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Results for Quartz Crisis

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Quartz Crisis

1969-1985 industry collapse triggered by the Seiko Astron. Cost Swiss watchmaking two-thirds of its workforce; rebounded via Swatch Group consolidation and Biver's Blancpain.
Seiko Introduces new Astrons, Including a Limited Edition, for their 145th Anniversary Worn & Wound
Seiko Introduces new Astrons Including May 14, 2026

Seiko Introduces new Astrons, Including a Limited Edition, for their 145th Anniversary

This year marks the 145th anniversary of Seiko, and while 145 isn’t exactly the most notable round number anniversary, it’s still, well, a very long time. And as we’ve mentioned countless times in these pages, the watch industry simply doesn’t let an anniversary year go to waste. Seiko has just announced a new collection of watches in the Astron line to mark the occasion, because of course it makes a lot of sense to commemorate longevity and a proud history with the most modern contemporary line in the catalog. Right?  Kidding aside, the Astron holds a special place in the Seiko collection for a few reasons. It was the name of the brand’s very first quartz watch, famously introduced on Christmas Day in 1969. It was a watch, and a technology, that not only changed the company, but the watch industry altogether. It ushered in the Quartz Crisis across most of the watchmaking world, except of course in Japan, which rose to a level of prominence in watchmaking as a result of quartz.  Today, the Astron is special as it is reserved for the most newfangled Seiko technology available, very much in keeping with the tradition inherent in its name. That means, primarily, tech forward GPS enabled timekeeping, as well as the use of Seiko’s solar technology. Astron watches typically inhabit a very contemporary design language, which tends toward sporty, angular, and often oversized.  The anniversary watch introduced this week is the new GPS Solar Dual Time Chronograph, ref...

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Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic - This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication Worn & Wound
Oris 24-Year-Old Product Design Apr 15, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic - This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication

Oris first introduced its Artelier Complication in 1991 alongside the Caliber 581, which notably featured a moonphase module developed in-house by the brand. The release marked another significant moment for the maison in its commitment to manufacture movements following the quartz crisis. The model’s presence ultimately faded but received new life in 2017 with an updated design that featured a more modern, cleaner style with slimmer, tapered lugs, and a redesigned bezel. At Watches & Wonders, we get the next evolution of the Artelier Complication.  The newest incarnation gives us another redesign from the 2017 edition while keeping the focus on highlighting the romantic moonphase. This updated take on the Artelier Complication comes from 24-year-old Lena Huwiler, Oris’s new Product Design Engineer. Huwiler has been able to achieve the perfect balance between honoring the model’s place in the history of the brand and propelling it forward with a design that will resonate with her generation. An old soul at heart, Huwiler admits she does not just find inspiration online but still appreciates architecture, crafts, and interior design. She clearly brings the duality of these sensibilities into her design for the new Artelier Complication. Here, Huwiler has given an Oris classic a modern, urban profile and reworked the moonphase display designed by and for the next generation of watch collectors. The major update here is in the complication and how it is presented thank...

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Introducing - The Return of the Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater Monochrome
Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater Apr 8, 2026

Introducing - The Return of the Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater

Angelus is a historical Swiss watch brand founded in 1891 in Le Locle by Albert and Gustav Stolz, known for technically ambitious and award-winning chronographs, multi-complication watches and even chiming models. After a long period of dormancy following the quartz crisis, the brand was revived in 2011. Tapping into its rich archive, Angelus has gathered […]

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Oris Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” Review Teddy Baldassarre
Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Mar 27, 2026

Oris Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” Review

Before we get into my review of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bullseye, let's get some context about the brand out of the way. Oris traces its foundation to 1904, when two natives of the Swiss watchmaking town of Le Locle, Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, opened their watch factory in the German-speaking Swiss town of Hölstein. Cattin and Christian named their company “Oris” after the Orisbach tributary, a brook near the factory.A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris is well established as a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-made watches.  While much of its modern output is devoted to sport-oriented timepieces, like the popular Aquis and Divers (formerly Divers Sixty-Five) diving watches, the brand’s most recognizable and emblematic collection is the Big Crown Pointer Date, which has been a mainstay of the brand’s portfolio - and in constant production - since 1938. It was the first watch with a date indication displayed via a central hand on an outer scale, and it took the other part of its model name from its signature design element - an oversiz...

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Raymond Weil’s Well-Dressed Millesime “Tuxedo” SJX Watches
Raymond Weil s Well-Dressed Millesime “Tuxedo” Feb 26, 2026

Raymond Weil’s Well-Dressed Millesime “Tuxedo”

An eighties icon that is finding fresh footing, Raymond Weil has extended its GPHG-winning dress watch collection with the Millesime Small Seconds 39 mm “Tuxedo”. Available in three appealing colourways, the Millesime features Art Deco-inspired typography that brings a surprising degree of energy to the line-up’s familiar sector-style dial. Initial thoughts Raymond Weil was one of the biggest names in Swiss watchmaking in the 1980s and 1990s. Raymond Weil himself was one of the first entrepreneurs to see a future for mechanical watchmaking amidst the rubble of the quartz crisis, launching his eponymous brand in 1976. While peak production is in the past, the brand seems to have rebounded with a collection of well-received dress watches and savvy limited editions. The new Millesime Small Seconds embodies the carefully considered details that have underpinned the brand’s recent resurgence. It’s not revolutionary by any means, but at just US$2,295 it offers an affordable entry point to the world of Swiss dress watches. Affordability is one thing, but appeal is another. Fortunately the 39 mm Millesime hits many of the right notes in each of the three colourways, including a so-called ‘tuxedo’ configuration in either classic back and white or on-trend burgundy, as well as a dark blue option that might be the dark horse favourite. Art Deco trio All three models have a few key things in common, starting with the stainless steel case. The Millesime measures 39 mm in ...

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First Look - The New Yema Wristmaster Slim Small Seconds, Including a Surpising Camo Version Monochrome
Seiko until Feb 19, 2026

First Look - The New Yema Wristmaster Slim Small Seconds, Including a Surpising Camo Version

Founded in 1948 by Henry Belmont, Yema was France’s top producer and exporter by the 1960s. Renowned for legendary models such as the Superman, which appealed to professional and amateur divers alike, Yema went the way of many other mechanical watch brands during the quartz crisis and changed hands, including a stint with Seiko, until a French […]

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Introducing - Eska Launches the New Racing Chronograph Automatic, a Sub-500 Euros Take on Motorsport Design Monochrome
Dec 8, 2025

Introducing - Eska Launches the New Racing Chronograph Automatic, a Sub-500 Euros Take on Motorsport Design

Originally founded in 1918 in Granges, Switzerland, Eska Watches vanished during the quartz crisis and was revived in 2024 by Christophe Chevreton and Sinicha Knezevic. The partners quickly captured the essence of Eska’s heritage and adapted it to modern trends. The rebirth began with the Amphibian 250 dive watch and the Heritage Chronograph, both assembled […]

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Oris ProPilot Date Review: The Big Crown ProPilot Evolved Teddy Baldassarre
Oris ProPilot Date Review Nov 19, 2025

Oris ProPilot Date Review: The Big Crown ProPilot Evolved

The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date has a prestigious history starting with the founding of the independent Swiss brand that makes it. Oris began making watches in 1904, when it was founded in Hölstein, Switzerland, by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, who named the company after a nearby brook. A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris has become a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-made watches, particularly sport-oriented models. Among the brand’s modern pillars are the dressy Big Crown Pointer Date and the more aviation-centric Big Crown ProPilot, which trace their existence all the way back to 1938. That year marked the launch of the first Oris watch dubbed “Big Crown,” named after its signature element, an oversized, fluted winding crown meant to be easy to grasp and to operate by a pilot wearing heavy gloves. The modern edition of the Big Crown ProPilot debuted in 2014 (example above), notably adding what is today one of its signature features: a knurled bezel that resembles a jet turbine.  Oris has revamped, tweaked, and added complications to the original, ...

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TAG Heuer Formula 1 Review: The Retro Classic Returns Teddy Baldassarre
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Review Oct 18, 2025

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Review: The Retro Classic Returns

The twangs and pangs of nostalgia are a powerful emotional experience, and as we’ve seen across nearly every commercial industry in recent years, they make for an effective marketing strategy. We’ve been subjected to the ploys of the nostalgia scheme for the past decade and some change, and there has been no other watch release this year that has channeled it more intensely than the revival of TAG Heuer’s Formula 1. I would also say that, despite being something people wanted to see happen for years now, the new 2025 reimagining of the brand’s colorful, so-80s-it-almost-hurts line has been one of the most polarizing releases of the year – a mixed bag of people welcoming the collection with open arms, and others who were already exhausted from the hype of the limited edition KITH collaboration that predated it by just a few months. Today, we’ll be running through the controversy and sentimentality of the current TAG Heuer Formula 1 collection, making a pit stop in the '80s to trace the evolution of the line before racing into the quick and dirty of what you need to know about it as it stands.  TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Context Our story begins with the ultimate crisis point for the watch industry – the quartz crisis. Heuer was becoming a casualty in the advent of quartz movements, and, in spite of its racing history, the brand was struggling to keep up the pace with Japanese brands like Seiko and Citizen that were pumping out cheaply priced quartz watche...

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Girard-Perregaux’s Brand New Caliber GP4800 Finds Its Home in the Laureato Fifty Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux s Brand New Caliber Oct 7, 2025

Girard-Perregaux’s Brand New Caliber GP4800 Finds Its Home in the Laureato Fifty

Let’s orient ourselves in the watch world five decades ago. The year is 1975, and we are in the height of the quartz crisis. Just six years prior in 1969, the watchmaking landscape forever changed with Seiko’s introduction of the first quartz timepiece, which called into question the future of mechanical timekeeping as we knew it. The era also marked the advent of the luxury sport watch, beginning with Gerald Genta’s Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet between 1970 and 1972. These two pivotal moments in horological history gave birth to an icon: the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. The first Laureato entered Girard-Perregaux’s catalog in 1975. The model was modestly sized by today’s standards and was even rather mid-sized for the era with a case measuring just 36mm (by comparison, the first Royal Oak began to set the tone for more oversized watches clocking in at 39mm, but was considered notably large and given the nickname “Jumbo”). The 1975 Laureato featured a two-tone construction, highlighting its mix of curves and geometric shapes. The design echoed Genta’s but with softer edges and a slightly more elevated look thanks to the addition of yellow gold elements combined with stainless steel. In line with the times, the model housed a quartz caliber, but not just any quartz caliber – it was COSC-certified. “The Laureato was more than just a new model for Girard-Perregaux’s catalog,” confirms Beatrice Morelli, Chief Customer Experience Officer. “It represente...

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Favre Leuba: How The Brand’s History Has Shaped Its Future Fratello
Favre Leuba How Sep 30, 2025

Favre Leuba: How The Brand’s History Has Shaped Its Future

Favre Leuba - formerly Favre-Leuba - is a historic brand we’re excited to cover here on Fratello. The world’s second-oldest watch company, just two years behind Blancpain, has a fascinating history and has produced some incredible watches. As was true for many marques, the Quartz Crisis proved challenging. While the brand never truly disappeared, it […] Visit Favre Leuba: How The Brand’s History Has Shaped Its Future to read the full article.

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First Look - Girard-Perregaux Launches the Calibre GP4800, its Next-Gen, In-House Movement with a Silicon Escapement Monochrome
Girard-Perregaux Launches Sep 23, 2025

First Look - Girard-Perregaux Launches the Calibre GP4800, its Next-Gen, In-House Movement with a Silicon Escapement

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 […]

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In-Depth: Girard-Perregaux Debuts All-New Automatic Calibre SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Sep 23, 2025

In-Depth: Girard-Perregaux Debuts All-New Automatic Calibre

Girard-Perregaux (GP) has just taken the covers off a new in-house movement that will serve as a versatile platform for the brand, the Girard-Perregaux GP4800. Historically a significant producer of automatic movements, GP marks a milestone with the new, high-performance base movement that will gradually replace the 3000 family of movements that was once a workhorse employed by several high-end brands. Initial thoughts GP’s most famous creations are undoubtedly the historical Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges and the more recent Constant Escapement. Significant as they may be, neither illustrates the brand’s past strength as a manufacture in the early decades of contemporary watchmaking post-Quartz Crisis, in particular GP’s position as a leading supplier of automatic movements.  It all began with the 3000 family of calibres introduced in 1994. Desirable for its slimness and high performance – the 3000 series was sub-3 mm thick while ticking at 4 Hz – this versatile platform served not only as a base for many of the brand’s own timepieces, but also powered well-known watches made by a number of prominent brands, including Cartier, Daniel Roth, Vacheron Constantin, and even MB&F;. A GP3000 found in the MB&F; HM2 And then inverted in the MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 The new GP4800 is clearly meant to replace the venerable-yet-aging 3000-series. Boasting a modern architecture and fine technical chops, the GP4800 is a step towards reclaiming GP’s past success as a movement ma...

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ETA 2824: The History and Legacy of a Legendary Workhorse Caliber Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 16, 2025

ETA 2824: The History and Legacy of a Legendary Workhorse Caliber

The ETA 2824 caliber has been a presence in the world of mechanical wristwatches for more than 50 years, helping the Swiss watchmaking industry forge a path through the Quartz Crisis and serving as the engine for hundreds of three-handed timepieces from an array of brands, large and small. While it is a rarity here in the 21st Century, its legacy can still be seen across the horological world - from the proliferation of similar movements by makers like Sellita to the increasing ubiquity of the ETA 2824’s souped-up successor, the Powermatic 80. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the ETA 2824. A (Very Brief) History of ETA Nearly everyone that follows the wristwatch industry has heard of ETA, and most of those have probably worn a watch with an ETA movement, but few are likely aware of the Swiss movement maker’s long and convoluted history. We generally trace its origins back to the formation of the historical watchmaking firm Eterna, in 1856 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. But in reality its roots reach even deeper. Eterna is perhaps most famous today as the maker of the Kon-Tiki dive watch, and it is currently owned by the Hong Kong-based Citychamp Watch and Jewellery Group. Originally however, the firm was a manufacturer of ébauches - unassembled movements for sale to outside watchmakers - and was named “Dr. Girard & Schild” for its founders, Dr. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild. Renamed Schild Frères by the next generation of owners, the compan...

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The Best Solar Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Aug 22, 2025

The Best Solar Watches

  Solar watches are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional quartz watches with lithium battery-powered movements. Watches with solar-powered movements still maintain the accuracy and reliability of quartz technology, which makes them much more precise than any mechanical watch. Here's a brief history of solar technology in watchmaking and a selection of notable solar watches on sale now. Solar Watch Technology - A Brief History In the late 1960s, the Swiss watch industry was on the precipice of a technical revolution that would ultimately threaten the very existence of traditional mechanical watchmaking while simultaneously ushering in the dawn of mass-produced electronic watches. By the 1970s, quartz movements had won out over a handful of other early technological approaches to producing electronic watches (you can delve a bit more into that history here), giving rise to the era now known known within the industry as the Quartz Crisis. Experiments with using solar power to charge watches, however, go all the way back to the '60s, to the development of the first solar-powered movement by American engineer Roger Riehl. This technology was introduced to the market in 1972, with the first prototype called the “Synchronar” and the first production piece, the Synchronar 2100, released later that same year.   Priced at nearly $500 (about $3,200 in today's money), the Synchronar 2100 was considered something of a luxury product and struggled to compete in...

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Does Storytelling Still Sell Watches In 2025? Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Aug 4, 2025

Does Storytelling Still Sell Watches In 2025?

The greatest watch story ever told is the story of the Omega Speedmaster, the first watch worn on the Moon. That’s a fact. Another fact is that luxury in general is not about selling products. Rather, it is about emotion. That certainly is the case with post-Quartz Crisis luxury watches. The key to successfully selling […] Visit Does Storytelling Still Sell Watches In 2025? to read the full article.

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The 20 Best Digital Watches for Enthusiasts In 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Casio s F91W Jul 11, 2025

The 20 Best Digital Watches for Enthusiasts In 2026

Digital watches with electronic movements have not been around nearly as long as their analog, mechanical-powered counterparts, but since their heyday in the 1970s and ‘80s - an era most mechanical-watch purists decry as the “Quartz Crisis” - the category has continued to occupy a respectable niche within the timepiece industry. It has also has produced some models - at a surprisingly wide range of price points - that have become iconic in their own right. Here are our top 10 digital watches in the modern era, starting under $100 and topping out over $130,000. Farr & Swit Mixtape Price: $34.99, Case Diameter: 35mm, Thickness: 8.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: 38mm, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Quartz, Crystal: Acrylic Chicago-based Farr and Swit is a lifestyle brand with an emphasis on fun, colorful timepieces that don’t take themselves too seriously. It is known for water-resistant daily drivers with automatic movements and cheerful colorways, but the current standout is the insanely fun Retro Digital Mix Tape, an absolute bargain at $34.99. These watches throw it back to the days of boomboxes and homemade cassettes, with translucent cases in vibrant candy colors, and their "B Sides" versions feature a reverse negative LCD display. Think of it as the love child of Casio’s F91W and a Jolly Rancher. They’re the most fun you can have for the price of a nice lunch out, and the Stranger Things vibes will put a huge smile on your face - but be quick, as they t...

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Visit: A Look Inside Biver Watches SJX Watches
Blancpain one Jun 13, 2025

Visit: A Look Inside Biver Watches

The day I visited Biver started like any other – with breakfast. But it wasn’t a normal breakfast, because I was seated opposite Jean-Claude Biver, at his own kitchen table. A few days after Watches & Wonders wrapped up I had the opportunity to visit the brand’s atelier in the countryside near Geneva, and I was lucky enough to spend some time with the man himself before he went to the airport; he was headed to Boston to deliver a guest lecture at Harvard Business School. Dismissed in his early career as a ‘nostalgia salesman,’ Mr Biver helped pioneer the contemporary luxury watch industry in the midst of the Quartz Crisis by proving the consumer demand for artisanal mechanical watches. The story is well-known but it bears repeating; Mr Biver, together with his friend Jacques Piguet, head of the esteemed Frederic Piguet manufacture, paid CHF22,000 to buy the rights to a defunct brand from what would later become Swatch Group. Their deft products and marketing made Blancpain one of the stars of the mechanical watch renaissance, allowing the pair to sell the brand back to Swatch a decade later for CHF60 million. From left to right: CEO James Marks, Jean-Claude Biver, and Pierre Biver. Image – Biver The success of Blancpain was extraordinary and helped pave the way for the rebirth of other brands like A. Lange & Söhne. But this was just the opening act. After selling Blancpain back to Swatch, Mr Biver helped put Omega on the wrist of James Bond and transformed Hub...

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The Collector's Series - An Italian Collector on His Bespoke OISA 1937 Watch, Marking the Return of Movements Made in Italy Monochrome
May 29, 2025

The Collector's Series - An Italian Collector on His Bespoke OISA 1937 Watch, Marking the Return of Movements Made in Italy

It’s something we’ve told over and over again. Watchmaking isn’t only Swiss. Watchmaking is global and has, historically, been present all over the world. Surely, with industrialisation and the effects of the Quartz crisis, three giant hubs have emerged: Switzerland for high-end watches, Japan with its immense conglomerates and China, the silent factory… Italy surely […]

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[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Trematic Archive One 502 Worn & Wound
Apr 20, 2025

[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Trematic Archive One 502

There’s that moment we all know too well-you’re deep in the rabbit hole of late-night doom scrolling through Instagram’s discovery feed, mindlessly thumbing through the same photos. Then, suddenly, one catches your eye and stops you dead in your tracks. You actually click on the post, you spread the image to zoom in, and then you do the unthinkable and read the caption. That is exactly how I ended up discovering Trematic and this specific model, the Archive One 501. I was completely unfamiliar with the brand, which, when combined with a design language that spoke to me, immediately sparked my curiosity. Specifically, it was the typeface used for the indices. Those quirky, alien-like 4, 6, and 10 markers, cast in rose gold tone, immediately grabbed my attention. They looked like something from a different time, maybe from a different planet, yet the watch overall felt refreshingly modern. A worn-out phrase lately, but the blend of vintage style and contemporary sensibilities didn’t feel tired, which is something I can’t say about many “retro-inspired” designs in the microbrand space. For those who haven’t encountered Trematic, let me give you a quick rundown: the brand dates back to the 1950s but faded into obscurity after the Quartz Crisis, just like many of its contemporaries. In 2022, Daniele Campagnano breathed new life into the brand, seeking to revive its forgotten legacy. The first model to re-enter the market was the Zy6, a watch we recently mentio...

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Could The 1990s Inspire The Next Cycle Of Watch Fashion? Fratello
Apr 20, 2025

Could The 1990s Inspire The Next Cycle Of Watch Fashion?

The 1990s were a period of significant change in the watch industry. Those years were very much a time of realignment and ongoing recovery after the crippling Quartz Crisis two decades earlier. Today, we’re looking at 1990s watches and design principles from that era to consider whether they could inspire the next trends in the […] Visit Could The 1990s Inspire The Next Cycle Of Watch Fashion? to read the full article.

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Aquastar Benthos H2: Revisiting the Past, With an Eye on the Present Two Broke Watch Snobs
Jan 25, 2025

Aquastar Benthos H2: Revisiting the Past, With an Eye on the Present

Aquastar's Benthos 500 holds an important spot in dive watch history. First unveiled in 1970, it stood out from the crowd with its unique chronograph-like functionality and slow-moving 60-minute elapsed-time counter. It was bold, unconventional, and ahead of its time-until the Quartz Crisis swept the industry off course. But what if quartz hadn't disrupted the market so quickly? The new Aquastar Benthos H2 wonders just that, providing a design inspired by archival drawings from the late '60s while moving it towards modern tastes and technologies.

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