4,161 articles · 511 videos found · page 22 of 156
Monochrome
For a brand that has consolidated its image on tool watches inspired by cockpit instruments, the choice of material forms an integral part of the identity of its watches. The BR-X5, the larger, more resilient, more radical brother of the BR-05 luxury sports watch, returns this year with a new lightweight titanium case. Still delivering […]
Worn & Wound
A few months back at a watch collector’s get together, I was asked by a friend how we at Worn & Wound decide what to write about when it comes to new releases. It’s a good question. Obviously, we can’t cover everything, so decisions have to be made somewhere about what we devote time and energy to, and what we ultimately think is less essential. Obviously, there are a number of brands that are almost always going to be somewhat newsworthy and of interest to our readers, and they tend to be prioritized. There are also watches that are of a more personal interest to some of us, maybe less commercial, but still noteworthy in some respect. A category, though, that almost always makes it through, is when a watch comes around that makes me want to check off the “unique” button in our content management system. Not a diver, not a dress watch, not sport or tactical. A watch that can only or primarily be described as “unique” is almost always going to get a pass. Bell & Ross has a knack for these, and the latest is the BR-03 Astro, a 999 piece limited edition inspired by nothing less than outer space, and our own solar system. Bruno Belamich, the brand’s co-founder and creative director, says he was inspired specifically by the view of the earth from the observation dome, the Cupola, of the International Space Station. The dial is blue aventurine (obviously evoking a star filled sky) with the brilliant blue, spherical representation of earth at its center. An engr...
Revolution
Worn & Wound
I don’t know what it is exactly, but there’s something thrilling about air shows. In fact, every summer in my hometown, people will pull their deck chairs onto the road to catch a glimpse of the U.S. Air Force demonstrating an F-35A. And even I, as jaded as I am, do get a slight buzz when they zoom across the sky, doing loop-de-loops while I commute home. And that’s just in rural Pennsylvania – imagine if I was commuting to my maison in France while the Patrouille de France whizzed by with their signature red, white, and blue smoke trailing behind. Quel spectacle! While I have no plans to move to France anytime soon, I can say that Bell & Ross’ latest addition to their continued collaboration with the aerobatics demonstration unit of the French Air and Space Force, the BR-05 Chrono Patrouille de France, does add a little je ne sais quoi to one’s wrist, n’est-ce pas? (Okay, last time I speak French here, I promise). As with previous iterations of this collaboration, Bell & Ross seamlessly incorporates aeronautical motifs within the framework of the brand’s design ethos. Keeping with their “circle within a square” design, the BR-05 Chrono has presence on the wrist, clocking in at 42mm. But it’s the little elements that show the true partnership with the Patrouille de France. Details like the light blue sunburst dial, echoing the pilots’ flight suits, and the dark blue rehaut and subdials, referencing the aircraft’s fuselage, make the design stand ou...
Monochrome
Let’s talk about one of the worst nightmares of a watch enthusiast… Knocking the watch on a door handle or the corner of a counter and shattering the sapphire crystal into dozens of pieces. We’ve all seen such images on social media, and it scares us to the bones. Unfortunately, it can happen. To avoid […]
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Revolution
Monochrome
Introduced in 2001, Ulysse Nardin’s Freak watch turned many watchmaking conventions upside down. With no hands, no dial and no crown, the Freak was powered by an in-line movement pivoting on itself every 60 minutes to indicate the time. It was regulated by a dual direct escapement and introduced the watchmaking world to silicium (aka […]
Revolution
Revolution
Monochrome
A long-established name in the watch industry, with a deep heritage in crafting some of the most impressive tool watches during the golden era of mechanical watchmaking, Favre Leuba ad to face ups and downs, with multiple owners. Recently, the brand has been revived with veteran industry leader Patrik Hoffmann at its head. Re-launched at […]
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Revolution
Monochrome
There’s already plenty said about the Black Bay collection and its effect on Tudor as a brand. Yes, it’s a gargantuan success and yes it’s home to countless iterations by now, and more will likely come further down the line. From its humble beginnings in 2012 with the release of the Black Bay Burgundy 79220R […]
Revolution
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Revolution
Monochrome
By now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that Rado, a Swatch Group brand, has gained (well, self-attributed, but justified) the title of The Master of Materials, being one of the leading representatives of the ceramic watch – thanks to sister company ComaDur. Ceramic has multiple qualities – it is durable, scratch-resistant, light, […]
Revolution
Worn & Wound
When I say Jaeger LeCoultre, you say Reverso! Or Memovox! Or maybe Polaris! Or something to that effect. The point is that Jaeger LeCoultre, JLC to the cool kids, has a few iconic models immediately associated with its vaunted Maison. But the archives run deeper and into stranger horological territories. At Watches & Wonders 2024, JLC refreshed a lesser-known and appreciated line of watches epitomizing its watchmaking chops: the Duometre. First launched in 2007 with a chronograph, the Duometres presented a novel solution to an issue that concerns all watches with complications, that of the complications taking power out of the movement to function, thus decreasing the accuracy of the timekeeping and potentially power reserve. While a lesser issue in date complications, chronographs notoriously wreak havoc on a movement’s amplitude due to the power draw. But, JLC found a solution– to have separate barrels and gear trains for timekeeping and everything else, linked by the escapement. Hence, “duo.” The resulting watches and calibers are dramatic, to say the least. The movements are massive and ornate, with pronounced barrels on one side. To wind the movement, you turn the crown one way and then the other, like a ratcheting system, winding both barrels. Dial side, the duo concept is further played out with the hour and minutes displayed on a decentralized smaller dial to one side of the larger dial and the complication on the other. The seconds, however, is displayed a...
Revolution
Video
Worn & Wound
The Czapek Antarctique has been, without question, one of the big indie hits of the last five years, and a clear result of that success has been the continued expansion of the Antarctique lineup. A quick glance at the current Czapek catalog will show plenty of options, with the Antarctique line now consisting of not just the core 40.5mm steel model, but also smaller versions, a release in titanium, and even a slightly larger rattrapante chronograph. One conspicuous absence though, at least until now, was gold. With the release of the Czapek Antarctique Mount Erebus, that has now changed, and in a big way. Named after a volcano on Antarctica’s Ross Island that quite literally spews gold when it erupts, the Mount Erebus (whose gold was not actually mined in Antarctica - that would be illegal) editions offer everything we’ve come to expect from Czapek’s signature sports watch, now in a choice of either 5N rose gold or 2N yellow gold. Excepting the visit to King Midas, no big changes or dramatic updates have been made from the standard steel release of the Antarctique, and that’s a very good thing. The Mount Erebus uses the same in-house micro-rotor SXH5 movement, sports the same dimensions (40.5mm across and 10.6mm thick), and even uses the vertically brushed lamé dial first developed for the initial release of the Antarctique Terre Adélie in 2020. The Mount Erebus also retains 150m of water resistance and the proprietary ‘Easy Release’ system, allowing ow...
Revolution
Quill & Pad
A pleasure to wear on the wrist, and it looks quite slim; cbut alling it 'ultra-slim' might be a bridge too far. Which means that the quest for the perfect ultra thin tourbillon wristwatch is still open; however, this Jaeger-LeCoultre came very close to being just that.
Revolution
Worn & Wound
Make no mistake, I’m grateful to be able to write about watches. Doing so opens a lot of doors and brings about some great opportunities. Many fantastic new watches are delivered to my door, and often weeks will pass without needing to pick something to wear from my own watch box. However, there are times when a new watch is in such demand, or produced in such limited numbers, that a loan is not easy to come by. The BR-X5 Green Lum is one such watch. Spending some time with it would mean leaving the warmth and comfort of my own home and venturing up to London’s Bell & Ross boutique. It’s a ‘hardship’ I’m willing to take, and an opportunity I’m still thankful for. So, accompanied by ‘wrist model’ and Bell & Ross fan Jeremy, I trekked up to the Big Smoke to go hands-on with this bright and bold addition to the BR-X5 line, and also had some surprise wrist time with the brand new BR 03 Cyber Ceramic. First up is the Green Lum ($13,300). When the BR-X5 line was launched in late 2022, it represented a serious advancement in the Bell & Ross brand identity. For as long as I can remember, the square watch has been Bell & Ross’s calling card. Think square: think Bell & Ross. The successful BR05 model family saw the brand pushing into the integrated-bracelet sports watch arena, rounding off a few square edges while still maintaining a familiar dial layout. Outside of those product lines Bell & Ross has also regularly added to and updated its ‘Concept’ range, w...
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