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A. Lange & Sohne Nov 26, 2024

Spoiler Alert: The A.Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone Is Something Special!

As A. Lange & Söhne celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Lange 1, we thought we’d join the party, and what better way to help celebrate than to take the Lange 1 Time Zone out and about? What We Love The asymmetrical dial Ease of legibility of 2 time zones The impeccable finishing all over the watch What We Don’t The date window with no 0 in front of 1 through 9 It is probably not an everyday watch for many people Like most world time watches, it doesn’t take into account daylight savings automatically Overall Score: 9 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 2024 has been a celebratory year for A. Lange & Söhne. The Saxony brand has celebrated two birthdays this year, the first being the 25th Anniversary of the Datograph, which was showcased at Watches & Wonders this year with the stunning Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen and the Datograph Up/Down, but the second, and maybe the most important was the 30th Anniversary of the Lange 1, the first modern watch the brand created after being brought back to life. RELATED READING: Happy 30th Birthday to A. Lange & Söhne’s Lange 1! So, it is safe to say that the Lange 1 is a special piece when it comes to A. Lange & Söhne, and when we interviewed A. Lange & Söhne’s Asia Pacific Managing Director, Nicolas Gong, a couple of months ago, he had this to say about the Lange 1, and I think he summed it up perfectly: “It’s the first watch that we launched...

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TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Skeleton Hot Nov 20, 2024

The New TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Skeleton Hot Pink Review

Ahead of the Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix, TAG Heuer has dropped a new Monaco Chronograph with a hot pink skeletonised dial, and we’ve had the pleasure of test-driving this piece for a week prior to the launch. What We Love: The hot pink dial – trust me, it grows on you! The lightness combined with the rubber strap makes it super easy to wear The faceted sapphire crystal is unique and adds depth to the watch What We Don’t: The square shape is not my preferred case shape Lack of a screw-down crown on a 100m WR sports watch The watch is on the thicker side and takes a little to get used to Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 TAG Heuer and Formula 1 seem to be inextricably linked, not surprising given the Swiss brand’s history with motorsport all the way back to the 1960s. This link is further solidified with their watches – one carrying the famed sport’s namesake in the TAG Heuer Formula 1, the other with the Monaco, one of the most iconic F1 races, gaining fame thanks to Steve McQueen wearing the piece in his 1971 film, Le Mans. Yes, it wasn’t F1, but a screen legend wearing a sports watch prominently on the wrist in a film about another iconic motorsport event helped to put the Monaco front and centre. While the materials and designs these days a lot more modern, the classic Monaco DNA is still there and instantly recognisable. So it comes as no surprise that TAG Heuer would drop their latest M...

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Breitling Chronomat B01 42 Australian Nov 12, 2024

Hands On With The Breitling Chronomat B01 42 Australian Limited Edition

As part of the 140th Anniversary celebrations, Breitling has released a limited edition Chronomat 42 just for the Australian and New Zealand market, with 140 pieces available. As an Australian publication, we just had to get our hands on it! What We Love: The “Arctic White” dial is fresh and clean The Rouleaux-style rubber strap is comfortable and so easy to wear Size is great and will wear well for most wrist sizes What We Don’t: The way the strap is reversed and threads through towards the body The chronograph pushers are slightly on the stiffer side The anti-reflective coating can be easily seen looking at the watch and dial Overall Rating: 8.9 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Breitling’s Chronomat has been around for a little while, 82 years in fact, and the original watch resembled a Navitimer more than the modern Chronomat we know today. In fact, the Chronomat was Brerilting’s first slide rule watch and was designed for mathematicians to do complex calculations with the watch – hence the original name CHRONOgraph for MAThematicians, Chronomat. At the time, is was a world first, and what Breitling dubbed, the worlds first “Smart Watch”. It’s a nice play on words and back in 1942, it was revolutionary and was one of Willy Breilting’s most loved products. An original Chronomat from 1942, complete with slide rule. If you think this looks like a Navitier, you would be correct as this was the first watc...

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Bremont Terra Nova 42.5 Chronograph Nov 5, 2024

Review: Hands On With The Bremont Terra Nova 42.5 Chronograph

With all the talk around Bremont’s new lineup, not to mention the change in direction, we wanted to let the watch do the talking, so we’ve gone hands-on with the all-new Bremont Terra Nova 42.5 Chronograph to see for ourselves! What We Love: The vintage-style numerals The dial is easy to read at a glance The new bracelet design is comfortable and looks great What We Don’t: The watch is on the thicker side, so wears on the larger side Lack of micro-adjust on the clasp and bracelet The lack of a screw-down crown on an explorers sports watch Overall Rating: 8 / 10 Value for Money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Bremont is a brand not without some controversy, well, at least this year when they and CEO Davide Cerrato revealed an all-new brand identity and logo, along with new releases at Watches & Wonders this year. Since then, we have spoken at length with Davide, (stay tuned for that interview in a few weeks), and while time will ultimately let the public see this all come together, the way he describes it, his grand plan makes sense. That being said, whilst the changes took many off-guard, us included, rather than getting involved in the online rhetoric, we thought we would do what we do best – get our hands on the new range and see how the watches are in real life, in the hands and on the wrist. After all, you can never really give an opinion on a piece until you’ve had experience with it and even more so when you can spend consid...

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Seiko s Latest Prospex Alpinist Nov 2, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With Seiko’s Latest Prospex Alpinist Australasia Limited Edition

The Seiko Prospex Alpinist Australasia Limited Edition combines rugged functionality with a distinctive design, featuring a dial inspired by the Australian landscape! What We Love: The polished finishing of the case and bezel The red dial has many different layers to it with different patterns and finishing techniques. Great value for money, especially with the increase in power reserve with 6R35 movement and open case back. What We Don’t: The leather strap can be a bit stiff initially Lack of a steel bracelet option for the watch Cyclops date window could be slightly larger to allow for better viewing angles. Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Seiko Alpinist is a timepiece that has gained global recognition for meeting the needs of adventurers. The timepiece has long held a special place in Seiko’s lineup, and it is well known for meeting the needs of mountain climbers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. The Seiko Alpinist was first introduced in 1959, and back then, it was the brand’s first attempt at creating a timepiece specifically designed for mountaineers. During the 1960s and 70s, Japan’s hiking culture was thriving. So Seiko responded by creating a beautiful timepiece that considered what an adventurer’s watch would entail. The timepiece was designed to endure the harsh conditions while still being stylistic! The first Seiko Alpinist released in 1959 was named Laurel Alpinist. The very fi...

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Breitling Super Chronomat Perpetual Calendar Oct 30, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Breitling Super Chronomat Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary

With major wrist presence and even more cool factor, we’ve gone hands-on with the 140th Anniversary Breitling Super Chronomat Perpetual Calendar! What We Love: The rose gold and black colour combination looks great The skeleton dial gives depth and character to the piece The Rouleaux-style rubber strap is comfortable and so easy to wear. What We Don’t: The onion crown can be a little finicky to unscrew/screw It won’t fit or suit all wrist sizes being 44mm The dial can appear busy at first glance Overall Rating: 8.625/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 As you may well have heard, this year marks the 140th Anniversary of Breitling. It’s a big birthday for the brand, now headed up by Georges Kern, who in recent years has gone back through the history of Breitling and helped to re-define the brand. With new models that harken back to its past, and the vision that Leon Breitling had all the way back in 1884, through to when his son, Gaston took over the business and launched their patented chronograph in 1932, to the days of the icons under Willy Breitling, it’s no wonder there is such a large and illustrious back catalogue to take inspiration from! So celebrate its 140th Anniversary, Breitling released three perpetual calendars, at Geneva Watch Days 2024 – A Premier, Navitimer and Super Chronomat. According to Georges Kern, they couldn’t do justice to the 140 years of history with just one watch, so they went with th...

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Seiko 5 Sports 1968 Heritage Oct 23, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Seiko 5 Sports 1968 Heritage Design Re-creation

With a chic vintage style, retro sporty looks, and a design blueprint pulled from 1968, The Seiko 5 Sports 1968 Heritage ticks a lot of boxes! What We Love: The silver brushed dial with touches of colour on the seconds hand and writing The vintage racer strap gives off those retro vibes The size will suit most wrists What We Don’t: The bracelet design doesn’t look as good as the strap Bi-directional beel is smooth rotating, with nothing to lock it in place at a reference point The case style may not be to everyone’s liking Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Vintage has been the theme this year for Seiko, and while it may seem we’ve reviewed this piece already, fear not, as this is another vintage re-creation that Seiko has pulled from their archives from 1968. During the middle of the year, Seiko released the Seiko 5 Sports 1968 Heritage Design Re-creation, a piece that has been done as a faithful tribute to the 1968 Seiko 5 Sports, and in their words, done as close to the original as possible. “Reproduced in a size and shape as close as possible to the original, the reissued design is powered by the tried-and-trusted Calibre 4R36 automatic movement. The new creation strikes a perfect balance between the nostalgic design of the original and the modern watchmaking technology of today.” Seiko The original Seiko 5 Sports from 1968. Image courtesy of Seiko RELATED READING: REVIEW: Hands On With Th...

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TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport Oct 20, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport is a piece that isn’t for the faint of heart, and is aimed squarely at those who appreciate motorsport – so we thought we would test drive this in the real world to see how it performs. What We Love: The bold design elements The rose gold case paired with the black accents Super comfortable piece to wear What We Don’t: The 44mm size won’t suit all wrist sizes Lack of a screw-down crown on a sports piece Lack of detailing and design on the rubber strap Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8/10 TAG Heuer’s motorsport roots are well-known, to the point where if you don’t associate TAG Heuer with motorsport, then I’d say that you’re probably also unaware of the brand. Ok, I’m being a little facetious here, but you get my point. The fact that they have a watch named after an F1 race (The Monaco) and another that was designed in 1963 after Jack Heuer was enamoured by the Carrera Panamericana race in Mexico (The Carrera) should give this away, but also highlights the brand’s close ties with motor racing. This is no more evidenced by the fact that TAG Heuer will be taking over from Rolex as the official timing partner for Formula 1 from 2025 for the next 10 years as part of the deal between Formula 1 and LVMH. Global Luxury Giant LVMH Inks A Historic 10-Year Deal With Formula 1 So it comes as no surprise that last month in early September, TAG Heuer lau...

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Bremont Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Oct 16, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Bremont Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve

From the Arctic to the Everyday: The New Terra Nova Evolution What We Love: The new look for the Terra Nova is suited for everyday wear. The blue gradient dial is stunning in person. Polished finishing on the case and bezel gives the watch a luxury look. What We Don’t: The constant seconds counter is oversized for dial. Movement and power reserve can be better to suit modern standards. Minute track can be slimmed down so dial appears less busy. Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.0/10 Build Quality: 8.0/10 During Watches and Wonders earlier this year, Bremont released numerous timepieces for its Terra Nova collection, with various colour schemes and strap options. This Terra Nova collection can be seen as the brand’s redirection, as in early 2023, the company announced a change of leadership with Davide Cerrato taking over the reins. But let’s take a step back and look at what Bremont was as a watch brand before this new, modern direction took over. As a watchmaker, Bremont has a relatively short history compared to some of the other luxury watch manufacturers; however, in this short span of time, they have already created some memorable timepieces. The story in which the brand was found is also quite the tale! Bremont Founders Nick and Giles English. Image Reference: Bremont.com Bremont was founded in 2002 by British brothers Nick and Giles English. The brothers were drawn to watchmaking and to ultimately created a watch brand t...

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Zenith  Defy Revival Diver A3648 Oct 10, 2024

Hands-On With The Zenith Defy Revival Diver A3648

Part of Zenith’s Watches & Wonders 2024 releases was a long-overdue Revival of a popular retro model. But does the 70s aesthetic still hold up today? Let’s find out! What We Love: Retro design & old-school cool Tough specs make for good for daily wear Plenty of adjustments for even the smallest wrists What We Don’t: Clasp feels lacking in design Challenging to pull off and style with outfits Smudges easily – a byproduct of all high-polish watches Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 We at Watch Advice were busy throughout all of 2024’s Watches & Wonders. So many brands, so many releases, and all in one place? April was the season for Watch Heaven. With your eyes darting from brand to brand, it’s easy to get lost in the fog of the amazing new models – however, if you don’t slow down and look around, you might realise that you missed something special. ‘Under-the-radar’ is a somewhat apt description of Zenith’s releases at this year’s biggest watch fair. While there were two new modern defy models worth celebrating, one release didn’t seem to get as much press as everything else did. Designed in the ’60s, the Zenith Defy lineup was a distinctive collection in a sea of retro timepieces. However, they were built for one purpose: survival. Zenith wanted to make the most resilient Swiss watch of its time, and they made sure that no stone was left unturned.  The vintage goodness that is the Zen...

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Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Oct 3, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver

We go hands-on with the newly released Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch to see how heritage and tradition meet modern-day needs! What We Love: The textured dial and 3D markers add depth to the watch High legibility making time reading easy The easy-wearing ergonomic design What We Don’t: The bracelet clasp design is still lacking in finesse Crown placement at not quite 4 o’clock seems off-balance The closed caseback hides what would be a nice-looking movement inside Overall Rating: 8.375/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8/10 Seiko has been on a bit of a walk down memory lane with many of their releases this year, looking back at the old vintage models from the 1960s and ’70s as inspiration and reviving some of these pieces for modern-day customers. It seems that this is a little bit of a trend currently, and has accelerated over the last few years with people looking for different pieces to place on their wrists. Many brands in the watch world have gone down this path, and it does make for some great vintage homage or revival pieces and a slight break away from the norm. Seiko has some great heritage pieces, and with their latest release, Seiko has gone back over 50 years to 1968, just three years after their very first dive watch and re-incarnated it in 2024 in the form of the Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver, with a black dial and white dial variant to choose from. First Impressions We had ...

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MB&F; Sep 25, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The M.A.D.1 S

A revolution in affordable Haute Horlogerie with the latest M.A.D.1S. What We Love: Affordable haute horology timepiece The three-blade rotor design is well thought out, with it becoming even more fun with lume activated! Despite its thickness, the timepiece sits very well on the wrist thanks to the flat case back. What We Don’t: The hour time barrel is read right to left as it spins counter-clockwise when it should be read left to right The racing-inspired textile leather strap lacks adjustment for slim wrists. Lack of secondary strap choices from M.A.D Editions! Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The M.A.D.1S. is one of the best, if not the best, horological “fun” pieces that are available on the market right now. There are not too many other watches in the luxury world of horology that offer such an amusing timepiece that gets everyone talking, even non-watchgoers! The M.A.D 1 has a relatively short-lived history, as it was first released in June 2021; however, since then, it has been met with an overwhelming reception, giving more and more incentive for the M.A.D. Editions brand to keep creating more innovative, affordable entertainment timepieces! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) The brand new 2024 M.A.D.1S. models To understand how M.A.D.1 first came about, we need to look at how the brand M.A.D Edition started and how its big sister brand, MB&F;, played a maj...

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Baume & Mercier Riviera 10770 Sep 20, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With Baume & Mercier Riviera 10770

The Riviera 10770: Baume & Mercier’s Perfect Balance of Form and Function is now met with a brilliant emerald-green dial! What We Love: Exceptional dial design The movement offers a 5-day power reserve A smaller and slimmer case makes it more versatile. What We Don’t: The bracelet design is too plain for Riviera’s case finishing and dial design Lack of micro-adjustment on bracelet. Lack of colour options for secondary strap options (to colour match with the dial) Overall Rating: 8.95/10 Value for Money: 9.3/10 Wearability: 8.75/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.75/10 Founded in 1830, Baume & Mercier, as a watchmaker, has long been known to have a deep-rooted passion for horology, reflected through their timepeices that show elegance and precision. Brothers Louis-Victor and Célestin Baume founded Baume & Mercier, and the brand quickly found itself on the international stage with a reputation for creating watches of exceptional quality, earning them numerous awards for precision at international exhibitions. In 1918, Baume & Mercier further solidified its “luxury image” by bringing in Paul Mercier as a partner. Paul Mercier brought a modern vision to the brand, leaning more towards aesthetic innovation while still upholding the brand’s technical excellence. This philosophy of Paul Mercier laid the groundwork for future Baume & Mercier collections! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Baume & Mercier (@baumeetmercier) All-new Baume & Mercier Riviera 10...

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Zenith  Chronomaster Revival Shadow Finally Sep 16, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow

Finally, the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow has a titanium bracelet to match! But can it change my mind on the ladder-style bracelet? Let’s find out! What We Love: Great movement specs and finishing Plenty of micro-adjustment holes for easy wear A sleek, sporty yet geometric design What We Don’t: The clasp isn’t as refined as it could be Ladder bracelet isn’t for everybody Retro styling may not suit all people’s tastes Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 7/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 “If You Know, You Know/IYKYK”: A phrase that I keep seeing being used all around social media. It’s a statement I often find used to infer that only a select amount of people know about a certain thing. It’s kind of cool and funny when done for inside jokes, but more often than not I see the term overused to gate-keep to an annoying degree. From withholding movie titles to restaurants – some people need to wake up and realise that buying Adidas Sambas, watching Set It Up or going to that poké place down the road doesn’t make you the main character of anything. Conversely, if used in moderation, it can make a community feel truly special and grateful to be a part of a tight-knit fan base. In that respect, I believe that Le Locle watch brand Zenith is the definition of an IYKYK community. I’ve not met a single Zenith wearer who doesn’t absolutely love Zenith – every single one who, upon mentioning my appreciation for their watch of choice...

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TAG Heuer Carrera Silver Panda! Combining Sep 13, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With The TAG Heuer Carrera Silver Panda!

Combining classic racing heritage with modern silver charm, I go hands-on with TAG Heuer’s latest offering in their Carrera Glassbox range! What We Love: Glassbox sapphire crystal design Sunray brushed dial Multiple little details that make the watch stand out What We Don’t: The bracelet design feels too standard for a watch of this calibre The date wheel could be better colour-matched to the dial to blend in more seamlessly. Lack of micro-adjustment on the bracelet Overall Rating: 8.9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Ever since the Carrera line was first introduced into the world of horology, with the Heuer Carrera released in 1963, it has been a symbol of precision and racing heritage. When it comes to the world of luxury timepieces, very few designs boast a balance of history, style, and racing inspiration quite like the TAG Heuer Carrera. Before we dive into the review of one of TAG Heuer’s latest offerings of the Carrera this year, it’s essential to understand one of the leading design features of this timepiece: the glassbox. While the glassbox design is one that came about recently from the brand, it does have a deep-rooted history that stretches all the way back to the original 1963 Carrera Chronograph timepiece. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TAG Heuer (@tagheuer) 1963 is arguably one of the most historic years for TAG Heuer, as this is when Jack Heuer introduced the Carrera, an entirely new st...

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Baume & Mercier Classima Somewhere Sep 7, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Baume & Mercier Classima

Somewhere in between dress and sports, the new Baume & Mercier Classima may be in a class of its own, but how does this piece traverse daily life? What we Love Classic and elegant looks The deep blue dial Has the right amount of wrist presence What We Don’t The rotor movement is a little noise The chronograph pushers are on the stiff side The crystal is on the thinner side, reducing the solid feeling of the watch Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 7.5/10 In a recent article, I delved into the history of Baume & Mercier, and the brand today, like many watch brands with almost two centuries worth of history, is different from the one started back in 1830 by the two Baume Brothers. Over the decades, and now centuries, it has evolved from a brand that was specialising in high complications and winning awards at The Kew Watch Trials, to being a solid mid-entry level player in the Swiss watch industry. This is a similar story to many others out there, and this is not a negative thing by any stretch, it’s just the way the world works – watches and other industries alike. William Baume and Paul Mercier, the founders of what is now known as Baume et Mercier, which evolved out of the original Baume & Co brand set up in 1830 by William’s Grandfather and Great Uncle. The pioneers of the brands and industries were just that, pioneers and the inventors of their time. Nowadays, you still need this, but more so, you need ...

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Seiko KSK Burgundy – SPB461 Aug 24, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The King Seiko KSK Burgundy – SPB461

We love a watch with colour, so we were happy to go hands-on with the new King Seiko SPB461 with the burgundy “grape” coloured dial for a week. What We Love The burgundy dial pops The bracelet’s look and feel Easy to wear, set, and forget watch What We Don’t The size may be a little small for some wrists Accuracy could be greater at the price point Darker coloured dial adds more light reflection compared to the lighter dials Overall Rating: 8.25/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 King Seiko in its modern form hasn’t been around all that long. Having been re-launched in 2021 as a limited-edition re-creation of an original design, it was so successful among watch enthusiasts is was then subsequently launched as a regular lineup in 2022. Interestingly, each model in the King Seiko range is based on an original model from 1965, and when you look at the design codes, style, and sizing, you can see these ’60s vibes coming through. The original King Seiko from 1965. When you compare the original to the modern version, coloured dial aside, you can see exactly where all the design cues originated from. We covered a little bit of the history of King Seiko in our Hands On Review of the blue dial King Seiko KS1969 that Sameera wrote a week ago, and if you’ve not read it yet, then I suggest you check it out here. But in a nutshell, King Seiko started in 1961 when Daini Seikosha (Seiko), having concentrated on ladies pieces star...

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Oris Aquis Great Barrier Reef Aug 21, 2024

Hands-On With The Oris Aquis Great Barrier Reef IV

In this review, I get a hold of the fourth Aquis rendition commemorating one of Australia’s greatest natural wonders! But is it truly a standout? Let’s find out! What We Love: Dial is unique yet elegant and possibly timeless Wears extremely well Supremely capable movement for the price point What We Don’t: Uniquely coloured dials are always a point of caution Can it come in any smaller sizes? The price point is contentious Overall Rating: 8.6/10 Value for Money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Everyone loves a bit of independence in their lives. Having your own slice of agency signals freedom to do whatever you please – like buying watches, for example – without having to worry too much about the consequences.  But, of course, it’s not that simple. Agency, and by association freedom, can be an elusive thing, which is why we oftentimes find ourselves getting attached to characters, products and brands associated with the idea of finding freedom. Not everyone can break the Matrix like Neo, ‘Just Do It’ like Nike or beat up their boss like Stone Cold Steve Austin, so we live vicariously through those that operate, or are perceived to be operating, on an independent level. In the watch industry, Oris is one of the finest examples of freedom and independence in watchmaking. Having followed their slogan to “Go Their Own Way” since 1904, their perception of freedom is conveyed through their dedication to independent design, techn...

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TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT Aug 14, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT

TAG Heuer has refined their Aquaracer collection and with many improvements, we wanted to see what all the hype was about. Here’s what we thought… What We Love: Better proportions and size On-the-fly micro-adjust New colours and dial aesthetics What We Don’t: Being a Caller GMT rather than a Flyer GMT Cyclops window over the date aperture Some may find the clasp isn’t as sturdy as other pieces on the market Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 TAG Heuer has been on a run of late. At the start of 2023, they brought us a new look Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox” for its 60th anniversary and seemed to knock it out of the park with these. This run continued through 2023 with new variations of the Carrera, but then mid-year, a range of new Monaco’s in titanium with skeleton dials popped up and we saw Max Verstappen sporting a unique version of one of these on his wrist for much of the year. This year, 2024 saw new Carrera variants come out at LVMH Watch Week, including the Dato and a teal green Tourbillon Chronograph and then at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Monaco Split Seconds Chronograph based on TAG Heuer’s Only Watch entry was released to much applause. Oh, and let’s not forget the Formula 1 x Kith collaborations. But, all this left us wondering, what about the Aquaracer? We saw smaller versions of the Aquaracer Northern Lights models at LVMH watch week, which gave us a small taste of what’...

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Grand Seiko Aug 10, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With The Limited Edition King Seiko KS1969

The King Seiko KS1969 Limited Edition is a timeless tribute to Seiko’s heritage, reimagined for the modern era. What We Love: Like current Seiko models, this latest King Seiko gets a modern slimmed-down reinterpretation. The multiple polished finishes from the case, bezel, and dial elements to the bracelet! The greenish-blue colour combined with the dragon-scale pattern makes the dial pop! What We Don’t: Not everyone may agree with the choice of dial colours for this collection from Seiko The movement needs to match the build quality and high level of finishing on the timepiece. It would’ve been great to get the date wheel to colour-match the new dial colours! Overall Rating: 8.9/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 In July this year, Seiko unveiled a new series of King Seiko dress watches to revive a classic heritage design. Before we get into this latest creation, we first need to look at King Seiko and some of the signature designs that came with it. The name of King Seiko is just as important to Japanese watchmakers as the name and brand of Grand Seiko. The story goes that King Seiko was first launched in 1961 alongside Grand Seiko, who were direct competitors of each other. Seiko did this because of the brand’s relentless pursuit of perfection and quality, as the rivalry between King Seiko and Grand Seiko would produce some exceptional timepieces. The 1960s were seen as the golden era for Seiko, as the brand quickly...

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Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 Ceramic Aug 7, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 Ceramic Blue

We’ve gone hands on with the Hublot Big Bang Meca-10, and after a week with this piece on the wrist, here’s what we think! What We Love: Its undeniable wrist presence! Unique in-house movement with 10-day power reserve The Meccano-inspired design elements What We Don’t: Is large and won’t suit all wrists Clasp can irritate the wrist a little if the strap is too loose Not as versatile as other Hublot offerings Overall Rating: 8.625/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This is the first time that I have personally had the opportunity to review a piece from Hublot. Yes, I’ve worn them before and had many times to play around with them, but never in a capacity where I’m actively putting pen to paper (So to speak) and sitting down and writing my thoughts on them. It’s a different exercise doing this compared to just wearing the watches and appreciating them for what they are and enjoying them. I mean, how many times do you sit down and write 2000 words on your daily wearer? It makes you think differently about it, especially as you try and put yourself in someone else’s shoes who may be considering a new purchase. No pressure at all! The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10. Big, blue and beautiful! Having had a fair bit of exposure to Hublot over the last few years, I’ve come into this review with a little more knowledge than had I done this prior, and as I’ve discovered time and time again, the more knowledge you have around...

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Seiko s Prospex 4R Diver Aug 2, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With Seiko’s Prospex 4R Diver Black “Shog-Urai”

We examine Seiko’s latest rendition of its iconic “Samurai” and “Shogun” models in this in-depth hands-on review. What We Love: Slimmed-down design of the previous Samurai/Shogun timepieces The hour indices and hands are much more appealing design The all-black look makes the dial pop! What We Don’t: Unique dial design can take getting used to for non-enthusiasts The movement seems outdated for this latest 2024 offering Power reserve is sub-par for a timepiece of this calibre. Overall Rating: 8.8/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Seiko’s latest Prospex Diver collection, an update to the 4R Diver models, was released only a few short months ago. The Japanese watchmaker released three timepieces of this signature model, with colours varying from burgundy red (SRPL11) to black on steel (SRPL13) and black-coated (SRPL15). This year is also the 20th anniversary of the very first timepiece this new model references, celebrating a long yet somewhat turbulent history. The latest Seiko Prospex 4R Diver has a much more “sleek” design, having been slimmed down from previous versions. You might be wondering by now how this timepiece gets the “Shog-Urai” nickname! Well, we have to retrace back some steps to Seiko’s previous Prospex Divers models, which were named Samurai and Shogun. While this wasn’t Seiko’s official nickname for these timepieces upon their release, it’s the Seiko enthusiast who has graced ...

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Zenith Chronomaster Sport Jul 29, 2024

The Zenith Chronomaster Sport On Tour In NZ

It’s the ultimate question: Which watch should I take with me when traveling? To see how the Zenith Chronomaster Sport held up, we took it to New Zealand on an adventure to answer this question! One of the things that goes through my mind when looking at a potential watch purchase is, is it good for travel? Now I’m not talking about watches with GMT functions or watches that are specifically designed to track multiple time zones like a Worldtimer etc. These are great, but not essential. I’ve traveled lots without a specific watch like a GMT. What I’m more interested in is this: Is the watch versatile enough to wear in different climates with different clothing? Can I wear it day and night should I take it as my only piece? Will I enjoy wearing it out and about, exploring new places and seeing new sights, and the last one that goes through my mind (a side effect of doing what I do) how will this piece photograph and will it look good on Instagram? Ok, the last one is a little more specific to me, but you get my gist! Now I’m a bit of a sucker for a green dial. I use to gravitate towards blue, but these days, I’m liking watches with more colour, or something that isn’t your standard blue or black. Don’t get me wrong, both of these colours are great, but if you have a few watches that are blue or black, then you kind of want to venture out of this box a little. With this in mind, I’ve managed to get my hands on the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Green that was re...

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Cartier Santos Dumont Minimalism Jul 24, 2024

The Cartier Santos Dumont: Minimalism To The Max? (Hands On)

The Cartier Santos Dumont is a watch beautifully frozen in time – aesthetically and functionally true to the original, and it’s still as relevant as ever in 2024. What We Love Classic and timeless design Thin, elegant, and comfortable on the wrist Movement is smooth and appropriate for a dress piece What We Don’t Wears larger than anticipated (due to my small wrists) The pin buckle is finicky at times and hard to adjust A display case back would be great! Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Ah, Cartier: One of the pillars of modern watchmaking as we know it. Even though they are a High Jewellery Maison, their knowledge of horology is storied and epic, and through their achievements, sparked some of the most important innovations in the history of this beautiful art. I’ve known about Cartier and their reputation my whole life, but other than occasionally peering into their boutique and looking through the window, I always thought my opinion of them would never extend further than their occasional appearances in rom-coms, music, and other pop culture. The Cartier Santos Dumont Getting into the watch business gave me a whole new perspective on what I knew about the Parisian brand. Getting into Watch Advice also allowed me to take a massive deep dive into Cartier’s history, which naturally garnered a new respect for them. The Santos was the first ever wristwatch? How crazy is that? I won’t nerd you o...

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IWC Ingenieur Jul 22, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Beautiful IWC Ingenieur

The IWC Ingenieur is, in my opinion, one of Gerald Genta’s most underrated designs. But does it hold up compared to some of his most iconic pieces? Let’s find out! What We Love: Breathtaking design Moulds perfectly onto my wrist Genta heritage, but feels unique What We Don’t: A micro-adjust butterfly clasp would be nice Would love a display back Would be nice to have a COSC movement Final Score: 8.75/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 8/10 IWC is a watch brand that for me personally, I hadn’t really done a deep dive into before. I feel that it is a brand that if you know, you know, and once you get into the brand, many people are hooked. But when I joined Watch Advice, I began to delve deeper into the industry and watchmaking itself. To my surprise (and nobody else’s), I discovered that IWC had contributed much more to horology than I had ever cared to know before. This and the fact that the guys visited the Manufacture in Schaffhausen in April, and regaled me of their adventures there! The giant perpetual calendar movement on the wall in the entry of the IWC Manufacture in Schaffhausen which we visited earlier this year before Watches & Wonders 2024 Founded in 1868 by Bostonian watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company found its roots during Jones’ time in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. From there, they would combine American manufacturing with Swiss craftsmanship to produce high-quality timepiece...

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Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Jul 8, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster

In this latest hands-on review, we look at Seiko’s Prospex Marinmaster, a reinterpretation of the brand’s first-ever 1965 diver’s watch. What We Love: The mix of brushed and polished surfaces on the case, bracelet and dial The dial pattern and colour are stunning in person. Open case back showing movement for the first time in a Seiko diver. What We Don’t: The bracelet clasp design is not suited for high-end Seiko divers. Open case back could show more of the movement. The date window could have been placed better for a more balanced dial view. Overall Rating: 8.6/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Seiko first introduced a trio of Prospex Marinemaster models in late 2023. These timepieces merged two of the brand’s best heritage diver timepieces, the Marinemaster from 2000 and the classic first-ever Seiko divers watch, the 1965 62MAS. Combining two signature designs to make a brand new modern diver’s timepiece. The 2023 Prospex Marinemaster models showcase Seiko’s renowned craftsmanship and dedication to creating excellent dive watches. The collection uses a rugged design along with beautiful dial aesthetics to make it known that it can be used as both a tool watch and a daily wearer. The Prospex Marinemaster also uses the iconic Seiko watch designs from the above-mentioned references. Original 1965 62MAS Diver watch (left) vs modern re-interpretation Save The Ocean Limited Edition (right) Seiko is well known ...

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Seiko Presage Cocktail Time GMT Jun 25, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Seiko Presage Cocktail Time GMT

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time has been a hit for the brand, and for under A$1,000, the watch packs a punch! What We Love The gradient Champagne dial with 3D sunburst effect The size is pretty much perfect for most wrist sizes The overall vintage style that epitomises the “cocktail” time theme What We Don’t Crystal is not sapphire by Hardlex Glass Has a minimal power reserve for a watch that may not be worn everyday The movement could be better finished as it is on display Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 8/10 The Seiko Presage collection is one of those collections that has something for everyone at varying price points. Everything from more sporty full steel models to the dressier variants with beautiful dials and leather straps. Whichever way you look at them, both Seiko and the Presage have a firm place in the market, and rightfully so. Having had some hands-on experience with last year’s Australasian Limited Edition Lark Cocktail Time, and attending the showcase of this piece in Brisbane at Vintage Watch Co, I can see why these pieces have become so popular with watch enthusiasts and the general public alike. So how does the new Seiko Presage Cocktail time that was released earlier this month stack up? First Impressions With three model variants being released – an ice blue dial on steel, smokey brown on leather, and a champagne dial on a brown leather strap, it’s clear that Seiko is thinking a...

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Cartier Brown Dial We spend Jun 21, 2024

Reviewing The New Santos De Cartier Brown Dial

We spend a week with the new Santos De Cartier Large brown dial released at this year’s Watches & Wonders and see how this timeless piece wears in the hustle and bustle of daily life. What We Love The timeless design Ingenious quick change and quick link system The slim profile on the wrist What We Don’t Lack of fine adjustment on the bracelet The brown dial may not be to everyone’s tastes A see-through caseback would be a great addition Overall Score: 8.75/10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 As far as watch releases go, there are few brands that garner global attention come the first day at Watches & Wonders. One of these is Cartier. The second biggest watch brand by sales in the world and a brand synonymous with luxury, Cartier always manages to surprise with both their “everyday” pieces, as well as their Cartier Privé, and High Jewelry collection from their Maison Mètiers d’Arts. So this year I was excited to see first hand what the Maison would bring out, and hopefully, get my hands on these as I’ve not reviewed a piece from Cartier before. One of these pieces was the Santos De Cartier Large with a 70’s vibe brown gradient dial, and being something very different to what I’m used to wearing, was keen to put it on the wrist Related Reading: Cartier Drops Their New Santos Collection Initial Thoughts I always write down my initial thoughts when first handling a new watch. It’s a great way to effectively “Judg...

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Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Jun 7, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph

IN PARTNERSHIP: Almost 2 months ago at Watches & Wonders, Zenith released a chronograph version of their highly popular Defy Skyline – The Defy Skyline Chronograph and we thought let’s see how they compare to the OG. What We Love The edgy look, true to its DNA Quick change strap & bracelet system Accuracy of the 1/10th chronograph What We Don’t Clasp can irritate the wrist on the rubber Still no micro-adjust for the steel bracelet On the larger side and may not be for all wrists Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 The Zenith Defy Skyline is no stranger to me. In fact, I’m very familiar with both the brand as well as the Defy Skyline having the Blue dial version as part of my collection. So, when I heard that Zenith were adding a chronograph version to the Skyline collection, part of me was curious as to how they’d look and wear, the other part was really looking forward to seeing them in person upon their release. And if I’m honest, part of me was interested in how they would compare to my Defy Skyline, which if you’re interested in comparing this review to my Owners’ Perspective, feel free to read it here. The Zenith Defy Skyline in blue – a good-looking piece if I say so myself! Initial Impressions Our first experience with the new Defy Skyline Chronograph was a brief one – amidst the chaos that is Watches & Wonders and at the Touch and Feel Session with the full range of Zenith’s laun...

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Bell & Ross Diver Black & Green May 27, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Bell & Ross Diver Black & Green Bronze

We go hands on with the Bell & Ross Diver Bronze and see how the new Black & Green colourway fairs, not to mention what the patina is like! What We Love The gold hue of the bronze case The matte green dial is silky smooth Completely different look to most other watches on the market What We Don’t The strap is a little bulky for my liking The date window could be slightly larger The bronze patinas quickly Overall Rating: 8.625/10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 9/10 My first proper Hands On experience with Bell & Ross was with the Cyber Ceramic we reviewed in March this year. If you read the review (and if you haven’t, click the link and give it a read first, I’ll wait!) you’ll probably note that I wasn’t too sure on how I’d feel about an all black, square-shaped watch on my wrist. After all, I’m not that much into fully blacked-out pieces nor do I have a love for square-shaped watches. I’ve nothing against them at all, it’s just not my style…normally! But the Cyber Ceramic changed this, as after having it on my wrist for a week or more, I came to love the piece for what it was and quietly, liked having a watch on my wrist that was completely different to most other pieces out there, and not something you’ll see in the wild all that often. You’ll also note I mentioned that the watch I originally wanted to receive for the review was the recently released Diver Black & Green Bronze. Mostly for personal reasons –...

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