949 articles · 10 videos found · page 19 of 32
Monochrome
For those of us over 20 years old who can read an analogue watch (you might be shocked at how many Generation Alpha kids can’t), we all know what the central hour, minute and seconds hands do. A small seconds sub-dial won’t trip us up, either. Different complications bring different hands, however, and some can […]
SJX Watches
Blancpain has just unveiled its most complex modern-day watch, the Grande Double Sonnerie, to mark its 190th anniversary. This CHF1.7 million grand complication signals Blancpain’s return to the highest tier of haute horlogerie. One of the most technically ambitious chiming wristwatches ever made, the Grande Double Sonnerie incorporates traditional complications: grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater, flying tourbillon, and retrograde perpetual calendar, but also offers an unexpected twist with two distinct chiming melodies, a Westminster chime plus a a bespoke sequence composed for Blancpain by Eric Singer of rock band Kiss. Initial thoughts It has been some time since Blancpain unveiled a truly headline-grabbing complication. The manufacture made its name in this arena with the 1735 of 1991, but in the decades since, its output has leaned toward more conventional high-end offerings - perpetual calendars, tourbillons, carrousels, and chiming watches - while its commercial momentum has come largely from the Fifty Fathoms and Villeret triple calendar. The unexpected Grande Double Sonnerie is therefore a reminder of what Blancpain can do at the very top level of watchmaking. The Le Brassus-based manufacture tends to be overlooked when speaking of high horology today, but the Grande Double Sonnerie should remind enthusiasts how sure-footed Blancpain is in this regard. Even before considering the many complexities of the timepiece, the watch impresses from the fir...
Hodinkee
The ultimate evolution of Chopard's chiming complications incorporates a minute repeater, grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, and more in a brand-new caliber with dual certifications.
SJX Watches
Chopard marks 30 years of the Chopard Manufacture with the L.U.C Grand Strike – its most ambitious complication to date, a minute repeating clock watch with grande et petite sonnerie striking on a pair of sapphire gongs. This comes on the heels of Chopard’s sister brand, Ferdinand Berthoud’s Naissance d’une Montre 3, making 2025 arguably the most significant year for Chopard, product wise, since the 1997 launch of L.U.C. Initial Thoughts For hundreds of years the sound of clocks coordinated human society. In fact, the very word “clock” comes from the Latin word clocca, meaning bell. Before the noise pollution of the modern day, the bells of clock towers could disseminate accurate time over several miles. It is only that many first complicated the first watches, which were made by clock makers during the 16th century, were equipped with strikes. In 2016 Chopard launched its first self-developed chiming watch, the L.U.C Full Strike, a two-train trip repeater with sapphire gongs. It is not much of a surprise, I’ve multiple people speculate that a grande sonnerie was the next step given the design depictions Chopard made with the Full Strike. Even the name, “Full Strike” sounds like the name of a grande sonnerie, not just a repeater. The Grand Strike is class leading technically, it’s only weakness, the middling strike work power reserve is easily forgiven when considering its size. Aesthetically, however, the watch struggles, at least for me, though the si...
SJX Watches
Matching sets are a motif of Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, with the most spectacular being the Concord Saratoga Splendour, a set of four minute repeating, high jewellery wristwatches representing the four precious stones – diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald – each with a distinct movement made by Christophe Claret. Also on offer is a set of three watches from Glashütte Original with Meissen porcelain dials, and a Patek Philippe Pagoda quartet. Lot 857, a matching pair of Bovets depicting Hong Kong harbour by day and by night. Image – Phillips Such sets enjoyed popularity at the top end of the market during the 1980s and 1990s, often centred around the four precious coloured stones, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Perhaps the ultimate example of the matched set is the most complicated Patek Philippe watch, the Calibre 89, that was originally launched as a set of four in yellow, rose, and white gold, and platinum. Unfortunately, many of these sets have since been split up. Can these three escape that fate? Lots 858 to 862 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Set Concord was one of a few brands that saw great, but ephemeral, success during the 1980s and 1990s, in the same vein as Gerald Genta, Ebel, and Corum. In 1995 Concord launched the Saratoga Exor, a minute repeating tourbillon with perpetual calendar and bimetallic thermometer, set with 15.85 carats of baguette diamonds. With a price tag of CHF2 million, it was probably the second most expensive w...
Monochrome
On the occasion of Dubai Watch Week 2025, Chopard unveils the L.U.C Grand Strike, the brand’s most complex watch to date, with a Grande Sonnerie, a Petite Sonnerie, a Minute Repeater and a tourbillon regulator. Just like the brand’s Full Strike minute repeater, its acoustic merits are nothing short of extraordinary, in particular thanks to […]
SJX Watches
The just-concluded Geneva auction season was mostly a plateau with several striking peaks and a few lows. The peaks were marked by desirable timepieces that outperformed by far, yet shared little in common with one another in terms of style or period. The peaks ranged from multiple F.P. Journe watches to a diamond-set Patek Philippe ref. 3424/1 “Gilbert Albert” to the Breguet four-minute tourbillon pocket watch from 1809 to the Instagram-ready Patek Philippe ref. 3970 in “salmon” with Breguet numerals. Despite such diverse taste, the small pool of bidders seemed to have one thing in common: they were all focused on a “trophy” watch. The Christie’s saleroom in the Four Seasons. Image – Christie’s With few exceptions, contemporary watches from mainstream brands were cold, while vintage watches were mostly lukewarm – but as always there were exceptions. An Patek Philippe ref. 570 with a black dial signed “E. Gubelin” sold for an impressive CHF419,100 including fees, or US$523,000, at Christie’s, while Phillips sold a Rolex Daytona ref. 6263 “RCO” (or “Oyster Sotto”) for an equally impressive CHF1.39 million, or US$1.73 million – close to the historical peak for the model. A vintage watch that surprised on the downside was the 1927 Rolex Oyster worn by Mercedes Gleitze when she became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1927 – a landmark in Rolex lore. Though it sold for CHF1.39 million, or US$1.74 million, there was just one bi...
Time+Tide
The Les Cabinotiers Homage to Epic Warriors Minute Repeater and The Labours of Heracles unite grand feu enamel and hand‑engraving.The post These Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête métiers d’art pieces tell centuries-old stories appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
After its comeback in 2022, Hautlence (an anagram of Neuchâtel) doubled down on unconventional time displays with the Sphere Series 1, followed by the darker Sphere Series 2, both pairing a multi-axis spherical jumping hour with a retrograde minute. Those watches reintroduced the brand’s TV-screen silhouette and reminded collectors why Hautlence sits in the front […]
Worn & Wound
By now the Bamford name shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you. Having just taken a breath from launching their latest collaboration with Oris, the British brand has turned its sights towards Seiko with the release of their Seiko 5 Sports BAMFORD Limited Edition. With Bamford’s track record of highlighting versus cannibalizing its collaborators, the result between the two brands has resulted in a vibrant, eye-catching release that takes inspiration from a variety of sources: Seiko’s archival collage techniques, anime, retrofuturism, and the pursuit of paradise. To best understand this collab, Bamford and Seiko produced a short anime for the release. In it, we see a salaryman at his desk, late at night. Suddenly, his Seiko 5 BAMFORD Limited Edition transports him to a verdant landscape, a sort of Eden outside of the office. While the message behind this video is fairly straightforward, it’s the creative liberty in which the two brands have taken to marry this partnership and solidifying what I have long suspected: Bamford is a concept brand versus a brand who occasionally builds products around a concept. And, as such, Seiko is all the better for it. In terms of the watch’s design, the blue skeleton dial is, of course, what one notices first, and is inspired by George Bamford’s vision of duality, attempting to capture two worlds in one design. Underneath, we see the inner mechanics of the day-date display. Further design choices which highlight Bamford’s imaginations ...
Monochrome
Kari Voutilainen is regarded as one of the greatest independent watchmakers on the scene today. Working from his atelier in Môtiers, Switzerland, the Finnish master watchmaker produces some of the most coveted complications, drawing collectors from near and far to admire his minute repeaters, tourbillons and other in-house delicacies. The latest marvel to emerge from […]
Monochrome
Sometimes in life, as in watchmaking, less is very much more. Boiling things down to the essence can be a very rewarding thing. Who needs tourbillons, chronographs or minute repeaters, when sometimes all you need is a simple two-handed display? But does that mean you also have to take away all creativity? Not at all, […]
Monochrome
Girard-Perregaux has an extensive track record in watchmaking and is one of the most enduring integrated manufactures of the Swiss watch industry. In the 1980s, at a time when the quartz crisis had crippled mechanical watchmaking, the brand was among the first to champion the renaissance of traditional movements. Today, Girard-Perregaux announces the launch of […]
Monochrome
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Grande Tradition collection is the repository of the brand’s most complicated timepieces, featuring multi-component calibres and incredible levels of decoration and finishing. Bringing almost 200 years of expertise to the table, the Master Grande Tradition is home to emblematic complications like the tourbillon, the minute repeater and the perpetual calendar, often combined and […]
SJX Watches
On episode 10 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon Moore discuss the highlights and hands-on impressions from Geneva Watch Days, including the Greubel Forsey QP Balancier, Lange 1815 Tourbillon Black Enamel, Gérald Genta’s new Minute Repeater, and the latest perpetual calendars from Audemars Piguet. We also discuss the significance of Tag Heuer’s carbon hairsprings; after a short-lived launch in 2019, the brand has taken a mulligan and relaunched this technology with a key difference that might make carbon hairsprings a real alternative to silicon. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.
Fratello
Fortis is well known in the world of horology for creating amazing tool watches. It is also one of the few brands with a track record of successfully sending watches into space. The Fortis Stratoliner S-41 collection is a modern-day space traveler’s watch that has achieved just that. Now, the Swiss brand is extending the […] Visit Fortis Introduces The Stealthy Stratoliner S-41 Gravity Black And The Wild Reentry Edition to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Leroy returns to high-end watchmaking, reviving the Osmior collection with a tourbillon and a minute repeater all in one.The post L.Leroy is staging another comeback with the complicated Osmior Bal du Temps appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
First introduced in 2014 as A. Lange & Söhne’s “entry-level” tourbillon (if there is such a thing for the German brand), the 1815 Tourbillon now returns as a limited edition in a striking, but familiar, guise. The new 1815 Tourbillon features a glossy black enamel dial – similar to that found on this year’s Minute Repeater Perpetual – and the same L102.1 movement found in the original version. Like the much pricier Minute Repeater Perpetual, the new tourbillon is not a Handwerkskunst edition, but still boasts a hand-enamelled dial made in-house. Initial thoughts As the base model tourbillon in Lange’s catalogue, the 1815 Tourbillon is less elaborate than the brand’s other tourbillon offerings. But it is nonetheless impressive as the tourbillon incorporates both a hacking and zero-reset mechanism. At most other brands, such a movement would be a top-of-the line offering. That said, the earlier versions were a bit plain. Even the limited edition with a white enamel dial was a little mundane. The Handwerkskunst version was outstanding, but it was just 30 pieces. The new 1815 Tourbillon isn’t extravagantly different; it is essentially a cosmetic update. But it makes all the difference. The glossy black dial is tremendously more appealing than the white enamel dial from before, especially since it is achieved with the champleve technique, eliminating the need for printed numerals. That said, it feels a little soon after the Minute Repeater Perpetual that has ...
SJX Watches
Behrens teams up with Vianney Halter for the bold, electric meter-inspired KWH Watch, in white or rose gold. A unit of measurement for electricity, KWH is short for “kilowatt-hour” and refers to the electric meter inspiration for the design. The extremely dense movement combines the brand’s chain-driven hour display with rotating minute and power reserve cylinders, and a surprise on the back. It also represents a new frontier for the Chinese brand, as its most expensive offering yet. Initial Thoughts While Behrens’ watches do not always appeal to me aesthetically, I think the brand is an ideal champion for Chinese watchmaking. Unlike some brands marketing Chinese-built watches to global enthusiasts, Behrens is Chinese owned and operated. The brand’s founder, Lin Bingqiang, cut his teeth making parts and custom modules in Shenzhen for brands down in Hong Kong before starting Behrens in 2012. An exploded view of the 870 part movement. Many Chinese manufacturers excel at the engineering and manufacturing side, but have weak soft skills and lack vision. Behrens is strong on all fronts, and this is the brand’s most ambitious, and expensive, project yet. The brand may be over-reliant on computer-generated imagery, but I can confirm these watches are real, functional, and doing the rounds at Geneva Watch Week. Case On the heels of a collaboration with Konstantin Chaykin, Vianney Halter’s partnership is now with Behrens. This comes only days after Mr Halter’s coll...
Monochrome
Singer Reimagined has spent the past eight years experimenting with what independent watchmaking can look like. The Geneva-based brand, founded by Rob Dickinson of Singer Vehicle Design and designer Marco Borraccino, established its name with the radical Track 1 chronograph, powered by Agenhor’s Agengraphe. It was followed by the stripped-down Flytrack, the diving-oriented Divetrack, and […]
Monochrome
A discreet but rather productive watch brand, Delma is also one with a long track record, as the brand celebrated last year its 100th anniversary. For what is our concern of the day, Delma has made a name for itself in recent years with its rather impressive offering in the field of dive watches, mixing […]
Monochrome
With its signature single-hand display, MeisterSinger has created a certain philosophy of time, where a fine needle indicates the time almost to the minute, but without any of the frenetic minute and second hands of conventional watches. This almost poetical display encourages a relaxed approach to time in our fast-moving world. With the latest creation, […]
Worn & Wound
Rado’s participation in the Mubadala Citi DC Open has become a late summer tradition. Now in its third year, the descent of tennis fans (and a handful of watch media types) into Rock Creek Park is a sign that summer’s days are numbered, and the US Open prep is becoming serious. On the weekend of this year’s DC Open, you’d be forgiven for thinking summer was never ending. Blisteringly hot and muggy with humidity one minute, drenched in torrential downpours the next, it’s enough to make you wonder why anyone thought our nation’s capital should be built on a swamp in the first place. Photo courtesy Rado In any event, the annual tradition that’s been forming over these last few years with Rado extends to the release of a new, limited edition watch. I was fortunate enough to see their latest, the Rado Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition, in DC just a few weeks ago. The new LE makes use of the smaller, 39mm Captain Cook case to great effect. This is a compact, easy to wear dive watch that’s on the elegant side of sporty, which seems appropriate for a watch associated with tennis. A dive watch associated with tennis is, of course, a bit incongruous, even taking into consideration the downpours we experienced at this year’s Open. But with the beads-of-rice style bracelet and a smaller form factor, this version of the Captain Cook blends in nicely in a more elevated environment. There are little design cues throughout this Captain Cook that reference tennis in...
Monochrome
While it’s pleasing to see, wear or use something familiar, to some it’s not enough. Venturing beyond the beaten track, there’s ample joy to be found in things that break the mould, rewrite the rulebook, or throw it out altogether. This can be applied to the ever-popular mechanical chronograph watch, which usually has a bi- […]
Quill & Pad
'Fifty Fathoms: The History as Told by the Pioneers Who Created It' is a fast-moving, 30-minute documentary recounting the development of the world's first diver's watch told by the people who created it. Even non-divers are quite likely to enjoy this video.
Monochrome
Following the natural path an hour or minute hand takes over a dial, in most watches, at least, it’s a simple fact of form-follows-function that the vast majority of watches are round. But what if you want to stand out a bit and play around with shapes and sizes? Well, to answer what could happen […]
Monochrome
Although the young microbrand Eska only resurfaced last year, it has a much longer track record to back up its name. Founded in 1918 in Granges, Switzerland, Eska made a name for itself with its robust tool watches, which proved popular in North and South American, Australian, and Asian markets. As many during the quartz […]
Worn & Wound
It’s been a minute, but Watch Scrolling, our occasional series where we highlight watch and gear related Instagram accounts we think are worth visiting, is back. Now more than ever, as the algorithm increasingly wants to show us things we might not actually want to see, it’s important to highlight the collectors, enthusiasts, and creators that are really worth a follow. We’ll try to bring you a ton of variety in Watch Scrolling, both big accounts with lots of followers you might be missing, and newer, smaller accounts that are still pretty niche. We’d love to hear your suggestions for Instagram accounts to feature in this series. Drop them in the comments below, or head over to our Worn & Wound+ Slack channel and join the conversation there. @justin_sowders_art Justin recently made his Worn & Wound podcast debut at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago. He was there to talk about the Citizen Aqualand, but as an artist he’s inspired by a variety of watches, and his IG is definitely worth a follow if you’re at all interested in seeing where abstract art and watches meet. His oil paintings of watches are incredibly evocative and have a very real sense of physical depth. They’re colorful, complex, and will almost certainly make you think of the visual impact of a watch in a new light. @watchopinions Historically, I’ve been a bit allergic to anonymous bomb throwers on the internet. I love a hot-take and think people should proudly stand behind them! But there...
Fratello
The colorful 1950s are back in the shape of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Limited Edition “Seafarer II.” With its deep blue dial, fresh turquoise accents on the minute counter, and lively yellow touches, it refreshingly presents itself with an unmistakable nautical touch. This novelty harks back to a 1950s Heuer chronograph, the Seafarer tide-indication […] Visit Introducing: A New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Limited Edition - Let’s Call This Nautical Chrono “Seafarer II” to read the full article.
Monochrome
Jack Heuer’s Carrera chronograph and its affiliation with the racing track is borderline legendary, but there is an earlier, lesser-known chapter of the late 1940s involving the development of a purpose-built watch for Abercrombie & Fitch, the upscale American sporting goods company. Still a student, Jack Heuer enlisted his physics teacher to collaborate in the […]
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