789 articles · 41 videos found · page 21 of 28
Monochrome
Delma’s Shell Star dive watch combines the groove of its 1970s ancestor with modern specifications. A rugged 500m water-resistant diving companion, the latest Shell Star models feature a new complication with a Big Date window at noon and on-trend gradient dials. Delma’s first dive watch surfaced in 1969 with the Periscope, followed by the more […]
Time+Tide
Tested by pro tennis players for shock resistance and comfort, this sporty take on the Maestro is all love, no deuce.The post The Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis is here to serve (live pics) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Introduced in 2010, De Bethune’s DB28 family distils the essence of Denis Flageollet’s unique watchmaking style with its futuristic silhouette, floating lugs, delta-shaped barrel bridge, exposed balance wheel, and, more often than not, the brand’s signature blued titanium elements. In 2015, the DB28 was revisited in a sportier version with a 100m water-resistant case known […]
Monochrome
Marking a world first, Parmigiani Fleurier introduces an innovative composite material into the luxury watchmaking arena on board its new Tonda PF Chronograph. Known as Ultra-Cermet, Cer- for ceramic and Met- for metal, this avant-garde composite combines the hardness and temperature resistance of ceramic with the lightness and ductility of metal. Slightly larger than earlier […]
Worn & Wound
There are several places you’d never find me-gas station bathrooms, water parks, and tiny airplanes come to mind-but perhaps the very last place I’d ever agree to set foot would be inside a submarine. Stuck inside a metal tube with the crushing weight of the ocean all around you? No thanks, I’ll stay on land. Still, it’s hard to deny the romance of the submarine, especially given that our ocean is still largely unexplored. Whether in scientific expeditions or military endeavours, the remarkable underwater vessel has long gripped the human imagination. With their latest U series of divers, Sinn is honoring a piece of that maritime history. In part a celebration of 20 years of the German brand using submarine steel in its diving watches, the U15, U16, and U15 each represent a different 1970s German submarine of matching name. The name isn’t just a superficial connection, though-each model of these new U series is limited to 1,000 pieces, and features a case and bezel constructed with submarine steel from the outer hull of the actual corresponding namesake submarine. What Sets the Models Apart? At first glance, each U diver looks very similar-they all share that satinized submarine steel case, a captive dive bezel with minute ratcheting, a screw-down crown at the 4 o’clock position, and a striking dark blue-green high-gloss dial with a stream of lighter blue bubbles down the center. But as the names suggest, each yields slightly different design elem...
Monochrome
Long reserved for the Japan Domestic Market (the famous JDM watches), the Citizen Series 8 is the brand’s take on the sporty, characterful watches made for daily use. Sharply designed with a mix of boldness, resistance and a certain contemporary elegance, the collection was given some fresh air in 2021 and became available worldwide. Since […]
Teddy Baldassarre
If you’re a Speedmaster fan, you know the story. NASA sent out an RFP for an official watch of the space program – a watch that would undergo a litany of tests (pressure, temperature, corrosion resistance, shock, acceleration, and vibration to name more than a few) to prove that it could withstand the rigors of space exploration. Three watches came in for testing: A Longines Wittnauer 235T, a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6238, and an Omega Speedmaster ST105.003 dating to 1964. As you know, the Speedmaster won the contract and on March 1, 1965, it became the aforementioned official watch of the space program. That designation has since been engraved on the caseback of every Moonwatch in production today. This week, the Swatch Instagram account was buzzing with retro video content that would always end with a title card reading “1965.” Today, we know why. Celebrating 60 years since the flight qualification of the Speedmaster, and nearly 60 years from the moment Ed White took a Speedy for a 20-minute space excursion during Gemini IV, Omega and Swatch have announced a celebratory MoonSwatch that marries the past to the present. The first thing you’re going to notice is the white dial, a detail that harkens back to Snoopy MoonSwatch, but more importantly, to the 2024 White Speedmaster that set the watch world on fire after DanielCraig wore it to Planet Omega in New York in 2023. For all of you who wince at the sight of yet another MoonSwatch – and there are plenty of you – ...
SJX Watches
While the original Seamaster 300M from 2019 was a no-frills, James Bond-inspired watch, the Seamaster Diver 300M Bronze Gold and Burgundy is a refined evolution of the design that employs Omega’s proprietary gold alloy. Used by Omega as well as its sister company Blancpain, Bronze Gold is an alloy of bronze, palladium, silver, and 37.5% gold - making it a 9k gold alloy - that has enhanced corrosion resistance while having the warm hue of bronze but without the accentuated patina that accompanies conventional versions of the metal. Aside from the Bronze Gold case and burgundy bezel, the design remains virtually unchanged, retaining the signature “twisted” lugs of the Seamaster. Initial thoughts Omega has introduced several variants of the model since the Seamaster 300M 007 Edition, among them the recent “No-Date”. This time-only design, which omits the date window, has enjoyed commercial success, highlighting the appeal of a cleaner dial, especially on a watch with some vintage flavour. In this context, the Seamaster 300M Bronze Gold is a natural evolution of the collection, bringing it upmarket as is the norm for a successful model. The upgrade, however, comes at a price. At US$13,900 on a rubber strap, the Bronze Gold edition is more than twice the price of the steel model. And the version on a matching Bronze Gold mesh bracelet costs a whopping US$27,900. Granted, the new Seamaster 300M is gold, but not really, since it’s a 9k alloy, which is far below th...
Monochrome
Launched at Watches and Wonders 2024, the Czapek Promenade collection is a 38mm genderless elegant watch that was imagined as a “canvas for creative expression.” We’ve seen it already with the limited edition Goutte d’Eau (water drop) model of last year, as well as the classic versions with a creative sunray guilloché pattern. For 2025, […]
SJX Watches
Gérald Genta distinctive, punkish “urchin” wristwatch gains a striking new look with the Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal. Each of the 137 studs on the case carries a fire opal, while the dial is in orange carnelian that echoes the gemstones’ hue. Mined from Mexico’s volcanic regions, fire opals stones derive their characteristic yellow, orange, or red pigmentation from water trapped in cooling lava. Initial thoughts Although the Gérald Genta brand was revived in 2023, well after the iconic designer’s passing in 2011, the brand has stuck closely to his original vision and style. The modern-day Oursin is a faithful remake of the 1994 original, a little larger in size but retaining all of the original’s quirky details, including the facetted crystal. Unlike the fairly muted models unveiled last year, the new Oursin is bright and bold. While it incorporates gemstones and colours that found on the original (which was also fairly muted), the orange hue feels perfectly appropriate for the design. It is an apt evolution of the original, and the late Genta would have approved. Fire opals While the new Oursin differs from Genta’s original with its fire opals and carnelian, the core design elements remain faithful to his blueprint. Crafted from 18k yellow gold, the case measures 36.5 mm in diameter and 9.64 mm in thickness, making it slightly larger than the original. The case is studded with 137 fire opals, each individually secured with 18k yellow gold pins. An orange...
Worn & Wound
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Despite my own participation in the tradition, the idea of trying to tie major life changes or new habits to something as both arbitrary and specific as the New Year has always been somewhat anathema to me. Still, despite my resistance to making specific commitments at the start of a fresh calendar year, I don’t think there’s any doubt that the arrival of January can set the stage for a refresh. It’s in that mindset that I found myself spending much of the last week reorganizing basically my whole life. And by my whole life, I mean my desk (and the various drawers and organizers that surround it). A primary focus of this odyssey has been a set of metal Ikea drawers that operate as the functional center of my watch habit. One area in need of particular attention here was my strap drawer, in no small part because of its increasing annexation of other parts of my organizational ecosystem - a problem exacerbated by a shift in approach that existed in direct conflict with my existing storage logic. I don’t remember who first introduced them to me, but for the last few years, I’ve been storing my straps in a slowly increasing count of Muji Polypropylene Pen Cases (I think I first saw them on another collector’s Instagram, but for the life of me I can’t remember whose). With two compartments, one large enough for straps, the other perfectly sized for spring bars or loose links, these cheap plastic pencil cases make ...
Worn & Wound
IWC holds a special place in my heart. One of my first “ultra-performance” sports watches was an IWC Aquatimer GST on a matching titanium bracelet. This was a 2000-meter water-resistant dive watch that featured a push-down locking unidirectional bezel and a mix of Luminova and tritium luminescence. This was in the late 1990s, and shortly after, I was tasked with reviewing their new IWC TZC UTC Pilot Watch, reference 3251. This model featured a sublime 5-piece bracelet with a push-button easy link removal system still in use today. It also had a display opening on the dial indicating a second time zone. Over the past twenty years, I have had the opportunity to get to know many IWC watches. Last year, one of their releases particularly caught my attention. While their pilot series has generally been quite conservative, they have recently experimented with different dial colors, but nothing like this release. As a Mercedes F1 team sponsor, IWC released a Petronas-AMG-themed Pilot Chronograph featuring bright Petronas green dial accents. This was a 41mm version of their standard day-date chronograph featuring their in-house caliber 69385 automatic movement in a grade 5 titanium case. For 2025, IWC has released the Mark XX Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS, essentially a time-and-date version of their previously issued chronograph. This one also features a grade 5 titanium case, but this time with a solid case back. Dimensions are 40mm across the case, with a slender height of only 10....
Monochrome
We might be small when looking at a world map, but the Dutch are capable of great things! The thing that first comes to mind is no doubt the stereotypical wooden clogs, tulips and windmills, but we’re capable of far more than that. We’re actually a world leader in water management and a fair few […]
Fratello
Talk about acquired taste. Root beer sure is. Its peculiar flavor comes from the sassafras tree. I like it, but others think it tastes like rusty water. The Rolex GMT-Master (II) “Root Beer” is like that too; you either love it or don’t. I’ve always been a fan of the watch. Although I’m usually not […] Visit Quench Your Thirst On The First Day Of Dry January With Two Rolex GMT-Master II “Root Beer” Models to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
On the third cast, the nymph hits the water with a distinct plop and there is a sharp tug on the line. I instinctively set the hook, a glint of gold and brown breaks the surface. I have just caught my first wild trout.
SJX Watches
Chunky and water resistant to 600 m, the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver is based on the Defy A3648 of 1969. It shares the distinctive styling of the vintage original, but the Extreme Diver is modern in construction and specs. The case is titanium while the bezel is black ceramic. Originally introduced with either a black or blue dial, the Extreme Diver now gets a silver dial while retaining the signature bright orange flange. Initial thoughts Zenith’s catalogue includes several sports watches, including the Chronomaster Sport, but the Defy Extreme Diver is arguably the most distinctive design. With historical roots in the vintage Defy A3648, the Extreme Diver is also original. And the watch also manages to look entirely modern, despite preserving most of the design elements of the vintage original, including the angular case and 14-sided inner bezel. The Extreme Defy is one of Zenith’s pricier time-and-date watches at CHF10,900, but is still a reasonable value proposition considering the in-house movement and overall build quality. Stars Rated to 600 m just like the vintage A3648, the Extreme Diver has a case of brushed titanium measuring 42.5 mm in diameter and 15.5 mm in thickness. Around the trademark 14-sided inner bezel is a unidirectional black ceramic bezel with fluted edges for grip. Large titanium crown guards protect the fluted screw-in crown at three. The dial is finished in silvery-white with sunburst brushing. Like other Defy models, the dial is decorated wit...
Monochrome
Hanhart, a German watch brand renowned for its pilot watches, is easily recognized by the distinctive red markings on its bezels and the signature red pusher on its chronograph models. While Hanhart hasn’t traditionally ventured into the realm of dive watches, the brand recently dived in that direction with the 300m water-resistant Fly Navy Aerosphere […]
Worn & Wound
It’s a hot, muggy Saturday afternoon, and as a parent you find yourself at a local splash pad for a 3-year-old’s birthday party with 37 other people. Most of them are adults you don’t know, or you do know but have definitely forgotten their names. After your kid finally sheds the shy cling to your leg and runs off to the water features with their buddies, you begrudgingly gravitate toward a few unidentified parents talking. Upon entering the circle, you present your name and state whose parent you are before an awkward silence falls, and you hear those words: “So, what do you do for work?” Because at this point it’s either that or the weather, and the circle has already covered the later topic one too many times. Work-it’s that inevitable question we’re all asked during those awkward, seemingly weekly toddler birthday parties. “I’m an Industrial Designer” isn’t the most glamorous or self-explanatory response. That’s ok though, because after a few back and forth questions and answers in the circle many start to realize how much around them is designed, considered, and produced to make our lives a bit better. But like all coins, there are always two sides to the story. Making more things is not necessarily the answer, but I believe making things that speak to us, move us, and change our lives even in the slightest is what makes good industrial design great. At its core, Industrial Design is the process of creating physical products for mass manufa...
Fratello
Although I’ve told the story to many people, I’ve never put pen to paper and written the account of my Rolex Submariner 5512. The tale is probably more common than we think in light of what Rolex was 60 years ago. A watch like the Submariner could withstand the rigors of water-related activities and had […] Visit A Vintage Rolex Submariner 5512 With Stories To Tell to read the full article.
SJX Watches
While the history of the Rolex diver’s watch begins with the Oyster Perpetual Submariner of 1953, one of the brand’s landmark achievement in water-resistant cases is more recent: the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea launched in 2008 that incorporates the Ringlock system. With the innovative Ringlock system, Rolex surmounted an enduring obstacle in building a deeper-diving watch – a case that grew in proportion to the depth rating. The Ringlock system is a patented case architecture that fundamentally rethought the traditional approach to a diver’s watch, which allowed the Rolex Deepsea to achieve a water-resistance rating of 3,900 m with a 44 mm case. The utility of the Ringlock was proven in 2022 with the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge that took the Oyster case to the limits of horological engineering. Featuring a 50 mm case in RLX titanium, the Deepsea Challenge is water resistant to 11,000 m – the all-time water-resistance record for a mechanical wristwatch. The latest addition to the deep-diving collection, the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea in 18k yellow gold. Image – Rolex A deep history The history of Rolex is inextricably intertwined with the water-resistant wristwatch. Six years after establishing the brand in 1908, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf wrote to Bienne-based movement maker Aegler, “We must find a way to create a waterproof wristwatch”. By 1926, Wilsdorf had achieved his goal with the launch of the Oyster, a waterproof wristwatch which ha...
Worn & Wound
The good news: I’ve never looked at my Marathon Navigator more within a two hour period. The bad news: I only have two hours between preschool drop off and pick up and I’d really like to sneak some fishing in during the precious few hours of free time. The best way to get a line in the water is to load up the bike, grab some gear, and pedal up the trail that follows the Carll’s River as fast as I can and fish all the way back down. I love being a dad but as many of you know, free time comes in random spurts here and there and you have to make the best of it. I also love gear, so any opportunity to put my stuff to good use is welcome. Can I make it up there and back in time? Can I actually catch a fish? We’ll get there, but first let’s take a closer look at the rig, which I believe is pretty ideal for some fishing. My off-road bike is a Cannondale Topstone 3 from a few years back. Known as a “gravel bike”, this style of bicycle is a blend between a road endurance bike (you sit more upright than an on-road race bike) that can accommodate chunky tires for off-road use. The trail I’m riding is firm packed gravel and remains relatively flat the whole way. I’ve found the bike to be comfortable and easy to ride without breaking too much of a sweat. Recently, I swapped out the stock saddle for a leather Brooks because I’ve heard great things about how comfortable they are once broken in. Another cool thing about the Topstone is how it can accommodate gear. Th...
Monochrome
It’s been several years since we last saw an update to the Aquis Chronograph, making the recent release anticipated. Oris introduced the previous 500m water-resistant version back in 2018, featuring a 45.5mm case and a 6-9-12 sub-register layout. Since then, the model has remained unchanged except for the 2019 Blue Whale, which was part of the […]
Worn & Wound
Dive watches possess a sort of primordial appeal. Dating back to the 1950s, they were invaluable tools for early divers to monitor their dive time. But what makes a dive watch a dive watch? It varies depending on who you ask, but the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 6425 standard provides a perfect starting point. Per ISO, a dive watch must: a) be water-resistant to at least 100, b) possess a method of tracking dive time, c) must show that time in resolution of no larger than minutes over the span of an hour, plus a litany of other tests to achieve ISO 6425 certification. In today’s Chronicle, we’re doing a deep dive into our picks for the five best dive watches for a new enthusiast. Dive watches possess a sort of primordial appeal. Dating back to the 1950s, they were invaluable tools for early divers to monitor their dive time. But what makes a dive watch a dive watch? It varies depending on who you ask, but the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 6425 standard provides a perfect starting point. Per ISO, a dive watch must: a) be water-resistant to at least 100, b) possess a method of tracking dive time, c) must show that time in resolution of no larger than minutes over the span of an hour, plus a litany of other tests to achieve ISO 6425 certification. In today’s Chronicle, we’re doing a deep dive into our picks for the five best dive watches for a new enthusiast. The post The Top 5 Dive Watches for Beginners Under $1,000 appeared first o...
Time+Tide
1,000 meters water-resistant for less than US$1,000 - this retro dive watch's value proposition is pretty hard to beat.The post Game over: how can other superdivers compete with the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster “Pacman”? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
While the development of dive watches is dominated by some of the big names in the watch world, French brand Yema produced a 100m water-resistant dive watch in 1953. In the 1970s, Yema equipped the French Air Force with resilient tool watches, personified by the legendary Superman. Now in the hands of a French watchmaking […]
Monochrome
Summer is a time for adventures. For many of us, summer is synonymous with holidays, travels and sunshine. While basically every watch enthusiast will have his definition of the perfect summer watch, one style in particular makes a lot of sense; the functional, water-resistant sports watch with GMT function. Ready to cross borders, capable of […]
Monochrome
Launched in 2013 as the German brand’s sportiest model, the Ahoi collection has always been something of a black sheep at Nomos. Loosely defined as an old-rounder sports watch, the Ahoi watch marries its robust 200m water-resistant case to the understated and elegant design of Nomos watches, elevating it from the burly dive watch category […]
Fratello
The new Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 might be the perfect watch for spec-loving divers. Let’s look at the data, the numbers, and the cold, hard facts. Montblanc’s latest dive watch, the flagship of the newly formed Iced Sea collection, has a 43 × 19.4mm case containing no oxygen and is water resistant […] Visit It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
The “Goutte d’Eau” technique used in Czapek & Cie’s new Promenade watch collection shines a new light on the grand feu enamel effect, evoking ripples radiating from a water droplet hitting a pond’s surface.
In 1971, banker-turned-explorer Peter Gimbel set out on a 5-month voyage aboard the Terrier VIII to be the first person in the world to capture a Great White shark on film. He cobbled together an eclectic team for this adventure, including everyone from conservationists and shark experts to filmmakers and writers. This expedition resulted in the documentary film Blue Water, White Death, which has since become a cult classic within the diving community, and features a slew of very unique, very 70s dive watches to boot. Among the crew of early underwater luminaries (Stan Waterman, Ron and Valerie Taylor, anyone?), Gimbel also saw fit to hire budding singer/songwriter Tom Chapin along as a guitar-slinging jack of all trades, whereupon he became the natural soundtrack for the film. Tom’s role in this expedition is considered to be the inspiration for filmmaker Wes Anderson’s inclusion of Brazilian folk singer Seu Jorge in his sea-set feature The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Both films result in support of an eternal truth, that the best boat rides are the ones with folk singers aboard. For the last three years, the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago has brought enthusiasts from as far south as Texas and from as far north as Canada to gather and geek out on watches from around the world. Beginning with the first year of Windup Chicago, a dedicated team of watch enthusiast divers started an adjacent activity, affectionately dubbed “Windup in a Lake.” Each year, this intrepi...
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