Latest watch news · Page 511

The jump hour is a nearly criminally underrepresented type of watch. These semi-digital mechanical devices simplify time telling through more complex movements, a perfect example of watchmaking’s inherent and lovable absurdity. Their unique displays create different layout challenges, leading to unique and fantastic designs, from the sci-fi Space One to the extravagant A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk. As such, a new jump hour is always cause for celebration and temptation. However, the challenge for brands that want to enter the jumping game is a lack of readily available movements and modules. So, what’s a brand to do? For Fears, this is where the power of collaboration comes into play. By teaming up with the industrious Christopher Ward, who developed their in-house jump hour module, the JJ001, back in 2010-11, Fears could access an already proven but exclusive solution. In 2023, they debuted their jump hour as the highly limited Alliance 1 for members of the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, and in 2024, their follow-up mainline version, the Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour, which we reported on here. I’m all for watches that provide different and uncommon experiences, whether it be the smooth glide and accuracy of a Spring Drive, the hourly dinging of the Bel Canto, the central minute counter of a Lemania 5100, or the decentralized displays of a regulator. Jump hours stand out even among that crowd by fundamentally changing how time is read. Though most akin t...

The new Omega Speedmaster FOiS (for First Omega in Space) is the perfect example of a watch that’s not particularly spectacular, groundbreaking or innovative. But more often than not, a great watch doesn’t need to be a game-changer. The 2024 Speedmaster FOiS comes in continuity to a concept introduced in 2012, a vintage-inspired watch celebrating […]

A collector's guide to stone dials with Pierre Biver and two vintage dealers.

It was 1979, and I had accompanied my parents to a dinner party. I was six years old, and my parents’ friends had no children. My parents married later in life and came from a generation where children were meant to be seen and not heard. Unfortunately, I am one of those who likes to be seen and heard. However, I was instructed to be on my best behavior, so they set me in front of the television. Noticing that I was bored, our host handed me his wristwatch and said, “Check this out.” He pressed a button on the side of the case, and the display lit up in bright red, showing the time. I had never seen anything like it before. My father’s manual-wind Caravelle watch had a large white dial with Roman numerals and looked like an antique compared to this modern watch. I was captivated, and he let me wear it and play with it all evening. Undoubtedly, that watch made a lasting impression on me. The 1970s were an exhilarating period in design and technology, marked by rapid changes. The quartz crisis impacted the watch industry, prompting companies to innovate. This development created numerous new timepieces, including the noteworthy Hamilton Pulsar Cushion. Introduced in 1974, it boasted a vibrant red LED display that would only activate when you pressed the button on its side. Fifty years later, Hamilton is releasing an updated version called the PSR 74, and they have chosen to maintain its iconic 31mm cushion-shaped case. This design was considered futuristic in the 197...

Named for the spring at the heart of a mechanical watch movement, Mainspring London offers high-quality storage, winders, and accessories for watch collectors. With inspirations ranging from motorsports to the walled gardens and storied quadrangles of Oxford, Mainspring London’s collections are designed to seamlessly – and with impeccable style - integrate your treasured collection into your home. Who said your collection storage couldn’t look as good as the pieces in it?   To welcome Mainspring London to the Windup Watch Shop, we are starting with three pieces: the Technospeed 3-Slot Travel Watch Box, Monte Carlo 5-Slot Watch Box, and Guardian Single- and Dual-Slot Winder. The post Introducing Mainspring London To The Windup Watch Shop appeared first on Worn & Wound.

This new limited edition Bulgari Octo Finissimo has a first-ever PVD-blue titanium case and bracelet.The post French artist Laurent Grasso brings his aura to a midnight blue limited edition Bulgari Octo Finissimo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Many, if not most, watch enthusiasts want the best value for money when buying a new timepiece. And it’s normal to want a good deal whether you’re buying a car, a house, or flight tickets for your summer vacation. After all, we work hard to earn our money and want to spend it wisely. We […] Visit Hands-On With The Beaucroft Element - Everyday Looks With Tool-Watch Toughness to read the full article.

From the mechanical watchmaking center of Studio Shizukuishi to the Seiko Museum back in Ginza, Tokyo, we finish our tour of Grand Seiko in Japan.

Greubel Forsey celebrates their 20th annniversary with the presentation of their 10th Fundamental Invention: the Nano Foudroyante EWT.

Zenith stole the headlines in 1969 with the world’s first high-frequency automatic chronograph movement, aptly named ‘El Primero’. With less fanfare, Zenith also launched its heavy-duty Defy watch with an angular octagonal case, groovy orange bakelite bezel, and impressive water-resistance. Nicknamed the ‘vault’, the Defy Plongeur ref. 3648 was a monster of the abyss capable […]

A storied example of artisanal independent watchmaking, The Oval was the masterpiece by Derek Pratt (1938-2009), perhaps the greatest unknown watchmaker. Pratt began work on the Oval in 1982 as his magnum opus, the ultimate realisation of his aesthetic and technical vision. While his work for Urban Jürgensen is perhaps his best known, Pratt was an independent watchmaker with a diverse repertoire, including working with George Daniels on the co-axial escapement. Amongst his creations was a replica of John Harrison’s H4 marine chronometer. These projects, as well as the fact that the Oval was mostly hand made, meant the pocket watch took some two decades to complete. Although it’s a sizeable watch, the Oval is finely detailed, reflecting the high level of Pratt’s craft and the years he invested in creating the watch from scratch. Beyond its artisanal execution, the Oval also stands out for its technical achievement. Besides a detent escapement, the Oval also contains a horological first – a constant force mechanism integrated within the tourbillon – along with a thermometer, power reserve display, and moon phase on the dial. We took an in-depth look at the Oval in 2021, thanks to its current owner, Dr Helmut Crott. But now as the Oval heads to the auction block at Phillips, it’s worth one last look before it disappears into a collection. A two-decade odyssey A contemporary and friend of George Daniels (1926-2011), Pratt was one of the most talented horologists o...

During Geneva Watch Days 2024, we had the opportunity to visit Lederer. The brand focuses on highly technical escapements, which are made by Bernhard Lederer. The new Lederer Triple Certified Observatory Chronometer stood out among the various timepieces we saw due to its impressive movement and testing schedule. My colleague Dave Sergeant and I paled […] Visit Hands-On With The Lederer Triple Certified Observatory Chronometer to read the full article.

Designed by MB&F; creative designer Maximilian Maertens, it's the first watch case that doubles as a piece of tasteful home décor.The post The AIS Collective x Maximilian Maertens ChronoSphere is a watch box that doubles as a piece of art appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

We’ve talked about the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin on multiple occasions already, and for obvious reasons. When first presented as a prototype watch named RD#2, it was the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar wristwatch, with an impressive 6.2mm thickness. Despite Bulgari re-gaining the title a year later, this Audemars Piguet remains truly impressive and is […]

There is a lot to get your head around with this new release from Greubel Forsey, but it's clear the watchmaking is on another level. The post Greubel Forsey flexes its horological muscles with a host of firsts in its new Nano Foudroyante EWT appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Seiko 5 Sports Denham Limited Edition SRPL35 (or SBSA281) is a limited edition of 2,000 watches. The fundamentals of this fusion watch can be traced back to the famous SKX series, and the details are done in shades of indigo. There are lots of jeans-like hues on the bezel, dial, and strap. And in […] Visit Trying On Some New “Denim” - Hands-On With The Seiko 5 Sports Denham Limited Edition to read the full article.

In 2021, Farer introduced its Field Collection. It consisted of three watches, all with the same compact stainless steel case but rather diverse yet colorful dial designs. The common denominator was that they were all inspired by field watches. Now the British-based brand has reintroduced its Field Collection. The Pembroke II, Lomond II, and Exmoor […] Visit Farer Reintroduces Its Field Collection With Updated Colorful Dials And A Slimmer Bezel to read the full article.

A new brand is the talk of the watch world today, and the latest example of a trend we’ve seen developing over the last several years. GRØNE is the new project from Bart and Tim Grönefeld, the brothers behind the Grönefeld brand, one of the most acclaimed indies in the world. Following in the footsteps of the M.A.D. 1 project, Kurono Tokyo, and others, the brand exists as a way for admirers of a high priced independent maker to buy into the aesthetic and perspective of the brand at a much more affordable price point. The first release from GRØNE, the Manueel One, carries a retail price of just 2,150 Euros. At retail, Grönefeld watches start at around 50,000 Euros and go up from there. They are also very low production, with fewer than 100 pieces made each year.  The Manueel One, according to Bart and Tim, was inspired by a desire to bring their watches to “our our watchmakers, our children, and our friends.” If this sentiment sounds familiar, it’s nearly identical to Max Büsser’s reasoning behind the M.A.D. 1 project, which was initially only offered to friends of the brand, including partners that Max and his team had worked with for years. Like the M.A.D. 1, the Manueel One borrows some aesthetic and design principles from the higher priced watches the brand is known for, but it does so without the serious attention to craft and watchmaking you’d get with an atelier made timepiece. That’s to be expected, of course. Anyone thinking that an order for t...

The hand-engraved reference 5711/1500A will be sold on November 25, 2024, to benefit Children Action.

If you’ve been paying attention to the world of the Hype Watch over the last few years, you’ve no doubt stumbled upon the hypiest Hype Watch of them all: the Cartier Crash. OK, maybe it’s not the hypiest Hype Watch, but it’s close. In terms of genuine rarity and the Crash’s ability to show up on the wrists of movie stars, recording artists, and top tier influencers with regularity, it’s certainly a big part of the conversation. There are a lot of reasons why the Crash has become so sought after in recent years, but one of them is certainly a movement among the larger watch market to pieces that are, at least on the surface, more unusual, and lead with design. The Crash, then, is really part of the rising tide that is lifting the ship of shaped cases more generally. And that brings us to the Exaequo Melting Watch, an unusual avant-garde design with a shaped case that is, at least in some ways, Crash adjacent, but a small fraction of the cost and quite a bit more approachable.  Longtime enthusiasts might remember the Exaequo Softwatch from the 1990s, which has carried on cult favorite status even to this day. The Melting Watch is effectively the modern rendition of the Softwatch, and has been brought back this year in a well timed bid to take advantage of a movement toward uncommon shapes and designs.  While the possibly apocryphal story of the Crash involves a Tank being accidentally melted in a fire after a car wreck, Exaequo has always proudly touted their w...

Enter the competition now on Instagram to be in with a chance to win your favourite field watch and meet Justin Hast.The post Justin Hast is going to buy you a watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ten years ago, Bulgari’s launch of the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon spearheaded the Italian brand’s march across the watchmaking landscape, razing records in the battle for ultra-thin movements/watches. Currently the holder of nine world records, the Octo Finissimo’s incredible mechanical feats are matched by the formidable geometry of its case, securing it a seat in the […]

One of the most valuable watches to go on the block this auction season is the Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” 16599SAAEC. Part of Phillips’ Reloaded auction taking place on November 8, 2024, the Zenith-powered Daytona is the original “Rainbow”, having been produced in 1994, some 18 years before the serially-produced Daytona “Rainbow” was introduced. Like all automatic Daytona models prior to 2000, this Daytona “Rainbow” is powered by the cal. 4030, which is a Zenith El Primero modified by Rolex. But this Daytona is unique in having a singular model reference of 16599 followed by the suffix “SAAEC”, short for saphir arc-en-ciel, French for “sapphire rainbow”. A rainbow history Though the Daytona “Rainbow” is perhaps the most famous gem-set Rolex model today, it took a while to catch on when it was introduced. It debuted as a regular production model in 2012 with the Daytona ref. 116598RBOW in yellow gold and ref. 116599RBOW in white gold. The Daytona ref. 116599RBOW in white gold At launch the Daytona “Rainbow” was not the object of frenzied desire as it is now, but by 2018 it was sought after. And that year Rolex debuted the Daytona ref. 116595RBOW in Everose gold that boasted the upgrade of baguette-cut rainbow indices. The facelift was also applied to the yellow and white gold versions, both of which now sport baguette-cut rainbow indices as well. As with the first generation model, variants with gem-set dials and bracelets also exist. The Day...