Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeiko

Dress Watches · Page 33

Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds Is A Truly Modernized Classic Fratello
Oct 30, 2024

Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds Is A Truly Modernized Classic

You’re right; this isn’t the recently introduced two-hand Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface in its almost-true-to-1931 size. This is “only” the Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds version that the brand added to its collection during last year’s edition of Watches and Wonders in Geneva. However, it still feels quite new, especially next to its blue, red, […] Visit Hands-On: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds Is A Truly Modernized Classic to read the full article.

Zenith and Porter-Yoshida Pilot Watches in Green Ceramic SJX Watches
Oct 30, 2024

Zenith and Porter-Yoshida Pilot Watches in Green Ceramic

Porter, a Japanese cult brand famous for its functional nylon bags, has lent its signature colours to Zenith to create the Pilot Central Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter. The new Pilot duo retain the familiar aviation-inspired design, but in green with orange accents, including for the first time a case in khaki green ceramic. Both models are delivered with two straps: a conventional Cordura-effect rubber strap and a green nylon strap made by Porter. Initial thoughts While the Pilot Porter isn’t an iconic classic like Zenith’s El Primero, it is a unique take on the traditional aviator’s watch that is different but still functional, not unlike Porter bags that are popular for their no-frills quality. The green and orange livery is appealing and avoids the usual pilot’s watch look, but remains entirely legible and utilitarian. Priced at US$11,300 for the time-only variant and US$15,500 for the chronograph, the Pilot Porter is priced comparably to the equivalent regular-production Pilot models. Though both are more expensive than Zenith’s offerings in steel, they are priced reasonably enough considering the material and movement, as well as the competition. Khaki green Porter is the most famous label owned by Yoshida & Co., a Japanese maker of luggage and bags. Usually in dark-coloured nylon with contrast-colour lining, Porter bags are multi-pocketed and useful (and also quite pricey for nylon bags). The Pilot Porter models adopt th...

Rolex Yacht-Master & Yacht-Master II: The Comprehensive Guide to the K Teddy Baldassarre
Oct 29, 2024

Rolex Yacht-Master & Yacht-Master II: The Comprehensive Guide to the K

The Rolex Yacht-Master occupies a prominent but, for many, difficult-to-define area within the company’s overall portfolio. It’s regarded as a popular dress watch but is firmly positioned within the “Professional” collection. It looks a lot like a Submariner but isn’t really a dive watch, so it’s really not like a Submariner at all. It’s designed as a men’s watch but has become a canvas for some very feminine executions. And unlike other Rolex models that offer an original “I” and a second-generation “II” version, like the GMT-Master and Explorer, the Yacht-Master I and II are scarcely related in their design or functions at all. And yet, the Yacht-Master remains a top-tier timepiece both for Rolex and its legions of fans, and in its relatively short span on the market has welcomed a number of innovative materials and technologies into the Rolex fold. Read on to discover more about the Rolex Yacht-Master (in all its various versions) and what makes the model unique among its Oyster Perpetual brethren. 1967 - 1969 - The Prototype: Cosmograph Yacht-Master Rolex Cosmograph Yacht-Master, circa 1967 (photo: Rolex Magazine.com) While the Yacht-Master as we know it today traces its genesis only to 1992, the name appeared on a Rolex dial several decades before - on a watch that resembled more an evolution of the Daytona than of the Submariner - indicating that a sailing-themed watch was something that Rolex had been tinkering with as an organization for...

First Look – The Awake Son Mài Collection, a New Direction for the Brand with its First Permanent Range Monochrome
Oct 28, 2024

First Look – The Awake Son Mài Collection, a New Direction for the Brand with its First Permanent Range

Coming up for its fifth anniversary, French indie brand Awake releases Son Mài, its first permanent collection comprised of four time-only references illustrating the art of ancestral Vietnamese sanded lacquer paired with the application of pure silver leaf gilding. Marking a new direction for the brand, the former titanium cases and Miyota movements have been […]

A Breguet Classique Pair in Black Grand Feu Enamel SJX Watches
Oct 28, 2024

A Breguet Classique Pair in Black Grand Feu Enamel

Employing traditional Breguet style but with a twist, the Breguet Classique 5177 and Classique 7787 are variants of existing models but gain a high-contrast makeover with a black grand feu enamel dial and platinum case – a uncommon and striking combination for a largely conservative brand. Initial thoughts Though white enamel is the default, Breguet has been adding colours to its enamel offerings in recent years, including blue enamel for the Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5367. In fact, the Classique 5177 was already available with a blue enamel dial for several years. However, the 5177 and 7787 are amongst the most striking thanks to their stark palette. While neither are actually new models, both are good looking watches that exemplify the Breguet style while being a little different. All the stylistic elements are traditional Breguet, but the monochromatic colours give the duo a stark, modern feel. The 5177 is almost a perfect dress watch, but it has a date at three that gets in the way. That said, the date is less prominent on the black dial than it is on the white version. More appealing (and also more expensive), the 7787 brings to mind vintage Breguet pocket watches with its oversized power reserve display, while the moon phase adds texture and colour to the dial. Black and silver Both the 5177 and 7787 share the same livery of a black enamel dial and platinum case. Platinum is relatively uncommon in the Breguet catalogue, and here it’s used for both the case and crown....

The Elegantly Concise Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar PAM01453 SJX Watches
Oct 28, 2024

The Elegantly Concise Panerai Radiomir Perpetual Calendar PAM01453

Panerai raised some eyebrows when it installed the newly developed perpetual calendar movement in the beefy Luminor. Now the brand brings the complication to its more elegant, but still oversized, wristwatch with the Radiomir Perpetual Calendar GMT Goldtech PAM01453. Initial thoughts The Radiomir collection has always been Panerai’s most elegant offering, with some older models even being dress watches, albeit in Panerai style. The slimmer cushion-shaped case, wire lugs, and onion crown evoke the early wristwatches. Compared to the bulkier Luminor, the Radiomir is more adaptable in terms of design and complications, and consequently sometimes departs from the brand’s signature military look. A complication such as a perpetual calendar tends to fit better in more classical designs. For that reason, the perpetual calendar didn’t feel at home in the Luminor format. Bringing the perpetual calendar to the Radiomir seems like the sensible thing to do. The PAM01453 is handsome, especially with a case in Goldtech, Panerai’s proprietary rose gold alloy of platinum and copper that the brand claims to have superior durability.  Though more elegant, the PAM01453 is still a rather large watch in typical Panerai style and measures 45mm across. The slim lugs and the leather strap should increase wearability to some extent, but the piece remains imposing. The P.4100 The PAM01453 celebrates in part the first Panerai watch prototype that was developed in 1935, a timepiece that was ...

Carl F. Bucherer’s Retro Worldtimer with Peripheral-Wind Movement SJX Watches
Oct 25, 2024

Carl F. Bucherer’s Retro Worldtimer with Peripheral-Wind Movement

In a departure from its usual modern designs, Carl F. Bucherer’s latest is the Heritage Worldtimer. Modelled on a typical 1950s world time wristwatch, the Heritage Worldtimer sports two crowns - on at three to set the time, another at nine to adjust the cities disc. The A2020 movement inside, however, is a modern creation. The automatic calibre features a peripheral rotor, an invention that dates to the 1950s but was only perfected in the 21st century. However, the calibre comes with a caveat: it’s not a true world time complication, and instead relies on just a rotating cities disc. Initial thoughts Tried-and-tested vintage-inspired reissues are often easy wins so they are common. While the Heritage Worldtimer might seem like one of those on its face, it stands out on several counts, including the simple fact that vintage-inspired world-time watches are uncommon. The design is also vintage inspired, rather than a remake of a specific watch, so it has a generic 1950s feel rather than looking like a scaled-up version of a vintage watch. And the novel, modern movement is a useful complement to the historical design. Though the watch is looks like a world time, it is not actually a world time complication. In other words, the hour hand does not move in tandem with the cities disc as on an actual world time. Rather it is a time-only watch with a rotating cities disc that does the job of indicating time zones, but it is not sophisticated in terms of mechanics. Starting a...

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of their Relaunch with Two Lange 1s (LIVE PICS) Worn & Wound
Oct 24, 2024

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of their Relaunch with Two Lange 1s (LIVE PICS)

A 30th anniversary is no small thing for a brand. For some perspective, only 25% of new companies even survive for 15 years. As such, it’s rightly a cause for celebration. This year, A. Lange & Söhne is celebrating two anniversaries, the 25th anniversary of the Datograph, and the 30th anniversary of the brand being relaunched. For the Datograph, we saw four exceptional and highly exclusive pieces. At Watches & Wonders, they launched the elegant Datograph Up/Down Limited Edition in white gold with a blue dial, as well as the über Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” That duo was followed up by the recently announced Datograph Handwerkskunst and Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition.” The Handwerkskunst is an über watch of a different nature than the “Lumen,” demonstrating the brand’s dedication to handcraft and the artistry of watchmaking. Anthony de Haas, Director of Development, described the process of creating the dial, which consists of an “outer ring, the main carriage dial, and then the sub-dials, all four out of solid yellow gold. We take a milling machine and take away all the material, except for the numerals and the letters and the text, so they are in relief.” The process then goes to an engraver, who meticulously applies “tremblage,” creating the uniform stippled texture across all surfaces. This task is made even more difficult as the engraver must navigate all of the engraved details, such as the arching logo. To get...

Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 30th Anniversary Watches Fratello
Oct 24, 2024

Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 30th Anniversary Watches

It’s hard to believe that 30 years have passed since the first Lange 1 was introduced. Yet, here we are, and to celebrate this special occasion, A. Lange & Söhne has crafted four new limited-edition versions of the brand’s most famous watch. As we’ll see, Lange is bringing a pair of dial and case materials […] Visit Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 30th Anniversary Watches to read the full article.

30 Years of the Lange 1 with Onyx or Blue SJX Watches
Oct 24, 2024

30 Years of the Lange 1 with Onyx or Blue

It seems like just yesterday that A. Lange & Söhne celebrated its 25th anniversary with the 10-piece Lange 1 set. But turning 30 is always a big deal, and the brand has risen to the occasion with limited editions of its flagship Lange 1 and its smaller sibling, the Little Lange 1, including a version with the brand’s first-ever mineral stone dial on a watch without gemstones. Both the Lange 1 and Little Lange 1 30th Anniversary are available in pink gold with a navy blue dial, or in platinum with a black dial – both versions evoking uncommon historical versions of the model. Lange typically reserves the latter configuration for its special editions, and in this case the degree of specialness is dialled up a notch with a dial crafted from black onyx. Initial thoughts It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for Lange. Nevertheless, I’ve never warmed up to their black-dialled watches, including the Datograph, which I feel look a bit flat. Judging by the press images, the black onyx dial of the Lange 1 30th anniversary is a different animal; deep and glossy. The pink gold and navy blue references are also attractive, but it’s the platinum and black models that immediately captured my attention and have continued to occupy my thoughts. In most ways, the 30th anniversary editions of the Lange 1 and Little Lange 1 are no different from the standard models. The cases measure 38.5 mm and 36.8 mm, respectively, and are about 10 mm thick. Naturally, the platinum models are ...

Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date With A Modern Blue-Gray Dial Fratello
Oct 23, 2024

Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date With A Modern Blue-Gray Dial

If you ask someone to draw or describe the perfect dress watch, I’m sure it would look a lot like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin. Its classic case with elegantly sweeping lugs looks good on anyone’s wrist, and the dial is one of the cleanest and most legible in the industry. In short, it’s truly […] Visit Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date With A Modern Blue-Gray Dial to read the full article.

The Sternglas Merion Diver Is An Affordable Alternative With Innovative Touches Fratello
Oct 22, 2024

The Sternglas Merion Diver Is An Affordable Alternative With Innovative Touches

Sternglas has come a long way since its first watch debuted in 2016. The earliest models were straightforward Bauhaus-styled watches. While this design still governs the brand’s offerings, straightforward dress watches no longer dominate the catalog. Today’s Merion diver is a good example of how Sternglas has expanded. When I recall my formative collecting years, […] Visit The Sternglas Merion Diver Is An Affordable Alternative With Innovative Touches to read the full article.

Comments 2

  1. Anonymous
    the whole point of a dress watch is that it disappears on your wrist. precious metal cases, minimal dial, two hands. that's the formula.
    1. Anonymous replying to Anonymous
      totally agree on the invisibility factor, but i'd push back on "two hands only." a good three-hander with a clean dial still disappears just fine. it's really about restraint, not the hand count.

Leave a comment

All comments are reviewed before they go live. Email is for our records only - it's never published.