Two Broke Watch Snobs
Benrus DTU-2A/P Review: Why 34mm Still Makes Sense for a Military Watch
The Benrus DTU-2A/P brings historically accurate proportions together with modern upgrades and an ETA automatic movement.
Results for Powermatic 80 (ETA C07.111)
1,094 articles · 29 videos found · page 20 of 38
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Monochrome
First Look - Cleaner and More Compact, The new Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph
Glashütte Original has a long history with chronographs, going back more than 80 years to the development of wristwatches for short-time measurement in the Saxon watchmaking town. Among the important chapters in that history was the UROFA calibre 59, developed in the early 1940s as one of the first modern Glashütte wristwatch chronographs. The contemporary […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Tutima Flieger T5: A New 38.5mm Titanium Pilot Watch
The Tutima Flieger T5 brings a smaller titanium case and a familiar ETA-based automatic to the brand's modern pilot-watch family. A TBWS first look.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Benrus Type 1 Mil Spec Review: A Modern Military Watch That Gets the Details Right
Benrus Type 1 Mil Spec review after a week of wear, covering its 39.5mm case, military-inspired design, ETA 2892 movement, comfort, and more.
SJX Watches
Alpinist to Astron: Seiko Celebrates 145 Years
Kintaro Hattori is considered the father of the Japanese watch and clock industry, having opened K. Hattori & Co. in Tokyo 145 years ago. Hattori’s humble store eventually evolved into an empire that made Seiko the largest watch manufacturer in the world during the 1980s. To mark the anniversary, Seiko has dressed six of its greatest hits in regal “Edo purple” livery. The standouts include the compass-bezel Alpinist ref. HBC006 built the take on the Japanese Alps, the luxe titanium-and-ceramic Astron Dual-Time Chronograph ref. HAB011, and the spacefaring Rotocall ref. HFL001. Seiko Prospex Alpinist HBC006 Last year, Seiko’s iconic green-and-gilt Alpinist turned 30; this year it turns purple. The Alpinist line dates back to 1959 but this case style launched in 1995, designed by Shigeo Sakai — the same designer responsible for the amusing inflatable Seiko Airpro. The green-and-gilt colourway inspired by Mr Sakai’s Mini Cooper became a sales success, defying conventional wisdom that green watches are niche products. I can’t predict if that will hold true for purple, but with 7,000 units Seiko seems to think it will. The colour is certainly eye-catching, which will help it stand out on social media and boost collectibility. The US$$900 price tag helps too, making it a good value considering its solid specifications. Upmarket details include a Diashield-protected stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal with sapphire date magnifier, an unexpected 200 m test depth,...
SJX Watches
Book Review: ‘Universal People Universal Dreams’
Universal People Universal Dreams is a large-format book that explores, in great detail, a collection of 111 Universal Genève chronographs, and only chronographs. The 384-page book is also a record of the collecting journey of its author, Luca Mignini, who reflects on the lessons learnt and people encountered in his pursuit of watches across the world. A longtime watch collector who is now a professor at Milan’s Bocconi University, Mr Mignini had a long career in the consumer goods industry, culminating in a spell as chief operating officer at Campbell’s, the American food giant famous for its canned soups, after which he retired in 2019. The globe-crossing nature of his career took him from his homeland of Italy to Shanghai and New Jersey, giving him the opportunity to collect internationally, a phenomenon that professionals who travel extensively for work will find familiar. Having been interested in watches since he was a teenager, Mr Mignini made his way through the usual suspects like Rolex and Patek Philippe, before landing on Universal Genève during a trip to Tokyo in 2010. In the time since, he has accumulated the impressive collection of Universal Genève detailed in this book. I met Mr Mignini last year in Geneva and he is clearly obsessed with Universal Genève. His tremendous passion for the brand makes it almost a given Universal People Universal Dreams will be laser focused on Universal chronographs yet exceptionally wide in scope within the narrow s...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Mido Ocean Star 200 Review: Does the Refresh Improve an Already Solid Dive Watch?
Hands-on review of the refreshed Mido Ocean Star 200, comparing three new dial colors, updated design, Caliber 80 movement, and wearability.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
This All-Black Mido Is a Stealthy Take on the ’70s Integrated Sports Watch
Mido darkens its integrated sports watch with the all-black Multifort 8 One Crown Black PVD, keeping the octagonal bezel, textured dial, and 80-hour Calibre 80.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Rolex Submariner Date Desk Clock Ref. 909010LN
Late last year, Rolex unveiled its accessories line, comprised of a range of cufflinks and the Submariner Date Desk Clock ref. 909010LN. In the typical Rolex fashion, the new accessories are conservatively styled; the desk clock is essentially a Submariner face enlarged to 80 mm. But in typical Rolex fashion, the clock is impressively made. The Submariner desk clock is an impressive piece of desk-bound timekeeping. Execution is top class with flawless fit and finish, while the mechanics (or more accurately, electronics) are advanced: the quartz movement incorporates a 400-year perpetual calendar, and surprisingly, decorative finishing. Initial thoughts The Submariner desk clock is an impressive object, sizeable, heavy, and clearly well made. It has to be seen – and held – in person to understand the quality of make. Elements like the brushed steel case (that’s ironically not water resistant), engraved bezel insert, and decorated movement speak to the precision manufacturing and finishing. This clock is a beautifully-made industrial creation. That said, the design is a boring. It’s basically a Submariner face blown up to 80 mm. Fans of the design will be pleased as Rolex did replicate the details of the wristwatch artfully, right down to the engraved flange around the dial and tiny crown within “Swiss made”. Fortunately, the insides of the clock are more advanced than the design. The cal. 8335 displays the time and date, but the date is actually a secular calend...
WristBuzz
TAG Heuer Adds a Sand Dial to the Carrera Chronograph Glassbox: 500 Pieces, Europe
A softer, slightly retro personality for the 39mm Carrera Chronograph Glassbox. Warm sand dial, anthracite azuré counters, cal. TH20-00 with an 80-hour reserve, and only 500 pieces heading exclusively to European boutiques.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Best Swiss Dive Watch Deal of the Summer Might Be This New Mido
Mido refreshed the Mido Ocean Star 200 with the 80-hour Caliber 80 and a Nivachron hairspring, priced from $950 to $980 across four dial options.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Ressence Type 11
At a glance, the Ressence Type 11, which launched earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, might feel like every other Ressence. That's kind of the point. Distinct as it is within the collection, the Type 11 keeps the brand's visual language intact while changing what's underneath it. The biggest change is under the hood—it's the first Ressence to feature the brand's own integrated caliber, replacing the usual combo of an ETA base with Ressence's Orbital Convex System on top. Before we get to more on that, let's take a look at the Type 11's exterior. The 41mm by 11mm case, in grade 5 titanium, continues the trend seen in many of Ressence's recent releases toward more compact cases and feels like an evolution of the Type 9, in a sense. A fully polished, almost tonneau-shaped case features a short 45mm lug-to-lug measurement, while the lack of downturning of the lugs means the case still maintains quite a bit of presence on the wrist. On the Type 11, the lack of a bezel means the dial and crystal extend to the edges of the 41mm diameter. It's this kind of seamless visual effect that has lent models like the Type 1 and the Type 3 a distinctively futuristic look, and here it works very well with these lugs. Water resistance is bumped up to 3 ATM (as opposed to the typically "splash resistant" rating of its non-dive watches). On the dial side, we get the satellite display that Ressence is best known for, showing the hours, running seconds, and a power reserve indicator withi...
Monochrome
First Look - The Complex Oris Artelier Calibre 113 with Business Calendar
Oris first launched the Artelier Calibre 113 in 2017 as a dressy watch, alongside the brand’s divers and pilot pieces and this movement’s variants, the Calibre 111, the GMT Calibre 114, the Calibre 112 with moon phase and, of course, the base version, the Calibre 110. Powered by the powerful Calibre 113, this Artelier model […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko SLGB006 Review: U.F.A Precision Meets Solid Yellow Gold
A limited edition of just 80 pieces, the SLGB006 delivers luxury and world-class accuracy in equal measure. More
Worn & Wound
Everything to See and Do at Windup San Francisco: Padel, Panels, Parties, Watches, and More!
The 2026 Windup Watch Fair San Francisco is just days away, and we’re fairly certain there’s never been a Windup with as much going on as this one. Alongside everything you’d expect—like amazing lead sponsors including Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris—this fair also features 80+ brands from around the world and a slew of extracurricular activities across all three days. Here’s a quick guide to everything happening in and around the big weekend in The Bay Area, starting with a reminder of the where and when. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone No registration necessary EDC Expo, Giveaways, and More We’re excited for the return of the EDC Expo, presented by GiantMouse. Longtime supporters of Windup, the team at GiantMouse is elevating the gear and accessories section in a meaningful way with their ACE Riv in titanium, brass, green canvas Micarta, and more. Nearly a dozen everyday carry and accessory brands will greet you at the front of Gateway Pavilion. For the first time, you’ll also find Kindred Motorworks on-site, showcasing their meticulously restored EV Broncos—and yes, you can sign up to test-drive one through some of San Francisco’s most iconic streets. Our friends at Fitwell will be joined by their mustachioed mate Andy from Andy’s Watches on Instagram and TikTok at their EDC Expo b...
Hodinkee
Introducing: IWC Celebrates The Spirit of Exploration With Seven New Blue-Dialed Models Dedicated To 'Le Petit Prince'
From pilot watches and chronographs to a ceramic model and the first-ever Portofino "Le Petit Prince" model, IWC is septupling down on its "Le Petit Prince" models over 80 years after the beloved novella's publication.
Worn & Wound
Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs
Hublot has never trafficked in subtlety. The Big Bang chronograph first made its presence known with a 44mm size, hefty ceramic bezel with contrasting screws, and a rare combination of rose gold and rubber, which contrasted different textures with clashing case finishes. So what if it had an ETA movement-which, at the time, seemed more plebeian than the in-house movements of rival luxury chronographs? In that maximalist, McBling era, the stance and the presence were all that mattered. Hublot has only taken its flagship model to more audacious heights. At this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, the Big Bang Reloaded enters the collection, following the 20-year anniversary of the Big Bang, by combining the intricate case with Hublot’s in-house chronograph movement, the Unico calibre, bringing together all the things that Big Bang enthusiasts love. The Reloaded exemplifies Hublot’s adherence to high-tech materials: available in titanium, scratch-resistant 18-karat “Magic Gold,” and three options of ceramic: black, blue, and dark green. The strap, still in textured rubber, matches the case colors. Hublot introduced its Unico calibre in 2010, and now the HUB 1280 UNICO makes an appearance from behind a skeletonized and multi-layered dial: redesigned to match the stencil-style numbers, a date window at between 4 and 5 o’clock, and horizontally-placed chronograph registers. It’s an automatic flyback chronograph, with 43 jewels and a power reserve of 72 hour...
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin’s Ultra-Thin Overseas Returns
Following a belter of an anniversary year during which the brand launched, among other things, the world’s most complicated wristwatch and a quarter-ton astronomical clock, Vacheron Constantin (VC) kicks off Watches & Wonders with something more low-profile, both literally and figuratively - the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. While small in stature at just 7.35 mm thick, it’s what’s inside the counts - namely, an all-new micro-rotor calibre with 80 hours of power reserve and seemingly limitless potential. Initial thoughts The new Overseas Ultra-Thin is little different from the model that preceded it, though the ref. 2000V remained rare enough throughout its production run that the format still feels fresh. It also helps that despite the visual similarity, the ref. 2500V is a completely new watch inside and out, catapulting a model that arguably lagged behind its one obvious competitor into instant parity. The ref. 2500V is best understood from the inside out. Audemars Piguet replaced the well-loved historical cal. 2121 with its more modern cal. 7121 in 2022, and now it’s VC’s turn, being the last of the big three purveyors of mass-market fine watchmaking to replace its aging Jaeger-LeCoultre cal. 920-based movements with an in-house alternative. The reluctance to replace this venerable platform is understandable. What VC calls the cal. 1120 is one of the last movements of its generation still in use, and carries a historical weight missing from many moder...
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Rethinks the Chronograph
Sure to be among the most talked-about releases of Watches & Wonders, TAG Heuer has just unveiled the Monaco Evergraph. The openworked Monaco marks the debut of the calibre TH-80, one of the most advanced chronograph movements on the market. The Evergraph’s movement is notable for several reasons, but the most surprising is the use of an innovative compliant structure to simplify the chronograph mechanisms. Initial thoughts Beginning with the relaunch of the TH-Carbonspring last year, TAG Heuer has been on something of a road to redemption. Not long ago it seemed like the brand’s brightest days might be behind it, but the Evergraph provides further evidence that TAG Heuer has been retooling to become a new leader in technical innovation. The famous Breitling-Heuer-Buren Calibre 11 - one of the first automatic chronograph movements to hit the market back in 1969 - debuted in a Monaco, and so it’s fitting that the new TH-80 movement is first glimpsed through the transparent dial of the Monaco Evergraph. In more ways than one, the Evergraph pays proper hommage to original Heuer Monaco while remaining decidedly future-oriented. It is also great to see the TH-Carbonspring literally front and centre on the dial side, proof that TAG Heuer is finally delivering on the promise of carbon hairspring industrialisation. Even before digressing into the distinctive mechanics of the new cal. TH80-00, any chronograph aficionado will greatly appreciate the particular crown and...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hamilton Refined This Affordable Field Watch in All the Right Ways
Hamilton’s updated Khaki Field King refines the field watch with a cleaner dial, 100m water resistance and an 80-hour automatic movement.
Worn & Wound
Ressence Debuts the Type 11, with the All New In-House RW-01 Movement
For as long as we’ve talked about Ressence, part of the discussion has always been about how clever they are for producing such an ingenious and unique system for time telling, all built on top of a standard, off-the-shelf ETA movement. Their patented ROCS module, which displays the time via a series of rotating discs rather than traditional hands, is a complicated piece of engineering that has always lived alongside a caliber that is rather ordinary. For me, and many others, this was always part of the charm of a Ressence watch, and underscored the idea that watchmaking is a broad discipline and that with some creativity even a simple ETA movement can be turned into something extraordinary. That changes a little today with the introduction of the Ressence Type 11, featuring the all new RW-01 movement, the first in-house designed Ressence movement. Designed specifically to power the ROCS, the RW-01 is an integrated, automatic caliber that appears to be an improvement in just about every way over previous movements found in Ressence watches. First and perhaps most notably, this movement has a 60 hour power reserve, which can be monitored on the dial via ceramic micro balls. For years, Ressence watches have featured power reserves that topped out at slightly less than the ETA movements they were based on due to the demands of running the ROCS module. But the RW-01 was designed from the ground up to work with ROCS, eliminating many of the compromises made with previous ...
Hodinkee
The Business of Watches Podcast: Marathon's CEO Says He Has To Be Ready For War
Mitchell Wein discusses the family business that sells 80% of its watches to governments and militaries.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Mido Commander Datoday Just Got a Seriously Clean Redesign
The new Mido Commander Datoday brings streamlined baton indices, a day-date complication, and an 80-hour power reserve for just over $1,000.
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Merci Instruments Beaumarchais Collection - A Sextet Of Thoughtful And Affordable Watches
A decade ago, Arthur Gerbi, founder of the Merci concept store at 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris, introduced the first watch under the Merci Instruments name. Like John Mayer at the time, he felt that traditional watchmaking houses no longer adequately accounted for the expectations of true enthusiasts. The watches under the Merci Instruments brand […] Visit Hands-On With The New Merci Instruments Beaumarchais Collection - A Sextet Of Thoughtful And Affordable Watches to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Sky Chief Returns: Benrus Bets on Heritage, Restraint, and a 36mm Case
The Benrus Sky Chief returns in a faithful 36mm reissue with a COSC-certified ETA 2894 and vintage-inspired dials.
Monochrome
A Technical Perspective - Deconstructing a Miyota 9015 Automatic, and What I Discovered
Whenever movements are discussed, attention tends to focus on the Swiss, which is understandable, but it excludes some of the biggest movement manufacturers. Seiko, Miyota and so on, let alone the Chinese, produce far more movements per year on their own than ETA or Sellita do, for instance. To put this into some form of […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Omega Seamaster 2541 Review: The Overlooked James Bond Dive Watch
Long-term review of the Omega Seamaster 2541.80 quartz with 90s Bond-era charm, 300m capability, ultra-reliable accuracy, and the real-world quirks you should know.
Fratello
Photo And Video Report: Speedy Tuesday Event In Hong Kong
On January 13th, we hosted our first Speedy Tuesday event for 2026 in Hong Kong. With about 80 guests, we celebrated the day that became synonymous with the Omega Speedmaster in the world of watches. Since 2013, we’ve been organizing events worldwide for collectors and enthusiasts of Omega’s most famous chronograph. Our second Speedy Tuesday […] Visit Photo And Video Report: Speedy Tuesday Event In Hong Kong to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Industry News: Sellita Introduces the SW200-2 with 65 Hour Power Reserve
There’s a “don’t change it if it ain’t broke” mentality in Swiss watchmaking. Progress is slow, and it often seems that there’s a general distrust of change. An example of this is in the mechanical movements that power most of our watches. Chances are, you have at least one watch with an ETA 2824 or a movement based on the 2824 in your collection. If you’re like me, you have several. For Swiss-made watches of a certain price point, they are the standard. They are “workhorses” that, while not the most feature-rich, offer reliability and serviceability. And part of the reason for that is that the design has been around, largely unchanged, since the 1970s (the 2824-2, which is the current standard, was released in the 80s). That is, until 2013, when ETA launched 80-hour movements based on the 2824-2. First debuted in a Tissot as the Powermatic 80, ETA nearly doubled the 2824’s power reserve by slowing the escapement’s frequency from 28,800bph to 21,600bph, introducing synthetic components, and increasing the mainspring’s capacity. The biggest update to the 2824 format in a generation (though they no longer use that numbering), as ETA is part of Swatch, these movements gave the group’s catalog of brands under Omega an unexpected edge in the market, but were not available to third-party brands, thus limiting their overall impact. The ETA 2824 featured in a Sinn 556i In 2003, Sellita began supplying movements to third parties as a response to Swatch’s...
SJX Watches
Richemont Unloads Baume & Mercier
Today Richemont confirmed the rumoured sale of its entry-level Baume et Mercier brand to the Damiani Group, a key distributor of the brand in Italy through its retail chain Rocca. While Baume et Mercier is understood to not be profitable, the acquisition should give Baume et Mercier the home-field advantage, as Italy is one of the most important markets for the brand today. According to the Baume et Mercier website, 325 stores in Italy carry the brand, compared to just 150 in France, 130 in the United States, and only 66 in Mainland China. A leaner Baume et Mercier focused on the Italian market, in the same vein as Eberhard & Co., is likely in the long-term, but in the meantime it must be untangled from Richemont. The deal is expected to close this summer, after which Richemont will provide “operational services” for the brand for at least 12 months. It is unclear whether the brand’s “Baumatic” movements with 5-day power reserves will survive the transition, as there are made by ValFleurier - Richemont’s counterpart to ETA. For more information, visit Richemont.com.