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Teddy Baldassarre · Page 36

1,443 articles  ·  Page 36 of 49
Rolex Daytona Rainbow: When An Icon Goes Colorfully Gem-Set Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Sep 19, 2025

Rolex Daytona Rainbow: When An Icon Goes Colorfully Gem-Set

Aside from the watch that was made legendary by Paul Newman - and which would forever, unofficially, carry the famous actor’s name - there is probably no version of the Rolex Daytona that is more coveted than the “Rainbow” models that bring a meticulously designed and eye-catchingly beautiful assortment of colorful precious stones to the bezel, case, and dial of the motorsport-inspired luxury chronograph. Here is the story behind the Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” and why it has become yet another smash hit for the Crown in the 21st Century.  To start off, it’s worth answering the question, “Why is the Rolex Daytona so famous in the first place?” The model’s success story begins in 1962, when Rolex, hot on the heels of other genre-defining watch releases like the Explorer, GMT-Master, and Submariner several years earlier, became the official timekeeper of the “Great American Race,” the Daytona 500. In celebration of the partnership, the Swiss brand introduced its original “Cosmograph” racing-inspired chronograph watch the following year. The watch, notable for its tachymeter bezel and three-register dial design, adopted the name “Daytona” shortly thereafter and really took the enthusiast community by storm when actor, director, and part-time racecar driver Paul Newman began wearing one regularly. Newman became a big-screen icon in the 1970s, around the same time that auto racing took off in popularity as a spectator sport, and this confluence of...

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What is a Rehaut on a Watch Dial? Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 18, 2025

What is a Rehaut on a Watch Dial?

Most parts of a watch that you’ll encounter in your pursuit of horological knowledge are names that are fairly familiar and mostly self-explanatory: case, dial, hands, movement. (We run down the gamut of the most important watch parts in this article). But now and then, you may read about, or hear someone referring to, a watch’s rehaut - a somewhat intimidating-sounding French term that might give you pause at first. What is a rehaut, and what is it used for? Read on. Put simply, a rehaut (properly pronounced “Re-OHH” without the hard “T” sound at the end) is the French word for “flange,” which is the English term most often used in its place when discussing watches. It describes the rim between the periphery of the dial and the crystal. Unlike dials and cases and hands, not every watch has one. But for many of those that do, the rehaut is not only a frame that fills in the space between the dial edge and the crystal but also a utilitarian element that can add interest and even useful information to the dial itself.  Some watchmakers use the rehaut for staging the hour or minute markers, In the case of chronographs, like the TAG Heuer Carrera featured above, the rehaut can provide a spot for added functional markings like a tachymeter scale (which can use the built-in stopwatch to measure speeds relative to distance) or a pulsimeter (which works with the chronograph to measure heartbeat rates). Other watches might use the rehaut for calendar indications ...

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15 Affordable Luxury Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 17, 2025

15 Affordable Luxury Watches

Before I get into all the watch roundup goodness, I would like to begin this article with a concession: the term “affordable luxury” is somewhat of an oxymoron, a phrase inherently ripe with contradictions, beyond the scope of just watches. Getting that out of the way, moving forward, I am choosing to interpret the term as watches that punch above their weight class in terms of their looks, utility, and price point. The watches I’ve chosen range greatly in style and functionality, but the connecting thread among the pack is that they all deliver quality at what I would consider a reasonable price, especially given the often eye-boggling price tags that are so common in this hobby.  One more concession: the very word “affordable” is extremely subjective. The difference in what one person deems affordable compared to another can be a cavernous gap with varying numbers of digits. To get personal for a brief moment, what is most comfortably affordable to me with my purchasing power is finding deals on second-hand, vintage mechanical watches on eBay, most often around or below the $100 mark. But because that method of watch shopping is full of risk (I always prepare myself that what I’ve purchased might very well not even keep time anymore), my roundup is focused exclusively on contemporary watches that you can buy from reputable retailers (us, perhaps?) or from the brand directly, often complete with reasonable warranties and receipts. So, enough yammering from yo...

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Casio AQ-230 Review: The Minimalist Ana-Digi Watch Teddy Baldassarre
Casio Sep 17, 2025

Casio AQ-230 Review: The Minimalist Ana-Digi Watch

When you think of Casio watches, one inevitably goes to digital classics like the F-91W, A168, AE-1200, or the G-Shock line. The Casio AQ-230 is the odd exception, in that it’s almost a minimalist dress watch intended to slip under a cuff. It’s also been around for over 30 years now, so it has to be doing something right.The Casio AQ-230 is the quintessential under-the-radar piece that doesn’t shout "digital watch" too loudly. The cleanly minimal, ana-digi design is thoughtful in ways that I appreciate but are subtle. For example, the analog hands never touch the digital LCD screen. The AQ-230 was released all the way back in 1995 as a follow-up to the old Casio Janus AQ-200 from 1982. The design was almost completely unchanged, other than the addition of another pusher on the left side of the case and a slimmer case width. Naturally, the AQ-230 stands out from other Casio watches due to its slightly “dressier” appearance and aesthetic. I have heard some people say it’s Casio's version of the Cartier Tank - which sounds a little outlandish but kind of checks out once you think about it. Casio AQ-230 Case and Bracelet This is a quintessentially unisex case size, coming in at 29.8mm wide, 8.1mm thick, and 38.8mm tall (with 30 meters of water resistance). This may sound a little small and, honestly, it is. But that’s not a bad thing, especially considering the rectangular case shape. The Cartier Tank Louis in the large case size measures 27.8mm wide and 38.1mm...

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ETA 2824: The History and Legacy of a Legendary Workhorse Caliber Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 16, 2025

ETA 2824: The History and Legacy of a Legendary Workhorse Caliber

The ETA 2824 caliber has been a presence in the world of mechanical wristwatches for more than 50 years, helping the Swiss watchmaking industry forge a path through the Quartz Crisis and serving as the engine for hundreds of three-handed timepieces from an array of brands, large and small. While it is a rarity here in the 21st Century, its legacy can still be seen across the horological world - from the proliferation of similar movements by makers like Sellita to the increasing ubiquity of the ETA 2824’s souped-up successor, the Powermatic 80. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the ETA 2824. A (Very Brief) History of ETA Nearly everyone that follows the wristwatch industry has heard of ETA, and most of those have probably worn a watch with an ETA movement, but few are likely aware of the Swiss movement maker’s long and convoluted history. We generally trace its origins back to the formation of the historical watchmaking firm Eterna, in 1856 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. But in reality its roots reach even deeper. Eterna is perhaps most famous today as the maker of the Kon-Tiki dive watch, and it is currently owned by the Hong Kong-based Citychamp Watch and Jewellery Group. Originally however, the firm was a manufacturer of ébauches - unassembled movements for sale to outside watchmakers - and was named “Dr. Girard & Schild” for its founders, Dr. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild. Renamed Schild Frères by the next generation of owners, the compan...

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Seiko Prospex SPB143 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Sep 15, 2025

Seiko Prospex SPB143 Review

The Seiko Prospex SPB143 debuted back in 2020, alongside three other dive watches that represented a modern reimagining of the classic 62MAS from 1965. These were warmly received, in part due to their smaller case sizes and relatively accessible price points at a time when those two issues were beginning to become regular sticking points for enthusiasts. The SPB143 that I am reviewing here has gone on to become a beloved staple in Seiko’s higher-end Seiko Luxe family, due to just how much it offers for the $1,200 price tag. This mechanical dive watch has real vintage roots and while it isn’t perfect, represents how Seiko really has the ability to dominate this category. It’s not easy to stand out as a Seiko diver, considering how many iconic collections we have from the brand that brought us the Turtle, Marinemaster, Tuna, SKX, and others. But, by sticking to the best aspects of the 62MAS while incorporating state-of-the-art machining and manufacturing capabilities, Seiko hit it out of the park with the SPB143. Before I get into the nitty gritty of the watch, let’s take a brief look at the history it’s drawing from. The Seiko 62MAS Connection Though the story of the 62MAS has been told countless times at this point, it remains foundational to understanding the SPB143. Back in 1965, Seiko released its -and indeed Japan’s - first dive watch, which was the 62MAS. This watch was water-resistant to 150 meters and was put through its paces when crew members of th...

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Seiko SNE573 Review: The Discontinued Prospex 38.5mm Solar Diver Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Sep 13, 2025

Seiko SNE573 Review: The Discontinued Prospex 38.5mm Solar Diver

Seiko divers might very well be some of the most sought-after in the enthusiast community. I say “enthusiast” because they aren’t always the entry point into Seiko, or into watches, for that matter, for the everyday consumer. I would think something like an entry-level Presage or any watch fit for the office is more desired in that regard. But, we don’t call them desk divers for nothing, and I personally have worn and still wear Seiko divers to work, but that’s neither here nor there. In fact, the same can be said of the subject watch for today’s review: The Seiko SNE573 as well as other variants of the 38.5mm Prospex Solar Divers like the SNE583 and SNE585, which were discontinued this past Summer. Its discontinuation adds it to a hallowed list of watches that have received similar treatment by Seiko, namely the vaunted SKX series, which has achieved iconic status rivaled by a small few watches in history. But we can also add a bevvy of Willard-esque Prospex models to the list including the SPB 153 green Willard – a personal favorite. When a Seiko dive watch goes the way of the trees, it achieves a kind of immortality and heightened demand that takes a once value-packed product into a new pricing universe, but less talk about price and more talk about a handsome piece of solar diving kit that is no longer commercially available in an official capacity at retail. Seiko SNE573 Brief History I use the word “brief” because, well, this watch had quite a short...

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Lug-to-Lug Explained: The Most Important Watch Sizing Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 12, 2025

Lug-to-Lug Explained: The Most Important Watch Sizing

Many factors go into the purchase of a new watch -  from pricing to colorway to the choice of movement and materials - but perhaps none are more make-or-break for most consumers than sizing. Watches, of course, being three-dimensional objects, there are multiple areas of measurement to consider, though most watch brands tend to narrow it down to the two most basic: the diameter (or in the case of non-round watches, the dimensions) of the main case and the case’s overall thickness, i.e. how high it will rise on the wrist. However, neither of these accounts fully for how large or small the watch will wear on the wrist. For that, you will need the lug-to-lug measurement, sometimes referred to more simply as the “length,” with the diameter deemed in shorthand as the “width.” The lugs, sometimes called “horns,” are the protruding parts of the case that connect it to the bracelet or strap. The distance from the tip of the top lugs to the tip of the bottom lugs is perhaps the most important factor that affects not only how large the watch “wears” on the wrist but also how comfortable it is. (This measurement should not be confused with another occasionally listed stat, the “lug width.” The latter, which is perhaps most useful for those looking to swap out other straps or bracelets on their watch, refers to the distance between the lugs on each side of the case, i.e., the span in which the strap or bracelet fits inside them. If a watch has a lug width of...

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Which Wrist Do Ladies Wear Watches On? Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 11, 2025

Which Wrist Do Ladies Wear Watches On?

I don’t think it's any secret that, statistically speaking, our audience leans more towards men. But if you couldn’t already tell by a quick glance at my author photo, I am, in fact, a girl. Thus, today’s article is in part inspired by a desire to add a bit more of a feminine touch to the content we typically do, and in part to answer to a growing number of questions (such as "which wrist do ladies wear watches on?") the team and I have been getting relating to first steps towards starting a watch collection from the girls out there – either asked by the ladies themselves, or from partners and family members trying to induct their loved ones into the cult of watches.  Below, I’ll break down some common questions aimed at those just dipping their toes into the watch-collecting hobby, and share some personal musings and philosophies I approach when building a collection, as a young(ish), scrappy girl in the industry myself. I’ve also had some of the lovely ladies from the Teddy team share wristshots from their own collection for added color, flavor, and fun!  So, where do I start? Beginnings are exciting, but they can also come with some unexpected terror as you come face-to-face with the unknown. As with any new hobby or learning something new, the initial confrontation with all the information is bound to be somewhat (or very) overwhelming. Personally, when I first began dipping my toes into watches, I experienced something akin to vertigo, teetering on the e...

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What is a GMT Watch? Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 11, 2025

What is a GMT Watch?

GMT watches, and other types of watches with useful complications for travelers, are enjoying a surge of popularity these days, with watchmakers large and small stepping up to produce travel watches with both user-friendly mechanics and attractive design, at a variety of price points. Yet, if you’re new to the watch game, you still might be a bit curious about what is a GMT watch, how to read and set them, and how one style differs from another. In this feature, we attempt to address all the pertinent questions you may want answered before purchasing a GMT or any style of watch with the ability to show multiple time zones. What is a GMT watch? GMT is the abbreviation for “Greenwich Mean Time,” the system of world timekeeping based on the calculation of mean solar time from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. Established in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference, the Prime Meridian was conceived as a straight line running from the North Pole to the South Pole directly through Greenwich, serving as the point of zero degrees longitude from which 24 separate time zones divide the Earth: the Eastern Time Zone of the United States, for example, is designated as GMT -5 (i.e., five hours west of Greenwich, which is GMT 0). A GMT watch is essentially a timekeeper designed in that same utilitarian spirit, allowing its wearer to read the time in at least two time zones simultaneously. Many such watches actually use the initials “GMT” in their model names, whi...

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When Were Wristwatches Invented? Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 10, 2025

When Were Wristwatches Invented?

Even though it seems like watches have been around forever - at least judging by the ongoing heat of the pre-owned and vintage market and its influence on modern design - they are actually a relatively modern addition to human civilization, and have only been widely worn on the wrist for a little over 100 years. The history of the watch, however, has roots that run far deeper, to the very beginnings of timekeeping by humans. Here we briefly explore the watch’s origins and its development into a modern-day accessory and tool and attempt to answer the question, "When were wristwatches invented?" (Very) Early Timekeeping Modern timekeeping devices can all be traced back to the sundials and water clocks developed by the ancient Egyptians and used by the early Babylonians, Greeks, and Chinese. The influence of these ancient methods and devices resonates deeply to this day when it comes to contemporary timekeeping. In fact, it’s even made for some questionable stories that have nonetheless been shared as a type of folk history. For example, it is said that the clockwise movement of a clock is due to early timekeepers mimicking the movement of sundials, which, obviously, move from east to west. Of course, this theory doesn’t take into account that it would only hold true in the Northern Hemisphere, as someone in the southern hemisphere would see the sundial move counterclockwise. But back to what we know to be true... These relatively primitive devices eventually gave r...

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Cheapest Patek Philippe Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Patek Philippe Sep 9, 2025

Cheapest Patek Philippe Watches

To be honest, most people in the know would agree that “cheapest” and “Patek Philippe” don’t really even belong in the same sentence together. That said, for many serious watch collectors, even those just starting out, one’s first Patek Philippe is both a Holy Grail and a milestone purchase to be carefully, thoughtfully planned out and saved for. And most of those aficionados are still going to be entering the brand’s world at the ground floor rather than the penthouse. So what are these “entry level” Patek Philippe watches, i.e., the models actually priced with a first-time buyer in mind? First off, we should establish why Patek Philippe watches are so coveted in the first place by laying out a bit of history. Since its founding in 1839 in Geneva, Patek Philippe has been a leader in high watchmaking, pioneering many complications and design elements that are now seen widely throughout the watch industry. Polish watchmakers Antoine Norbert de Patek and Francois Czapek partnered to form the original company, Patek, Czapek, & Cie.; French horologist Jean Adrien Philippe, who invented the keyless winding and setting system still standard on watches today, joined in 1845, and the Genevan manufacture has been known as Patek Philippe ever since. Among its many horological milestones are the first annual calendar watch and the first wristwatches with perpetual calendars and split-seconds chronographs. In 1932, brothers Jean and Henri Stern acquired Patek Philipp...

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Rolex Starbucks Submariner 126610LV Review Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Sep 8, 2025

Rolex Starbucks Submariner 126610LV Review

The Rolex Submariner Ref. 126610LV (or, the Rolex Starbucks, as it has come to be known) was released alongside an entirely updated Submariner collection during the peak pandemic days of late summer 2020. I’ll get into that broader collection update later, but the Starbucks was one of the more attention-grabbing Submariners, given how it went back to the original colorway of the first “Green Sub.” A little context for those not wholly ensconced in the minutae of niche watch references: the first of these was the Rolex Submariner Ref. 16610LV, which dates all the way back to 2003 when it was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Submariner. You may better know the 16610LV from its “Kermit” nickname due to its then-novel use of a vibrant green aluminum bezel. This watch was produced until 2010 and is beloved by collectors. One of my favorite instances of celebrity watch spotting was when I noticed Martin Scorsese wearing a Kermit during the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon back in 2023. Following the discontinuation of the Kermit, Rolex released the Submariner Ref. 116610LV in 2010. This model, of course, would go on to be dubbed the “Hulk,” courtesy of its green ceramic bezel and matching green dial. The Rolex Hulk debuted to hot demand alongside the Submariner Ref. 116610LN due to these being the first updated Submariners, with Rolex’s proprietary Cerachrom ceramic bezel and Maxi case, to be made available in steel (the white-gold Submarin...

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Christopher Ward Bel Canto Review Teddy Baldassarre
Christopher Ward Sep 5, 2025

Christopher Ward Bel Canto Review

London-based watchmaker Christopher Ward has achieved the impossible in its relatively short number of years in the watch game, catapulting from if you know, you-know microbrand to one of the most continuously successful indie watch brands on the market. Its founding principles remain largely unchanged, though its scale has grown in the 24 years since its founding: make high-quality watches while cutting what could be called the luxury tax in the industry with a direct-to-consumer model. But there is one distinct product that put the brand on the map more than any other, and that was the introduction of its own chiming watch at an unheard-of price point, the Christopher Ward Bel Canto. As you might have already guessed by the article title, today, we’re taking a microscopic view of the C1 Bel Canto, exploring what has made the watch such a crowd-favorite, and how it holds up today, four years after its initial release.  Christopher Ward Bel Canto History As always, let us begin our horological journey with a history primer on Christopher Ward’s pathway to contemporary success. Luckily for you (and your dear writer), the brand doesn’t have as sweeping a history as many of the centuries-old watchmakers out there, so we can really dive into the microscopic view here. Christopher Ward, whom I would bestow the title of reigning King of Indie Watch Brands, has one of the scrappiest origin stories in the watch world. Founded in 2004 by the trio of Mike France, Peter Ellis,...

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25 Of The Best Red Dial Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 4, 2025

25 Of The Best Red Dial Watches

More so than almost any other color option, a watch with a red dial begs to be noticed - whether the watch is large or small, simple or complicated, soberly matte or luxuriously shiny in its choice of case material. It’s not hard to see why: crimson and scarlet tones have long symbolized heat, sensuality, and even hints of temptation and danger. Best of all, for anyone inclined to take the plunge into red-dial watches, there are more options these days than ever, in just about every price range and style. Here we showcase 25 watches with red dials, some of which you can buy new and some which might require a little hunting on the secondary market. Orient Bambino Day-Date Price: $430, Case Size: 40.5mm, Thickness: 12.6mm, Lug to Lug: 46.5mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Crystal: Mineral, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Automatic F6B22 Often under the radar of American watch consumers and overshadowed by its much larger Japanese brethren, Citizen and Seiko (which with it shares a corporate connection through Epson), Orient has been making value-oriented watches in Japan since 1950. The Bambino, Orient’s dressy gents’ model, mostly offers simple three-handed options but also a handful of “quiet” complications, like the intriguing designed Bambino Day-Date, here in a red-dialed execution. The Roman hour numerals and railway minute track surround a pair of asymmetrically balanced subdials, a smaller one at 10 o’clock for the day of the week and a larger one at 5 o’c...

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Mido Ocean Star: A Complete Guide To The Historic Dive Watch Teddy Baldassarre
Mido Sep 3, 2025

Mido Ocean Star: A Complete Guide To The Historic Dive Watch

Mido is not one of the more widely familiar watchmakers in North America - though its watches have enjoyed a longstanding popularity south of the border, in Latin America - despite the fact that the brand, now owned by Swatch Group, has been around for a long time. It was founded on November 11, 1918, the same date of the armistice that ended World War I, by watchmaker Georges G. Schaeren (below) in the Swiss town of Biel-Bienne. Its name comes from the Spanish phrase Yo Mido, meaning “I Measure,” which may or may not indicate that Schaeren had always intended his products to appeal to a large Spanish-speaking audience. What is indisputable is that the Mido brand contributed some significant innovations to watchmaking in the 20th Century, few of which are often acknowledged. The company came up with one of the first solutions to waterproofing watch cases in 1930, developing a sealing system (below) that installed a watertight gasket made of cork between the crown and the case; Mido later named this invention “Aquadura.” The Mido Multifort, still produced today, debuted in 1934 and became the first antimagnetic watch with automatic winding. In 1945, Mido unveiled the Multi-CenterChrono, the first chronograph watch with a central display for the elapsed time, and in 1954 developed the Powerwind automatic winding system that increased efficiency by reducing the number of parts in the mechanism. Of all these milestones, it was the Aquadura waterproofing technolog...

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What is a Chronograph Watch? Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 3, 2025

What is a Chronograph Watch?

Chronograph watches are among the most popular styles of timepieces: iconic models like the Rolex Daytona, Omega Speedmaster, TAG Heuer Carrera, and Breitling Navitimer, for example, have become some of the most famous and collectible watches in the modern era and have contributed to the enduring appeal of the chronograph to generations of enthusiasts. If you're new to the watch game, however, you might be wondering not only what all the buzz is about but what these watches actually do that makes them so special. Read on for a comprehensive primer on chronograph watches, from their earliest ancestors to the most ambitious, avant-garde timekeeping technology available in chronographs today. Chronograph vs. Chronometer As I explore in depth in our guide to chronometers, one of the first hurdles to clear for newcomers to watch appreciation is the clarification of two very common horological categories: Chronometer and Chronograph. Quite simply, a chronometer (from the Greek chronos, meaning time, and meter, meaning measure) is any watch or clock that keeps reliably accurate time, usually as determined by an outside independent testing agency, whereas a chronograph (from chronos and graph, i.e., to “write time”) is any watch or clock with the ability to track and record intervals of time, aka a stopwatch. The terms are not interchangeable but they are also not mutually exclusive: a watch equipped with chronograph functions can also be a chronometer if it has met a s...

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Sinn U50 Review: The 500m German Diver Under $3,500 Teddy Baldassarre
Sinn Sep 2, 2025

Sinn U50 Review: The 500m German Diver Under $3,500

The Sinn U50 felt like a revelation when it was released in 2020. Sure, it was based on the larger U1, a design that dating back to 2005, but the U50 was the first to make this modern expression of Sinn design language approachable to a broader audience. As a result, the U50 falls into a rare sweet spot in size and design that you usually have to go back to the ‘90s to find. In an era when many of the great tool watch brands of yesterday are pushing upmarket with more luxurious offerings, a brand like Sinn stands defiantly committed to its core strengths. After four years of ownership, the appeal hasn’t waned. The U50 is more relevant than ever, and in my world, it remains the bar for dive watches under $3,500. I’m usually quick to point out that we are spoiled for choice when it comes to premium dive watches these days; as a genre, it’s one that many start-up microbrands are drawn to for its broad market appeal. It’s also a space that’s been heavily watered down (no pun intended) as a result. I hear enthusiasts describe modern examples through the lens of great historical examples, as those seem to be common sources for inspiration for many new (and old) brands. Truly novel ideas expressed in the dive-watch space are few and far between, but there are some truly interesting examples out there. Chief among them, as you may have discerned by now, is the Sinn U50.  Sinn U50 In Context The U50 isn’t a watch that feels like anything else. There is no old-school ...

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13 Best French Watch Brands (2026) Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 1, 2025

13 Best French Watch Brands (2026)

Switzerland is the modern world’s center of watchmaking, with Germany a distant but respectable second in Europe and Japan having long staked out its own spot as the premier watch producer in Asia. Great Britain and the U.S.A., while no longer world leaders, both have a proud history of watchmaking and maintain a small but steadily growing cottage industry in the modern era. But France has its own respectable horological heritage, centered around the commune of Besançon (below), which borders Switzerland’s own heartland of watchmaking, the Vallée de Joux.  France was, in fact, a home for many historically significant watchmakers and clockmakers, including Julien Cordray, Jean-Antoine Lépine, Ferdinand Berthoud, and Abraham-Louis Breguet (actually born in the Prussian principality that would become Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but renowned as a Paris-based watchmaker to French royalty). The latter three all plied their trade in workshops on Place Dauphine at the western tip of Paris' Île de la Cité in the Seine. Watchmaking was a thriving industry in France for a century, up until KIng Louis XIV’s (below) revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which ushered in the religious persecution of Huguenot watchmakers, who fled to Switzerland to essentially establish that nation as a horological power. The French Revolution in the 18th Century, which halted the sales of luxury goods like watches in France, further eroded the country’s watch industry, and it has never ...

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Breitling Chronomat: The Complete Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Breitling Aug 29, 2025

Breitling Chronomat: The Complete Guide

The Breitling Chronomat traces its most emblematic design elements back to the relatively recent year of 1984, but the model’s roots reach much further back, to the dawn of Breitling’s role as a leading innovator of watches for pilots. On the way to becoming one of the watch world’s iconic chronograph wristwatches, the Chronomat has also been the host model for some of the most significant innovations in movement technology. Today, it remains one of Breitling’s flagship models, with an array of sizes, materials, colorways, and complications for men and ladies alike. Here is the story of the Breitling Chronomat, from its groundbreaking origins to its 21st Century revival. The Original Chronomat (1941) Breitling’s long and storied history in the arena of aviation begins in 1938, shortly before the start of World War II, with the founding of the Huit Aviation Department by third-generation company chairman Willy Breitling. Taking its numerical name “huit” from the eight-day power reserve offered by Breitling’s watches and clocks - an innovation pioneered by Willy’s grandfather Léon Breitling -  the Huit Aviation Department was devoted to making the most precise and robust onboard timekeepers for the cockpits of military planes.  Two years later, Breitling unveiled a world’s-first invention destined to make a historical impact on both watchmaking and piloting: the first timepiece equipped with a logarithmic scale on its rotating bezel that could be u...

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Rolex Daytona Panda Dial Ref. 126500 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Aug 29, 2025

Rolex Daytona Panda Dial Ref. 126500 Review

The Rolex Daytona is a tricky watch to discuss these days. It’s difficult to separate the watch itself from its status as a barometer to the health of the entire second-hand market — a position that the watch itself surely never asked to be put into. Everyone has an opinion on the Daytona, and these days, those opinions seem to lean more negative due mostly to what it has come to represent. As such, it rarely gets a fair crack at an honest judgment. In fact, it’s a watch I generally shy away from discussing publicly. But I’ve always liked the Daytona, and I take pleasure in wearing mine in non-watch-enthusiast environments. That’s because, behind all the speculation and hype culture, there’s a genuinely good sports watch that’s almost never seen as such. After a year of owning the reference 126500 Rolex Daytona Panda dial introduced in 2023, and amidst a cooling second-hand market, I think it’s time to change that.  Let’s start off by confronting the reality of this watch. The MSRP of the steel Daytona Reference 126500 in either black or white dial (dark or light, in Rolex parlance) is $16,000. The same watches trade for between $27,000 and $32,000 in the open market. This is a serious discrepancy, but it does seem to have stabilized from a high point in 2021. In fact, it seems to be slowly coming down, but not nearly to a price that the watch merits, if you ask me. At its MSRP, the Daytona is a legitimately great watch, but only just. At ~$30,000, this ...

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Seiko vs. Citizen: Comparing the Icons of Japanese Watchmaking Teddy Baldassarre
Citizen Aug 28, 2025

Seiko vs. Citizen: Comparing the Icons of Japanese Watchmaking

Seiko and Citizen are the two undisputed titans among Japanese watch brands, known and admired worldwide for their technical excellence, design acumen, and legendary price-to-value ratio, not to mention the role that both brands have played in the technological and cultural evolution of watchmaking in general. And while these world-renowned companies have been fierce competitors from the beginning, they have a lot in common as well. Here we present a side-by-side comparison of Seiko vs. Citizen, starting with their earliest days and concluding with an overview of what each brand is doing today.  Seiko vs. Citizen: Origins of Two Japanese Watch Pioneers With its very high-tech lineup and avant-garde designs, one might be inclined to think Citizen Watch Company is a relatively new player on the worldwide watch scene, but one would be mistaken. The company today known as Citizen was founded in 1918 by Kamakechi Yamazaki as the Shokosha Watch Research Institute. The name “Citizen” first appeared on the dial of a pocket watch that Shokosha produced in 1924; it is believed to have been suggested by Yamazaki’s close friend Shinpei Goto, then the mayor of Tokyo, who believed such a watch should be universally appealing and accessible to all “citizens” of Japan.  Shokosha merged with the Schmid company, a Japan-based manufacturing firm founded by expatriate Swiss watchmaker Rodolphe Schmid, in 1930 to become Citizen. Joining the expertise of Shokosha’s Japanese watchm...

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Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot Aug 27, 2025

Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Review

As it stands, Tissot remains one of the most cost-effective and dynamic points of entry into the wild world of Swiss watches. Last week, we took a deep dive into the history of Tissot, charting its journey from its beginnings all the way back in 1853 to how the brand has adapted to the watchmaking landscape of today. We are gathered here today to plunge even more granularly into the contemporary Tissot catalog with, you guessed it, the Gentleman collection, which is among the brand’s top contenders for a one-and-done watch collection, if such a thing truly exists.  Though we’ve already taken on the subject of the Tissot Gentleman in various roundups and a couple of our videos, we, surprisingly, haven’t dedicated a standalone review to the subject. So buckle up, because all that’s about to change moving forward.  Tissot Gentleman History While I’ve already alluded to our more sweeping article on Tissot’s over-century-long legacy, it’s always necessary to chart some hot historical plot points first, so we can have a more holistic view of how the brand has arrived at the Gentleman as we know it today. The story begins in 1853 in Le Locle, Switzerland (one of the historical hearts of Swiss watchmaking), with father-son duo Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot, who turned their home into a humble watch factory. At its start, the Tissot workshop began as a comptoir d’etablissage, combining the father’s skill as a gold case fitter with his son's ...

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What is 5 ATM Water Resistance? Watches’ Depth Ratings Explained Teddy Baldassarre
Aug 27, 2025

What is 5 ATM Water Resistance? Watches’ Depth Ratings Explained

Watches differ widely not only in their designs, materials, and functions but also in their ability to resist the detrimental effects of water and moisture. Some watch enthusiasts, especially those who wear their timepieces for diving, know exactly what they're looking for in terms of waterproofing, but many others might be unsure exactly how safe it is to wear their watch in the swimming pool or even to wash the car. What do watches' water-resistance ratings like 5 ATM or 10 ATM mean in the real world, and how exactly do industry terms like "bars" and "atmospheres" help you determine how waterproof your watch is? Here we address some commonly asked questions about water resistance in watches and break down what the most common depth ratings mean in practical terms.  What was the first water-resistant watch? Since the invention of the wristwatch, watchmakers have been coming up with solutions to address an inconvenient reality: namely, that water and tiny mechanical parts, such as those inside a watch movement, simply do not mix. The technical challenge of making a portable timepiece that could withstand exposure to water became even more prominent in the mid-20th Century, with the rise of diving as a tactical and eventually also a recreational pursuit. The first innovator to seriously take up the gauntlet was Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf, who developed the now-famous Oyster case in 1926. Its groundbreaking design combined a threaded, hermetically sealed caseback and a cro...

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Rolex Bracelet Types Explained Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Aug 26, 2025

Rolex Bracelet Types Explained

Rolex has made many lasting contributions to the world of watchmaking since its foundation in 1905, not the least of which has been an array of massively popular and widely emulated bracelet designs. Here we take a close look at every type of Rolex bracelet, what makes it special, and which Rolex watches, if any, are using them today. Rolex Oyster Bracelet Rolex’s iconic Oyster bracelet is the template from which many other three-link bracelet styles have been drawn. Its name comes from its association with the Oyster case - introduced by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1926, and the most water-resistant watch case that had been made up to that point - and for which the original version of this bracelet served as an extension. Oyster bracelets are recognizable for their wide center links bordered by thinner end-links. Rolex patented the design in 1947 and fitted one on a watch in 1948. In the early versions, the links were riveted; these were phased out in favor of a “folding” style in 1967, which eventually gave way to the modern, solid-link style in 1975. Oyster bracelets come equipped with the accompanying Oysterlock clasp, a triple-deployant metal clasp with a safety-lock mechanism. Three-link bracelets like the Oyster and its various descendants are particularly popular on sports watches and dive watches, and this bracelet appears, as you’d expect on most of Rolex’s most popular “professional” models, including the Submariner, GMT-Master II, Explorer,...

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