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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

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Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Mar 31, 2024

A Week in Watches Ep. 77: Mission to Watches & Wonders

Episode 77 of A Week in Watches is going to be slightly different. This episode has two hosts and no script! With the big event happening so soon (the next episode will be made from Watches & Wonders), we figured getting ready with a little Q and A would be fun. That said, two very different watches with prominent moon phase complications were also worth covering. Join Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss in the studio as they discuss the new releases and then answer some fantastic questions from the W&W;+ Slack community. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop, which recently added the new Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Tourbillon to the catalog. It is a gorgeous piece of haute horology that showcases Mr. Silberstein’s unique style. Head over to WindupWatchShop.com to check them out, as well as accessories, EDC, clocks, and more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 77: Mission to Watches & Wonders appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Interview: Lisa Bridge, CEO of Ben Bridge Jeweler SJX Watches
Rado Mar 22, 2024

Interview: Lisa Bridge, CEO of Ben Bridge Jeweler

Luxury watch retail has transformed markedly in the past decade – from the rise of mono-brand boutiques and e-commerce, to industry consolidation and the growth of the secondary market – traditional retailers have had to navigate several converging trends. We sat down with Lisa Bridge, chief executive of Ben Bridge Jewelers, to hear her views on these topics. Founded in 1912, Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jewelers is one of the largest watch and jewellery retailers in the western United States, operating 35 locations in nine states from Colorado to Hawaii. Although the company was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2000, it continues to be run by the Bridge family. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Brandon Moore (BM): What do you see as the biggest growth drivers in the U.S. luxury watch retail sector over the next few years? Lisa Bridge (LB): It’s been an exciting renaissance in the watch industry over the last few years in terms of the number of people who have a real interest and a real desire to collect and to be passionate about watches. It’s not necessarily what people predicted a few years ago when people were talking about Apple Watches as an existential threat to the Swiss watch industry. Instead, it’s been the opposite. [The Apple Watch] got people wearing a watch and then going, oh, let me learn more about this watch thing. And the experience for customers has also increased and will continue to improve over the next few years in terms of the ...

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Swatch Unveils the MoonSwatch “Snoopy” Mission to the Moonphase SJX Watches
Omega are once again dropping Mar 21, 2024

Swatch Unveils the MoonSwatch “Snoopy” Mission to the Moonphase

Swatch and Omega are once again dropping another collaboration that is bound to be a hit, the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase. Inspired by the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Snoopy”, the new MoonSwatch features a moon phase along with an all-white Bioceramic case and matching white strap. Snoopy resides on the moon phase display at two o’clock, which features a hidden quote printed in Super-Luminova, “I can’t sleep without a night light!”, that is invisible except in the dark or when exposed to UV light. The Mission to the Moonphase is not a limited edition and instead part of the permanent collection. Initial thoughts Although the MoonSwatch has been a massive hit in terms of units sold – the total sold to date is in the low millions – recent iterations of the model haven’t been particularly exciting, with most of them simply having the addition of a gold-plated seconds hand. With the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, however, Swatch is bringing something more interesting to the table. While it certainly isn’t imaginative, the appeal of the watch is obvious. For one, it builds on the capitalises on the desirability of the actual Speedmaster “Snoopy”. At the same time, the all-white livery sets it apart from the other MoonSwatch iterations. Like the other versions of the MoonSwatch, the new Snoopy edition offers decent value at US$310. It is inexpensive, though it does feel inexpensive since the case is essentially plastic mixed with ceramic. B...

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REVIEW: Hands On With The Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar WatchAdvice
Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Mar 15, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar

IN PARTNERSHIP: Zenith has gone back to their vintage roots with a faithful re-creation of the intended design from the 70’s, and we’ve road-tested it to see if the 1970’s works in 2024! What We Love Vintage styling that doesn’t look out of place todayPracticality of the chronograph and calendar functionsThe subtle green colour that’s not in your face What We Don’t The 38mm size is a touch on the small sideLeather strap could be more detailed to suit the watchThickness when compared to the case size with the raised lugs Overall Rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 9/10 Zenith came out of the blocks strong for 2024 where at LVMH Watch Week in January they went strong on their Chronomaster line. Part of these launches was the re-introduction of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar in three colourways, which we covered here. The commentary and feedback from these releases were overall positive, especially amongst the collector community where vintage and sub 40mm pieces are received incredibly well. Just look at the below Instagram post from ChampsG with the comments on this. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) So when we agreed to do this hands on review, I was curious as to how I would like the green boutique edition, as quite frankly it’s not a watch I would generally gravitate towards – the Chronomaster Sport is a little more my style. But that’s what I love about havi...

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Introducing – A New Moon Rises at Glashütte Original with its Serenade Luna Collection for Women Monochrome
Glashütte Original Mar 8, 2024

Introducing – A New Moon Rises at Glashütte Original with its Serenade Luna Collection for Women

The Lady Serenade and PanoMatic Luna are Glashütte Original’s two mechanical watch collections for women. While the PanoMatic Luna is essentially a slightly smaller version of the men’s model, the Serenade collection was conceived as a ladies’ watch from the start. Available with time-and-date functions, the Serenade takes on a new complication in the form of a moon phase […]

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Interview – “India Will Surely Be Among The Fastest-Growing Markets,” Says Yasho Saboo, Chairman of Ethos Watches Monochrome
Rolex but also many more Feb 21, 2024

Interview – “India Will Surely Be Among The Fastest-Growing Markets,” Says Yasho Saboo, Chairman of Ethos Watches

The watch industry and its market are in constant evolution, with new brands appearing almost daily. The distribution has to face intense volatility due to the duplication of selling channels, the increased pressure of business combinations and the recent rise of certified pre-owned (CPO), which concerns Rolex but also many more brands. A handful of […]

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Strap Review: RSM’s Luxurious Silk Straps (and a More Rugged Camo Option) Worn & Wound
Feb 19, 2024

Strap Review: RSM’s Luxurious Silk Straps (and a More Rugged Camo Option)

There comes a time when we must find the right shoes to strap our favorite watches onto our wrists. And let’s face it, we live in a time where there are many options to choose from at many price points. Besides the popular NATO-style straps and Tropic-style rubber straps, we all sorta need a good leather one in our arsenal. Or perhaps a soft perlon for these hotter days of the year. At the risk of generalizing a tad too much, I’d say that we more or less see the same straps being offered on the market everyday. And thus shopping for straps becomes a little bit overwhelming and boring just the same. Sometimes, however, a brand creates something new or proposes a fresh take on a popular style. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today.  Based in Singapore, RSM has been offering unique collections of well-made straps at competitive prices since 2019. The brand started with a single-pass Herringbone Twill strap and has evolved quite a bit since. While it offers poly-cotton and various types of robust polyester straps, today we’re going to focus on two of RSM’s most recent creations: 2-piece and reversible silk straps as well as a 2-piece and one-piece Camo that has more than a few tricks up its sleeves. What will perhaps become immediately apparent is that RSM goes the extra mile to make their straps look and feel special. Whether it is how it came about finding an artisanal silk maker or new ways to weave polyester fibers together.  While most straps we se...

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Tudor Discreetly Drops Black Bay Ceramic Formula 1 Special Edition SJX Watches
Tudor Discreetly Drops Black Bay Feb 19, 2024

Tudor Discreetly Drops Black Bay Ceramic Formula 1 Special Edition

Having just announced its first-ever Formula 1 sponsorship, Tudor also quietly revealed a Black Bay Ceramic for the Visa Cash App RB Formula One (VCARB) racing team. As with the standard model, the case is black ceramic, but instead of the usual black, the dial is in a striking blue that matches the livery of the team’s car (and the Visa logo). Like almost all of its special edition watches, the new Black Bay Ceramic is not for public sale but instead meant for members of VCARB team. The brand hasn’t released any official statement regarding the watch, and all that is known for now are two portraits of VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo wearing it. The VCARB car for the 2024 season. Image – Visa Cash App RB Initial thoughts Tudor has grown imaginative and adventurous in its products and marketing in recent years, especially compared to a decade ago, which stands in contrast to its still conservative sister brand Rolex. In that regard, Tudor has become something of a platform for the Rolex group to experiment with new ideas and concepts, which was what Rolex once was decades ago, before it became the world’s biggest and most valuable watchmaker. Daniel Ricciardo. Image – Visa Cash App RB Tudor has been particularly active in collaborations with notable organisations, ranging from elite military units to America’s Cup competitors. Each collaboration, in turn, results in a watch. Even though Tudor has made a good number of collaborative special edition watches to date...

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Ambition, Success, and the Watches of The Iron Claw Worn & Wound
Rolex makes Feb 7, 2024

Ambition, Success, and the Watches of The Iron Claw

Climb up to the top rope with me for a few minutes, and let’s look upon the roles we play within the watch enthusiast community: are we a face or a heel (or likely somewhere in between)? The Iron Claw, my personal favorite film of 2023, forces this type of introspection onto its viewers. The audience is dealt heaps of toxic masculinity and likely some generational trauma, dumped from Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) onto his sons Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons). Much of this hinges on Fritz’s perceived failures and an idea he states early on in the film, “If I want to be a star, I need to act like a star […] The only way to beat IT is to be the toughest, the strongest, the most successful. The absolute best.” In more ways than one, we all wrestle with being our best selves and wanting to be perceived as something we aren’t.  The theme of becoming and appearing as if you’re the best plays a role, at times, in the watch world. And, wouldn’t you know it, Rolex makes an appearance on the wrists of at least three characters to subliminally drive this theme home. In the film Rolexes are worn by Fritz Von Erich, his son Kevin Von Erich, and Ric Flair (Aaron Dean Eisenberg).  Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich In the opening scene of the film, when Fritz is speaking with his wife, Dottie (Maura Tierney), about what it means to be and appear as a star, he is trying to defend the decision to lease a ...

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First Look – The Piaget Polo 79 Recovers its Original Design and Opulent Gold Attire Monochrome
Piaget Polo 79 Recovers Feb 5, 2024

First Look – The Piaget Polo 79 Recovers its Original Design and Opulent Gold Attire

When it was relaunched with a modernized and sleeker design in 2016, the Piaget Polo adopted the design cues of luxury sports watches, slightly changing the face of the collection to become a cushion-shaped watch. However, this isn’t how the model started its life. This year, Piaget celebrates its 150th anniversary, and to whet our […]

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Christiaan van der Klaauw Unveils the “Amsterdam Star” SJX Watches
Christiaan van der Klaauw Unveils Feb 1, 2024

Christiaan van der Klaauw Unveils the “Amsterdam Star”

Best known for its astronomical complications, Christiaan van der Klaauw (CVDK) has created a special run of its chronograph with complete calendar and moon phase for its retailer in the Netherlands. The Ace x Christiaan van der Klaauw stAriadne Amsterdam Star is preserves the original design but adds a “fog grey” dial with star-shaped indices inspired by the “Stelline” dials found on 1950s Rolex watches. Initial thoughts The independent brand’s collaboration with Ace Jewelers is logical since both hail from the same country. The stAriadne stands out with its star indices that replaces the Arabic numerals of the standard model. A nod to the Rolex ref. 6062, star dials are relatively rare in contemporary timepieces, rendering this release quite distinctive. That being said, this is essentially an Ariadne with a new dial. Ideally, it would have been more interesting with mechanical tweaks to the largely standard Valjoux chronograph movement, a reliable but thick movement with shortish power reserve. But considering it is a limited edition of 50 pieces priced at €7,180 – about the same as the standard model – it is a reasonable proposition. A “star” dial  The stAriadne is the latest iteration of the Ariadne, one of the longstanding models in the CVDK line-up. Since its launch, the model has been powered by the Valjoux 7758, a variant of the familiar 7750 chronograph movement that has the addition of a complete calendar and moon phase. Last year, the Ari...

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Zenith Revives the El Primero Triple Calendar SJX Watches
Zenith Revives Jan 29, 2024

Zenith Revives the El Primero Triple Calendar

Zenith revisits one of its signature historical models with the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar. It is the Chronomaster Original we know and love, but with a twist: the addition of the day, month, and moon phase while maintaining the same dimensions as the chronograph-only model. Powered by the latest-generation El Primero 3610 with “lightning” seconds, the Triple Calendar makes its debut in three colourways, white, grey and a boutique-exclusive green. Initial thoughts Although popular among enthusiasts, the Chronomaster Original is arguably undiscovered territory for many because it has been overshadowed by Chronomaster Sport, a watch famous for resembling the Rolex Daytona. However, the Chronomaster Original offers better aesthetics and proportions compared to its slightly derivative Sports sibling. The compact 38 mm case sits comfortably on most wrists, while having enough presence to feel like a larger sports watch. Compared to the standard Chronometer Original, the Triple Calendar adds a few complications into the mix and evokes the well known vintage original. Importantly, it is not only a vintage remake since it utilises the latest-generation El Primero movement with a “lighting” central seconds. The Triple Calendar is, however, pricey. It costs US$13,400 on a calfskin strap and a bit more on a stainless steel bracelet. That’s about 30% more than the base model Chronomaster Original, which feels like a lot for simple-calendar functions. That said, th...

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Introducing – The Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar, with Green Enamel Dial for 2024 Monochrome
Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar Jan 15, 2024

Introducing – The Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar, with Green Enamel Dial for 2024

In 2012, Blancpain introduced the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar, an extremely complex watch fusing the Chinese and Gregorian calendars, complete with a moon phase complication that coincided with the Year of the Dragon. Twelve years have passed, and the dragon is back in the limelight again. To mark this twelve-year cycle, Blancpain’s latest interpretation of […]

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Introducing – The New Blue Enamel Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Jan 15, 2024

Introducing – The New Blue Enamel Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon

Jaeger-LeCoultre‘s Master Thin collection is home to sophisticated, understated, ultra-thin dress watches ranging from time-and-date to moon phase models and more complex proposals like tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Offered with understated beige or sunray decorated dials, JLC introduced métiers d’art dials to the collection at the end of 2018. First appearing on the Master Ultra […]

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10 Best Watch Winders for Any Collector's Budget in 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Jan 2, 2024

10 Best Watch Winders for Any Collector's Budget in 2026

If you own any automatic watches at all, especially enough of them to ensure that you’re not wearing the same one daily, you will inevitably face the issue of keeping those watches running, and set to the proper time and date, when they’re not on your wrist. Some collectors choose to simply commit to re-winding and re-setting their automatic watches when their power reserve runs down - it’s a ritual that many traditionalists actually enjoy - but others would rather invest in some high-tech hardware to lend a hand. Here is where a watch winder comes in. These helpful and often luxuriously appointed machines are designed to store your precious self-winding timepieces while also keeping them charged via electronic,  motorized rotations - the timing, direction, and duration of which can often be pre-set and monitored - that mimic the natural movement of a wearer’s wrist. For those ready to dip their toe into the wide world of watch winders, we’ve gathered 10 favorites from 10 brands representing as wide a variety as possible in terms of styles, sizes, and price points. Wolf Roadster 4PC Watch Winder ($2,095) Wolf watch winders, known for their fusion of leather, wood, glass, and steel, work on a 24-hour cycle, with six-hour periods of intermittent activity followed by “sleep” periods that allow the tension in the watches’ mainsprings to ease, avoiding over-winding. Fifty different cycles are possible, allowing the owner to specify factors such as direc...

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Introducing – The Sarpaneva Midnight Sun, Revealing Itself at Night Monochrome
Sarpaneva Dec 5, 2023

Introducing – The Sarpaneva Midnight Sun, Revealing Itself at Night

The most Scandinavian of independent watchmakers, Stepan Sarpaneva, is in a category all his own … His complex and ultra-detailed watches have always been deeply personal and unique; some even featured his face on the so-called Sarpaneva Moonface. While remaining faithful to the original design cues of Sarpaneva, his recent pieces reveal his desire to reconnect […]

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Christopher Ward Continues to Explore Aventurine with the C63 Celest Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Continues Nov 21, 2023

Christopher Ward Continues to Explore Aventurine with the C63 Celest

Last month, Christopher Ward announced the C1 Moonphase, which features a beautiful aventurine dial and a pair of oversized, fully lumed moon discs to track the lunar cycle from month to month. If you thought that watch was cool, but maybe you’re not particularly interested in a moon phase complication, the C63 Celest might be more up your alley. This new reference from Christopher Ward trades on the same style of aventurine dial, but dispenses with the moon altogether. The result is a more straightforward watch that puts the unique qualities of aventurine on center stage.  The C63 Celest is the first watch outside of Christopher Ward’s Moonphase Collection to feature an aventurine dial. Because the effect of aventurine often mimics a starry night sky, it’s used frequently in watches that feature a moonphase, but without this additional complication, one can admire the material more for what it is. Simply put, it’s a type of glass that’s formed by mixing multiple types of glass together during production, including metallic elements (usually copper) that wind up giving the material a specific tonality and the trademark “star” effect. In the “Galaxy Blue” aventurine used by Christopher Ward, cobalt is used to give the dial its flat, cool blue finish.  The Celest is built on Christopher Ward’s C63 platform, and measures a conservative 36mm in diameter. While this case was certainly conceived as a sports watch case through and through, there’s no doubt...

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Leica Shifts Focus with the ZM 11 SJX Watches
IWC Ingenieur Nov 14, 2023

Leica Shifts Focus with the ZM 11

Having introduced the ZM 1 and ZM 2 wristwatches in 2018, Leica now launches its first sports watch with ZM 11. Deviating entirely from the camera-inspired aesthetics of the earlier models, the ZM 11 is a straightforward three-hander in a minimalist style with an integrated bracelet (or strap). But like its predecessors, the ZM 11 is equipped with a movement made by a specialist, in this case Chronode. Initial thoughts On its face, the ZM 11 comes across as uninspiring at first, appearing similar to many current luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets. But on closer inspection it reveals interesting details, including a nicely finished case and bracelet with facetted, brushed surfaces. Also notable is the quick-release mechanism for the bracelet that’s activated by a red button, a reference to Leica cameras. The red button aside, however, the design doesn’t capture the essence of a Leica camera as the earlier ZM 1 and ZM 2 did. The earlier pair incorporated camera-inspired details into functional elements, like a patented “push-piece” crown that mimics the push of a shutter-release button. While the ZM 1 and ZM 2 are arguably Leica watches, the ZM 11 feels more like a Leica-branded watch. Priced around US$7,000 for the base model, the ZM 11 is competitively priced as far as integrated-bracelet sports watches go. The IWC Ingenieur, for instance, is about 40% pricier. However, such sports watches are generally priced at a premium relatively to everything else...

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Happenings at the Geneva Auction Season Fall 2023 SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Nov 7, 2023

Happenings at the Geneva Auction Season Fall 2023

Regarded as a bellwether of the market, the Geneva auction season just concluded with the main players – Phillips, Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Antiquorum – having staged their sales over four days. Several records were set over the season, including CHF2.1 million for an immaculate Rolex ref. 6062 triple calendar in steel at Phillips, and CHF2.2 million for the George Daniels Millennium also signed by Roger W. Smith, both including fees. Trending one way Despite the record holders, the tone of the season was set by moderating or even weak prices. This was already evident with the most faddish of the “hype” watches last season six months ago. The May auctions saw prices for such watches gap down substantially, reflecting a new reality. Now the same appears to be happening for independent watchmaking – a good thing in my view as it will hopefully shake out the opportunists and no-hopers. The Roger W. Smith Series 2 hammered for CHF400,000 at Phillips (or CHF508,000 with fees), which is below the current retail price for the model and a third below the price of the lower-priced Series 1 that sold in the same venue in May 2023. The Phillips saleroom at La Reserve. Image – Phillips This phenomenon was not unique to Roger W. Smith, with prices gapping down for significant independents like F.P. Journe and Voutilainen. However, these brands remain buoyed by their relative reasonable retail prices, which still remain below recent auction valuations. Even if some exa...

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