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Time+Tide
Featuring bold mismatched colourways plus lightened rotors for extra spin time, these colourful pieces feel very M.A.D.The post Max Büsser collaborates with British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori on the colourful M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Of all the artisanal specialities in watchmaking, case engraving has to be among the most obscure and unheralded. I think there are a few reasons for this. One, the dial is where the action is on most watches, and applying a time consuming artistic craft on the case might be seen by some watchmakers as a waste of valuable time. Another factor is that to a large extent, we’ve all been trained to appreciate a particular type of case finishing. We see crisp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, and that registers as being of a certain level of quality that we expect in a luxury watch. If those elements aren’t there, even if they’re substituted by something that might be visually striking, our reptile brains feel like there’s something missing. The latest in Louis Erard’s ongoing Métiers d’Art series, however, is a good opportunity to appreciate complex case engraving in a new way. The whole idea behind how Louis Erard approaches Métiers d’Art, and to a certain extent the brand’s focus more generally, is to make craft accessible. The new Gravée Main is perhaps their most ambitious attempt in this area to date. Virtually every steel surface (the case, bezel, lugs, crown, and buckle) is hand engraved. According to the brand, each watch takes upwards of 50 hours to engrave by hand, and only 99 will be made. Engraving is one of those things that really comes alive when you look at it closely and imagine that painstaking work that went into creat...
Monochrome
Even though a relatively young brand, Norqain has made a name for itself in the field of sports watches, as well as a strong commitment to Swiss production. Norqain’s CEO Ben Küffer has been able to count on some great friends since he started his brand in 2018, one of them being industry veteran Jean-Claude […]
SJX Watches
‘Micro-brand’ watches are rarely about finishing or movement design. The business model employed by this segment of the industry typically involves off-the-shelf movements combined with made-to-order cases and dials; this is how Christopher Ward (CW) got started. But having merged with its movement supplier a decade ago, the brand has become more ambitious, first with the striking Bel Canto and again with the C12 Loco, which reimagines the Valjoux cal. 7750 as a budget-priced mechanical sculpture inside a sporty steel case. Architectural watchmaking is not new, but it is new at the price point targeted by CW, which recently moved into larger premises in Maidenhead about 30 minutes west of London. Having spent a month with the Loco, it’s worth looking at what they did, and how. Initial thoughts I find architectural watchmaking inherently appealing, and appreciate it when watchmakers and designers work in tandem to elevate mechanical components into miniature works of art. It can come across as gimmicky, but when done well it results in an enthralling and educational wearing experience. Given the steep development costs, this type watchmaking has long been the exclusive domain of high end brands like MB&F; and Ulysse Nardin. But CW has been moving in this direction since the launch of the Bel Canto, and the Loco, despite its relative simplicity, is a worthy follow-up to its striking sibling. Sitting within the Twelve collection, CW’s take on the integrated bracelet sp...
Teddy Baldassarre
Charles M. Schulz published his first Peanuts comics strip in 1950, setting the foundation for a world of iconic characters like Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, and perhaps most famously, Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy, an irrepressible beagle originally based on a drawing of Schulz’s childhood pet, Spike. Peanuts grew from humble beginnings (syndicated in just seven newspapers) to become the most popular and influential comics strip in the world, published in more than 2,600 newspapers from 1950 to 2000 and claiming a worldwide readership of 355 million in 75 countries. It also spawned an entertainment and marketing phenomenon, with numerous animated film and TV specials that have stood the test of time and a flood of branded products that continues into the modern era. Snoopy, including all his various, beloved “fantasy life” iterations - like the World War I Flying Ace and the beatnik-inspired, shades-wearing “Joe Cool” - remains one of the most famous and recognizable characters in the world. His likeness can be found on merchandise from backpacks and sweatshirts, to notebooks and wrapping paper, to mugs and glassware, to the world’s most famous giant parade balloon. It was more or less inevitable that Snoopy, and others from the Peanuts gang, would also find their way onto watches, the first one coming from New York-based Armitron in 1956 (above). The last original Peanuts cartoon strip ran on February 13, 2000, one day after Charles M. Schulz die...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
After years of reviewing Casio Watches, we're listing the best one's we've ever reviewed for you to research and learn about right here.
Monochrome
Since its founding in 1868, IWC has built a reputation for producing instruments where precision engineering meets uncompromising functionality. This approach, a combination of Swiss watchmaking tradition with an emphasis on mechanical problem-solving, has consistently produced watches designed to serve a clear purpose. This philosophy is very much evident in IWC’s dive watches, also known […]
Fratello
Another Friday, another list! This week, it’s time for the second installment of our series on affordable watches. Last week, we discussed our favorite mechanical watches under €500 from big brands. This second article focuses on the best watches for under €500 from small brands. Call them independents or microbrands, you get the idea. The […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Watches Under €500 From Small Brands to read the full article.
SJX Watches
De Bethune once again has a single-button chronograph to its line-up with the compact DB25 Monopusher Chronograph. Styled after the DB8 from the brand’s early years, the DB25 chronograph has a smaller case but a larger, more refined movement. Importantly, it is most accessible chronographs from the brand in recent memory, both in size and price. Initial Thoughts I hold De Bethune in high regard for its technical ambition and an idiosyncratic design language that blends aesthetic codes from the 18th and 23rd centuries. The distinctive aesthetics were largely the brainchild of cofounder Davide Zanetta, who unfortunately departed the brand several years ago. Fortunately, however, both traits are alive and well in the DB25 Monopusher Chronograph. For several years the brand lacked a conventional chronograph, and I see the new DB25 as the brand’s long-term solution to that problem. Likely shaped by feedback on the recent DB Eight, the DB25 Monopusher has everything it needs to be a staple of the brand’s line-up – moderate sizing, good looks, and complementary calibre. Though based on the brand’s prior chronograph movements, the DB3000 inside the DB25 is interesting in several respects. For one, it retains the oscillating pinion found in the long-ago DB1. The oscillating pinion isn’t well regarded by collectors, seen as less advanced than a vertical clutch and without the theatre of a horizontal coupling. It is possible to make a handsome chronograph with an oscillat...
Time+Tide
Often considered the pinnacle of watchmaking, these are some of the very best perpetual calendars you can find today. The post 10 of the best perpetual calendar watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
This week, on Fratello Talks, RJ, Thomas, and Nacho are asking the question: Does storytelling still sell watches? For decades, brands have built emotional bridges to their customers with tales of adventure, endurance, and achievement. Think of the watches strapped to astronauts on lunar missions, divers exploring the ocean’s depths, or pilots navigating across continents. […] Visit Fratello Talks: Does Storytelling Still Sell Watches? to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Retro oddballs or haute horlogerie stunners, there's always a time and place for quartz movements, and these are some of the most expensive.The post 8 of the most expensive quartz watches that prove you don’t need a mainspring to look like a millionaire appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
I’ve written several articles about Armin Strom. From normal reviews to a closer look at the brand’s resonance calibers, it’s fun to take a closer look at this brand. But why is that? In my view, the brand stands out among other haute horlogerie brands for several reasons. The watches seamlessly combine technical chops in […] Visit Not Another Indie: How Armin Strom Stands Out in a Crowded Playing Field to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Panda-dial watches - a category of chronographs that derive their nickname from their two-tone dial colorways, generally defined by black subdials on a white main dial - have gone from a niche favorite to a widely popular genre for collectors and enthusiasts, who prize their high-contrast sharpness and legibility. Even in an era of watchmaking when bolder and brighter colorways seem more dominant than ever, there is something about the black-and-white simplicity of pandas, and their mirror-image cousins, the so-called “reverse pandas” (white subdials on black dial), that still strike a chord. Here are 18 of our favorites. Dan Henry 1964 Chronograph Price: $300, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 12.9mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44.7mm, Lug Width: 19mm, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Seiko VK63 Mechaquartz A longtime watch collector, and founder of the historical-watch website Timeline Watch, Dan Henry established his eponymous watch brand in 2016, inspired by his extensive collection of vintage pieces to produce contemporary watches with recognizably retro design language. Each Dan Henry watch model is limited and numbered, and named after the year from which it draws its main aesthetic influence. The mechaquartz-powered 1964 Gran Turismo Chronograph brings to mind iconic racing watches born in the ‘60s like the Heuer Carrera and Rolex Daytona, and Dan Henry makes it in both 36mm and 38mm case sizes, with either a two- or three-register dial design, with o...
Hodinkee
In the past five years in particular, the market for watches and jewelry feels like a rollercoaster – here's how to make the best of the ride, according to the experts.
SJX Watches
Part I of our story on the evolution of hairspring materials covered temperature compensation along with the development of the first specialised balance spring alloy, Elinvar. The story brought us to the 1920s, when scientist and horologist Charles-Edouard Guillaume (1861-1938) finished his work on nickel-iron alloys and watchmakers begun embracing Elinvar springs paired with mono-metallic balances. In this second part we turn to newer hairspring alloys, like the now-ubiquitous Nivarox. Then we look at today’s landscape and the future, touching on research done by the Swatch Group with alternative, niobium-based alloys and also the specialised but obscure Seiko SPRON 610 hairspring. Lastly we discuss silicon springs, which are growing more prevalent across a range of timepieces. Elinvar’s weaknesses Elinvar was by far the greatest breakthrough in self-compensating alloy hairsprings at the time. Guillaume considered Elinvar good enough and not needing further improvement - unsurprisingly since he was its inventor - but other watchmakers and engineers continued to experiment with iron-nickel compounds because Elinvar’s inherent properties made it a good, but imperfect, material. Even though the alloy behaved predictably with temperature changes, its physical properties were not ideal to begin with. Elinvar was a soft metal, which posed its own suite of problems for spring applications. The importance of softness in terms of hairspring performance is not related ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Watches with mechaquartz movements are a small but quietly growing niche within the industry, particularly in the ambitious, creative, and extremely budget-conscious world of small independent watchmaking. Watchmakers have discovered that these “hybrid” movements, which offer quartz-level accuracy along with a dose of mechanical appeal, can often provide the opportunity to make chronograph watches that entice watch enthusiasts while still maintaining the affordable price points that keep their brands competitive. But what is a mechaquartz movement, exactly, and what watch brands are currently offering the most interesting examples of this technology? Read on. What is a MechaQuartz Movement? In a nutshell, mechaquartz (which various brands and other sources have also spelled mecaquartz, meca-quartz, or mecha-quartz) refers to a chronograph movement that combines a battery-powered quartz crystal oscillator for the main timekeeping (i.e., the hours, minutes, and running seconds) with a mechanical module for the stopwatch functions. The latter element ensures that the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly over the dial, as in a fully automatic watch, rather than in short jumps, as it would operate in a fully quartz one, and that the seconds hand will snap back instantly to zero at the end of a time measurement. A mecaquartz movement is often referred to as a hybrid movement, but it’s not a hybrid in the same technical sense as, say, Seiko’s Spring Drive calibers, ...
SJX Watches
Urban Jürgensen made its comeback earlier this year with an impressive line-up that includes the flagship UJ-1 Tourbillon. Much of the credit for the brand’s watches and watchmaking goes to Kari Voutilainen. Mr Voutilainen has imbued Urban Jürgensen’s watches with the high standards of quality synonymous with his own brand, resulting in watches that are equally exquisitely craft and steeply priced, but arguably worth it. Though best known for his eponymous brand, Mr Voutilainen is also co-chief executive of Urban Jürgensen (and also a minority shareholder). His fellow steward of the Danish marque that is now headquartered in Bienne, Switzerland, is Alex Rosenfield. While Mr Voutilainen is in charge of watchmaking, Mr Rosenfield leads marketing and branding. From left: Kari Voutilainen, Andrew Rosenfield, and Alex Rosenfield. Image – Urban Jürgensen Given the opportunity to speak at length with Mr Voutilainen, I could not refuse. We discussed the true nature of artisanal work, ranging from movement decoration to guilloche, the details of Urban Jürgensen’s movements, and more. You can find his insightful answers below. But interestingly, my conversation with Mr Voutilainen reminded me of the first time I met him, which was at Baselworld 2006 when he launched the Masterpiece Chronograph (with a special hairspring from what turned out to be a questionable supplier). Even two decades ago, well before he was famous, Mr Voutilainen was passionate about the same thing...
Worn & Wound
I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short. How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...
SJX Watches
In the world of independent watchmaking, Phimphrachanh – pronounced “fin-fra-chan” – is a name worth learning. Born in France, Dann Phimphrachanh is a Portuguese citizen with Laotian heritage who produces watches in Switzerland. That multicultural heritage that informs his approach to horology, personified by the Seconde Vive, his first wristwatch. The Phimphrachanh surname, inherited from his Laotian grandfather, a political figure in Laos, speaks to this lineage, but Dann’s professional and personal identity is firmly rooted in Portugal. After training in Lisbon’s watchmaking school and working at traditional Swiss watch brands, Dann set out to build his first watch on his own terms: by hand, with minimal industrial tools, and a commitment to preserving classical methods in a modern context. In a world where “independent watchmaking” can sometimes feel like just another label, Dann reminds us what it really means. The Seconde Vive, the result of years of solitary work, is both a technical achievement and a reflection of a deeper pursuit, a journey shaped by tradition, silence, and the slow mastery of time itself. The Seconde Vive Origins When Dann first left for Switzerland, he carried with him an image shaped by the glossy pages of watchmaking magazines, a world where the watchmaker was portrayed as a solitary figure, pursuing perfection in a quiet, idyllic workshop. “It was that image I went looking for,” he recalls. Reality, of course, was more co...
Worn & Wound
As my thirties pass by and more gray hairs emerge, I can’t help but notice the unironic fondness I’ve been feeling for two-tone watches. Much like my inability to understand the slang my kids use, feeling that the rizz of two-tone slaps (am I doing that right?) seems to be an inevitable part of aging. And while Citizen’s decision to opt for gold accents to mark the 40th anniversary of the Promaster Aqualand probably isn’t a nod to middle aged collectors and is more likely a heartfelt way to honor the original Aqualand C0023, it feels satisfyingly appropriate that this icon is embracing two-tone to celebrate being over the hill. In full transparency of my own horological biases, I went into this review feeling burnt out on dive watches, which in retrospect seems inevitable after owning about a dozen black dialed divers over a five year period. In recent months I’ve also developed a bit of a pro-quartz preference as my first mechanical watches start to show their age and I’m seeking out watchmakers on a limited budget, another seemingly inevitable result of my collecting journey. I share this because, no longer dazzled by ratcheting bezels and mechanical movements in the way I once was, I thought it would be nice to get my hands on a robust and worry free quartz watch to take on my annual road trip from New Hampshire to Michigan. One text to our Managing Editor Zach Kazan during which I forgot to clarify that I would be content if I never saw another black dial d...
SJX Watches
Anoma made its debut last summer and has just released its third model, the A1 Optical. Without departing too far from what made the previous models attractive and affordable, the latest variant features a CNC guilloché dial with a shimmering optical effect. For the design of the dial, Anoma founder Matteo Violet-Vianello was inspired by the works of Bridget Riley and Ferruccio Gard, instrumental figures in the optical art movement. There are two dial options for the Optical; copper and silver. The copper option is the livelier of the two and will inevitably be called a salmon dial. Alternatively, the silver-treated option gives the watch a distinctly black-and-white feel. Interestingly, the first 150 pieces in each dial finish will be delivered with a related artwork commissioned from optical artist Adam Fuhrer. After the first 300 pieces have been delivered, regular production (sans artwork) will commence. Initial thoughts It’s rare to find watchmaking at this price point that is distinctive enough to sell without a name on the dial, but Anoma is betting the A1’s pebble-like triangular case is a recognisable enough calling card to dispense with the branding. It was the right call, because the Optical is all about its dial and the shimmering optical illusion created by programmatic guilloché. In some ways the dial motif is similar in concept to the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tadao Ando, but the triangular pattern and three-dimensional texture will result in a more engag...
SJX Watches
It’s difficult to picture what the independent watchmaking landscape would look like without MB&F;. In some ways, it feels like the brand has always been around, perhaps because for me, it has. I first discovered MB&F; in 2008 when the HM2 was launched, but even back then the brand had an aura of polish that belied its short history. With the benefit of hindsight, Max Büsser’s decision to step away from corporate life, and leave the top job at Harry Winston Rare Timepieces to build his own brand rooted in collaboration, transparency, and imagination, seems obvious. But at the time, it was seen as a risky move that would never work. To understand why it did, we need to go back to the early 2000s. Max Büsser during the launch of the HM1 It’s called what? Let’s rewind. In the early 2000s the watch community was obsessed with the topic of in-house movements. The internet was slowly helping collectors find one another and share insider knowledge, which revealed how many watches were powered by the same handful of movements. If a new brand wanted to be taken seriously, it was increasingly important to be a manufacture and do as much as possible in-house. It was a simpler time, and we had yet to see such widespread misuse of the term. So when Mr Büsser explained that MB&F; stood for ‘Maximilian Büsser & Friends,’ and that he would actively celebrate the friends and collaborators that he was working with, people told him he was crazy. But he understood that the coll...
Fratello
Good morning, and welcome to the Sunday Morning Showdown you knew was coming. Today, we put Casio’s all-new mechanical Edifice EFK-100 up against the fan-favorite Citizen Tsuyosa. We’re still not entirely sure why Casio took this new path, but, like the Citizen Tsuyosa, the watches punch way above their weight. Both brands offer a design […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Citizen Tsuyosa Vs. Casio Edifice EFK-100 to read the full article.
Monochrome
It’s a well-known fact that we have a deeply rooted passion for independent watchmaking, and as such, we always keep an eye out for talented newcomers. Fortunately, with the rise in popularity of indie watchmaking, there is a lot to be discovered from all around the globe! Whether something is super-complex and ridiculously finished, or […]
SJX Watches
Roger Dubuis is celebrating 30 years by looking back on its days as a trend-setting independent. The Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar deftly balances the spirit of Genevan watchmaking from the brand’s early years in the 1990s with the boisterous designs of the 2000s in a manageable size, but less manageable price. While the style is reminiscent of the oversized Excalibur models that were far from ergonomic, the Biretrograde Calendar has been redesigned for wearability. The retrograde calendar mechanism on the front is an in-house construction, built on top of the brand’s own automatic movement that is unexpectedly sophisticated and classical. Initial Thoughts Roger Dubuis is a marque built on calendars, so the new Excalibur has historical resonance. The late Roger Dubuis was a Patek Philippe alumni who caught his big break working with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, who would go on to found Agenhor, on a double retrograde perpetual calendar developed for New York jeweller Harry Winston. It was during the project that Dubuis met his future business partner, Carlos Dias, an entrepreneur who would help establish the Roger Dubuis brand and transform it into a hit maker in the 2000s. The same double retrograde perpetual calendar mechanism would accompany the first Roger Dubuis model the brand’s debut in 1995. And the retrograde calendar also has a historical connection to Geneva, as a local watchmaker named Marius LeCoultre created the most prolific retrograde perpetual design of ...
Monochrome
Some watches just hit differently… It’s a given that we all have our preferences in this fascinating hobby, passion and/or profession. I, for one, am not the biggest fan of Field Watches. Never have, and I doubt I ever will truly warm up to them. I’ve also never been into yellow or rose gold watches, […]
Worn & Wound
Our first introduction to a brand can often set the stage for our initial relationship with it. That can be especially tricky for small brands launching their first model, hoping to latch onto an enthusiast market. So when I lay this all out for you, keep that in mind. London has been close to the top of my list of travel destinations for quite some time, so even when seven hours of flight delays burned my only free night before British Watchmakers Day, I was still teeming with excitement just to be going. That same energy, though, began to slowly leave my body, as Zach Kazan and I made our way to the upstairs section of the pub where we hosted our meetup with Arken. Ken graciously provided us with a bottle of whisky, ensuring my tumbler stayed wet as the growing crowd conversed around us, and the conversation grew loud. It was then that I met Thomas Hill-a warm, soft-spoken individual who, like me, seemed more at home on the periphery of the crowd than in its throes. It was in that setting, in the middle of the conversation that I thought had been going well, that Tom looked right at me and called me a nimrod. Or so I thought. Seeing the puzzlement on my face, he laughed, put me out of my misery, and produced a trio of sample watches adorned with the name “Nimrod” on the dial. Thus, I was properly introduced to his brand, Abinger. Joking aside, Tom was very polite and a bit sheepish about showing off his project, as they were his first prototypes of the model, yet...
Teddy Baldassarre
Before getting into the Hamilton Murph, you know I have to put it into the context of the film it’s so tightly connected to. It is hard to believe more than a decade has passed since Interstellar hit theaters in late Fall, 2014. The movie was the first post-Batman Trilogy film from then-loved but not-yet-immortally-loved Christopher Nolan. Having not been a Nolan devotée up to that point, and also having been a staunch defender of John Williams in the wake of what I then felt was a premature coronation of Hans Zimmer (I’m sorry, but the Batman scores were more tonal exercises than music), I went into Interstellar excited, but I tempered it as best I could. The Hamilton Murph And Interstellar We also cannot forget that, one year prior to the film’s release, Nolan released one of the better teasers of the 21st century, complete with an original score that we would soon learn Zimmer had completed prior to the cameras rolling. I immediately noticed that this was a different Nolan and a different Zimmer. So when I sat down in the cinema, the subtle whisper of Zimmer’s theme, “Dreaming of the Crash,” slowly built over the Paramount Pictures logo and into the film’s opening, I knew I was in for capital-C cinema. For the next two-plus hours, I let the film envelop me. A sentimentalist, I fell hard and easily for the generational family story that was being told and the way the melody of the score manipulated my emotions. Sure, there were bits of Kubrick cribbing, b...
Monochrome
With an integrated manufacture in Morteau, a French town close to the Swiss border, Pequignet is proud to proclaim its status as “one of the only French manufactures of Haute Horlogerie” and can back up the statement with its four in-house calibres. One of the newest collections, the sporty cushion-shaped Concorde, was released just two […]
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