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Live from Geneva! It's the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
501 articles · 7 videos found · page 17 of 17
Hodinkee
Live from Geneva! It's the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
Monochrome
Few watch designs offer the freedom to create a series of nearly identical-looking pieces that remain universally appealing, regardless of case size or dial colour. Nomos timepieces, defined by a beautiful simplicity rooted in Bauhaus principles, showcase this versatility nicely… Take for instance the Club Sport series. The sporty line was first introduced in a […]
Worn & Wound
Few kinds of watches are as universally beloved as the dive watch. For myriad reasons – durability, legibility, history, and more – the classic dive watch, for essentially its entire history, has been a smashing success. We think it’s easy to see why: diver’s watches capture a sense of adventure and (mostly) anachronistic utility that still feels cool today. Their aesthetic has never really gone out of style, and there is no arguing that a solid dive watch is exactly what a lot of enthusiasts think of when they imagine what a “nice watch” is. Like with EDC gear or sports cars, there’s a sense of enjoyment of knowing that our tools are more than up to the task. Thankfully, an entry into the dive watch game doesn’t cost an arm and a leg; in fact, here are five dive watches under $1,000 that we would strap on any day for life’s adventures. Without further ado, let’s, um, dive in. Few kinds of watches are as universally beloved as the dive watch. For myriad reasons – durability, legibility, history, and more – the classic dive watch, for essentially its entire history, has been a smashing success. We think it’s easy to see why: diver’s watches capture a sense of adventure and (mostly) anachronistic utility that still feels cool today. Their aesthetic has never really gone out of style, and there is no arguing that a solid dive watch is exactly what a lot of enthusiasts think of when they imagine what a “nice watch” is. Like with EDC gear or spor...
SJX Watches
One of the highlights this coming spring auction season in Geneva is prime example of a rare watch at Antiquorum. Consigned by the family of the original owner, the Patek Philippe World Time Cloisonné “World” ref. 605 HU DE in pink gold is both in fine condition and boasting a possibly unique combination of features, namely a pink gold case, a “world” motif cloisonné dial in unusual colours, and early “observatory” style hands. Produced for some three decades from about 1937 to the 1950s, the ref. 605 HU (short for heure universelles, or “universal time”) is a quintessential Louis Cottier-type world time; its wristwatch counterpart was the ref. 2523 HU. Just over 80 were made over the production run, with about two-thirds in yellow gold and the rest in pink gold. They were made by Louis Cottier in his Geneva workshop in an artisanal manner, explaining the variances across examples. Most were equipped with conventional metal dials, including rare examples in pink or black, but from the 1940s onwards, Patek Philippe began selling the ref. 605 HU with cloisonné enamel dials. Less than 20 were made with cloisonné dials, most depicting map motifs of some sort. A handful, maybe just two, featured figurative dials, including the ref. 605 HU in the Patek Philippe Museum with the Greek sea god Neptune on the dial (that Antiquorum sold in 1989). This example is rare for having a map of the entire world – only two others are known – as well as being in pink go...
Worn & Wound
Over the course of three years visiting Geneva with the Worn & Wound team, a handful of traditions have begun to take shape. We carve out a night for a team dinner at Jeck’s, a hole-in-the-wall Singaporean restaurant that we stumbled upon in year one, and is consistently the best meal of the entire trip. We cover Tudor first, every year. I am in the habit of buying a Swatch at the Geneva airport on my way home. And every year, I have a meeting with Hublot, and I write a breathless article about the weird and wonderful stuff I’m shown. It’s consistently the meeting that underscores the “Wonders” bit about the week more than any other. When I first took on the task of writing about the new Hublot novelties at Watches & Wonders, it felt like a defense of sorts. Of the brand, the watches, and even our decision to cover them. I think, thankfully, we’ve all moved on a bit from a time when Hublot was just universally lambasted as a loud and unserious brand for loud and unserious people. They have never really been that in my opinion, but there was a time when the watches, if not really interrogated, could have given you that impression on a surface level. Hublot is covered differently now, and in recent years I’m glad to see them getting their flowers from a watch media that previously skipped them entirely or openly derided them. There are a variety of reasons for that, but a key one has to be that Hublot has, perhaps, calmed down a bit at the entry point in th...
Monochrome
Montblanc introduced its white star logo in 1913, an emblem which has graced the caps of its fountain pens and, later, the crowns of its watches. While the logo is universally recognised, some folk might not know that it represents a stylised bird’s eye view of the snow-capped peak of Mont Blanc and its six […]
Monochrome
The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox 39mm reference, drawing inspiration from the iconic 1960s model, the Heuer Carrera 7753 SN, introduces a universally beloved panda-style chronograph dial. This latest addition to the series is the first to offer a bracelet option, a significant departure from the previous strap-only models. The new TAG Heuer Carrera […]
SJX Watches
With Daniel Roth’s revival having become official last year, the brand has just taken the covers off the prototype of the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription at LVMH Watch Week 2024. Retaining the style and dimensions of its 1990s inspiration, the Tourbillon Souscription is, however, an entirely new creation in mechanical terms, with the DR001 movement inside having been developed specifically for it by Geneva complications specialist La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). Initial thoughts The prototype of the Tourbillon Souscription arrives with subtle refinements compared to the images released last year. The aesthetics largely replicate the design of the 1990s originals, which was the brand’s goal from the beginning, at least for this opening act in its revival. Where the Tourbillon Souscription does better than the original is in the execution and mechanics. The guilloche dial is evidently top quality and also on a solid-gold base. More notably, the recessed area around the tourbillon, which is the actually the base plate, is finished with Côtes de Genève. On the originals this area was unfinished except for a rudimentary micro-blasting. But the calibre within is a more substantive achievement. The DR001 movement was conceived for this watch (though perhaps borrowing elements from LFT’s existing constructions) with aesthetics and traditional detailing in mind, explaining elements like the black-polished steel cock and linear winding click. In contrast, the originals relie...
Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward, the UK-based watch company, has never shied away from a “big umbrella” approach when it comes to making price-accessible timepieces that don’t compromise on style or quality. Their latest C63 Sealander 36 GMT is no exception. Responding to the need for a universally wearable – and affordable – watch, Christopher Ward has released the C63 Sealander 36 GMT, a diminutive cousin to the larger 39mm C63 Sealander GMT. While this may be a condensed version of the Sealander, it’s no less elegant, retaining all of the clean aesthetics of a Christopher Ward watch, such as its finely brushed surfaces and polished chamfers. True to the Sealander’s ‘Go Anywhere, Do Everything’ mantra, the 36 GMT boasts an ultra-legible dial adorned with applied indices, a twin-flags logo, a symmetrical 6 o’clock date, and brushed and polished hands filled with Super-LumiNova®. The GMT hand, featuring a vibrant orange accent, adds a sporty contrast to the White, Black, and Dragonfly Blue dial choices. The C63 Sealander 36 GMT runs on a Sellita SW330-2 GMT movement, which promises an impressive 56-hour power reserve. As a GMT watch, you can set the fourth hand separately to the time zone of your choice. The C63 Sealander 36 GMT is available now via Christopher Ward’s website, for a price starting at £905. Images from this post: The post Christopher Ward Introduces a Slightly Smaller Version of their Popular C63 Sealander GMT appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. This week, we have an incredible lineup of timepieces featuring some that draw inspiration from the past and others that are pushing the boundaries of affordable GMT watches. We also highlight a universally useful accessory and close with a special knife that can do it all. Grab a coffee, pop a squat, and enjoy this week’s edition of the Roundup. The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. This week, we have an incredible lineup of timepieces featuring some that draw inspiration from the past and others that are pushing the boundaries of affordable GMT watches. We also highlight a universally useful accessory and close with a special knife that can do it all. Grab a coffee, pop a squat, and enjoy this week’s edition of the Roundup. The post The Roundup: Sporty Watches, Stylish Storage, and Good Old US-Made Gear appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Teddy Baldassarre
Raymond Weil, founded in 1975 by its eponym and now owned and operated by the Bernheim family, is one of only a handful of independently owned Swiss watchmaking companies, alongside historic, prestigious maisons like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. The Geneva-based company, however, occupies a different niche than those two high-horology powerhouses, having firmly established itself as a purveyor of “affordable luxury” - producing well-designed watches with wide appeal that nevertheless rarely gain attention in the upper echelons of horological connoisseurship. That all changed in 2023, however, when the sublimely refined design of the brand’s Millesime Small Seconds model took the coveted Challenge award in the year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie Genève (GPHG), the watch world’s equivalent of the Oscars. With its sober but meticulously embellished sector dial and slender case, the watch represents a throwback to a style of understatedly elegant dress watch that few seem to be making anymore. I had a chance to wear one for a couple weeks for a hands-on review. (To get Teddy's video take on the watch on our dedicated Reviews channel, click here.) Case: The round stainless steel case of the Millesime (the term comes from the world of fine wine, and appropriately translates to “vintage”) will settle perfectly into many enthusiasts’ sweet spot, at 39mm in diameter, and its thickness of just under 11mm (10.9mm, to be super-precise) will ensure that it set...
SJX Watches
Arriving just as the Dragon year begins in February, the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon” is the latest illustration of the Geneva brand’s artisanal and technical capabilities, with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture on a grand feu enamel dial and an in-house calibre that indicates the time and calendar on discs. The “Year of the Dragon” is the final chapter in the brand’s Chinese Zodiac collection, an annual series of limited editions that began in 2012 with the rabbit. With the Chinese zodiac made up of a repeating 12-year cycle – with each year represented by an animal – the series reaches its conclusion with this dragon edition, which like its predecessors is available in either pink gold or platinum. Initial thoughts Dragon-themed watches have already started to proliferate with the incoming Year of the Dragon, simply because the dragon has the most universal appeal amongst all of the zodiac animals. It carries desirable symbolism across East Asia, as opposed to say, the rodent or pig, which have a niche audience. So the appeal of a dragon watch is arguably less about the motif, which is now common, but the execution. And here the Metiers d’Art “Year of the Dragon” excels in both presentation and technique. I’ve always been fond of Vacheron Constantin’s quadruple-disc display because it is both logical and attractive. The display makes sense because it leaves majority of the dial free fo...
SJX Watches
I recently had the opportunity to see how the philosophy of “in-house” plays out in real life with a behind-the-scenes tour of the F.P. Journe manufacture in Geneva, and its newly opened case and dial factory in Meyrin, Les Cadraniers de Genève (CDG) and Les Boîtiers de Genève (BDG). The tour was impressive in its thoroughness and transparency. Montres Journe, the entity that makes F.P. Journe watches, comprises three entities at two sites in the Geneva metro area. The first is the F.P. Journe manufacture in downtown Geneva – incidentally not far from the Patek Philippe Museum – where all F.P. Journe movements are designed and manufactured, and where all watches are finished, assembled, and tested. The reception room at the Geneva manufacture. When F.P. Journe launched in 1999, this room was the entire production space for the brand, which subsequently acquired the rest of the building. The original production space is now a reception area and home to a portion of the Jean-Claude Sabrier library, acquired in 2015. The other two entities are Les Cadraniers de Genève (CDG) and Les Boîtiers de Genève (BDG) – which translate literally as “The Dial Makers of Geneva” and “The Case Makers of Geneva”. The two recently moved into a new building where CDG makes dials for F.P. Journe as well as third-party clients like Vacheron Constantin, Laurent Ferrier, and numerous other elite brands, while in contrast BDG makes cases and bracelets exclusively for F.P. Jou...
Worn & Wound
Change is hard, as they say. Particularly when the thing that requires it, wasn’t exactly broken in the first place. Rolex has found themselves in a near impossible situation of updating the near universally lauded 1165XX generation of the Daytona. A watch that’s recently found itself in a position it never really asked to be in, serving as the barometer of the second hand watch market and subsequently the subject of ire to many lamenting availability issues writ large at boutiques the world over. The watch itself, though? When considered at its initial MSRP upon introduction in 2016, which was $12,400 (or even its MSRP last year, which was $13,500), is pretty awesome. Not without fault, certainly, but a mighty fine chronograph to be sure and a total sweetheart on the wrist. But of course, the Daytona was a rare bird to score at retail pricing, and judging it at aftermarket prices was a far murkier proposition. Still, there’s no doubting that this watch tapped into something deep, serving as the veritable poster child of the meteoric rise of the hype watch, and for good reason: it’s a great all around watch sitting on a load of heritage that includes some of the coolest figures of the past 50 years helping to inadvertently build the watch’s lore to unhealthy levels in today’s climate. While things have mercifully cooled off over the past 12 months, this is still largely the context in which Rolex is tasked with creating a new generation of Daytona, which they...
Worn & Wound
Ladies and gentlemen, I have a new obsession. Zach Weiss already told you about the latest Carreras from TAG Heuer, and they are undoubtedly pretty great. But the watch that stole the show for me from the TAG presentation was a solid gold Aquaracer. Yes, a solid gold Aquaracer. It wasn’t too long ago that we were universally kind of gobsmacked by a solar powered titanium version of this very same watch. Now, if you’d like, you can have a pair in two very different metals, which give very different impressions. The key to this Aquaracer is the complementary nature of the rose gold case and the degrade dial, which is a warm blend of brown and gray. The bezel and tops of the lugs have a sandblasted finish that mimics the utilitarian look of titanium reference, but there are polished accents that really make the precious metal pop, and that’s kind of what you want on a watch like this. Aside from the solid gold case, though, this is the Aquaracer we know and love (but just, you know, elevated to an insane degree). Inside ticks a TH31-00 automatic movement, a new caliber built by AMT, Sellita’s high end division. It has 80 hours of power reserve and has been COSC certified, so in terms of specs it’s highly competitive with calibers found in other high end divers. The case still measures a tidy 40mm in diameter. The horizontal ridged pattern that the Aquaracer’s dials have adopted recently is also present, and I can’t understate how well the tone of that dial w...
Hodinkee
Live from Geneva! It's the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.
Quill & Pad
As there is no official, universally accepted, or legally binding description of what a dandy watch is, Martin Green takes it upon himself to coin one. A dandy (like Martin) doesn't follow fashion, but walks to the beat of his own drum. Here Martin shares a few watches that he thinks are just dandy.
SJX Watches
Parmigiani Fleurier is one of the pioneering independent watch brands, having been established in 1996 by Michel Parmigiani, watchmaker and restorer extraordinaire. While Parmigiani is a company of relative youth, its founder is a legendary watchmaker universally acknowledged as one of the most talented restorers of vintage watches and clocks. Mr Parmigiani has repaired timepieces in the world’s most venerable watch collections, including the Patek Philippe Museum. Over 25 years of existence, Parmigiani has garnered respect for the quality of its timepieces, though commercial success has consistently eluded it. Being owned by Sandoz Family Foundation, Parmigiani has long enjoyed the largesse possible only with a multi-billion franc endowment funded by a Swiss pharmaceutical fortune. But now perhaps change is in the air. Just earlier this year, Parmigiani tapped Guido Terreni for the top job. Prior to Parmigiani, Mr Terreni spent two decades at Bulgari, the second half of which as head of its watch division. And it was during his tenure that Bulgari’s timepiece business enjoyed a revival of the sort that Parmigiani’s owners are no doubt hoping for. I caught up with Guido earlier in the year to discuss his plans for Parmigiani, including the product line up as well as Mr Parmigiani’s continued role at the company. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. SJX: Let’s start with an easy question.You joined Parmigiani in January 2021, at a difficult time ...
Time+Tide
Is Seiko’s NH35 movement ubiquitous due to its brilliance or sheer availability? This hand-wound, hacking movement is today widely used on the microbrand scene and is basically the unbranded version of Seiko’s 4R35 movement that’s universally admired for its toughness and accuracy. Similarly reliable and robust, the NH35 is a strong mechanical heart fitted to … ContinuedThe post Celebrating Seiko’s NH35 movement – the unsung hero used by top microbrands in everything from indestructible divers to vintage stunners appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Wei Koh digs deep into the subject of the passion of watch collecting with the man behind the universally recognized Instagram handle, Santa Laura.
Time+Tide
Remember the moral of The Emperor’s New Clothes? When something is universally praised, you become unwilling to speak out, even if something is gravely wrong on a fundamental level. That’s how I feel about the Cartier Tank. I know this is wildly sacrilegious. The Cartier Tank is, after all, one of the most iconic watches … ContinuedThe post NOT ON MY WATCH: The one “truly strange and unnerving” detail that ruins the Cartier Tank for this writer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Swiss jeweller De Grisogono, which in its prime was one of the most extravagant brands on the planet, has just filed for bankruptcy in Geneva, as a result of Luanda Leaks, the financial scandal that has engulfed Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of Angola’s former president, reports Swiss newspapers Tribune de Geneve and Le Temps. Luanda Leaks, a trove of leaked documents published by investigative news organisation ICIJ, revealed Angolan state funds were allegedly channeled to Ms dos Santos, helping make her the richest woman in Africa. Even before the leaked documents, Ms dos Santos and her family were already under pressure from her father’s successor, who has vowed to root out corruption in the oil-rich African nation. According to the documents, a portion of went to fund De Grisogono, which was acquired by a Angolan investors in 2012. The investment was led by Ms dos Santos’ husband, Sindika Dokolo, but allegedly funded by Sodiam, Angola’s state-owned diamond company. With De Grisogono continuing to lose money since 2012, the brand’s owners had been hawking De Grisogono for some time with no luck, and Luanda Leaks were the final nail in the coffin – the brand declared bankruptcy on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The King of Black Diamonds Founded by Fawaz Gruosi in 1993, De Grisogono was perhaps most famous for its incredibly lavish annual party at the Cannes Film Festival – reputedly costing as much as 3 million francs in some years – that everyone who ...
Time+Tide
It’s been a very busy week of watches in Geneva, with Only Watch 2019 setting new records, and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awarding prizes to some of the best watches of the year (which included some upsets). Amidst the clamour and drama of the GPHG, where the pitting of brands head to … ContinuedThe post GPHG “Innovation” Prize given to Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
If you care about watches, Geneva is the place to be right now. The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (better known to its friends as the GPHG) has recently wrapped, and a prestigious jury of who’s who in watchland has determined what the best watches of the year are. Well, at least the best watches … ContinuedThe post LIST: The 16 winning watches of 2018, according to the GPHG appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A Swiss watch is a near-universally recognised symbol for quality, precision and tradition. And while that’s all well and good, there’s another thing that fine Swiss watches tend to be synonymous with - and that’s high sticker prices. And broadly speaking that perception is true - I constantly find myself uttering phrases like “this $60,000 … ContinuedThe post LIST: The budget list – 5 great new Swiss mechanical watches from brands you’ve heard of that cost less than $1500 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Oris’ manual-winding 10-day power-reserve movement now comes with a universally appealing GMT function in the Caliber 114.
Time+Tide
Watch industry Presidents and CEOs are often conservative to the point of invisibility. The adage that seems to be uniformly and universally extolled is a variation on the idea that it’s “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” Then, at the other end of the scale there is Jean-Claude Biver, CEO … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: “TAG Heuer is #1 in confusion.” Explosive comments and a personal apology from Jean-Claude Biver appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
How the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze universally won hearts and minds in the blink of an eye.
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