Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Best Watches To Gift This Holiday That Look Pricier Than They Are
We hand-picked watches that we tested and feel premium on the wrist. Make your gift count and deliver real value this holiday season.
4,367 articles · 1,770 videos found · page 152 of 205
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We hand-picked watches that we tested and feel premium on the wrist. Make your gift count and deliver real value this holiday season.
Time+Tide
The Les Cabinotiers Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater and The Labours of Heracles unite grand feu enamel and hand‑engraving.The post These Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête métiers d’art pieces tell centuries-old stories appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments collection brings together the ancient Japanese art of Raden (inlaying of shell), traditional Vietnamese lacquer, and Swiss watchmaking. The dials comprise hand-laid mother-of-pearl fragments sealed beneath layers of natural lacquer. Offered in three limited editions (Green, Blue, and Pink), these watches showcase Awake’s mission to make metiers d’art available in […] Visit Introducing: The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments In Three Mesmeric Colors to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
You have to hand it to Christopher Ward; they’ve been on a hell of a run. What was once a bit of an ‘also-ran’ brand with a stable of somewhat generic dive and dress watches has become a near-peerless independent powerhouse, turning out hit after hit and creating converts everywhere they (or at least their impressively enthusiastic team) go. Their latest offering, the C1 Jump Hour Mk V - released today - revives a complication with which the brand has a long history, and is sure to bring yet more converts to the fold. Now, despite a sense of increased affection for the English brand in the last few years and its general rise in popularity, I’ve not spent much time writing about Christopher Ward. I’ve also, outside of quick hits at Windup fairs and in passing moments, spent shockingly little hands-on time with the brand’s recent offerings. So when I was offered the chance to spend a few days with their latest release, I leapt at the opportunity, curious to see if I’d be pulled into the ranks of the converted, as so many of my colleagues at Worn & Wound have been. I’ve now spent much of the last week with the Christopher Ward C1 Jump Hour Mk V on my wrist, and I have to admit, I’m somewhat smitten. The Christopher Ward JJ01 Jump hour watches have been having a bit of a moment in the sun recently, but they’re nothing new to Christopher Ward. The brand introduced its first jump hour watch all the way back in 2011. The brand’s foray into the jump hour ...
Teddy Baldassarre
When you think of Rolex, the first colors your mind usually conjures up are green and gold, long the emblematic colors of the Swiss power brand and its world-famous “crown” logo. (Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf is said to have settled on these colors because they symbolized wealth and success.) Blue, on the other hand, is not a color that most watch aficionados readily associate with Rolex, though many will associate it with other watch brands, like Breguet, Breitling, and Rolex’s own little brother, Tudor. However, when Rolex does decide to do blue - whether it’s for dials, bezels, or some combination of both - it does so in a way that really speaks to the brand’s avid fan base. Over the years, some blue-dialed Rolex watches, in fact, are not only popular but have become recognized as classics. Here are seven Rolexes with blue dials - some discontinued and collectible, others still available in the current collection - that have demanded enthusiast attention. (Price estimates for the discontinued models on the list are courtesy of WatchCharts.) Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41, Ref. 126334 ($11,100) Rolex released the Datejust in 1945, and the model is today regarded as one of the world’s most classically elegant dress watches. The Datejust brought two now-familiar elements to the world of watch design, one of which can be found throughout the watch industry, the other being still closely associated with Rolex. The first was the addition of a date disp...
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Monochrome
In a surprising and quite unexpected move, Alpina celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2023 by unveiling a highly limited run of Heritage Carrée Mechanical watches, featuring the authentic calibre 490 hand-wound movement from 1938 inside, restored and presented in a silver case. Following positive reactions and to ensure continuity, the brand introduced non-limited versions in […]
SJX Watches
Thin and time only, the Vanguard Slim is Franck Muller’s take on a modern dress watch. It’s been reimagined by the brand’s distributor in Mexico, Raconli Group, which tapped Marcos Cojab, an architect who’s also a sculptor working under the moniker Alquimiamc. The result is the Vanguard Alquimiamc clad in bronze – the case and dial are aged bronze, brushed by hand. The 15-piece edition is made up of two variants, one in the familiar Vanguard configuration, and another with a minimalist dial free of numerals. Thanks to the styling and materials, both versions are intriguing designs that depart from the usual Franck Muller style. Initial thoughts The Vanguard Slim is one of Franck Muller’s most appealing current models. While the typical Franck Muller is oversized and sometimes over designed, the Vanguard Slim is the opposite – the curved case is under 10 mm high, giving it an elegant profile, while the dial is cleaner thanks to just two hands. Earlier versions of the Vanguard Slim were already simple, but the Alquimiamc goes even further, with less obvious branding, though the version with numerals is still recognisable as the Vanguard. Instead the Alquimiamc emphasises the texture and shading of the aged bronze, which gives it an unusual appeal. Bronze inside and out The Alquimiamc edition is derived from the Vanguard Slim (also known as the Line Cut), a sleek time-only version of Franck Muller’s bestselling model. While the brand is best known for its ext...
WatchAdvice
The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds isn’t about showing off, it’s about showing how precise watchmaking can get. Every jump of the seconds hand tells a story of engineering perfection and timeless design. It’s the kind of watch that reminds you why A. Lange & Söhne is one of the brands that sits at the top of the horological world. What We Love Exceptional craftsmanship as always from A. Lange & Söhne. Regulator display offers a unique way of telling time. Watching the seconds hand jump precisely each second is something truly special, especially for a fully mechanical timepiece. The finishing on both the case and movement is second to none, showcasing A. Lange & Söhne’s dedication to perfection. What We Don’t The case thickness remains on the larger side; even with the added function, it could be refined further. Reading the time at a quick glance can be a little tricky due to the regulator-style layout. The watch’s refined, dressy nature means it’s not the most versatile piece for everyday or casual wear. Overall Rating: 8.8/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build quality: 9/10 From the moment you strap on the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds, you can immediately tell that this is no ordinary dress watch, but rather a refined instrument of time. Straight away you can see the level of precision, and the idea that every element of this timepiece as a role and purpose. In the world of horology, where high complications...
Monochrome
As you might already know as of now, Breguet is celebrating this year its 250th anniversary. And the brand is doing so by releasing watches that are either evolutions of emblematic models – such as the two stunning hand-wound Type XX – or paying tribute to the countless innovations of A.L. Breguet, for instance the […]
SJX Watches
Piaget pays tribute to the pop-art pioneer and prolific watch collector with the Andy Warhol Watch Collage Limited Edition in the best way it knows how – with an exotic stone dial. Like the watch owned by Warhol himself, the Collage has a black onyx dial, but in between the onyx is yellow serpentine, pink opal, and green chrysoprase, forming a precious stone puzzle carefully assembled by hand. To bring things full circle, this 50 piece limited edition has a yellow gold case, the same alloy Warhol himself wore, and a metal that’s absent from the regular production Any Warhol lineup. Initial Thoughts The first Swiss quartz watches hit the market mere months after the Seiko Astron, powered by the CEH Beta 21 – a large and rectangular movement that gave the oversized watches it powered a distinctive look that I am fond of. Piaget’s ref. 15101, launched in 1972, was one of the most appealing Beta 21 designs by my reckoning. The renowned American artist must have agreed with that assessment as he purchased one in 1973, which Piaget bought back at auction after Warhol’s death. It is also worth noting that Yves Piaget, president of Piaget since 1980, knew Warhol personally. Andy Warhol with Yves Piaget. Image – Piaget The marquetry dial of the Collage puts Piaget’s expertise to good use. It is surprisingly creative, and is not based on a specific Warhol work as already done many times before. Rather, Piaget attempted to recreate Warhol’s process to create a new wor...
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Monochrome
I’m a child from the 1980s, so I grew up in the world of Nintendos and Playstations, which I played for hours and hours. I wasn’t a total hermit or anything as I did other stuff as well, but I did spend my fair share with a controller in hand, playing games like Tetris, Super […]
Monochrome
Angelus and Massena LAB return with a second collaboration that once again leans hard into classic mid-century chronograph codes. After the first collaborative project, the 2023 Chronographe Médical, which reintroduced the brand’s vintage tool-watch spirit and the La Fabrique collection, and the recent Chronographe Télémètre established a small-case, hand-wound monopusher as a core design, the […]
Fratello
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we try our hand at predicting the fortunes of four key watch brands. These makers all have great pieces in their lineups, yet we wonder if they have more in store to become absolute powerhouses. Or perhaps some of these companies will go in the […] Visit Fratello On Air: Predicting The Fortunes Of Four Brands In Five Years to read the full article.
Deployant
Glashütte Original and MEISSEN unite two pillars of Saxon craftsmanship in the Senator MEISSEN collection-a trio of limited-edition timepieces that blend horological precision with porcelain artistry. Each model features a hand-painted MEISSEN porcelain dial housed in a 40mm red gold case, powered by the automatic calibre 36-16. The Mystic Maison editions in white and celadon green are limited to 150 pieces each and priced at $30,300, while the Collage edition, limited to just 8 pieces, retails at $36,400.
Monochrome
Tissot is basking in the limelight these days with a string of attractive models at unbeatable prices that have quite literally flown off the shelves, including the much-coveted PRX integrated sports watch. However, suppose you are in the market for a more traditional, clean-cut, daily, three-hand-and-date companion? Well, Tissot’s Classic Dream collection has just expanded […]
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Monochrome
Two Saxon institutions, one renowned for its porcelain and the other for its precision, come together on a shared canvas. To mark 180 years of watchmaking in Glashütte and 315 years of Meissen porcelain, Glashütte Original unveils the Senator Meissen limited editions, a trio of red-gold watches with hand-painted porcelain dials; timepieces that are as […]
Fratello
When many collectors think of the Speedmaster, they immediately imagine the classic Moonwatch with its Hesalite crystal, 42mm asymmetrical case, and hand-wound chronograph movement. But for those willing to cast their net wider, the Speedmaster family offers a surprising variety of curves, quirks, and historical detours. So, following the wonderful response to our original article […] Visit Five Further Non-Classic Omega Speedmasters Worthy Of Any Collection to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Voutilainen turns the popular three-hand formula inside out to put the movement front and centre, now with a titanium cushion-case for the first time. The KV20i Reversed CS is not revolutionary, instead building on the KV20i Reversed Cherry from last year, but the movement remains one of the best in its segment, with hands, case, and half of a dial to match. Initial Thoughts Kari Voutilainen is a seminal figure in independent watchmaking, partly responsible for the popularity of elaborately decorated three-hand watches with dazzling guilloche dials – and not just because his company, Comblémine, makes a good number of those guilloche dials for other brands. Mr Voutilainen was at least a decade ahead of his time with his Observatoire of 2007, a watch that, alongside Philippe Dufour’s Simplicity, cultivated a market for this format. Nearly two decades later, his watches stand out less aesthetically, but his quality remains superlative – and has even improved. An Observatoire made in 2007, now 18 years old. Image – Phillips The cushion-shaped case is a new variable in a familiar formula, taking after the unique TP1 pocket watch Kari and Venla Voutilainen made for Only Watch 2019. Four prominent security screws hold the case together, and make for a more contemporary aesthetic that works well with Kari’s already pleasantly eclectic style. And for better or worse (depending on the collector’s taste) the Reversed CS leaves ample room for customisation. Beyond the c...
Fratello
Independent watchmaking is often most interesting when it balances tradition with something fresh. That is exactly what Nicolas Delaloye has done with the Renaissance. On paper, it’s a classical dress watch with an enamel dial and a hand-wound movement. However, the case is made of tantalum, one of the most intriguing and difficult metals to […] Visit Introducing: The Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance In Tantalum to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Limited to 99 pieces, each of these Gothic hand-engraved watches is the result of over 50 hours of work, with each watch being unique.The post Louis Erard joins forces with artisanal engraver Maksym Shavlak on the surprisingly affordable Gravée Main appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Worn & Wound
Every so often, you come across new releases that feel less like a stranger and more like someone you’ve met before, but can’t quite place. This feeling cropped up more and more as the vintage revival trend took a firm grasp on the watch industry, as brands rushed to bring back “iconic” references from the obscure archives. However, from the moment the Caravelle Sea Hunter hit my hand and that feeling crept in, it probably wasn’t for the reason you might assume. To be fair and to frame this review properly for all of you, I have only spent two brief periods of romance with Sea Hunter up until now. That has been enough time for me to claim that the Caravelle by Bulova is here to fill a void left by one of, if not the, most legendary dive watches ever made for the modern audience, the Seiko SKX. However, we can circle back to that in a moment. Caravelle was launched as the more affordable younger sibling operating underneath the Bulova brand in 1962 as a direct competitor to Timex. Offering jeweled movements at a price point that others could not, Caravelle eventually grew to become the largest-selling jeweled-movement watch manufacturer in the United States by 1968. In that swath of mass-produced affordable wrist watches sat a line of diving tool watches bearing the name Sea Hunter, with the soon-to-be iconic 666 depth rating, which brought about the ‘Devil Diver’ nickname. It was one of those Devil Divers, released in 1969, that Caravelle chose to do someth...
Monochrome
There’s no denying that the love for independent watchmaking is on the rise. Throughout the past couple of years, we have also very happily seen a growing interest in artisanal watchmaking. Creating watches by hand, with traditional tools and techniques and hours and hours of labour. This time around, we have another new name lined […]
Monochrome
MeisterSinger is well known for its single-handed collections with popular lines like ?01 & ?03 and Neo with their classic styling and accessible prices. The latest Pangaea Aventurine model takes the best of the above collections and adds a starry nighttime vibe and a stylised, classic needle-shaped hand (the latter from the 365 series). The […]
Time+Tide
Bulgari collaborates with Korean-born, Japan-based artist Lee Ufan on an eye-catching Octo Finissimo with a hand-filled titanium case.The post Bulgari & Lee Ufan scratch out a new look for the Octo Finissimo (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Enamel over hand‑guilloché pairs with miniature grand feu enamel horse art.The post Jaeger‑LeCoultre brings Xu Beihong’s horses to the Reverso in enamel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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