4,093 articles · 392 videos found · page 1 of 150
Monochrome
A watch packed with history and pivotal in Oris’ destiny, the Big Crown Pointer Date saw the light in 1938. As the brand’s first dedicated pilot’s watch, the oversized crown was designed so pilots could operate the watch while wearing gloves in their unheated cockpits. With its legible Arabic numerals, graphic railway track, cathedral hands […]
Worn & Wound
Just a Minute with the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Founded in Hölstein, Switzerland in 1904, Oris has spent over a century building unique watches that reflect their independent spirit. Their Big Crown Pointer Date series is one of their most iconic, dating back to a pilot watch design from the 1930s. The Big Crown Pointer Date remains one of the most original designs on the market, effortlessly bridging the gap between casual and refined wear. With its elegant cathedral hands, a coin edge bezel, and a fourth hand indicating the date, the Big Crown Pointer Date blends the past into the present. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US. Just a Minute with the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Founded in Hölstein, Switzerland in 1904, Oris has spent over a century building unique watches that reflect their independent spirit. Their Big Crown Pointer Date series is one of their most iconic, dating back to a pilot watch design from the 1930s. The Big Crown Pointer Date remains one of the most original designs on the market, effortlessly bridging the gap between casual and refined wear. With its elegant cathedral hands, a coin edge bezel, and a fourth hand indicating the date, the Big Crown Pointer Date blends the past into the present. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions y...
SJX Watches
Originally conceived as a prop for the sci-fi film Interstellar, the Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38 mm is now available with a white dial or a stainless steel bracelet. This expands the Khaki Field Murph line two beyond the 42 mm original and the first 38 mm model that was only available with a black dial on a strap. The scaled-down Murph retains the same design as the original, which played a key role in the film directed by Christopher Nolan, which starred Jessica Chastain as Murph, a scientist working to save the Earth. Initial thoughts The Murph was a hit when it went from screen to store in 2019. It had a clean, vintage-military aesthetic with cathedral hands and no date, along with an affordable price tag. Now the white dial arguably gives it a more dynamic look than before, with the white adding contrast and also setting it apart from the numerous other military-inspired watches. Though the design isn’t novel, the Murph 38 mm is appealing for being simple and affordable. Starting at US$895 on a strap, the Murph 38 mm sits in between comparable watches from its sister brands Tissot and Longines, and is also in between in terms of fit and finish. In other words, it is priced right. Vintage-inspired aesthetics Water-resistant to 100 m, the Murph’s stainless steel case is a compact 38 mm in diameter, though tall at 11.1 mm high. The case is mainly brushed, except for the mirror-polished bezel. The optional steel bracelet has a matching brushed finish. And like most m...
Worn & Wound
There is something undeniable about a blacked-out pilot’s watch. I don’t know exactly what makes the recipe work so well, but you don’t have to look far to see that it does. From that perspective, it’s no wonder that it’s a formula Hanhart, a brand well known for their pilot’s watches, would fall back on. The Swiss-German brand’s latest model takes this recipe and runs with it, building off the existing Preventor9 from a few years ago and tweaking it to produce what is undeniably a very compelling option. The Preventor9 S - the “S” stands for “schwarz,” the German word for black, not to be confused with “Schwartz,” the mystical force from the film Spaceballs - is about as simple a watch as you can find from Hanhart, and that’s a good thing. Hanhart is a brand best known for producing watches with a very specific look. They’re one of those brands you can typically spot across a room, with their distinctive fluted bezels and red pushers. The Preventor9 stood out when it was released precisely because it didn’t stand out. Gone was the heavily fluted bezel, the chronograph with its red pusher, and any sense of the extraneous. Of course, That’s not to say the Preventor9 is without any of Hanhart’s signature flair. The Preventor9 keeps Hanhart’s signature cathedral hands and features a small seconds display at the nine o’clock position. Historically, the small seconds display at nine o’clock was the result of one of two things: E...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watch lovers may be settling into a modern Golden Era of watch dial making, with many brands over the past several ramping up the creativity - experimenting with bolder colors, innovative layouts and textures, and even an array of unconventional materials and processes in their dials' production. This is happening from Kickstarter brands all the way to the top of the watch industry food chain - with independent brands as well as those owned by large luxury conglomerates making a concerted effort to offer watch dial options that set their timepieces apart. We've compiled a list - which many will, of course, find far from exhaustive - of some of our favorite watch dials that you can find on current models from an array of brands. Oris Big Crown Pointer Date - Maroon Dial The Big Crown Pointer Date is one of Oris's most well-established signature pieces and it has debuted in some very nontraditional colorways of late, most of which have been very well received. The dial that stands out from our perspective is this maroon version which is rich, warm and luxurious and provides a nice background for the off-white print and lume-treated cathedral hands. Maroon, sometime referred to as burgundy, is a color that has popped up on other brands (like the Rado watch a bit further down the list), and the execution on this Oris watch is among the best we’ve seen; it's also a color that is versatile enough to wear daily. Specifications: Price: $1750-$1950, Cas...
Video
Exclusive Hands-on - The New Smaller Bulova Lunar Pilot
SJX Watches
Oris gives its signature model a subtle makeover with the Big Crown Father Time Limited Edition, a collaboration with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). This release commemorates the pair’s three-year collaboration that began in 2022 and combines a 40 mm bronze case with a creamy white dial. Initial thoughts The Big Crown Father Time is best described as a cricket-themed variation of the bronze Big Crown Pointer Date. The cricket element, however, is subtle and practically absent from the dial, which is not a bad thing since it gives the watch the widest possible appeal. Setting aside the cricket theme, the contrast between the dial elements and the dial itself is appealing. The watch stands out in terms of legibility due to this contrast. The cathedral hands and extra-large crown add a nice touch that evoke vintage Oris models. And though I’m typically a fan of fluted bezels, this one works well. This is equipped with a Sellita SW 200-1 instead of an in-house movement. However, with a retail price of US$3,100, it is still acceptable value. “Father Time” Sitting on top of the clock tower, Father Time is the weathervane at Lord’s Cricket Ground and was gifted to MCC in 1926 by architect Sir Herbert Baker. Because Lord’s is the “Home of Cricket”, and the MCC once the sport’s governing body, Father Time is one of the globally recognised symbols of the sport. The Big Crown Pointer Date, on the other hand, is synonymous with Oris. Introduced in 1938 as a pilot’...
Worn & Wound
Everybody loves a nice surprise. Right in time for the holiday season, Archimede is releasing a special capsule of their so-called “Vintage Edition” watches. As a callback to an older collection called Classic Retro, these watches are limited in number and designed to stay as true as possible to how a German-made Archimede pilot or field watch would have looked in the last century. There are five variants (one of which is already sold out as of this writing), and each brings its own old world charm. The Archimede Vintage Edition is probably most closely characterized as a pilot’s watch thanks to its legible dial and large onion-shaped crown, but you wouldn’t be out of line calling it a field watch either. Its 42mm stainless steel case is manufactured by ICKLER in Pforzheim, Germany and is sandblasted all the way around, which gives it a matte finish. The case is 51mm lug to lug and only 9.8 mm thick. The aforementioned crown is large and finished for maximum tactility, while the dial is clearly designed for optimal legibility. A subdivided railroad minute track lives on the outer edge of the dial; in the center, cathedral hands are the focal point. The Arabic numerals at each hour are large and squared off – distinctly Art Deco. Hands and hour markers all receive seemingly generous amounts of lume of varying colors depending on your configuration. On three of the versions in this collection, a date window is discreetly tucked in at three. The other two references...
Worn & Wound
Seiko introduced a new caliber back in March via their Prospex GMT Diver collection, adding caller GMT functionality into the brand’s well understood contemporary dive watch platform. Those watches have generated quite a bit of chatter in the watch community, with many singing their praises with respect to overall fit, finish, and wearability, and others wishing for a more functional flyer GMT complication. While the dust might still be settling, Seiko marches on, with the latest crop of watches to feature their still new 6R54 GMT movement. This time, Seiko brings the movement to the Alpinist family, which seems like a natural place for a GMT equipped watch to land. It takes what has always been cast as an explorer’s watch (with its signature compass bezel) and gives it a modern, practical, mechanical complication for a different kind of exploration. I’ve always been a pretty big fan of the Alpinist for many of the reasons Blake identifies in his Missed Review. There’s something charmingly anachronistic about wearing a watch designed with such an old fashioned aesthetic (those cathedral hands, especially) but built to modern sports watch standards. With a GMT complication added, the Alpinist retains a lot (maybe all) of that old fashioned charm, just slightly tweaked. The Explorer-style steel 24 hour bezel gives these watches a clean and sporty look, and we still get the trademark handset and those big numerals (just at the cardinal positions here, rather than ev...
SJX Watches
The latest offering in Montblanc’s high-end chronograph lineup is the 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph. In many ways it looks and feels like the Minerva chronographs that came before it. The case remains extra-large because of the pocket watch movement within and it still has a fluted bezel along with cathedral hands. But the Unveiled Secret is totally different from its predecessors, as its movement has been inverted in order to bring the most interesting bits to the front. That required some mechanical rearrangement to accomplish, but manages to realise the desire often expressed by collectors who want to wear a watch with the finely finished movement showcased on the dial. Initial thoughts Hand-wind chronographs have been a specialty of Montblanc, at least for its high-end models, since it acquired Minerva several years ago. Minerva came along with its stable of historical chronograph movements, all traditionally constructed in an elegant, delicate manner, albeit in a slightly anachronistic manner since the calibres mostly dated to the early-20th century. As a result, Montblanc can count several impressive chronographs in its collection, but the Unveiled Secret does it differently. Though the inversion trick has been done before by other hands, the Unveiled Secret is still a little more creative and a little more interesting. It relies on a simple trick: the hands are mounted on what is ordinarily the back of the movement, while the entire mo...
SJX Watches
Released in 2014 to critical and commercial success, Interstellar tells the story of a Joseph Cooper, an astronaut recruited to save humanity by travelling through wormholes to seek new, habitable worlds. He’s played by Matthew McConaughey, while Jessica Chastain takes the role of Murphy, his daughter. A key scene in the film has Cooper communicating across space and time with Murphy via the seconds hand of her wristwatch, which jumps in Morse code. The wristwatch prop was a custom Hamilton, but it took the brand five years to take advantage of the big screen opportunity – though Hamilton did recruit the movie’s production designer to create a sci-fi wristwatch – with the Khaki Field Murph finally launching last year. Though based on the standard Khaki Field Auto 42 mm, the Murph edition is notably different. To start with, it has a retro look with faux-vintage luminous markings and cathedral hands. And perhaps more importantly for the aficionado, the Murph has no date function; in fact, it is the only automatic model in the Khaki Field line without a date (the other models sans date are all hand-wind). In short, the Murph is a good-looking, military-style watch for relatively little money. The dial of the Murph is surprisingly well conceived for an inexpensive watch. The layout is balanced and well proportioned, with both hands being just the right length. Because the Super-Luminova used is a dark parchment, the dial has strong vintage aspirations that don’t q...
Video
Hands on: Venezianico Arsenale
WatchAdvice
Zenith introduced the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure as part of the unveiling for their 2019 Baselworld line up. The Chronograph was released alongside the Type 20 Extra Special Adventure which is the three-hand layout of the Pilot model. Zenith does have a vibrant history with pilot models, which stretches back to the early 19th century. The Zenith Type 20 Montre d’Aéronef released around 1939 is a timepiece that closely resembles the current Pilot Type 20 editions. The iconic cathedral hands with the Gothic-font Arabic numerals and the large knurled bezel have all been carried over from the original Type 20 Montre d’Aéronef model. The pilot models only lasted up until 1960, where Zenith stopped production of their aviation watches bar one or two models so that the brand could more solely focus on racing chronographs. In 2010 however, the brand came back to its aviation pedigree and once again started the manufacturing of pilots watches, which was when the modern Pilot Type 20 collection was born. It’s great to see a design of a watch remain unchanged for almost eight decades and shows how true to their history Zenith are. Zenith has given the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure a more 21st century modern and urban look. Typically when thinking urban colours or colours of nature, one is drawn to the likes of green and brown. Zenith has utilized these colours extensively throughout the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Adventure. The 45mm casing has been produce...
SJX Watches
Following the launch of the one-of-a-kind 1858 Split Second Chronograph with a blue agate dial for the upcoming Only Watch charity auction, Montblanc has unveiled a limited edition in bronze with a nephrite jade dial. The eight-piece edition was created for Salón Internacional Alta Relojería (SIAR), a big watch fair in Mexico City attended by most major brands, explaining the green dial with red accents – a nod to the Mexican flag. Though the bronze-and-green livery has been applied to multiple models in the 1858 range, the new SIAR edition adds a fascinating point of departure, with the dial being a semiprecious stone rather than the usual lacquered brass. The dial is essentially a thin slice of nephrite, a mineral better known as jade. It’s usually dark green, but sometimes also yellow or white; white nephrite is known as “mutton fat” jade in China and highly prized. The other mineral also known as jade is jadeite, but it’s harder, denser and often found in brighter colours. Mechanically and aesthetically, the watch is as retro as it gets. The design of the dial was inspired by a pilot’s chronograph produced by Minerva in the 1930s. It has a double chronograph scales – a telemeter on the outer rim and a snail-shaped tachymeter in the centre. The rose-gold plated cathedral hands and Arabic numerals are coated with faux-aged lume, as on the regular production model. The red seconds numerals and hand adds a rich contrast against the pleasingly busy dial, ...
SJX Watches
Montblanc recently introduced the 1858 Split Second Chronograph with a bronze case, black, multi-scale dial, and a monopusher, split-seconds Minerva movement inside. Priced at just 33,500 Swiss francs, it is a bargain as such things go. Now Montblanc has taken the covers off the one-of-a-kind, titanium version with a blue agate dial created for charity auction Only Watch 2019. Though it costs a bit more – the estimate is 42,000-48,000 Swiss francs – the watch still feels like a steal. The dial is made of blue agate, a hard, semiprecious stone, with a graduated colour that darkens towards the edges. Design-wise it’s the same as that found on the bronze model: inspired by a 1930s aviator’s chronograph made by Minerva, it has a double chronograph scale – a telemeter on the outer rim and a snail-shaped tachymeter in the middle. The contrast of white and red against the blue dial is both refreshing and striking. Notably, the dial forgoes the faux-aged “lume” of the bronze model; the cathedral hands and numerals are instead filled with white Super-LumiNova, letting the retro design speak for itself. The large dimensions of the case remain unchanged from the standard bronze model – 44mm in diameter and 14.55mm high – but it’s significantly lighter thanks to the lightness of titanium. The sapphire caseback reveals the gorgeous, hand-wound and hand-finished MB M16.31. It is essentially the MB M16.29 derived from a pocket watch movement, but w...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Timex vs. Orient? After years of hands-on testing, we reveal which brand wins. Compare real-world performance, durability, and more to choose the right option.
Time+Tide
Jason Lee's hunt for a "Goldilocks" Panerai led him to the Luminor Venticinque PAM02025 - here's why it's so compelling.The post Finding my “one” Panerai: hands-on with the Luminor Venticinque PAM02025 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Hands on with the new Rolex watches of 2026
Fratello
Farer continues to roll out attractive and affordable watches packed with value. The British brand turned 10 this year, and I’m impressed with how it has matured. Plus, as someone residing in the UK, I’ve begun seeing an increasing number of the company’s watches in the wild. Positively, today’s new releases, the Three Hands Series […] Visit Introducing: The New Farer Three Hands Series III Collection to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The post A Swiss-Made Titanium Field Watch for Under $1,000 – Formex Field Automatic Hands-On appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Quill & Pad
The Ulysse Nardin Sonata Cathedral features a minute repeater, alarm, and cathedral gongs. Tim Mosso encourages collectors who need to recharge their enthusiasm for the hobby to go out and find watches like this: rare, fine, complicated, and depreciated.
Time+Tide
We take a look at some common theories behind the design of Rolex's signature hour hand.The post What’s the story behind Rolex’s iconic “Mercedes” hands? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Early March – Tissot released its new look line up of a revived model line, the Chemin des Tourelles, named after the location of the brands first headquarters in Le Locle. I had the pleasure of going hands on with several of its key pieces, and in particular the 39 mm version, with sunburst blue dial and brown leather strap. What we like Beautifully finished deep blue sunburst dialCase wears comfortably on the wristSmart, classic design What we don’t like Crystal reflects the light a lot, detracting from the dialClasp isn’t as sturdy as you would expectMovement could be finished better with the see-through case back Overall rating: 7.125/10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 7/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 6.5/10 Now I should start out by stating that this watch retails for AUD $1,175, which by many people’s standard in the crazy world of watches we live in, could be considered quite cheap. However, this is a great entry level price point for a Swiss watch, and as such, I’m reviewing it with this in mind, and to be honest, I’ve worn plenty of watched that are 3x or more in price that are probably on par if not a little less appealing or well built! So, here we go… Tissot holds a fond place in my heart. It was the first ever Swiss watch I bought. I had my first ever job in Sydney, and even though I wasn’t earning much, being a junior sales co-ordinator at a major radio network, I wanted to reward myself. So one lunch time I went to one of the local watch d...
Video
Hands on: Atelier Wen Inflection
Time+Tide
More than 60 years ago, Jack Heuer was inspired to create a timepiece with clean lines and proportions – a watch that leveraged a sense of modernity and purity. He wanted to create a harmonious chronograph watch that conveyed all the necessary information that drivers would love, but in an uncluttered manner that would allow … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands Collection delivers accessible style in a range of sizes appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
TAG Heuer looked to strip down their iconic Carrera to the essentials in the early 2000s to create a new entry-level proposition for the larger marketplace. The idea was to maintain the clean lines and aesthetic the collection built its name upon, but in a less complicated and more approachable fashion. Since its introduction decades … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The TAG Heuer Three Hands Collection refines its offering by going back to basics. appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Earlier in February this year, Raymond Weil unveiled the latest edition in their Freelancer collection. The Freelancer Calibre RW1212 is now available in a green version. Raymond Weil has previously released the Freelancer Calibre RW1212 in different colour variants, which include; blue dial, black dial, rose-gold edition and a black dial with rose gold indices and hands. So what makes the Freelancer Calibre RW1212 model unique to Raymond Weil? It all comes down to the movement used to create this timepiece. Before the Freelancer Calibre RW1212 came along, Raymond Weil used all outsourced movements in their watches. That was until back in 2017, when Raymond Weil created an exclusive in-house movement in collaboration with Sellita. Sellita, as many may know, is the Swiss movement manufacturer that makes movements for brands around the world. The development team at Raymond Weil worked together with the designers at Sellita for a period of roughly 18-months, to come up with Raymond Weil’s first in-house movement. Although not entirely in-house, it is still quite a feat for one of the few remaining watch companies that are still family-owned since their establishment. To mark this momentous occasion for the brand, with the movement being a testament to over 40 years of beautiful Swiss watch-making traditions and expertise, Raymond Weil decided to name the calibre after the brand’s Swiss origins. The 1212 in the movement’s name refers back to the postal code of Ray...
Revolution
Hands-on with the new Panerai PAM977 and PAM978 with a brushed silver dial and stainless steel bracelet.
Deployant
Bell and Ross unveils the new BR-X1 Military. Signature square case in high resistance titanium and a skeletonized sapphire glass dial. Hands-on review.
Video
Vacheron Constantin might be the brand to beat for 2026. Either them, or Jaeger-LeCoultre (side bar: It's so fun being excited for JLC again! Not another Reverso!!!) (possible title: Vacheron Constantin Novelties 2026...
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.