Results for Integrated Bracelet

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Atelier Wen Perception Oct 10, 2024

The Latest Atelier Wen Perception is a Rare Non-Collab from the Brand

Atelier Wen is launching a new version of their popular Perception integrated bracelet sports watch, now bearing the “Millesime” label. This is a limited edition release, but unlike  many recent releases from their past, they’ve decided to forego any kind of associated collaboration with an outside brand, instead choosing to focus on fulfilling specific desires from their dedicated client base. Many of the updates that you see on this watch are a reflection of the watch community, very much in line with recent limited releases from other enthusiast focused brands that depend on customer feedback.  This new Millesime edition will be part of a community driven yearly release for Atelier Wen, and its name even represents the ideology of kinship or closeness, again prioritizing feedback from watch enthusiasts to design the watch. Some of the main community driven transformations that have been implemented on this watch include a purple dial that went through 3-4 testing rounds to find the perfect hue, as well as a full grade 5 titanium construction for both the case and bracelet.  In addition to this regular titanium version, a special release full Tantalum variant will be awarded to 3 random customers as a lucky draw contest. You may be expecting the regular version, but you could open the box to find you’ve been awarded the upgraded (and much, much heavier) Tantalum version, Willy Wonka syle! Atelier Wen has been teasing a tantalum Perception for some time, showin...

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Fratello

Louis Vuitton Tambour Oct 8, 2024

Daily Drivers: The Louis Vuitton Tambour And Escale Models

Louis Vuitton isn’t exactly a newcomer to the luxury watch market. However, in the past two years, we’ve seen a marked change in the fashion house and how it approaches watches. In 2023, the Tambour reappeared in its most competitive form yet, bearing an integrated bracelet. Earlier this year, a slightly dressier Escale rejoined the […] Visit Daily Drivers: The Louis Vuitton Tambour And Escale Models to read the full article.

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Oct 8, 2024

Introducing a Sporty New Allure Chronograph from Depancel

Clement Meynier, an engineer, was fascinated by the automotive and horological world, which led him to enroll in a watchmaking training center in Geneva. Six years ago, he established his watch brand called Depancel, a name derived from a combination of three French car manufacturers: Delage, Panhard, and Facel. He aims to create watches that embody the same philosophies and creative freedom as those represented by these historic brands. Since its beginning, they have also established strong connections with the motorsport world. This includes participating in events such as the Rétromobile Paris and Epoqu’Auto Lyon and serving as the Official Sponsor of GPX Racing. Most recently, the company has partnered with the Masters Historic Championship at Silverstone in the UK. New for 2024, Depancel is updating its Allure watch with a sleeker and more refined 36mm stainless steel case. The lug-to-lug tip measurement is only 42.8mm, and the overall thickness is just 10.95mm, making it suitable for any gender or wrist size. The cushion case design of this watch is inspired by the 1970s, and it is made almost entirely of brushed steel, with the bezel being the only part that is mirror-polished. The short angular lugs and the shape of the end links give the appearance of an integrated bracelet, even though it is not. This design allows the watch to resemble an integrated bracelet sports watch, which is currently very popular while allowing you to pair it with your preferred straps...

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Fratello

Czapek Unveils Oct 7, 2024

Czapek Unveils A Flamboyant Version Of Its Antarctique For Milan’s GMT Great Masters Of Time

Whenever Czapek announces a new Antarctique, I am all ears. The brand’s take on a modern sports watch with an integrated bracelet and a touch of ’70s flair is one of my favorite models in this genre. The design, the movement, and the craftsmanship that goes into creating these watches make them stand out immediately. […] Visit Czapek Unveils A Flamboyant Version Of Its Antarctique For Milan’s GMT Great Masters Of Time to read the full article.

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H. Moser & Cie.’s First-Ever Retrograde Oct 7, 2024

H. Moser & Cie.’s First-Ever Retrograde Seconds

The newly-launched Pioneer Retrograde Seconds is the first wristwatch with the complication from H. Moser & Cie. The retrograde seconds complication was developed by Geneva movement specialist Agenhor, in which Moser acquired a stake not too long ago. The Retrograde Seconds features the sporty Pioneer case and a midnight blue fumé dial with a large, 30-second retrograde counter at six o’clock. Every 30 seconds, the retrograde hand jumps back to the starting point with the help of the double-snail cam, which is visible below an open-worked bridge for the seconds hand. Initial thoughts The Pioneer line is home to many of Moser’s unusual complications, such as the Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton and Perpetual Calendar. The Pioneer case is sporty with a 120 m water-resistance rating and vent-like flanks, but not a conventional sports watch like the Streamliner, its more popular sibling with an integrated bracelet. The Retrograde Seconds takes the sportiness a step further with the retrograde counter that resembles an instrument display. The grey-coated scale and bridge of the retrograde seconds fits the overall aesthetic, while also adding contrast to the all-blue dial. Visuals aside, the Retrograde Seconds is a relatively simple yet engaging complication that keeps the watch accessible. Priced at CHF19,900, the Pioneer Retrograde Seconds is one of the most affordable watches in the Moser catalogue. It delivers much that Moser is known for – a minimalist, smoked dial a...

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Monochrome

Czapek Antarctique Oct 4, 2024

Introducing - The Czapek Antarctique for GMT Milano Edition

In 2020, five years after reviving the name of a distinguished 19th-century Geneva-based Czech-born Polish watchmaker with the launch of the Quai des Bergues collection, Czapek introduced its take on the popular genre of steel sports watches with an integrated bracelet, the Antarctique, powered by the brand’s first in-house movement. The model quickly gained well-deserved […]

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Worn & Wound

Maen Goes Back Oct 3, 2024

Maen Goes Back to their Roots with the Lunar Classic 36

When we last checked in with Maen, they had just released their latest collaboration with visual artist seconde/seconde, a take on their popular Manhattan integrated bracelet sports watch that was both playful in its aesthetic and sober in its theme. That watch, and other watches in the Manhattan collection, represent one side of the Maen coin, which is that of a brand willing to experiment and play around with expectations, whether that’s in a collaborative partner like seconde/seconde, or making a watch that’s almost impossibly thin at a surprisingly affordable price point. Maen’s latest, though, represents a different side of the brand, one that is quite a bit more traditional and borders on classical, at least in a watchmaking context. The new Lunar Classic 36 brings a classic complication, the moonphase, back into the Maen lineup after a long absence.  Maen’s very first watch, released in 2017, had a moonphase complication. That quartz watch is very different in execution than any watch in the current Maen lineup, which is kind of the point of the Lunar Classic 36. It exists, in part, as a demonstration of how far the brand has come. Anyone who has handled a Maen knows that these watches punch well above their weight class in terms of fit and finish, and recent releases really demonstrate that the progress they’ve made getting the best manufacturing results possible, while honing in on a clearer than ever design language.  Like other recent Maen releases, ...

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SJX Watches

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref 5738/1R Sep 30, 2024

Hands On: Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R with Chain-Link Bracelet

Patek Philippe’s new launches for 2024 included novel complications like the World Time Date ref. 5330G and a “salmon” face for the flagship perpetual calendar ref. 5236P, and also a watch that exemplifies formal simplicity, the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R-001. The new Golden Ellipse is a two-hander in the model’s largest size, but stands out for its bracelet. The only men’s watch in the current catalogue with an integrated bracelet that isn’t a Nautilus, the ref. 5738/1R has a “chain-style” bracelet made by Wellendorff, a German jeweller that has long supplied bracelets to a variety of watch brands. Initial thoughts The Ellipse is one of Patek Philippe’s trademark models but relatively under the radar, especially compared with its famous integrated-bracelet sports watch cousin designed in the same era. But the Ellipse has its appeal, particularly as a no-frills formal watch. Most commonly seen on a strap, the Ellipse feels strikingly different on a bracelet, although it is still easily recognisable. The gold bracelet evokes the mesh bracelets popular in the 1970s and gives the ref. 5738/1R a pronounced retro feel. The bracelet is finely wrought and supple. Up close, the bracelet also reveals a surprisingly intricate design that contrasts with the simplicity of the case. The fact that the bracelet is made by Wellendorff is both a strength and weakness. It has the flexibility of fine jewellery but also the open-ended clasp typical of a jewellery, instead o...

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Monochrome

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Japan ‘Aiiro’ Limited Sep 16, 2024

First Look - The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Japan ‘Aiiro’ Limited Editions

Presented in 1975, the Laureato was Girard-Perregaux’s proposal of a luxury sports watch with a fully integrated bracelet, a round dial with an octagonal bezel, a tonneau-shaped case and a quartz movement. Produced three years after the Royal Oak but well before the Nautilus, the Laureato resurfaced in 2016 with limited editions followed by serial […]

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Worn & Wound

Tissot PRX While Tissot Sep 13, 2024

Just A Minute With The Tissot PRX

While Tissot is a storied Swiss watchmaker, having been founded in 1880, right now they are best known for their line of sexy, 70s-inspired sports watches called PRX. A throwback to an era of bell bottoms, big cars, record players, etc… the PRXs feature an “integrated bracelet” design, meaning the case and bracelet or strap seamlessly flow into each other. A sleek-looking concept, it became the rage in the 70s, exuding a certain luxurious bravado, and had a recent resurgence. The PRX executes the concept with style to spare, all at an affordable price point. While Tissot is a storied Swiss watchmaker, having been founded in 1880, right now they are best known for their line of sexy, 70s-inspired sports watches called PRX. A throwback to an era of bell bottoms, big cars, record players, etc… the PRXs feature an “integrated bracelet” design, meaning the case and bracelet or strap seamlessly flow into each other. A sleek-looking concept, it became the rage in the 70s, exuding a certain luxurious bravado, and had a recent resurgence. The PRX executes the concept with style to spare, all at an affordable price point. The post Just A Minute With The Tissot PRX appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Speake-Marin Aug 29, 2024

First Look - The Speake Marin Ripples Skeleton, with new High-Frequency Movement

While immediately recognizable thanks to its signature Piccadilly case, which is found in its emblematic Openworked and Academic collections, Speake Marin decided in 2022 that it was time to join the all-important sporty-chic category, with its own vision of a watch with an integrated bracelet. This took the shape of an original watch named Ripples, […]

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Monochrome

Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic Polo Aug 28, 2024

First Look - The New Piaget Polo Skeleton Ceramic

Polo is a highly important name for Piaget. It dates back to 1979 when the brand launched its luxurious solid gold watch with an integrated bracelet and signature gadroons all around. Although it was recently recreated, today’s audiences associate the name Piaget Polo with something far more contemporary and sleeker. Presented in 2016, the Polo […]

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Monochrome

Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky Aug 27, 2024

First Look - The New Czapek Antarctique Polar Sky and Flying Diamonds Editions

Just ahead of the 2024 edition of Geneva Watch Days, independent watchmaking company Czapek unveils new editions of its acclaimed Antarctique sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Available in four different limited editions covering the two different sizes of this watch, they all feature captivating and sparkling blue aventurine dials and diamond indexes as an option. […]

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SJX Watches

Citizen s Affordable Series 8 Aug 27, 2024

Citizen’s Affordable Series 8 GMT in Mother-of-Pearl

Having already debuted a thoughtful reissue of a pocket watch for its centenary, Citizen is continuing with the commemorative editions with something more affordable: the Series 8 880 100th Anniversary. Featuring a second time zone function and integrated bracelet, the watch has a tone-tone finish of brushed steel and blue-coated steel, matched with a blue mother-of-pearl dial. Initial thoughts The Series 8 GMT is most notable for being a “true” GMT – with an independently adjustable hour hand – at an affordable price point. It retails for just under US$2,000, and most GMT watches in this price segment have an add-on GMT function of an adjustable 24-hour hand instead. While the standard versions of the Series 8 GMT are in familiar GMT colours, including a blue and red “Pepsi” version, this anniversary edition is unusual with the blue case treatment and sky-blue mother-of-pearl dial. For someone who wants an affordable, functional dual time zone that looks different, this is a competitive proposition. A true-blue GMT The Series 8 GMT has a two-part case construction that allows for the unusual two-tone finish of grey and blue. A central section that’s coated blue slots into the case middle, giving it the twin blue flanks on either side of the bezel. Measuring 41 mm in diameter and 13.5 mm high, the case is entirely steel, with the blue components coated to achieve the blue finish. Like the other Series 8 models, this has alternating brushed and polished fin...

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SJX Watches

Tissot Introduces PRX Grendizer Edition Aug 23, 2024

Tissot Introduces PRX Grendizer Edition

A tribute to the Japanese anime and manga series, about an alien robot, the PRX UFO Robot Grendizer Special Edition is the latest variant of Tissot’s bestselling sports watch. It’s based on the standard PRX 40 mm and incorporates elements of the anime series, including a blue dial with a stamped motif of the titular robot and a seconds hand with a counterweight in the shape of Grenadier’s bladed weapon. Initial thoughts Although the update to the model is only cosmetic, the collaboration makes sense, especially given the affordable nature of the watch. With the obvious elements from the cartoon, the Grendizer theme is obvious and just right for an accessible sports watch. This is undoubtedly a unique take on the original PRX, but the fact that the Grendizer aesthetic is so strongly present might actually deter those who aren’t fans of the cartoon. Priced at US$825, the PRX Grendizer is a good value proposition, just like the standard model. In fact, for someone looking for a PRX that’s different – the standard model is a bit generic – this is much more compelling for essentially the same price. A giant flying robot The Grendizer edition has exactly the same dimensions as the standard model. The steel case is 40 mm in diameter and 10.9 mm in thickness, satin-brushed on top with mirror-polished bevels along the edges of the case flank. Featuring an integrated bracelet, it wears smaller than it measures due to the slim case profile. Unlike the standard model, ho...

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Worn & Wound

Frederique Constant were also well represented Aug 22, 2024

Worn & Wound Teams Up with Bulova for a Night Out in Boston

Earlier this month, Worn & Wound hit the road, traveling just a few hours up the interstate to Boston, MA, where we were joined by our friends at Bulova for a friendly neighborhood watch meetup at Democracy Brewing in the city’s Downtown Crossing neighborhood.  Bulova brought a ton of great watches for everyone to check out, including the newest edition of the Lunar Pilot in a bold red colorway, as well as the latest versions of the Surveyor, Jet Star, and Super Seville. The Super Seville in particular was a big hit, with a classic integrated bracelet look and Bulova’s state-of-the-art Precisionist movement. In addition to Bulova, Accutron, Alpina, and Frederique Constant were also well represented at the event.  Boston has a fantastic watch enthusiast culture, and attendees were pulled from no less than three are collecting groups: Boston’s RedBar Chapter, Booze & Bezels (based in southern New Hampshire), and the Boston Watch Shots group. Everyone came with an interesting watch on their wrist and enthusiasm for the growing community in greater Boston.  At the end of the night, a Bulova A-11 Hack was raffled off to a lucky winner, as well as several items from our new collection of Worn & Wound merch. Thanks to everyone for coming out, and thanks to Bulova for being our partners in this event. Stay tuned to these pages, the Worn & Wound+ Slack channel, and social media for information on future events. Images from this post: The post Worn & Wound Teams Up with Bul...

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Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green Aug 19, 2024

Hands-on - Meet the Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green, Your Perfect Glamping Companion.

The PRX collection continues to capture attention, with Tissot consistently introducing cool new designs that resonate with consumers. This series has become popular for its competitive pricing, appealing aesthetics, and solid performance features. Drawing inspiration from Tissot’s 1978 Seastar – a sports watch with an integrated bracelet – the PRX series (Precise, Robust, with the […]

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Monochrome

Tissot PRX Mint Green Aug 12, 2024

Hands-on - The Refreshing Tissot PRX Mint Green

In 2021, Tissot introduced the PRX collection, a lineup that perfectly captured the essence of its 1970s inspiration with a barrel-shaped case, integrated bracelet, and quartz movement. A few months later, the design was reissued, featuring the Powermatic 80 movement. It quickly became clear that the series was perfectly in tune with the growing trend […]

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Hodinkee

Vacheron Constantin s Green Dial Pink Aug 2, 2024

Hands-On: Vacheron Constantin's Green Dial, Pink Gold Overseas

One of the most versatile integrated bracelet sports watches goes green.

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Worn & Wound

Nivada Grenchen rose from Jul 29, 2024

Nivada Reintroduces the Chronosport, One of the Brand’s Rarest Historical References

Four years ago, like a phoenix, Nivada Grenchen rose from the ashes to reintroduce two of its most famous watches: the Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver and the Antarctic. Shortly after, the Depthmaster and the F77 re-emerged, the latter joining the integrated bracelet sports watch craze that has gripped the industry over the last decade. In 2023, in collaboration with Fratello, they launched their Racing Chronograph, a 38mm tonneau-shaped, manually wound watch deeply inspired by the automotive world, mixing many features and design cues from Nivada models from its back catalog. And now, for 2024, Nivada Grenchen is re-introducing the Chronosport, one of their rarest historical pieces. Only ten original Nivada Grenchen Chronosport watches from the 1970s were ever produced, making this model quite sought after by collectors. That is precisely why they have decided to reintroduce it, allowing more enthusiasts to own one. This new model utilizes the same 38mm stainless steel case as the Racing Chronograph. However, the similarities end there. Instead of an outer tachymeter scale printed on the bezel, it is replaced by a unidirectional diver’s bezel. The tachymeter scale is printed on the outer edge of the dial under the double-domed sapphire crystal. The Chronosport’s dial was designed by Jean Singer, who was responsible for the dials on the Omega Speedmaster racing and the Heuer Skipper. Both watches are famous for their good looks and functionality. Mr. Singer knows a thin...

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Monochrome

Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic Jul 24, 2024

Hands-on - The Trilogy of Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic Models

Five years ago, Bell & Ross altered its flight path to include a luxury sports watch in its fleet of instrument watches. Transitioning from the more tool-watch looks of the brand’s flagship references, the BR 05 softened the edges, rounded the angles and introduced an integrated bracelet for a sleeker, more streamlined look. Earlier this […]

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Worn & Wound

Christopher Ward Launches Jul 15, 2024

Christopher Ward Launches a New 38mm Version of The Twelve with the “Ice Cream Collection”

In recent years, the Windup Watch Fair has played host to a number of notable debuts from some of our favorite watch brands. It’s a great time to launch a watch, after all. With hordes of watch enthusiasts descending on Chicago’s Venue West over the weekend, brands had a captive audience to launch splashy new releases. Christopher Ward, a Windup mainstay for years, keenly understands this, and jumped at the chance this weekend to debut colorful new versions of The Twelve in a new 38mm case size. The enthusiast favorite size rounds out a varied collection of integrated bracelet sports watches that have driven a lot of interest in the brand since they launched a little over a year ago, and Christopher Ward, as always, is having some fun with color in this new batch.  The brand has dubbed these the “Ice Cream Collection” for their bright colors, all of which are inspired by ice cream and thus feel perfectly timed as a summer watch release. The new, cleverly named colors are Biel-Berry, Mint 38, Peach Sellita, and Made in Mangohead. They all feature the now familiar Christopher Ward flag motif repeated across the dial, and come on integrated stainless steel bracelets as well as color matched rubber straps. We had a chance to see these in the metal in Chicago over the weekend, and, pardon the cliche watch writer terminology, the colors really do pop. My personal favorite is easily the Peach dial, but talking to fair attendees over the weekend it was clear that all of t...

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Fratello

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Concept Jun 29, 2024

Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon

The H. Moser Streamliner just had its Haute Horlogerie chops dialed up to eleven. The result is a thoroughly modern and characterful watch that cannot be confused with anything other than a Moser. What we get is the familiar Streamliner case with its organically integrated bracelet and sterile dial. Don’t fret, though, because “sterile” does […] Visit Introducing: The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon to read the full article.

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Jun 26, 2024

A Small Brand Takes a Big Swing: the Retter Mistral

Retter is a microbrand founded by New York native Deep Ghosh, and they’ve just released their second watch, the Mistral. The first Retter watch, the 22, was a sub $1,000 integrated bracelet sports watch. The Mistral represents a bigger swing, and could be a sign of the brand growing into itself a little, something you’d hope any brand on their second collection would be doing.  The Mistral is described by Retter as a “dress-casual” watch, which I think in most scenarios is actually just a “watch.” It’s unfortunate, in my opinion, that we need to put labels like this onto new designs, but that’s just where we are at the moment I guess. The Mistral has a genuinely distinct visual identity that doesn’t really fit into a particular category. It’s ironic that the brand would use a somewhat toothless descriptor like “dress-casual” to describe something that in practice isn’t nearly as generic as the term would imply.  What we have here is a 38mm watch with horn lugs and a thin profile of just 7.4mm (crystal included). Retter is able to accomplish this thanks to a case construction they call “shell-style.” You have a to dig a bit through their press materials to get a handle on what this actually means (it’s not explained in detail on their website), but it’s essentially a clever method of building the case in such a way that it suggests old-fashioned soldered lugs without actually doing the work of soldering them. The lugs are part of an integ...

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Worn & Wound

Bulova Jun 21, 2024

eBay Finds: Two Great Vintage Midos, a Classic Seiko Chronograph, and a Bulova with Beautiful Lugs

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! A special note this week: this is the 100th edition of eBay Finds! Congratulations to Christoph on hitting the century mark, and thanks to all of you for following along with us as we scour eBay for the coolest vintage watches.  Vintage Bulova  This vintage Bulova is more than meets the eye! The smaller 31mm steel case looks unpolished, and the fancy curved lugs and scalloped bezel look fantastic and ooze style. The white dial has a deep radial groove pattern that is really nice, plus the small applied steel arrow markers match the dagger hands. But the real gem is the hi-grade Bulova 10BPAC 23 jewel automatic movement. It is adjusted for heat, cold and isochronism in three positions. This is something you would see in a Chronometre grade movement. And even though these were not submitted for that certification, they were nevertheless highly adjusted, superb movements. Great looking piece with a beautiful movement! View auction here Vintage Rado Silver Stag Here’s a beauty with loads of personality. This vintage Rado Silver Stag not only has a killer name, it has killer style as well. The square case (and integrated bracelet) has a nice brushed finish, with clipped corners and a b...

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SJX Watches

Parmigiani Fleurier has just launched Jun 19, 2024

Parmigiani Debuts the Tonda PF Automatic 36 mm Sunlit Ivory SHH Edition

Parmigiani Fleurier has just launched the Tonda PF Automatic 36mm ‘Sunlit Ivory’ SHH Edition, a limited edition for Singapore retailer Sincere Fine Watches. More compact than the rest of the collection that ranges from 40 mm to 42 mm, its svelte dimensions are an answer to collectors’ calls for smaller watches, which is a positive development from both an ergonomic and aesthetic standpoint. Limited to 50 pieces, the watch will be available exclusively at Sincere Fine Watches and SHH boutiques across Southeast Asia. Initial thoughts Let’s get this out of the way: this is an integrated-bracelet luxury sport watch. But the Tonda PF, and this SHH edition specifically, is a thoughtfully conceived watch that deserves a second look despite the numerous offerings in this segment. Its appeal primarily comes down to the size and execution, which differentiates this from its peers. The sizing, in particular, is just about perfect. While 36 mm may sound small, the visual size is enlarged by the large dial opening, narrow bezel, and the integrated bracelet, giving it presence without bulk. Furthermore, the 8.6 mm case is thin enough to slip under a shirt cuff, but substantial enough to not feel dainty. There are also a number of well-considered details, such as the guilloché dial, platinum bezel, and no-date format, which plant the Tonda PF Sunlit Ivory firmly on the dressy end of the luxury sport watch spectrum. But the Tonda PF is still sporty – featuring a 4 Hz movement, ...

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Worn & Wound

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Gets Some Color Jun 13, 2024

Just in Time for Summer, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Gets Some Color

I have long been skeptical of the integrated bracelet sports watch. It’s a genre of watch that I’ve never really lusted after, and while I can certainly appreciate the craftsmanship of a Royal Oak bracelet or the collectability of a rare Nautilus, these watches have always been mostly about flaunting wealth, and they kind of all bleed together to look like one another at a certain point, which leads me to wonder what that says about the taste of those who prize them so highly. Still, everyone once in a while an integrated bracelet sports watch comes around that is almost accidentally appealing to me, usually because of how it undermines the tropes of the genre. I suppose I also just have a soft spot for the Maurice Lacroix Aikon collection. There’s something about the accessibility and variety of these watches that I’ve always enjoyed.  The latest entry in the Aikon collection from Maurice Lacroix is the summer ready Quartz Colors collection seen here. The name, as is often the case, kind of gives away what we’re dealing with. These Aikons, with references in both 35mm and 40mm, are powered by quartz movements, and they do indeed feature colors. The 35mm variants give you the option of a “Sunset Pink” or “Deep Sky Blue” dial, while the 40mm watch comes in sky blue only. The smaller versions of the Aikon Quartz Colors are also accented with diamonds at the hour markers.  The press materials for the Quartz Colors releases suggest that Maurice Lacriox was ...

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SJX Watches

Seiko Drops Astron GPS Solar Jun 5, 2024

Seiko Drops Astron GPS Solar 2024 Limited Edition

Seiko just unveiled the Astron GPS Solar 2024 Limited Editions SSH157J1 and SSJ027J1. Both feature a transparent, patterned dial inspired by the starry night sky and a multi-faceted angular titanium case with contrasting satin and mirror-polished surfaces. Though styled like conventional watches, they are high-tech and run on Seiko’s proprietary GPS solar movement, which is accurate to +/- 15 seconds per month and has six months of power reserve. Initial thoughts Well liked for its value-minded offerings, Seiko does well with watches like the new Astron GPS. They are practical, high-quality watches that have some of the stylistic glamour of pricier timepieces thanks to the facetted case and integrated bracelet. Seiko Astron GPS Solar 2024 Limited Editions SSJ027J1. Featuring a reasonable prices of US$2,200 and US$2,500 respectively, the new Astron pair offers are amongst the more expensive electronic watches but executed as well as mechanical offerings in the same price segment. The titanium are finished well and the moulded sky-blue dials with applied indices are unusual elaborate for electric watches. Putting the high-tech movement aside, the quality of the dial and case are good for the price range. Bang for your buck The Astron GPS Solar models offer a chronograph function and run on a GPS solar movement with a power reserve of about 6 months. They are each equipped with different movements, with the SSH157J1 offering additional functionalities like the world time a...

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SJX Watches

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 1972 IWC May 31, 2024

Seiko Revives the Credor Locomotive Designed by Gerald Genta

After having designed the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (1972), IWC Ingenieur (1974), and Patek Philippe Nautilus (1976), Gerald Genta also penned the Seiko Credor Locomotive in 1978. Now Seiko has revived the Credor Locomotive, preserving much of the original’s aesthetics but executing it in the brand’s proprietary “high-intensity” titanium and installing the new Credor CR01 automatic movement. The 1978 sketch of the Locomotive Initial thoughts Probably the last of the 1970s integrated bracelet sports watches Genta designed, the Locomotive is typical of his work of the period. In fact, the design is arguably an amalgamation of his better-known creations. Though it brings to mind his other work, the Locomotive is distinctive and definitely polarising. The Locomotive isn’t Genta’s best creation, but for some reason I like it. I’m familiar with the original and it has charm, despite being a little weird. I am sure the new limited edition will have far superior fit and finish, which will boost the intrinsic appeal. At the same time, the retail price of US$12,000 is competitive, especially when set against the Swiss competition like the IWC Ingenieur. Forward motion Named locomotive in the hope that it would propel Seiko forward, the Locomotive was designed by Genta at the request of Reijiro Hattori, a grandson of Seiko’s founder and uncle of current Seiko Group chairman Shinji Hattori. Genta’s original sketch for the Locomotive is dated 1978, and the watch was l...

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Monochrome

Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver While May 28, 2024

First Look - The New Black and Bronze Versions of the Cool Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver

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 […]

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