Time+Tide
Raymond Weil unveils a playful take on the Toccata Heritage that outlines the rules for how to wear a dress watch.The post Raymond Weil & seconde/seconde/ present a special edition Toccata that’s by no means off the cuff appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Raymond Weil is on a roll. As a brand we rarely covered, third-generation CEO Elie Bernheim is upping the tempo for the family-run Geneva-based brand. What started with the well-designed, retro-inspired MiIllesime of 2024, designed from scratch with contemporary specs, is now a fully fledged and very successful collection. Recently treated to a makeover, the […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Cartier Tank is among the most iconic and enduring designs in today’s horological landscape. The brand’s no-frills design, inspired by military Renault FT-17 tanks of WWI, not only shares centre stage with another innovator of the rectangular watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (more on that later), but it has reacted well to several significant updates, surviving modification after modification without ever losing an ounce of its integrity or charm. One example is the Cartier Tank Busculante. Article by Nina Scally [toc-section heading="Some Context"] [text-media heading="" text="Loved equally by men and women worldwide, the Tank has a fascinating history. It was born into a colossal legacy and was required to follow in the footsteps of the revolutionary Santos – an aviation watch with an unmistakable presence (big boots to fill). The Santos was the first true modern wristwatch of its time and had already set an impossibly high bar. Emerging from its square-shaped shadow, however, the Tank faced a monumental challenge." image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Cartier-Tank-Jackie-Kennedy-watch-2.jpg" caption=""] [image-with-caption image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Cartier-Tank-Basculante-Featured-Sothebys.jpg" caption="Photo by Sotheby's"] Against all odds, it became the definitive dress watch of its era. Its slim profile and perfectly blended proportions enabled it to slip neatly under the cuff of a shirt, int...
Hodinkee
A few striking updates to AP's most unique execution of a time-only watch.
SJX Watches
Breguet has enjoyed a great 250th anniversary year – one that promises to end with a big reveal in early December – with several commemorative editions launched for the occasion. The best of the lot, however, is undoubtedly the Classique 7225. Equipped with one of the most advanced time-only movements on the market, the Classique 7225 combines cutting edge modern watchmaking of the best industrial-haute horlogerie variety with an unexpectedly captivating aesthetic. Some of its details don’t quite make sense, yet the 7225 as a whole makes a lot of sense. Initial thoughts The Classique 7225 has a great deal of tactile appeal – it feels good on the wrist. In fact, the 7225 is probably the first Breguet in a long time that is sexy. If there’s one Breguet in today’s catalogue I really want, it’s this one. At 41 mm, the 7225 might measure large for such a watch, but the proportions are just right. The case is thin enough, while the wide dial maximises the impact of the guilloche on a gold base. If anything, the design might look odd with a smaller format, since the look comes from a pocket watch after all. Visually, the 7225 is striking and employs the classic Breguet style to great effect. Almost all the elements are familiar so the watch is recognisably “Breguet”, yet it different from the rest of the catalogue. The 7225 instantly looks like a Breguet, which shows its creators have an instinctive understanding of the brand. With its “floating” magnetic ba...
Fratello
Take a good look at the steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds in the pictures. What do you see? Exactly - a watch you didn’t think was a novelty. But it is. This medium-sized Reverso has all the trademarks of a traditional Reverso, along with a couple of updated tweaks. We go hands-on to […] Visit Hands-On With The Steel Midsize Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds - A Surprisingly Unsurprising Novelty to read the full article.
Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre has a reputation for revered watchmaking, all within a single facility in Le Sentier, in the Vallée de Joux. For 2025, La Grande Maison unveils two new Master Ultra Thin timepieces. Both feature a soft, almost terracotta-like shade of copper. The grainy texture also lends the aesthetic a touch of ruggedness. Yet, the playful […] Visit Introducing: Two New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Watches In Distinctive Copper Hues to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Italy's echo/neutra has shrunken the proportions of its incredibly popular titanium dress watch for a more elegant take.The post echo/neutra unveils a new, smaller Rivanera with an ultra-black twist: introducing the Rivanera Piccolo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
There are few watches that have appeared over the last few years that I’ve been as excited about as the echo/neutra Rivanera. I wrote about it at length last year, and coming up on twelve months since I had to send my sample back to Italy, I still think about this watch and how original and full of ideas it is. It did something that’s hard for a single watch to do: it clarified to me what echo/neutra is about as a brand. Up until the Rivanera, I honestly didn’t have a fully formed concept in my head as to what the echo/neutra team was working toward. I liked their watches well enough, but they didn’t speak to me on a gut level. The Rivanera did, though, and it helped me see the vision of the brand in a clearer light. The latest release from echo/neutra, the Rivanera Piccolo, further cements them as one of the most interesting design forward, affordable indies out there at the moment. A sequel of sorts, the Rivanera Piccolo continues to riff on the original’s rectangular shape, but dares to make it smaller, squarer, and, somehow, sportier. If the Rivanera was a new spin on designs like the Cartier Tank and early Art Deco, the Piccolo jumps a few decades ahead – there’s some distinctly 1960s/70s funk here in a way that I haven’t seen presented in a watch of this type. It places itself right in the middle of the current “stone dials on everything” trend without actually including a stone dial. Let’s get the proportions out of the way first. The Picco...
Monochrome
A powerful trend sweeping across the watch landscape is stone dials. Featured on everything from elegant dress watches to complications, there is no doubt that watches are living a second Stone Age. Celebrating its 160th anniversary, Zenith jumps on the stone dial bandwagon with its most technologically advanced and avant-garde chronograph, the mighty Defy Extreme, […]
SJX Watches
Christie’s Hong Kong returns this autumn with an extraordinary offering of rare and important Patek Philippe watches, headlined by a ref. 1518 in yellow gold. The auction is defined by two major private collections, most notably Part 2 of The Chronicle Collection - the successor to this spring’s successful first chapter. From neo-vintage rarities to heavyweight modern complications, the sale presents one of the of the most interesting Patek Philippe selections of the season. Lot 2225 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3979HJ Minute Repeater The story of Patek Philippe’s mastery of the modern minute repeater begins in 1989 with the launch of the ref. 3979 and the calibre R 27 PS. Launched to commemorate the brand’s 150th anniversary, the ref. 3979 was the brand’s first automatic minute repeater, and its first wristwatch to feature a silent centripetal governor, which was still novel at the time. According to the serial number, the present lot was the 47th ref. 3979 to be made, out of approximately 100 units produced over a nine year run. Further distinguishing the current lot is its classical enamel dial, which was a relatively uncommon configuration for this reference. The compact 33 mm yellow gold case is a love letter to classical dress watches. The case itself was made by Ateliers Rèunis, the brand’s own case maker, and was manufactured in the building that now houses the Patek Philippe museum. Today, more than 35 years after its launch, the cal. R 27 PS is still am...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Skip the soulless suit watches. Check out these 5 affordable dress watches we’ve tested. They prove that style and substance can coexist without the high price.
Fratello
Welcome, Fratelli! Over the past four weeks, it has been Dress Watch Season here at Fratello. We asked you to vote for what you thought was the best dress watch of the year. Now the results are in, and the word is out: the 34mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 is the best dress watch […] Visit Fratello Dress Watch Season: The Winner - The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34mm to read the full article.
Fratello
Louis Vuitton introduced its time-only Escale dress watch last year to mark the collection’s 10th anniversary. We found the rose gold and platinum models with their trunk-inspired design and attractive grainy dials quite charming. RJ characterized them as dress watches that didn’t look like your typical grandfather’s watch. Well, the same is true of the […] Visit Louis Vuitton Dresses Up Its New Escale In Turquoise Or Malachite to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Stone dials have become an increasingly visible trend in recent years; once rare, they are now widespread. Yet most rely on a handful of familiar minerals such as malachite, lapis lazuli, and tiger’s eye, leaving little room for novelty. Biver has taken a different approach with the Automatique, offering a far broader and more exotic palette of materials that includes mahogany obsidian, quartzite, and lavender jade-alongside traditional enamel dials crafted by Geneva’s leading specialists. While the new dials take centre stage, the Automatique itself is largely unchanged, and still features one of the most technically interesting movements in the genre of high-end time-only watches. Initial thoughts Mineral stone dials seem to be everywhere these days. Once the domain of brands like Piaget, stone dials have outgrown their niche and become common enough that a cottage industry of suppliers has emerged to supply them at nearly all price points; even Timex offers malachite dials. But most brands are using the same handful of stone types like malachite, tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, and other semi-precious, but actually quite common, minerals. This is where Biver goes its own way, offering a diverse and unusual selection of stone and enamel dials, along with a few ‘ordinary’ dials for more conservative collectors. In total, 11 new references join the collection, and each has the option for a precious metal bracelet that matches the case material. As a watch, the Autom...
Fratello
Welcome, dear Fratelli, to the final battle in our inaugural Dress Watch Season contest! Our writers made their cases for a broad range of dress watches over the past few weeks. You, our esteemed readers, voted for your favorite each time. In the end, the 34mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 and the Breguet Classique […] Visit Fratello Dress Watch Season: The Grand Finale - A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34mm Vs. Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One of the last launches of 2025 for A. Lange & Söhne, the Saxonia Thin Onyx is a riff on the brand’s most affordable and simplest watch. It’s only modestly different from the standard model – the dial is onyx stone while the case metal isn’t part of regular production – but the Saxonia Thin Onyx stands out. The watch is almost the dictionary definition of a formal-wear timepiece: flat, two hands and minimal colour or embellishment, so much so it blends into conventional Western formal dress. In fact, this is one of the strongest offerings in the formal-dress-watch segment because it is stark, elegant, and priced well. Initial thoughts Lange tend towards the high end of the price spectrum simply because of the brand’s focus on complications and quality. And the brand has also raised retail prices significantly in the last few years. So an affordable-ish Lange that isn’t a run-of-the-mill watch is a good thing. The Saxonia Thin Onyx is exactly that. While it is based on Lange’s entry-level dress watch, a fine but no frills timepiece, the onyx edition is different in look, feel, and materials. It’s available in two metals not offered for the regular production – platinum and Honeygold – and the dial is of course onyx, a mineral stone used sparingly (so far) in limited editions. At 6.2 mm high, the case is half the thickness of a Datograph and sits flat against the wrist. Though the case is 40 mm rather than the smaller size offered for the standard mod...
Monochrome
Designing a classic dress watch is probably the most challenging assignment for any designer, as it requires striking a balance between top-quality materials and finishes, an elegant yet understated dial and a slim profile. Ticking all the boxes is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s classic Master Ultra Thin collection, a classy lineup of dress watches for men and women […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection has been a presence in the larger luxury-watch universe for just slightly over a decade now, but its impact has been tremendous - blazing trails of ultra-thinness in watchmaking that few brands have attempted and fewer have even attempted to rival. Today, the Octo Finissimo, in its simplest and most complex iterations, is regarded by enthusiasts as the creative cornerstone of the Bulgari brand, which up until very recently has been known more for high-jewelry watches than ambitious, record-setting mechanical complications. Here’s how the Octo Finissimo became an icon in 10 short years - starting from the very beginning. [toc-section heading="Bulgari History (1884-1934)"] Sotirios Voulgaris, the only survivor of 11 children from a family of silversmiths in the Greek town of Paramythia, was born in 1857 and learned the family craft from his father, making jewelry as well as sword sheaths and belt buckles. After Ottoman invaders set fire to the town in 1873, the family moved to the Isle of Corfu, where Voulgaris met the man who’d become his mentor, Macedonian goldsmith Demetrios Kremos. The two artisans decided to start a business in Italy, settling first in Naples, and eventually in Rome, where they opened their first shop in 1884. After just a few months, however, the partnership ended and Voulgaris - who had now changed his name to the more Italianate “Sotirio Bulgari” - opened up his own shop, which found success sel...
Monochrome
As the year slowly comes to an end, the days get shorter and winter sets in, the festive season is upon us to warm our hearts. Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Hannukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, or all of them for that matter, it’s a time of joy, warmth and the comfort of friends and family. To […]
Fratello
With the Fratello Dress Watch Season competition in full swing, our site has seemingly been full of expensive, heavy-hitting, precious-metal formal watches. That’s why, for today’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we decided to do something a bit different. This is the featherweight bout between two affordable integrated-bracelet sports watches. This is the Citizen Super Titanium Zenshin […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Citizen Super Titanium Zenshin Small Seconds Vs. Tissot PRX Titanium 38mm to read the full article.
Fratello
Welcome to the second semifinal in the Fratello Dress Watch Season contest, our bid to find the best dress watch of 2025. In today’s matchup, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P takes on the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025. As we near the final, we see some of this year’s heavyweights going head-to-head. Both this Patek and […] Visit Fratello Dress Watch Season: Semifinal 2 - Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P Vs. Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 to read the full article.
Monochrome
As every year, it is time for the watch industry to celebrate watchmaking, watchmakers and watches in general. The so-called 2025 Oscars of the Watchmaking industry, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève or GPHG 2025, is about to begin, and the best watches introduced during the year are about to be awarded. From time-only watches […]
Teddy Baldassarre
If you’re new to the watch-collecting hobby, you’ve undoubtedly seen or heard references to watches with fluted bezels, but what does that description actually mean? Are fluted bezels a feature of sports watches or dress watches, of watches for men or for ladies? Are they designed for practical use or purely as an aesthetic touch? As is common in the world of watches, the answers to all of these questions are not as simple as you might think. Before getting into the fluted type in particular, let’s get really basic and review what a watch’s bezel is and what it’s for. As we explore in more detail here, a bezel is the front part of a watch’s case (often but not always ring-shaped) that frames the dial and secures the crystal. Bezels can be made of the same material as the case middle and/or the caseback, but can also be made of a different material. They can also be thin or wide; stationary or built to rotate in either one direction or both; purely decorative (i.e., set with diamonds) or utilitarian in nature (i.e., inscribed with a scale for some type of calculation). Fluting is defined as “a groove or set of grooves forming a surface decoration,” so a fluted bezel is one that features this type of grooved or ribbed texture on its top surface. Initially, as with most every element of a watch, a fluted bezel design was designed with a practical purpose in mind: the grooved surface made it easier for a watchmaker to screw the bezel tightly into the case to...
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