Hodinkee
In-Depth: From Rolex to Holy Trinity: Our Predictions, Projections & Wild Guesses For The Watch World In 2023
Join us as we peer into our crystal ball 🔮
Results for Hesalite Crystal (Acrylic / Plexi)
374 articles · 77 videos found · page 12 of 16
Hodinkee
Quill & Pad
Vintage Watch Restoration: Should You Or Not? A Guide To The Oft-Controversial World Of Making Things Worse By Trying To Make Them Better – Reprise
Deciding whether or not to restore a vintage watch is a tough decision to make. The internet is awash with tales of watches butchered by an incompetent independent watchmaker or, worse still, the brand itself. Even more confusing is deciding which options offered should be accepted. Refinish the case? Change the hands? Replace the crystal? Here is some help for you.
WatchAdvice
Oris Coulson Limited Edition Hands-on Review
What we like: Dial is a real head turner3D Printed Carbon case is a winnerMassive five-day power reserve What we don’t like: Some may find it to be expensiveThe fingerprints easily show on the crystal Some may not appreciate the 3D-printed case Overall rating: 7.75/10 Value for money: 7/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 8/10 2022 was a big year for the independent Swiss brand Oris. Amongst the brand’s major updates to some of its collections was the continued release of its limited edition timepieces based on ecological conservation. The last major release for Oris in 2022 was the Coulson Limited edition, a watch created from the latest partnership with Coulson Aviation. Alongside creating luxury timepieces, Oris also works in a variety of different areas to bring “Change for the Better” for the planet and its people. Oris is also now independently certified as a climate-neutral company, with the watch brand working closely with other pioneering agencies to bring the change required to make the world a better place. One of these agencies is Coulson Aviation, which Oris just recently partnered up with. Coulson Aviation is a family-run independent company based in Canada that sends out pilots, planes, and also much-needed equipment to areas of the world that are heavily affected by wildfires. The resources and help provided are split between the US and California for the Northern Hemisphere summer and for the Southern Hemisphere summer, Australia and...
Worn & Wound
The Synchron Military Returns with Poseidon Diving Systems Connection
It’s been quite awhile since we’ve heard from the brand Synchron. You might remember a couple years back, the brand re-introduced themselves to the watch world with the Synchron Military, a funky diver that fully embodied 70’s design. The limited release was an instant hit and sold out immediately. The case shape and design of the Synchron Military mirrored that of a Doxa Sub 300t, with its cushion silhouette and crystal that is affixed flush against the bezel. But that was the only thing the two had in common. The Synchron Military sported this quirky dial layout, peculiar handset, and a fully-indexed countdown bezel without the no-deco scale. At the time, that combination, in that case format, was unlike anything we’ve seen which probably made the Military so popular, especially since the Doxa Sub 300 was already a beloved piece. Synchron and Doxa have a connected past in multiple fashions, and it turns out that the Synchron Military design resides within the Doxa catalog in the form of the Doxa Army. It just so happened that the Synchron Military got a leg up on the Doxa Army. I’m sure bygones can be bygones between the two brands. There’s plenty of room to play in the sandbox after all, and Synchron is coming back in a big way. In their latest release, Synchron has tapped the Sweden based dive gear outfit, Poseidon Diving Systems, with their new Poseidon Ice Diver. The outer ring of the dial has the same blocky design. The black minute track is accompanied ...
Time+Tide
VIDEO: The wide-ranging scope of the Franck Muller Curvex collection
Franck Muller is celebrating their 30th anniversary, and to celebrate, the brand has decided to update an icon. The Franck Muller Curvex, with its unique, domed sapphire crystal and arched case has been a signature since their inception not too long ago. Apart from a name change, the curved crystal now integrates into the bezel, … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The wide-ranging scope of the Franck Muller Curvex collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Tudor DID IT ! NEW Pelagos 39 Dive Watch
Quill & Pad
Jérôme De Witt And Napoleon’s (Jump) Hour Of Triumph: 2015 Academia Mathematical
The De Witt Academia Mathematical of 2015 has a digital time display with jumping hours, tens of minutes, and minutes. And although its full numeral carousels are just barely visible under a smoked sapphire crystal dial, Tim Mosso was willing and able to take a closer look.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Sparkliest Timex In All The Land
Out on the town with the crystal-covered T80 X Judith Leiber LE.
Revolution
Introducing Chapter 3 of Grail Watch: Luminous Signature
Dropping December 19, 2022 – 3pm CET | 10pm SGT, an out-of-this-world watch that tells the time using discs that rise from the baseplate to the domed sapphire crystal. This wild timepiece is illuminated with the glow of the night sky. Check back tomorrow to find out more. Email shop@grailwatch.com to register your interest. To […]
Hodinkee
Watching Movies: Benedict Cumberbatch Unlocks Multiple Realities Using His JLC Master Perpetual In 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness'
The cracked crystal wonder is back in a big, multidimensional way in our watch-related movie of the week.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Seeing Things Clearly With the Chanel 12 X-RAY RED EDITION
What's crystal sapphire, white gold, and red all over?
Video
The Tudor Pelagos FXD is Cheaper and Better Than a Rolex Submariner
SJX Watches
Explained: Bulgari Debuts the Thinnest Mechanical Watch
After notching up several world records for the thinnest watch in various categories, Bulgari had yet to claim the title of the thinnest mechanical watch. Piaget took the title in 2018 with the announcement of the AUC, which became commercially available in 2020. But the Roman jeweller has finally bested its rivals with the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which is an astonishing 1.8 mm tall from crystal to case back, making it the thinnest watch on the market today (and also the thinnest in decades). It’s 0.2 mm slimmer than the Piaget AUC. The Ultra is certainly less, but is it more accomplished? Initial thoughts Trumping the previous title holder by a sizeable margin of 10%, the Octo Finissimo Ultra is an impressive achievement, even though the race to the be the flattest has been ongoing for a long time. For starters, the Ultra does well in terms of design. While the design is based on the long standing Octo Finissimo, it doesn’t take away from its appeal. The Ultra is the sportiest watch among the thinnest of ultra-thin watches, with striking contemporary lines. And it is very much a watch of today, literally. The large barrel ratchet wheel is engraved with a QR code providing access to an NFT artwork that accompanies each watch. It is tacky both as an idea and also up close, but at a distance the pattern of the code could pass for a decorative motif that fills up what would otherwise be a wide open space. Keeping current But the burning question is how did Bulgari’s ...
Hodinkee
What HODINKEE Editors Would Like To See From The Watch Industry In 2022
Crystal balls, wish lists, and a hunger for getting back to basics.
SJX Watches
Bell & Ross Introduces the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire
A month after the one-of-a-kind, orange-crystal skull wristwatch sold for CHF220,000 at charity auction Only Watch 2021, Bell & Ross (B&R;) is unveiling its limited edition counterpart in clear sapphire crystal. With both its case and polygonal skull in clear sapphire crystal, the Cyber Skull Sapphire is powered by a proprietary movement incorporating a simple automaton that drives the skull’s lower jaw as the watch is wound. Initial thoughts With its dark orange visage, the Cyber Skull for Only Watch was the most striking lots of the auction, so it’s no surprise that the brand is returning to the idea with a limited run. Granted the Cyber Skull Sapphire lacks the punch of the orange skull, but it is certainly striking with its stying, size, and airy construction. The look is unashamedly modern and very much over the top. But beyond the aesthetics, the watch also features an interesting movement that was developed from the ground up to form a skull. The base plate is skull-shaped, while the going train was laid out to position the balance right in the middle of the skull’s forehead. Like almost all watches with sapphire crystal cases, the Cyber Skull Sapphire has a six figure price tag, albeit just into six figures at US$117,000. But the Cyber Skull Sapphire is catered for a specific buyer: one who wants an extravagant, hyper-modern aesthetic – and isn’t too bothered about price. And it accomplishes what it sets out to do well, but that specific buyer is also ...
WatchAdvice
Breitling Premier B15 Duograph Hands-on Review
What we love: Split Second Complication with 100m WR- Yes please!Open caseback displaying manual winding movement Beautifully laid out dial What we don’t love: Thickness, some may find this hard to wear under the cuff Could do without cutout numbers on the dial (2,4,8 and 10)Due to the design of the top sapphire crystal glass, cannot see the tachymeter scale properly when looking directly at the dial Overall rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10 Wearability: 7.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 It’s not often you get a watch for a review and fall in love with it straight away! Well, for me this was the case with the new Breitling Premier B15 Duograph. Released a day earlier than the Watches of Wonders in 2021, Duograph is a part of the Premier heritage line. Originally released in 1943, Duograph is a spilt second complication that pays tribute to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling. Breitling used the term ‘Duograph’ in 1940 which refer to the complication “Chronograph Rattrappante”. Design: Breitling Duograph is offered in stainless steel or an 18K Red Gold case. The case size is 42mm with a thickness of 15.3mm and lug to lug measurement of 50mm. The variant we are reviewing today is the stainless steel model with the sunray blue dial. Duograph had a fixed bezel and the Cambered sapphire (glareproofed both sides) acts as a bezel on its own. This Sapphire crystal top glass has a thickness of 3mm which adds to the o...
Revolution
Introducing Zenith DEFY Zero-G Sapphire and DEFY 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire
Zenith DEFY consumer perception with two exceptionally high-end new watches from their DEFY range, each mesmerizingly on full view through crystal sapphire.
Video
Why you should buy this over a BB58 | Tudor Marine Nationale Pelagos FXD
Quill & Pad
5 Unique Watches With Tourbillons At Only Watch 2021
That the tourbillon hasn't lost any of its appeal in this new era of wristwatches becomes crystal clear at Only Watch 2021. The mechanical ballet of the tourbillon remains mesmerizing and highly appreciated by watch connoisseurs. Here are five very special examples that you can bid on in the upcoming Only Watch auction taking place on November 6, 2021.
Hodinkee
Point/Counterpoint: The Black Rolex Milgauss Is The Best Rolex Milgauss
The black dial, green-crystal 116400GV is the only Milgauss that knows how to party.
SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater
Debuted exactly 90 years ago a sports watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is famous for its swivelling case that was meant to protect the crystal. But in the modern day, the Reverso has paradoxically evolved into brand’s signature dress watch, as well as a canvas for assorted complications and artisanal decoration. The latest 90th anniversary model falls into the former category – the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is highly complicated, with its mechanics visible on two open-worked faces: the chiming mechanism revealed on the front and the base movement on the reverse. The front (left) with the repeater revealed, and the back showing the hand-wind calibre Initial thoughts The Reverso Tribute Repeater is an example of smart engineering and design, executed in a way that is possible only with the Reverso’s two faces. Notably, doing away with a solid dial is actually a technical necessity (more on that later), rather than mere vanity, but it leaves the watch looking as impressively complicated as it is. Though a modular repeater, its repeating mechanism is no ordinary example, but instead incorporates two proprietary innovations that compound to produce louder chimes, namely the extra-large hammers and the gongs that are located as close to the wearer as possible – they are attached onto the front crystal, hence the absence of the dial. Upon activation, the slider on the left winds up the mainspring at six o’clock, which unwinds to power the repeater That said, t...
Quill & Pad
ArtyA Purity Tourbillon: Science Fiction Turned Science Fact
ArtyA's new Purity Tourbillon is a stunning watch combining an ultra-minimal skeletonized tourbillon movement with a perfectly clear and super-strong sapphire crystal case. ArtyA never shies away from extreme aesthetics, but the Purity Tourbillon is extreme in a more mainstream way, and Joshua Munchow thinks it has a lot going for it.
Quill & Pad
Corum Bubble X-Ray: It Glows Inside!
No one buys a Corum Bubble to hide underneath a jacket sleeve; it's a watch that makes its presence felt. And with a luminous layered x-ray image of the human skull smiling out from under the bulbous sapphire crystal dome, the Bubble X-Ray is no exception.
Video
TUDOR x Marine Nationale French Navy - Pelagos FXD - New For 2021 Automatic Titanium Diver
Time+Tide
An owner’s guide to the pros, cons and timeless style of the Doxa SUB 200
The Doxa SUB 200 harks back to a golden era in recreational diving timepieces. Released in 2019, it’s an affordable, Swiss-made 200m water-resistant three-hander with an ETA 2824-2 movement, from a venerable brand with a rich association with dive watches. That heritage perhaps informs the watch’s robust functionality with its sapphire crystal, sapphire bezel and … ContinuedThe post An owner’s guide to the pros, cons and timeless style of the Doxa SUB 200 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Nonantième
While the Reverso was conceived as a sports watch – it flipped over to protect the crystal – the swivelling case makes more sense today as a double-faced complication (or a canvas for miniature painting). And that’s precisely what Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) has done with a variety of models, ranging from the twin-time zone Duoface to the Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque with four faces. The Quadriptyque is the flagship model for the Reverso’s 90th anniversary, with 11 complications and a price tag north of US$1.6 million. Also created for the anniversary, but more affordable – relatively speaking – is the Reverso Tribute Nonantième that shows a single time on two faces, a conventional one on the front, and a charming secondary display on the back. Initial thoughts With a case that’s among the largest of Reversos, the Nonantième is a big watch. Pick it up and the size is immediately apparent; it would be considerably more elegant if smaller. It feels like a chunky, complicated watch. In fact, it’s almost as large as the Quadriptyque in diameter and length, despite being far simpler. On the front it’s typical of current Reverso design. All of the elements on the dial are classical and work together well. The only piece of the front that stands out is the moon phase display, which has a textured moon that gives the dial a little life. Its better side is the reverse, which shows hours and minutes in a manner that’s decidedly special for a Reverso. ...
SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux 230th Anniversary Exhibition in Singapore
In celebration of its 230th anniversary, Girard-Perregaux has extracted part of its museum collection and sent it across the world to Singapore, where they form an exhibition on the watchmaker’s history. Shaping The Know Since 1791 provides a peek into the company’s past milestones and timepieces, illustrated by a diversity of items on show, ranging from enamelled pocket watches from the late 18th century to an ultra-modern wristwatch with its case and bridges in sapphire crystal. Pocket watches Though the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is Girard-Perregaux’s best known complication, the brand is instead focusing on its wider repertoire in the exhibition. Arranged in a chronological manner, the company’s history is explained with a series of displays that include notes as well as representative watches of each era, from the 18th to 21st centuries. Notable contemporary pieces include the original Laureato from 1975, as well as the avant-garde Quasar Light that reinterprets the brand’s iconic triple bridges in sapphire crystal. The original Laureato that was quartz the exhibition unfolds the brand’s unusual origins: while husband-and-wife Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux founded the brand in 1856, the company later acquired Jean-François Bautte, a brand that was established in 1791, explaining the 230th anniversary in 2021. A pioneer in ultra-thin timepieces, Bautte specialised in pocket watches decorated with enamel and gemstones, reflecting the prevail...
WatchAdvice
Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Hands-on Review
Pros: Comfortable on the wrist for long periods of wearUnlike previous models, the R734 movement is on display – the best one to dateGreat Build quality, High-tech ceramic is a winner for captain cook range Cons: Some may find it thick on the wrist compared to the other captain cook varients The watch will wear big for wrist sizes smaller than 6.5 inches Some may not appreciate the blacked tinted sapphire crystal dial Over All Rating: 8.0/10 Value for money – 7.5/10Wearability – 8.0/10Design – 8/10Build Quality – 8.5/10 If there’s one watch brand that has earned the nickname “Master of Materials”, it is Rado. Being one of the biggest watch manufacturers in Switzerland, Rado uses the latest technology and innovation to create some unique materials for their watches. Diving into the history of the brand, in 1960 they were the first to create the “world’s first scratchproof watch”, the DiaStar 1. This was done by innovation, through introducing materials into the watch industry that were not known at the time. Materials such as hard metal and sapphire crystal. In 1970, Rado continued to innovate new materials by coming up with a scratch-resistant and high-tech ceramic bracelet called Rado Integral. This was arguably the first use of high-tech ceramic on a watch by Rado, and it would eventually become the brand’s signature material. In 1990, Rado really stepped things up in their use of ceramic, with this particular year being dubbed as “the cera...
SJX Watches
Only Watch 2021: Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire
Bell & Ross has long featured the skull on its watches, a motif derived from its military-inspired designs. Modelled on the skull emblem often used by airborne units, the B&R; skull watch has been refined over the years, with the latest being an all-ceramic wristwatch incorporating an automaton. For Only Watch 2021, the watchmaker has created the BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire, a vivid, orange-tinted crystal skull encased in clear sapphire. It’s entirely incongruent with the brand’s typical no-no-nonsense aesthetic, but strikingly upbeat. Initial thoughts The original Cyber Skull is interesting for its materials and form movement featuring an automaton, making it a good base for the Only Watch edition, which departs from the all-black look in the direction of attractive and quirky. Bell & Ross didn’t disappoint in its Only Watch endeavour. Clean, contemporary, and clear, the sapphire version is completely different from its past skull watches. The watch has a bright feel, with the orange being bringing levity (and echoing the colours of Only Watch 2021). And it’s a big plus that the watch is technically unusual. While most B&R; watches are powered by off-the-shelf ETA or Sellita movements (which, to be fair are unfailingly reliable), the Cyber Skull Sapphire is equipped with a proprietary movement in the shape of a skull. It’s always the most valuable watches offered by high horology brands that get the most attention at Only Watch, so the more affordable watches in ...
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