3,417 articles · 7 videos found · page 105 of 115
Deployant
Lange novelties are always interesting…and last week, I attended the launch event of the latest Lange novelty to hit the press, pre-SIHH. To be sure, there will be more interesting, perhaps more complicated timepieces which will be in store in SIHH. But on December 5 in Glashutte, in the yet uncompleted new factory building atRead More
Revolution
Arguably one of Alpina’s breakout hits of 2013, the Alpina 130 has been a thoroughly enjoyable watch to wear. It’s based on a vintage model from the early 20th century and in terms of design, it’s quite a faithful take on the original model. The watch comes in two variations – one is stainless steel, […]
Revolution
Audemars Piguet has its Gerald Genta designed Royal Oak. A steel watch/steel bracelet model with automatic caliber which is highly praised by the watch incrowd. Patek Philippe has its counterpart, the Nautilus, also designed by Gerald Genta and sharing that same concept of a steel case / steel bracelet and automatic movement. Similarly, since 1978, […]
Deployant
Featuring the Harry Winston Opus 12 by Emmanuel Bouchet. The twelveth editon of the Opus series, this watch is stunning. Original photographs within.
Revolution
Gold & Color is the title of Piaget’s new exhibition in their Time Gallery. Two words that summarize a large portion of Piaget’s rich history. When Piaget wrote watchmaking history by introducing the 2mm thin manual wind caliber 9P in 1957, it was not about technical prowess, but much more about opening up a world […]
Deployant
The iconic piece Lange showed this SIHH2013 is the Grande Complication. Modelled after and inspired by the 42500 Grande Complication Pocket watch, this magnificent piece is the lastest salvo fired by the little manufacture in Glashutte. Report from SIHH. A. Lange & Söhne Grande Complication A Grand Complication…typically this is a concoction of 4Read More
Deployant
Lange’s new movement crop this year included the new 1815 Up/Down As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, Lange introduced several new movements this year. The superb and magnificent 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, the new Grande Complication, and today I feature a refreshed 1815 Up/Down. This is a reissue of an old favourite…the original 1815 Up/Down…whichRead More
Revolution
The “baguette” isn’t some fancy way of calling french bread loaves, to the mechanically inclined, it is the namesake of the oblong shape of baguette movements. Though the concept was first introduced in 1929 care of Jaeger-LeCoulture caliber 101, it was Corum who recently brought the movement back into popular consciousness thanks to a patent […]
Deployant
A quick place marker for next week’s post. Possibly the most beautifully made mechanical ladies watch in production…the Lange Arkade. This specimen is in yellow gold case, champagne dial. Personal timepiece of my wife’s. Photographed simply in a restaurant, while we were having lunch, perched on a plate. One of the original watches introduced byRead More
Deployant
Special post today on a special watch. Exclusive pictures, now only available online from my friends at Watchonista. Unlike regular photographs featured in this blog, these series of photographs are done by Watchonista. Note copyright Watchonista. Also to ensure no confusion, they are 1000 pixels across, as compared to my original photographs which are alwaysRead More
Deployant
A. Lange & Sohne has been producing beautiful watches since 1845, with a 40+ year gap, when Glashutte was under GDR rule, where no luxury timepieces were manufactured. As many know, the company was revived in 1990, and started production in 1994. But sometimes, the old pieces are still as beautiful, and here is aRead More
Deployant
Francois Paul Journe. A talented watchmaker. I had the pleasure of meeting with FP way back when he was yet a nobody…and had just made his first tourbillon remontoir d’egalité. The original looked like it was made in his garage, and indeed it was. But recently, I had the pleasure of spending a week withRead More
Deployant
Following up on my walkabout impressions of the quite remarkable Leica S2, here are some photographs I made in L’Atelier by The Hour Glass using my usual set-up. I have featured the Db25T before, it is a remarkable watch. I particularly love the jumping seconds hand, and the beautiful Caliber 2109 with the magnificent bridgeRead More
Deployant
Jaeger LeCoultre has been pushing the envelope of high horology for some time. With the Gyrotourbillon announced in 2004. The original series is produced in a platinum case, and I had the opportunity to photograph and view the final run of 30 pieces in rose gold. The Gyrotourbillon has grown more beautiful in its newRead More
Deployant
Hands-on definitive review of the A. Lange & Sohne Richard Lange Pour le Merite Tourbillon. This review was published on 9am GMT 20th December 2010, when the embargo lifted. A number of global journalists were invited to celebrate the founding of the Lange company on 7th December 2010 in Glashutte with a Press Conference toRead More
Deployant
We continue with the Homage series in honey gold. The 1815 Moonphase is a rehash of the original Emil Lange 1815 Moonphase which has been doing very well in the auction scene. The character of the 1815 dial design is apparent in the new watch. But the design shows a totally new watch…featuring the vapourRead More
SJX Watches
The Maltese cross is a ubiquitous device found inside all sorts of mechanical movements. Originally devised to limit a mainspring’s working range, it also makes an appearance in perpetual calendars and unconventional jumping hours complications. The elegant mechanism is both simple and clever, warranting a closer look. From cross to mechanics The Maltese cross mechanism gets its name from the heraldic symbol adopted by the Order of St. John, and remains associated with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. While the original cross has four arms, the Maltese cross as a horological component commonly features five arms or more. Collectors also recognise the cross as Vacheron Constantin’s logo, adopted in 1880 in tribute to the horological component. Today, Vacheron Constantin also incorporates the cross into its tourbillon cage and even some decorative screw heads. Screw for the column wheel fashioned with a Maltese cross head inside the Vacheron Constantin caliber 3200. The component itself is a masterfully simple example of geometry and mechanics. The system allows a true 1-to-any transmission ratio, since the driving component only has one tooth which makes the cross-shaped wheel advance one single step every revolution. For comparison, a 1:5 transmission ratio can be accomplished by a pinion with ten leaves paired to a wheel with 50 teeth, but the motion transmitted would then be continuous. A Maltese cross still makes one full revolution after the driver turns five...
Hodinkee
What We Know Hermès has released two new versions of its H08 sports watch. It feels like the H08 has lived a lot of lives in the five years since it was originally released at Watches & Wonders 2021, and these latest releases bring yet another new look to a line that has expanded pretty steadily since then. Here, we have two new versions of the H08, each in a braided glass fiber composite case, but where previous watches that have used this material have coated it in a dark blend of aluminum and slate, with these new watches, Hermès has dropped the slate dust. The result is a lighter, brighter finish, complemented by ceramic accents in either bright blue or white. The blue watch also comes equipped with a rhodium-plated, "crystal sandblasted" textured dial, with blue details matching the ceramic bezel, while the white watch has a lacquered white dial. Each has details in Hermès' signature orange. Beyond the new finish and color, these are largely the H08 as we have come to know it, with a cushion-shaped 39mm x 39mm case, rubber strap, and Hermès' hallmark rounded numerals, and are powered by the automatic Hermès Manufacture movement H1837, a movement created exclusively for Hermès by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. Prices for each of these new versions of the H08 sit at $8,600. What We Think This is a pretty straightforward case of a new colorway, but a new colorway done extremely well. The H08 has existed in a funny position for Hermès since its release half a decade...
SJX Watches
The Cartier Cheich is one of the jeweller’s most unusual, and rarest, creations. Originally conceived as a prize for winners of the Dakar Rally during the years when the race was sponsored by Cartier, the Cheich was modelled on the rally’s emblem that is a stylised bust of a Tuareg tribesman wearing a headscarf – cheich is French for “sheikh”. Four originals in yellow gold were made, and amongst the recipients were Thierry Sabine, the founder of the Paris Dakar Cartier Challenge, and Gaston Rahier, a driver who won the rally in 1984 and 1985. Sabine’s death in 1986 put an end to Cartier’s sponsorship of the rally. Rahier’s watch was sold by Sotheby’s in 2022 for a little over €1 million with fees. But some 25 years after the original Cheich watches were made, Cartier made one more, in white gold no less. And that watch just sold for US$3.38 million including fees at Sotheby’s stellar Hong Kong auction, making it the most valuable Cartier watch ever sold publicly – and also the most valuable quartz watch ever sold. The result underlines the continuing demand for distinctive Cartier form watches, a category that includes the iconic Crash. The Cheich in white gold was originally commissioned by Giorgio Seragnoli, an heir to an Italian packaging dynasty who was once owned the world’s largest collection of Cartier timepieces, primarily wristwatches in white metals. A native of Bologna, sMr Seragnoli unfortunately exhausted even his considerable fortune...
Monochrome
Lang & Heyne has practised the Saxon approach to independent watchmaking since 2001, working near Dresden and offering watches that combine classical German design with highly elaborate hand-finishing. The manufacture names its collections after figures from the House of Wettin, the Saxon dynasty with an 800-year history in the region. The Friedrich III, originally introduced more […]
Monochrome
Since its launch in 2022, the Citizen Tsuyosa (a Japanese word for strength) has been a strong success for the brand and is now a leading option in the value proposition segment. Originally released in 40mm steel cases with a 3-link steel bracelet and a rough-looking entry-level movement, Citizen has vastly expanded the collection over the years […]
Monochrome
Founded by brothers Alberto and Alessandro Morelli in 2017, Venezianico is a Venice-based brand, originally known as Meccaniche Veneziane. In recent years, it has increasingly focused on bringing more of its watch production and craftsmanship to Italy. The new Redentore Levius is one good example of the effort, combining a lightweight titanium case with a hand-engraved […]
Monochrome
In 2026, Panerai celebrates 100 years of its boutique in Piazza San Giovanni, Florence. Originally opened in 1926 as “Orologeria Svizzera”, the boutique became an important part of the Panerai family’s history, a place where watches were sold but also assembled and repaired. The preserved location, reopened to the public in 2001 following the renovation, […]
WatchAdvice
We take the new TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph hands-on to see how it brings 50 years of racing heritage into the modern era. What We Love Forged carbon makes the watch lightweight Heritage inspired dial design Flyback calibre delivers exceptional performance What We Don’t 50.85mm lug-to-lug can be challenging for smaller wrists with 15.22mm thickness, it remains noticeably substantial Chronograph pushers miss the forged carbon treatment Overall Rating: 8.6 / 10 Value For Money: 8.5/10 Design: 8.7/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 TAG Heuer has introduced the latest chapter in the Monza story just in time for Formula 1’s return to the legendary Italian circuit. This time, however, the Monza is returning to its roots. Created to celebrate the collection’s 50th anniversary, the new Monza Flyback Chronograph brings back the black, white and red identity that made the original 1976 model such an iconic design. It also combines contemporary elements from the 2023 Monza edition, which, in many ways, makes this new Monza a meeting of the timepiece’s past and future. The story of the TAG Heuer Monza first begins in 1971, when Heuer established a significant partnership with the Formula 1 racing team Scuderia Ferrari. This momentous relationship extended well beyond a conventional sponsorship between a watch brand and a racing team, as Heuer supplied Ferrari with its sophisticated Centigraph electronic timing system. This electronic timing system allowed...
Worn & Wound
In 2020, Squale teamed up with Amsterdam Watch Company for a truly memorable collaboration: two “Fifty Fathoms” divers using NOS cases from the 1950s, originally manufactured by Squale for Blancpain (technically, this was pre-Squale, which was established in 1959, so the cases would have been made under Von Büren SA). It’s a unique type of watch that only pops up once every few years, if that. NOS cases make them part vintage, part modern. That’s always intriguing, but even more so when the cases come from watches that are so coveted, rare, and, frankly, expensive. Priced at around $2k at the time and limited to 60 pieces each, they sold out the same day, leaving many collectors, such as yours truly, wishing they had pulled the trigger a little faster. In 2020, however, AWCo teased that more would be coming, noting that Squale had access to 180 NOS cases in total, not just the 120 used for those first two editions. That left 60 more for a third. Well, that day has come with the launch of the AWCo x Squale Milbino. A logical but no less exciting addition to the series, the Milbino takes inspiration from mil-spec Fifty Fathoms watches. The telltale feature, which is hard to miss, is the moisture indicator on the dial. Created in the 1950s as a safety feature for military divers, it would change color if moisture breached the case seals, quickly letting the diver know that their watch had been compromised. A cool, practical detail that has since become collector catn...
Hodinkee
What We Know Today, at Geneva Watch Days, Gérald Genta has announced the latest version of its Geneva Minute Repeater. This new version of the watch, which was originally released around this time last year, swaps the black Onyx dial of that release for a novel dial in Golden Obsidian. Other details are largely unchanged, continuing the trend of the revived Gérald Genta expanding its lineup with caution and deliberation. As with last year's Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater, the Golden Obsidian uses the 40mm-wide, 9.6mm-thick yellow-gold version of the cushion-shaped Geneva case (as opposed to the 38mm version introduced earlier this year in the time-only models, which you can read about here). The protruding single-lug design, found on a handful of Genta watches from the later stages of his career (including the Credor Locomotive), means this watch wears pretty close to 40mm lug-to-lug. Inside the Geneva Minute Repeater is the in-house GG-002 movement, developed by La Fabrique du Temps. It's a 3 Hz movement with 80 hours of power reserve and an impressively loud minute repeater. It's a nice bit of watchmaking, and — as Mark intimated when he went hands-on with the Onyx-dialed version of this watch last year — it fits nicely into the lineage of Genta-designed minute repeaters. The big talking point with this year's Geneva Minute Repeater is the Golden Obsidian dial. Golden Obsidian — a material I had not encountered before this watch — is a volcanic glass that...
SJX Watches
A decade after it first debuted, Tudor has revived the Northflag. Originally a 1970s-inspired sports watch to showcase Tudor’s first-ever in-house movement, the Northflag has been upgraded inside and out. The rebooted Northflag gains a GMT function plus refinements all round, ranging from superior detailing on the case to lume blocks on the dial. And the movement is now a Master Chronometer, while the price stays true to Tudor’s value-oriented focus at just over US$5,500. Initial thoughts The original North Flag was a bit quirky with its power reserve indicator, and also probably ahead of its time; a Tudor with an in-house movement seemed like an odd concept back then. I liked it then, but the North Flag wasn’t a commercial success, so it is surprising that Tudor has revived the model. But the new Northflag is an immediately appealing watch, reflecting Tudor’s advancements in design, manufacturing, and branding. In fact, the Northflag is one of the most interesting watches in the current Tudor catalogue, alongside the equally recent Monarch. Although practically everything Tudor makes is well priced and an easy recommendation, almost all of Tudor’s best watches are variations of the Oyster case and Black Bay diver. The Northflag, on the other hand, is something else entirely. The angular, 1970s-style case is different, as is the dial. But all the elements are harmonious, and the design works. This is one of my strongest recommendations in the Tudor line-up today,...
Hodinkee
What We Know Tudor's North Flag has always been something of an outlier. It was originally launched in 2015 at Baselworld and was the first Tudor to feature one of the brand's in-house movements. Only ever available in two specs, on a bracelet or on a leather strap, the North Flag (91210N) was discontinued in 2021. Today, the Northflag (now one word) returns, evolving the 2015 offering with a single reference that sports a 24-hour hand for a second time zone. The new Northflag, ref. 9140G1A0U, uses 316L stainless steel for its 40mm case and integrated bracelet. The case is 12.7mm thick and 48.8mm lug-to-lug. Compared with the 40 x 13.3 x 50mm of the original North Flag, this new model should be more compatible with smaller wrists thanks to its more compact dimensions. The water resistance is 100 meters, and it has a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display caseback. Inside, and viewable via that display caseback, is Tudor's MT5652-U automatic movement. It's a 4Hz METAS-certified Master Chronometer with a stated accuracy of -0 to +5 seconds/day. For those keeping track, this is the same second time zone-equipped movement found in the Pelagos FXD GMT. Both the date and the GMT function are set via the crown, and adjusting the second time zone is done by jumping the local hour hand to a new time zone (such as when you land at your destination) in standard "flyer" GMT functionality. Like its predecessor, the second-gen Northflag's dial is black, with minimal text an...
SJX Watches
More than a decade after unveiling its first in-house minute repeater, Piaget has revived the once-record-setting calibre in a familiar-looking guise. The new Polo Minute Repeater pairs the ultra-thin, micro-rotor cal. 1209P with the modern Polo case and a striking, partially open-worked guilloche dial. Initial thoughts The Polo Minute Repeater is a new watch, but it bears a striking resemblance to the Emperador Coussin of 2013. This isn’t that surprising, since the contemporary Polo — refreshed in 2016 — borrows significantly from the Emperador’s case design. But in this case the similarity is more than skin deep, since the Polo Minute Repeater shares the same movement as its predecessor: the cal. 1209P. This ultra-thin calibre was once the world’s thinnest minute repeater — a title it maintained for three years before the launch of the Bulgari BVL 362, based on a 1980s Gerald Genta calibre. The Polo is big but flat, measuring 48 mm wide but just 9.3 mm thick. The size is partly due to the movement construction, which spreads out the major component groups into two slim planes with the escapement, micro-rotor, and twin minute repeater hammers on on one level, and the racks and centripetal governor on top. This 2010s-era sizing is arguably out of step with current fads where small watches are all the rage, but the watch is elegant and evokes 1970s “jumbo” watches with its wide-but-flat profile. In any case, wearability is probably a moot point considering t...
Hodinkee
What We Know This weekend, Formula 1 returns to Ferrari's home track (for the series, at least) of Monza, and with that return, TAG Heuer is releasing a new version of the eponymous Monza Flyback Chronograph. The watch was originally released in 1976 to celebrate Ferrari's return to the top with the constructors' and drivers' Formula 1 championships, with its black-coated case setting the stage not only for the model's future but also for similar releases from Heuer (and later TAG Heuer). A Monza isn't a Monza unless it's black, so this new release fits the remit perfectly: a 42mm by 15.22mm case in forged carbon, with red accents on the dial. Often known as the Niki Lauda (after the driver who won the title in 1976), the original watch featured a lot of red (and was reissued over a decade ago), though the dial layout has changed significantly from the original. This time, that red has been swapped around, with accents on the minute-counting and chronograph hands, the combination pulsometer and tachymeter flange scale, and the flyback mark at 6 o'clock. The date is still included, moved to 9 o'clock (which in turn puts running seconds at 6 o'clock), but with an angled window. The indices are all printed, and the hands and hour markers use white Super-LumiNova. The watch is powered by the COSC-certified Caliber TH20-12 automatic movement, running at 4Hz. TAG Heuer didn't provide specifications here, but past versions of the Monza with this movement had an 80-hour power rese...
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.