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Feb 26, 2025

And You May Ask Yourself, “Well, how did I get here?” - Dealing With Imposter Syndrome in the Watch Community

I attended my first watch meetup with a generic quartz dress watch on my wrist and two budget mechanical watches stuffed into my pockets. In my right pocket was a one hand Luch, a watch that was as quirky as it was inexpensive (I think I paid $50 on Amazon, a lot for me at the time), thanks to a single hand that worked its way around a 12 hour dial about twice per day. I say “about” because it wasn’t very accurate, but I didn’t care. I’d spent hours researching my first mechanical watch before spending my hard earned cash, and was genuinely proud to own it. My left pocket housed a broken HMT Pilot, a watch that unlike the Luch that had been purchased out of pure enthusiasm, I knew little about. Of course, it wasn’t broken when I’d bought it, and the debate of whether or not it even belonged in my pocket at all was one that had caused me considerable stress in the hours leading up to the meetup. As a pandemic era watch enthusiast, I cut my horological teeth behind the safety of my phone screen. Like bowling with bumpers, the internet spoon fed me confidence in a secure environment, letting me compose painstakingly researched opinions into carefully curated comments before posting anonymously on a forum. And, if that comment received criticism, this informative and safe environment allowed me to make it disappear forever with a single click. But as the pandemic fizzled out and restrictions were lifted, the watch community I’d become a part of through various ...

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Feb 25, 2025

Join Worn & Wound and Arken for a Pre-British Watchmakers’ Day Get Together in London!

British Watchmakers’ Day is fast approaching! On March 8, over 40 UK based brands will exhibit in London’s Lindley Hall as part of the event in support of the The Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers. And, once again, Worn & Wound will be there. Managing Editor Zach Kazan and Media Manager Devin Pennypacker will be on hand to document all of it. They’ll be talking to brands and enthusiasts all day, and will be getting a look at many of the exclusive limited editions that for the second year in a row promise to be a highlight of the event.  If you’re in London that weekend, we hope you can join us on March 7, the night before the big event, for a get together at a London pub beginning at 6:00 PM. Hosted by Worn & Wound and Arken, this will be a fun, casual opportunity for enthusiasts and collectors to come together ahead of British Watchmakers’ Day. So join Zach, Devin, and Arken’s Kenneth Lam for drinks, light refreshments, and plenty of good watch talk. We hear that Ken might even have a sneak preview of a special watch that will be making its big debut the very next day, so don’t miss out.  Please use this link to RSVP. Space is limited, so make sure you RSVP soon, and please register separately for any guests. Details on the event location will be provided to attendees prior to the get together. We can’t wait to see you there! The post Join Worn & Wound and Arken for a Pre-British Watchmakers’ Day Get Together in London! appeared first on Worn & ...

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Oak & Oscar Feb 25, 2025

Oak & Oscar and Eric Wind Collaborate on a Limited and Vintage Inspired Edition of the Atwood Chronograph

One of the things that all great micro and independent watch brands have in common is that they lean into exactly who they are. The brands that attempt to cater to changing tastes and trends never seem to last, or if they do they seem to just kind of languish and not really grow or do anything all that noteworthy. Another way to say this is that brands who are authentically themselves, and a reflection of the point of view of those in charge, and their clients, are almost always going to be the most interesting. Oak & Oscar, I think, neatly falls into that category. Whether the designs are your cup of tea or not, there’s no denying that the brand, their aesthetic, and the choices they make line up precisely with the ideas that founder Chase Fancher and his colleagues are trying to bring to the larger watch community. That was apparent in their recent Humboldt GMT SAR limited edition, which helped to underline the brand’s general love of the outdoors, and it’s built into their latest release, a limited edition version of the Atwood chronograph, in an entirely different way.  The new version of the Atwood is a collaboration with Wind Vintage, the well known vintage retailer founded by Eric Wind in 2017. The Atwood Wind Vintage Edition is simply a product of two friends coming together to work on a cool product, which Oak & Oscar describes as a tenet of what they’re all about. Eric and Chase go way back, having met in New York just after the release of the Burnham, O...

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Casio nally Feb 25, 2025

Hands-On with the 100% Swiss-Made Piccola & Jofrette PJ1

It’s not entirely uncommon for my first encounter with a brand to be when they inquire about attending Windup Watch Fairs. There are a lot of brands out there, more every year, so it’s hard to keep up with every new launch. Conveniently, Windup is a great way for new brands to meet enthusiasts and potential customers (sorry, this wasn’t meant to be a Windup pitch), resulting in a natural amount of outreach. When new brands come in, whether to me or a colleague, we give them a quick review to see if they are a conceptual fit for the fair, which they are more often than not. Occasionally, a new brand will stand out, for one reason or another, and they’ll get the seal of approval and an immediate request for a sample to review. Such was the case with Piccola & Joffrete. What stood out wasn’t the watch’s design, though it is altogether pleasant if conservative; rather, it was what appeared to be a high level of finish and a dedication to Swiss manufacturing. Many watches say Swiss-made on them, the definition of which I’ll elaborate on below, but few say 100% Swiss-made like the Piccola & Joffretes. Typically, those that are 100% Swiss (which is also hard to tell as transparency isn’t a strength of the watch world) cost significantly more, likely starting in the five figures. So, the final aspect that made Piccola & Joffrete (PJ) stand out was their relatively reasonable price point, Swissness considered, of 2500 CHF. There are several criteria a watch must mee...

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Feb 25, 2025

The Greatest Horologists You’ve Never Heard Of: Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) - A Champion of British Craftsmanship

Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was the last of the great Vulliamy family of Royal clockmakers and five-times Master of the Clockmakers’ Company. He was Royal Clockmaker to King George IV, King William IV and Queen Victoria and the driving force behind the formation of the Clockmakers Library and Collection – now Clockmakers’ Museum – from 1814 onwards. The Public Face of Clockmaking The Vulliamy family was known for producing high-quality timepieces, often regarded as some of the finest in Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was the last of four generations of Royal clockmakers based at 68 Pall Mall, London from 1753. Early in life he joined his father Benjamin in the family business, which by then was best known for its ornamental clocks and metal furnishings. Upon his father’s death in 1811, Benjamin Lewis inherited control of the business. Following the end of the Napoleonic wars he began to shift its output towards emerging new markets, particularly those brought about by the development and expansion of institutions like the new Houses of Parliament, government departments and London’s clubland. In all his products he aimed for high quality, reliability and accuracy. He created clocks for public buildings and important institutions. Some of his works are still present in places like the Horse Guards Parade and the Royal Exchange in London. This magnificent and imposing clock No. 1394 (below) was purchased for use in ...

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Omega Introduces New Bronze Gold Feb 24, 2025

Omega Introduces New Bronze Gold and Burgundy References to the Seamaster Diver 300M Collection

Giving an icon a shiny new coat of paint can be daunting. Of course, if you’re Omega and the icon is the Seamaster Diver 300M, you have plenty of material-both literally and figuratively-to draw on. In that vein, the new Seamaster Diver 300M in Bronze Gold and Burgundy, inspired by the very well-received 007 Edition launched in 2020 for the release of No Time to Die, isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it sure is making it prettier.  This new Seamaster features a strikingly similar design ethos to the 007 Edition, with an oxalic anodized bezel ring and dial, dual screw-down crowns at the 3 and 10 positions, and a domed sapphire crystal. Setting it apart, however, is the Bronze Gold 42mm case, hands, and indices. Omega’s proprietary alloy is composed of 37.5% 9K gold, along with palladium and silver, creating a material that, according to the brand, touts corrosion resistance without verdigris-oxidization, which extends the patina process over a longer period of time than regular bronze. Of course, the Bronze Gold case isn’t the only noticeable difference from the 007 Edition-the new Seamaster’s bezel sports a deep shade of burgundy that contrasts beautifully with the case and gives the watch an air of royalty. Two different models will be available at launch, and both feature the burgundy bezel over a matte black sandblasted aluminum dial. PVD 18K Bronze Gold hands and blackened indices, all of which are coated in Super-LumiNova, populate the dial alongside t...

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Christopher Ward Christopher Ward Feb 24, 2025

Announcing the Windup Watch Fair Dallas Lineup!

The countdown to the Windup Watch Fair Dallas is on, and we’re excited to unveil the incredible list of presenting brands who are helping bring this event to life! As the premier gathering for watch enthusiasts, collectors, and those new to the hobby, the Windup Watch Fair is free and open to the public. Just as a reminder, here are the details of our Dallas event: Hickory Street Annex 501 S Second Ave #200, Dallas, TX 75226 Saturday, March 15: 12PM – 6PM Sunday, March 16: 12PM – 5PM Free and open to the public No registration necessary This year, we are thrilled to have a fantastic lineup of presenting brands who share our love for timepieces and support the watch community. The Windup Watch Fair also wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our valued lead sponsors, who help make the event a truly special experience: Lead Sponsors Christopher Ward Christopher Ward is an Anglo-Swiss watchmaker with a simple aim: to put premium quality watches within the reach of everyone. Founded in 2004, the company prides itself on combining traditional Swiss watchmaking techniques with contemporary English design. Models like the Bel Canto, Trident, Sealander, and The Twelve are admired among watch lovers, while CW’s Calibre SH21 was the first in-house mechanical movement from an English brand in over 50 years. Oris Oris dives into 2025 with a joyful nod to this special heritage design with the 60th Anniversary Edition, a watch that faithfully revives the charm an...

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Feb 24, 2025

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Xeric Timeline Retrograde

When I attended the New York Windup Watch Fair for the first time, I was exposed to a multitude of brands and had my eyes opened to just how unique the watch industry could really be. Among the brands that I was introduced to, Xeric stood out due to their futuristic, space themed and outright eccentric designs. As I’ve followed Xeric, they’ve continued down this same path, which brings us to the Timeline Retrograde. With this new release, Xeric has set out to revive the double retrograde movement, making it relevant and affordable for modern collectors. To do this, Xeric has introduced the “Xeric Caliber X5.1” movement: to put it simply, this is a custom built module which stacks upon a Miyota 9015, a common movement in the microbrand community known for its reliability and affordability. This module gets you a retrograde display without the exorbitant costs associated with developing an entirely new movement from scratch. Additionally, since the foundation of this watch is a 9015, it should prove to be a reliable timepiece for years to come, but also be serviceable in case something happens.  The standout feature of the Xeric Timeline Retrograde is, without a doubt, its retrograde time display. Unlike traditional analog dials where multiple hands simply rotate around the face, the two retrograde hands “sweep” across the dial in an arc and then jump back to the start. The hours are shown by a shorter hand that glides from 12 to 12, while the minutes are indica...

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Marathon Feb 23, 2025

[VIDEO] A Rugged, Search and Rescue Tool Watch Returns - Marathon OSAR-D

The post [VIDEO] A Rugged, Search and Rescue Tool Watch Returns – Marathon OSAR-D appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Feb 22, 2025

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Microsoft Makes a Big Quantum Computing Advancement, Saying Goodbye to Trakke, and Plymouth Prowlers Hit the Auction Block

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. True Detective Season 5 is Coming  The fourth season of True Detective was divisive to say the least. The Jodie Foster led story set in the Arctic Circle was highly anticipated, and much of the discussion around the show centered around a True Detective mythology that may or may not really exist, perhaps leading viewers off course and less able to get sucked into the story. But no matter what we think of any individual season of True Detective, the concept is so strong, we always want more, and we got some details about the upcoming season 5 recently via Deadline. Issa Lopez is back as showrunner, and production is set to begin in earnest in the next few months. The big news though is that the setting of the show has been revealed as Jamaica Bay, New York, which of course will provide for a very different vibe than Alaska. The new season is expected to air in 2027. The Into Thin Air Debate Rages On  Recently in Slate, writer Laura Miller dove into the most recent round of animus in the ongoing debate over what really happened on Mt. Everest in the famous 1996 expedition that resulted in the deaths of five climbers. Famously chronicled in Into Thin Air by John Krakaue...

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Feb 21, 2025

Arcanaut Introduces the D’Arc Roast, with a Dial Made from Coffee

Coffee and watches. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, movie theaters and popcorn, fireworks and the Fourth of July. OK, it might be the most obvious pair, but there are deep connections if you look for them. There’s a culture of hardcore enthusiasm associated with each, for one. And there’s even an entire brand (an incredibly popular and beloved one in our community) inspired by coffee culture. And, for some reason I’ve never really been able to put my finger on, watch photographers have become incredibly fond of staging watches near coffee mugs, coffee beans, and anything remotely coffee related. The reasons for this, frankly, are puzzling. But there’s one exception: if the dial of your watch is actually made of coffee, I think you’ve earned the right to feature some beans in your shot.  The latest watch from Arcanaut, then, gets a pass if you’re one of the lucky 33 collectors able to acquire one. Built on the ARC II platform with that highly contoured, futuristic 40.5mm stainless steel case, the new D’Arc Roast limited edition features a brown dial that is made, in part, from coffee grounds. It’s right in line with Arcanaut’s mission to experiment with unusual materials, and also reflects the deep love of coffee in the brand’s home country of Denmark, which is the home of four of the seven winners of the Barista World Championship (store that one in the back of your brain for trivia night).  So how is the dial made? According to the bra...

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Rado True Square Automatic Skeleton Feb 21, 2025

Hands-On: the Rado True Square Automatic Skeleton

I have a feeling that if you asked most watch enthusiasts to tell you their thoughts about Rado, they’d start with the Captain Cook. The brand’s diver has been revived in recent years and become an enthusiast favorite, appearing in both traditional vintage inspired designs as well as more forward thinking and tech oriented variants. I’ve handled my share of Captain Cooks and while I think it’s a perfectly fine dive watch, there’s something a little generic about it and it’s never quite grabbed my interest. It seems positioned as a calling card product for Rado, but I find myself wondering if it’s really the watch that we should most closely identify with the brand.  Because the truth is, when it comes to Rado, they are far more adventurous than the Captain Cook would lead you to believe. And, for that matter, they’re more adventurous than we should have any right to expect given their fairly competitive price points and their place within a big luxury watch group, not typically the home of risk taking when it comes to watchmaking. Beginning with the DiaStar in the 1960s (which featured a case made from an ultra hard alloy that was among the first watches marketed as “unscratchable”) and on into the 1980s when the brand really began hitting their stride with ceramic, Rado has carved out a niche for itself as a brand willing to experiment with both raw materials and the form and function of a watch.  There are many examples of this throughout the brand...

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Feb 21, 2025

Just A Minute With The G-SHOCK DW5000R-1A Origin

41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar to the original. The case is slightly larger at 42.3mm yet it is still a stainless steel core that is now wrapped in bio-based resin instead of regular resin. Lug-to-lug is a compact 48.9mm which creates a very comfortable fit on the wrist. Even with the screw down case back, a design choice taken directly from the original, protruding from the back and increasing the overall thickness to 13.1mm. Inside the DW5000R-1A you’ll find the 3576 module. A huge leap forward from the original module 240 found in the DW5000C, the 3576 provides the wearer with an LED light, Stopwatch, Countdown Timer, Full Auto-Calendar and Alarm. This allows you to celebrate the original without sacrificing the comforts of modern watchmaking. 41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar t...

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Citizen Promaster Navihawk Feb 20, 2025

The Citizen Promaster Navihawk is Now Available in a New, Smaller Size

When it comes to “big” and “busy”, few do it better than the Citizen Promaster Navihawk. With a commanding presence packed with information, the aviation icon has always proven to be accessible in price, but not so much in size. That’s all changing, however, as Citizen unveils the 40mm Promaster Navihawk as part of their revamped Promaster Air collection.  Designed to favor legibility and functionality, the 40mm Navihawk will look familiar to those who know the larger model. It features a stainless steel case with satin finishing, polished accents, and a knurled crown, ringed by a rotating slide rule bezel. Inside the flat sapphire crystal, a complementary internal flange borders a metallic dial, available in three colors-khaki green, copper, and silver.  According to Citizen, the 40mm Navihawk features ⅕ second chronograph timing up to 60 minutes, and 12- and 24-hour time displays. Three black chronograph subdials take up the bottom half of the dial, and a rotated date indicator sits between the 4 and 5 indices. To balance out the date’s stilted location, printed details proclaiming the 200m water resistance and the Navihawk logo occupy the same location on the other side, between the 7 and 8 indices.  Inside, the 40mm Navihawk upholds the original model’s reputation of reliability and practicality. Citizen’s proprietary Caliber B620 Eco-Drive movement utilizes solar power to keep the watch running without use of a battery-very handy for those wit...

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Feb 20, 2025

[VIDEO] Our Favorite Watch Accessories

When you collect watches, you also somewhat inadvertently collect a bunch of other things. You might realize it until you get pretty deep into the hobby, but it’s almost impossible to avoid acquiring a whole host of accessories for storing, cleaning, admiring, and tinkering with your watches. Over the years, we’ve tried tools, cases, and accessories in a bunch of other categories, and have naturally developed some preferences.  Here, Kat Shoulders and Zach Kazan walk you through some of their personal favorites from their own stash. Let us know in the comments what watch related accessories you can’t live without.  Zach Kazan  Valet tray  A valet tray is in some ways impossibly simple. Usually made from leather, they are small trays, often with buttons at the corners, made catching stray items that you might dump from your pockets upon returning home. Keys, wallets, loose change – you get the idea. Though not a watch accessory per se, they make a ton of sense if you have more than a few watches in your life and just need a place to put them from time to time. I have a few valet trays on my desk at home. One is large enough to handle all the things these trays were really meant for, and is where you’ll often find my AirPods, a memory card or two, maybe some cash (nothing larger than a five spot, sorry) and a pen. The other is smaller, and perfectly sized for two watches. If I’m going to typing for an extended period of time and don’t want the feel of a wat...

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Christopher Ward Responds Feb 20, 2025

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection

“Through constant emails, face-to-face requests at events, and in the comments of our social posts, it has been impossible to ignore the requests for this ‘Goldilocks’ case size. We are a brand that listens to our customers––you asked and we delivered.”  –Christopher Ward’s CEO and Co-Founder Mike France It’s always refreshing when the feedback of the watch community is recognized by at least one company or representative within the watchmaking industry. To hear Mike France and Christopher Ward directly address their customer’s concerns is exactly what makes the microbrand/indie sphere so great. Whether you believe they’ve expanded beyond their microbrand status to “legacy micro,” “independent,” or some other higher level of categorization, the brand’s acknowledgement of customer input speaks volumes about their character and ability to take and utilize constructive criticism––perhaps a result of their humble beginnings as a true microbrand. After the critical acclaim the 36mm and 40mm Twelve models received, Christopher Ward is set to release a fresh take on their popular design with the new Twelve 38. The stainless-steel case, which made its limited edition debut last year in the “Ice Cream” collection, measures 38mm across, 43.3mm lug-to-lug, and 9.95mm thick, thanks to its ultra-slim Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. With 26 jewels, a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a 38-hour power reserve, these reliable and durable automatic move...

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Frederique Constant Partners Feb 19, 2025

Frederique Constant Partners with Watch Angels on a Revamped Worldtimer

Over the last several years we’ve seen all kinds of models pop up for the creation and distribution of limited edition watches. It’s becoming more and more clear that this most recent period in watch enthusiast history will almost certainly be known as the “Limited Edition Boom,” or something along those lines. Look at the pages of any watch media website, including this one, and you’ll find that news items about various LEs and collaborations dominate the conversation, so it’s no wonder that a cottage industry has sprung up to develop these kinds of watches specifically. Watch Angels is one such platform seeking to provide an ecosystem for brands (mostly independent) to create limited edition versions of watches that are funded by the eventual purchasers. It’s like the old souscription model crossed with Kickstater, with the main difference between Watch Angels and typical crowdfunding mechanisms being that these projects are largely one-offs from already established brands, and not debut collections from a start-up enterprise.  Frederique Constant, certainly not a brand most observers would expect to dabble in a crowdfunding project, is the latest to partner with Watch Angels on a new limited edition release. The Frederique Constant Worldtimer Manufacture seen here is a new and slightly more refined spin on a signature Frederique Constant complication. They’ve been making some version of this watch since 2012 (remember their 10th anniversary worldtimer t...

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TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph Feb 19, 2025

Hands-On: the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph in Steel

Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that our enthusiast romance associated with a mechanical movement can be another’s annoyance. Our beloved rituals of winding and setting, feeling the grinding clicks in your fingertips, and double-checking you’ve set it correctly can act as a barrier to entry for some, leaving a mechanical watch inside a dresser drawer. That is why I am a proponent of luxury brands exploring quartz calibers, particularly within their more popular collections. Removing that barrier and often lowering its price point means that the watch and the hobby as a whole can be accessed by more people, which is the ultimate goal, after all. All that being said, if a luxury brand is going to make a quartz watch and charge a luxury price, you have to make it a good one. Stepping off of my soap box, I’ll happily admit that when TAG Heuer released the Aquaracer with a solar quartz caliber inside, I too scoffed at the price and questioned its purpose. While the design language spoke to me with its warmly hued titanium construction and tasteful accents, I just didn’t understand why TAG Heuer would charge a price many multiples of what other solar quartz calibers commonly sell for. That was until I had the opportunity to have a period of hands-on time with it. I found myself enjoying its lightweight yet solid construction, the fun application of lume, and even became a bit enamored by the angular case lines, which had previously been a bit off-putting. So when I s...

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Citizen Promaster Diver 37mm Amidst Feb 18, 2025

Hands-On: the Citizen Promaster Diver (37mm)

Amidst the three and four-figure divers that dominate the market, Citizen has a reputation for being the everyman’s watch. Though the brand offers a variety of styles and price points, their dive watches tend to be one of the most popular options amongst their fan base.  Launched in 1989, the Promaster series was developed with the goal of providing professional-grade, reliable watches for divers and outdoor enthusiasts. The first Promaster dive watch was equipped with advanced features like a high-water resistance rating, luminous hands for visibility underwater, and a rotating bezel to track elapsed time.These Promasters featured an arrow logo, symbolizing the watch’s ability to “go higher and deeper” than Citizen’s previous collections. This arrow is still included on the crown of modern Promaster references, tying these new releases into a longer history of one of the brand’s favored series. Citizen made waves in the summer of 2023 when they released a smaller version of their Eco-Drive divers. Those releases brought the Eco-Drive Promaster, traditionally sized 44mm, into the realm of the smaller-wristed by shaving off a whopping seven millimeters. These options came in three dial colors: gray, blue, and black, and all had a color-matched bezel. Three more colorways were debuted this past December, which included purple, blue, and red dial options. Along with the new colors, the brand made some aesthetic changes to these 37mm divers. Though the three color...

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Bremont Extends Feb 18, 2025

Bremont Extends the Terra Nova Range with Bronze References

Last week, Bremont - the British brand in the midst of what could conservatively be called one of the most dramatic about faces we’ve seen from a watch brand in recent memory - dropped their first novelties of the year, a trio of bronze field watches in their Terra Nova collection. Bremont first introduced the Terra Nova collection at Watches and Wonders last year alongside a new brand identity, all of which was greeted by a decidedly mixed reaction from critics and fans alike. Now, almost a year on from the collection’s initial launch, Bemont has taken each of the three core models in the Terra Nova lineup - the aptly named Date, Power Reserve, and Chronograph - and given them the full bronze treatment, along with new horizontal gradient dial colors; green for the Date and Chronograph, caramel brown (which we first saw on a limited edition steel Terra Nova Date late last year) for the Power Reserve. Bronze has long been a tool in Bremont’s quiver - both in full bronze configurations or as an accent on watches like the S302 - but here, the brand has opted to step up their materials game by using “Cupro-Aluminium Bronze,” a high-tech alloy that adds silicon and aluminum into the mix. Bronze is typically made up of a blend of about ~90% copper and ~10% tin, and I can’t speak to how much of that has been substituted for silicon and aluminum, but I can tell you that Cupro-Aluminum Bronze boasts several advantages over more traditional blends. Namely, it...

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Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces Feb 18, 2025

Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces a New Tonda PF in Platinum

Among higher end Swiss watch brands, few have experienced a greater turnaround, at least on the surface, over the past several years than Parmigiani Fleurier. Parmigiani has always been a brand that knowledgable collectors and enthusiasts have praised and found a great deal of value in, but the brand itself didn’t always seem healthy. Before Guido Terreni took over in 2021, it would have been quite common to find heavily discounted Parmigianis on the gray market – a common symptom of overproducing too many references and not being able to find your core customer. Under Terreni, the brand’s output has been streamlined and everything just seems more thought through. And while I don’t have insight into sales statistics, you certainly don’t see the brand’s current catalog selling for closeout prices on the discount sites, a sign that they’ve got production under control, at the very least.  One of the brand’s biggest gambits has been the exploring the integrated bracelet sports watch market with the Tonda PF collection. Launched at a time when every luxury brand was throwing their hat in the ring in this particular category, Parmigiani has sought to differentiate itself from competitors in the luxury integrated bracelet sports watch world by leaning into the luxury angle, and perhaps a little away from the sport. Inspired by a “sartorial approach” to watch design, the Tonda PF is all about feel, texture, and proportions in a manner similar to a bespoke sui...

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Bell & Ross Introduces Feb 17, 2025

Bell & Ross Introduces the BR-03 Astro

A few months back at a watch collector’s get together, I was asked by a friend how we at Worn & Wound decide what to write about when it comes to new releases. It’s a good question. Obviously, we can’t cover everything, so decisions have to be made somewhere about what we devote time and energy to, and what we ultimately think is less essential. Obviously, there are a number of brands that are almost always going to be somewhat newsworthy and of interest to our readers, and they tend to be prioritized. There are also watches that are of a more personal interest to some of us, maybe less commercial, but still noteworthy in some respect. A category, though, that almost always makes it through, is when a watch comes around that makes me want to check off the “unique” button in our content management system. Not a diver, not a dress watch, not sport or tactical. A watch that can only or primarily be described as “unique” is almost always going to get a pass.  Bell & Ross has a knack for these, and the latest is the BR-03 Astro, a 999 piece limited edition inspired by nothing less than outer space, and our own solar system. Bruno Belamich, the brand’s co-founder and creative director, says he was inspired specifically by the view of the earth from the observation dome, the Cupola, of the International Space Station. The dial is blue aventurine (obviously evoking a star filled sky) with the brilliant blue, spherical representation of earth at its center. An engr...

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Seiko Orange Monster SKX781 Why Feb 17, 2025

The Seiko Orange Monster SKX781: Why the First Generation is Still an International Superstar in 2025

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is an idiom that will seemingly always ring true throughout the watch industry for brands of all different origins and ages. There are certain watch models that are so easily recognizable because of their distinctive and timeless looks, and while other companies eventually attempt to replicate them and hopefully attain the same amount of success, they can never truly capture the essence of the original. The Seiko Orange Monster may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a girthy diver with a bright dial, large lume-filled indices, and a heavy-duty stainless-steel shroud that I’m quite positive would look amiss with a three-piece suit. That being said, however, millions worldwide have embraced its robust and striking aesthetics over the years. The First-Generation models, while similar to their successors on the surface, have cemented themselves as cult classics within the collector sphere. Why? For a few reasons, I think.  Reason 1: An Overall Oddity with Near Perfect Proportions  When the Monster series was first announced, there was nothing quite like it on the market. Reception upon its initial release of reference SKX781 in 2000 was polarizing––some found the ambitious design, for lack of a better term, ugly. As time went on, more and more skeptics began to fall for its unique aesthetics and Seiko, noticing this trend, continued production of the Monster series for over two decades with minor tweaks here and there. The ...

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Bulova Snorkel Feb 16, 2025

A Servicable Hybrid Ceramic Entry Level Watch - Bulova Snorkel

The post A Servicable Hybrid Ceramic Entry Level Watch – Bulova Snorkel appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Grand Seiko Baltic Feb 16, 2025

A Week in Watches Ep. 99: Grand Seiko, Baltic, and More!

On Episode 99 of A Week in Watches, Zach takes us through a few new releases and ends on a brand-obit. First up are a few new models from Grand Seiko that, shocker, are inspired by nature. Next is a look at a new take on the Hermétique sport/field watch by Baltic with added functionality. After, it’s over to Germany to check out the new and very impressive watches by Jochen Benzinger. Finally, it’s time to bid farewell to Carl F. Bucherer. The DIY Watch Club sponsors this episode of A Week in Watches. Building a watch will elevate your appreciation for timepieces. Perfect bezel alignment? Blued steel hands? Mind-blowing lume? With DIY Watch Club, you get to experience the craftsmanship firsthand and gain a whole new level of appreciation for your watches. Learn more here The post A Week in Watches Ep. 99: Grand Seiko, Baltic, and More! appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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H. Moser Opens their First US Feb 15, 2025

Watches, Stories, & Gear: H. Moser Opens their First US Boutique, the Friendship Trailer, and a Familiar Face Enters the Watch Industry

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. Fred Savage Enters the Vintage Watch Verification Game  While actor Fred Savage is still mostly associated with his iconic run as Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years, his stock has risen in recent years within the watch community, coming out as a serious collector, particularly of vintage watches. Now he’s turning that enthusiasm into a new business venture, Timepiece Grading Specialists. The mission of TGS is to provide authentication and valuation services to vintage watch collectors (they’ll also provide services like, well, servicing, and storage, for additional fees), and as this article in the New York Times notes, watches that have passed through TGS have already been sold at auction via Sotheby’s, complete with their TGS assessment. We’ve seen many celebrities embrace the watch community, but few have taken the step of entrepreneurship in the way Savage has, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in the notoriously fraught world of vintage watch authentication.  Gary Gets a Suit  Several years back, Gary Shteyngart achieved a level of viral fame in the watch co...

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Hamilton LED Feb 14, 2025

eBay Finds: A Funky Speedmaster, a Hamilton LED, and a Beautiful Benrus with the Full Kit

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Benrus Starting off this week with a classic Benrus 3 Star vintage dress watch. The yellow gold fill case has a nice slim bezel and slim lugs, and is in excellent condition. The silver dial has a really neat radial brushed finish that radiates outward to the right from the 9 o’clock side, very unusual. There is a gold framed round date window at 6 o’clock that has a matching round date magnifier window in the original acrylic crystal. The watch comes on a gold tone stretch bracelet that probably isn’t original but is definitely period correct. This gem comes in the original Benrus box. Runs well per the seller, but no picture of the automatic movement.  View auction here Vintage Hamilton LED Watch Another week, another vintage LED watch. These seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately for some reason. But I’m glad they are because they are just too retro-cool. This example is a vintage Hamilton with its original bracelet and box and hangtag. The watch is gold plated, with a slim, space-age case and integrated bracelet. The seller states the bracelet will fit a 7.25” wrist max, and snugly at that, so keep this in mind if you have a larger wrist. The watch runs, and ...

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Citizen Promaster Dive 37mm Feb 14, 2025

Just A Minute With The Citizen Promaster Dive 37mm

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Rolex Feb 14, 2025

[VIDEO] Owner’s Review: the Vertex M60 Aqualion ND

“If you’ve heard the phrase ‘one-watch guy,’ you’re likely far beyond being one.” I’ve used that line a lot the last few years. In the last decade, the collective watch community has evangelized the ‘one-watch guy,’ transforming the concept from a simple idea into a lionized ideal rooted in the days when the Don Drapers of the world would get home from work, roll up their sleeves, and mow the lawn in cordovan loafers, Oxford cloth shirts, and a 4-digit Rolex. For better or for worse (honestly, mostly for better), we don’t live in that world anymore. Start looking around, and you’ll quickly realize that the modern one-watch guy is far more likely to own an Apple Watch or Garmin than a 1016. And yet, the theory of the ‘one-watch guy’ continues to permeate, no doubt helped along by people like me who keep writing story intros like this one. There’s a romantic simplicity to the idea; a sense that, if a collector can somehow encapsulate their taste into a single watch, they have achieved the ultimate in collecting prowess, or at least some advanced level of enthusiast zen. Generally, ‘zen’ is not a word I would use to describe myself, and I’m certainly not a one-watch guy, but I can understand why the concept holds appeal. In collecting, as in so many things, constraint can be a gift, forcing our own perspective into stark relief and keeping us accountable to our taste. From that perspective, a one-watch collection is the ultimate constraint, a...

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Feb 13, 2025

Tool/Kit: Minimalist Overlanding with Kat Shoulders Plus a Trio of New PRO TREKs

Kat Shoulders is the Head of Content here at Worn & Wound, but she’s also a professional photographer, avid outdoor enthusiast, and bonafide gear junkie. We follow her on one of her recent adventures with her new overlander and three of the latest PRO TREK models, each with their own unique functionality and vibe. The models are: PRG340-1, PRJB001B-2, and the brand new PRW6900YB-3. PRO TREK has continued to create an array of watches tuned specifically for outdoor lovers and this latest edition of Tool/Kit has been a great way to get to know them better. The post Tool/Kit: Minimalist Overlanding with Kat Shoulders Plus a Trio of New PRO TREKs appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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