Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for Only Watch

21,632 articles · 223 videos found · page 13 of 729

The Biver Carillon Tourbillon Gets a Three-Dimensional Guilloche Dial SJX Watches
Blancpain Mar 28, 2024

The Biver Carillon Tourbillon Gets a Three-Dimensional Guilloche Dial

Biver concludes the 50-piece run of its flagship Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon with a striking pair featuring its first guilloche dials. Instead of the conventional engine turning on metal, the dials are either black obsidian or white mother-of-pearl, both finished with three-dimensional guilloche. Inspired by the links of the brand’s bracelet, the guilloche forms a terraced geometric patterns in dial centre that’s elegantly accentuated by baguette-cut diamond indexes. Initial thoughts Despite being neither a watchmaker, engineer, nor constructor, Jean-Claude Biver is an individual who personifies the Swiss watch industry – and he isn’t even Swiss. In his career so far, he revived two brands, Blancpain and then Hublot, and in between the two turbocharged Omega, in the process becoming one of the most influential and respected personalities in watchmaking. So when Mr Biver announced that he and his son Pierre would be starting their own brand, everyone was paying attention. The brand’s inaugural watch, the Carillon Tourbillon, is a grand complication executed to an impressive degree of quality. The design, however, was debatable. Consequently the brand got off to a tough start, particularly on social media where the criticism of its design was free flowing. With a one-off created for charity auction Only Watch, Biver eliminated the dial, resulting in a striking, appealing watch. Here the brand has retained the dial, but with new materials and decoration. The...

#TBT Dress To Impress With A Pontife-Handed Alpina Cal. 586 Fratello
Alpina Cal 586 It Mar 21, 2024

#TBT Dress To Impress With A Pontife-Handed Alpina Cal. 586

It is not difficult to recognize a simple time-only watch from the 1940s. There are tons of them. They have either plain dials or dials with Arabic numerals. Not many watches from that time had hours marked with Roman numerals, and even fewer had so-called Pontife hands. And this is the first time I’ve found […] Visit #TBT Dress To Impress With A Pontife-Handed Alpina Cal. 586 to read the full article.

Renaud Tixier Debuts with the Monday Micro-Rotor SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Mar 19, 2024

Renaud Tixier Debuts with the Monday Micro-Rotor

Already collaborators on several projects, Dominique Renaud, one of the founders of Renaud & Papi, and Julien Tixier, a young watchmaker and constructor, have established Renaud Tixier, a brand backed by investors. The inaugural creation of Renaud Tixier is Monday, a time-only watch with an automatic movement sporting a novel micro-rotor. Conceived to realise Mr Renaud’s many concepts and inventions, Renaud Tixier also aims to blend the styles of the two watchmakers. Each of the namesake founders comes from a different generation of watchmaking – pre- and post-Quartz Crisis – but the duo enjoy a shared philosophy that have made their past projects a success, something they are hoping to replicate with Renaud Tixier. Initial thoughts On a macro level, the Renaud Tixier and its first watch are noteworthy for a few reasons. One of its main points of appeal, at least initially, is the name, specifically Dominique Renaud. Even though he departed Renaud & Papi (APRP) over 20 years ago, his name still carries weight, particularly since many alumni of APRP, Anthony de Haas of Lange and Carole Forestier of TAG Heuer for instance, speak well of him. The name will certainly help sell the watch, particularly in countries with a strong reverence for creators and history, like Japan for example. And the fact that it’s a micro-rotor is noteworthy. Though relatively common in high-end watchmaking, micro-rotors are rare amongst independent watchmakers. The most prominent indie mak...

Baltic Unveils the New Prismic Collection Worn & Wound
Baltic Unveils Feb 15, 2024

Baltic Unveils the New Prismic Collection

One of the real pleasures of being involved in this hobby is being surprised when a brand you thought you had a good understanding of completely subverts expectations. I like it when watch brands genuinely seek to try something different and new (even if it doesn’t work). It’s so easy, especially once you’ve tasted success, to keep doing the same thing over and over, repeating a successful formula. But a brand that takes risks is inherently more interesting, and I always find myself drawn to those outlier watches – it’s almost as if they have something to prove, and I find that endearing.  Baltic’s latest, the Prismic, falls into that category for me. And that’s not to say that Baltic hasn’t surprised us before by taking a left turn unexpectedly. I don’t think anyone expected them to unveil a perpetual calendar for Only Watch, for example.  But I don’t think even the most forward thinking watch enthusiasts had something like the Prismic on their bingo card. Baltic, a brand known primarily for their interpretations of a classic sports watch aesthetic, has gone and made something that nods more to jewelry than the divers and racing chronographs they’ve made to this point.  According to Baltic, the Prismic is a watch inspired by geometric shapes and how light refracts through a prism. The end result is a dress watch with quite a bit more bling than we’re accustomed to seeing from Baltic. This is a watch that’s designed with an aesthetics rather th...

The Grand Prix is the Latest Historic Reference to be Revived by Vulcain Worn & Wound
Vulcain Building Feb 15, 2024

The Grand Prix is the Latest Historic Reference to be Revived by Vulcain

Building on a rich heritage spanning over 165 years, Swiss watchmaker Vulcain continues to draw attention in the watch industry with each new reissue. Under the leadership of Guillaume Laidet, Vulcain’s Chief Revival Officer, the brand has been on a trajectory of reinterpreting its iconic timepieces, breathing new life into past references. Since 2022, Vulcain has been setting the tone for each season with strategic launches of emblematic collections, including the Cricket, Skindiver, Nautical, and more. Today, Vulcain has rereleased another popular model, the highly anticipated Grand Prix. Originally introduced in the 1960s to commemorate Vulcain’s triumph at the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition, the Grand Prix returns with a diameter of 39mm, a great contemporary size with plenty of presence for a variety of wrists. The Vulcain Grand Prix 39mm really exemplifies Swiss elegance. Its slim and uncluttered design is a no-fuss interpretation of a clean, vintage watch that will surely garner the attention of those looking for that “Old Money” aesthetic we hear so much about on TikTok nowadays. Equipped with a Swiss Landeron automatic movement, the time-only watch features a domed crystal over a dial in Champagne, Light Grey, or Black with a semi-glossy sunray finish. With a brushed/polished steel case and polished hour markers on the dial, these vintage-inspired elements are complemented by a double-dome sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, ensuring op...

Introducing – The Furlan Marri x Time+Tide Outback Elegy Monochrome
Furlan Marri x Time+Tide Outback Elegy Jan 18, 2024

Introducing – The Furlan Marri x Time+Tide Outback Elegy

When Furlan Marri released their reference 2116-A, our editor Robin wrote, “the meca-quartz masterminds that rocked the watchmaking world go full-mechanical“. And indeed, not only did this automatic time-only watch make a good impression, but it also opened new horizons for the brand. Since its initial release, a salmon version has been presented, too. But […]

10 Watches That Don't Tell Time? Look a Bit Closer Teddy Baldassarre
Jan 9, 2024

10 Watches That Don't Tell Time? Look a Bit Closer

By definition, watches, no matter whatever else they might do in addition, are made to tell time. As a rule, the vast majority of watches do this in analog fashion with the use of two rotating hands, one for the hour, the other for the minute, often with an additional hand to track the running seconds. But every so often, you’ll run across the proverbial exception that proves the rule - a timepiece whose design is so radical, so outside the mainstream in design, that at first glance (sometimes even at the second or third) it appears that you can’t read the time on it at all. Even most of these avant-garde pieces, however, have been designed with the purpose of timekeeping in mind, even if this basic function is overshadowed or reduced to an aesthetic afterthought by the more spectacular elements the watch offers. Here is a selection of 10 very interesting watches (actually, nine watches and one example of high-end wrist-worn art), most of which actually do tell you the time - as long as you know how to read them. F.P. Journe FFC F.P. Journe founder Francois-Paul Journe teamed up with legendary Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola to conceptualize and produce the original FFC watch, a unique piece in a tantalum case that fetched $4.93 million at the 2021 Only Watch auction, becoming the highest-selling F.P. Journe watch in the indie brand’s nearly 25 years of existence. Journe added a platinum-cased model to its regular collection in 2023 with the same visual...

Sweden’s E.C. Andersson Debuts the Bold (and Very Thin) Mytilus Worn & Wound
Dec 26, 2023

Sweden’s E.C. Andersson Debuts the Bold (and Very Thin) Mytilus

We’ve featured E.C. Andersson, a small watch brand out of Sweden, in our Micro-Brand Digest a few times now. Their latest, however, definitely warrants a longer look. The Mytilus is easily their most ambitious design to date, and serves as an extension of what’s come before as well as a bit of a bolder statement. Described by the brand as “retrofuturistic” in its style, it’s been conceived as a distinctive watch that’s also ultra lightweight and thin. It’s part of a larger crop of new designs that we’re incredibly excited about that offer a real taste of the avant-garde at an approachable price point. While the design and manufacturing of the Mytilus is surely quite complex in practice, the concept is fairly straightforward and easy to understand. The “case” is a milled block of solid aluminum and this central component is just 4.1mm thick. The sapphire crystal has a deep box design and pulls double duty as a bezel that holds the unit together. The brand says the crystal is attached to the case directly via six screws, and that total of twenty-one gaskets are used on the Mytilus to ensure water resistance (it’s rated to 60 meters, which is pretty good for such a thin mechanical watch). With the crystal attached, the total thickness of the Mytilus comes in at 9.5mm (the case is 38mm wide). This is a time only watch with a simple, sandwich style dial with lume seen from a lower layer at the cardinal positions. Like the case and caseback, the dial is als...

Furlan Marri, with an Assist from Revolution and Auro Montanari, Unveil their First Mechanical Chronograph Worn & Wound
Furlan Marri Dec 1, 2023

Furlan Marri, with an Assist from Revolution and Auro Montanari, Unveil their First Mechanical Chronograph

Furlan Marri came on to the scene in 2021 with a series of highly regarded chronographs using meca-quartz movements. If you weren’t around for the legitimate hysteria around these watches, well, you missed one of the key viral moments within our community from the last few years. These chronographs were a sensation, and if you had a chance to handle or own one, it’s easy to see why. They nailed all the right vintage cues, and somehow achieved an immaculate level of finishing in a watch that retailed for just $330 (though at the peak of their hype, they traded for much more on the secondary market). Still, at the time, many in the community openly wondered about the possibility of a mechanical version of these watches at some point down the line. Only a few years later, Furlan Marri has followed up that initial meca-quartz release with a trio of time-only mechanical references, as well as a truly bonkers perpetual calendar for Only Watch. Now, at long last (but not that long – again, the brand is only a few years old) Furlan Marri has unveiled their first mechanical chronographs, a series of watches that always seemed inevitable.  This collection is actually a collaboration of sorts between Furlan Marri and our friends at Revolution, as well as noted collector Auro Montanari, known to many in the community by his pen name, John Goldberger. Montanari was an early supporter of Furlan Marri, and it’s not unreasonable to say that his approval of these affordable but ve...

Takashi Murakami Fuses Art and Horology with the Hublot MP-15 SJX Watches
Hublot MP-15 Hublot unveiled Nov 22, 2023

Takashi Murakami Fuses Art and Horology with the Hublot MP-15

Hublot unveiled its fourth collaboration with the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami – the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire. Demonstrating Hublot’s mastery sapphire crystal cases, the watch is the brand’s first central tourbillon in regular production. The MP-15 is a fusion of artistic expression and watchmaking, that pushes the boundaries of mechanics and design, with the nudging of Mr Murakami, who previously designed a pair of simpler watches for Hublot. Initial thoughts The MP-15 is an entirely new watch, from case to movement, that was constructed to embody  Mr Murakami’s signature style. It takes a fresh and playful direction away from the relatively tamer previous editions that were based on an existing model. First seen with the unique example produced for Only Watch, the latest collaboration between Hublot and Takashi Murakami seamlessly combines Mr Murakami’s artistic vision with Hublot’s watchmaking proficiency, resulting in a unique and expressive watch.  Notably, the MP-15 is not as big as expected. It’s 42 mm in diameter but has no lugs, while the strap is narrow, making it suitable for both men and women. The Only Watch edition The MP-15 is more than a watch; it’s arguably wearable art. The retail price of US$316,000 certainly puts it closer to Mr Murakami’s creations than a wristwatch, even with the tourbillon. It is a very expensive wristwatch, but not so expensive relative to Mr Murakami’s art. Though this is a relatively lar...

Fascinating and Landmark Complications at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony ref 30020 Nov 21, 2023

Fascinating and Landmark Complications at Christie’s Hong Kong

After seeing the fascinating timepieces made by independent watchmakers and the artistic highlights, let us now direct your attention to the notable complications in the Christie’s sales that take place on November 26.  In this compilation, we scrutinise nine noteworthy lots. Some items, like the Audemars Piguet Perpetual Calendar ref. 5516 and the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon, stand out with their six-figure price tags, while others might escape attention but are still deserving of a mention. Examples include the contemporary Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon or a distinctive version of Montblanc’s 1858 Split-Seconds crafted for the Only Watch charity auction. Important Watches (lots 2201-2343) begin at 1 pm on November 26 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre – the catalogue is available here. It will be followed by the second session (lots 2501-2639) offering watches from the OAK Collection at 6:30 pm – see the full catalogue here. Lot 2223: Vacheron Constantin Patrimony ref. 30020 in platinum  The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar pays homage to the revered vintage reference 4261, capturing the essence of one of Vacheron Constantin’s most sought-after timepieces among collectors. Manufactured in 200 examples across two configurations, one with a traditional dial, as seen here, and the other skeletonised, the watch stands out as a coveted item in the current collectors’ market. Notably, only 77 examples, inc...

The Best of the Indies at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Nov 17, 2023

The Best of the Indies at Christie’s Hong Kong

Christie’s autumn sale season in Hong Kong is led by Important Watches, a 146-lot sale featuring independent watchmaking, reflecting the genre’s current popularity. Notably, the season will also feature the first sale of the OAK Collection belonging to French collector Patrick Getreide.  In this compilation, we examine nine lots by independents ranging from watchmakers that are practically establishment now, like Voutilainen and F.P. Journe. Amongst the highlights from the OAK Collection are several unique watches made for past Only Watch auctions, one of the rare occasions these one-off watches are returning to market. Important Watches (lots 2201-2343) begins at at 1:00 pm on November 26 – the catalogue is available here. It will be followed by the OAK Collection sale (lots 2501-2639) at 6:30 pm – see the full catalogue here. Both sales take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Lot 2242: Gerald Genta Arena Mickey Mouse  With the revival of Gerald Genta by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), there has been a renewed interest in the timepieces it crafted in the past. Watches produced during the era when the brand was owned Bulgari have received less attention, although some are equally interesting, like this Arena Mickey Mouse. Gerald Genta debuted its Fantasy line featuring Disney characters in the 1990s. That evolved into the Arena Fantasy in the 2000s, which included this particular 80-piece edition made in around 2009. The watch combines the fami...

Patek Philippe Pays Tribute to Philippe Stern with the Minute Repeater Alarm Ref. 1938P SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Pays Tribute Nov 10, 2023

Patek Philippe Pays Tribute to Philippe Stern with the Minute Repeater Alarm Ref. 1938P

To celebrate Philippe Stern’s 85th birthday, Patek Philippe has released the Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P-001. The 30-piece limited edition is a minute repeater with a novel alarm function that chimes the programmed time, powered by a new calibre that will never be repeated. The watch is also a tribute in a literal sense: the fired enamel dial bears a monochromatic portrait of Philippe Stern, now the honorary president of Patek Philippe and the man who laid the foundations of the Geneva watchmaker’s present-day success. Initial thoughts This watch was long anticipated since it was first teased for Only Watch 2023, where it was announced as a unique piece made for the charity auction followed by a limited edition release. Now we have the specifics of the watch and it is impressive in technique, even if the dial is surprising at first sight. Evocative of the iconic black-and-white portrait of Francis Ford-Coppola’s 1972 film The Godfather, portrait of Mr Stern initially feels out of place in such a classical watch. But then it is perhaps not as apparent on a wrist when reading the time, and more importantly, considering Mr Stern’s achievements he deserves an overwhelmingly prominent place on a watch. It is a certainty that the buyers of the 30 watches will be clients personally acquainted with Mr Stern – word has it that all were allocated by Geneva prior to launch – and I imagine all of them would be happy to concede part of the dial to him. With four new pa...

Insight: When Simplicity Belies Complexity, the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Optimum SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Chronomètre Optimum Oct 23, 2023

Insight: When Simplicity Belies Complexity, the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Optimum

The Chronomètre Optimum is arguably François-Paul Journe’s most complex no-complication creation. Being a time-only watch, the Chronomètre Optimum displays the same amount of information as the entry-level Chronomètre Souveraine, albeit for more than twice the price, with the Chronomètre Optimum retailing for US$129,500 in platinum and a bit less in gold. On a pleasantly asymmetric dial, the Chronomètre Optimum presents the wearer with the time, down to the second, and a power reserve indicator. Plain as the dial might seem, the Chronomètre Optimum’s appeal lies in its inner, and largely hidden, complexity. In fact, the cal. 1510 within ranks among the most sophisticated time-only movements on the market today. Chronometry Historically the tourbillon was never a complication, though it is often regarded as such today – though some prominent collectors disagree. In this context, it is difficult to label the features of the Chronomètre Optimum true complications. But since the timepiece was designed with chronometry in mind, its features of engineered accuracy might just qualify as a complication. Chronometry in mechanical watchmaking is regarded as a marriage between accuracy and precision, as there is a nuance between the two. Accuracy is the quality of a watch or clock to have a timekeeping deviation as close to zero as possible, whereas precision relates more to the consistency and stability of the timepiece’s rate, rather than to a temporary lack of devi...

The 25 Most Expensive Watches Ever Sold at Auction Teddy Baldassarre
Oct 20, 2023

The 25 Most Expensive Watches Ever Sold at Auction

How much would you pay for a watch? What if it was the only one of its kind, or a record-breaker in terms of complications, or once owned by someone famous or historically significant? And just how expensive are the most expensive watches to ever change hands in a sale? In today's red-hot watch auction market, the answers, and the sums, may surprise you. Here we run down the list of the top 25 watches in descending order of the price they fetched on the auction block, while spotlighting some of the timepieces with the most fascinating backstories and representing the most impressive technical achievements. You'll find the expected abundance of watches from Patek Philippe and Rolex (the clear leaders in the category) but also a few from other watchmakers, large and small, who've recently broken into the upper echelon. At the end, we'll spotlight the highest selling watches from a few other brands that didn't crack the top 25 but maintain a robust presence on the watch auction scene. 1. Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010 ($31.19 million, 2019, Christie’s) Patek Philippe unveiled the first Grandmaster Chime watch in 2014 as part of the many celebrations around the Genevan maison’s 175the anniversary. The reference that made history at the Only Watch auction in Geneva in 2019 was a unique piece, the only Grandmaster Chime ever crafted in stainless steel; the Grandmaster Chime models in Patek’s regular collection are all made in precious metals. The watch...

Girard-Perregaux Unveils the New and Improved Constant Escapement SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Unveils Oct 14, 2023

Girard-Perregaux Unveils the New and Improved Constant Escapement

Still one of the most notable escapements on the market despite being a decade old, Girard-Perregaux’s double-wheel-and-silicon invention has been refined and revived as the Neo Constant Escapement. Presented in titanium, the Neo Constant Escapement is the regular production version of the unique piece in pink gold made for Only Watch 2023. The calibre within is a revamped version of the 2013 original that retains the double escape wheels and integral constant-force silicon spring, but reworked for superior function. Initial thoughts Technically impressive as it was, the original Constant Escapement (CE) from 2013 was huge (the case was 48 mm, making size one of its biggest weakness) and expensive at the time. That explains in part why the CE never caught on despite its merits. The revamp of the watch ten years old has substantially improved both its function and form. The Neo Constant Escapement (NCE) is both more wearable and more appealing in terms of design. Besides being more compact, the “Neo” case also has a highly domed crystal that shows off the escapement well. Even though the watch has been redesigned, the NCE retains the hyper-modern, open-worked styling of the original. The look certainly suits the inventive nature of the silicon escapement, though it would have been interesting if GP experimented with a classical design, which might have been ironic but attractive for the contrasting ideas. Equally important is the fact that the retail price remains ab...

Urwerk Conceives a Sci-Fi Tower Clock for Charity SJX Watches
Urwerk Conceives Sep 19, 2023

Urwerk Conceives a Sci-Fi Tower Clock for Charity

With a towering height of 1.62 m and hefty weight of 40 kg, the one-of-a-kind Space-Time Blade created for Only Watch 2023 undeniably embodies the quintessential Urwerk style in both form and concept. The Space-Time Blade is the only sci-fi, retro-electronic clock in an auction dominated by mechanical wristwatches, proving that Urwerk always does things its own way. Even then the Space-Time Blade is hardly a clock in the conventional sense. It eschews minute and hour hands, and even the outline of a conventional standing clock. Instead it illustrates Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei’s fascination with the captivating and vintage technology of Nixie tubes. It will be sold by Christie’s during Only Watch, the charitable auction held every other year to raise funds for research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Initial thoughts It’s easy to see this in the corner of a Brutalist home, alongside other examples of interpretive modern art, but that is not what makes this piece interesting from a construction or technical standpoint. Instead it is the Nixie tubes and their display, along with the multiple timekeeping functions that provided reason for pause. The many and varied ways in which this piece can measure and display time speak to the heart of Urwerk’s philosophy. Known for polarising pieces that push the line between timekeeper and sculpture, Urwerk has created its most abstract timepiece to date with its singular take on the standing ...

TAG Heuer Introduces the Glow-in-the-Dark Monaco Night Driver SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces Sep 14, 2023

TAG Heuer Introduces the Glow-in-the-Dark Monaco Night Driver

Following its recent run of strikingly modern iterations of the classic Monaco, like the Skeleton Dial and the one-of-a-kind Only Watch split-seconds chronograph, TAG Heuer debuts the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver Limited Edition alongside the side of the 2023 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Dressed in shades of grey during the day, the Night Driver transforms into something else altogether at night. It retains the outlines of the vintage original in terms of design, but the Night Driver gets a luminescent chapter ring and sub-dials for nighttime legibility – a nod to the Singapore Grand Prix’s status as the first-ever Formula 1 night race. Initial thoughts After the recent Monaco models that were very contemporary, the more traditional looks of the Night Driver are a positive development. And even then the Night Driver incorporates an intriguing twist, making it more than just a vintage-ish watch. The Night Driver has a dial that uses Super-Luminova as a key element of the design, bringing to mind the Monza Flyback Chronometer. But here the lume is even more generously applied than on the Monza.  Moreover, the grey tones of anthracite, grey opaline, and case coated in diamond-like carbon (DLC), complement the lume well, creating a vintage feel that evokes faded “ghost” dials while still being a modern watch. Like other titanium Monaco models, the Night Driver is light in hand and on the wrist, despite the relatively large case. The thickness of the case, a cons...

A Week In Watches, Episode 63: Geneva Watch Days Special Worn & Wound
De Bethune s Sep 10, 2023

A Week In Watches, Episode 63: Geneva Watch Days Special

In the special edition of A Week In Watches, Zach Weiss and Blake Buettner sit down together to discuss some of the most interesting new releases from Geneva Watch Days, and more. From blacked out Doxas, to kind of blue De Bethunes, and a Eucalyptus Ressence, there were plenty of new watches to appreciate, including the joint Only Watch submission from H. Moser and MB&F;. You can view more of our Geneva Watch Days coverage right here, and keep an eye out for more yet to come. Geneva Watch Days didn’t give us the only new releases last week, though. One of the biggest surprises, and a welcome one at that, was the new Seiko ‘Alpinist’ GMT Prospex references, which brings their 6R54 GMT caliber into the beloved field watch collection. It makes a whole lot of sense in this platform, even if it is a ‘caller’ style GMT, so we’re thrilled to see it makes its way over. This episode of A Week In Watches is sponsored by our friends at Shinola. To commemorate 10 years of American design and manufacturing, Shinola Detroit is proud to share this video that reveals the company and its employees as a team that can carve a distinct pathway forward with their own sense of, as they say, “timeless American design.” This cinematic video gives an insider glimpse of their watchmakers assembling timepieces, soaring views of the Detroit headquarters, and shares perspective on the past decade as well as Shinola’s aims for the future. Learn more about Shinola’s Timeless American ...

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Titanium BMG SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Sep 5, 2023

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Titanium BMG

Audemars Piguet has unveiled a fresh rendition of the famed Royal Oak “Jumbo” with the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Titanium BMG ref. 16202XT. Featuring a smoked burgundy dial, this latest version is set apart by its materials – a titanium case complemented by a bulk metallic glass (BMG) bezel – that are the same as those of the unique ref. 15202XT created for Only Watch 2021.  Initial thoughts While the classical steel “Jumbo” gets most of the attention, the most interesting version of the ref. 16202 in my view is the platinum model, mainly due to the smoked green dial. The platinum model has an appealing radial brushed finish on the dial that was exclusive to that variant, making it quite different from the usual tapisserie guilloche. It’s good to see the same dial finish on another model, and this time with an even more striking burgundy red dial. What sets the new “Jumbo” apart are the case materials: titanium and BMG. Though the materials are identical to the Only Watch edition, the finishing is different. The Only Watch edition was mostly sandblasted. This, on the other hand, has the conventional brushed finish of the Royal Oak. And of course the movements differ between the ref. 15202 and ref. 16202. Still, this remains a “Jumbo” is most respects – size, shape, and style. Yet, with its smoked dial and unusual case material, it becomes an interesting new watch. Whilst it will become part of the permanent collection, it will presumably be ...

H. Moser and MB&F; Team Up for the Streamliner Pandamonium SJX Watches
H. Moser Aug 31, 2023

H. Moser and MB&F; Team Up for the Streamliner Pandamonium

For their joint contribution to this November’s Only Watch charity auction, H. Moser & Cie and MB&F; have released the Streamliner Pandamonium. Made up of a Moser Streamliner case, fume dial, and minute repeating movement, the Pandamonium gets the MB&F; exposed, oversized balance wheel construction along with a panda DJ miniature sculpture.  Initial thoughts  These two brands are not strangers to each other, having collaborated many times before, this joint effort however, seems to be much more Moser than MB&F;, given this is essentially a Streamliner with a hint of MB&F;. Though it is an appealing watch if you like the Streamliner design, I expected the whole to be greater than the sum of the parts with such creative companies combining their powers. While the panda figure looms large in the marketing for this watch, in reality, it is easy to miss on the dial since it just under the flying balance wheel. MB&F; has employed a tiny sculpture as a power reserve indicator in the past, but here the panda is no more than a nice piece of miniature art. It would have been great if there was more of a mechanical aspect to this character, which would have transformed it into a modern take on old-school automaton repeaters – which is not too much of a stretch given the price tag. This watch is undoubtedly whimsical, but it has credible horological backing. The estimate of CHF300,000-400,000 is entirely expected for a minute repeater, and will likely be surpassed, albeit not by mult...