Latest watch news · Page 612

The Roman jeweler proves just why the Serpenti will always be the perfect "Women's" watch.

While most have the highly successful and appealing Aikon collection in mind, the brand’s vision of an accessible luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet, Maurice Lacroix has more items on the menu. Specifically, there’s a watch that we’ve long appreciated here at MONOCHROME, a rather unique take on the diver with a bit of […]

A Ceralume Pilot's Chronograph made its debut on Lewis Hamilton's wrist at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Author Vikki Tobak and the American Natural History Museum chronicle the evolution of jewelry and timepieces in hip-hop over the past five decades.

Editor’s Note: Time Through the Ages is a four part series written by Andrew Canter, member of the British Horological Institute, Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers, and the British Watch & Clock Makers Guild. In this second installment, Andrew examines the life and career of Abraham-Louis Breguet, inventor of the tourbillon and many other important watchmaking advancements. For more from Andrew, check out his work at Mr. WatchMaster.  Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823) was a designer, inventor, and watchmaker. Being a master craftsman in the field of watchmaking earned him a prestigious clientele that included Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, alongside other international nobility, and the elegance and technical innovations of his designs were considered the height of style and fashion. Portrait of Abraham-Louis Breguet. Image courtesy of Manufacture Breguet Breguet was born in Neuchâtel on the 10th January 1747, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his productive life. He is credited with the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches, the first shock-protection for balance pivots and of course the tourbillon. Every watch that left his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected. He was a great entrepreneur and marketed his magnificent watches brilliantly. Perhaps his most ...

A new dial, a new movement, and a new material make up what could be the definition of a Grand Seiko dress watch in the future.The post The Grand Seiko SLGW002 and SLGW003 are classier White Birch evolutions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

No more "price on request" on the Patek website means you finally know how many years (or decades) you'll need to save for a Grandmaster Chime.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Tornado aircraft’s maiden flight, Hanhart, in collaboration with PANAVIA Aircraft, created the 417 ES Tornado Limited Edition. This exclusive timepiece, limited to just 148 pieces, is a tribute to the historic first flight on August 14, 1974. The Tornado aircraft, a symbol of European defense cooperation, took to the skies for the first time with a British-German crew, marking a significant milestone in aviation history. To commemorate this event, Hanhart has crafted a watch that combines both vintage and modern aesthetics into one chronograph. The 417 ES Tornado Limited Edition features a stainless steel case housing the reliable Swiss Made Sellita AMT 5100 M Flyback movement, offering a power reserve of up to 58 hours. The dial is adorned with the cockade colors of Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, paying homage to the partner nations involved in the Tornado project. Its rotating fluted bezel and luminous hands and indices in Old Radium color enhance its vintage charm. The case measures 39mm in diameter and is 13.3mm tall.  This chronograph stands out with its historical design elements, including the bi-compax layout, and the iconic red markings. The finely polished chamfers and anti-reflective convex sapphire glass add to its elegance and functionality. It’s water-resistant up to 10 bar and comes with a black calfskin strap. Priced at 2,590€, the watch is available at Hanhart’s website now. Images from this post: T...

Today is an important moment in the history of a 60-year iconic sports car. The new generation of Porsche 911, dubbed 992.2, has just been revealed and, as anticipated, it comes with hybrid power. Not full hybrid, but more of an electric assistance to boost the performances. What will it give on the road…? That […]

On June 3rd, 1965, Ed White was the first NASA astronaut to perform a spacewalk. White, who died during the horrible accident with Apollo 1 on January 27th, 1967, performed his EVA (extravehicular activity) wearing the famous Speedmaster 105.003. Therefore, we decided to come up with a new Fratello × REM Speedmaster strap available in […] Visit The May 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Spacewalk to read the full article.

The aphorism “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not often used by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the mastermind behind MB&F;’s most complex timepieces enhanced with his innovative technological breakthroughs. Responsible for the 2015 LM Perpetual and the LM Sequential EVO, fans of MB&F;’s wonderful watches will be delighted to learn that Stephen McDonnell is […]

MB&F; enhanced their innovative LM Sequential chronograph with a flyback system and an anbled hour minute dial. Presented in a platinum case.

MB&F; and Stephen McDonnell prove that you can always do better, making the LM Sequential even more complicated.The post The MB&F; LM Sequential Flyback Platinum gets a tad less sporty, but a lot more decadent appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In 2022 MB&F; launched its first ever chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO. A twin-chronograph constructed by Stephen McDonnell, it was a clever reinterpretation of the split-seconds function. Today MB&F; upgrades the concept with the LM Sequential Flyback Platinum that boasts a revised movement incorporating an additional flyback function.  Initial thoughts The LM Sequential Flyback is certainly polarising in terms of style and technique, like most MB&F; creations. The original Sequential EVO was praised for its exceptional and creative movement construction, though the utility of the twin chronograph was debated. The LM Sequential Flyback now adds a flyback function to the package, which may seem excessive. But that misses the point: the question of utility needn’t be answered nor asked. Such a timepiece goes far past the realm of practicality and needs to be judged simply by what it is: an incredible concept painstakingly executed. We already explored in detail how Mr McDonnell implemented the Twinverter system of double chronographs mechanisms while making the complex movement chronometrically-potent, despite the obvious challenges. I recommend reading the original story, as it thoroughly explains the beautiful mechanical subtleties of the watch. In the original Sequential EVO, the layered and complex construction of the movement meant the flyback function couldn’t be reliably implemented. Mr McDonnell ultimately dropped the idea and focused on perfecting the rest of t...

IWC just revealed an experimental Pilot’s chronograph with a luminous ceramic case – on the wrist of Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix. Christened Ceralume, the material was developed XPL, the watchmaker’s experimental engineering department. According to IWC, the Ceralume concept watch was glowing a bright blue for more than 24 hours in dark chamber tests (although it didn’t state how the material was “charged” prior to the test). According to IWC, the patent-pending material is created by blending ceramic powder with Super-Luminova, the luminous material produced by RC Tritec that absorbs light energy and then emits it. Being non-radioactive, Super-Luminova is widely used to illuminate watch dials, and also suited to a case material. Though IWC has not revealed specifics about future plans for the material, it did say Ceralume will “form the foundation of future developments and releases.” Lewis Hamilton at the 2024 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix Initial thoughts Ever since the discovery of radium in 1898, luminous materials have become commonplace in watches, primarily to aid legibility. With legibility being less crucial today, luminous paint is increasingly used for purely aesthetic purposes. Moreover, luminous ceramic is not actually new. Tudor, for instance, used luminous ceramic hour markers in the Black Bay Pro of 2022. IWC is the first to make an entire case from the material, albeit not one that is available commercially (ye...

Luminescent materials have been a part of watchmaking for generations. The use of radioactive materials in the last century was fundamental in the design of tool watches that could allow the owner an opportunity to tell the time in darkened conditions. Thankfully, we no longer have to rely on radioactive materials to achieve this outcome, […] Visit IWC Reveals Ceralume With The First Fully Luminous Ceramic Watch to read the full article.

2024 marks a significant milestone for the Tornado multirole combat aircraft: 50 years ago, on August 14, 1974, the first Tornado prototype took off from Manching, Germany. This event launched what would become Europe’s most extensive military aircraft collaboration program, resulting in nearly 1,000 Tornados delivered to the air forces of Germany, Italy, the United […]

The Schaffhausen brand has whipped up a new ceramic composite dubbed Ceralume, with Lewis Hamilton repping it in Monaco.The post Lewis Hamilton spotted at Monaco Grand Prix wearing a fully luminous ceramic IWC prototype appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It’s time to chime in on the best watches under €2,500. It’s a tough subject for a couple of reasons. First, many of my colleagues have already opined and used up some great picks. Second, this price level now feels like a no man’s land because most brands prefer to play above or below it. […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Mike’s Picks From Seiko, Ming, Oak & Oscar, And Longines to read the full article.

Antoine Simonin (1938-2024), who died on May 20 at the age of 84, left his mark on generations of watchmakers and watchmaking enthusiasts. He will be best remembered as the director of WOSTEP (Watches Of Switzerland Training Educational Program) from 1976 to 2003. Simonin was a person obsessed with the transmission of watchmaking knowledge, and sought to make WOSTEP an instrument for the international dissemination of watchmaking mastery. Founded in 1966, WOSTEP sought to train watchmakers capable of maintaining and repairing Swiss-made watches according to the standards laid out by their makers, the Swiss watch industry. Over time, its courses have been taught in English, French, German, Japanese, Swedish, and Mandarin. “I studied at WOSTEP under Antoine Simonin in 1987 and 1991,” says Peter Speake, the watchmaker best known for founding Speake-Marin, “He was instrumental in keeping WOSTEP going during that difficult industry period, subsequently influencing the careers and friendships of many watchmakers, directly and indirectly, playing a significant role in the lives of many crossing multiple generations.” Recounts another student, Paul Francis Madden, now himself an instructor at WOSTEP, “I was a student in 1987, back when the staff at WOSTEP was only Mr Simonin and his wife Josiane… It came to showing him my first hairspring… He slowly spun my balance wheel in his callipers, scrutinising it for what seemed like an eternity, and all without saying a sing...

Life on Mars is around the corner. That is what some science-fiction movies are telling us, at least. The people who are properly interested in the story know much must be done to make that a reality. But plenty of scientific initiatives are researching life on the Red Planet. If you are a fan of […] Visit Hands-On With The Fortis Novonaut AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission Timer to read the full article.

Bell & Ross is continuing to fill out their updated BR 03 collection with new references to accommodate the subtly smaller case they introduced last year. Brad Homes went hands-on with the new, more refined case right here, and found the differences to be small, but an overall improvement. It’s important not to underestimate either the scope of the change for Bell & Ross or the potential impact small adjustments can have on a watch case, particularly when you’re dealing with a square design like the BR 03. Bell & Ross fans (I’m raising my hand here) have strong feelings about their iconic square case designs, so any small adjustment is going to be met with the kind of intense critique that can only come from an enthusiast community. It seems, though, that the updates have been well received, and the latest addition, the BR 03 White Steel & Gold, brings a very different flavor to traditional tool watch design.  The stated goal of the White Steel & Gold reference is to bring a more sophisticated look to the BR 03 line, one that is, in Bell & Ross terms, “both urban and elegant.” While we still have the vague outline of an aviation inspired tool watch, the details come from an entirely different place. The bezel is rendered in rose gold, and the crisp opaline dial has matching gold tone accents. While the gold is likely the design characteristic that will draw most to the watch initially, the dial appears to have a very fine texture and character to it that could w...

Scandinavian design is often laureled for its simplicity and functionality, but in watches, that doesn’t always seem to stick. Finnish independent watchmaking stars like Stepan Sarpaneva are mostly known for more intricate and expressive watches with striking appearances. Stemming from “the land of a thousand lakes” now comes a new brand, that on surface seems […]

Growing up in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, there were plenty of things I missed out on. I was too late to see the Rangers win the Stanley Cup, was rarely allowed to sit in rear-facing seats in the back of a car, and Nickelodeon’s Legends of the Hidden Temple was in re-runs before I was old enough to compete. According to my parents, I also missed out on one of the great toys of their youth - quicksilver.  Growing up, they would often tell stories of cracking open a thermometer to play with the mysterious liquid metal inside, before making it very clear that the element also known as mercury was strictly off-limits. Now, thanks to a collaboration between Revolution and Isotope, we all have the opportunity to re-capture some of the fun of that elusive metal. The Isotope x Revolution Mercury draws inspiration from not only the aforementioned element but also the iconic Mercury Streamliner train designed by Henry Dreyfuss and the Roman god Mercury, from whom both the train and the element take their names. The result is a unique watch with a level of polish I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered before - though the Sartory Billard and Grail Watch SB07 “Ghost” sure comes close. The Mercury answers the question of what a dress watch from Isotope would look like. The Art Deco-inspired cushion case of the Mercury measures 38mm across, 44.5mm lug-to-lug, 10mm thick, with a 20mm lug width, and is 100 meters water resistant. It’s also fully mirror-polished. And when...

How I finally realized that Memorial Day is about more than parades and barbecues.

Recently, Zodiac and RedBar released a special edition of the Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver. This 200-piece LE introduced a full-lume dial and harked back to Zodiac’s Point series from the 1990s. Those watches were instantly recognizable by the red dot on the dial between the 4 and 5 o’clock markers. As a follow-up to the […] Visit Zodiac Introduces The Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver With A Full-Lume Dial to read the full article.