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Results for Automatic vs Manual Winding

2,011 articles · 10 videos found · page 20 of 68

Czapek Introduces the Antarctique Sports Watch SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding While May 26, 2020

Czapek Introduces the Antarctique Sports Watch

A marque revived via a crowdfunded effort in 2015, Czapek & Cie. has just announced its first sports watch, the Antarctique. The popularity of luxury-sports watches in steel makes that unsurprising, but the Antarctique is powered by a newly-developed, automatic movement with an interesting construction. Initial thoughts Doubtlessly conceived to cater to the current fad for luxury-sports watches in steel, the Antarctique is unsurprising in terms of design. While the overall look is reminiscent of a variety of watches, most notably the earlier-generation Girard-Perregaux Laureato, it manages to be different enough, in particularly with the C-shaped links. But more important and interesting is the movement inside, the SXH5. It was conceived by a team that includes prominent constructors like Emmanuel Bouchet, an independent watchmaker who is probably best known for the Harry Winston Opus 12, as well as Daniel Martinez, an independent constructor who worked at Sellita, MCT, and Greubel Forsey in the past. The SXH5 A large movement with high-quality features, the SXH5 has an interesting aesthetic that’s slightly inspired by vintage pocket watch movements but is clearly modern. And going by the photos, it also appears to be well finished. But the Antarctique is expensive – its price tag of US$18,900 is almost exactly the same as that of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding. While the Antarctique probably has a more compelling and unusual movement, the Czapek brand ...

Orient Star’s Manual-Wind Moon Phase is Slick and Silicon SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Sep 29, 2025

Orient Star’s Manual-Wind Moon Phase is Slick and Silicon

The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding is the brand’s first manual-wind moon phase, and also the first in years with a solid dial, making it a refreshing change of pace from the brand’s usual fare that leans towards open-worked and occasionally over-designed styling. Initial Thoughts Excepting the vintage inspired Diver 1964, the M45 F8 moon phase is the most attractive watch in the Orient catalog to my eye. Most of the brand’s designs are too busy for my tastes, so these entries are a welcome departure that will certainly appeal to enthusiasts with more classical tastes. The moon phase disk itself, with mother-of-pearl inlay, is a highlight. And the absence of a seconds hand is a pleasant surprise, though the moon phase sub-dial feels naked without the traditional co-axial small seconds hand. Since the small seconds version of this calibre is not compatible with the moon phase module, Orient could have moved the Orient Star logo onto the sub-dial for more visual balance. Most importantly, this is a manually wound watch – with a competent movement – in a price segment where such things are hard to find. Looking at Japanese watches in particular, manual wind options from Grand Seiko and Credor are significantly more expensive, while Seiko, Orient, and Citizen dropped their entry-level manual watches years ago. Pleiades About two years ago, Orient Star reorganised its catalog by launching M Collections, a family of watches each named after astron...

Full power! The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Time+Tide
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Jul 25, 2019

Full power! The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase

Editor’s pick: If you’re in the market for a massive, 45mm manually winding dress watch with more power than you can shake a mainspring at, we think the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase might just be up your alley …  Few things are as tactile and pleasing as manually winding a watch, and I’ve got … ContinuedThe post Full power! The IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: Big-hearted - the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Time+Tide
IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase Oct 24, 2018

HANDS-ON: Big-hearted - the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase

Few things are as tactile and pleasing as manually winding a watch, and I’ve got to say the levels of satisfaction achieved in watching the power reserve indicator on this plus-sized IWC Portofino are pretty intense. On one level it’s because there’s a lot of winding to be had, thanks to the eight days of … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Big-hearted – the IWC Portofino Hand-Wound Moon Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit? WatchRider
Ming Aug 14, 2026

Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit?

If your inner 90s kid has a soft spot for comic books and mechanical watches, Fossil’s latest release might catch your eye. The brand has launched a new Marvel collection featuring two of the most recognizable heroes on the roster: Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk.  The Incredible Hulk Edition: Loud and Green The Hulk watch makes a big entrance. Coming in at a chunky 45mm, it features a stainless steel case with the green giant literally bursting through the open-worked dial. Fossil leaned heavily into the classic green and purple color palette, carrying those shades through to the silicone and nylon strap.   It’s bold, it’s loud, and it honestly looks like something Bruce Banner would accidentally break during a temper tantrum. The Spider-Man Edition: Caught in a Web? On the other side of the ring, we have the Spider-Man edition. This one takes inspiration from the darker 1990s comic-book era, featuring a 42mm black stainless steel case. It has a gradient dial with dimensional webbing stretching across the crystal and down onto the leather strap.   However, I have a bone to pick with this one. While I appreciate the stealthy, moody vibe, I think the Spider-Man model is missing a bezel with interesting details. Looking at the smooth black case, I just feel like something is missing in terms of overall design. A textured bezel or some web-engraved details around the edge would have really tied the whole look together. Right now, it feels just a little too quiet...

The ABCs of Time - How Are Mechanical Watches Wound? A Comprehensive Guide to Automatic and Manual Movements Monochrome
Grand Seiko s Spring Drive or Nov 15, 2025

The ABCs of Time - How Are Mechanical Watches Wound? A Comprehensive Guide to Automatic and Manual Movements

There are basically two types of watch movements – mechanical and quartz. The latter is powered by a battery or a combination of solar and rechargeable cells, while the former is powered by one or sometimes multiple mainsprings with no electrical input. There are also grey areas like Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive or Accutron’s Electrostatic […]

Sunday Morning Showdown: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Vs. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38 Fratello
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Aug 23, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Vs. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38

Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Blancpain surprised us this week with a vintage reissue of its 1968 Bathyscaphe. The 37.4mm case of the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary features a sunburst dial and faux patina, while there’s a ceramic bezel insert and a modern automatic movement inside. Of course, Blancpain […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Vs. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38 to read the full article.

INTRODUCING: Oris debut new in-house manually wound movement with the Big Crown Calibre 473 Time+Tide
Oris debut new in-house manually Jan 10, 2023

INTRODUCING: Oris debut new in-house manually wound movement with the Big Crown Calibre 473

Oris debut new in-house manually wound calibre 473 in the new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473. Despite being manually wound, it is 0.5mm THICKER than the previous automatic model due to new power reserve indicator on the movement. The release also heralds Oris’ first-ever butterfly clasp with fine adjustment mechanism. Introducing: The Oris Big Crown … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Oris debut new in-house manually wound movement with the Big Crown Calibre 473 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing: The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding Fratello
Orient Jan 22, 2026

Introducing: The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding

Orient Star unveils a duo of classy timepieces that reflect the graceful passage of time. Compared with recent Orient Star designs, the M45 F8 pares it back to pure functionality and traditional layouts. The Roman numerals add a sense of dignity, and the moonphase complication connects our world to the cosmos. A white-dial variant joins […] Visit Introducing: The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding to read the full article.

VIDEO: The remarkable bang for buck of the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic Automatic COSC and Day Date Moon Phase Time+Tide
Longines represents Dec 4, 2020

VIDEO: The remarkable bang for buck of the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic Automatic COSC and Day Date Moon Phase

As a brand, Baume & Mercier presents a lot of benefits to its consumers. They have established themselves as a luxury watch manufacturer that aims to present some of the best builds for the best dollar. It would be fair to say that what Longines represents to the Swatch Group is what Baume & Mercier … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The remarkable bang for buck of the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic Automatic COSC and Day Date Moon Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Omega Speedmaster FOiS Gen. 1 Vs. FOiS Gen. 2 Fratello
Omega Speedmaster FOiS Gen 1 Oct 13, 2024

Sunday Morning Showdown: Omega Speedmaster FOiS Gen. 1 Vs. FOiS Gen. 2

It’s Sunday morning, and you all know what that means. Yes, it’s time for a cup of coffee and another installment of Sunday Morning Showdown! This week’s battle is all about the First Omega in Space. The big question is: which one do you like better? Jorg will make a case for the first-generation Speedmaster […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Omega Speedmaster FOiS Gen. 1 Vs. FOiS Gen. 2 to read the full article.

Insight: Bidirectional versus Unidirectional Winding SJX Watches
Jul 15, 2026

Insight: Bidirectional versus Unidirectional Winding

One of the quieter debates still ongoing in the horological world revolves around the difference in winding efficiency between unidirectional and bidirectional winding mechanisms. There are two schools of thought on the subject: some watchmakers remain convinced that a bidirectional winding mechanism is the clear winner in terms of efficiency, while a second group claims there are no real performance gains over simpler unidirectional winding mechanisms. Harvesting energy The basic idea behind automatic watches is to harvest energy from the wearer’s natural arm movements to wind the mainspring. The rotor is an unbalanced mass (its axis of rotation doesn’t coincide with its center of mass) that is subject to both gravity and the inertial forces exerted by the wearer. As the watch moves through different positions, the rotor spins in unpredictable bursts, generating substantial kinetic energy. A winding mechanism then turns the fast revolutions of the rotor into slower but more torque-heavy turns that wind the mainspring. Common transmission ratios cited by horological textbooks range between 1:110 and 1:180 — meaning that the barrel click wheel only makes one turn for every 110 to 180 turns of the rotor. In short, the winding mechanism transforms the erratic kinetic energy of the rotor into potential elastic energy, stored inside the mainspring’s coils. A short history Much like any sub-genre of horology, the history of automatic winding is lengthy and nuanced. This ...

Breitling Unleashes A Slew Of New Navitimers, Including An Automatic Cosmonaute Fratello
Breitling Unleashes Mar 27, 2024

Breitling Unleashes A Slew Of New Navitimers, Including An Automatic Cosmonaute

Not to let its recent Aerospace B70 Orbiter hog the spotlight, Breitling is also unveiling a plethora of new Navitimers. Curiously, only one of these Navis is a chronograph, and it’s in the form of the limited-edition self-winding 18K red gold Cosmonaute. Considering there are nine other watches (double that with strap variants) without a […] Visit Breitling Unleashes A Slew Of New Navitimers, Including An Automatic Cosmonaute to read the full article.

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal SJX Watches
Richard Mille Introduces Dec 20, 2021

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal

Unquestionably the preeminent maker of exotic – and ultra-luxury – sports watches, Richard Mille has just taken the covers off a simple but intriguing watch, the RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal. Like earlier watches made for the Spanish tennis player, the RM 35-03 incorporates technical features to cater to the intense nature of the game – at least the way Mr Nadal plays tennis. And in this instance it’s a rotor with variable winding modes. As a result, winding can be halted during a game, preventing excess wear on the winding mechanism. Initial thoughts The RM 35-03 is a time-only watch – it lacks a tourbillon unlike the better-known RM 27 Nadal  – but it has all the qualities that makes it a Richard Mille, most notably the lightweight, tonneau-shaped case in brightly coloured carbon composite along with a skeletonised dial. It’s a look that screams Richard Mille, and also a signifier of wealth and status, since the watch is hard to get and also extremely expensive for a time-only. But fortunately the RM 35 does possess technical qualities that make it interesting despite being a “hype” watch. This version has the front and back case plates in white Quartz TPT and Carbon TPT, with a case middle in Carbon TPT A second variant with the entire case in Quartz TPT The highlight of the RM 35-03 is the patented, “butterfly” rotor, which is essentially comprised of two halves that can be rearranged – thanks to a smartly simple mechanism – in order to v...