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Diving in French Polynesia to test the new Blancpain Tech Gombessa? Somebody has to do it and her Dietmar Fuchs shares the experience and what he thinks are the pros and cons of this new technical dive watch.
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Alexandre Ghotbi takes a look at the more than 100-year history behind the high-precision Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal . . . which came up because of a conversation about "the Batman." Find out what that means right here.
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Held every two years, the Only Watch charity auction of exclusively unique pieces has grown into THE most anticipated watch auction worldwide and features some of the most creative and innovative horology on the planet. This year the theme is rainbows: some brands ran with that superbly, while others took a different path. Here Ian Skellern highlights Lots 33-48.
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Thanks to its bezel, as Dietmar W. Fuchs explains, the diver's watch is a much more versatile timepiece than many people think. Aside from teaching you how to use it on land, in the skies, and under water, here he answers the perennial question of who made the first true diver's watch: Blancpain, Rolex, or Panerai.
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The theme for Only Watch 2023 is rainbows: some brands ran with that superbly, while others took a different path. One brand that nailed the theme created Ian Skellern's favorite watch of the whole auction: Lot 27. The Grönefeld 1941 Principia Mandala
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Held every two years, the Only Watch charity auction of exclusively unique pieces has grown into THE most anticipated watch auction worldwide and features some of the most creative and innovative horology on the planet.
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Joshua Munchow has a strong affinity for A. Lange & Söhne, for one because beginning with the Lange 1 and the later Zeitwerk, and now with the new Odysseus, the brand has created a very specific aesthetic around large digital displays. Here he explains why and how Lange's large numerals and letters work (and not only for him!).
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Launched in 1969, the Catena/Zeno Spaceman is special thanks to its funky design as well as its its fiberglass and chrome case. The Spaceman’s blend of ovals, curves, and straight lines was just right for that groovy time in fashion, touching a nerve in a hip watch-buying public. It was a polarizing watch: people generally either hated it or loved it at first sight, and remains so today. Here is the brief history of this fun vintage watch.
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Ken Gargett thinks that the 2015 Cristal is a wine of purity. Wonderfully fresh, we have notes of white florals, citrus, honey and chalk. Gentle notes of stonefruit emerge, with a walnut backing, all held together by that line of salinity. This is layered and complex, a beautiful Cristal with serious intensity. Great focus and such length. Impeccably balanced and with a lingering finish. It should drink beautifully for the next 10 to 20 years.
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Horophiles are pretty unique people and have some pretty unique traits and habits. In the theme of Jeff Foxworthy and his “you might be a redneck if” routine, John Keil pokes a little fun at our WIS brothers and sisters as well as ourselves. So without further ado, you know you’re a watch guy if . . .
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The Chopard Full Strike won the “Aiguille d’Or” award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Chopard now launches this limited edition in blue sapphire.
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Just when Joshua Munchow thought he was out, Ming Watches pulled him back in! The brand is (still) on a roll with two pieces having been nominated for the final round of the 2020 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève plus a new concept featuring an AgenGraphe chronograph movement by Agenhor. Here Joshua checks out the GPHG contenders, Ming's 18.01 and 27.01, two very different watches.
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The short documentary film 'Time Piece' features two of the world's best living watchmakers, Philippe Dufour and Vianney Halter, and provides excellent insight into what makes the watches by these masters so special.
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Twenty-one years after the launch of Ulysse Nardin's Freak changed the watch industry forever, the Freak S reinvigorates the collection with a new aesthetic and crazy mechanics reminding us of the modern roots of this company.
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Rebecca Struthers: “Hands of Time. A Watchmaker´s History of Time” is a journey through history, a comprehensive compendium, a rich historical reference book about time, clocks, movements, craft, material, significant inventions, and the people who made them.
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The Punch ManTua cigar has serious oomph throughout. Some find a slight sweetness, but Ken Gargett's had no evidence of it. This cigar has considerable complexity and there is no hint of anything out of place or any of the awkwardness that sometimes afflicts younger cigars.
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When Beauregard founder Alexandre Beauregard showed Elizabeth Doerr his wonderful new Lili Candy model, he described it as “a spiral of goodness.” And she could immediately see why.
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The Watches TV founder Marc-André Deschoux explains how the personal Type 2 E-Crown of Ressence's founder, Benoît Mintiens, works in this video.
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The Oscillon duo of Buser and Devanthey have created the second release of Naissance d’une Montre with the Naissance d’une Montre 2. Using Oscillon’s own L’instant de vérité caliber as a base, one already designed to be made entirely by hand, the Naissance d’une Montre 2 brings the glory of the past to something that would make sense in any futuristic setting.
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Sometimes good things do come in smaller packages. When H. Moser & Cie introduced the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater in 2019, it boasted a diameter of 43 mm. Now in 2022, we welcome a new version with a 40 mm diameter case. That’s just one of several changes making this watch even more appealing to an even larger group of (potential) clients.
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In 2022 Bulgari comes at us with yet another world record in the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which instantly set the title of world’s thinnest mechanical watch. It blew Joshua Munchow's mind not just because it's the thinnest watch in history, but because it broke the record with flair (and a bit of controversy).
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F.P. Journe watches have attracted the attention of the collector community in recent years. Some amazing results have been achieved at auction, including the spectacular FFC Blue Only Watch 2021, which sold at Christie’s for a staggering CHF 4,500,000. Seven-figure sums at auction are nothing unusual for F.P. Journe, but the consistently high results are a sure sign that the brand has taken the lead among independents in the secondary watch market.
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If you’re at all a Lange enthusiast like GaryG, you’ll likely understand the most compelling reason for buying the Odysseus is that it's an A. Lange & Söhne watch you can wear every day.
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Hunter Valley Semillon is one of the more curious styles of wine likely to be encountered. Most wine lovers from outside Australia (indeed outside of the eastern Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland) treat it with a little disdain, have never tried it or perhaps even heard of it. Ken Gargett explains why it should be on any wine lover's radar.
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Holthinrichs latest watch, the Deconstructed, has taken things to the next level without compromising the elements that make them so special. And Martin Green thinks the bracelet deserves a prize of its own.
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How much does a Patek Philippe Nautilus cost? How will Nautilus prices evolve? Answering these questions, as relevant as they are, has become extremely difficult following the bubble formed in the luxury men’s watch market. This article analyzes the price history of 31 Patek Philippe Nautilus models, revealing the models that have gained an absolute value, the most dramatic relative increases, and the influence of case and bracelet material.
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Joshua Munchow had the opportunity to spend some time with the slate-grey Tutima Flieger Automatic, a simple three-handed pilot's watch with date that comes in at an incredibly affordable price. He shares his thoughts here.
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Once upon a time, it was possible to have an entire discussion about watches without once addressing the prospects of the price of a given watch growing or shrinking over time. Those were the days!
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A fellow journalist friend asked Elizabeth Doerr for a listing of her “top” Patek Philippe watches of the twenty-first century. In her article, though, she cited only one of Elizabeth's top five choices. So here Elizabeth shares the full list. You may be surprised at some of her very subjective picks.
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There are many styles of sherry, but there is one which is perhaps the most perplexing and confusing of all – Palo Cortado. An accidental wine if ever there was one, but a glorious one. Ken Gargett explains.
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