternative to the steel bracelet (but the strap has to be purchased separately). This is the perfect solution for someone who wants a strap without seeking an aftermarket offering. As for the chronograph, the blue “panda” dial works well. The blue accents provide subtle contrast with the vertically-brushed silver dial, while being more modern than the original “panda” model that had gold hands and markers. I still wis...

Read article
Spotted: Jay Z Wearing An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar In Picasso Baby Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Mar 1, 2023

Spotted: Jay Z Wearing An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar In Picasso Baby

Last month, Jay Z blurred the lines between music video and fine art by performing the single "Picasso Baby" from his new album Magna Carta Holy Grail for 6 hours inside New York City's Pace Gallery. A small group of people joined him for the intimate performance – which was filmed by director Mark Romanek – including luminaries from the creative world such as Marina Abromović, Judd Apatow, Alan Cumming, Taraji P. Henson, Adam Driver, and Rosie Perez. Also present for the performance, a gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with an openworked dial on the wrist of Jay himself.

Read article
[VIDEO] Worn & Wound Reacts: The Titanium and Goldbronze Sinn T50 Worn & Wound
Sinn T50 Last week Sinn Feb 28, 2023

[VIDEO] Worn & Wound Reacts: The Titanium and Goldbronze Sinn T50

Last week, Sinn dropped their new releases for 2023, taking us by surprise with a new titanium clad T50 diver, and a new material called Goldbronze. As long time Sinn enthusiasts, Blake and Zach took the time to offer their reactions to the new release, and compare the new dial design to that of the U50, a with which the T50 shares the same platform. We find a lot to love here, along with a few details that don’t hit quite as hard as we’d like. All things considered, we’re definitely here for more titanium Sinn divers, and this is the most Sinn approach possible to using bronze. You can find more of our Sinn coverage of the new releases right here, and you can read some of our favorite our Sinn reviews right here. Let us know your thoughts on this new release from Sinn in the comments below or on YouTube, and don’t forget to subscribe while you’re there. The post [VIDEO] Worn & Wound Reacts: The Titanium and Goldbronze Sinn T50 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Read article
Sinn Goes Full Titanium and Bronze with New T50 Dive Watch Worn & Wound
Sinn Goes Full Titanium Feb 23, 2023

Sinn Goes Full Titanium and Bronze with New T50 Dive Watch

Sinn has released a new midsize diver with some big time specs to kick off their 2023 releases with the new T50. This is a watch that may seem familiar at a glance, as a follow up to the popular U50 released in 2020, but there’s plenty new here to set plenty of distance between the two, the biggest of which are the use of new materials, which include titanium and a new Sinn developed alloy called Goldbronze. This is a proprietary material that boasts some unique features in the service of longevity and functionality in true Sinn fashion. It looks pretty good, too.  The T50 arrives in three main configurations, going from full Goldbronze in a limited edition 125, to a mix of titanium and Goldbronze in the GBDR, and finally a fully titanium example that forgoes the use of Goldbronze altogether. All look to share the same mid case design and proportions of the 41mm U50, which is a very good thing (see our review of the U50 here). This rather svelte and wearable package gets a remarkably stout 500 meter depth rating, and with the T50 adds Sinn’s Ar‑Dehumidifying inside the bottom left lug. The dial and bezel present the biggest departure from the U50 design language, departing from the brutal blocky design of the hands and hour markers in favor of a more approachable look that utilizes bar shaped hour markers and a pair of broadsword hands. The look may be more palatable to those who found the U50 a touch too aggressive, however it comes at the expense of a distinctivel...

Read article
The Owner’s Perspective: With The Rolex Sea-Dweller 50th Anniversary “SD43” WatchAdvice
Rolex Sea-Dweller 50th Anniversary “SD43” Feb 1, 2023

The Owner’s Perspective: With The Rolex Sea-Dweller 50th Anniversary “SD43”

Why I Bought It It was different to a SubmarinerI like slightly larger watchesAll the Rolex heritage with a modern look The Ownership Reality It would help if you had a medium-sized wrist to pull it offNot great with a suit and cuffWe need to part with over $4000 more to own vs a Sub with a date! Overall rating: 8.25 /10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 I was never a Rolex lover. There I said it. I thought Rolex was a brand for people that wanted to show off and tell people they had money and didn’t really know about watches. For some people, this is still probably the case, but this all changed for me many years ago once I started delving a lot more into the watch world, brands and their history, as well as their manufacturing techniques. And when I started researching Rolex a little, I started to understand just what made them tick, so to speak (yes, bad pun intended!) Now, I have a lot of respect for The Crown, what they stand for, and the processes and materials they use. The fact that they are one of the very few brands that develop and make their watches fully in-house, end to end, including metallurgists who develop the specific properties and proprietary blends of metals that go into them, including a foundry, I was a convert. These days I see Rolex for what Hans Wilsdorf originally intended – a tool watch that is able to handle whatever you throw at them and is designed for specific industries and occupations. Whilst mos...

Read article
OPINION: I am simultaneously fawning over, yet frustrated with, the new Grand Seiko SLGA021 Time+Tide
Grand Seiko SLGA021 Grand Seiko has Jan 30, 2023

OPINION: I am simultaneously fawning over, yet frustrated with, the new Grand Seiko SLGA021

Grand Seiko has issued a standard production Lake Suwa sequel to the limited edition SLGA007, the new SLGA021 Includes an Evolution 9 case and bracelet, 9RA2 5-day Spring Drive calibre, Lake Suwa textured dial. The SLGA021 dial is darker than the previous SLGA007, and also does not use a golden-toned hand and logo like the SLGA007. … ContinuedThe post OPINION: I am simultaneously fawning over, yet frustrated with, the new Grand Seiko SLGA021 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Read article
15 Rugged Watches, From Under $300 to $10,000+ Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 23, 2022

15 Rugged Watches, From Under $300 to $10,000+

Some occasions call for a suit, some for jeans, khakis, and t-shirts. Some events demand a dressy watch, others a tough, rugged watch that can take a beating. If the latter style of timepiece is what you're in the market for lately, check out our list of 15 tough, rugged watches (in ascending order of price) that not only boast impressive levels of functionality, reliability, and resistance to extreme depths, temperatures, and shocks, but also look very stylish on the wrist.  Citizen Promaster Eco-Drive Diver 200m Price: $280, Case Size: 44mm, Thickness: 11.6mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Mineral, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Citizen Eco-Drive E168  Citizen unveiled its Promaster line of professional-grade sports watches in 1989 and its Promaster Diver models - equipped with the Japanese brand’s proprietary Eco-Drive technology, which uses light to perpetually charge the movement - have proven to be among the most popular of Citizen’s vast portfolio of timepieces. The 44mm steel case features a 60-click rotating bezel made of aluminum (here in maritime blue) and a screw-down crown positioned at 4 o’clock. The blue dial sports wide hands and large applied hour markers, all generously lumed for underwater visibility, and a date window at 4 o’clock. The prominent minute hand with its orange detailing adds another layer of contrast, and hence legibility, to the dial. The Eco-Drive movement offers six months of power on a full charge and boasts an accuracy of ...

Read article
Panerai Introduces the Luminor Moon Phase for Ladies SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Sep 19, 2022

Panerai Introduces the Luminor Moon Phase for Ladies

A compact take on the signature Panerai watch that made its debut in 2016, the Luminor Due is essentially a scaled-down version of the military-inspired original, which allows it to wear easily on smaller wrists. To date, the Luminor Due has remained minimalist, making do without complications save for a date display. But now Panerai gone for something slightly more elaborate with the Luminor Due Luna that has a small seconds and moon phase display featuring a solid-gold moon disc. Initial thoughts I like the compact size of the Due, as well as its more formal styling that allows it to double as a dress watch. Although the original, full-size Luminor is a clean, almost elegant design, its massive size and stark aesthetics means it can only be a military-style watch. The Due, on the other hand, manages to preserve the outline of the original Luminor while being modestly elegant. For that reason, the new Luna is an appealing watch. At just 38 mm wide, it is clearly more wearable, while the engraved, solid-gold moon gives it a bit of sparkle. And the all-gold model comes along with a mother of pearl dial, making it even more luxe. Interestingly, the Luminor Due is largely targeted at female clientele, but models have a masculine aesthetic. That continues with the Luna, which is available in steel with a metallic blue dial, a combination leaves it looking very much like a conventional men’s watch. The dial design is largely classical Panerai, although the proportions seem a...

Read article
Longines Introduces the Master Collection 190th Anniversary SJX Watches
Longines Introduces Sep 14, 2022

Longines Introduces the Master Collection 190th Anniversary

While it isn’t common knowledge, Longines now 190 years old, making it the longest-established of the seven biggest brands in Swiss watchmaking, besting even its sister company Omega. Historically known for its top-quality chronographs and time-only chronometers, Longines has unsurprisingly delved into its archives to mark the anniversary. The brand has just taken the wraps off the Master Collection 190th Anniversary, a three-hand wristwatch with an unusually elaborate dial for a Longines. And as expected for a commemorative model, it is available not only as a regular production model in steel, but also also a pricier limited edition in yellow or rose gold. The steel version with blued steel hands is an affordable US$2,400 Initial thoughts With compact proportions and an elegantly detailed dial, the Master 190th Anniversary blends various elements drawn from watches of the mid 20th century, giving it an easy appeal. That said, the aesthetics of the Master anniversary are not exactly original – it does bring to mind a variety of other watches. While it’s definitely a vintage-style watch, the Master anniversary is not a reissue – a feat for Longines, a brand that already has several dozen reissues in its catalogue. I find the dial of the new Master more attractive than most of the actual remakes in Longines’ Heritage collection. Those watches typically have good fit and finish, but the anniversary Master is a marked improvement and enhanced by flourishes lik...

Read article
The Science of Steel, The Stuff Of Cases, Mainsprings, Hairsprings, Pinions, Escapements And The Backbone Of Watchmaking – Reprise Quill & Pad
Sep 10, 2022

The Science of Steel, The Stuff Of Cases, Mainsprings, Hairsprings, Pinions, Escapements And The Backbone Of Watchmaking – Reprise

Joshua Munchow talks about steel here, the metal that made the world! Watch cases and other movement components are commonly made from certain stainless steels, 304 and 316L being the most frequent. It also happens that some brands hold exclusive rights to use specific alloys in the production of its watches. Here's what you should know about steel.

Read article