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Results for ETA 2892-A2

4,325 articles · 141 videos found · page 19 of 149

Czapek Unleashes a Purple Storm Worn & Wound
Czapek Unleashes Nov 27, 2024

Czapek Unleashes a Purple Storm

I feel like every time I look at Czapek, they’re doing something great. This time, they’ve released a new limited variant of the Antarctique, the Antarctique Purple Storm, with an otherworldly purple dial produced by Swiss dial maker Metalem. The Antarctique has been one of the great success stories of the indie watch world in recent years, and Czapek has managed to iterate on the watch beautifully, offering up a consistent stream of new and interesting executions on the model without losing any of what makes it so compelling. This latest release pairs a familiar steel execution of the independent brand’s signature integrated bracelet sports watch, with a new version of the hand-varnished dial first seen in the 10-piece limited edition Antarctique Orion Nebula. While that watch was meant to evoke very specifically the look of galactic bodies in astral photography, almost looking like it could have come straight from the Webb telescope, more recent implementations of the technique have had a more lava-lamp-like quality; ethereal and non-corporeal. The Purple Storm fits into the latter group presenting onlookers with colors ranging from dark blacks to vibrant purples and every shade in between. Each of the 18 dials in this series is completely unique, and the celestial-inspired dials are entirely sterile - though the Czapek logo is present, it looks to be printed on the underside of the sapphire crystal (an increasingly common, but nonetheless appealing technique). ...

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A Modern Look for the Breguet Tradition Chronograph 7077 SJX Watches
Breguet Tradition Chronograph 7077 Breguet Nov 25, 2024

A Modern Look for the Breguet Tradition Chronograph 7077

Breguet gently revamps its flagship chronograph, the Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077, with the addition of “Breguet Blue” dial matched with a movement finished in dark grey. Originally only available with a classic silvered guilloche dial, the Tradition chronograph now gains a more modern look with a deep blue and grey palette, while retaining the same innovative chronograph movement. Initial thoughts The Tradition collection is one of the modern-day Breguet’s triumphs. Launched in 2005, the collection draws heavily from the watchmaker’s historic souscription and montre à tact pocket watches, which were created by A.-L. Breguet himself.  Tradition models adopt the highly original movement construction of the pocket watches, transforming them into wristwatch format. The going train layout, frosted bridges, and pare-chute shock-absorbers, for instance, all are faithful to the historic pieces.  Unique in itself for its chronograph construction, the Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is among the most complicated models in the Tradition collection. The original look of a silver guilloché dial worked well, but the deep blue colour of the new model works even better in complementing the exposed mechanics. The chronograph, reinvented The Tradition chronograph exists somewhat outside of the established norms of a chronograph movement, namely the vertical clutch and horizontal coupling. It features a chronograph architecture that is unique in the industry. The cal....

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Hands-On: The All-New Serica 1174 Parade With A Black Or Brass Sunburst Guilloché Dial Fratello
Serica 1174 Parade Nov 24, 2024

Hands-On: The All-New Serica 1174 Parade With A Black Or Brass Sunburst Guilloché Dial

Here at Fratello, we’ve closely followed Serica’s progress since its founding in 2019. We know the Parisian brand for its vintage-inspired yet fresh-looking and attractive watches. Both founders - Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette - pay great attention to (design) details. When they told us they were working on a dressier piece, it piqued our […] Visit Hands-On: The All-New Serica 1174 Parade With A Black Or Brass Sunburst Guilloché Dial to read the full article.

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A Modern Take on Paillonné Enamel by Hermès SJX Watches
Hermes house style which Nov 21, 2024

A Modern Take on Paillonné Enamel by Hermès

Bearing an equestrian motif in typical Hermès style, the Arceau Robe Légère has a dial in paillonné enamel. Inspired by the silk scarf of the same name, the dial depicts horse composed of thin layers of delicately formed silver leaf on a dark blue enamel base. Initial thoughts Paillonné is a relatively uncommon technique in watchmaking, and even when employed in watches it’s usually traditional in style. The Arceau Robe Légère, in contrast, has a modern, slightly whimsical feel, as is typical of Hermes’ house style, which sets it apart from most executions of paillonné enamel. Granted, the equestrian motif is familiar and employed again and again, but it is very much Hermes. You wouldn’t expect anything else from a brand that began as a maker of leather saddles for horse riding. Silver horse Featuring a 38 mm white gold Arceau case with its asymmetrical stirrup-shaped lugs, the Arceau Robe Légère sports 71 brilliant-cut diamonds on its bezel. The dial is in a dark blue fired enamel with the paillonné technique applied on top, with its intricate detailed revealed only up close. The horse is actually composed of flowers, which are in turn made up of tiny pieces of silver foil (known as paillons) carefully assembled by hand on the dark blue enamel base. The motif is then painted over with clear enamel to set it on the base. The watch is powered by the self-winding H1912 made by Vaucher. It offers 50 hours of power reserve, and beats at 28,800 beats per hour...

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A Grand Seiko 44GS in Purple-Pink Only for Asia SJX Watches
Grand Seiko 44GS Nov 21, 2024

A Grand Seiko 44GS in Purple-Pink Only for Asia

Grand Seiko marks the second anniversary of its establishment in the Asia-Pacific with the Heritage Collection 44GS “Fuji” SBGJ285. Featuring a purple-pink dial inspired by the wisteria flower, this limited edition is based on the reinterpretation of the vintage 44GS and its distinctive wide-flanked case. The case and bracelet are in Ever-Brilliant steel, a proprietary steel alloy that’s harder and shinier than conventional watchmaking steel. Powered by the high-frequency automatic cal. 9S86, the SBGJ285 features “true GMT” functionality with an independently adjustable hour hand. Initial thoughts As a long-time fan of Grand Seiko, I love the patterned dials and Zaratsu case polishing. The SBGJ285 exemplifies the essence of Grand Seiko. Though Grand Seiko does put out a significant number of limited editions, this one stands out for its unusual purple-pink colour, which is a different shade from the “salmon” dials that are now in vogue. The watch also reflects the brand’s traditional strengths and weaknesses. The case and dial finishing are excellent, particularly at this price point. However, the bracelet is not as refined as sophisticated as that of the competition. That said, this will look good on a leather strap, especially given the vintage-inspired 44GS case pairs well with a strap. Conveniently, this limited edition is delivered with both a steel bracelet and a calfskin strap. Wisteria flower The limited edition retains the standard case of the “...

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Collective Horology and Zenith Collaborate on a Limited Edition Defy Skyline Worn & Wound
Zenith Collaborate Nov 19, 2024

Collective Horology and Zenith Collaborate on a Limited Edition Defy Skyline

Collective Horology, the Southern California based retailer of independent watches, has unveiled their most recent collaboration, their second with Zenith. The ​​Zenith Defy Skyline C.X follows the El Primero C.01, Collective’s very first limited edition which was released into a very different watch landscape in 2019. Collective has changed along with the watch industry – they’ve become a full fledged retailer of independent watch brands, and have nixed the “members only” concept that the company was born with. It’s fair to say that Collective’s scope has widened considerably since 2019: their goal seems to be spreading the gospel of independent watchmaking at a huge range of price points to anyone who will listen, while continuing to hone in on storytelling in their own limited edition releases to make each of them feel special in their own way.  The Skyline C.X takes the latest version of Zenith’s Defy Skyline and strips it back aesthetically to resemble an imagined version of what the watch might have been had it debuted in the 1970s when the Defy collection was beginning to take shape. The theme Collective and Zenith are playing with for this edition is that of midcentury industrial design. To that end, virtually every surface of the case (and bracelet) has been given a micro blasted finish for a sleek, industrial look, and the familiar star motif seen on most Skyline dials has been given a dramatic gradient effect, with the engraved stars appeari...

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Voutilainen Gives the KV20i Reversed a Cherry Facelift SJX Watches
Voutilainen Gives Nov 18, 2024

Voutilainen Gives the KV20i Reversed a Cherry Facelift

Although the Voutilainen style is rooted in tradition, sometimes it encompasses less-than-conservative watches, like the Voutilainen KV20i Reversed Cherry, a colourful variant of the brand’s signature inverted-movement model. Kari Voutilainen is one of the most respected contemporary independent watchmakers - and for good reason. He has struck a perfect balance between the artisanal aspects of horology with enough business acumen to guarantee him absolute creative liberty and longevity. Despite his success, Mr Voutilainen didn’t scale up his namesake brand, instead choosing to continue making small-run timepieces. While the KV20i Reversed Cherry is not a limited edition, only a handful will be made, as is typical of the brand. Initial thoughts The Vingt-8 Reversed is a staple of the Voutilainen collection, having started five years ago with the 28TI – short for “Titanium Inverse”. An evolution of the Inverse, the KV20i Reversed is remarkably similar, although much has changed in terms of details. Voutilainen wristwatches are characterised by two key traits: impeccable movements and hand-made guilloche dials sporting deep and rich patterns. The Reversed puts the former in the front, taking the place of the dial, while guilloche is concealed on the back.  While a guilloché front dial will surely be missed, the visible mechanics more than compensate. The latest incarnation of Voutilainen’s in-house cal. 28 reverses the construction, which required a number ...

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Brellum Introduces a Smaller Version of their Duobox Chronograph Worn & Wound
Nov 15, 2024

Brellum Introduces a Smaller Version of their Duobox Chronograph

Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, founded Brellum in 2017. Unlike many new brands, they did not pursue crowdfunding but adopted a more traditional approach. The first model released by Brellum was the Duobox, which was covered by Worn & Wound here. Since then, we have reported on several other releases by the brand. However, despite this coverage and similar attention from other outlets, Brellum does not appear to have the same visibility or market presence as many competitors. That is the impression I have, at least. Since 2017, they have quietly expanded into multiple product lines, exhibiting strong and distinctive brand coherence. They have successfully established their brand identity in such a way that their models are instantly recognizable as Brellum watches. In an industry as prolific, diverse, and prone to imitation as ours, achieving a high level of brand consistency is more challenging than one might expect, particularly if your designs are conservative. However, their watches do possess some flair, and all feature high-grade chronometer-certified movements. For 2024, Brellum is introducing a smaller version of their most popular model, the Duobox, along with a new chronograph movement in their collection. Introducing the Duobox 39 Chronometer Limited Edition. This watch is essentially a 39mm version featuring subdials at the 3, 6, and 9 positions. Many consider this arrangement more aesthetically pleasing than the standard ETA/VJ7750 dial layo...

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From the Grönefeld Brothers, a New Brand, GRØNE, and an Affordable New Watch, the Manueel One Worn & Wound
Kurono Tokyo Nov 5, 2024

From the Grönefeld Brothers, a New Brand, GRØNE, and an Affordable New Watch, the Manueel One

A new brand is the talk of the watch world today, and the latest example of a trend we’ve seen developing over the last several years. GRØNE is the new project from Bart and Tim Grönefeld, the brothers behind the Grönefeld brand, one of the most acclaimed indies in the world. Following in the footsteps of the M.A.D. 1 project, Kurono Tokyo, and others, the brand exists as a way for admirers of a high priced independent maker to buy into the aesthetic and perspective of the brand at a much more affordable price point. The first release from GRØNE, the Manueel One, carries a retail price of just 2,150 Euros. At retail, Grönefeld watches start at around 50,000 Euros and go up from there. They are also very low production, with fewer than 100 pieces made each year.  The Manueel One, according to Bart and Tim, was inspired by a desire to bring their watches to “our our watchmakers, our children, and our friends.” If this sentiment sounds familiar, it’s nearly identical to Max Büsser’s reasoning behind the M.A.D. 1 project, which was initially only offered to friends of the brand, including partners that Max and his team had worked with for years. Like the M.A.D. 1, the Manueel One borrows some aesthetic and design principles from the higher priced watches the brand is known for, but it does so without the serious attention to craft and watchmaking you’d get with an atelier made timepiece. That’s to be expected, of course. Anyone thinking that an order for t...

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Bremont Partners with Jimmy Chin on a Pair of Limited Edition Terra Nova Chronographs Worn & Wound
Bremont Partners Oct 28, 2024

Bremont Partners with Jimmy Chin on a Pair of Limited Edition Terra Nova Chronographs

Bremont has undergone a drastic brand transformation in the last year or so, moving away from what many would consider their rather reserved British design language to something more daring and youthful. The Terra Nova could really be considered the focal point of this transition, a design nobody was expecting, with its oval cushion case, large stylized Arabic numerals, and sub-dials rivaling the contrast found on some of the most die-hard chronographs on the market.  During one of the busiest watch release times of the year, Bremont has quietly unveiled two new variants of the Terra Nova in collaboration with renowned climber, explorer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. One with a full 18ct rose gold case limited to only 15 pieces, and one with rose gold accents limited to 100 pieces. The design of these watches is also inspired by military pocket watches from the 20th century, giving the watch a nostalgic exterior appearance but with the capabilities one would expect from a feature packed tool watch.  While I found the Terra Nova Power Reserve to be a rather polarizing design when I had a chance to go hands-on with one earlier this year, I feel that this chronograph version brings a level of organization to the dial and case not found on the other variants – with the full gold and gold accented appearance highlighting these aspects in a positive way. Bremont decided on the BE-50AV caliber to power this watch, which is actually based on the ETA 7750 and heavily modified to...

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A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of their Relaunch with Two Lange 1s (LIVE PICS) Worn & Wound
A. Lange & Sohne Oct 24, 2024

A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of their Relaunch with Two Lange 1s (LIVE PICS)

A 30th anniversary is no small thing for a brand. For some perspective, only 25% of new companies even survive for 15 years. As such, it’s rightly a cause for celebration. This year, A. Lange & Söhne is celebrating two anniversaries, the 25th anniversary of the Datograph, and the 30th anniversary of the brand being relaunched. For the Datograph, we saw four exceptional and highly exclusive pieces. At Watches & Wonders, they launched the elegant Datograph Up/Down Limited Edition in white gold with a blue dial, as well as the über Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” That duo was followed up by the recently announced Datograph Handwerkskunst and Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition.” The Handwerkskunst is an über watch of a different nature than the “Lumen,” demonstrating the brand’s dedication to handcraft and the artistry of watchmaking. Anthony de Haas, Director of Development, described the process of creating the dial, which consists of an “outer ring, the main carriage dial, and then the sub-dials, all four out of solid yellow gold. We take a milling machine and take away all the material, except for the numerals and the letters and the text, so they are in relief.” The process then goes to an engraver, who meticulously applies “tremblage,” creating the uniform stippled texture across all surfaces. This task is made even more difficult as the engraver must navigate all of the engraved details, such as the arching logo. To get...

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Introducing the Alterum Worldtimer, a Minimalist Take on a Notoriously Busy Complication Worn & Wound
Oct 23, 2024

Introducing the Alterum Worldtimer, a Minimalist Take on a Notoriously Busy Complication

You might be familiar with the work of Justin Walters through his work with Marin Instruments, which burst onto the microbrand watch scene back in 2021 with a unique, contemporary spin on the classic skin diver. Justin has just launched a new brand, the Alterum Watch Company, which he’s been teasing to those of us in the industry for nearly as long. It’s great to see the watch finally made public, and to see Justin fully emerge as one of the most interesting watch design minds working today. Between this initial release for Alterum and the ongoing work with Marin, we’re seeing a clear, modern aesthetic evolve right before our eyes. Best of all, these watches are accessible to just about anyone, proving once again that you don’t need to spend a small fortune for thoughtful and interesting design.  The working principle behind the Alterum Worldtimer is one of simplicity, or “cutting away the chaos,” as Justin puts it. We’ve heard and seen this before, of course. Many brands attempt to reach a minimal design, but it’s hard to think of one that starts with a worldtimer, a genre of watch that’s busy almost by definition. But it’s a good test, when you think about it. If the goal of Alterum as a brand is simplicity and clarity, finding success with a worldtimer would seem to bode quite well for future projects. In many ways the Alterum Worldtimer feels familiar, at least in its functionality, but when you really start digging into the details you come to und...

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The Habring² Oskar is a Classical Moon Phase SJX Watches
Breguet numerals Oct 15, 2024

The Habring² Oskar is a Classical Moon Phase

Described by Habring² as “a relative of Felix“, the Oskar shares the brand’s signature A11 movement but gains a calendar module, with the seconds at six or central. Launched to mark the 20th anniversary of Habring², the Oskar makes its debut in three different variants, a pair with date-and-moon and the final model with just a moon phase. All three feature the same classical aesthetic with Breguet numerals and a compact, 38.5 mm case. Initial thoughts The Oskar is an excellent example of what the Austrian independent has to offer – appealing, clean aesthetics paired with the excellent, proprietary A11 movement, and a price tag of well under US$8,000. And the Oskar also reflect Habring²’s technical competence that the brand managed to squeeze the complication module into a 9 mm high case, with the movement alone being just 5.5 mm high. Admittedly, the vintage-inspired styling might be a little generic, although it is easily appealing. The design is well-executed with a properly proportioned dial and thoughtful details. As is typical for Habring², the Oskar is an honest product and an excellent value proposition, with the moon phase model priced at €6,050 and the moon phase with pointer date about 10% more. Mid century style  The case is a simple, fuss-free affair that is similar to that found on other Habring² models, including the Felix. Entirely polished, the stainless steel case is 38.5 mm in diameter and 9 mm in thickness for both versions. All three m...

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Duxot Henri Review: A Worthy Seamaster Homage for the Price, If You Don’t Pay Retail Two Broke Watch Snobs
Omega Seamaster Professional 300m Oct 14, 2024

Duxot Henri Review: A Worthy Seamaster Homage for the Price, If You Don’t Pay Retail

In my ongoing quest to find budget alternatives to the several thousand-dollar watches I pine over, I’ve discovered a new timepiece for which I’ve developed mixed feelings. The Duxot Henri Diver Automatic is the latest in my collection. I bought it after trying on an Omega Seamaster Professional 300m with the white dial and falling in love with it. Knowing it’d be a while before I could afford the Omega, and realizing it was just a little too large for my small wrists, I set out a suitable alternative.

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Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Nintendo Alarm Clock, Getting Lost in the Netflix Library, and a New Dial from the Stella Watch Company Worn & Wound
Oct 12, 2024

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Nintendo Alarm Clock, Getting Lost in the Netflix Library, and a New Dial from the Stella Watch Company

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. A Big Sale for the Members of Pink Floyd It’s become quite common in recent years for major recording acts to sell the rights to their music and songwriting to giant corporations, generating enormous paydays for the creatives involved, even if it means losing some or all of the control of the content itself. British rock band Pink Floyd is the latest in a growing line of Boomer bands to take an enormous check for their catalog. As the Guardian and others have reported, the deal is worth an estimated $400 million, and gives new owner Sony the rights to the band’s vast catalog, as well as their names and likenesses. The deal comes after years of infighting between members that reportedly slowed down negotiations, and controversial comments from Roger Waters about, well, a whole bunch of things that you can choose to Google if you’d like. What comes next for Pink Floyd and what does the deal mean? Hard to say. They retain the rights to their songwriting, but the deal should allow Sony and others to use their music for any number of commercial purposes. And Sony owns a movie studio...

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Introducing - A New Trio of Amber-Toned H. Moser & Cie. Exclusive Creations for Bucherer Monochrome
H. Moser & Cie Exclusive Creations Oct 8, 2024

Introducing - A New Trio of Amber-Toned H. Moser & Cie. Exclusive Creations for Bucherer

Bucherer, the world’s leading watch retailer that recently made headlines when Rolex acquired it, has a history of collaborating with various brands to release exclusive editions, and one signature colour has consistently defined these partnerships – Bucherer Blue. Last year, this theme was showcased in a trio of remarkable timepieces from H. Moser & Cie […]

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The Petrolhead Corner - The Bugatti Baby II Tourbillon Is A Hand-Built Driveable Miniature Of A Legendary Race Car Monochrome
Oct 5, 2024

The Petrolhead Corner - The Bugatti Baby II Tourbillon Is A Hand-Built Driveable Miniature Of A Legendary Race Car

Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with your phone or computer, and your eyes are not deceiving you. This is actually a Bugatti Type 35, just, smaller. Built by Hedley Studios in the UK, this Bugatti Baby II Tourbillon is an extremely detailed masterpiece celebrating the new direction of Bugatti, taking inspiration from the past 115 […]

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Nomos Unveils a New Movement with Two Dates at their Annual Forum Worn & Wound
Nomos Unveils Oct 4, 2024

Nomos Unveils a New Movement with Two Dates at their Annual Forum

I attended the 5th year of Nomos’s annual forum this week, and even though the theme was about design and colors, it was the new manual winding movement that received the most attention.  As a seasoned writer who has closely followed Nomos’s trajectory, I often find myself anticipating the brand’s future moves. However, even with my extensive experience, the unveiling of the Tangente 2date ($2,760-$3,020) caught me off guard. I will be very open about what resonated with me, and what left me puzzled. Let’s begin with the movement itself. The DUW 4601 is a new manual winding caliber with a slim height of 2.8mm, and 52 hours of power reserve. Speaking with Mirko Heyne, head of research and development at Nomos, I learned that the previous manual winding caliber, DUW 4101, had the same height with a normal date complication, 42 hours of power reserve, and not the nice finishing we see on the new 4601. Both have the Swing System, the proprietary escapement developed by Nomos. In summary, the new movement delivers extra power reserve, better finishing, and has an additional date complication while still remaining the same height as the previous movement – that’s because the patented date wheel is integrated into the mainplate. Another significant technical advancement in the 4601 caliber is the quick set date mechanism. You can easily jump forward with the crown in the second position.  When I saw the standalone movement with Mirko, my first impression was the sli...

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The Nomos Tangente Gains a Double Date SJX Watches
Nomos Tangente Gains Oct 3, 2024

The Nomos Tangente Gains a Double Date

Nomos gently upgrades its classic wristwatch with a new calibre and double-date display: the Tangente 2date retains the signature Tangente design but with the addition of a quickset, twin date display. The same date is indicate twice, on the date disc at six o’clock and then again with a pair of brackets on the date scale located on the dial’s periphery. It’s powered by the DUW 4601, a new calibre that’s based on Nomos’ longstanding Alpha movement. Initial thoughts The Tangente 2date is essentially another iteration of a familiar model, inside and out. Though it still makes appealing, well-priced watches, Nomos hasn’t introduced anything truly novel in some time, and the Tangente 2date reflects that. As the name implies, the only novel element is the double date display that adds detail to the dial, which is fairly stark in its original iteration. At the same time, the date is useful in filling the excess space on the dial that results from the small movement relative to the case. However, the double date is redundant in terms of functionality, and from that perspective, feels gimmicky. The view from the back is appealing, with the extra-wide date module forming a decorative ring around the base movement. The DUW 4601  movement, however, is not exactly novel. Though Nomos describes the calibre as “newly developed”, the DUW 4601 employs the basic architecture of the Alpha, which in turn was a reworked Peseux 7001. In fairness, the DUW 4601 is substantially ...

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Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Horror Movie Experience at the Stanley Hotel, An Enormous Black Hole, and the Swiss Watch Industry Slows Down Worn & Wound
Sep 28, 2024

Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Horror Movie Experience at the Stanley Hotel, An Enormous Black Hole, and the Swiss Watch Industry Slows Down

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. The Struggling Swiss Watch Industry  Reports continue to surface that point to prolonged troubles and a general downturn in the Swiss watch industry. Forbes reports that according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, exports were down in August by 125,000 units year over year, even while the total value of all exports increased by nearly 8%. A chief cause of the downturn, in addition to a slowing global economy, is likely overproduction of watches and other luxury goods. Johann Rupert, chairman of Richemont, called on watch manufacturers to reduce production across the board. It’s worth pointing out that these export numbers never tell the whole story – these are units sold to retailers, not end users, for the most part. But signs seem to be everywhere that the boom seen during the pandemic across the industry has waned significantly, and the industry as a whole may have returned to what once would have been described as normal.  A Black Hole with a Cosmic Wingspan  The sheer size of space is something that is hard for human beings to comprehend, and a story we saw t...

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Ikepod and Ace Jewelers Introduce a New Four-Way Megapod Collaboration Worn & Wound
Ming Sep 24, 2024

Ikepod and Ace Jewelers Introduce a New Four-Way Megapod Collaboration

Not since the Beatles have four individuals teamed up to create something greater than the sum of its parts. While this might be just a tad hyperbolic, the new This Is Our Time Megapod watch in a cross-collaboration between Amstersdam’s Ace Jewelers, Ikepod, Laser 3.14 (an Amsterdam based street artist), and ABC (the multi-disciplinary design studio) is something to pay attention to.  It’s not often that so many chefs find themselves in one kitchen – usually, broad collaborations only end in a Frankenstein product of sorts with each brand vying for a spotlight – but that doesn’t seem to be the case here with this particular reference. In fact, the four individual voices in this watch’s design all appear in conversation with one another instead of a shouting match to see who can be noticed first, with Marc Newson’s Ikepod design language tying everything together. Because of this, the This Is Our Time Megapod is a watch that is not only a fun release, but a great success story for other multi-party collabs to look at as inspiration.  Okay, enough mixing metaphors here – let’s talk about the watch itself. For those familiar with Ikepod, you’ll already know the Megapod design. Coming in at a whopping 46mm, this is a big boy, but benefits from a lugless design making it a relatively easy wear despite its size. Additionally, the pared-down use of color makes it a subtle, albeit noticeable, design choice. The black dial and red lettering only enhance the re...

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A Hands-On Introduction To The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase Fratello
Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase During Sep 24, 2024

A Hands-On Introduction To The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase

During Geneva Watch Days, Frederique Constant introduced two high-end models with impressive special dials. Only a few weeks later, the brand now unveils a series of three quartz moonphase models in the more affordable segment. This move highlights the wide variety of watches the brand offers. Usually, the mechanical side of things is more relevant […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase to read the full article.

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A Stunner: The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre Sep 21, 2024

A Stunner: The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184

Jaeger-LeCoultre creates some of the most complicated watches on the market. Today’s Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is a stunning example of this. The movement may not be new, but it’s wildly impressive and sits in an equally mesmerizing pink gold case. This is one to savor for its details and artisanship. One of my […] Visit A Stunner: The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 to read the full article.

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Shining a Light on the A. Lange & Söhne Lumen Collection Teddy Baldassarre
A. Lange & Sohne Sep 18, 2024

Shining a Light on the A. Lange & Söhne Lumen Collection

When A. Lange & Söhne makes a contribution to watchmaking, whether in the areas of technology, design, materials, or any combination of these or other elements, it tends to go above and beyond the call - to challenge itself to reach a little higher, to put its own distinctly Saxon spin on things. This philosophy is evident particularly in the brand’s approach to complications: not just a moon-phase, but a moon-phase that’s accurate for more than a century. Not just a tourbillon, but the first tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism. Not just a split-seconds chronograph, but the first “triple split” chronograph to make comparative time measurements of not just seconds and minutes but multiple hours.  It was in that overachieving spirit, no doubt, that Lange developed its own signature illumination system for watch dials, rolling it out in 2010 on the second generation of the groundbreaking Zeitwerk model that it had introduced the year prior. The system, called “Lumen” and patented in 2013, illuminates not only dial elements like hands and indexes in the dark but also components normally hidden beneath the dial’s surface, like date disks and decorated plates, wheels and bridges. Lange’s technical solution to the challenge of charging all of the elements uniformly - luminous-treated surface details like hands, hour markers and subdials, as well as non-treated parts beneath the surface - was a dial made of sapphire and coated with a semi-transparent ...

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