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Urwerk Nov 8, 2024

Roundup: The Panels of Windup Watch Fair NYC 2024

As has become the tradition, we always record the panels that occur throughout each of the Windup Watch Fairs. This fantastic, original content is great to revisit for those who had the chance to be there, and is now available to everyone who didn’t have the opportunity to be there in person. These panels are free to attend at the time of their recording, so in the spirit of Windup-an event that puts an emphasis on approachability-it’s only fitting that the content from the show is freely shared as well. We present it here in this roundup in the order that they happened at the fair, starting on Friday and on through Sunday! Diving into the New Oris Divers Date We’re honored that Oris chose to debut its new Divers Date at Windup this year. Worn & Wound’s Managing Editor, Zach Kazan, was joined by Oris Co-CEO Rolf Studer to discuss the significance of this global launch. ______________________________________________________ Openwork Podcast Live: Elements of Design We recorded a joint podcast between the Worn & Wound team and our friend at Collective Horology. Our special guests, Martin Frei of URWERK and Jonathan Ferrer of Brew Watch Co., discussed their particular approaches to designs of their watches.  ______________________________________________________ 65 Years of Squale Worn & Wound contributor Griffin Bartsch was joined on stage by Andrea Maggi, CEO of Squale, with special guest: TGV, founder of The Urban Gentry. Together, they discussed the illustrio...

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Girard-Perregaux Casquette Nov 7, 2024

The Girard-Perregaux Casquette is Back, in Titanium and Gold

After 20 long years, I think it’s time I finally come out of the closet. You see, mom and dad (and Worn & Wound readers), I am, in fact, a nerd. I know! I know! I’ve tried to hide it over the years. Secretly reading science-fiction at night. Joining the Mathletes in sixth grade under the guise of doing it ironically. All the signs were there, it just wasn’t until this very moment I felt like I could tell you all this. What has caused me to publicly address my inner nerd comes from the release of the new Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Titanium and Gold. With its harkening back to an earlier 1970’s reference and that dreamily retro red LED display, it’s just the sort of watch I could see on the wrists of those queuing for the first Star Wars trilogy. Being able to cohesively blend two seemingly incongruent design references is no small feat, so it’s especially interesting to see the new release of the Casquette. As a rule, Girard Perregaux leans into traditional timepieces, with perhaps a few upgrades here or there to remain exciting to the market. Almost in contrast, the Casquette series of watches is a retro-futuristic dream, a departure that still somehow works for the brand. Part of the reason for understanding this model’s return is to understand the reason behind its creation. In the 1970’s, two technological advances took place that began to integrate technology more into the design aesthetics of watchmaking: the production of quartz watches and the LE...

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Grand Seiko Autodromo Nov 7, 2024

Photographer Atom Moore Debuts “Second Nature”

Taking photos of watches is hard. I’ve been trying for months to get better at it, and only occasionally do I end up with a photo that I think “works” in any meaningful way. The degree of difficulty in shooting these little objects is kind of off the charts. They are, of course, reflection machines, with light bouncing off of cases and crystals in ways that, for an amateur, can be difficult to control. And as any watch lover knows, the magic of this stuff is in the details, and it just takes a lot of skill to capture things that are so vanishingly small. So, I have a lot of respect and admiration for my colleagues and peers who make something so difficult look relatively straightforward. Atom Moore, for as long as I’ve been in the hobby, has been near the top of my and many other’s lists of top watch photographers in the game. His approach is completely unlike any other watch photographer I’m aware of, and the results, as they say, speak for themselves.  Atom, by now, has dedicated his career almost exclusively to watches. He’s been at it since 2015, and has worked with brands like Grand Seiko, Autodromo, and J.N. Shapiro. While some of his work with brands is what many of us in the industry would call “product photography,” it tends to be executed at a higher level. His photos for J.N. Shapiro’s Resurgence launch are a great example – the crisp macros reveal all of the detail you’d hope to see in Shapiro’s immaculately finished cases, dials, and...

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Casio nal threat Nov 7, 2024

Geared Up: Packing for the Unexpected

Life has an uncanny way of throwing a curveball at you when you least expect it. As I sat down to eat dinner and plan out some upcoming travel, I got the phone call that no one ever wants to get: “Your parent is in the hospital.” Being a younger guy, I still assume that my parents are somewhere between human and superhuman, always available to answer questions, and impart wisdom. Like many, I’ve viewed my parents as invincible for much of my life. As the phone call went on, two things immediately popped into my mind: I needed to book a flight home as soon as possible, and I needed to pack a bag. The concept of having an “emergency bag” isn’t new to me – being prepared was drilled into my head while I was in Boy Scouts, and the occasional threat of tornadoes in Kentucky meant I always had something ready, but between moving to NYC a year ago and just generally being busy, I hadn’t taken the time to repack such a bag, which bit me when I got the call about my father. I’m happy to report that several weeks out from that phone call he’s doing well and recovering.  While I hope that you don’t get the same call anytime soon, it was a stark reminder that things are unpredictable and you need to be willing and able to react quickly. Now, I need to preface the rest of this article and say that this isn’t a definitive guide to what you should have in your bag, but rather an overview of the items that I had (and will have) in my bag as I work to be more prepa...

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Christopher Ward who developed their in-house Nov 6, 2024

Hands-On: the Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour

The jump hour is a nearly criminally underrepresented type of watch. These semi-digital mechanical devices simplify time telling through more complex movements, a perfect example of watchmaking’s inherent and lovable absurdity. Their unique displays create different layout challenges, leading to unique and fantastic designs, from the sci-fi Space One to the extravagant A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk. As such, a new jump hour is always cause for celebration and temptation. However, the challenge for brands that want to enter the jumping game is a lack of readily available movements and modules. So, what’s a brand to do? For Fears, this is where the power of collaboration comes into play. By teaming up with the industrious Christopher Ward, who developed their in-house jump hour module, the JJ001, back in 2010-11, Fears could access an already proven but exclusive solution. In 2023, they debuted their jump hour as the highly limited Alliance 1 for members of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, and in 2024, their follow-up mainline version, the Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour, which we reported on here. I’m all for watches that provide different and uncommon experiences, whether it be the smooth glide and accuracy of a Spring Drive, the hourly dinging of the Bel Canto, the central minute counter of a Lemania 5100, or the decentralized displays of a regulator. Jump hours stand out even among that crowd by fundamentally changing how time is read. Though most akin t...

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Hamilton Introduces Nov 6, 2024

Hamilton Introduces the PSR 74, a Period Correct 70s Throwback

It was 1979, and I had accompanied my parents to a dinner party. I was six years old, and my parents’ friends had no children. My parents married later in life and came from a generation where children were meant to be seen and not heard. Unfortunately, I am one of those who likes to be seen and heard. However, I was instructed to be on my best behavior, so they set me in front of the television. Noticing that I was bored, our host handed me his wristwatch and said, “Check this out.” He pressed a button on the side of the case, and the display lit up in bright red, showing the time. I had never seen anything like it before. My father’s manual-wind Caravelle watch had a large white dial with Roman numerals and looked like an antique compared to this modern watch. I was captivated, and he let me wear it and play with it all evening. Undoubtedly, that watch made a lasting impression on me. The 1970s were an exhilarating period in design and technology, marked by rapid changes. The quartz crisis impacted the watch industry, prompting companies to innovate. This development created numerous new timepieces, including the noteworthy Hamilton Pulsar Cushion. Introduced in 1974, it boasted a vibrant red LED display that would only activate when you pressed the button on its side. Fifty years later, Hamilton is releasing an updated version called the PSR 74, and they have chosen to maintain its iconic 31mm cushion-shaped case. This design was considered futuristic in the 197...

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Nov 6, 2024

Introducing Mainspring London To The Windup Watch Shop

Named for the spring at the heart of a mechanical watch movement, Mainspring London offers high-quality storage, winders, and accessories for watch collectors. With inspirations ranging from motorsports to the walled gardens and storied quadrangles of Oxford, Mainspring London’s collections are designed to seamlessly – and with impeccable style - integrate your treasured collection into your home. Who said your collection storage couldn’t look as good as the pieces in it?   To welcome Mainspring London to the Windup Watch Shop, we are starting with three pieces: the Technospeed 3-Slot Travel Watch Box, Monte Carlo 5-Slot Watch Box, and Guardian Single- and Dual-Slot Winder. The post Introducing Mainspring London To The Windup Watch Shop appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Kurono Tokyo Nov 5, 2024

From the Grönefeld Brothers, a New Brand, GRØNE, and an Affordable New Watch, the Manueel One

A new brand is the talk of the watch world today, and the latest example of a trend we’ve seen developing over the last several years. GRØNE is the new project from Bart and Tim Grönefeld, the brothers behind the Grönefeld brand, one of the most acclaimed indies in the world. Following in the footsteps of the M.A.D. 1 project, Kurono Tokyo, and others, the brand exists as a way for admirers of a high priced independent maker to buy into the aesthetic and perspective of the brand at a much more affordable price point. The first release from GRØNE, the Manueel One, carries a retail price of just 2,150 Euros. At retail, Grönefeld watches start at around 50,000 Euros and go up from there. They are also very low production, with fewer than 100 pieces made each year.  The Manueel One, according to Bart and Tim, was inspired by a desire to bring their watches to “our our watchmakers, our children, and our friends.” If this sentiment sounds familiar, it’s nearly identical to Max Büsser’s reasoning behind the M.A.D. 1 project, which was initially only offered to friends of the brand, including partners that Max and his team had worked with for years. Like the M.A.D. 1, the Manueel One borrows some aesthetic and design principles from the higher priced watches the brand is known for, but it does so without the serious attention to craft and watchmaking you’d get with an atelier made timepiece. That’s to be expected, of course. Anyone thinking that an order for t...

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Cartier Crash OK maybe it’s Nov 5, 2024

The Exaequo Melting Watch is a Surrealist Take on Watch Design

If you’ve been paying attention to the world of the Hype Watch over the last few years, you’ve no doubt stumbled upon the hypiest Hype Watch of them all: the Cartier Crash. OK, maybe it’s not the hypiest Hype Watch, but it’s close. In terms of genuine rarity and the Crash’s ability to show up on the wrists of movie stars, recording artists, and top tier influencers with regularity, it’s certainly a big part of the conversation. There are a lot of reasons why the Crash has become so sought after in recent years, but one of them is certainly a movement among the larger watch market to pieces that are, at least on the surface, more unusual, and lead with design. The Crash, then, is really part of the rising tide that is lifting the ship of shaped cases more generally. And that brings us to the Exaequo Melting Watch, an unusual avant-garde design with a shaped case that is, at least in some ways, Crash adjacent, but a small fraction of the cost and quite a bit more approachable.  Longtime enthusiasts might remember the Exaequo Softwatch from the 1990s, which has carried on cult favorite status even to this day. The Melting Watch is effectively the modern rendition of the Softwatch, and has been brought back this year in a well timed bid to take advantage of a movement toward uncommon shapes and designs.  While the possibly apocryphal story of the Crash involves a Tank being accidentally melted in a fire after a car wreck, Exaequo has always proudly touted their w...

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Audemars Piguet Nov 5, 2024

Hands-On: the Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon

We live in a very good time for independent watchmaking. I know that may sound like an oddly specific metric by which to judge the world, but it’s true. There was a time, not so long ago, when an enthusiast watch collector looking for a highly complicated watch would have struggled to find what they were looking for outside the worlds of Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet. Perhaps the occasional Blancpain or Breguet might make a splash, but in the wake of the quartz crisis, the contracted watch industry focused on what it did best for the sake of its own survival, and we should all be grateful for that. Thankfully, in 2024, those days are gone, or at least mitigated. Since the mid-‘90s, the rise of independents has been one of the watch industry’s key narrative arcs, and, now, collectors looking to patronize the sort of small, unique, highly technical brands lost to them in the ‘70s and ‘80s are truly spoiled for choice. It is out of this transition that Laurent Ferrier has emerged not only as one of the watch world’s preeminent names but as a perfect encapsulation of how the industry has evolved over the last few decades. And there is no better watch to summarize that point than Laurent Ferrier’s new Classic Moon, introduced at Watches and Wonders earlier this year. But before getting to that watch, it’s worth spending a little bit of time thinking about Laurent Ferrier (the person, not the brand). Now, I’m not going to give you a complete accounting of t...

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Louis Erard s All New Régulateur Nov 4, 2024

Louis Erard’s All New Régulateur Gravé Noir

Louis Erard, in a move that I think many who follow the brand will view as somewhat surprising, announced a new watch last week along with the news that their longstanding Excellence collection, which has been the home to many of the collaborative limited editions that have propelled the brand to a new level of notoriety over the past several years, is being replaced. Those watches now fall under a new banner, the Noirmont collection. This collection, in turn, is split up into three distinct subgroups, including the standalone “Noirmont,” “Noirmont X,” which would appear to be where you’ll find Louis Erard’s collaborations going forward, and “Noirmont Métiers d’Art.” This final line is where the brand’s latest release sits, the Régulateur Gravé Noir, which sees Louis Erard applying some traditional finishing techniques and vintage inspiration to a watch that has become a signature for them. To give you a sense of the other watches in the Noirmont Métiers d’Art collection, this is where you’ll find the recent Petite Seconde guilloche pieces, as well as their newer regulator with an enamel dial. The new Régulateur Gravé Noir (we’ll just call it the Gravé from here on out) is, as Louis Erard puts it, a new spin on the classic sector dial. The regulator format, it would seem, would be a natural choice to experiment with the sector layout, and in fact you could argue that just about any execution of a regulator is going to have some sector dial ...

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Citizen s Latest “The Citizen” Nov 4, 2024

Citizen’s Latest “The Citizen” Celebrates their 100th Anniversary with the Subtle Use of Precious Metals

Many of us know Citizen as a brand that creates affordable and (mostly) quartz powered watches. Often packed with a multitude of complications, in large case sizes, and complex layouts. But there’s another side to the brand as well, one that takes full advantage of the many resources at their disposal to create drool worthy haute horlogerie pieces. Many of their offerings from this high-end sector are limited in production, and they feature some of the most sought after watchmaking craftsmanship desired by enthusiasts and collectors alike.  Today we’re taking a look at one of these special offerings which has just been announced in a limited batch of 160 pieces worldwide to celebrate Citizen’s 100th anniversary. This is part of Citizen’s longstanding series of “The Citizen” watches, highlighting the brand’s significant craft accomplishments and their highest end watchmaking. Watches with “The Citizen” designation are flagships for the brand, and often feature intricate case and dial finishing, or uncommon, high-spec movements. Just one quick glance of the press images releases endorphins for most collectors. The dial has an air of whimsy and artistry with its “iceberg” inspired finish, and is clean and simple in layout, with thin applied baton markers. The rather austere design language on display here allows the communication of simplicity to dominate the aura of the watch instead of fixating on one sole function or spec, such as an eye catching tou...

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Panerai Nov 4, 2024

Hands-On: the Fleux FLX003

Search for “vintage watch” on Kickstarter and you’ll be met with page after page of watches that seek to capture the charm of watches from decades past. Some will be near-replicas that look more like carbon copies than modern interpretations. Others will find a balance of paying homage to iconic designs while still maintaining an air of originality. While the approaches vary, vintage inspired designs remain pervasive – they’re just about everywhere. Last year, Toronto based Fleux joined the ranks of brands crowdfunding their vintage inspired freshman releases with the FLX001 and FLX002– taking the amalgamation route by drawing inspiration from a variety of classic skin divers. The FLX001 featured chunky lume plots and a blocky orange hour hand that brought to mind images of Squale and Vulcain. The FLX002 featured a California dial, a layout of half Roman and half Arabic numerals that was popularized by brands like Rolex and Panerai. Changing gears to pay homage to a single watch rather than a genre, the FLX003 unapologetically draws its inspiration from the Omega Seamaster 300 Big Triangle- also known as the “Big T”. The Watch Lets address the elephant in the room: When considering a $500 NH38 powered Omega inspired dive watch, it’s fair to ask how it differs from the other Omega-inspired designs on the market. Afterall, a 200 meter, Seiko powered watch from Pagani Design can be yours for about $100. I’ve personally owned (and worn with pride) many of t...

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Nov 3, 2024

Opposing Field Watches, Elevated EDC, New Winders, and Straps Galore

The post Opposing Field Watches, Elevated EDC, New Winders, and Straps Galore appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Universal Genève Nov 2, 2024

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Nerds Gummy Clusters Have their Moment, the Best Pizza in NYC, and the New Universal Geneve Website

“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. Important Candy Journalism  Today is November 2, which means Halloween week has just come to a conclusion, which in turn means that the internet was full of stories about all manner of candy. It happens every year, and as the sugar fiends that we are, it’s always fun to see what colorful or chocolaty treats are dominating the public consciousness during candy’s big moment. Last week, a story in the New York Times about Nerds Gummy Clusters caught our eye. The candy is a viral sensation on social media, and is credited with reviving the Nerds brand. There was even a Super Bowl commercial for the uniquely crunchy gummy candy this year, and another is planned for 2025. It’s no wonder the Gummy Clusters have caught on – they are uniquely photogenic, and part of the fun of this article is the view into how they are made. Doesn’t it seem like a fun job to be in charge of making the Gummy Clusters?  Also, Pizza Journalism  While last week may have belonged to candy, pizza is always at front of mind for most of us. Also in the New York Times recently, this piece on the 25 best p...

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Nov 1, 2024

Out of Office: Exploring Prague with Robot

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Nov 1, 2024

The Best Beginner Field Watches Under $500

Born in the crucible of the Great War, the modern field watch has come to be prized for its simplicity, legibility, and durability by watch enthusiasts. Its definition was codified by governments urgently needing accurate and reliable timepieces to issue to their militaries during the Second World War, with the watches becoming characterized by their well-proportioned, durable cases, legible dials, luminous hands and markers, and base-level water resistance to withstand whatever they encounter in the field. Perfect for a day out or a day in the office, their rugged versatility makes them a natural touch point for both beginner and experienced collectors alike. In today’s Chronicle, we’re looking at ten of our favorite field watches under $500. Let’s dive in.   Should you see anything you like, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US. The post The Best Beginner Field Watches Under $500 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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TAG Heuer Introduces Nov 1, 2024

TAG Heuer Introduces a Commemorative Carrera Tourbillon in Tribute to Ayrton Senna

TAG Heuer is introducing a third generation of the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon in collaboration with the Senna brand, a commemorative company dedicated to the late Ayrton Senna’s legendary career as three time Grand Prix world champion. Senna’s racing legacy is intertwined with the watch world and has always conjured images of the TAG Heuer 6000 Senna Limited Edition in the minds of collectors. This was the very first watch that Ayrton produced together with TAG Heuer, and he was still with us at the beginning of its conception to have a say in its design.  In 2018 TAG Heuer released the first Carrera chronograph tourbillon editions, followed by another iteration in 2019. While many of us are quite fond of the original designs that feature a very distinct era specific aesthetic, such as small case sizes with heavily rounded edges, these new models are extremely modern in contrast. Launching today is the reference CBU5081.FT6274 – a serious chronograph watch with a grade 2 titanium case, ceramic tachymeter bezel that can measure up to 400 kmh, and a display of TAG Heuer watchmaking prowess in the form of a tourbillon at 6 o’clock. It doesn’t get much more contemporary sporty than a watch like this, using cutting edge materials and high horology watchmaking techniques such as its fully skeletonized dial and the tourbillon itself.  The yellow, blue, and green accents each have their spot around the dial of the watch, aiding in reading the elapsed time of the ch...

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Christopher Ward team ba Oct 31, 2024

[VIDEO] Recapping The Biggest Watch Fair in the World: 2024 Windup Watch Fair NYC

The week after the 2023 Windup Watch Fair, the team here at Worn & Wound sat down and evaluated what would become our final show at The Altman Building. Two things were clear. One, there were a lot more brands from around the world expressing interest in participating. And two, there were a lot more people at the Fair than we expected. It was obvious, we would need a new spot in 2024. Fortunately, we had a lead on a space right on 5th Ave-two floors and several rooms of wide open possibilities called Center415. It was a massive leap up in size, scale, and visibility, which all comes with some risk. But we learned it’s true, as they say: “If you build it, they will come.”  The NYC edition of the 2024 Windup Watch Fair was without a doubt, the biggest watch fair in the world. With well over 140 brands in attendance, more than 10,000 enthusiasts flocked to the Fair over the course of three days. We were pleasantly surprised to hear multiple moments of audible ‘oohs and aahs’ as folks made their way from hall to hall. Guests were immediately introduced to our EDC Expo presented by NOMATIC, a collection of gear and accessory brands with products that perfectly complement our passion for watches. At the end of EDC Expo, guests (of age) were able to sample Scotch Whisky from the island of Islay from our pals at Bruichladdich Distillery. Folks were then ushered into the first floor’s main hall, where they were welcomed by an always cheerful Christopher Ward team, ba...

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Timex Yankee Dollar” Watch Returns Oct 31, 2024

The Timex “Yankee Dollar” Watch Returns

In the aftermath of World War II, Timex-known initially as The Waterbury Clock Company-sought to leverage the United States manufacturing experience gained during the war. The company aimed to produce affordable timing devices as an alternative to more expensive European models. In 1954, they aimed to make timekeeping accessible to everyone, resulting in the creation of the Yankee Dollar watch, which was priced at exactly one dollar. These watches found their way into the hands and pockets of everyday Americans; even Samuel Clemens paid a dollar for one. It is said that this was “the watch that made the dollar famous.” In recent years, Timex has introduced several editions of its Waterbury watches, each unique in its own way. However, nothing compares to what they have planned for November 16th. To celebrate its 170th anniversary, Timex will launch a Limited Edition Waterbury timepiece priced at just one dollar, reminiscent of the original Yankee Dollar watch. Yes, you read that correctly-it will be only one dollar! These Waterbury timepieces are typically priced at $119. A letter to Timex from Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) The Timex Waterbury 170th Anniversary Limited Edition will be built on their 40mm Waterbury platform, which is 10mm thick and has a lug width of 20mm, thus providing countless strap options. Instead of a flat white dial with a printed minute track and Roman numerals, it is replaced by an elegant 3D lacquered white dial with Roman numeral markers...

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Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic Oct 31, 2024

Hands-On with the New Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic

Over the course of two years, the Bel Canto has fundamentally changed the way many watch lovers view Christopher Ward. This has been discussed in depth here and elsewhere, and is without a doubt one of the biggest stories in the watch world in the last decade or so. It’s changed the brand itself in a meaningful way as well. To meet demand since the launch of the Bel Canto, Christopher Ward has increased production of the watch from 50 pieces per month to 500, and there’s still a months long wait. That means that we haven’t seen Christopher Ward operate from the usual playbook when a brand has a hit new release. There have been vanishingly few limited editions and collaborative versions of the Bel Canto, with the brand instead electing to concentrate on fulfilling a backlog of orders. That’s admirable, in my opinion, but it means we haven’t seen much in the way of refinements or updates to the core Bel Canto design. And that’s perfectly fine. The Bel Canto is still very much a new watch in the grand scheme of watch history, and certainly doesn’t need an update.  Today, though, marks a new chapter in the short history of the Bel Canto with the launch of the new C1 Bel Canto Classic. This is the first serious adjustment to the look and feel of the Bel Canto since the watch debuted in the fall of 2022. The changes are (mostly) pretty subtle, but it offers a small glimpse of how the watch might continue to be refined in the future.  The most obvious change in th...

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Timex made tennis-themed Snoopy watches Oct 30, 2024

Hands-On: the Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster III

Tennis is having a bit of a moment. From the tennis-core revival Zendaya seems to have inspired to the hordes of people (and celebrities, who we all know aren’t people) who descended on Flushing Meadows earlier this fall for what turned out to be the most attended tennis tournament ever, tennis has taken center stage in a way few might have expected even a few years ago. And for all those looking to lean into the undeniably great looks of the tennis world, Maurice de Mauriac has you covered with the latest iteration of their Rallymaster tennis watch, produced in collaboration with Racquet Magazine. Historically, tennis players don’t wear watches and, yet, tennis and watches have long been visibly connected. Pretty much every top-flight player on the WTA at ATP tours has some sort of watch deal, and post-match pressers have become ripe material for watch-spotting. Despite this link, the concept of a ‘tennis watch’ remains somewhat nebulous. Tennis-themed watches have been around for a while (Timex made tennis-themed Snoopy watches as far back as the early ‘70s, or even late ‘60s), but the idea of the on-court tennis watch - like the highly technical pieces worn by players like Rafa Nadal or Jess Pegula - is relatively new. In the context of the Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster series, what we have is a tennis watch in the more traditional sense. By this, I mean to say that the Rallymaster line falls more in line with the Snoopy tennis watches of old (or of ear...

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Timex x Fortnite MK1 Just Oct 30, 2024

Just A Minute With The Timex x Fortnite MK1

Just A Minute With The Timex x Fortnite MK1 The analog variant features a black PVD stainless steel case with a matching black dial and nylon strap, the hour markers replaced with symbols from the game and Fortnite written just above 6:00. A stainless-steel crown provides a rakish departure from the otherwise striking all-black look. The Timex x Fortnite collaboration of digital and quartz watches is a perfect choice for the gamer in your life, sure to become as collectible as the game’s Legendary items. Just A Minute With The Timex x Fortnite MK1 The analog variant features a black PVD stainless steel case with a matching black dial and nylon strap, the hour markers replaced with symbols from the game and Fortnite written just above 6:00. A stainless-steel crown provides a rakish departure from the otherwise striking all-black look. The Timex x Fortnite collaboration of digital and quartz watches is a perfect choice for the gamer in your life, sure to become as collectible as the game’s Legendary items. The post Just A Minute With The Timex x Fortnite MK1 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Tudor Announces Oct 30, 2024

Tudor Announces the FXD “Zulu Time,” the First Pelagos with a GMT Complication

Sooner or later, you just knew it was going to happen. For as long as there’s been a Pelagos, and as long as there’s been a Tudor GMT movement, and as long as there’s been a human impulse to speculate, there’s been a call for the Swiss brand to release a Pelagos with the ability to track multiple time zones. It just makes sense for the brand’s most tool-forward dive watch: GMTs are what the people want and it’s an undeniably useful feature. And so, like an infinite number of chimpanzees at an infinite number of typewriters are certain to eventually produce the works of Shakespeare, now Tudor has finally issued a diver with all the features their loyal fans have been asking for. Titanium case: check. GMT movement with chronometer certification: check. Rotating 24 hour bezel: check. Spring bars: hey, no one has it all.  The all new Pelagos FXD GMT “Zulu Time” might feel like an inevitability on the one hand, but on the other it still has a fascinating mix of little quirks that are capable of surprising even the most loyal Tudor fans (and speculators). Like the very first Pelagos FXD, this one is presented under a partnership with the French military. Specifically, the Zulu Time has been developed with the needs of the Aéronautique Navale (French Naval Aviation) in mind, and according to the brand the watch has been designed for the “adverse real-world conditions” faced by their personnel. For the original FXD, that meant a bi-directional bezel set up in...

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Hublot Oct 29, 2024

Hublot and Takashi Murakami Team Up for the New MP-15 Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow

There is always something so intriguing to me about a collaboration when the brands really just go for it. But, I guess if one of the collaborators is Takashi Murakami, it’s sort of hard not to. For those uninitiated, Murakami is a contemporary Japanese artist whose work is at once psychedelic and joyful – but leans just a tad into the grotesque. But even if you don’t know the name, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the artist’s work. Murakami has collaborated with a wide range of celebrities, from Marc Jacobs to Kanye West (long before his anti semitic rants, for the record) to Pharrell Williams. And now, Murakami adds yet another collaboration with Hublot. The MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow is really one of those watches that makes you pause. It will, undoubtedly, have its naysayers who might prefer a more conservative style; but there’s something incredibly charming about this one for me. On the one hand, there is a level of craftsmanship that’s evident even from the photos; but it’s also an element of playfulness that intrigues me – especially when we’re talking about a watch that’s in the *ahem* $374,000 price range. You may remember that Murakami and Hublot have previously collaborated in the past, most notably on the Classic Fusion model with a decidedly Murakami lean. But that was just putting Murakami’s art within the context of Hublot. In 2023, they had released an MP-15 that showed the floral design but in a skeletal ca...

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Brew Metric Star Chronograph If Oct 29, 2024

Lookbook: An Afternoon with Jonathan Ferrer and the Brew Metric Star Chronograph

If you’ve ever attended a Windup Watch Fair or spent much time on pretty much any watch enthusiast blog, there’s a pretty decent chance you know who Jonathan Ferrer is. Not only is he the founder of and designer behind Brew Watch Co., he’s also a great friend of Worn & Wound. We were delighted to meet him at his office just a couple weeks ago to get up close and person with him and his new Metric Star Chronograph, a watch full of both nostalgia and charm. The post Lookbook: An Afternoon with Jonathan Ferrer and the Brew Metric Star Chronograph appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Oct 29, 2024

The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time: Why the Atomic Clock Was Invented

Editor’s Note: Today, we bring you the third installment in Andrew Canter’s series, The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time. Today, Andrew examines the history of atomic timekeeping, from its earliest conception, to its potential future. Atomic timekeeping and atomic clocks are often misunderstood, but they form a framework for modern timekeeping standards that is, ultimately, indispensable.  You can find more of Andrew’s work at the Mr. Watchmaster website here. “A more universal unit of time might be found by taking the periodic time of vibration of the particular kind of light whose wavelength is the unit of length.” James Clerk Maxwell, Scottish Physicist from his Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism dated 1873 Cover page of James C. Maxwell’s A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, published in 1873. It was way back in 1900 that the German physicist Max Planck suggested that the energy of an atomic oscillator is quantised. Albert Einstein extended this concept in 1905, explaining that electromagnetic radiation is localised in packets, later referred to as photons, of frequency and energy. This was the beginning of the journey that led to the invention of the Atomic Clock. How does an Atomic Clock Work An atomic clock is a type of clock that uses certain resonance frequencies of atoms to keep time with extreme accuracy. The electronic components of atomic clocks are regulated by the frequency of microwave electromagnetic radiation. Only when t...

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Bremont Partners Oct 28, 2024

Bremont Partners with Jimmy Chin on a Pair of Limited Edition Terra Nova Chronographs

Bremont has undergone a drastic brand transformation in the last year or so, moving away from what many would consider their rather reserved British design language to something more daring and youthful. The Terra Nova could really be considered the focal point of this transition, a design nobody was expecting, with its oval cushion case, large stylized Arabic numerals, and sub-dials rivaling the contrast found on some of the most die-hard chronographs on the market.  During one of the busiest watch release times of the year, Bremont has quietly unveiled two new variants of the Terra Nova in collaboration with renowned climber, explorer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. One with a full 18ct rose gold case limited to only 15 pieces, and one with rose gold accents limited to 100 pieces. The design of these watches is also inspired by military pocket watches from the 20th century, giving the watch a nostalgic exterior appearance but with the capabilities one would expect from a feature packed tool watch.  While I found the Terra Nova Power Reserve to be a rather polarizing design when I had a chance to go hands-on with one earlier this year, I feel that this chronograph version brings a level of organization to the dial and case not found on the other variants – with the full gold and gold accented appearance highlighting these aspects in a positive way. Bremont decided on the BE-50AV caliber to power this watch, which is actually based on the ETA 7750 and heavily modified to...

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Oct 28, 2024

Awake Gives Us a Lesson in Creating Watches for Future Generations

The concept of a “mid-life crisis” has long had a negative connotation thanks to the word “crisis” implying a moment of difficulty, but I’d suggest we rethink this as a mid-life turning point. For Lilian Thibault, founder of Awake, this moment came when he reached a certain age and his kids began to grow. He took the opportunity to turn a mid-life crisis into a mid-life reinvention. After years of investing in other successful businesses, he decided to invest in himself and his own passions. Lilian had been an avid watch collector for more than two decades, and in 2018 he set out to create his own brand-Awake was born. “As my kids are growing older, I’ve started to think more and more about the legacy that will be left behind for them,” Lilian told me. “I decided I wanted to bring my own brand to market that reflects the vision I would like to see in the world for the next generation. This is, in fact, why I chose the name ‘Awake,’ I have a mission to awaken people’s attention to beauty and what really matters in life.” Lilian Thibault To bring his vision to life, Lilian launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for production in 2018. The campaign was originally planned to run for a month, but the brand reached its goal of $30,000 within an hour and ended up raising $400,000-Lilian was clearly onto something, and his vision was resonating. A year later, the brand unveiled its first collection aptly named “Origins.” In the spirit of thinking a...

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Laco Limes Stowa Oct 28, 2024

Heinrich Introduces New Watches Featuring Carbon Dials with Integrated Lume

Germany is the home of many prominent timepiece manufacturers. The most notable city known for watchmaking is Glashütte; however, another city, Pforzheim,, located roughly 560 kilometers away, has its own proud watchmaking history. Brands calling Pforzheim home include Circula, Laco, Limes, Stowa, and others, along with the famous case maker Ickler, whose work supplies numerous watch brands worldwide. Heinrich is a watch brand located in Stuttgart, less than an hour from Pforzheim. This proximity allows brand founder Wolfgang Heinrich to collaborate with skilled watchmakers to develop new sport and dive watches that take inspiration from the 1970s while incorporating a unique twist. Twist barely describes their latest creation, the Taucher Infused Forged Carbon V2. If that sounds like a mouthful, it is, but it is also an eyeful. These watches feature dials and bezel inserts made from colored forged carbon combined with SuperLuminova BGW9. We are not only referring to the indices, minute track, and bezel markings being lumed; instead, we mean that the dial and bezel material itself is integrated with lume. The fusion of materials in each watch is unique, ensuring no two are alike.  The 41mm stainless steel case measures 13.6mm to the top of the boxed sapphire crystal, and due to the very short lugs, it has a compact length of 47.8mm from lug tip to lug tip. This watch should fit nearly everyone comfortably. Although it has a 1970s throwback style, this case is 200 meters ...

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