Two Broke Watch Snobs
Grand Seiko vs. Rolex: Does GS Really Measure Up To The Icon?
Does Grand Seiko really clear the Rolex bar? 10 years of wrist time testing both brands shows where GS wins and where the crown still leads.
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685 articles · 45 videos found · page 19 of 25
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Fratello
Experiencing The Ultra-Limited And Complicated Montblanc 1858 Cylindrical Tourbillon Geosphere Around The World In 80 Days Limited Edition – Chapter Three In Villeret
You could qualify a town with just 929 inhabitants as sleepy. Villeret, in the Swiss canton of Bern, is indeed quiet. It’s stuck between two mountain ridges in the Jura, and apart from a pizzeria that serves Dutch beer instead of Swiss for some reason, the isolated place looks pretty much timeless. Still, time plays […] Visit Experiencing The Ultra-Limited And Complicated Montblanc 1858 Cylindrical Tourbillon Geosphere Around The World In 80 Days Limited Edition – Chapter Three In Villeret to read the full article.
Hodinkee
Vintage Watches: Five Potentially Market-Changing Vintage Watches We'd Love To See Return At Auction
The hype boom for vintage watches reached new peaks a few years ago, but even before that, a few watches had achieved outstanding, never-before-seen prices before disappearing into collections for over a decade. Some are so special that their market return could set a new bar.
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Bremont Supermarine 500M with Polar White Dial
Some of you might remember the adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls wearing a Bremont pilot’s watch on an episode of his TV show Man Vs Wild. Since that was over 17 years ago, Bremont has refreshed its roster of ambassadors to feature more contemporary figures. To promote the latest white dial edition of the rugged […]
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 1975 Limited Edition in Titanium
Back in 1972, Porsche Design introduced the Chronograph I, the first all-black watch inspired by Porsche cockpit gauges. By 1975, the design evolved into brushed stainless steel. This year, to mark the brand´s retail partnership with the Watches of Switzerland Group, the new Porsche Design Chronograph 1 – 1975 Limited Edition swaps steel for bare, […]
Monochrome
Introducing – The Darker Mood of the New MING 37.02 Monolith
When it was launched last year, MING’s 37.02 Minimalist represented several firsts for Ming Thein’s independent Malaysian brand. For starters, it was the brand’s first watch made at MING’s facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Ironically, though, the watch could not bear the “Swiss Made” label because the design and engineering were executed in Kuala Lumpur. […]
Worn & Wound
The Greatest Collectors of All Time: Sir David Lionel Salomons – A Renowned Collector Of Breguet Watches
Sir David Lionel Salomons (1851–1925), the nephew of the original Sir David Salomons (1797–1873), was a renowned collector of Breguet watches and a significant figure in the world of horology. His passion for precision engineering, combined with his wealth and scholarly interest, made him one of the most prominent collectors of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s masterpieces. The Salomons were a highly respected family in 18th century London society. The family had arrived and settled in Bury St in the City of London from the Netherlands in the early 18th century, attracted by the financial opportunities in the developing British economy. They chose this part of the city because it was both a centre of the finance industry and had an established Jewish community. David Lionel’s Uncle was elected as the Lord Mayor of London in 1855 (below). He was the first Jewish Lord Mayor of London, and known for fighting the Jewish cause in Parliament, but he was also a pioneer of joint stock banking and held prominent positions in other fields. Sir David Salomons (1797–1873), Lord Mayor of London (1855). Solomon Alexander Hart (1806–1881). Guildhall Art Gallery. Image courtesy of City of London Corporation Early Life David Lionel Salomons, was born in Brighton. He was educated for a short period at University College, London, and afterwards at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated with natural science honours in 1874. He was a member of the Institution of Electrical Engi...
Fratello
Hands-On With The Exquisite Chopard L.U.C Qualité Fleurier 20th Anniversary Edition - A Certified Dream Watch
As you might know, Chopard produces watches with two distinct certifications. In its Geneva atelier, the brand creates L.U.C timepieces that bear the engraved Poinçon de Genève. The Geneva Seal is primarily concerned with the aesthetic quality and craftsmanship of the movement. While watches bearing it must also meet specific, strict chronometric requirements, the sternest […] Visit Hands-On With The Exquisite Chopard L.U.C Qualité Fleurier 20th Anniversary Edition - A Certified Dream Watch to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – The New Platinum & Salmon Glashütte Original PanoLunarTourbillon
The small German town of Glashütte is steeped in watchmaking history, as we all know. No less than 12 brands, from high-end to more accessible, are nestled there, making it the historic and beating heart of German mechanical watchmaking. Being able to bear the town’s name on one’s dial is also something quite special, as […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Most Expensive Rolex Watches
Admit it, you’re here because you googled “Most Expensive Rolex Watches” in the hopes of gathering up some horological bar trivia, right? No? You say you’re here because you really, truly are interested in buying one of the most expensive watches Rolex currently puts out? Well, good news. We’ve updated this article to incorporate both. Photo: Sotheby's Founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex is today the most globally recognized Swiss luxury watch brand, one of the leading innovators in the watch industry from the 20th Century to today, and the maker of some of the most popular and coveted watch models in the world, from gents’ classics like the Datejust and Day-Date to sport-luxury icons like the Submariner, Daytona, and GMT-Master. As one might expect with such a horological pedigree, Rolex watches have also become some of the most valuable watches on the secondary and auction markets, with the most elite and exclusive pieces selling for $1 million or more. (Disclaimer: obviously, for the most avid and well-connected Rolex customers, it is the legendary “off-catalog” models - like the "Rainbow Daytona" pictured above - that both project the most mythical aura of exclusivity and command the most stratospheric prices. The problem with accurately reporting on which of them is really the “Most Expensive” is built into their rarity: such models change hands without an actual MSRP ever being declared publicly, and whatever that original purchase pric...
Time+Tide
Oris continues its annual tradition with a luminous twist for 2025’s Hölstein Edition
The first Big Crown ProPilot without a date window, this full lume dial Oris has a bear-shaped Easter egg.The post Oris continues its annual tradition with a luminous twist for 2025’s Hölstein Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Hands-On With The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss High-End Chronometer With High Morals
Ask me whatever you want; there are no secrets. Do you want to know where the movement is from? The automatic caliber 1031-1 was developed in collaboration with Chronode SA. Please come up with something a bit more original. The spring bar? Okay, the spring bar is made by IsoSwiss from 316L steel and attaches […] Visit Hands-On With The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss High-End Chronometer With High Morals to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Who says squares are boring? Hublot’s latest Square Bang has a tourbillon twist
The Hublot Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve raises the bar for Square Bangs, debuting an architectural, shaped movement.The post Who says squares are boring? Hublot’s latest Square Bang has a tourbillon twist appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Introducing: The Smaller Seiko Presage SPB521, SPB523, And SPB524
The Seiko Presage collection is often overlooked but without good reason. I have a major soft spot for the Cocktail Time series that combines the fun of Tokyo bar culture with some seriously stylish timepieces. There’s also the relatively new Presage Classic series. It uses traditional Japanese colors, materials, and textures to develop a creative […] Visit Introducing: The Smaller Seiko Presage SPB521, SPB523, And SPB524 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Maurice de Mauriac Pays Tribute to the Hotel Concierge with their Latest Release
Over the last year or two, I’ve been traveling more and more for work. More often than not, I’ve found the experience impersonal at best. Thanks to the new invention of “contactless check-in”, I am usually greeted by a row of iPads, making it feel more like I’ve made a 4-day reservation at a Genius Bar versus a holiday in Malibu. You see, like glass-blowing or macrame, hospitality is a dying art. The ability to make one feel welcomed isn’t as simple as having a few brochures at the front desk; but, instead, it’s an immeasurable talent that turns a two-night stay into an experience. Luckily, there are a few good men fighting the good fight. An entire network of them, actually, called Les Clefs d’Or. Since 1952, this international organization has dedicated itself to the art of hospitality through its 4,000 members, making it one of the largest organizations of its kind. While many hotels now have a new-hire sit at a podium labeled CONCIERGE to hand out brochures of local attractions, the members of Les Clefs d’Or understands that a concierge is an untapped resource, giving you tips on where to eat, what to do, and he may pull a few strings to get you that hard-to-come-by table at the local Michelin-starred joint down the block. Now, of course for me, the imagination starts running when I think of a private organization of hotel professionals who are maintaining the old guard of hospitality. One might even be reminded of The Society of the Crossed Keys ...
Worn & Wound
Editorial: The Apple Watch Turns Ten
The Apple Watch is not a very good watch. I’d even go so far as to say that it represents everything I don’t like in a watch. It’s disposable, generic to the point of ugly, and demands a level of focus and engagement I find downright offensive. To borrow a phrase from the inimitable Peter Griffin, “It insists upon itself.” And yet, the Apple Watch has become an invaluable, irreplaceable part of my life. This spring marks a decade since the Apple Watch first went on sale. I bought mine shortly after launch, in anticipation of my freshman year of college, at a point when I was still trying to sort out what interests and identity I would carry with me into that new phase (turns out, tech-head, sort of no; watch geek, undoubtedly yes). The Apple Watch, along with a beat-up Victorinox and a vintage Hamilton, made up my total stable of wrist-borne options my first year in Granville, Ohio. You’d think with that few watches available to me, the Apple Watch would have gotten a lot of wrist time, and it did, at least for the first few months. Still, by the end of my freshman year, I was basically done with the Apple Watch. It was clear even then that the premise had some promise, but I felt like I’d gotten all I could out of the nascent device. The first Apple Watch was, if I’m being honest (and I think Tim Cook would agree with me), kind of useless - more a proof of concept or statement of intent than a finished product. It did very little, and what it did do was ...
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Yema Skin Diver CMM.20
Yema continues to refine its catalogue by raising the bar on quality and craftsmanship, unveiling fresh iterations of one of its most iconic models. Still drawing inspiration from the original 1960s diver series, the French watchmaker introduces new versions of the Superman Skin Diver, now equipped with its proprietary CMM.20 micro-rotor calibre, in a move […]
Worn & Wound
Kallinich Claeys Brings Creative Independent Watchmaking to Glashütte
In the Fall of 2023, I organized a RedBar event in Prague for Marco Lang, Stefan Kudoke, and Jochen Benzinger. During the event I met two young guys who looked in their early twenties, enjoying fresh Pilsner beer. When we raised our glasses to cheer, I noticed his wrist and had a hard time believing what I saw. The young man introduced himself as Thibault Claeys and said this is their first watch. The other young man introduced himself as Johannes Kallinich. While I looked at the watch, Thibault told me that both of them worked at A. Lange & Söhne until recently. Johannes was the head of the Lange 1 department and a certified Master Watchmaker with a deep understanding of technical construction. Thibault, on the other hand, graduated from watchmaking school in Antwerp, and joined the Lange 1815 department. His expertise lies in finishing techniques, and he plays MacGyver with all the machines and tooling. The next encounter with Thibault and Johannes was a planned visit to their atelier in the summer of 2024. Their small workshop is located right next to Nomos headquarters, and directly opposite from the SUG case workshop in Glashütte. The workshop is framed all around by large windows, an inspiration they took from Akrivia and Rexhep Rexhepi. Thibault walked me through “his side” of the workshop first where he built his own CNC milling machine. You see all the contraptions he built himself for making parts or for finishing of the parts. He says it actually all...
Fratello
Hands-On With One Of The Very Few LVKV-02 GMR 6 Watches
Less than a month ago, I found myself in a White Lotus-esque setting on an island in Thailand. I’ll spare you the details of the moment I stepped on a frog with my bare foot, but the scenery was incredible (it was my first time in Thailand). Still, I was there on a three-day mission! […] Visit Hands-On With One Of The Very Few LVKV-02 GMR 6 Watches to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing – The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Turquoise Enamel
Anyone familiar with Moser’s concept watches knows that ‘concept’, in Moser’s vocabulary, means maximum minimalism: no logos, no indices, no inscriptions…just the bare essentials. Moser is also intimately associated with beautiful dials and has shown how traditional métiers d’art, like Grand Feu enamel, can create strikingly contemporary dials. The latest Endeavour Tourbillon Concept is a […]
Monochrome
First Look – The New IWC Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 (Incl. Video)
IWC’s stellar piece for Watches & Wonders is the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar, the first complication to join the family since it was revamped in 2023. What’s more, the 41mm Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar is the first stainless steel model at IWC to bear the names of two legends in the world of watchmaking. Evoking the imprint […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Doxa Sub 200T Divingstar Review
Tastes great, less filling. That’s the tagline for a famous light beer, but the same could be said for Doxa’s latest version of its iconic Sub, the 200T. It’s a slimmed-down take on the iconic Doxa Sub diver, and although it features a new case size, this might be the Doxa for people who thought they could never wear the brand, including yours truly. It’s also available in a huge array of colorways, so now there really is something for everyone when it comes to the Doxa Sub. The Doxa brand is certainly among the stars of the classic dive watch universe, and the Doxa we think of first is almost invariably the orange-dialed Sub 300 Professional from 1967, along with the black-dialed Sharkhunter version made famous by legendary oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, not to mention Robert Redford in Three Days Of The Condor. But today, we’re taking a look at the newest member of the Doxa Sub family, and there’s a lot to like here, not least of which is a lower price point. And although I haven’t been diving in quite some time, I can’t help feeling a little like an undersea explorer whenever I wear the 200T, which is quite often these days. The classic Doxa Sub 300 and 300T have always worn rather well for larger watches, due to that distinctive tonneau case shape and those short lugs, but now, there’s a new version for someone who wants a tool watch that’s a bit less…tool-like. Enter the Doxa Sub 200T, rendered in a just-right size at 39mm. Honestly, it feels li...
Worn & Wound
Just A Minute With The G-SHOCK DW5000R-1A Origin
41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar to the original. The case is slightly larger at 42.3mm yet it is still a stainless steel core that is now wrapped in bio-based resin instead of regular resin. Lug-to-lug is a compact 48.9mm which creates a very comfortable fit on the wrist. Even with the screw down case back, a design choice taken directly from the original, protruding from the back and increasing the overall thickness to 13.1mm. Inside the DW5000R-1A you’ll find the 3576 module. A huge leap forward from the original module 240 found in the DW5000C, the 3576 provides the wearer with an LED light, Stopwatch, Countdown Timer, Full Auto-Calendar and Alarm. This allows you to celebrate the original without sacrificing the comforts of modern watchmaking. 41 years ago, the first G-Shock hit the scene. The DW5000C was the brainchild of Kikuo Ibe and was result of Project Team Tough’s pursuit of creating a watch that had great shock resistance, a 10-year battery life, and was water resistant up to 10 bar. More than 40 years later, the brand revisits its origin with the DW5000R-1A. The overall design of this tribute is very similar t...
Fratello
To The Heavens With The New Nomos Club Campus Starlight And Night Sky
Nomos released the original Club Campus in 2017. The watches are inspired by the age-old tradition of purchasing or receiving a mechanical watch to symbolize a significant event or achievement. The German brand even offers to engrave the bare case back as part of the sale. Today, two new colorways, Starlight and Night Sky, join […] Visit To The Heavens With The New Nomos Club Campus Starlight And Night Sky to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton
There’s no sports watch that I have a stronger connection to than the Zenith Defy. I’ve long told anyone who would listen that the Defy is, bar none, my favorite sports watch collection. From its inception, the Defy has been a watch associated with pushing both design and watchmaking boundaries, through the use of uncommon materials, avant-garde designs, and over-the-top specs. For whatever sports watch from a major Swiss brand you can name, I could probably think of a Defy that matches it in terms of what it can do, and eclipses it in terms of the always hard to quantify cool factor. Yes, of course this is subjective. But, I mean, is it really? Now that we’ve established that I love the Defy potentially all out of proportion, we can consider the latest entry in the growing collection, the Defy Skyline Chronograph Skeleton. This is a combination of words that were always meant to meet in the form of a Defy – the writing has been on the wall since the intro of the first Defy Skyline, or least since the introduction of the Skyline Chronograph. One of the nice things about the Defy, as a collection, is that it truly offers a different flavor of the core watch for every taste, with dials that are skeletonized, or not, cases that are made from steel, or ceramic, and now chronographs offering some of those same decision points. My feelings on the Defy Skyline collection oscillate quite a bit. Whenever I put one on, I can’t help but compare it in my mind to the Defy...
Teddy Baldassarre
Why the Seiko Astron Might be the Most Important Watch of the 20th Cen
Among today’s Seiko watch models and collections, it’s fair to say that the Seiko Astron does not receive nearly the amount of love from enthusiasts and collectors as do its contemporaries, like the Prospex and Presage models and even the budget-friendly 5 Sport series. And yet I believe a substantial case can be made that the Astron — at least, the first watch to bear that name, way back at the collection’s inception in 1969 — is the most important watch of the 20th Century. The first watch to the market with a quartz movement, the Seiko Astron was a game-changer for the entire watch industry, with an impact that is still being felt today. When Seiko revived the Astron in 2012 after a long hiatus, it was with the recognition that the model represented a quantum leap in watchmaking technology and the determination to take it to the next level. Seiko has fulfilled that promise with subsequent editions of the modern Astron, which brought GPS technology into watchmaking much as the original brought quartz. Here is the story of the Seiko Astron and its 50-plus-year journey to the cutting edge of technology. The Road to Quartz: 1952 - 1968 The quartz watch movement, as with many other groundbreaking inventions, did not emerge from a single burst of creative vision, but ultimately proved to be the most workable version of many such mechanisms, all aimed toward addressing the same industry-wide challenge. As I explore in greater depth in my article on the History of Tim...
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Opens AP House Singapore
Audemars Piguet has just opened the doors of the first AP House in Singapore, situated in the Bar and Billiard Room of the historic Raffles Hotel. Opened in 1887, the Raffles is one of the grand hotels of Asia, having reopened in 2019 with only suites. Part of the hotel since the 19th century, the Bar and Billiard Room was until recently a restaurant, but its 1,000 m2, or almost 11,000 ft², is now home to an AP boutique, lounge, restaurant, and cafe all rolled into one. The latest AP House brings the total number of “houses” around the world to over 20, with other locations including Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Drawing inspiration from the brand’s home in Le Brassus and its surrounding natural beauty, the space also incorporates the distinctive flair of Singapore, including large panels made from trunks of the rain tree, a familiar sight around Singapore. Notably, AP House Singapore is home to the first-ever AP Café, which serves a menu that is Swiss but “reimagined through a Singaporean lens”, including Chicken Rice Club Sandwich and Gula Melaka Pain Suisse. “Designed to feel like a refined home, [AP House Singapore is] a haven where watch enthusiasts, newcomers, travellers, and anyone seeking a distinctive experience can gather, says Stefanie Ng, chief executive of Audemars Piguet South-East Asia, “Our doors are always open.” The AP Cafe Panels of rain tree wood decorate the walls AP House Singapore is also a sh...
Fratello
Sunday Morning Showdown: Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition Vs. Miss Piggy Edition
Beware, this is a low-brow edition of Sunday Morning Showdown! We usually stick to watches, but this week, the emotions may run a lot higher. This is, after all, a battle between former lovers. It is a showdown between former spouses, even. Daan and Thomas will perform some post-marriage counseling for a certain Miss Piggy […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition Vs. Miss Piggy Edition to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Behind The Lens: Rolex GMT-Master II Meteorite: Global Travel Meets Outer Space
GaryG had the opportunity to borrow a Rolex GMT-Master II BLRO Meteorite from a long-time friend to photograph and wear. This watch's main event is the dial, a thin slice of metallic meteorite whose crystalline structure reflects the slow cooling process that took place as the meteor hurtled through space. Here he tries a variety of photographic techniques to learn which works best on the dial's unique structures. Which are your favorites?
W
Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
A Week in Watches Ep. 90: Formex and Fears Focus on Fun (Complications)
On episode 90 of A Week in Watches, Zach Weiss covers three exciting and fun new releases, two of which have uncommon complications. First up is the new Formex Stratos UTC, which while being a GMT, operates unexpectedly. Next, is the new Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour, a non-limited version of the watch they released with Christopher Ward a few years back. Lastly, we have the Bell & Ross BR-03 Horizon, which continues the brand’s playful take on pilot instrumentation. Check it out below, and please like and subscribe. This episode was sponsored by Sternglas and their new Naos Pro Automatik Watch. As a special feature with this release, early buyers can secure a gold-toned Miyota 9015 movement. Head to sternglas.com to learn more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 90: Formex and Fears Focus on Fun (Complications) appeared first on Worn & Wound.