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Hamilton Introduces the Khaki Field Auto 38mm Call of Duty Special Edition Worn & Wound
Hamilton Introduces Sep 30, 2025

Hamilton Introduces the Khaki Field Auto 38mm Call of Duty Special Edition

For as long as I’ve been writing about watches (and in fact much longer) Hamilton has been associated with the silver screen. They are incredibly proud of their long history of popularizing specific watches through their appearances in movies. It’s a tradition that goes back decades, to when Elvis wore a Hamilton Ventura in Blue Hawaii, and has continued through the years with ties to some of the most widely seen films of the recent past, including Oppenheimer, Dune Part II, and more. Lately, however, Hamilton has shifted their focus just slightly by fully embracing what many see as a category that is equal to film in terms of storytelling and visual impact: gaming. The new Hamilton Khaki Field Auto 38mm Call of Duty Special Edition is the brand’s third watch that is specifically tied to a videogame, and follows an ambitious project made to coincide with the latest release in the Death Stranding series. The new version of the Khaki Field seen here is, at least on the surface, a bit easier to digest than the avant-garde Boulton concept seen in Death Stranding. And that certainly makes a great deal of sense for Call of Duty, which is, as these things go, a far more grounded gaming experience. It is, notably, one of those games that has broken through to the popular culture even beyond serious gamers. It’s a title that just about everyone knows, even if they don’t know they know it, a notion that seems to bolster Hamilton’s decision to lean into the video game wor...

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Farer Updates the Three Hand Collection with New Deeply Textured Dials Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Sep 15, 2025

Farer Updates the Three Hand Collection with New Deeply Textured Dials

The age of the textured dial is upon us, and there’s no escaping it. No longer are we limited to Grand Seiko and similar legacy brands to bring us the third dimension on our wrists, with microbrands pitching in their own-often more innovative-takes on texture. Farer has joined the fray with their new Three Hand Series III collection showcasing three new models, each with a unique approach to the intersection of texture and color.  The Three Hand collection was one of Farer’s first, and remains one of the British brand’s most emblematic. Previous iterations of the collection showcased varied numeral and index styles, and of course a huge variety of color, but with the III collection, Farer has opted for a smaller initial release of three watches. To achieve the texture, the dials are stamped with a custom press and then spray-painted, with multiple colored layers added for gradient effects. A clear lacquer layer comes next, with high gloss polishing to seal in the texture.  Before we dive into the different dials, let’s take a look at the functional aspects of the Three Hand collection. With a minimalistic design and large crown at 3 o’clock, the 316L stainless steel case appears simple, but boasts some nifty construction considerations, namely a new monobloc mid-case. Sizing is on the smaller side, with a 39mm diameter and 45mm lug-to-lug span, which suits the eye-catching dial designs well. A screw-down crown ensures 100 meters of water resistance, and a b...

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Ed Jelley’s Accidental Small Business: How a 3D Printing Experiment Led to the Miniphone Ultra, an EDC Inspired Case for the Apple Watch Ultra Worn & Wound
Sep 5, 2025

Ed Jelley’s Accidental Small Business: How a 3D Printing Experiment Led to the Miniphone Ultra, an EDC Inspired Case for the Apple Watch Ultra

When does an Apple Watch go from being a watch to being something else? I’m sure, for some, the answer is something like, “As soon as you walk into an Apple Store,” but (as I’ve discussed before) the Apple Watch has, especially in its last few iterations, really come into its own. Thanks to additions like GPS and cell service, it’s even become a decent phone replacement for those days when you want to leave your phone at home. Personally, I love the freedom I feel walking out of the house for a hike or bike ride without my phone, secure in the knowledge that if someone really needs to get a hold of me, they can (that I could also theoretically call for help isn’t the worst thing either). But despite that wonderful feeling, I still don’t love wearing an Apple Watch, especially not when it so often comes at the expense of wearing one of the many other watches I’ve picked up over the years to fill that bottomless hole that exists somewhere deep inside every collector. That’s where the Miniphone Ultra comes into play. Designed by our close friend and Worn & Wound Contributing Editor, Ed Jelley, the Miniphone Ultra is a case that transforms the Apple Watch Ultra (or Ultra II) into a kind of phone replacement, freeing up your wrist space, but still giving you the flexibility to leave the phone at home. Admittedly, using one screen to limit your use of another would sound ridiculous to our great-great-grandfathers, but it’s an elegant solution to what is a ver...

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The Omega Speedmaster "First Omega In Space" Full Review Teddy Baldassarre
Omega Jul 15, 2025

The Omega Speedmaster "First Omega In Space" Full Review

Earlier this year we saw Swatch and Omega come together to release the fresh and unexpected MoonSwatch 1965, which paid direct homage to the 60th anniversary of the Speedmaster’s NASA flight qualification in – you guessed it – 1965. Today we are returning to a late 2024 release from Omega that took things back a bit further: three years, to be exact. I am referring to the “First Omega in Space,” a watch which harkens back to - congratulations, you guessed it again! - the first Omega to go into space. The year was 1962, the astronaut was Wally Schirra, and the Speedy reference was the 2998. In 2012, Omega launched the first “First Omega in Space,” henceforth referred to as the FOIS. In fact, I will refer to the 2012 version, with its black dial, as the FOIS 1.  Omega launched the FOIS II in October of 2024 amid an absolute firestorm of buzzy releases. The release revived the model line which had lay dormant for about four years and brought it back with gusto. Today, we go hands-on with the current generation of the FOIS. First Omega In Space Case and Bracelet I had the chance to spend some time with this watch, one which I considered to be Omega’s best release of 2024 (yes, over the white-dial Speedy). The thing that really cemented that idea for me was the flat-link bracelet, an option not available on the FOIS 1. Putting this watch on, with its 39.7mm case diameter (consistent with the Ref. 2998), its straight lugs (standard Speedy lugs are twisted), ...

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Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue Worn & Wound
Omega Aqua Terra alternative Jun 13, 2025

Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue

It has been a while since I last had a Monta watch on my wrist, so it was nice to approach this one with a fresh set of eyes. As one of the longer-standing smaller brands, Monta seems to be a bit of a known quantity at this point. They have very specific targets in both what they offer and their demographic, and seem to nail it almost every time in a very calculated way. Looking for an Omega Aqua Terra alternative for a fraction of the price? Check out the Monta Noble. You have a Rolex GMT Master II on your wishlist but can’t reasonably afford it, and need an alternative option? Well, there’s the Monta Skyquest for you. Thirsty for a Rolex Submariner but only looking to spend about one-third the retail price? Then, chances are good that you have already looked at previous iterations of the Monta Oceanking. I was in that camp almost a decade ago. Staring at older versions of the Aqua Terra online while signing up to be notified of the next restock of Monta Triumph models. No, I wouldn’t consider them one-to-one comparisons, as Monta does inject a bit of their own design language into each piece. However, while so many brands introduce new models year after year, chasing trends and sales, Monta instead takes the approach of refinement. Rather than pumping them out, they take in community feedback, look at their manufacturing capabilities and target price point, and make subtle but meaningful tweaks. That is how we’ve wound up with the Monta Oceanking in its third ver...

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Omega Seamaster Green Diver 300m Review Teddy Baldassarre
Omega May 29, 2025

Omega Seamaster Green Diver 300m Review

How does a vintage-watch lover end up loving the green-dialed Omega Seamaster Diver 300M? Before I answer that, let's get a little philosophical. The deeper you get into this watch hobby, the more you start to understand what a “you watch" is. You build a collection, no matter how big or small, that either jibes with your style, your wrist size, or your general vibe. For example, I tend to gravitate towards old things or things tied to some sort of meaningful historical context. I also tend to like things that everyone else doesn’t. This tracks almost identically with my music taste (a lot of Beatles, Beach Boys, and Velvet Underground mixed with an intense love for ‘90s and 2000s indie rock). This is why the two-tone Rolex Datejust holds a special place in my heart, along with vintage Submariners, classic gold dress watches, and basically anything in the 36mm size arena. Finding a niche like this, however, does not mean that you don’t daydream of cosplaying as someone else — someone who could effortlessly pull off a 46mm diver, or an IWC Big Pilot, or even an Urwerk. It’s like those moments when a Gracie Abrams song appears in your music shuffle and you hesitate to change the song but you’re also afraid to maybe admit, “This is actually good?” Now, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M has been around since 1993 (or, if you want a full history of the Seamaster, you can read it here), and the contemporary iteration was initially released in 2018. This update mad...

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Popular Watch Brands And Their Most Underrated Watches Teddy Baldassarre
May 23, 2025

Popular Watch Brands And Their Most Underrated Watches

In the world of watches, as with pretty much every niche of consumer goods, brands begin to become associated with the things that receive the most praise and attention. While the hyped watches in question undoubtedly earn the adoration of the masses for many reasons, whether it be their unique historical context, utility, or just plain and simple great looks, there are many other watches that get relegated to the sidelines that deserve another look. Since I personally love to root for an underdog, I wanted to take some time to shine a spotlight on some watches from the big popular watch brands that we know and love that often get lost in the shadows cast by the more popular catalog compatriots. From Rolex and Omega to Tudor and beyond, below you’ll find watches that deserve a little more love than they typically get.  Rolex 1908 I’m beginning with the watch that has quite literally been relegated to the bottom of Rolex’s own website with the Rolex 1908. Given that this is the most dressy model within The Crown’s contemporary collection, I would argue that it's also the watch that flies under the radar the most. The 1908 isn’t something that you spot across the room at a crowded restaurant or at a bar and immediately clock as a Rolex watch, which is ultimately why I find it endearing. It’s something that needs to be appreciated up close and personal. The world's most popular watch brand has made recent attempts to breathe some new life into the Rolex 1908 with...

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Reintegration: Unexpected Integrated Bracelet Releases from Meistersinger and Chronoswiss Worn & Wound
Breguet Classique Souscription single-handed watches May 5, 2025

Reintegration: Unexpected Integrated Bracelet Releases from Meistersinger and Chronoswiss

If you had told me a few years ago that we’d still be seeing integrated bracelet watch designs in 2025, I probably would not have believed you. But what felt like many a passing fad that would take a year or two to cycle through has not only stuck around, but has become a bit of a necessity for brands seeking to expand their customer base. As such, at Watches & Wonders 2025 integrated bracelets were still prevalent, even getting a spotlight thanks to the Rolex Land Dweller. Well, I’m not here to cover that well-trodden territory again. Rather, I wanted to look at two integrated launches that have gone a little under the radar, both of which lean towards the quirky side of things: the Meistersinger Kaenos and the Chronoswiss Pulse One. The Meistersinger Kaenos Meistersinger is a curious brand. They are at once an oddball, focusing almost exclusively on single-handed watches, which is a very strange thing to do, and yet somewhat conservative, with designs that lean towards the traditional. Admittedly, as is evidenced by the recently released Breguet Classique Souscription, single-handed watches are rooted in 18th century design, but I digress. Well, the Kaenos mixes things up for the brand, introducing a far sportier and more aggressive style into their line. Measuring 40mm in diameter and 11.2mm in height, at a glance, the design of the Kaenos’ case and bracelet is pretty typical of integrated bracelet designs. A sort of barrel-shaped case with a circular dial opening...

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Seiko Baby Alpinist Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko May 2, 2025

Seiko Baby Alpinist Review

Before I get into my owner's review of the Seiko Baby Alpinist, I want to talk about field watches as a category. What makes a field watch? Is an explorers' watch the same as a field watch? Is a mountaineering watch? I wouldn’t necessarily call this, or rather these, age-old questions. Instead they illustrate an intellectual conundrum I’ve personally faced, being a fan of a certain format of watches. Many who know me will also be sure to know I have a certain proclivity toward Rolex watches. I once wrote some of a definite treatise on the Rolex Explorer Ref. 14270 - the now neo-vintage version of the watch that was born right at the start of the 1990s and which has since served as the template for all Explorers to come. Its 36mm size, legible dial, and overall no-nonsense field-watch format have made it one of the best watch designs of all time. But it’s also not really a field watch, is it? It was born as a marketing exercise in the wake of Sir Edmund Hilary’s summiting of Everest alongside Tenzig Norgay. It’s an explorers watch, one with alpine roots. The Seiko Baby Alpinist SPB155 Speaking of alpine, we cannot mention the word without invoking one of the most well-known attainable icons of the 1990s and 2000s: The Seiko Alpinist. But let’s go back even further, to the late 1950s and early ‘60s, when Seiko launched the small, 35mm Laurel Alpinist – a design that was revived by the brand in 2021. Fast-forward to 1995, when Seiko released a familiar forma...

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Nivada-Grenchen Updates the F77 with a Redesigned Case Worn & Wound
Nivada Grenchen Apr 28, 2025

Nivada-Grenchen Updates the F77 with a Redesigned Case

We have officially reached that point in the integrated bracelet sports watch trend where the late entrants are getting their second generation, “improved” models to market. Case in point, Nivada-Grenchen and their F77. The F77 launched in March of 2023, a time period that most would agree saw the hype around this genre of watch begin to cool in a significant way. That doesn’t take anything away from the F77 as a watch, of course. I’m rather fond of the size and geometry of this one, and it’s a genuine part of Nivada’s heritage. But in terms of its timing, it did debut at “peak” integrated bracelet sports watch mania. And so here we are, two years later, and Nivada has launched a Mark II version of the F77. We’re now at a point, I think, where integrated bracelet sports watches are just part of the landscape, and a required offering for any brand wishing to cast even a somewhat wide net. It makes sense, then, that Nivada would work to improve theirs.  From the looks of it, they’ve made some fairly substantial changes to the case that could have a real impact on how the F77 wears, and it certainly has an impact on the overall aesthetic of the watch. The case measures 12.2mm thick, which is not appreciably different from the previous version, but the lugs have been completely redesigned. The first F77 had lugs that were quite flat and, for an integrated bracelet sports watch, fairly long. The new F77 Mark II has lugs that are much more dramatically curve...

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The Timex Triprix: Showing Appreciation for the Forgotten “Poor Man’s Giugiaro” Worn & Wound
Seiko Giugiaro Apr 28, 2025

The Timex Triprix: Showing Appreciation for the Forgotten “Poor Man’s Giugiaro”

If you’ve read any of my work, you’ll know I’ve always had a fascination for 1980s and 90s watch design. It’s a period often overlooked within the collecting community, and through my writing and research, I hope to bring some much-needed attention to it. A few months ago, I wrote an article about the Timex Skiathlom that seemed to interest many of our readers. Another fun piece Timex produced during this same era was the Triprix. Though not as flashy as the Skiathlom, several notable aspects of its design set it apart from your typical digital watch. It’s fun, it’s mighty functional, and it’s as close to owning a Seiko Giugiaro for under $100 as you can get––what’s there not to love? The Triprix’s History and Design According to information gathered through various forums, advertisements, and websites, the Triprix was released in the late 1980s and continued production throughout the early 1990s. The model came out during a period where Timex set their eyes on producing timepieces aimed at sporting and leisure activities like skiing, surfing, fishing, sailing, and running. The central idea was for these timepieces to feature an array of functions that would assist the owner in their leisurely endeavors. According to a 1990 catalog, all variants of the Triprix sold for $40, the equivalent of roughly $100 by today’s standards.  Moving to its design overall, the most noticeable aspect is its slanted digital display. Reminiscent of Seiko’s A828 Digi...

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Garrick Takes a Huge Step Forward with the S3 Deadbeat Seconds Worn & Wound
Garrick Apr 25, 2025

Garrick Takes a Huge Step Forward with the S3 Deadbeat Seconds

One of my favorite stories in independent watchmaking over the last few years has been the evolution of Garrick, the Norwich based brand specializing in meticulously finished, custom made watches. In a relatively short time, the brand has transformed itself into something of an experimental haute horlogerie specialist. The first Garrick watch I can recall writing about was the S4, upon its announcement, which represented the entry point into the brand at around £4995 (in 2021). That watch was, and is, impressive, with a great deal of hand-work and a dizzying level of customization possible. But it would have been tough to predict that just four years later Garrick would be playing at another level entirely, flirting with GPHG honors, and offering bespoke watches that, if made by other, larger brands or more established watchmakers, would likely have price tags sailing into the six figures.  The new S3 Deadbeat Seconds release feels like a statement of purpose from Garrick. It is, as the brand puts it, “the pinnacle of Garrick ownership.” The watch itself is effectively a combination of two ideas the brand has been playing with over the last few years, the S3 Mk II (the GPHG finalist from last year featuring a completely openworked dial, focusing on the brand’s finishing capabilities), and the deadbeat seconds complication, as seen in the S2 Deadbeat. The new watch, then, features a deadbeat complication but is given an aesthetic treatment similar to the S3 Mk II, w...

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First Look – New Colours for the Military-Inspired Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic Monochrome
Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic Hamilton’s Apr 10, 2025

First Look – New Colours for the Military-Inspired Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic

Hamilton’s military credentials date back to World War I when the American brand supplied precision railroad watches to soldiers under the command of General Pershing. With a well-earned reputation for reliability and robustness, during World War II, Hamilton stopped civilian production to concentrate exclusively on providing the US Army with field watches. Now one of […]

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Editorial: Observations and Takeaways at Watches & Wonders 2025 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Solaria Ultra Grand Complication Apr 9, 2025

Editorial: Observations and Takeaways at Watches & Wonders 2025

By some measures, Watches & Wonders 2025 was the biggest ever. Visitors rose 12% on the previous year to 55,000, and more inconveniently, the hotel room-nights were up 17% to 43,000, perhaps explaining why accommodation gets more expensive every year (but fortunately still far from the extortion of Basel). But I am certain by other measures Watches & Wonders (W&W;) was a down year. Orders by retailers for new watches are surely lower than a year before. There was an undercurrent of concern throughout the fair, even before American tariffs were announced halfway through. But as is often the case, most executives acknowledge a slowdown but predict their brand will outperform because it is better. The best of the Land-Dweller variants, the 40 mm in platinum Big and small brands One of the most interesting developments this year is the degree of novelty at big brands compared to independent watchmakers. In recent history indies tended to have the more notable creations – the F.P. Journe FFC from two years ago is one of the all-time greats – but this year the opposite happened. The two best launches during W&W; season came from big brands (or at least an establishment brand owned by a big group): the Rolex Land-Dweller and the Vacheron Constantin Solaria Ultra Grand Complication. The Land-Dweller incorporates an extraordinary number of innovations in its cal. 7135, while the Solaria is the most complicated wristwatch ever made, but importantly, it gained the title with a clev...

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Tudor Launches the Black Bay Pro with an Opaline Dial Worn & Wound
Tudor Launches Apr 3, 2025

Tudor Launches the Black Bay Pro with an Opaline Dial

Well, Tudor did the thing. And by “did the thing,” I mean that Tudor finally made the watch we all knew was coming, but maybe had started to doubt would ever arrive. But now the long wait is over, and the Black Bay Pro with Opaline white dial is here - and the new watch is everything people have been asking for and more, literally (but we’ll get to that in a minute). For as popular as the Black Bay Pro has been for Tudor, it didn’t take long after its launch in 2022 to notice a curious refrain of voices asking - nay, demanding - that Tudor bring a white dial in the style of the ‘Polar’ Explorer II to what is probably the outdoorsiest entry in the Black Bay family. Renders abounded, and a Polar BB Pro has been a fixture of prediction pieces for the last three years. Now, after a long wait, the watch so many asked for is here, and Tudor nailed it, not that there won’t be complaints. But first the good stuff. The dial here is awesome. The Opaline white dial (not Polar) looks - unsurprisingly - great against the all-steel look of the BB Pro, and the yellow GMT hand continues to please, albeit despite sacrificing some of the contrast that defined the original release. Thankfully, any contrast lost is more than made up for elsewhere, most especially thanks to the black surrounds on the hands and markers. The markers here are the same three-dimensional ceramic lume plots as on the black model, but here they forfeit the off-white look of the original BB Pro...

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Introducing the Zenith G.F.J., a Chronometry Focused Tribute to the Brand’s Founder Worn & Wound
Zenith G.F.J Apr 1, 2025

Introducing the Zenith G.F.J., a Chronometry Focused Tribute to the Brand’s Founder

Last year, I had the privilege of sitting down with Benoit de Clerck to talk about all things Zenith. At the time, Benoit was just a few short months into his tenure as CEO of Zenith, and Watches & Wonders was only barely in the rearview, but de Clerck made it very clear that he was already looking ahead, not just generally, but towards something very specific, and very exciting. “I’m working hard on something new next year, which - obviously - I like, because it’s very unique, and we’re producing very small quantities and all that. And, I can’t tell you much more, but next year we’re celebrating our 160th year and we will come up with something that the collectors will be very, very, very happy with.” Well, now, nearly a year later, we know what that “something new” is, and de Clerck was absolutely right - because it is something to be very, very happy with. I’m talking, of course, about the new Zenith G.F.J. G.F.J., in this case, stands for Georges Favre-Jacot, the name of the man who founded Zenith some 160 years ago, but it might as well stand for ‘Great F***ing Job’ because Zenith has knocked it out of the park with this one. At the heart of the G.F.J. is a revived version of the calibre 135, a historically significant and long-dormant movement, designed by Ephrem Jobin in the years after World War II and produced from 1949 to 1962. The Calibre 135 was widely used by Zenith at that time, but especially prized is the 135-O variant created...

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The Hublot Big Bang is Twenty Years Old – Here are the Anniversary Limited Editions Worn & Wound
Cartier Apr 1, 2025

The Hublot Big Bang is Twenty Years Old – Here are the Anniversary Limited Editions

I’m not sure I can name a more divisive watch on the planet than the Hublot Big Bang. Truly, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em, and there’s just no getting around it. Personally, I love ‘em. They’re big, dumb (in the best way), wildly fun, and totally unapologetic in a way few other watches are or even aspire to be. They’re also twenty years old, and Hublot knows that’s worth celebrating. Over the last two decades, the Hublot Big Bang has found itself all over the place, from the wrists of White Lotus Resort guests in Thailand (could there be a more perfect choice for Saxon Ratliff?) to the oversized clocks held up on the sidelines of the World Cup and everywhere in between. Genuinely, if I had to guess, I’ve probably seen more Hublot Big Bangs in the wild over the last two decades than just about any luxury watch besides Rolex, Omega, or Cartier. Of course, the Big Bang has actually seen a fair amount of evolution in the twenty years since its introduction, with the Big Bang Unico sitting at the fore these days. Still, an anniversary like this one is an opportunity to look back, and Hublot is doing just that, blending the look of the Big Bang Unico and Big Bang Original into a series of five special anniversary edition watches. This apt fusion (after all, fusion is what Hublot is all about) takes inspiration from the whole history of the Big Bang and synthesizes it all into this: the Hublot Big Bang 20th Anniversary. What the five models have in common are...

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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Review: Is It The Ultimate Luxury Travel Watch? WatchAdvice
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Review Mar 24, 2025

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Review: Is It The Ultimate Luxury Travel Watch?

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time is a piece I’ve wanted to review for a while now, and finally, my wish has come true. So, how did it live up to expectations? What We Love The versatility of the piece being a sports watch that dresses up or down Ease of use of the Dual Time function and quick set date The brushed silver dial really stands out with an easy to read layout. What We Don’t The watch can wear on the larger side, especially on the bracelet The bezel is prone to surface marks, like most polished metal bezels The strap thickness at the base tends to flare out a little depending on your wrist shape and size Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 There’s something special about a watch that can seamlessly blend luxury with everyday practicality – and that’s exactly what Vacheron Constantin has achieved with the Overseas Dual Time. As part of the brand’s legendary Overseas collection, this piece is designed for those who appreciate fine watchmaking but also need something versatile enough to handle life on the move. With its sporty-yet-sophisticated aesthetic, an in-house movement built for precision, and a clever dual-time function that makes tracking multiple time zones effortless, the Overseas Dual Time is a serious contender for the ultimate travel watch, which for a guy who has a Rolex GMT “Batgirl” as his normal go-to travel piece, this is saying something. But, first, ...

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The Highly Anticipated M.A.D.2 is Here Worn & Wound
MB&F; ’s total revenue Mar 18, 2025

The Highly Anticipated M.A.D.2 is Here

The M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.2 is finally here. This is, perhaps, the most inevitable release of the year. It’s like starting your series of space operas with “Episode IV,” you know that at some point V is coming (and, indeed, I-III, but we’ll save that conversation for another day). Following up one of the most discussed watches of the last few years is certainly no easy task, and the M.A.D.2 comes to market at a very different time than its predecessor, at least in terms of what’s desirable at the moment.  At this point, we all know the story: Max Büsser, in an effort to make something for his friends and collaborators who could likely never afford the high priced watches they helped him create, created a small batch of watches with an inverted rotor and an unusual time telling apparatus read from the side of the case. The M.A.D1 became a viral hit in the watch community, spawned a bunch of variants, and an improved “S” model just last year. Along the way, the M.A.D.Editions project became a brand unto itself, generating around 20% of MB&F;’s total revenue in 2024. And in the three short years since the first M.A.D.Editions watches appeared, the appetite for avant-garde and experimental designs at approachable price points has increased dramatically. In other words, M.A.D.Editions is no longer the only game in town (but they’re still the only affordable way to get a little bit of that Max DNA in a watch without spending tens of thousands of dollars, or mor...

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Hands-On With The Impressive Fortis Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy Fratello
Fortis Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy Mar 13, 2025

Hands-On With The Impressive Fortis Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy

I have become somewhat of “the Fortis Novonaut guy” at Fratello. Not on purpose, I might add. But I must say I am quite a fan of Fortis’s latest version of its chronograph for space explorers. The Novonaut series debuted in October 2023 as the follow-up to the famous B-42 Cosmonauts Chronograph. After three initial […] Visit Hands-On With The Impressive Fortis Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy to read the full article.

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Arcanaut Introduces the D’Arc Roast, with a Dial Made from Coffee Worn & Wound
Feb 21, 2025

Arcanaut Introduces the D’Arc Roast, with a Dial Made from Coffee

Coffee and watches. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, movie theaters and popcorn, fireworks and the Fourth of July. OK, it might be the most obvious pair, but there are deep connections if you look for them. There’s a culture of hardcore enthusiasm associated with each, for one. And there’s even an entire brand (an incredibly popular and beloved one in our community) inspired by coffee culture. And, for some reason I’ve never really been able to put my finger on, watch photographers have become incredibly fond of staging watches near coffee mugs, coffee beans, and anything remotely coffee related. The reasons for this, frankly, are puzzling. But there’s one exception: if the dial of your watch is actually made of coffee, I think you’ve earned the right to feature some beans in your shot.  The latest watch from Arcanaut, then, gets a pass if you’re one of the lucky 33 collectors able to acquire one. Built on the ARC II platform with that highly contoured, futuristic 40.5mm stainless steel case, the new D’Arc Roast limited edition features a brown dial that is made, in part, from coffee grounds. It’s right in line with Arcanaut’s mission to experiment with unusual materials, and also reflects the deep love of coffee in the brand’s home country of Denmark, which is the home of four of the seven winners of the Barista World Championship (store that one in the back of your brain for trivia night).  So how is the dial made? According to the bra...

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The Seiko Dress Watch Of The Yar Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Dec 12, 2024

The Seiko Dress Watch Of The Yar

As someone who typically leans towards the toolish side of Seiko’s offerings, there was something about the watch I bring you today which stopped me in my tracks for an inexplicable reason. Perhaps it is explicable (perhaps in real time while writing this) and I may figure out a way to explic...I mean, explain it. Yes, I am coming to you to introduce a new Seiko Presage Classic model. It is called the SPB478J1, and I think it just might be the attainable dress watch of the year. Okay, taking a step back for a moment, I am a Rolex guy and a two-tone guy. I regularly wear a two-tone Rolex Datejust on a jubilee bracelet so I certainly have a type. And you can see from looking at this watch, the Seiko SPB478J1, that it fits nicely into this category for me. Getting my biases out of the way, let’s dig into the watch. So Seiko, as we know, calls its watches by their reference numbers. But it also gave this one a nice little descriptor on the website: Delicate Cream Silk. I mean, come on, that’s amazing. It’s almost like it could be the alternative name of a band consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak. The name actually refers to the watch’s dial because, of course it does. The dial texture is “inspired by unbleached natural Japanese silk, a material which has long featured in Japanese home décor and clothing since ancient times.” The brand calls this a ‘Shiro-Iro’ colored dial.  Moving to the watch itself, it features gold-colored accents for a mixed-met...

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