Results for Hans Wilsdorf

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On Impressions of Two New Zenith G.F.J. Novelties

Why is it that there are some watches we just kind of forget about? I think we’ve all experienced this right? We encounter a watch that really works, feels special, rave about to other collectors and, if you’re able, maybe even think about how you might acquire one (side note: that is definitely not the situation I find myself in with respect to the watches we’ll be discussing here).  For whatever reason, the Zenith G.F.J. found itself in that category for me. Last year, when I saw the first G.F.J., I think I probably verbalized to someone that it was the best thing I saw at Watches & Wonders 2025. I thought about it for weeks. I considered how it felt so much more handmade and specialized than any of the other new Zenith watches I’ve seen, which were mostly reminders that Zenith is a huge brand that needs to cast a wide net. And that’s the case again this year. The headline release for the brand this year is a new series of Chronomaster Sport references with skeleton dials. They are very nice watches, but tread familiar ground. We’ve seen countless iterations of the Chronomaster Sport at this point, and transitioning to skeleton dials after a period of time is part of the Zenith playbook.  The G.F.J. collection, by contrast, feels unpredictable and outside the bounds of the usual Zenith strategy. These are high end watches that take advantage of exotic materials and precious metals, and have more in common with many haute horlogerie indies, at least on the s...

Hands-On: The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 In Jubilee Gold

All the good that is gold with a little less flash and a stone dial that soothes the senses.

Patek Philippe celebrates 50 years of the Nautilus, and has given us probably the best Nautilus you’ve ever seen, and of course, a desk clock

Patek Philippe celebrates 50 years of its iconic Nautilus model, and brings with it white gold, platinum and a wild card Nautilus desk clock.The post Patek Philippe celebrates 50 years of the Nautilus, and has given us probably the best Nautilus you’ve ever seen, and of course, a desk clock appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look – The Parmigiani Fleurier Toric 30th-Anniversary Trilogy, with Hand-Hammered Dials

Master watchmaker and restorer Michel Parmigiani’s original Toric QP Rétrograde was Parmigiani Fleurier’s foundational watch marking the brand’s launch in 1996. Following the appointment of Guido Terreni in 2021, many of Michel Parmigiani’s models were put on standby to allow Terreni to chart the brand’s new design direction, with a primary focus on the Tonda […]

First Look – The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Two Hands, in 34mm and 28mm

H. Moser & Cie.’s Streamliner, launched in 2020, is the brand’s take on a luxury integrated bracelet sports watch with fluid, sculptural lines. Built around the collection’s streamlined case architecture and ergonomic steel bracelet, the collection welcomes a compact 34mm reference and a petite 28mm model, both of these Streamliner Two Hands being powered by […]

Hands-On: The Tudor Black Bay Ceramic And Its New Ceramic Bracelet

A new bracelet might not sound like much, but it has managed to finally put this watch on my radar.

Hands-On With The Bausele Elemental

It’s not often that this writer, who is Australian, gets to spend time with a watch from an Australian watch brand. But when my managing editor, Nacho, tasked me with a hands-on review of the Bausele Elemental, it was an opportunity to learn more about what allows this brand to straddle two worlds. Australian-based Bausele […] Visit Hands-On With The Bausele Elemental to read the full article.

Hands-On with All Rolex Watches 2026

It's the start of Watches & Wonders 2026, and Rolex has announced their newest additions to their catalog. New dials, new metals, new exclusive references and even a new movement. Watch the video to find out what's new for this year at Rolex

Best Dive Watches Under $500: Hands-On Reviews and Breakdown

Explore the best dive watches under $500 with hands-on picks that balance value, everyday wearability, and real-world capability.

Patek Philippe Marks 50th Years of The Nautilus with Two Hands and a Pocket Watch

Patek Philippe celebrates the semicentennial of its coveted sports watch with the 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection, a trio of two hand precious metal watches in white gold and platinum – and an unexpected pocket watch desk clock. The deletion of the seconds hand is a return to the line’s aesthetic roots, also demonstrated by a new 38 mm case size, very close to that of the original. But, it remains on the precious metal path Patek Philippe began in 2021 when it axed the steel ref. 5711. Initial Thoughts These anniversary editions are the truest to the original Nautilus that we’ve seen in recent memory. The sans seconds ref. 3700/1A, launched in 1976, was powered by the JLC 920-based cal. 28-355C, which the calibre 240 was meant to replace. While Audemars Piguet stuck to the two hands plug date format with the Royal Oak Jumbo, Patek Philippe migrated the Nautilus to its new sweep-seconds platform. I believe something was lost when Patek Philippe added a sweep seconds hand to the Nautilus, though understandable from a business perspective given that watches with seconds hands generally have broader appeal than those without. That is recovered here, and the deletion of the calendar sets it apart from the original enough to not be a “reissue”. A smaller 38 mm Nautilus, with better proportions than the existing Ladies models, in also appreciated. The 38 mm platinum ref. 5610/1P-001. It is a shame then that the return of a two hand Nautilus is to be a fleeting one,...

Hands On: IWC Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive

IWC teams up with Vast, prospective constructors of the International Space Station’s private successor, with the IWC Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, a uniquely astronaut-friendly take on a spacefaring watch that breaks new ground for IWC’s signature pilots watches. If all goes well, these watches pass the Kármán line next year when Vast plans to launch the Haven-1 commercial space station. Initial thoughts Vast is an American aerospace company hoping to develop modular commercial space stations (Haven-2), and, at a glance seems more promising than the average ambitious space startup. If all goes to plan, the Vast Pilot will launch with the Vast’s Haven-1 prototype space station in 2027. The Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive - which could easily have been called the “Vast Pilot” as a play on its popular Big Pilot - is among the most visually appealing watches from IWC in recent memory. Computer rendering of the Vast Haven-1. Image – Vast Pressroom The combination of white and dark gray, and a clean but technical look leans into the “NASA Punk” aesthetic. The minimalist industrial look calls to mind watches like the IWC Ocean 2000, designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The gradated blue horizon around the dial is an inspired thematic choice, and is paired with a matching seconds hand. The lack of a chronograph is surprising, given IWC’s general affinity for them, as well as their domination of the space watch genre. I find that refreshing, sinc...

Hands-On With The New Oris Star Re-Edition

Today, Oris introduces its Star re-edition. It’s a celebration of the very first Oris watch to feature a lever escapement, from 1966. But “Oris Star” sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Back in 2023, we collaborated with the company from Hölstein on the Fratello × Oris Divers Sixty-Five with “Star” on the dial, just like its 1968 […] Visit Hands-On With The New Oris Star Re-Edition to read the full article.

A Hands-On Introduction To The First Skeletonized Hermès H08 With A Brand-New Titanium Movement

This year, Hermès is celebrating the fifth birthday of its H08. It already feels like the maison’s sporty watch, with its characteristic geometric shape, has become a real staple in the collection. But there’s more reason to celebrate, as it’s also been 20 years since Hermès acquired a 25% stake in the Swiss high-end movement […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The First Skeletonized Hermès H08 With A Brand-New Titanium Movement to read the full article.

Credor at Watches & Wonders 2026: Goldfeather Porcelain, Urushi, and Hand-Engraved Tourbillon

Introducing: H. Moser & Cie. Introduces The Streamliner Two Hands In 28mm And 34mm

The brand's flagship integrated-bracelet line is now smaller than ever.

Breaking News: Rolex Has Officially Discontinued The “Pepsi” GMT-Master II & “Cookie Monster” Submariner Date

The Pepsi is dead (again); Long live the Pepsi.

Introducing: Patek Philippe Has Revived The Golden Ellipse In Its Traditional Proportions

The return of the reference 3738.

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On with IWC’s Pilot Venturer Vertical Drive, a New Kind of Space Watch

Space is having a huge moment right now, and if you’re at all like me, you’ve been transported to a time in your youth when you were soaking up anything space exploration related as much as the sun. Well, IWC is going to keep space at the forefront of everyone’s mind here at Watches & Wonders as they’ve just released their Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, their first watch engineered and certified for spaceflight.  I actually got to see this watch back in February while I was out in Los Angeles with IWC at Vast’s headquarters. Vast is the company building what is set to become the first commercial space station, Haven-1. And that context matters, because this isn’t just a “space-inspired” watch. The Venturer Vertical Drive was designed for actual use in orbit, and it’s already been certified for flight in partnership with Vast.  Historically, space watches have basically just been modified aviation watches, but IWC took a different approach here. Instead of adapting something that already existed, they started from a much simpler question: what does a watch actually need to do in space? The answer led to a few decisions that feel genuinely new, starting with the most obvious one - there’s no crown. From an outsider’s perspective, this feels almost like a flex (and it kinda is). But the way that IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr explained it during our live presentation was that in a zero-gravity environment, as astronauts are moving through tight spac...

Grand Seiko at Watches & Wonders 2026: All-new Diver UFA, “Ice Forest” Gold UFA, Hand-Engraved ‘Mystic Waterfall’ by Micro Artist Studio

Hands-On With The IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar: A Brilliant New Evolution

The IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar brings one of the brand’s most celebrated complications into its modern integrated sports watch design for the very first time. I take a closer look at what makes this latest evolution of the Ingenieur such a compelling release. What We Love: Compact proportions for a sports watch with Kurt-Klaus’s perpetual calendar design Beautifully executed case and dial finishing Stainless steel makes it more wearable and accessible What We Don’t: No micro-adjustment system on the bracelet clasp Limited strap versatility due to the integrated bracelet design No precious metal option at launch for those wanting a more luxurious take Overall Rating: 8.8/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Ingenieur has always been one of IWC’s most compelling designs, blending Gérald Genta’s signature aesthetic codes with the brand’s own sporty heritage and technical edge. I’ve been fortunate enough to review quite a few models from the Ingenieur range, which gives a good sense of how the overall collection sits across various sizes and complications. During Watches & Wonders 2025, arguably, one of the biggest shifts to the Ingenieur collection in modern times. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer presented the Ingenieur in a 41.6mm case, with none other than a perpetual calendar complication sitting inside. The IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar is the first of its kind, released during Watches & Wonder...

Hands-On: the Monta Noble 40

I’ve been doing this long enough that by now I probably should have reviewed a Monta. For whatever reason, I just haven’t had the chance. It’s kind of like living in Cooperstown and never going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Inexplicable.  Of course, I’ve handled plenty of Montas over the years. They’ve been a presence at Windup Watch Fairs, and I’ve known many, many collectors who have owned Monta watches of various stripes, and I’ve tried them on and taken the requisite wrist shots at meetups and events through the years. This time around, with the release of the new Monta Noble 40, I was finally able to spend some real time with a Monta. Like all Monta watches it’s technically excellent, but the updates make it feel a little less special than its predecessor.  The Noble, along with the Triumph, is the most stripped down watch in the Monta collection. It’s not a big burly tool watch, and it doesn’t have a complication beyond the date at 6:00. It’s a bit of a cliche, but you could say that it boils down Monta to its essence, which is a really solid, value oriented, everyday watch with impeccable finishing for the price. I’ll probably keep coming back to the finishing, because it’s really the strength of all Monta watches that I’ve had a chance to handle, and that’s been the case consistently since the brand was founded. They just have a very good idea of what they’re after in terms of how their cases and bracelets should look and feel, and...

11 Best Watches That Nail The Vintage Aesthetic: Hands-On Reviewed Picks

Discover the vintage-inspired watches that truly get it right, from retro digital icons to classic divers and chronographs, all tested hands-on.

Time+Tide’s NYC Discovery Studio has a BIG new hire, Watches and Wonders 2026 kicks off next week

We are thrilled to announce that Rashawn Smith is joining our Time+Tide NYC Discovery Studio team as our new Community Manager.The post Time+Tide’s NYC Discovery Studio has a BIG new hire, Watches and Wonders 2026 kicks off next week appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing – The Moritz Grossmann Tremblage Gold, a Hand-Engraved Anniversary Edition in Precious Metal

Since its revival in 2008, the Moritz Grossmann manufacture has focused on making watches with traditional Saxon construction and meticulous hand-finishing, exemplifying the idea of Schönstes deutsches Handwerk. The Tremblage, introduced in 2021, quickly became one of its most expressive pieces, showcasing a rare hand-engraving technique applied to German silver dials. Now, for the 200th […]

Hands-On: The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Numbered Edition

The Chronograph 1 is Porsche Design’s champion by some margin. In fact, you could probably make a case for it as a candidate for the top 100 most influential watches of all time. Why? Well, for starters, launched in 1972, it was the first all-black watch, which started a lasting trend. Second, the design language, […] Visit Hands-On: The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Numbered Edition to read the full article.