Chronograph Watches · Page 136

Nivada Grenchen Breaks the Mold by Teaming Up with Fratello on the Brand-New Racing Chronograph

Nivada Grenchen’s formula for success is quite simple. Since the brand came back bursting onto the scene by re-releasing collection mainstays in the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver and the Antarctic in 2020, Guillaume Laidet and Remi Chabrat has continued to tap into the brand’s expansive vintage catalog full of no-fuss field watches, funky divers and bold chronographs. Bit by bit, Nivada Grenchen has given us a full-on history lesson with a steady cadence of re-releases built for the modern day wearer and enthusiast. The brand has also made more of a concentrated effort by providing more affordable options with the same charming vintage aesthetic. I think I can speak for everyone when I say, we welcome all of this with open arms (especially the affordable part). But Nivada Grenchen isn’t just a one trick pony. We’ve seen the brand take more of an open-minded approach via their collaborations. Heck, we got a flurry of them to close out 2022, with each special edition piece embracing what their collaborative partner brings to table, while simultaneously encapsulating the brand’s 70’s vintage design language. I’ve said this plenty of times, and I’ll say it again, collaborations allow brands to let their hair down. To step outside of the box. To try something entirely new. And the result is something quite refreshing for us enthusiasts. That’s exactly what we’ve been getting from Nivada Grenchen and their forays into the collaborative space. Now Nivada Gren...

Nivada Grenchen and Fratello Watches Team Up for the the Racing Chronograph

[VIDEO] On-Wrist Reaction: Louis Erard & Nivada Grenchen Collabs; Owner’s Edition (Plus, Bonus VAER Reaction)

This edition of On-Wrist Reaction is a little different, with Zach and Blake both bringing personal watches to the table which the other has yet to see. We’ve got two very different, and very cool collaboration watches: one from Louis Erard and atelier oi, and the other from Nivada Grenchen and this here outfit, Worn & Wound. This isn’t just any Nivada Grenchen, this collab features the legendary Valjoux 72 caliber beating away inside. Likewise, the Louis Erard takes a hard contrast to what we’re used to seeing from them, let alone in regulator style watches writ large.  Oh, and we’ve got a bonus reaction to a new watch from Vaer called the R1 Chronograph. No, it’s not the 38mm variant. But it’s still all kinds of cool and we take a closer look fresh out of the box. You can read more about this watch right here. If you have any questions or thoughts on these watches that you’d like to see addressed in our reviews, be sure to let us know in the comments. Furthermore, if you have a watch or a piece of gear you’d like to see us react to, please reach out to us at info@wornandwound.com. The post [VIDEO] On-Wrist Reaction: Louis Erard & Nivada Grenchen Collabs; Owner’s Edition (Plus, Bonus VAER Reaction) appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Introducing The Angelus X Massena LAB Chronograph Medical

Massena LAB Teams Up with Angelus for a Limited Edition Doctor’s Chronograph with a Special Movement

For the latest Massena LAB limited edition, William Massena’s boutique brand specializing in tasteful remakes of classic pieces with real watch nerd pedigree is reaching back to the 1960s, and showcasing a different type of tool watch. The collaborator for this edition, Angelus, is a historic Swiss brand known largely for their excellent chronographs, and the limited edition seen here is based on a deep cut made specifically for physicians. The Chronographe Médical x Massena LAB is the first watch in Angelus’s new La Fabrique collection, which will specialize in recreating important Angelus watches in small batch limited editions.  The principle behind a “doctor’s watch” is fairly well known. These watches were typically chronographs that incorporate a pulsation scale at the perimeter of the dial or within a bezel, making it easy for a doctor to quickly calculate the heartrate of a patient. Their operation is simple: start the chronograph, count ten heartbeats (or the number the scale on your watch is calibrated for), and then stop the chronograph. The chronograph seconds hand will be pointing to the number of heart beats per minute. You can imagine that the practicality here for a doctor, particularly when watches like this were being made in the 1950s and 60s, was off the charts. Even for the average person, it could be argued that a pulsation scale would be more useful day to day than something like a tachymeter or a telemeter.  The Chronograph Médical lim...

Introducing: Angelus and Massena Lab's New Chronographe Médical

The two brands dug deep in the archives to revive an incredibly rare, fascinating, and specialized watch. It's just what the doctor ordered.

IWC Debuts Customisation for Portugieser Chronograph

With luxury brands vying to offer clients individuality in products, customised watches are now fairly common. The trend began at aftermarket providers, but establishment watchmakers are gradually making such offerings available beyond their highest-end clientele. The latest entrant is IWC with its Individualisation Service, a surprisingly straightforward customisation process that’s a first for a mainstream watch brand. Available at just two locations for now, the service allows clients to personalise a Portugieser Chronograph; anyone can walk into either of the IWC stores in Shanghai or Dubai and select a case material, match it with a variety of dials and straps, with the finished watch ready in about three weeks. The caveat: the customised watch costs an CHF1,500 over the retail price of the standard-production model. Initial thoughts Despite the clunky name, IWC’s Individualisation Service is definitely a welcome development since it’s a factory-official customised watch that is relatively accessible in price. Customisation is typically offered to only a brand’s biggest-spending clients, so this democratises the concept to a degree. Granted, it’s being trialed at just two locations, but it will surely be rolled out more widely once its commercial viability is proven. That said, the Individualisation Service has limitations. It allows clients to choose from a range of fixed options, rather than allowing free rein to tweak or redesign the watch. So if you...

The Depancel Legend 60s is a twin-register throwback with bags of style

The Depancel Legend 60s is their first hand-wound mechanical chronograph. It follows a more competitive and serious design language than the Meca-Quartz Serie-A Stradale. The Seagull ST1901 movement is based on a vintage Swiss movement - the Venus 175. If you’ve somehow missed some of our previous articles about Depancel, then the first thing you’ll … ContinuedThe post The Depancel Legend 60s is a twin-register throwback with bags of style appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Micro-Brand Digest: Inventive Divers, Anti-magnetic Field Watch, & One Charming Chronograph

Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of all the new micro-brand news we’re following, from concepts that show promise, to kickstarter launches to restocks, and everything in between. Small independents, and affordable micro-brands spurred the creation of Worn & Wound over 10 years ago, and they still drive our enthusiasm in a big way. Here’s what’s caught our eye this month. If you’ve come across a project you think qualifies, hit us up at info@wornandwound.com for inclusion. Gyavius Watch Company NAVI The Sophomore release from a brand called Gyavius represents a serious jump forward, and dabbles in the rarely seen fixed lug bar space. The watch, which is called the NAVI, has just launched its batch 1 order window, and it represents a healthy step in an original direction when it comes to dive watches from micro-brands.  The NAVI is a 45mm dive watch with a fixed lug bar allowing a pass through strap, and allowing for a rather organic looking case shape overall that might wear a bit better than the numbers might suggest. But those numbers are there for a reason, this is a 100ATM diver, tested to 1000M of pressure. Do any of us need that much depth resistance? Absolutely not, but hey, it’s a pretty cool watch and if you’re going to go big, you may as well go all the way.  The matte dial gets a generous helping of pad printed lume with hand applied green lume overtop for a maximum visibility and a pretty cool look. Inside you...

[VIDEO] The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph is the Aquaracer We’ve Been Waiting For

The TAG Heuer Aquaracer has had a relatively sorted history since its introduction in 2004, taking on a range of identities scarcely connected between era specific design codes that come and go. The bits that have connected through the years remain as compelling today as they were in the pre-Aquaracer 2000 Series watches, and after a generation of Aquaracer growth, their latest effort in the Solargraph feels to have finally found a lasting voice by tying it all together in a cohesive package. This is the first Aquaracer since those early 2000 Series watches that has felt like a fully matured concept to my eye, and I hope it’s a sign of things to come within the family.  To this day the Aquaracer exists in many forms spread across the Aquaracer 200, 300, and 1000 ranges. Each adopts the general dive watch aesthetic at the core of the collection, but you’ll find complications ranging from chronographs and GMTs alongside gem-set colorful dials in a range of sizes. It’s a collection that covers a lot of ground. The Solargraph, as seen in its newest guise released earlier this year, manages to capture a near perfect distillation of the Aquaracer design language, and manages enough restraint to feel like a fresh, and I’ll venture to say more timeless execution of the theme. That’s merely at first blush, however. We recently spent some time with the watch to see just how well that pans out in practice. $3050 [VIDEO] The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Solargraph is the Aquaracer W...

Up Close: Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38

For over a decade now, Montblanc has been attempting to become a serious watchmaker, an endeavour that started after its acquisition of Minerva. Despite having found only modest success there, the pen maker-turned-luxury-goods-house has produced a good number of proper haute horlogerie watches – mostly chronographs and some with surprisingly accessible prices – many of which have gone under appreciated due to the brand name. A perfect example of the Minerva mechanical excellence and sharp pricing is Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 that was introduced in 2019. The Heritage Small Second is all about the movement, specifically a new-old-stock Minerva calibre from the early 2000s finished to an impressive, artisanal standard. Despite the exceptional movement, the watch never really gained much recognition (much like Montblanc’s other Minerva offerings), but it is certainly worth a revisit. Initial thoughts With its retro, two-tone dial in faddish “salmon”, the Heritage Small Second looks like one of the many vintage-inspired watches that has been (re)produced to excess by many brands in various price segments. But this stands out for the impressive degree of detail in the movement, which is finished to a degree comparable to that of artisanal independent watchmakers. The hand-wound MB M62.00 inside is the star. According to Montblanc, it’s an “untouched” calibre from the attic made during a period when Minerva’s then-owners were dedicated to eleva...

Compass Watches for Mountaineers and Explorers: Sporty Digitals to Lux

Watches with compasses are a rare breed among tool watches, mainly because - unlike chronographs, dual time zone functions, and calendars - their usefulness in everyday circumstances is rather limited. Generally, in the era of GPS and Google Maps, one rarely has a pressing need to identify True North on a hand-held (or wrist-worn) device. However, like other “niche” watch functions that serve mainly as aesthetic curiosities in quiet business or domestic environments, compasses - which can be as low-tech as a movable bezel with orientation markers or as high-tech as a digital readout that takes control of the watch’s display at the push of a button - have a special appeal to active, outdoorsy enthusiasts. Avid hikers, mountain climbers, spelunkers, and others devoted to adventure in environments where one is often bereft of modern conveniences like reliable wifi, tend to gravitate toward a more rugged, utilitarian style of watch, often with built-in tools that go beyond timekeeping. This is why you’ll often find compass-equipped watches with other useful indicators for factors like temperature, atmospheric pressure, and altitude. The relative rarity of compass watches could also be traced, at least in part, to a handful of truisms. One is that as an additional indicator on a watch, it’s basically superfluous: any analog watch with an hour hand, hour markers, and reliable accuracy can be used for orientation, at least while the sun is out. Simply lay the wa...

Ollech & Wajs’ Astrochron S Combines a 500 WR Dive Chronograph with a Compass Bezel and Regatta Counter

If I had a time machine to visit any point in history, my adventurous spirit would punch in the year 1969. This was already a period rich with daring exploration, technological innovation, and historical achievement that inevitably led to the culmination of the Space Race with NASA putting a man on the moon. But that wasn’t the only “high stakes” race going on at the time. Watch brands all over the world were jockeying for position to see who could make the most robust tool watch for explorers foraying into the most extreme conditions including the unknown depths of the ocean, mountainous death zones, and of course, outer space. Ollech & Wajs was one of the brands that were most certainly in the mix with their own multi-functional triple register chronograph aptly dubbed the Astrochron. The Astrochron’s distinctive multi-scale display made it a popular choice among engineers and scientists in NASA’s research and development lab including Chief Rocket Scientist, Werner Von Braun, or otherwise known as the “father of space travel.” Equipped with a rotating 12 hour bezel, tachymeter scale on the dial, chronograph timer, and a slew of other attractive tool watch features, the Astrochron found its way onto the wrists of sportsmen, pilots, and ship officers alike. Recently, Ollech & Wajs has decided to revisit the design and one glance will confirm that this isn’t your original 1967 Astrochron. With the new refresh, Ollech & Wajs’ already capable multi-function...

Hands-On: Uncomplicating The Complicated Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT

Would simplifying subdials change my relationship to watches?

INTRODUCING: The Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph for Fratello

Nivada Grenchen has enjoyed an inspiring renaissance under Guillaume Laidet’s leadership ever since their revival, and there’s been no shortage of amazing releases, both limited and non-limited in nature. There was, of course, the whimsical, yet somewhat dystopian Chaosmasters series we brought you with the help of seconde/seconde/, though today’s release leans more towards the … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph for Fratello appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Watching Movies: Tom Cruise Pilots Fighter Jets While Wearing A Familiar Porsche Design Chronograph In 'Top Gun: Maverick'

More than 30 years later, he's got the same motorcycle. The same cocky smile. And the same watch.

Maurice Lacroix Updates their Pontos Chronograph with a Pair of New References

Just ahead of Watches & Wonders, Maurice Lacroix has unveiled a pair of new chronographs in their Pontos line. While most enthusiasts are probably looking at Maurice Lacroix’s Aikon line of integrated bracelet sports watches, collections like the Pontos have their own charm and help paint a fuller picture of the brand, which is always straddling a line between sporty and refined, and doing it at a price point that welcomes a wide range of collectors.  The new Pontos chronographs seen here feature dials in black and slate gray, the former with white accents, and the latter with hints of rose gold. The Pontos has a familIr three register layout, but the sub registers at 12:00 and 6:00 (minute and hour totalizers, respectively) are larger than the running seconds subdial at 9:00. It’s a subtle shift from the norm but gives the dial a little bit of additional visual interest and funk. It’s like a “Big Eye,” but with two eyes. I’m sure the community can come up with an appropriate nickname.  The most significant changes in these new versions of the Pontos concern the hour markers and handset. Time is now read via Arabic numerals at the dial’s perimeter, with a minute track located in the rehaut. Maurice Lacroix has also refined the hands with a modest bit of skeletonization at their base.  Both the black and gray have a sunburst effect applied to their surfaces, and in these Maurice Lacroix supplied photos, it looks particularly striking in gray. Black dials, o...

In Conversation with Alexander Philipp About the Tutima x Revolution M2 Coastline Chronograph

For our latest collaboration we are honored to be partnering with a brand that has a long history of manufacturing exceptional military chronographs and which has survived war and geopolitical upheaval to become the independent watchmaker that it is today. Revolution USA’s Editor-in-Chief Bhanu Chopra was the driving force on this collaboration with Tutima, one […]

eBay Finds: Classic Chronographs and Gold Cases

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 Pierce Chronograph First up this week is a gorgeous early vintage Piece jumbo chronograph. The fancy stainless steel case measures a healthy 37mm wide, and features brilliant curved lugs with stylin’ chamfers. The case does show some light wear, but overall looks pretty sharp. The dial looks original and shows a bit of patina as it should. The up/down subdial configuration with the upper dial being larger than the lower really stands out. The hands are diamond shaped and lume filled. I’m guessing the hands have been relumed, but they look good to me. Seller states the Pierce manual wind chronograph movement has just been serviced and works perfectly. Really sharp early chrono that has lots of character. View auction here. Solid Gold Bulova Accutron Calendar Need some bling in your life? Check out this vintage 1967 killer asymmetrical solid 14k yellow gold Accutron 218. If you don’t already know, the Accutron 218 is their second generation tuning fork movement and is an absolute classic. These are great movements that usually keep great time and the batteries are readily available. This model has a vertically asymmetrical shield shaped case with skinny lugs on top and fat...

The Tutima x Revolution M2 Coastline Chronograph is a Modern Flieger That Hits all the Right Notes

Watches with a military heritage or connection have always held the fascination of collectors and enthusiasts, due to their robust qualities and a love for the romanticized ideals of fighting for one’s country. And then there is a special class of chronographs used throughout history by German military pilots, also known as fliegers, that have […]

Louis Vuitton Tambour Street Diver Chronograph: Form and Function in Harmony

Pre-Owned Picks: Daytona Alternatives That Are Worthy Of Their Own Crown

The Rolex Daytona isn't the only chronograph ready for your wrist.

Available Now: Tutima x Revolution M2 Coastline Chronograph

The MoonSwatch Goes Gold With New Mission To Moonshine

The tumultuous story of the SWATCH x Omega MoonSwatch Speedmaster gets a new chapter today with the release of the MoonSwatch Mission To Moonshine Gold. If you were hoping a second release within this collection would offer greater availability after lessons learned with the initial launch, you’re in for a surprise. This special edition MoonSwatch, which makes use of Omega’s Moonshine gold in the timing seconds hand, will only be available for purchase today, and only in the cities of London, Milan, Zürich and Tokyo. Get ready for more crazy tik-tok videos circulating the internet.  At a glance, the latest MoonSwatch appears to closely resemble the existing Mission to the Moon, and indeed that appears to be the base at work here, even depicting the moon on the caseback. There is one striking difference, however, and that is the use of Omega’s proprietary Moonshine gold in a specific component. Moonshine gold is a rather unique alloy, consisting of silver, copper and palladium to achieve a slightly desaturated appearance compared with regular yellow gold, and it’s worked beautifully in some of our favorite high-end Speedmaster releases in recent years. Here, the material is relegated to the timing seconds hand of the chronograph. Making a subtle but noticeable impact on the overall appearance. Use of this material lends not only to the name, Mission to Moonshine Gold, but is also relevant to the cities that were selected to host sales of the watch. Each has a conn...