Teddy Baldassarre
Serica Watches Review: The French Brand With The Silent Dials
A look at Serica watches, the French microbrand that has gained a reputation with newer collectors and enthusiasts alike.
94 articles · 4 videos found · page 1 of 4
Teddy Baldassarre
A look at Serica watches, the French microbrand that has gained a reputation with newer collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Worn & Wound
One of watchmaking’s simplest but most iconic complications, the date window, is the source of much admiration, and yes, a little bit of ire. One of the biggest points of contention on any inclusion of a date window is the balancing of it on the dial; after all, how do you place it to not ruin the symmetry (or asymmetry) of a carefully-crafted design? With their new Ref. 5330 Dive Chronometer, Serica has chosen a sleek solution for their first date window inclusion: nestle it at 3 o’clock, taking the place of the marker, and give it a crisp red accent to stand out. Sure, it’s not necessarily revolutionary, but it adds a sophisticated touch to an already clean dial. The core tenets of the 5330’s design carry over from other models in Serica’s Dive Chronometer lineup, with circular hour markers and a double graduation bezel being the most recognizable, and a 39mm 316L stainless steel case housing an identical SoProd M100 Swiss automatic movement. The matte black dial and anthracite-grey outer bezel ring contrast with the steel of the inner bezel and case, and the cream Super-LumiNova on the hands and hour markers. Similarly, the cream date window and red numeral add both a sense of cohesion and a highly legible flash of color to give the dial an extra layer of aesthetic complication. It’s certainly a welcome addition visually, and keeps the design from feeling too austere. At 12.2mm in thickness and 46.5mm lug-to-lug, the 5330 is sized well for most wrists, and...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Serica 5330 is the brand's first date-equipped dive watch-a 39mm, COSC-certified chronometer with a new dial and ceramic bezel.
Time+Tide
Serica unveils a new monochromatic diver, the Ref. 5330, following the successful recipe of the previous divers, with a special twist.The post Serica’s new Ref. 5330 proves even purists might make room for a date (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
The guys at Serica take their vintage-inspired designs very seriously. The brand’s watches are all about the perfect proportions, high legibility, and great wearability. Up until now, a date window wasn’t part of that equation. However, as representatives of many brands tell us, some people won’t buy a watch unless it has a date window. […] Visit Serica Introduces The 5330 Dive Chronometer - The Brand’s First Watch To Feature A Date Window to read the full article.
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Monochrome
Since its founding in 2019, Serica has built a loyal following for its elegant take on tool watches. Designed in Paris by Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette (of Les Rhabilleurs publication), Serica’s creations blend the discipline of military design with what is best described as distinctly French refinement. The brand’s collection comprises the 5303 Diver […]
Fratello
Last year, Serica introduced its new 6190 M.S.L. (Mean Sea Level) collection. With the black, white, or gray dials and non-numerical hand-applied indexes, the watches are dressier alternatives to their sportier field-watch predecessors. Today, the Parisian brand adds another playful yet elegant dial variant to that dressier lineup. Let’s take a look at the new […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The Playful And Elegant Serica 6190 TXD to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Serica takes its familiar field‑watch architecture and dresses it up for casino night with a enamelled tuxedo dial.The post Serica’s 6190 TXD brings back the tuxedo dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
When most brands introduce a new watch, they make the bracelet look more like an afterthought than an integrated part of the design. It’s often a derivative of or a variation on the classic Oyster or Jubilee bracelet, which isn’t a sign of much imagination. Serica has never given in to that strategy. The brand […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To Serica’s Sophisticated And Functional Expedition Bracelet to read the full article.
Fratello
You would be forgiven for thinking you’d landed on another one of our Dress Watch Season battles, but, no, this is a regular Sunday Morning Showdown. Still, we’re sticking with a new dress watch released this week, the Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage. Thomas will defend it against the Serica Parade, represented by Daan. If you […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage Vs. Serica Parade 1174 to read the full article.
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Worn & Wound
The Windup Watch Fair, especially the New York City edition, has increasingly become a venue for brands to debut new watches aimed at their enthusiast fans. It makes a lot of sense if you’ve ever been to a Windup – there’s an incredibly high concentration of watch lovers in a single place, and many of them are in what you might call a buying mood. And of course, the new stuff is often the most enticing when that particular mood strikes. This year, Serica got in on the act, debuting new references in the Parade collection, their unexpected but incredibly well executed “dress watch” from last year. “Dress watch” is in scare quotes here because of course it’s quite a bit more complex than that, but it’s perhaps easiest to understand the Parade when you view it as a contrast (and complement) to Serica’s sportier offerings. A quick refresher, in case it’s needed, on the Parade. Serica refers to the case as “stadium” shaped because it’s based on the architecture of the Roman Stadium, with straight sides that blend into an elliptical shape at 12 and 6. On the wrist, it presents as an oval, but a look at the case in profile (or any angle other than top down) reveals the case construction makes this one tough to pigeon hole. It offers 100 meters of water resistance while being just 8.2mm tall thanks to “sandwich” style construction that uses screws that hold the case together from the back and are housed in and protected by the bezel. This is far f...
Monochrome
Young French brand Serica has built a loyal following by incorporating vintage cues into clean, modern tool watches and addressing the details that many brands often ignore. After field-ready divers and GMTs put the Paris-based maker on the map, the Serica Parade Ref. 1174 shifted the conversation to the dress watch category – without abandoning […]
Fratello
Late last year, Serica released the stylish Parade ref. 1174. It was the French brand’s first step in the realm of dress watches, and it garnered much praise. Now, Serica takes the Parade a step further with two linen dials, transporting us to the 1960s and ’70s, when linen dials were common in the watch […] Visit Serica Doubles Down On Vintage Charm With The Parade Ref. 1174 Linen Series to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Serica has added another two dials to its Parade dress watch collection, sporting a classic linen texture and adding some welcome colour.The post Serica’s Parade gets a mid-century makeover with two textural linen dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Serica has unveiled the new 5303 PLD, a new dive watch the brand has developed in partnership with the French Navy. Specifically, the watch was developed with the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team, which, I think most people will understand, is a fairly highly specialized and dangerous diving discipline. The watch follows the form and function of Serica’s popular 5303 diver, but with a few small tweaks that distinguish it from the standard version without calling out to its inspiration too overtly. The most notable and obvious change from the standard 5303 is the new bezel, which has a “DT Max” scale as opposed to the standard dive bezel that allows you to count minutes from a given start time. The DT Max bezel features twin scales (minutes and meters) that display the “maximum working time” at a given depth. This allows a diver, in theory, to ascend continuously without decompression stops, a necessity for EOD divers. The number at the outer scale (“profonduer,” or depth) relates directly to a number on the inner scale, the number of minutes a diver can safely work. Not super functional for anyone not on a dive, but it provides a very real reminder of the danger of the sport, and adds a certain charm to the piece. The bezel itself is rendered in a shade the brand refers to as “abyssal blue,” and it’s a very nice shade that further sets this diver apart from other watches in the Serica lineup. Serica has also tweaked the dial in small ways for...
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Monochrome
Serica began its journey with a classic field watch, and since its launch in 2019, the young brand has quickly carved out a strong identity with a lineup of retro-inspired, adventure-ready timepieces, spanning field, dive, and GMT models, and something else a bit dressier. Designed with durability, precision, and style in mind, every Serica watch […]
Time+Tide
Serica makes a dive watch designed to help those who diffuse bombs and mines for a living in the French Navy.The post Serica teams up with the French Navy bomb disposal squad for their new dive watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Did you know an amagnetic mechanical watch is a key part of an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) diver’s equipment? Admittedly, I didn’t. However, as it turns out, the slightest magnetic disturbance can set off explosives, rendering any battery-powered watch dangerous to EOD divers. Because of this, the French Navy turned to Serica for an amagnetic […] Visit Hands-On With The New Serica 5303 PLD - Made In Collaboration With The French Navy to read the full article.
There are occasions in life that are easy to consider special. They could be something as obvious as an important anniversary, graduation, or tickets to a musical. It’s easy to think of what clothes you might wear, or what watch you might grab for times like these. But life deserves more special moments than just the obvious ones-more moments of celebration, of gratitude, of friendship, or of reflection. These less apparent, but equally important instances also deserve some thoughtful curation that can enhance our ability to fully be in the moment… enter Serica’s Reference 1174, also known as the Parade. The post Serica Parade: A Unique Celebration of Quiet Elegance appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Fratello
We know you’re probably reading this in your pajamas like you should on a Sunday morning. However, imagine you have an invitation to a more formal party during the coming Christmas holidays. Of course, you have to decide which watch you will wear. So, what if you had to choose between the Echo/Neutra Rivanera or […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Serica 1174 Parade Vs. Echo/Neutra Rivanera to read the full article.
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Time+Tide
A new direction for Serica has the brand moving into dress watches with the Parisian brand's typical flair. The post The new Serica Parade offers a completely new look from the brand with more dressy tones appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Here at Fratello, we’ve closely followed Serica’s progress since its founding in 2019. We know the Parisian brand for its vintage-inspired yet fresh-looking and attractive watches. Both founders - Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette - pay great attention to (design) details. When they told us they were working on a dressier piece, it piqued our […] Visit Hands-On: The All-New Serica 1174 Parade With A Black Or Brass Sunburst Guilloché Dial to read the full article.
Monochrome
In over 100 years of wristwatch making, almost everything has been done. And well done for most of it. Reinventing yourself in a crowded market isn’t easy, even for a young brand like Serica. For five years – its entire life – the brand has been focusing on producing (quite appealing) retro-styled instrument watches. Imagine […]
Worn & Wound
Nearly a year ago I sat in on a conference call with some colleagues and members of the Serica team, who outlined their upcoming slate of 2024 releases. They were particularly excited about a new watch they weren’t yet ready to show us that would debut toward the end of the year, a watch they claimed was a significant departure for them in terms of style, shape, and what enthusiasts have come to expect from Serica over the last five years. While not an anniversary piece, per se, they framed this release as one that celebrates the brand and their unique perspective on the watch world, and now, finally, having seen the new Reference 1174 Parade, their excitement makes a lot of sense. This is an ambitious release, and should go a long way in expanding what the community might expect from Serica going forward. Serica has built their brand on designing purpose built but elegant tool watches in the style of classics from the midcentury period made by Rolex and countless other historic brands. Their watches tend to have a very clear vintage influence without being too on the nose – they never mimic or borrow completely from any specific classic watch. The same holds true for their first watch in a more formal vernacular. The Parade jumps in the shaped case arms race with a dramatic oval, stepped case in what the brand calls a “Stadium” footprint: straight sides, but with soft, curved corners that suggest both roundness and length simultaneously. The watch might immedi...
Monochrome
Despite being a relatively young brand (founded in 2019), Serica already carries a consistent collection of retro-inspired sports watches – field, dive and GMT. A project of Je?ro?me Burgert and Gabriel Vachette (both behind French magazine Les Rhabilleurs), all watches are designed to be used and abused with sturdiness, precision and style in mind. Today, […]
Fratello
Designing and producing robust and elegant wristwatches is what it’s all about for Serica. Today, the brand’s founders Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette launch a new iteration of their 6190 field watch. Although under a different name (or reference, for that matter), this is where it all started for the young Parisian brand. You’ll see, […] Visit Introducing: The Serica 6190 M.S.L. Chronometer In Black, White, And Gray to read the full article.
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