Latest watch news · Page 497

IWC’s sports watch with an integrated bracelet, the Ingenieur Automatic 40, now gets a dial in dark blue, arguably the quintessential dial colour for such watches. Modelled on the Ingenieur SL designed by Gérald Genta’s in the 1970s, the modern day Ingenieur was released last year in several dial colours, including black and silver. The new model with a blue dial retains the exact same design, including a bezel secured by five functional screws, an integrated H-link bracelet, and a grid-patterned dial. Initial thoughts As a classic colour for such a watch, the blue dial was long expected. It’s arguably the most appealing Ingenieur, though the titanium model has an edge (at a much, much higher price). While it is hard to find fault in the execution of the Ingenieur, it was released somewhat late, as the fad for integrated bracelets already lost steam last year. This new addition is arriving even later, though the upside is it will be more easily available than before. The blue dial model is priced the same as the earlier versions, making it a little expensive considering the entry-level movement inside. Most sports watches with integrated bracelets in the same price segment rely on more sophisticated calibres. Textured blue The new version has specs identical to its siblings in the collection. The stainless steel case is 40 mm in diameter and 10.8 mm thick. Featuring brushed surfaces with polished bevels, the case has the 1970s Ingenieur elements of a circular bezel ...

While mostly known for its emblematic range of dive watches, known as the Superman (possibly the most famous French watch), Yema has recently worked hard to expand both its collections and, something truly interesting, its manufacturing capacities – with a strong commitment to bringing back French watchmaking, with in-house developed and assembled movements. One of […]

The newly minted CEO of Hublot looks to enact change at the brand by being hands-on and getting stuck in as much as possible. The post Julien Tornare is getting hands on at Hublot appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

At Watches and Wonders 2023, Cartier introduced the new Tank Américaine. It excited me because I had tried on an older Tank Américaine a few months before at a get-together. It was a gold version with a date and a guilloché dial, and it unexpectedly charmed me. I assumed the Tank Américaine would be too […] Visit Hands-On With The 2023 Cartier Tank Américaine Large Models In Steel And Yellow Gold to read the full article.

This is a review with a difference. Why? Because it isn’t the typical watch you wear on the wrist, Hublot’s unique Arsham Droplet is a pocket watch, desk clock and wearable jewellery all in one! What We Love The totally unique shape It’s Hublot material science at its best! Its versatility as a three-in-one-piece What We Don’t You can’t wear it on your wrist It is not as practical in this day and age The crystal shape can distort the dial in places Overall Score: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability/Versatility: 8/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Arsham Droplet is typically Hublot, even though it doesn’t look like anything else Hublot has produced. Ever. That statement sounds like an oxymoron a little, but if you know Hublot, then you’ll know that they pride themselves on creating pieces that are like no other watch brands out there. Just take a look at their watch collaborations. Orlinski, Sang Bleu, and Murakami to name a few. Or their Manufacture Pieces, like the MP-05 LaFerrari, the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System, or MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Retrograde. These are all Hublot, and while all very different, all have that distinct Hublot style, embedded with Hublot DNA at their core. One of the main reasons these are all unique is Hublot gives create reign to their designers and collaborators, to infuse as much of them into the pieces as Hublot. To me, I love this. Rather than sticking a logo on an already existing watch with a ne...

Twenty-twenty four marks the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko’s 9R Spring Drive movement platform, an occasion the brand has chosen to mark with a range of anniversary editions including the Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary SBGC275. A large, richly detailed watch with a captivating dial, the SBGC275 is robust, interesting, and capable of nearly anything, short of fitting under a short cuff. Initial thoughts At first glance, the SBGC275 looks like just a Spring Drive chronograph with a red dial. But a closer look reveals a highly nuanced colour that changes from red to orange depending on the angle – the result of a proprietary dial coating technique. At 44.5 mm in diameter and nearly 17 mm thick, the SBGC275 is unapologetically big and bold. That said, the watch feels smaller than it is thanks to the use of titanium for the case and bracelet, and the unusually wide 23 mm lug width helps reduce the visual size. This latter dimension may limit the options for aftermarket straps, but since most owners will likely stick with the bracelet, this concern is largely academic. The watch is powered by an upgraded version of the familiar cal. 9R86 Spring Drive chronograph GMT movement, which made its debut in 2007. But eagle-eyed movement geeks will notice the SBGC275 is equipped with the fine-tuned cal. 9R96 first seen in 2017, which was also used in the Nissan GT-R 50th Anniversary edition. In many ways, the SBGC275 captures Grand Seiko’s strengths and weaknesses. The b...

Omega revived the CK 2998-inspired Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” earlier in the year. More than just another remake, I am convinced the FOiS may just be the perfect Speedmaster, at least for me. The second-generation “First Omega in Space” (FOiS) sports details that will appeal to enthusiasts, including a blue-grey “soleil” dial and domed sapphire crystal that completes the vintage-inspired look. And it’s powered by the latest generation Moonwatch cal. 3861. Initial thoughts Despite being interested in watches since my sophomore year in high school, I can’t say that the Speedmaster was ever a go-to watch for me. I have had a couple of Speedies here and there, but the model was never the centre of my attention as a collector. I mostly felt the modern Speedmaster, in its many forms, is good, especially for the price point, but never perfect. Based on that experience, I didn’t expect much of the FOiS, thinking it be yet another reissue, which is why I hesitated when I got the call from the Omega boutique in Seoul. My opinion changed when I went to the boutique to try it on. I was surprised to see how appealing it looked on the wrist, especially compared to the first-generation FOiS that was too plain with a black dial that seemed flat. Others seem to share my opinion. The critical response to the new FOiS has been mostly positive, other than the familiar debate over the faux-aged lume, which some find excessive but I personally don’t mind. In fact, I ...

One of my favorite pastimes within the world of watch enthusiasm is to tell anyone who will listen that the “Leopard” Rolex Daytona is my favorite version of the storied chronograph. When the Daytona comes up in conversation (and it does, a lot) I’m always ready to share that the intricate gem and diamond set version inspired by leopard prints and favored by Nicolas Cage is my favorite example. This assertion is only half a joke – I really do admire craftsmanship inherent in these watches (which is somewhat uncommon for Rolex) but mostly I like that the watch exists as a transgressive alternative to the norm. And what better way to do that than with a watch inspired by big cats and the jungle? The new Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle, a watch which immediately made me think of my favorite Daytona, knows that there is, in fact, no better way to gently push on the expectations of the typical watch enthusiast.  There’s an important distinction to be made between this new watch from Zenith and the Daytona, and that’s that the Leopard Daytona is, in every way, an outlier in the Daytona collection and for Rolex as a whole. The Zenith Defy Extreme, and the Defy line more generally, are made up almost entirely of outliers. In other words, it’s not actually that strange to see a jungle inspired Defy Extreme when we’ve already seen high concept Defys taking on various themes over the course of many years. This isn’t even the first time Zenith has played with the “jung...

One of Germany's most underrated watchmakers has gone for a particularly sporty take on a GADA watch.The post Mühle-Glashütte’s new Sportivo collection aims for sophisticated sporty versatility appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Jérôme Lambert returns as CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre while Laurent Perves is announced as the new man at the helm of Vacheron Constantin.

A dive into the 'Heuer Champions' portion of the catalog, including many with ties to motorsport.

When IWC launched an updated version of their Ingenieur at Watches & Wonders 2023, it was a moment that many observers of the brand had been anticipating for years. After years spent building up their Pilot collection, there was a sense in the community that some of their sportier offerings were being ignored. It was only a matter of time, we all assumed, before the Ingenieur or perhaps the Aquatimer received an overhaul and the same type of years-long collection rehab as the beloved Pilot. It’s a little curious, then, that things in the Ingenieur collection have been somewhat quiet for so long. No additional complications, case materials, or even dial variants have been launched outside of the core lineup until the announcement of the new blue Ingenieur this week.  The new dial in blue paired with a stainless steel case and bracelet joins the black, silver, and “Aqua” dials as well as the still rarely seen gray titanium version. It fills out the collection nicely and you would be forgiven for thinking it already existed. It’s not a revolutionary update or anything as these things go, but merely provides collectors with another option – a fundamentally good thing in our view.  It’s interesting to consider the place of the Ingenieur in today’s watch world over a year removed from its reintroduction. This watch is a fascinating case study in the “it’s too expensive” climate of hot takes about literally any new watch that’s introduced. It’s become so...

Hublot and Arturo Fuente, renowned for its premium cigars, have had a fruitful partnership since 2012. Together, they have launched several watch editions and supported charitable initiatives in the Dominican Republic through the Fuente Family Foundation. Today, at the Arturo Fuente Cigar Factory, Hublot unveiled its latest collaborative piece, the Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Arturo […]

Friendly faces everywhere (on the dial).

Jacques Bianchi is a French watchmaker based in Marseille. He’s been in the business for over five decades, working with the French military and names like Jacques Cousteau. A notable piece was the JB300 diver from the 1990s, produced in a total run of 1,000 for the French Army’s combat divers. The new JB300 isn’t […]

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the first watch officially issued to NASA. This watch, a LeCoultre, was based on an existing model (Quartermaster) but customized at NASA’s request. In this article submitted by space-watch buff (and author) Philip Corneille, you can read about this specially commissioned LeCoultre 24 Hours wristwatch. In the header […] Visit The Very First Watch For Astronauts - LeCoultre 24 Hours to read the full article.

Between the office holiday party, family get-togethers, and galavanting around town-’tis the season for leveling up your go-to timepiece for special occasions and cold weather layering. There are only so many options out there when it comes to a COSC-certified chronograph with a sweet selection of both case materials and colors. The Longines Spirit Flyback collection, with its wildly useful quick reset chrono functionality, is the perfect companion to ensure you won’t be late to any of those special events or last minute holiday sales. We managed to get our hands on three different variants and styled them for the season. The post Lookbook: Get into the Holiday Spirit with the Longines Spirit Flyback appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Once upon a time, the name Patek Philippe was synonymous with the Calatrava, complications, old money, class, and elegance, among other things. These are aspects that still form the core of what Patek Philippe is today, but we do also live in a rapidly changing world. The brand has been immensely keen to appeal itselfRead More

Following the trail set by the Desert and Glacier editions, Zenith sends its Defy Extreme into the jungle to complete its trilogy of hostile environment-inspired models. The boldest, most robust and technical-looking model in the brand’s collection roars loudly with tiger stripes and lush green jungle accents. Zenith’s Defy Extreme collection, released in 2021, is the […]

The art and craft is so important to the Parmigiani L'Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse that there are no dial side time indications. In fact, there is no dial side dial!

German watchmaking brand Hanhart has etched a commendable place in watchmaking history for itself, primarily through its very good stopwatches and chronograph watches. While most attention goes to the 417 ES, the vintage-inspired pilot’s chronograph with its red-marked fluted bezel, red pusher and bicompax dial layout, there’s plenty more to the brand than just that. […]

The Heuer Monaco is still the watch world's ultimate square deal. And if it's good enough for Steve McQueen...The post Why the TAG Heuer Monaco is still the watch world’s ultimate square deal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss Japanese watches. That’s a wide subject, so we attack it in different ways. Stick around to find out how we tackle one of our favorite watch genres. For our listeners, the watch content begins after approximately 17 minutes. This podcast player is blocked […] Visit Fratello On Air: Japanese Watches - Our Favorites And The Recognizable Models to read the full article.

Seiko is a brand that many consider the gateway drug to entry-level mechanical watches. It is also a rare example of a watchmaker that produces anything from affordable timepieces to expensive and high-end watches. The Seiko “Turtle” exemplifies the brand’s ability to punch hard in the affordable segment. The Seiko SRPE93 (formerly known as the […] Visit Does The Seiko Turtle Still Punch Above Its Weight? to read the full article.