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New: Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite
Omega releases two new models of the Speedmaster Moonphase with Meteorite dials. One with a blue accented dial and the other in a black one.
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SJX Watches
Omega Introduces the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite
Diversity is arguably a strength – and a weakness – of the Speedmaster – and Omega is proving this with the Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite. In contrast to the recent military-inspired Speedy, the latest model goes for exotic materials: the dial is made of lunar meteorite finished in either grey or black, while the moon phase sports twin moons similarly fashioned from meteorite. The moon phase display is a double moon that depicts the age of the moon in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Completing the celestial scene, the stars on the moon phase disc replicate the night sky when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon in 1969, as observed from Omega’s headquarters in Biel. Initial thoughts Maybe the new Speedmaster is an ironic reference to the “Moonwatch” nickname. In fact, it doubles the Moon reference with Moon meteorite fragments and the moon phase. But does the Speedmaster need to be dressed up with a moon phase and meteorite? Intrinsically, the new model has a few things going for it. The in-house movement inside is one of Omega’s top-of-the-line chronograph calibres. And it also has a scaled-down case that improves wearability. Now 43 mm, the watch has a more compact form than its chunky 44.25 mm predecessor. Despite the in-house movement and liberal use of meteorite, the Speedmaster Moonphase still feels pricey with a retail of US$17,100. That said, most recent Speedmaster models are expensive – this costs only US$1,500 more than the Speedmaster C...
Monochrome
Introducing – Raymond Weil Millesime Infinite Burgundy Dresses in Red for the Chinese Year of the Snake
Raymond Weil hit a home run with the introduction of its Millesime collection last year. Using vintage design cues, the Millesime nailed the retro sector dial, offering fans of the genre an attractive option at an attractive price. The latest Millesime jumps on the Chinese New Year bandwagon with a limited edition with a rich […]
Monochrome
First Look – The Oris Divers Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition
Following the latest Divers Date from late 2024, Oris is looking back at its original dive watch from 1965 and a remake in 2015 with a distinctive dial design and retro vibe. The new Divers Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition is a sequel of sorts to the 2015 50th Anniversary Divers Sixty-Five that became a best-selling […]
Fratello
Introducing: The New Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite Watches!
It’s a tradition! A new Omega Speedmaster comes on a (Speedy) Tuesday, and today, we even get two. Meet the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite models, one with a black meteorite dial and another with a gray meteorite dial. Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite Omega had a wonderful 2024 with great new Speedmaster releases, and the new year […] Visit Introducing: The New Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite Watches! to read the full article.
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Overrated or Underrated: Audemars Piguet, Enamel Dials, Birth Year Watches.
Worn & Wound
Review: The Ressence Type 9
Last year, when Ressence announced the Type 8, it was met with great excitement and surprise by their fans, including yours truly. A simpler and less expensive Ressence wasn’t something that seemed on the horizon. The watch was a stripped-down take on the seemingly magical Ressence display, reduced to hours and minutes. A lack of numerals, matched with an expansive, heavily domed dial, gave the Type 8 a different mood from Ressence’s other watches. Rather than leaning toward the technical, they felt meditative, which is perhaps to say, they felt less about the engineering and more about the resulting experience. I shared my thoughts in a review you can read here. A year and a half or so later, Ressence has dropped one of the biggest surprises of 2024: a follow-up to the Type 8, which is logically called the Type 9. This wasn’t at a big event like Geneva Watch Days or Watches and Wonders but rather a random week in December, making it even more unexpected. Adding to the shock, it’s another departure from the Ressence norm, featuring their most compact case, and yet continuing the simpler hours and minutes only dial. However, where the Type 8 felt like a radical change, the Type 9 feels more like a spin-off. It’s not a new story but a subplot or side quest. Perhaps, even an alternate take on the Type 8. Case Typically, with Ressence, the dial is the star of the show, but for the Type 9, it’s the case. The dial is special, too, but it feels like a variation on the...
SJX Watches
Breguet Combines Engraving, Lacquer, and Guilloche for the New Year
To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, Breguet has done something adventurous with its typically formal dress watch. Created to mark the upcoming Year of the Snake, the Classique 7145 “Snake” is still ultra-thin and time-only, but features a solid gold dial bearing a stylised serpent motif realised with a combination of guilloché and engraving, with translucent green lacquer for colour. Initial thoughts The new Classique has been masterfully reworked to give it an entirely different look that departs entirely from the traditional silvered engine-turning that is a Breguet signature. For fans of Breguet’s old-school aesthetic, this is probably too far from tradition, but for someone seeking something different, this might strike a chord. Aesthetics aside, the guilloché and engraving entail a higher level of craftsmanship than ordinary engine-turned dials. In fact, the snake dial is arguably more complex and refined in technique than the dial on last year’s Dragon edition. The dial complexity is reflected in the price of US$74,600, which is substantially more than the basic time-only Classique, but on par with prevailing retail prices for metiers d’art dials. Exquisite dial work The Classique “Snake” is all about the dial, which highlights the art of engraving, guilloche, and miniature painting. The engraving employs a bas-relief technique that gives the snake a sculptural form. The motif is first sketched and then sculpted by a skilled artisan using chisels...
Fratello
It’s Time To Play The Music, It’s Time To Light The Lights, It’s Time To Meet The Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition Tonight
It’s The Muppet Show with our special guest star, the Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition! So please welcome to the stage the very first 34mm version of the ProPilot X, a fabulous collaboration with Miss Piggy. The striking pink dial befits the most fabulous pig in the universe, and so does the glimmering baguette-cut […] Visit It’s Time To Play The Music, It’s Time To Light The Lights, It’s Time To Meet The Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition Tonight to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Oris Introduces the ProPilot X “Miss Piggy”
From the moment Oris announced their ProPilot X “Kermit” watch fans have been speculating about which muppet would be next to get the Oris treatment. Not that we didn’t love seeing Kermit on the dial (once a month, on the first of the month) but for many elder-millennials and Gen-X watch collectors, the thought of having an entire collection of Muppet watches was, and remains, pretty tantalizing. Now, just about two years after Kermit made his Oris debut, we get the follow up: the ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition. If you were hoping for Beaker or Animal or another more niche Muppet to appear on an Oris dial, you’ll have to keep waiting. Of course Miss Piggy would have to be the next character – she’s the natural counterpart to Kermit, after all. Has there ever been a more obvious “his and hers” collection than these two ProPilots together? I can’t think of one. The ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition takes the familiar ProPilot X format and shrinks it (and pinks it, sorry) to 34mm. The case is stainless steel and the watch is powered by a rebadged Sellita automatic caliber. It’s notable that unlike the Kermit watch, we don’t see Miss Piggy on the dial of her ProPilot, not even for a day (there’s no date window for her to make an appearance). Instead, there’s a small window on the caseback through which you can see her periodically on the winding rotor. For a watch devoted to such an iconic character, this is a pretty retrained approach. Instead of Miss P...
SJX Watches
The Longines Conquest Heritage in Red Dégradé
Ordinarily a faithful vintage remake with an old-school aesthetic, the Conquest Heritage gets a makeover for the Chinese Lunar New Year. The Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake stands out with a striking red gradient dial featuring gold-plated hands and indices. And for the occasion, the back bears an engraved snake motif penned by Chinese contemporary artist Wu Jian’an, who drew inspiration from the ancient Chinese fable, “Legend of the White Snake”. Initial thoughts The Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake offers something more modern and striking, instead of the conservative look of the standard model that has a silver or black dial. I particularly like the fact that the snake motif is limited to an engraving on the case back, as having it on the dial would have been overly ornate. It’s priced at US$3,150, almost exactly the same as the regular production model, which makes it a decent value proposition. It has a workmanlike quality appropriate for the price, while the high-spec ETA movement inside is one of its strengths. And like other zodiac-theme watches, this would have resonance for those born in the Year of the Snake a meaningful way to commemorate the occasion, not unlike wearing a birthstone. Vintage inspired The snake edition is identical to the standard model save for the dial and case back engraving. Water resistant to 50 m, the stainless steel case is 40 mm in diameter, 10.7 mm in thickness, and entirely polished. It’s slightly larger than the ori...
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The new IWC Mark XX is a huge upgrade with its new dials and bracelet
Worn & Wound
Toledano & Chan Introduces the B/1.2, a Follow-Up to One of Last Year’s Breakout Independent Hits
If 2024 was defined by the rise of shaped cases and stone dials, it appears that 2025 is starting off with more of the same. Last year, Toledano & Chan had an unexpected hit with their debut watch, the B/1, which was a contemporary riff on the classic Rolex King Midas and similar avant garde designs, with a Brutalist inspired case shape and on-trend lapis lazuil dial. Now, for the brand’s second serialized release (they produced a pair of one-offs for auction last year with cases crafted from carbon and meteorite) they’ve made a handful of subtle refinements to the original idea, added a mother-of-pearl dial, and introduced a dramatic, faceted crystal. It’s a more complex idea but shows in clear terms how the brand might grow with future releases, showing that they have plenty of tricks left up their sleeve and intend to keep their momentum going. The new watch, dubbed the B/1.2, prominently features an asymmetrical sapphire crystal that echoes the lines of the angular case. Faceted and asymmetrical crystals are rare in watchmaking. Production of crystals in unusual shapes, particularly when made from sapphire, is challenging and expensive. Perhaps even more importantly, a crystal with facets will distort, to some degree, whatever is viewed through it, which is not ideal for time telling. It’s perhaps especially not ideal for time telling on a watch with a dial that does not include markers or numerals of any kind, like the B/1.2. But that underscores the whole...
Monochrome
Introducing – The Longines Conquest Heritage Year of the Snake
The Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and on the 29th of January, the Chinese zodiac welcomes the Year of the Snake. To celebrate the event, Longines unveils a 2,025-piece limited edition of its Conquest Heritage with a rich red gradient dial and a special engraving on the caseback of a snake […]
Fratello
Hot Take: The New And Improved CIGA Design Blue Planet II
The 2021 GPHG-winning CIGA Design Blue Planet is a unique take on time telling. Its domed dial with an engraved depiction of the earth tells time in a novel way. A good design firm rarely rests on its laurels, though, and the Blue Planet II brings subtle but positive changes. I remember the original CIGA […] Visit Hot Take: The New And Improved CIGA Design Blue Planet II to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
New Seiko x Shohei Ohtani Limited Edition Prospex GMT Divers For 2025
Just announced by Seiko is a pair of limited-edition Prospex watches done in collaboration with Los Angeles Dodgers phenomenon Shohei Ohtani. The SBEJ023 and SBEJ025 are both takes on the 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT, which was released back in 2023 as the first mechanical GMT in the Prospex collection. These two diver GMT watches will come in the iconic Dodger Blue colorway, with the SBEJ023 having a blue bezel with black dial and the SBEJ025 sporting a blue bezel with contrasting white dial. While not totally on theme here, I recall Ohtani wore a Grand Seiko SBGJ217 back in 2023 when he signed with the Dodgers. For a little context, these aren’t the first Seiko watches done in collaboration with Ohtani. The first was the Prospex Diver SBDC191, which came in out in 2023, while he still played for L.A.'s other baseball team, the Angels of the American League. That watch had the red seconds hand and dial text as well as Ohtani’s signature on the clasp. These new watches have the Ohtani’s number 17 highlighted in red on the GMT rehaut and his signature engraved on the bracelet clasp. The SBEJ023 and SBEJ025 share the same basics as the standard 1968 Heritage Diver’s GMT, recognizable for its vintage-inspired, Marine Master-esque design. Measuring 42mm wide, 12.9mm thick, and with a 48.6mm lug-to-lug measurement, these watches are water-resistant to 200 meters and boast a very well-made ceramic bezel. The real GMT nerds will be a little disappointed with the lack of ...
Quill & Pad
Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar: Feed Your Horological Dragon!
Twelve years ago, Blancpain surprised the watch world by introducing a watch in their Villeret collection that featured a traditional Chinese calendar. For 2024, Blanpain releases a limited edition in red gold with oven-fired green enamel dial.
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Five stories, five dials, and countless ways of wearing them! #shortsvideo
WatchAdvice
Our Thoughts On The Elegant IWC Portugieser Automatic 42
The IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 is a sophisticated timepiece that blends timeless elegance with modern innovation. With its subtle updates for 2024, we explore just how much this new iteration stands apart from its predecessors. What We Love Slimmer case design New elegant dials offer a lot of versatility and wearability. The watch looks fantastic on the wrist! Date window also seamlessly blends in with the dial. What We Don’t The leather strap’s clasp isn’t my first choice for the design, as it’s hard to open. Movement could do with more finishing. With case thickness reducing, the size could’ve been slimmed down too! Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 IWC Schaffhausen’s Portugieser line needs no introduction. It’s one of the most important collections not only from the brand but in the world of watchmaking. The story of the Portugieser is one of triumph, where it overcame obscurity to become one of the most iconic timepieces in the horology. View this post on Instagram A post shared by IWC Schaffhausen (@iwcwatches) The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Automatic 42 “Silver Moon” IWC Schaffhausen has stayed true to the original design of the Portugieser, released in 1942, with the timepiece’s clean and simple design with sharp, refined hands and the Arabic hour indices being signature details. If you were to pick up one of the first 1940s models, you’d be easily able to pick the simil...
Fratello
The Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter Is A Red-Hot Release
It all sounds very impressive, but what does a Titanium Core Nano Shell case mean? According to Chronoswiss, it’s an “unprecedented symbiosis of Grade 5 titanium and high-tech composite, permanently merged at a molecular level.” The red high-tech material makes up this 42.6 × 14.5mm watch case, which Chronoswiss then pairs with an equally fiery dial […] Visit The Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter Is A Red-Hot Release to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
The Zenith PILOT Big Date Flyback Porter Is A Watch That Will Turn Heads
Where aviation heritage meets contemporary design, the Zenith x Porter PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph delivers bold style and functionality! What We Love The khaki green colour for the case and dial Orange accents stand out beautifully The case isn’t big, even for slimmer wrists What We Don’t The black crown and chronograph pushers seem out of place with the rest of the watch’s colour scheme. Different font are used throughout the dial Velcro strap won’t suit everyone, especially with slim wrists. Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Zenith X Porter Pilot Big Date Flyback Porter stands out as a shining example of thoughtful design and craftsmanship in a world where collaborations feel like the norm. This collaboration was a bit unexpected; however, it is a great way to end 2024 with one of the best-looking timepieces released as a dual project. The latest collaboration between Zenith & Porter by Yoshida & Company results in a beautiful khaki green PILOT Big Date Flyback Chronograph This watch, as expected, revolves around the theme of travel. Porter is a Japanese bag brand that has a variety of styles for travel bags. For this collaboration, Porter by Yoshida & Company has supplied the velcro straps for the timepeices. They are also throwing in a specially developed bag that has been made with Zenith’s input, in Porter’s signature khaki-green colour. Zenith, on the other hand, has a long ...
Monochrome
Introducing – The Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter, with a World-First Material
Chronoswiss, founded by Gerd R. Lang in 1983, gained a reputation for its classical regulator-style displays and was one of the first brands to manufacture this distinctive dial arrangement in a wristwatch. In the hands of the Ebstein family since 2012, Chronoswiss has maintained the regulator and other traditional displays but injected new life into […]
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Review: the new Bell & Ross BR-05 Skeleton Arctic Blue
"It's all about the dial, isn't it mesmerizing?" she exclaimed. Well the dial in question belongs to the Bell & Ross BR-05 Skeleton Arctic Blue.
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Introducing the MING 22.01 GMT Kyoto and Gilt Dials - New for 2022 - 22.01 GILT and 22.01 KYOTO
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Introduces the Escale Guilloché and Grand Feu Enamel
As this year is coming to a close, it becomes apparent that a leitmotif of 2024 were artisanal dials ranging from hand-engraved, enamelled or even silk-inlaid. Louis Vuitton now takes its turn with the Escale Platinum Guilloché and Grand Feu Enamel, a simple, three-hand watch endowed with a complex and impressive dial made by hand. Initial thoughts Perhaps reflecting Louis Vuitton’s emphasis on haute horlogerie and independent watchmaking, the new Escale feels more like something from an independent maker, rather than a timepiece made by a luxury giant. This kind of artisan-oriented creation reiterates Louis Vuitton’s focus on horological craft, which is also the motivation behind the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. The deep blue sector-style dial feels organic thanks to the radial guilloché under translucent enamel. Beyond the artisanal nature of the dial, the design is thoughtful, with its proportions giving the face a classical composition. The brushed chapter ring with milled dots for markers evokes the minute tracks found in 19th century Breguet pocket watches. The classical styling is combined with Louis Vuitton’s own design cues like the faux rivets on the case band), which makes for a surprisingly pleasant combination. A dial crafted by four artisans The complexity of the dial stems from different finishing techniques being combined to produce a seemingly simple design with a mesmerising effect. Each dial is crafted by four artisans,...
Quill & Pad
New Release: Andreas Strehler Faune et Flore, Unique Masterpieces of the Art of Engraving
With it's open dial and sweeping skeletonized bridges, Andreas Strehler's Papillon d’or is both a horological and visual masterpiece. Now with his new Faune et Flore collection, Strehler takes the Papillon d’or to an even high artistic level.
Quill & Pad
New Release: Chronomètre Artisans by Simon Brette ‘Rose Gold’ Limited Edition of 50 Pieces (already sold out)
Simon Brette unveils the “Rose Gold” edition of his GPHG-winning Chronomètre Artisans timepiece: it's a sensational harmony of the warm rose/red gold case and intense-black 'dragon scale' dial.
SJX Watches
The Omega Speedmaster for Military Pilots is Now Available to Civilians
Originally conceived for pilots of the US military (and covered here by Fratello), the Omega Speedmaster Pilot is now available to civilians. The origins of the watch explain the military-influenced, instrument-style dial design, which is meant to evoke the utilitarian nature of an instrument panel inside a fighter jet. The regular production version of the watch retains the same specs as the military exclusive, but with different livery. The case has the straight lugs of the Speedmaster “Ed White” but in a larger format thanks to the automatic cal. 9900 inside. Initial thoughts I’m something of an outlier amongst enthusiasts since I prefer automatic to manual-wind, even within the Speedmaster collection. While a manual-wind movement is traditional for the Speedy, I appreciate the day-to-day convenience of an automatic. Additionally, Omega’s latest-generation automatic chronograph movements are all impressively high-spec. While the Speedmaster Pilot may not achieve the same aesthetic purity as its manual-wind counterparts, it remains an excellent everyday option, especially with the military provenance. That said, the military provenance is not exactly military-issue. The watch was designed for military pilots who presumably buy it on a personal basis for off-duty wear; it is not an actual mil-spec instrument watch. This can be seen in the dial design, which has aviation-inspired elements, rather than actual, functional indicators for pilots. Even though this is m...
SJX Watches
Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”
To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar. As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor. Initial thoughts The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive. Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same). Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself. Year of the serpent The snake zodiac edition is...
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