Time+Tide
We take a deeper dive into the watch arguably most deserving of the "iconic" moniker.The post To the Moon and back: how the Omega Speedmaster became a legend appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
I had the opportunity to meet Zakir Miah, the founder of Chicago-based Haim Watch Co., at a timepiece-related event in Canada this past September. Before that, I had only admired his watches online, and I was especially drawn to the L2 Chronograph, which features a pink gold dial with blued hands and numerals. Zakir was gracious and patient enough to walk me through his entire lineup despite the line of people waiting to chat with him. It took nearly all my willpower to walk away without purchasing one. One of their most popular collections is the Legacy Automatic, a custom-built timepiece designed to order. This model marks several milestones for the brand, including its first custom-designed HWC-1 automatic movement based on ETA architecture assembled in the United States. Each watch is crafted specifically for the buyer. The Legacy Automatic has a hand-finished titanium TA2 (commercially pure grade 2) case with a coin-edge bezel and exhibition case back. Today, Haim is launching a new limited edition Legacy to celebrate their second collaboration with WatchesArabized x OPTO WATCH CO. This edition, named the Arabized (Al-Nimer), which translates to “The Tiger,” will feature a dial made of Tiger’s Eye stone. Tiger’s Eye is a chatoyant gemstone, typically classified as a metamorphic rock, recognized for its golden to red-brown color and silky luster. As part of the quartz group, its distinctive appearance is created through the intergrowth of quartz crystals and al...
Fratello
One perk of being a writer in this industry is the opportunity to wear some nice and sometimes exquisite watches. They don’t always have to be expensive watches to make an impact. For example, I remember trying the new Swatch What If Break Free collection a few months ago. Despite it being so far from […] Visit Long-Term Review: One Month With The Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 In Steel to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
It’s been a great year over on Worn & Wound+, our dedicated Slack channel for Worn & Wound readers, and watch and gear enthusiasts of all kinds. At the moment, we have over 1,000 people from all over the world in our Slack channel talking about watches and many, many other topics. There are dedicated channels to discuss EDC and gear, movies and television, photography, and more. There’s a marketplace channel where members can safely buy and sell watches, and there are channels where members can arrange local in-person or virtual watch meetups. It’s also, of course, a great place get insider info on deals from the Windup Watch Shop – you never know what watches might turn up for sale in the Slack channel before they’re made available anywhere else. All that said, it’s the great watch discussions that are really at the heart of Worn & Wound+, so as the year draws to a close, we thought we’d ask members of the Worn & Wound+ community to tell us about some of their favorite new releases of the year. And if you’re still not signed up for Worn & Wound+, be sure to hit this link and check it out. It’s completely free, and we’d love to see you join the community. Andrew Iveagh – Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” As a long time Tudor stan, it pains me to say my favorite of 2024 was the Omega Speedmaster FOIS. Between the reduced size, the blue gray dial, and the tan/fauxtina lume, it’s a vintage inspired lover’s dream. I’m usually a dive/g...
Fratello
The Omega Speedmaster is one of the few watches that we can truly call iconic. While that must be one of the most overused words in the English language these days, it is apt in this case. But despite the Omega Speedmaster being truly iconic, I have never owned one. Worse yet, I have never […] Visit Omega’s Speedmaster Is The Perfect First Watch to read the full article.
SJX Watches
As we look back on the year, we take pride in the stories we’ve shared and extend our sincere appreciation to all our readers for their support. As 2024 draws to a close, we revisit some of our standout features, spanning in-depth explorations of complex movements, historical perspectives on timekeeping, and comprehensive reviews of the latest watch releases. Our founder SJX looked at some of the most significant watches to emerge in 2024, including the record-setting F.P. Journe Tourbillon à Remontoir d’Égalité “15/93” prototype, and the fascinating Patek Philippe ref. 767 grand complication with double split-chronographs (which means triple elapsed time measurement) that was acquired by none other than the Patek Philippe Museum. Together with David Ichim, he also co-authored a series of stories explaining notable Rolex innovations, including the brand’s most complicated watch, the Sky-Dweller; the instantaneous Day-Date; and the Deepsea with its unparalleled pressure resistance. Based in Seattle, Brandon Moore nonetheless travelled to Geneva, where he visited the Vacheron Constantin manufacture in Geneva suburb Plan-les-Ouates and the Akrivia workshops in the city’s historic Old Town. Brandon also managed to visit the Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts exhibition at the brand’s Geneva Salon, resulting in his photoessay. And in between all that, he pondered the last two decades of the perpetual calendar’s evolution, a span that has arguably given birth to s...
Revolution
SJX Watches
There were relatively fewer surprises in 2024, perhaps because of the overall slowdown in demand for luxury watches. There were a few big surprises though, including the biggest one of all, the Patek Philippe Cubitus, leaving aside the leak thanks to a premature publication of Fortune magazine. Perhaps even more surprising and even bigger, both figuratively and literally, was the Bugatti Tourbillon, a hypercar inspired by a watch. Also notable was the fact that there was little unexpected from independent watchmakers, which perhaps underlines the still-robust demand for watches by the indies, which stick to safe bets that are easy to sell. Here’s a look at our team’s take on the unexpected launches of the year. Biver Automatique – SJX The first Biver watch was a carillon minute repeater with tourbillon that was finely finished, inside and out, but it was big, thick, and expensive. The follow-up, in contrast, was almost the opposite. The Automatique is compact and elegantly wearable, with a clean design that has just the right amount of vintage flavour. The only aspect where the Automatique stays true to its predecessor is in the finishing, which is outstanding, inside and out. The surprising bit about the Automatique is the movement. For one, it was developed by Dubois Depraz, better known as a maker of chronograph- and perpetual calendar modules mounted on ETA movements. Second, it arguably exceeds the movement of the Carillon Tourbillon in terms of design and decor...
Quill & Pad
The Omega x Swatch Speedmaster MoonWatch was one of the biggest product launches of the decade. Raman Kalra eventually managed to get his hands on one and shares his thoughts here.
WatchAdvice
Where aviation heritage meets contemporary design, the Zenith x Porter PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph delivers bold style and functionality! What We Love The khaki green colour for the case and dial Orange accents stand out beautifully The case isn’t big, even for slimmer wrists What We Don’t The black crown and chronograph pushers seem out of place with the rest of the watch’s colour scheme. Different font are used throughout the dial Velcro strap won’t suit everyone, especially with slim wrists. Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Zenith X Porter Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter stands out as a shining example of thoughtful design and craftsmanship in a world where collaborations feel like the norm. This collaboration was a bit unexpected; however, it is a great way to end 2024 with one of the best-looking timepieces released as a dual project. The latest collaboration between Zenith & Porter by Yoshida & Company results in a beautiful khaki green PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph This watch, as expected, revolves around the theme of travel. Porter is a Japanese bag brand that has a variety of styles for travel bags. For this collaboration, Porter by Yoshida & Company has supplied the velcro straps for the timepeices. They are also throwing in a specially developed bag that has been made with Zenith’s input, in Porter’s signature khaki-green colour. Zenith, on the other hand, has a long ...
SJX Watches
Many of the year’s most notable watches were expensive, especially complications and independent watchmaking, but there were still a few standouts at the affordable end of the price spectrum. Some relied on familiar formulas, like the Grand Seiko SLGW005 or Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, while others like the Louis Erard Vianney Halter collaboration were unexpected. Here’s our team’s take on the year’s best watches under US$10,000. Albishorn Type 10 Chronograph - David Ichim A great debut from the recently-established micro brand is the Type 10 Chronograph. Albishorn’s tagline is “imaginary vintage” - drawing inspiration from actual vintage watches, but reimagined with an entirely novel composition, resulting in watches that are highly suggestive of an era without actually being remakes. The Type 10 Chronograph exemplifies this philosophy. The hands, typeface, bezel, and slim lugs pay homage to mid-century aviator chronographs from the likes of Airain, Breguet, and Heuer. The unusual arrangement of the chronograph display however makes it entirely unique. Inside is a heavily reworked 7750-derived movement, that is positioned unconventionally, leading to the unusual crown and pusher arrangement along with the unorthodox chronograph layout. The manually-wound movement is also C.O.S.C certified and incorporates a chronograph-function indicator. In fact, the calibre is arguably more than just heavily reworked, amongst other things, it has shorter pinions than a 77...
Well, it’s finally arrived, the end of 2024. Typically, around this time we put together an annual wrap, but the brands had other plans. You see, they kept releasing watches. So, for episode 96 of A Week in Watches, we’re still covering new releases, with a particular focus on that last-minute Speedmaster drop, and, boy, do we have some thoughts on that one. This episode was brought to by the Windup Watch Shop. When the winter break is behind you, and you’ve returned the awkward sweaters and novelty socks, head on over to the shop and get yourself something you really want. Perhaps some straps, a utility knife, or even a watch. And, if you happen to be near NYC, you can set up a time to come to the new showroom and pick something out in person by following this link. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 96: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Speedmaster! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Time+Tide
What if you want to wear a chronograph that doesn’t make you look like a 1940s fighter pilot, an astronaut, or a 1960s rally driver?The post The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz Chronograph is a no-fuss, modern daily appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Welcome to our last Sunday Morning Showdown of the year. Next week, Jorg will share this year’s Sunday Morning Showdown highlights, so let’s go out with a bang. Today, we put the new Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified up against the Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback. The leaks of the Speedmaster Pilot for US military […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified Vs. Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback to read the full article.
Monochrome
Rolex arguably has more iconic models than any major watchmaker, from the Submariner to the Datejust to the Explorer (and many more). Still, the Cosmograph Daytona has become something of a unicorn and a collector’s dream in the last couple of decades. At a time when the brand’s steel sports watches were still readily available […]
SJX Watches
Over the last decade, metal alloy hairsprings seem to fallen out of favour across watchmaking, with even conservative, haute horlogerie brands like Breguet and Patek Philippe turning to silicon balance springs. Not to mention large-scale makers of sporty watches like Omega and Tudor, which already transitioned to silicon balance springs. Rolex, however, stands out. The Geneva marque continues to employ a hairspring fabricated of its proprietary blue alloy – the Parachrom hairspring. The Parachrom hairspring inside the cal. 4131 of the Cosmograph Daytona The advantages of alloy The use of blue Parachrom is rooted in the simple fact that the right metal alloy boasts performance that is at least on par with its silicon counterpart – while offering some distinct advantages missing in silicon. Alloy hairsprings are traditionally made of Nivarox (and its family of related alloys), a special alloy that neither oxidises nor change its dimensions with variations in temperature. Invented in 1933 and almost a century old, Nivarox is a mix of nickel and iron, making it a ferromagnetic alloy, thus susceptible to influence from magnetic fields. The cal. 3255 of the Day-Date 40 is equipped with a Parachrom hairspring. Image – Rolex In order to make its hairsprings more resistant to magnetism and to bypass the Swatch-imposed monopoly on Nivarox hairsprings (Nivarox-FAR being one of the key companies of Swatch Group), Rolex set out to develop its own hairspring alloy in the early 2...
Worn & Wound
In 1995, I was 22 years old and sitting in the theater, eagerly awaiting the start of the new James Bond film. It had been six years since the last movie featuring Timothy Dalton, marking the longest gap between Bond films up to that point. I was already deeply invested in collecting watches. Still, the internet hadn’t emerged yet, and I had no idea I was about to encounter one of the timepieces that would forever change how I viewed Omega watches. It took me four more years and two more Brosnan Bond movies to finally acquire a blue Seamaster Professional. Since then, I have owned many more, including a recent blue Diver 300M. While most people’s entry into the Omega universe is the Speedmaster, mine was the Seamaster, which remains my favorite line to this day. When the No Time to Die edition was released with its redesigned, slimmer case, titanium construction, classic aluminum bezel, and boxed sapphire crystal, I sensed that we would be in for a treat with future releases, and I was right. Next, Omega presented the Seamaster 60th anniversary in stainless steel, followed by a standard black-on-black version and a brushed steel dial variant featuring a titanium relief bezel. However, Omega had one more Seamaster release for 2024-the Seamaster Diver 300M in Titanium and Bronze-Gold. As the name implies, this is a grade 2 titanium Seamaster with Bronze-Gold crowns and a Bronze-Gold bezel with an oxalic anodized aluminum insert. Omega’s Bronze-Gold is a unique alloy ...
Fratello
I think it’s safe to say we don’t expect any more Omega Speedmaster models this year. Just last week, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified after teasing us with a similar model for US military pilots only. But this year’s releases had already started coming in January when Omega introduced the newly updated Speedmaster […] Visit All The Omega Speedmaster Models From 2024 In One Overview to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Over the next few weeks, members of the Worn & Wound team will offer their own personal reflections on their year in watches. Today, photographer Garrett Jones on turning his enthusiasm into a full time job in the watch industry, and acquiring his grail watch. The last year has been a wild ride, from meeting and joining the team here at Worn & Wound, reaching new heights among the Canadian Rockies, and even buying my long time watch grail, the Omega Speedmaster. I think it’s safe to say that each of these events on their own were major milestones, but the fact that this all happened within the last year is truly mind blowing. In December of 2023, I flew from NYC to Austin, TX to hang out with some friends, and meet the Worn & Wound team. Unknowingly, this trip to Texas would begin a months-long journey resulting in me joining the team full time, something I couldn’t have dreamed of in my wildest imagination. Just about a month after this meeting, I’d have my first article published on the blog, and several more would come out before I joined the team fulltime in May. While most people might feel nervous as they start a new job, I’ve never felt so excited (and nervous) as I did, especially since my “first” day was flying out to San Francisco for the Windup Watch Fair. At that point, I’d already met most of the team, and even worked with a few of them, but this would be the first time I got to truly “dive in” and work alongside everyone. Despite being a...
Time+Tide
The Brew Metric Retro Dial chronograph is an industrial designer's and coffee enjoyer's idea of a watch that teaches you how to pull your shots.The post The Brew Metric Retro Dial says it’s bean time appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Originally conceived for pilots of the US military (and covered here by Fratello), the Omega Speedmaster Pilot is now available to civilians. The origins of the watch explain the military-influenced, instrument-style dial design, which is meant to evoke the utilitarian nature of an instrument panel inside a fighter jet. The regular production version of the watch retains the same specs as the military exclusive, but with different livery. The case has the straight lugs of the Speedmaster “Ed White” but in a larger format thanks to the automatic cal. 9900 inside. Initial thoughts I’m something of an outlier amongst enthusiasts since I prefer automatic to manual-wind, even within the Speedmaster collection. While a manual-wind movement is traditional for the Speedy, I appreciate the day-to-day convenience of an automatic. Additionally, Omega’s latest-generation automatic chronograph movements are all impressively high-spec. While the Speedmaster Pilot may not achieve the same aesthetic purity as its manual-wind counterparts, it remains an excellent everyday option, especially with the military provenance. That said, the military provenance is not exactly military-issue. The watch was designed for military pilots who presumably buy it on a personal basis for off-duty wear; it is not an actual mil-spec instrument watch. This can be seen in the dial design, which has aviation-inspired elements, rather than actual, functional indicators for pilots. Even though this is m...
Deployant
The Omega Speedmaster Pilot is a distinguished addition to Omega's Speedmaster collection, tailored specifically for aviation enthusiasts. This new Speedmaster Pilot takes inspiration from the very first Speedmaster born in 1957.
Monochrome
Whether you appreciate or not the styles and designs, which can sometimes be very striking, Artya, the brainchild of Yvan Arpa, is one of the most creative brands around – even though recently, the Stairway to Heaven collection has proved less polarising. Not shy of using unconventional materials for his cases and dials, Arpa is […]
Monochrome
It has become a pretty recurring thing for Omega to release new models, or at least new editions of existing watches, with very little or no fanfare. While this has happened in the Planet Ocean and Speedmaster collections, it’s mostly the Aqua Terra family that sees these discreet releases dropping regularly. Following the addition of […]
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