Results for Oyster Case

Return to perfection: Fully restoring a scarred watch case

restoring a damaged watch case

Baselworld 2014: The Unique Case Designs of Manufacture Royale (Video)

Marc Guten, Co-Founder of Manufacture Royale shows us the new 1770 Flying Tourbillon and the Androgyne Tourbillon, two watches with an amazing case design. Interviewed by Adi Soon.

A Case Of A Different Shape; Tortue de Cartier

The Tortue; not as famous as the Tank or the Santos, but certainly as important, historically. The sensual shape of the first Tortue case was created in 1912 and was in fact, after the Santos Dumont and the Tonneau, Cartier’s third watch model. 1912, To be exact, so that’s now 100 years ago and although […]

Buying Guide - Sculpting Time, With 6 Highly Expressive Case Designs

A beautiful product is nothing without a good package, and the same goes for watches. You can design the most stunning dial, back it up with a stellar mechanical movement, but put it in a case that doesn’t match, and it all falls flat. And it’s a real challenge for watchmakers and brands to get […]

The Farer Aqua Compressor returns with a titanium case and a new movement

Returning to the catalogue, this super deep diver comes with some serious updates and raises money for a good cause. The post The Farer Aqua Compressor returns with a titanium case and a new movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Richard Mille Introduces New Sapphire Cases Specially Designed For Caliber RM75-01

How hard is your watch? Demystifying hardness across case materials and crystals

Is steel harder than titanium? Can sapphire actually be scratched by your keys? Buffy finds out.The post How hard is your watch? Demystifying hardness across case materials and crystals appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vero Updates the Open Water with a Smaller Case and New Colors

What was your first watch? Not your first mechanical watch, not your first nice watch, but actually your first watch. If you’re around my age, I’d hazard a guess that it was probably something fun. Neon Shark watches, bright G-Shocks, and outdoorsy Timexes were the thing on my playground growing up, and it’s a recipe that still works just as well approaching (or beyond) 30 as it did approaching 10. All this is to say that colorful and waterproof is a recipe for success, and one brand that really gets this is Vero. I don’t exactly remember the first time I crossed paths with a Vero, but I do remember the minty green dial standing out against the stark black bezel, and that I found myself pretty taken with their line of colorful dive watches from the get. It’s an interest I haven’t really shaken, and one only compounded by the latest iteration of their signature dive watch, the Open Water, now in a  38mm case. The big headline here is a series of subtle refinements to the Open Water model, all of which add up to a stark evolution of Vero’s flagship diver. To look at the new Open Water 38 in isolation, one might be hard-pressed to call out many of these changes but put the old and new models next to each other, and the difference will be clear.  The most visually dramatic of these changes is the shift from a black DLC finish on the bezel to a boldly colored Cerakote treatment. A stark black bezel has been a key visual hallmark of the Vero Open Water, so moving...

BLAKJAK: Tornek-Rayville Type 7B Case Study & Technical Specifications

Staff Sgt. Highrock, Jimmie to the guys, was chilled to the bone and slightly delirious with sleep deprivation but never felt more fulfilled. It was also hard to complain since the rebels were doing the same with less and had been at it for years. The ODA had had to break up into 4 cells in order to get the coverage they wanted and his cell, Alpha, had just spent the last 12 tortured hours on horseback riding over ridges and up to the spur deep in Taliban held territory. Before leaving he had set his Type 7B wrist watch to count the number of days so he could keep better track over the limited supplies they had. The latest supply drop had missed the DZ and they couldn’t for the life of them find any trace of it and so went the extra MREs they had counted on bringing with them. Dave had just finished setting up the SOFLAM and Mike was on the SATCOM to confirm with the Capt. they had arrived as well as the expected kickoff for the attack that they would be supporting. Their task was to bomb the shit out of any reinforcements moving south towards Dostum’s point of attack on the Taliban lines. Mike confirmed to Dave and Jimmie that the attack was set for mid-afternoon about 2 hours before sunset. They had finally arranged through K2, their base in Uzbekistan, to have air assets over the battle area in order to provide close air support before, during, and after the attack. They still had a few hours to wait and so spent the time glassing the road and the surrounding mounta...

Bulova Makes a Stronger (and Smaller) Case for Why You Should Add the Lunar Pilot Chronograph

The history of the Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph is a nebulous one. Sure, its claim to fame is that it was worn on the moon’s surface by astronaut Dave Scott during the 1971 Apollo 15 mission. As the story goes, Scott’s issued Omega Speedmaster malfunctioned during his second moonwalk, which opened up the door for his personal Bulova Lunar Pilot to get some action. But there were always questions to be answered in regards to where its design came from, what movement it used, and how it got into Scott’s possession in the first place. If you’re an Apollo enthusiast, moonwatch enthusiast, or both, then I’m sure these queries already have the gears turning. But before you move that cursor over to your browser search bar, I strongly suggest you stay right here and check out this editorial piece written back in 2016 by W&W; contributor, Hung Doan, as he covers all the bases in this interesting piece of investigative journalism. Alright, welcome back! Interesting bit of history, right? Dave Scott’s Bulova Worn On The Moon During The Apollo 15 Mission Fast forward to today, Bulova has announced that they are expanding their Lunar Pilot Chronograph line with two brand new models – a black dial and accompanying subdials harkening back to the traditional steel case special edition model and a cream textured dial with navy blue accents. Both variations get a new and improved case that’ll be more suitable for a wider range of wrist sizes, as well as a cleaner dial layou...

The curious case of the Gevril Tribeca: 5 reasons why it is the king of homage watches

Homage watches within the enthusiast community can be quite a contentious topic at times. Are they rip-offs? Cash cows? Sell-outs? Unoriginal? The reality is opinions can vary, but the true metric or equaliser of any watch to an extent is how they perform on the grey or second-hand market. While the objective of most homage … ContinuedThe post The curious case of the Gevril Tribeca: 5 reasons why it is the king of homage watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials

Audemars Piguet have been slowly but surely unveiling some quietly inspired new releases in 2020. First came the bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph, then came a diminutive new Royal Oak 34mm. More recently, AP saw fit to bestow its much-lauded Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin with two new models – the dazzling Diamond Indexes In Platinum … ContinuedThe post Audemars Piguet add three new black-cased Royal Oak Offshore models with smoked fumé dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Mysterious Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 with a Vichet Case and Round Pushers

Watches that are historical curiosities often make for good stories, and sometimes record-setting prices. The Patek Philippe ref. 2499 at Phillips’ upcoming New York sale, as it happens, is one such watch. Rare and usually expensive, the ref. 2499 is not the first perpetual-calendar chronograph made by Patek Philippe – that distinction goes to the smaller ref. 1518 – but it’s the most desirable, broadly speaking, because it has a largish case well suited to modern tastes. Introduced in 1950, the model is regarded to have been produced in four distinct series, each distinguished by various details like the shape of the pushers and the dial. The first series ref. 2499 is characterised by square, or rectangular, pushers, applied Arabic numerals on the dial, which also has a tachymetre on its periphery. For approximately the first two years of its production, the ref. 2499 relied on cases made by Emile Vichet, a Geneva specialist that was the go-to case maker for Patek Philippe during the period. Vichet case, round buttons. Image – Phillips Vichet and Wenger Vichet cases feature distinctive lugs, usually described as claw-like, which are elongated and curve sharply downwards. And because Vichet cases have a flat, as opposed to domed, case back, they sit slightly elevated, on the the tips of each lug, when placed on a table. The number of 2499s with Vichet cases is tiny: around four known in pink gold, and about 10 in yellow gold. Though Vichet went out of business i...

The Collector’s View: Grand Seiko 6145-8030 - Hi Beat and very special case and dial

A collector reviews her own Grand Seiko 6135-8030, a high beat GS with a very special case and dial. And the tale of love at first sight.

Win a $100K Daytona, Drake freezes the world, and microbrands close the case

Win a $100K Rolex Daytona for charity, discover Drake’s one-of-one Ice Gradient Daytona, and enter Mr Jones Watches’ design competition.

Introducing: Panerai’s Luminor Marina PAM01707 Is All Classic Everything, Except For The High-Tech Composite Case

What We Know As one of the more recognisable watch designs, period, the current Panerai Luminor shape has been rendered in many different materials since the 1955 introduction of the crown protection device. This latest take, the Luminor Marina PAM01707, is cased in Carbotech, a composite material combining carbon fibre sheets and polyether ether ketone, resulting in excellent anti-corrosion properties and lightness. Though Panerai’s products now comfortably sit in the luxury watchmaking category, it hasn't stopped them from using avant-garde materials suited to the original intent of their designs. Measuring 44mm across and 14.5mm thick, the PAM01707 has all the hallmarks of a classic Panerai, with its cushion-shaped mid-case sandwiched by a round, striated Carbotech bezel and a DLC-treated titanium caseback. The signature bridge, which spans the right-hand side of the case and protects and locks the crown, is also rendered in carbon, matching the uneven, textured finish of the rest of the case. This sanga-based analogy can be expanded on for the dial, another Panerai hallmark. The textured, matte top plate features cut-outs for the stick indices and Arabic numerals at the cardinal points, as well as the small seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, allowing the fauxtinated Super-LumiNova bottom layer to shine through. Here pictured on brown calf leather, Panerai also includes an “Officine Panerai”-branded black rubber strap so you can actually take the watch swimming, th...

Identifying a Watch 101: The Elliott Smith Case Study

Whether it’s shown briefly on a TV show, in a photograph, featured in an advertisement, or even programmed into a video game, as watch collectors, we’ve all had at least one time where we spotted a watch and felt almost forced to double-take. Because of the money associated with stardom, it’s often Rolex Submariners, Omega Speedmasters, and Patek Philippe’s galore that we find in popular culture productions and events. There are, of course, countless instances of this, but I find that catching a glimpse of an inexpensive and accessible watch on someone’s wrist is far more rewarding and worthwhile to the average watch collector. Few of us have the ability to spend thousands of dollars on a watch that has Hollywood provenance, so to spot and potentially own a piece of horological pop culture history for sometimes well under $100 is a dream come true for many movie and watch fans. To illustrate how identifying a watch can be quite fun and certainly approachable, we will be examining singer/songwriter Elliott Smith and his wristwatch. Its brand and model will be revealed later on as I will first walk you through each step of the process. I hope I can provide you with some pointers the next time you come across a watch you want to identify yourself. It can feel like a rather unnecessary skill at times, but it’s a good feeling to discover a popular culture tie to a wristwatch that no one else has noticed before. How to Identify and Research an Unknown Watch Using Pho...

The elegant case for the modern summer watch

The Fascinating Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck: now back in a new Blast case

Ulysse Nardin reimagined their Blast Moonstruc in a new black DLC titanium and rose gold. The movement remains unchanged from the 2009 release.

New: Gerald Charles unveils Masterlink Gem Set Stone Dial- Three Rare Minerals, One Signature Case

Gerald Charles extends their signature Masterlink collection with a trip of limited editions with Gem Set bezels and indices and rare stone dials.

Introducing - The Hand-Chiselled Case of the New Anoma A1 Prehistoric

Anoma was founded in 2024 and entered the watchmaking scene with the distinctive, rounded, triangular-shaped A1 model. Inspired by a 1950s free-form table designed by Charlotte Perriand, the original A1 has since evolved through small-series releases, the Slate and the Optical, and, more recently, the permanent Abyss and Stone models. The young London-based brand now […]

First Look - The New Czapek Antarctique with a Frozen Meteor Dial in Two Case Sizes

Launched in 2020, the Antarctique is Czapek’s distinctive take on the integrated luxury sports watch powered by the brand’s first in-house calibre. Although the Antarctique has embraced complications, the go-to model is the more straightforward time-only reference, often featuring textured dials, like the successful Passage de Drake editions. Following the Antarctique Green Meteor, Czapek proposes […]

In Loving Memory Of Om Malik, Friend, Writer, Venture Capitalist, And Ever The Believer

I made a decision long ago to never use Hodinkee as a personal platform – rather, to keep it to professional writing about things that impact people who come here solely for watches. Today, I may be breaking my own rule, but sometimes, some things are worth it – or in this case, some people. Om Malik died yesterday at Stanford Hospital after a prolonged fight with issues related to his heart.  For those who don't know Om, he was born in India, educated in the UK, and was one of the first people to take legacy media brands online (he was a founding member of the Forbes.com team in 1997!) After that, he launched an early and important digital business publication called GigaOm, as well as contributing to the likes of Business 2.0, the WSJ, and more. He is credited with being among the first people to cite companies that would shape the world, such as Twitter, and being part of their fabric at times. One such example is Hodinkee.  Om reached out to me via Twitter in January of 2012. I went back tonight and checked. In those early emails, we talked mostly about watches – he attended an event I hosted for the Harry Winston Opus 12. And another for the Cartier ID2. He came to Nomos launch parties (before they were in the USA), and the same for Tudor. He was early and awesome with Hodinkee, and watches for that matter, but that's not why I'm writing this post tonight. Om practicing his love of time lapse photography with me on a trip to the Bay Area. Om changed my life. ...

The Cartier Tortue: A Case for Elegance

17 Best Watches That Make The Case for Choosing Quartz Over Mechanical

We tested 17 quartz watches that make the movement feel like a strength, including solar field watches, serious divers, high-accuracy pieces, and weird digital icons.

First Look - A Smaller Case and Fresh Colours for the Powerful Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional

Since its launch in 2021, the Seastar 2000 Professional has occupied an interesting spot in Tissot’s catalogue. For around EUR 1,000, it delivers a specification sheet that normally comes with more expensive dive watches: a helium escape valve, a ceramic insert bezel, 600m water-resistance, ISO 6425 certification, and a robust Swiss movement. In short, this […]

Tudor Introduces the “Bumblebee” Black Bay Chrono 39 in a New Smaller Case

Coming out of Watches & Wonders, there was plenty of commentary that Tudor had an iterative, kind of “off” year with a confusing pseudo-heritage piece in the Monarch being an unexpected standard bearer. We, frankly, really enjoyed all the new stuff, and thought some of the reactions were a bit out of left field, but regardless, I think their announcement today should get many of the skeptics claiming Tudor has lost a step to rethink their takes. The new Tudor “Bumblebee” Black Bay Chrono 39 is not merely a fun new summer color for their flagship chronograph, but an entirely new case size for that watch that speaks directly to enthusiasts who have been asking for a scaled down version.  Tudor is positioning the “Bumblebee” as a follow up to the Pink and Flamingo Blue chronographs that have appeared over the last few years. These brightly colored watches have been incredibly popular with collectors as alternatives to the standard black and white variants. Here we have a bright yellow dial with contrasting black subdials at 9 and 3 with a black tachymeter bezel in aluminum. The snowflake hands and hour markers are also outlined in black, and there’s a black minute track at the dial’s perimeter, all of which play up the “Bumblebee” theme.  But the real news here is that new case. It measures 39mm in diameter in stainless steel, and 13.1mm in height. That’s down from 14.1mm tall on the larger 41mm chronograph, which is a meaningful difference. The lug to...

Best 36mm Watches We’ve Reviewed: Our Favorites Smaller-Case Picks

After reviewing a wide range of smaller watches, these are our favorite 36mm picks for fit, comfort, design, and everyday wear.

Business News: Watches And Wonders Attendance Climbs Despite Geo-Politics And Economic Challenges As Brands Make Case For Value

The watches that prove commercial and collector successes emerging from Watches and Wonders 2026 will have climbed a wall of worry. There was plenty to fret over heading into the watch industry's largest and most important annual salon this year. The eruption of war in the Middle East challenged travel plans and clouded the outlook for visitors from the region and beyond. Indeed, sales have certainly been impacted in the Middle East, and the question remains how quickly stability might return.The existing bugbears of the watch sector – rising input costs from raw materials, including record gold values, ongoing U.S. tariffs, not to mention the continued strength of the Swiss franc, as well as years of retail price increases – remained omnipresent. All told, these factors could have set the stage for a subdued, cautious event. Instead, the industry converged in Geneva, striking an optimistic and inclusive tone where it worked hard to show it's been paying attention to the demands of clients and customers with new watches that drove home a theme of demonstrating value in often, but not always, familiar packages. With public-facing events including Montreaux Jazz concerts in the Geneva city center, Watches and Wonders emphasized its role as a cultural tent pole for the industry and the Swiss watchmaking region, aiming to be more open and welcoming. The new, more public-oriented strategy certainly paid off as attendance jumped to nearly 60,000 unique visitors, a record for...

Introducing: Tudor Revives The Monarch With A New Faceted Case And Bracelet

Angular and sharp in its design, the new Monarch brings a new bracelet style and a 'California' dial to the lineup.