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Zenith Goes Green Feb 16, 2024

INITIAL THOUGHTS: Zenith Goes Green With The New Chronomaster Sport – Live Pics

In Partnership: Zenith unveiled their latest Chronomaster Sport at LVMH Watch Week last month, and we’ve had a first-hand look at the new edition. LVMH watch week has been and gone for another year, and being in Miami, many of the brands under the LVMH banner went with a decidedly green theme. Maybe this was just a coincidence as there seems to be a range of green watches being released this year. Zenith was no exception and this year, not only did we get a Titanium Chronomaster Sport, but we also were introduced to a new all-green Chronomaster Sport. Yes this is similar to the Aaron Rodgers version, but without the Aaron Rodgers embellishments. Essentially it’s the standard Chronomaster Sport, but green! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Watch Advice (@watchadvice) Whilst this isn’t a review per sè I’m going to let you know how this feels and looks on the wrist. Hey, I’ve had a chance to have this for the week to play with it and give it a good test drive, so what better way to showcase this release than with live pics and on the wrist with a first-hand account? Plus I’ll say this now, this piece had me a little smitten with the way it looked and felt on my wrist. The new Zenith Chronomaster Sport Green When released a few years ago, the Chronomaster Sport was accused of being a bit too close in looks to the Rolex Daytona. Now this was mainly due to the fact that it was released in both a black variant and white variant, had a similar case and brac...

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Squale Feb 3, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Squale MATIC Australian Limited Edition

We’ve gone hands on with the Australian limited edition Squale MATIC, sold exclusively through StarBuy. Here’s what we think! What We Love The green gradient dialWearability for a large watchTropic strap is very comfortable in Summer What We Don’t Crown at 4 o’clock is hard to useDomed crystal reflects a lot of lightNot for the faint of wrist Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 7.5/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 9/10 Squale may not be a brand you would have heard mentioned too often. It dates back to the 50’s when Charles and Helene Von Buren established the Von Büren SA watch factory in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Being passionate divers, their focus was on developing watches specifically for underwater use, which at the time in 1950 was 3 years prior to the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms making their debut. However, it would be almost 10 years before they are able to obtain a patent and register the Squale brand name, and then another 3 before their first watches would hit the market in 1962. The rest as they say is history (quite literally) and today, the brand is still solely focused on dive watches and what you would call a quintessential tool watch. They’re designed for a purpose – to be easy to use and read underwater with maximum legibility and functionality. They’re less a fashion statement, but then again, most watches that are fashionable were originally intended as something else. The form is now greater than the function they’v...

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Tissot PRS 200 as Jan 27, 2024

LOOKING BACK: Reviewing The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M – Owner’s Perspective

What’s it like to own the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M? In our Owner’s Perspective, we find out! This article was originally published as The Owners Perspective: Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M Why I Bought It A love of James BondLove the dive watch lookWas a grail piece when I was young The Ownership Reality Bracelet a little outdated and chunky claspWore it on the rubber more than notPolished Ceramic dial can be glary Overall Rating: 8.875/10 Value for money: 9/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 This isn’t the first time that I’ve owned a Seamaster. I had a 2005 quartz version almost 20 years ago. At that point I’d only owned a Tissot PRS 200 as a “good” Swiss watch. As a fan of James Bond, (and what young male isn’t?), I always wanted his watch. I mean how cool was the wave dial, the deep blue bezel and at the time, that unmistakable bracelet. It looked great in the office and on weekends at the beach. I loved it. Financial issues meant I had to sell it about 7 months after buying it, and that hurt. About 15 years and many watches later, I decided it was time to purchase another, this time the latest iteration of the SMP 300. I chose the black polished ceramic dial with the laser etched waves, date at 6 o’clock, glossy, almost silky polished ceramic bezel with white inset dive indicators. And this time, on the steel and opting to add the rubber strap too. Very versatile and with the steel bracelet and rubber strap, two very diff...

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Seiko s he got into Jan 24, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With HZ Watches – The Latest Australian Microbrand!

The latest microbrand from Australia is about to launch, and we’ve been wearing their launch model, the HZ.01 for the last week getting a feel for it and the brand! What We Love The vintage-inspired lookThe ability to dress up or downThe circular graining on the dial and green outer track that pops What We Don’t Slightly on the smaller sizeDate window a little too smallLack of lume on the numerals Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 9/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 8/10 It’s not every day that you get to go hands on with a watch prior to its launch, well, not for an extended period of time and even rarer to wear it for a week or so and have fun with it to review. And when this is the launch model for a brand-new microbrand from Australia, then it is a privilege to test it out, and not only give feedback back to the brand, but let the general watch-buying public know about it and help support a fellow enthusiast-turned-watch maker with their new endeavour. A Bit Of Background HZ Watches is the brainchild of Matthew Zillman, a Melbourne local who, like many of us, developed a love for watches at an early age. Having had some early model Seiko’s, he got into watch modding and building after doing a movement swap on a Seiko 5 with the 7s26 movement. And in his words: “Before I had time to blink, I was modding and creating different custom SKX mods for myself and a few friends at university, which soon blossomed into Seiko Mods Australia” One ...

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Tudor Black Bay GMT Opaline Jan 12, 2024

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE: 2023 Tudor Black Bay GMT Opaline Review

What’s it like to own the Tudor Back Bay GMT Opaline Dial? And is it better than the original Black Bay GMT with the black dial? After spending half the year with mine, I know my answer! Purchasing Expectations Loved the bulky aesthetic Wanted a traveller’s GMT that ticked all the boxes My first Swiss luxury watch brand Ownership Reality Incredibly well-rounded and reliable; A true GADA timepiece Perhaps too bulky, almost unbalanced even on the bracelet Where is the in-clasp adjustment? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 7/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Taking the Pepsi Plunge If you have just dipped your toes into the whirlpool that is the watch world, you would know the recognisable blue and red colours of the Rolex GMT-Master II, nicknamed “Pepsi.” You would also know that acquiring such a watch is – for want of a better phrase – a massive pain in the behind! To even get a chance at one, you must: A)     Know a guy who knows a guy, or B)      Play games with the Authorised Dealer for what can extend to an eternity, or C)      Fork over exorbitant amounts of money for instant gratification on the secondary market. If you’re in the same financial situation as me, or even significantly wealthier, this kind of behaviour would put anyone off from trying to get one.            Even so, they are still incredibly popular – but that’s a whole different rabbit hole to go down. So, when Tudor released the original Bla...

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Casio n What We Love Dec 21, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The Rado Centrix Automatic Diamonds

The new Rado Centrix Diamonds is that perfect all-around watch for women – a touch sporty and a touch dressy that can pair with any outfit for any occasion. What We Love The rose gold paired with the white ceramicThe ability to dress up or downThe diamonds are not too showy What We Don’t The weight (compared to other pieces worn)The stripes on the dial (initially)The movement finishing could be a little higher Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 9/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 8.5/10 So, this isn’t your typical watch review from me. I’m not the intended target for the new Rado Centrix Automatic Diamonds, which you may have seen Rado Ambassador and former Women’s World Number 1 Tennis Champion, Ash Barty sporting recently. However, my wife, Dominique on the other hand is the person who would buy and wear this particular piece. Given she already owns a Rado True Ceramic Thinline in white, which I bought for her 10 years ago, I felt she was the perfect person to test out Rado’s new Centrix Automatic Diamonds. The new Rado Centrix Automatic Diamonds So I gave it to Dominique for a week to wear as she went about her week. And as a busy Mother of our two girls, running around after them, working 3 days a week in a senior corporate job and juggling a side business as well, she had her hands full. While wearing it for the week, I asked her a range of questions about the piece on its design, how it wore and felt on the wrist. So I’ve turned her w...

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Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M Dec 14, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M “Summer Blue”

The 75th Anniversary Seamaster Professional Diver 300M “Summer Blue” may just be the perfect watch for Summer and we’ve taken it out to see if it really is. What We Love The gradient blue dialComfort factor of the rubber strapWears smaller than stats suggest What We Don’t Colourway could limit it’s versatility across the yearThis version on the bracelet, get the rubber!No display caseback on this version Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for money: 8.5/10Wearability: 9.5/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 9/10 This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Omega Seamaster, and to celebrate, the brand released the “Summer Blue” Collection in one of the most iconic locations, Mykonos Greece. In a unique move, Omega released a Summer Blue variant of each watch in the Seamaster lineup (which you can read our coverage of here) designed to mimic the Aegean Sea, and the deeper the watch’s depth rating, the darker the blue. It’s a cool concept. The Omega 75th Anniversary Summer Blue Seamaster Collection Now it’s Summer here in Australia, it felt timely to take possibly the best-known, and most popular of the Seamster collection, the Diver 300M on rubber strap out and about to see if this is “THE” watch for the Summer. Initial Thoughts The Omega Seamaster Diver isn’t an unfamiliar watch for me. I’ve now owned two of them: an original Seamaster Diver James Bond Quartz, and then more recently, the current SMP300 with the black dial and bezel. You can read my Owners Perspe...

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Audemars Piguet making Dec 7, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The Baume & Mercier Riviera GMT Travel Time

We’ve gone hands on with the new Riviera GMT launched at the start of the year, and we must say that it’s been a bit of a surprise package! What We Love Wave motif silver dialQuick change strap systemComfortable bracelet What We Don’t No secondary strap to utilise the quick change systemNo GMT bezel, limiting true GMT functionalityLack of a screw-down crown Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 7.5/10Build quality: 8.5/10 Baume & Mercier has had its ups and downs over the years, and more recently, I feel they’ve been relegated to the bottom of the Richemont stable of brands. However, this year, with the 50th Anniversary of the Riviera, Baume & Mercier have breathed some new life into their steel sports diver and designed it for a new wave of watch lovers. For those not very familiar with Baume & Mercier, first a very quick history lesson… The new Baume & Mercier Riviera GMT Travel Time Launched in 1973, the Riviera immediately made a splash with its dodecagonal case and its slimline metal strap. At this time, very few brands had really ventured into the luxury integrated steel bracelet models, with maybe the exception of Rolex and Audemars Piguet, making the Baume & Mercier Riviera one of the first brands to do this. Interestingly, the original design was done by Jean-Claude Gueit, the father of Emmanuel Gueit who designed the Royal Oak Offshore, so the Riviera has some design provenance and links back to that era as well. The Riviera...

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Bremont Supermarine GMT Diver We Nov 29, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Bremont Supermarine GMT Diver

We go hands on with Bremont’s newly released Supermarine GMT Diver, the S302. With a bright and vibrant blue/green bezel and blue rubber strap, we think this could be a quiet hit for the British Brand! What We Love Contrasting blue and green bezelSuper comfortable rubber strapNicely proportioned and easy to wear What We Don’t Bezel action could be smootherUni-directional bezel on a GMTLack of quick change strap system Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8.5/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 8/10 Bremont’s new Supermarine GMT collection was launched last month, a refreshed and refined range under their new CEO, Davide Cerrato. We covered this release (which you can read here) with three models, including a Jet Black, a Blue/ Green on blue rubber, and the limited edition Ocean in grey with Bremont’s new brand ambassador, marine biologist, shark and marine conservationist – Ocean Ramsey. The new Bremont Supermarine GMT Diver collection Since taking the helm at Bremont, we’ve been keen to see what Davide Cerrato would do as his first move when it came to the actual watches, and with a focus on their core lines, the first to be given a refinement was the Supermarine collection, starting with the S302 Diver GMT. Bremont is one of those brands that you want to win. They’ve a great origin story, and this for me is a major part of what makes a watch brand appealing. Why does it exist and what was the rationale for it being started outside of it being...

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Nov 11, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The Aventi Golden Tiger

The Aventi Golden Tiger is a watch that will definitely turn heads and have people stop you to ask, “What are you wearing?” What We Love Hand-engraved Sapphire and 24K Tiger head!Sapphire caseWrist presence What We Don’t The buckle doesn’t sit flush with the strapIt takes a while to wear the strap inIt will be large for some people Overall Rating: 8.25/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 Aventi is a brand that has grown from strength to strength over the past few years. Aventi has gone from its small beginnings here in Australia to now being a fully-fledged Swiss manufacturer, using some of the best watchmakers and techniques in the business with a unique and disruptive business model. The Aventi Goolden Tiger is a piece that needs to be seen up close and personal to appreciate it fully. The brand has partnered with a range of watchmakers and component producers, some of the best in the industry, and utilises their on-demand system for their higher-end pieces, ensuring the quality isn’t compromised and that each piece is finished to the highest standards. In addition, their Aventi GT-01S Calibre is a Swiss Made hand-wound Tourbillon movement with an accuracy of -4/+4 seconds per day, which is greater than COSC. Initial Thoughts Given Watch Advice’s founder, Chamath (@champsg), has the Aventi Wraith in Sapphite, and having worn in and played around with it many times, I was confident in what I was getting myself into with...

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Speake-Marin Oct 14, 2023

REVIEW: Adding A Bit Of Sophistication With The Speake-Marin Ripples Original

If you’re after a sporty chic watch that will set you apart, the limited production Speak-Marin Ripples Original in black could be the out of the box choice! What We Love The ripple effect dialThinness of the caseWears extremely comfortable What We Don’t Bracelet clasp is tricky to undoLack of water resistanceNo lume on the dial Overall Rating: 8.625/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 When it comes to the world of watches, the smaller independents often come second to the larger mass luxury brands. With the exception of a few high Haute Horology Maisons, many are overlooked by collectors and buyers alike. Partly due to the lack of mainstream brand presence, i.e marketing dollars, and partly due to the entry pricing of them, with many starting in the 10s of thousands of dollars. But for a good reason! Speake-Marin is one of these brands. The Maison is just 20 years young, and fiercely independent since the English/Swiss watchmaker was bought by an ambitious and ardent female entrepreneur, Christelle Rosnoblet in 2012. With it’s brand roots in England, yet now calling Switzerland home, the Maison’s pieces are developed, assembled and controlled in a fine watchmaking workshop, Le Cercle des Horlogers, which works hand in hand with Speake-Marin’s creation studio based in Geneva. The Speake-Marin Original Ripples Original Black Speake-Marin’s philosophy is simple, and boils down to three elements: All its collections are propo...

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Richard Mille Sep 30, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The Rebellion RE-Volt Valtteri Bottas C43 Limited Edition

Unveiled during the Monaco Grand Prix this year, Rebellion launched two limited edition RE-Volt pieces in partnership with the Alfa Romeo F1 team, and we’ve be able to go hands on with the Valtteri Bottas model! What We Love The layered coloured carbon caseSkeletonised dialThe actual pieces of the F1 car in the watch! What We Don’t Lack of water resistanceVelcro strap not as premium or comfortableMinimal power reserve Overall Rating: 8.375/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 8.5/10 As a fan of F1, it’s not everyday you get to go hands on and review a watch that the drivers wear. Let’s face it, many of the F1 teams have some very high end timing partners, like Richard Mille with Ferrari and Maclaren, whilst others like TAG Heuer and IWC are more mass luxury, some of the pieces the drivers sport are not, like the Lake Tahoe Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Lewis Hamilton has been seen with this year! So when Hardy Brothers, who are the official retailer for Rebellion in Australia, called and said they’ve one of the limited edition Valtteri Bottas C43 RE-Volt pieces available, let’s just say I was keen to get it on my wrist! The Rebellion RE-Volt Valtteri Bottas C43 Limited Edition to 50 Pieces Initial Thoughts Seeing this piece in person, you can’t help get some very strong Richard Mille and Hublot vibes from it. Partly due to the case designed in the Tonneau shape that is now synonymous with RM, and perhaps elements of the design an...

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Tissot Sideral S After seeing Sep 22, 2023

The Owner’s Perspective: Why I Bought The Tissot Sideral S

After seeing the press release, then having all three colourways for our hands on review for a few weeks, I pulled the trigger on the yellow Tissot Sideral S. But why? I’ve been wearing the yellow Tissot Sideral S now for about 2 months. And whilst we already did a hands on review on the collection, which you can read about here, this is an “Owner’s Perspective” with a difference. I mean, how can I do another review of a watch that I reviewed a few months back? To start I thought I’d elaborate on my review, especially now than rather than playing around with 3 colours, I’ve just the one to wear as part of my small collection. I said that the Tissot Sideral was one of those watches that you buy to add to a collection, not to start it, or to have as your one watch. Mostly because it’s not an everyday watch when you think about. It’s bright yellow for one, with a yellow inner track on the dial and a kind of pointless regatta timer on the inner scale. The Sideral S in the sand – perfect pairing! To add to this, its black carbon case isn’t all that versatile either, nor is its looks. It’s a very out there sports watch. BUT that’s exactly what it’s designed to be. A faithful recreation of the original yellow fiberglass cased Sideral S from 1971. However, with 300m water resistance, Tissot’s PowerMatic 80 movement with 80hrs of power reserve and their anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring, it’s the perfect weekend watch, or holiday watch, or really,...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph Jaeger-LeCoultre rel... Sep 17, 2023

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph

Jaeger-LeCoultre released their latest Polaris Chronograph a couple of weeks ago, and we had the first look, and quite frankly it’s stunning. Now we’ve gone hands on to review the blue dial variant! What We Love Super comfortable on the wristBeautiful textured lacquered dialLegibility and lume both day and night What We Don’t Clasp is a little fiddly with no push buttonNon-screw down crown makes me nervous on WRMovement isn’t as finished as you would expect Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 9/10 The Polaris is a quiet hit for Jaeger-LeCoultre in my opinion, and the new Chronograph released at the start of September was a nice surprise to most. We were lucky enough to get our hands on it before it’s release, and you can read the details on it here. However, being able to wear it around for a week for review really gives you a sense of how this watch really wears and looks on the wrist. In short, the blue dial pops, but recently, we also compared it to the grey dial variant, call it curiosity to see which is better – my initial thoughts are… it’s a very hard choice! The new Polaris Chronograph in Blue and grey dials The Design Let me say this first. The JLC Polaris Chronograph needs to be seen and felt in person. Photo’s really don’t do it justice, especially the texturing and gradient through the centre and main part of the dial. Both the blue and grey variants differ in this aspect, and whilst we’...

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Bremont Martin-Baker II Spring Sep 2, 2023

REVIEW: Getting Out & About With The Bremont Martin-Baker II

Spring is here and a great time to get out and about, so I took the Bremont Martin-Baker II on a couple of outdoor adventures to see how this robust watch holds up in our latest Hands On Review! What We Love Comfortable on the wristBright, easy to read dialOrange colour pops & is fun What We Don’t Crown is hard to pull out and setWears on the larger sideStrap can be a little finicky to put on Overall Rating: 8.25/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 8/10 For those that aren’t aware off the Martin-Baker story, here’s a quick re-cap. Martin-Baker is a British aviation company responsible for supplying 70% of the world’s Air Forces with fighter ejection seat technology. They first approached Bremont to create the definitive aviation watch in 2007. More than simply putting a logo on an existing model, the watch had to withstand the same rigorous testing programme as the ejection seats themselves. Two years later, the Bremont Martin-Baker I (MBI) was born and limited solely for pilots who have ejected from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker seat – something that is not all that fun and puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body and the watch! The MBI with red case ring – only for pilots who’ve survived a live ejection The MBII and MBIII were then produced for the general public, designed to the same strict standards of the MBI, but available in a range of colours and variants, with people able to choose their own colour for the mid...

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Tudor s Third Generation Black Aug 24, 2023

The Owner’s Perspective: Tudor’s Third Generation Black Bay Heritage 41 Burgundy

After searching for months to try one on, I finally got my hands on the new Tudor Black Bay, and when told I was able to purchase it, I bought it! So how has it been after a month or so on the wrist? Why I Bought It Liked the 5-Link bracelet aestheticWell proportioned case and dialNew T-fit clasp The Ownership Reality Wears well due to the slimmer caseNo date still, slight bug bear of mineAluminium bezel insert is more prone to scratches than ceramic Overall rating: 9 /10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 The Back Story The Black Bay Burgundy is now in its third generation or iteration of the watch. Originally released in 2012 to much acclaim, the watch was a great homage to the Tudor and Rolex dive watches of the 50’s. 10 years ago, it was released with an ETA movement and had the now much sought after “smiley” dial, with the lines of text at the bottom being curved making it look as thought the watch was smiling at you. And maybe it was?! This was then updated and launched at Baselworld in 2016 with the Tudor inhouse movement, the MT5602 that was COSC, the smiley removed and now with three lines of text saying it is Chronometer Certified. This is still the case with the current black and blue bezel variants on the love it or hate it faux riveted oyster style bracelet (which was done to mimic the pieces of the 1950’s). All three generations of Black Bay, from the Smiley to the new Master Chronometer However, at Watches an...

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Bremont Fury If you’re after Aug 16, 2023

A Modern Take On A Classic Pilot’s Watch: Hands On With The Bremont Fury

If you’re after an aviation styled watch, that can go from the beach to the boardroom, then the Bremont Fury may just be the watch for you! We wrist tested it for a couple of weeks, and here’s what we thought… What We Love The textured dialThe aviation stylingPower reserve indicator at 6 o’clock What We Don’t Lack of lume on the dialLack of character in the strapUnsure of what category of watch to fit it in Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 As you may know from previous articles we’ve written on Bremont and its founders, Giles and Nick English, you no doubt be aware of their love of aviation, and the reasons for starting up Bremont over 20 years ago. If not, then you can get brought up to speed in our interview with Giles here. So it’s no surprise that when they were designing their H1 series of watches with the Bremont assembled movement (the first for the brand) that one of these pieces had to be a pilots inspired watch. The Bremont Fury in blue – a modern take on the classic pilot’s watch. The Fury was that piece in both a blue and black colourway, designed to be a contemporary take on the classic aviation watch. I first saw this piece in person when I caught up with Giles back in April, and liked what I saw. So needless to say it was one of their pieces that I immediately wanted to put on my wrist to see how it wore and looked as I went about my day to day. When asked which colour I wanted...

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Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton Pros Aug 8, 2023

Hands-on with the Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton

Pros Unique sapphire crystal The cool Ceramos bezelSkeletonized dial Cons Crown operations can get trickyCombining Square faceted sapphire crystal and Skeleton dial can get busy.Design cues for the DiaStar are not for everyone. Overall Rating: 7.75/10 Value for money: 7.5/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 8/10 Rado’s iconic DiaStar model gets another update following last year’s 60th anniversary of the DiaStar edition, getting a case material change from hard metal to Rado CeramosTM and a one of kind Square faceted sapphire crystal. The Rado DiaStar was first introduced in 1962, and what an introduction it was. A milestone for the watch industry, the Rado DiaStar came with a ‘funky’ design and, more importantly, a scratch-proof case. Rado designed the very first DiaStar as a ceramic timepiece with a material called “tungsten carbide”. Although some people may argue that it’s not ceramic, tungsten carbide is considered ceramic, at least by the American Ceramic Society.  This is important because no timepiece at the time of DiaStar’s debut could offer a scratch-proof watch. When it comes to material innovation, the Diastar in ceramic was a breakthrough for the watchmaking industry. In modern times, the use of ceramic on timepieces is a more regular occurrence; however, for the industry as a whole, brands didn’t get on board with this material till around the 1980s. This highlights how far ahead in terms of material expertise and usage Rado wa...

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Panerai Radiomir Tre Giorni Aug 4, 2023

Adding Some Vintage Style With The Panerai Radiomir Tre Giorni

The chance to experience the latest 3 day Radiomir from Panerai was too hard to pass up. But how did it hold up, especially comparing it to the 8 Giorni I road-tested a month or so ago? What We Love Vintage styled design aestheticSlim case profile sits flush to the wristTextured dial and aged lumed numerals What We Don’t Thick strap is a little chunkyNo see through caseback3 Day Manual Winding Overall Rating: 8.875/10 Value for money: 9/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 Back in June, I was able to experience the new Panerai Radiomir 8 Giorni that the brand released for Watches and Wonders this year. I was immediately drawn to the distressed look of the eSteel and the blue smoked and textured dial. Check out my review of it here for the full details. So when the opportunity came up to wear the Tre Giorni (three day) version for a couple of weeks, and be able to compare directly to the 8 Days variant, I jumped at the chance. And what better place to photograph a watch with nautical and Navy roots than down by the bay and marina! Seemed fitting to take a naval inspired watch to the marina for some photos First Impressions Now, the differences between the Tre Giorni and the Otto Giorni are not huge, and other than the movement’s power reserve, it’s basically aesthetics. But then the look of a watch is a major factor when it comes to what you choose. It either looks good and resonates with you, or it doesn’t. The first impression of the Tre Giorni is ...

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Raymond Weil Pilot Flyback Chronograph – Jul 12, 2023

Hands On With The New Raymond Weil Pilot Flyback Chronograph – A Modern Classic!

Raymond Weil recently released their new limited edition Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph, and as the official launch partner, we’ve had the pleasure of testing it out over the past couple of weeks. Here’s the results… What We Love Vintage StylingThe multi-faceted dialFlyback functionality What We Don’t Stiff strap and clasp designNo date windowOverhanging lug design Overall Rating: 8/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 7/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 8/10 Initial Thoughts Sitting in a café in Sydney a few weeks ago, my colleague and I laid eyes on the the Raymond Weil Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph for the first time. We knew they were releasing a new pilots watch to add to the Freelancer Chronograph line, and having only seen the press pics, in person it looked the goods, especially the dial. Playing around with it for a little while, it seemed solid and well done, and being a limited edition of just 400, with a price point of AUD $6,995 for a good-looking flyback chronograph that was well built, seemed fair to us based on the competition and price points out there now. And if you missed our article on the release of this watch, before you dive into this review, check out all the details with more live pics here. The Design The design of the new Freelancer Pilot Flyback Chronograph is quite multifaceted, to say the least. Raymond Weil has used different design cues and inspiration to craft the watch to look and feel vintage, but it is anything but. The...

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Tissot Sideral! Over Jul 4, 2023

What Its Like To Have A Holiday On Your Wrist With The New Tissot Sideral!

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been playing around with the new Tissot Sideral collection, and at first I wasn’t sure of what to make of them. But after trying them on and wearing them, I now get it! What We Love Bright colours really popSuper comfortable to wearTotally unique look What We Don’t Strap fastening systemBezel action is roughNot an everyday watch or for everyone Overall Rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 7.5/10 Initial Thoughts When I first saw the press release on the Tissot Sideral collection (Which we covered here), I wasn’t sure what to make of them. A colourful re-invention of a sports watch from 1971 with a regatta timer – would it work? The short answer is yes, it does! A fun and playful watch, these are not to be taken seriously. Whilst the original was a serious watch 50 yeas ago, the 2023 Sideral takes that seriousness and flips it on its head. The new Tissot Sideral collection – colourful and playful! At $1,550 AUD, these are not overly expensive pieces in comparison to the larger world of luxury watches where many pieces are now into the $10,000+ range. And I’ll go out on a limb here and say these are not entry level either, despite their price. Why? Because they’re not an everyday wearing watch, they are designed to have fun with, and in my opinion, this is a watch that even seasoned collectors can add to their collection for that reason. After having all three models for a couple...

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Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni Jun 29, 2023

Getting Hands On With The Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni

The new Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni (8 Days) is a surprising watch and wearing it for a couple of weeks made me seriously consider the piece. But, not for the reasons I thought when I first saw the press release earlier this year! What We Love Vintage styled design aestheticGreat wearing, slim case profileThe textured, smoked gradient dial What We Don’t Case is a little too darkNo date (personal preference)Wire lugs take a little getting used to Overall Rating: 8.75/10 Value for money: 8.5/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 When Panerai released the new Radiomir Otto Giorni (8 Days) back in March for Watches and Wonders, I was immediately drawn to it, the distressed case, the textured smoked dial and the classic Radiomir look. So when I had the option of what Panerai’s I’d like to review next, I immediately jumped at the Radiomir Otto Giorni in blue. The new Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni in blue First Impressions In my experience, press images and renders of watches either go one of two ways. They either make the watch look super cool and the actual piece is a little underwhelming in person, or it goes the other way – they really don’t do it justice at all. Laying eyes on the new Radiomir for the first time, my initial reaction was “This is not quite what I excepted!” but in a good way. The distressed steel was a little darker than expected, the case was thinner and the 45mm diameter case did not look or feel this big at all. And the texture...

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Tudor Black Bay GMT Jun 19, 2023

The Owner’s Perspective: Tudor Black Bay GMT

The Tudor Black Bay GMT was a hit when released in 2018 giving people a much more affordable alternative to it’s older and wiser cousin, the Rolex GMT BLRO, otherwise known as “The Pepsi”. And being more attainable and a great value proposition, I decided it was time to add a GMT to the collection. Why I Bought It I had never owned a GMTGreat Rolex alternativeClassic styled GMT & similar to my Black Bay The Ownership Reality Wears larger than a 41mm watch due to it’s 14mm thickness and slab sidesNo micro adjust or extendable links for on the fly adjustment Aluminium bezel insert more prone to scratches than ceramic Overall rating: 8.5 /10 Value for money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 8/10 A few months ago, Tudor released a new variant of the Tudor Black Bay GMT with a white dial, which you can read about here, but personally, I didn’t love the white dial on this watch. The black dial “Pepsi” configuration, The OG looks better in my opinion, which made me think why, and then made me think – maybe I should write about it in this next Owners Perspective article. The original and the best – Tudor Black Bay GMT Having never owned a GMT, and les face it, over 2020 and 2021, I’ve not needed one as I’ve not really gone anywhere thanks to COVID. But with the world opening up again early last year, and with a few family holidays planned combined with an itch for a new watch, I decided to take the plunge and get a Tudor Black Bay GMT. W...

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Jun 5, 2023

Hands On With The Gruppo Gamma Venturo Field Watch II – A Good Looking Value Proposition

If a vintage styled field watch is your thing, then maybe the Gruppo Gamma Venturo Field Watch II maybe just the thing for you. Oh, and we’re giving it away! What We Love Vintage stylingEasy to wearChangeable straps What We Don’t Not a high grade movementLack of design elements on strapNot suitable for smaller wrists Overall Rating: 8.375/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 8/10 This is a review with a difference. Whilst we get a lot of watches to review each month, this time we’ve decided to review one we’re giving away to our amazing audience. How do you win? simply take our short 4 minute survey to help us design and write content to help you, our readers. which you can take it here. Don’t forget to come back and read the review when you’re done! The Gruppo Gamma Ventura Field Watch II Gruppo Gamma is probably a brand you’ve not heard of, and not surprisingly as they’re a micro brand founded in 2013, named after the Italian frogmen unit of the same code name, that was first put to action in 1940 and was the first modern naval diver unit. The top secret elite force was called “Gruppo Gamma” which was said to have originated from the Pirelli rubber skinsuit, called “muta gamma”, that was used by the divers. And they make some very reasonably priced tool watches with inspiration from vintage style field and dive watches. The Design If you think this looks familiar in style, then you’re not wrong. The Venturo is h...

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IWC Portofino 39mm Chronograph It’s May 30, 2023

Hands On With The IWC Portofino 39mm Chronograph

It’s not often that we get a dress watch to review, and even rarer that I would wear a more dressier watch around for a week or so, but the IWC Portofino held it’s own and even got out to an event or two where I could really show it off. What We Love Clean easy to read dialClassic looks that won’t date39mm size wears well What We Don’t Lack of see through case backNo Date displayNot easy to read in low light with no lume Overall Rating: 7.75/10 Value for money: 7/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 8/10 The Portofino collection has been around since 1984 in the IWC catalogue, and offers an alternative to the Portugieser range for those wanting a slightly smaller and more elegant piece on their wrist. If you’ve kept up with my other articles around dress watches, many of you may know that I’m not massively into dress watches but was keen to try out the new IWC Portofino Chronograph 39mm. It’s a watch that grows on you. If you’re like me and not naturally inclined to wear more formal watches, then you really need to spend time with the Portofino to appreciate it. You probably should also be the person that can either pull off a more dressier watch with casual clothes, or have places to wear this, like more formal events, business attire at the office or even just a nice dinner out where you can admire the watch in the dimmer restaurant lighting. Given I’m not an office worker anymore, I opted for the event and dinners out options to show this piec...

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TAG Heuer May 8, 2023

Hands On With The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 In Ethical Rose Gold & Lucent Steel

If you’re in the market for a good two-tone sports watch, then the Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 in Lucent Steel and Ethical 18k Rose Gold may just be the watch you’re looking for! What We Love Wearability and comfortTHAT Iris of the Eagle dial!Sturdy, good looking movement What We Don’t Lack of taper on the braceletNo ability for size adjustmentsClasp not easy to open Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 8.5/10 Chopard is a brand that’s probably not first on people’s list when they think of a steel sports watch. In fact, it may not be even top three. I know it wasn’t for me, and if you’re like me and think about steel sports watches, then your mind probably runs through a range of brands from Rolex, to TAG Heuer, to Omega, Breitling, Tudor, and the like. But maybe, you should think of Chopard? The Alpine Eagle in 18k Ethical Rose Gold and Lucent Steel As the watch community’s lust for steel sports watches continued to rise, Chopard recognised this and introduced the Alpine Eagle in 2019 – a modern re-interpretation of the 1970s St. Moritz, the first timepiece that was created by (now Co-President of Chopard) Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. And it was a good release. The star of the watch was the Iris of the Eagle dial that if you have seen it in person, is mesmerizing. And let me tell you, it is very cool. For this review, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the two tone variant in Chopard’s 18k Ethical Rose G...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Apr 26, 2023

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds – A Classic With A Modern Touch

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is an iconic watch and sets the standard of what a Dress watch should be. Refined, subtle and easy to read. And the new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds is just this. What We Like Timeless DesignClean and easy to readGood size and wears well What We Don’t No LuminescenceNot an everyday watchStraps take time to break in Overall Rating: 8.4/10 Value for money: 7/10Wearability: 8/10Design: 9/10Build quality: 9.5/10 I’ll be honest here. Even with all the watches I’ve tried on and owned over the years, I’ve never owned a square or rectangular watch, nor had I tried one on for longer than 2 minutes in a boutique or dealer. So when Jaeger-LeCoultre offered two of their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds to wear around for a week, I jumped at the chance to test out this icon of the watch world. The pink gold and black dial Reverso Tribute Small Seconds mid flip – a fun watch to play with on the writst! Jaeger-LeCoultre launched their new Reverso Tribute Small Seconds at Watches and Wonders last month in four dial/colour variants – three in pink gold with black, burgundy and silver dials, and a steel with silver opaline dial. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. All are stunning examples of their heritage and as the name suggests, a Tribute to the originals from 1931. I had the pleasure of going hands on with the steel variant with silver opaline dial, and the pink gold variant with the classic black dial, both with the Fagliano Co...

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TAG Heuer Carrera “Glassbox” Apr 18, 2023

The New TAG Heuer Carrera “Glassbox”. Is This The Chronograph We Didn’t Know We Needed?

TAG Heuer is celebrating the Carrera’s 60th Birthday this year, and doing so, has released the vintage inspired 39mm “Glassbox” Carrera Chronograph at Watches and Wonders. I had the pleasure of going hands on with the watches prior to it’s release, and was quietly impressed! What We Like Great styling and designComfortable and easy to wearSizing hits the mark What We Don’t Like Leather strap could use some additional styling cuesLack of lume on the dialMovement finishing is a step up from the old, but could be better given the price point Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 9/10Build Quality: 8/10 No matter what you think about TAG Heuer, it’s hard to argue that they are one of the most recognised luxury watch brands in the world. Synonymous with motorsport, TAG Heuer have helped to shape the modern day chronograph, evolving the Carrera over the six decades since Jack Heuer designed and produced the very first Carrera in 1963. For those keeping track, I was not the biggest fan of TAG Heuer, and wasn’t until I reviewed the 60th Anniversary Edition TAG Heuer Autavia Flyback Chronograph (which you can check out here) around 12 months ago that I started to change my mind. The all new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 39mm “Glassbox” TAG Heuer are having a renaissance of sorts. They are revisiting their roots, heading back to the days of Jack Heuer and what helped to make them the brand they are today. And the new Carrera Chronogra...

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Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Hands Apr 11, 2023

Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Hands on Review

Early March – Tissot released its new look line up of a revived model line, the Chemin des Tourelles, named after the location of the brands first headquarters in Le Locle. I had the pleasure of going hands on with several of its key pieces, and in particular the 39 mm version, with sunburst blue dial and brown leather strap. What we like Beautifully finished deep blue sunburst dialCase wears comfortably on the wristSmart, classic design What we don’t like Crystal reflects the light a lot, detracting from the dialClasp isn’t as sturdy as you would expectMovement could be finished better with the see-through case back Overall rating: 7.125/10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 7/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 6.5/10 Now I should start out by stating that this watch retails for AUD $1,175, which by many people’s standard in the crazy world of watches we live in, could be considered quite cheap. However, this is a great entry level price point for a Swiss watch, and as such, I’m reviewing it with this in mind, and to be honest, I’ve worn plenty of watched that are 3x or more in price that are probably on par if not a little less appealing or well built! So, here we go… Tissot holds a fond place in my heart. It was the first ever Swiss watch I bought. I had my first ever job in Sydney, and even though I wasn’t earning much, being a junior sales co-ordinator at a major radio network, I wanted to reward myself. So one lunch time I went to one of the local watch d...

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Breitling Have Beefed Up Their Mar 22, 2023

Breitling Have Beefed Up Their Top Time Line Just Ahead Of Watches & Wonders

Last month, Breitling held a very special event for a handful of watch enthusiasts, and Watch Advice was there to get a great hands on experience with the new Top Time line up, and see how this collection with the new B01 movements and new Thunderbird model felt in person, and most importantly, how they sat on the wrist! With less than a week to go until the watch world descends on Geneva, Breitling have dropped a revised line up of their Top Time collection, with new beefed up specs and adding a new model to the muscle car line up – the Ford Thunderbird, to sit alongside the Mustang, Cobra and Corvette. Watch Advice, along with with a handful of passionate collectors had the pleasure of getting under the hood of the new models (yes there will be many car references in this article, so brace yourself!), and testing them out in person. The Breitling Top Time Collection – Left to Right: Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang & Shelby Cobra “The Top Time represented a break from traditional watch design for a generation that was breaking with convention in every way… We are going after that sense of freedom and fun with the 1960s-inspired Top Time Classic Cars collection”Georges Kern – Breitling ceo The Top Time collection was released in 2021 with three models – the Mustang, Corvette and Cobra. This year, Breitling have introduced the Ford Thunderbird to the collection, and alongside this, dropped a new engine into them with the new in house calibre...

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