1,736 articles · 17 videos found · page 23 of 59
Monochrome
Indie watchmaking is very much on the rise, and we see a surge of cool new watches high and low. From the ever-intriguing industrial wonders of Otsuka Lotec to the ultra-artisanal The Owl by L’Atelier Bernards, it all seems to find its audience across the globe. Yet some of these low-volume watchmakers are challenging to […]
Worn & Wound
A common critique leveled at Seiko over these last few years is that they’ve abandoned the affordable enthusiast dive watch market and have been creeping toward a higher priced product. Honestly, it’s fair. Those of us of a certain age can fondly remember the days when an SKX diver could be had for a few hundred bucks, and it basically stood alone in the Venn diagram of pedigree, dive watch bona fides, enthusiast credibility, and affordability. The fact is, there’s a lot of competition for affordable divers these days, much of it driven by the popularity of a handful of key Seiko references. So it’s no wonder that they’ve sought to expand their footprint elsewhere and make a higher end, more expensive product. What often gets lost in these conversations is that the higher priced Seiko divers are actually very good dive watches that still cover much of that hypothetical Venn diagram, perhaps leaning a little further away from affordability. Seiko recently announced a handful of new references and while many of us hoped a truly affordable SKX alternative might be in the mix, they’ve once again debuted a new diver at a higher rung of their pricing ladder. The highlight for collectors and serious Seiko fans will likely be the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch (the official Seiko naming conventions are always a bit cumbersome). Yes, this is yet another mostly historically accurate take on the first ever diver rated to 300 meters of water r...
Fratello
It was a couple of years ago at the annual WatchPro event in London when I first met the folks from Out of Order. The upstart Italian brand was showcasing fun, affordable, cocktail-inspired GMT watches. Since then, the company has expanded its lineup to include pieces with automatic and quartz movements. Today, though, we take […] Visit Introducing: The New Out Of Order Watches Casanova 38 MOP Automatic Collection to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One of the most influential watchmakers of the post-quartz era has re-emerged with a groundbreaking slow-beat oscillator that cleverly avoids the amplitude constraints typical of such constructions. The Pulse60 is the latest project from Dominique Renaud’s eponymous workshop Haute Horlogerie Dominique Renaud (HHDR), and the first watch to bear his full name in a decade. The Pulse60 runs at just 7,200 times per hour - a frequency of just 1 Hz – a quarter the rate of a conventional movement. Ordinarily, such a slow beat would leave the movement susceptible to external forces, but here it has been combined with a proprietary escapement that overcomes the challenge. While the technical ingenuity is expected given Mr Renaud’s pedigree, the relatively accessible price of under CHF50,000 is unexpected, especially given the state of the market today. Initial thoughts It’s been a decade since Dominique Renaud came out of retirement, but his most public contributions since then have come under the Renaud Tixier banner. Latecomers to independent watchmaking may be less familiar with Mr Renaud’s work, but he played an important role in establishing the contemporary high-end watchmaking landscape. The Pulse60 is the first watch to carry the Dominique Renaud name since the exotic and expensive DR01 Twelve First, which was not made in significant numbers. But unlike its short-lived predecessor, which featured a low-amplitude, high-frequency escapement of Mr Renaud’s own des...
Teddy Baldassarre
A forerunner of both the rise of microbrands and the ongoing revival of France’s watchmaking industry here in the 21st Century, Baltic Watches emerged on the scene in 2017, originally as a Kickstarter project. Founder Étienne Malec discovered the inspiration for his watchmaking enterprise in his father’s watch collection and named the company in honor of his father’s Polish roots, after the sea off the country’s northern coast. The goal from the start, according to Malec, was to produce “timeless pieces, of the highest quality, for fair prices,” and most would agree that Baltic has delivered on this mission statement. Baltic watches are all assembled in a workshop in Besançon, France, the nation’s historical cradle of watchmaking, and evoke vintage timepieces like the ones Malec’s father collected and extensively catalogued in his journals. Here we will look at the Baltic Aquascaphe, one of their most recognizable watches. The first Baltic watches were the three-hand HMS 001 model, with a Japanese Miyota caliber, and the hand-wound Bicompax 001 chronograph, with the Chinese Seagull ST19 movement. While both these watches were successful, and put Baltic on its path to fan-favorite microbrand status, the small company has since become best known for its Aquascaphe series of dive watches. The Aquascaphe, which was launched in 2018, takes its design inspiration from early “skin diver” watches of the 1950s and ‘60s, with no small amount of influence from...
Fratello
Just under a month ago, I published the introduction article for the RZE Resolute Type A here on Fratello. I got the chance to go hands-on with the black-dial model in the meantime to see what’s what. I spent some solid time with it to try to answer one question: Is this another value-packed potential […] Visit Hands-On With The New RZE Resolute Type A - A Whole Lot Of Pilot’s Watch For Your Money to read the full article.
Fratello
Tell me, do you prefer bebop over cool jazz, fusion over hard bop, or are you more the swing type? No matter the answer, the top artists in any of these genres can be considered jazz masters. Now, please welcome to the stage the Hamilton Jazzmaster Quartz Octet! Eight watches in two sizes with six […] Visit Ladies And Gentlemen, The Hamilton Jazzmaster Quartz Octet! A One, And A Two, And A One, Two, Three, Four to read the full article.
Monochrome
When it comes to finding a solid, accessible yet appealing watch meant to be a reliable companion for most of the moments in your life, from the office to the weekend fun, the choice is wide, to say the least. With its Commander collection, Swiss brand Mido has a strong alternative, with a modern, sleek […]
Monochrome
People often say “bigger is better”, but also “big things come in small packages”. While both statements can be very true in multiple aspects of life, it also goes for watches. In some instances, you want a bit of size and heft in a watch, while on other occasions, you want something a bit more […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko is a brand that’s adept at making the intricate seem effortless. This talent for restraint is best demonstrated dial side, specifically with its play with textures that call for a second (or third, fourth, and so on) look. While the deceptively simple “Snowflake” dial is among the brand’s most renowned examples of its mastery of subtlety, today, I’m pulling focus to another iconic example of Grand Seiko’s dial mastery with the more dramatic White Birch variation. Down below, I’ll be breaking down the importance of the “White Birch” SLGH005 in Grand Seiko’s recent history, some of its guiding design philosophies, as well as all the necessary specs you need to know. [toc-section heading="History And Context"] Debuting in 2021, the SLGH005 with its “White Birch” dial marked a historic turning point for the brand, and in the years since, it has become regarded as an example of the brand’s strengths firing on all cylinders. Before its introduction, Grand Seiko had already become synonymous with intricately textural dials (which, of course, drew inspiration from the natural world), but the White Birch texture is really when the brand turned up the heat an extra notch. Before, the brand largely relied on radial and horizontal textures, and it isn’t a coincidence that the continuous series honoring the Japanese micro-seasons (most famous being the “Shun-bun”) was already in play before the White Birch hit the scene. Many of these dials...
Time+Tide
Following on from their colourful debut models, the AC2 is back with a more restrained look that still stays true to the original.The post Monochrome classics and a malachite chaser: Anders & Co introduce more stone dials for the AC2 Volcán appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
A not-so-hot take of ours is that dress watches, outside of water-resistant scenarios, are among the most versatile pieces to wear with casual attire, period. Despite this, many are afraid to give them a try, underestimating their ability to be worn on a daily basis for many. In that spirit, today, we will look at the
Teddy Baldassarre
In 2017, IWC introduced a proprietary alloy called Ceratanium, or ceramized titanium, a hard, lightweight material that combined the best of ceramic and titanium. Oh, and it happened to look pretty cool as well. The material has been used sparingly in the intervening years, largely appearing across the brand’s sport-watch portfolio, from the Pilot to the Aquatimer collections. This week, Ceratanium is making its first appearance in the Portugieser collection with a new, limited-edition 41mm chronograph featuring a Ceratanium case affixed to a black rubber strap. In an effort to drive the point home, the rest of the watch is fully murdered out making the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium a decidedly sporty take on this otherwise dressier collection. [toc-section heading="What's New"] The new watch is the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, and it turns the classic chronograph layout on its head by rendering every detail in shades of black (insert Henry Ford quote here). The Portugieser is a historic watch with roots that date back to the late 1930s, and its modern aesthetic is largely referential to that history. That underlying design remains intact here, with a large, open dial hosting Arabic numerals at each hour, and a set of leaf hands tracking the time against them. The two subdials are arranged vertically, retaining a symmetric layout that recalls the original time-only references that had subsidiary seconds located at 6 o’clock. Using Ceratanium (which ha...
SJX Watches
One of the longest-lived models in the IWC catalogue, the Portugieser Chronograph is simple, distinctive, and handsomely proportioned. Now it’s undergone a surprising makeover to create the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium, which has just debuted publicly on Ed Sheeran’s wrist during the musician’s tour of Australia. Now in its second generation with an in-house movement, the Portugieser Chronograph has a clean aesthetic with vertically laid out registers and a large-but-thin case. Usually available only in gold or steel, the case is now Ceratanium, essentially titanium that’s been treated to form a hard ceramic layer on its surface. Ed Sheeran wearing a Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium during his concert at the Marvel Stadium on February 26 in Melbourne, Australia. Image – Mark Surridge Initial thoughts IWC doesn’t put out many interesting watches now (regrettably), but the Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium certainly stands out. Though it’s essentially a cosmetic variation of a familiar model, it is appealing. I’ve long been a fan of the Portugieser Chronograph; I like the proportions and design. The design is now over 30 years ago but still feels fresh. The Ceratanium version is odd yet likeable. The all-black livery feels like a mismatch with the classical style, but somehow it works and fits the minimalist look. Despite the appeal, the new Portugieser is expensive. It costs 50% more than the steel model, which feels like too much notwithstanding th...
Worn & Wound
I’m going to say something quite controversial here, dear Reader, and tell you that I think pizza, in general, is just okay. I’ve had Neapolitan-style in Naples and Chicago-style in Chicago, and even Altoona-style in Altoona (for the unfamiliar, it’s got green peppers and American cheese on it and is disgusting). I’ve just never been especially impressed. With pepperoni or without, deep-dish or thin-crusted, it’s all the same to me. I mean, I like pizza, but I’m not one of those performative yuppies who sit behind their keyboard (okay, I am right now, but that’s because I’m getting paid to be) and tell you about the virtues of this type of tomato and that type of dough and the purity of ingredients and how pineapple on pizza isn’t real pizza and blah, blah, blah. Like I said, it’s not that I don’t like pizza. I just don’t think it’s anything to get worked up about. To me, it’s in the same category as Jacob Elordi or any organized religion: I have no strong opinions either way, I just don’t need to be told why it’s great all the time. Perhaps this is why I was dubious at first glance about the return of two pizza-inspired watches by Studio Underd0g and Time+Tide: the Burnt Pepper0ni and the Classic Cheese. Following the first pair of pizza watches released in 2024, this new iteration builds on that cult following with updated designs that lean into the theme without losing the brand language that has come to define Studio Underd0g. First, the...
Fratello
High horology in 2026 often comes wrapped in noise - big launches, dramatic case shapes, exposed mechanics, and a constant push to be the most talked-about watch of the week. Yes, I do enjoy that world. Modern, design-led independence is where much of the creativity happens. But there’s another tier of luxury independent watchmaking running […] Visit Cutting Through The Noise With The Quiet Side Of High Horology to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
One of the most useful watch complications in horological history is also one of its most forgotten. The ring of a mechanical alarm may seem like a lost artifact, like a rotary phone dial or a manual transmission, all once the necessities of 20th century civilization. And yet, functionality of a settable and mechanical-winding alarm into the tiny confines of a wristwatch is an impressive mechanical feat, one underrated among dive bezels, world timers, pulsations scales, and tachymeters. The alarm watch was meant for the everyman, whether they’re travelers, titans of industry, or merely early risers. Just like there is appreciation for a watch’s ability to do more than just tell time, there is the aural sensation for a watch to produce something more for the senses than just sight. Eterna was the first to patent an alarm caliber as early as 1908, eventually introducing an alarm wristwatch in 1914 at the Swiss National Exhibition in Berne. It was an impressive achievement, but it wouldn’t last: there was the problem that the alarm could only sound for less than 10 seconds, barely enough to rouse a moderate sleeper, as well as the fact that when the alarm was set, accuracy suffered. However, the Eterna did achieve something significant: it spurred Vulcain, in nearby La Chaux-de-Fonds, to begin developing its own alarm mechanism in 1942. The resulting Vulcain Cricket, debuting in 1947, fixed its predecessor’s shortcomings: namely, separate barrels for the alarm s...
Worn & Wound
There’s an old saying that if you wait long enough, eventually everything will just become a G-SHOCK collaboration. Maybe that’s not 100% true, but sometimes it feels that way. Few brands have the breadth of collaborative partners as G-SHOCK. Can you really think of any other entity that would release a product with Wu-Tang Clan and the Surfrider Foundation and a blockchain based open world game? Only G-SHOCK is really capable of this type of reach. It speaks to their huge appeal to collectors across many, many different verticals, and a strong core following among a very specific type of watch lover. The culture around G-SHOCK collecting is completely distinct from any other watch collecting subset, and it’s reflected in the huge variety of their mainline watches as well as limited editions released with their many collaborative partners. Streetwear brands are perhaps an obvious example of ways that G-SHOCK finds synergy with enthusiasts in other disciplines, and their latest release with Anti Social Social Club is a great example of that strategy. For those who are less familiar with the streetwear world, a brief primer on ASSC might be in order. The LA based brand was founded in 2015 by Andrew Buenaflor, who has explained that the inspiration for the brand and its aesthetic comes from his experiences with mental health struggles. The brand has risen to popularity thanks to being worn by celebrities and many collaborations with other brands, including Rimowa, Hel...
Teddy Baldassarre
With a GPHG award, a head-turning, high-complication entry in the Only Watch Auction, and a buzz-worthy, retro-cool release in the Disco Volante collection, Swiss microbrand Furlan Marri has gone from Kickstarter to contender in less than five years on the market. Here’s what you need to know about the company, its philosophy, and what its collection looks like right now. [toc-section heading="Furlan Marri Origin Story"] Furlan Marri was born from a partnership between two friends from different corners of the watch-enthusiast community - Andrea Furlan, a Swiss-born industrial designer plying a successful trade as a watch design consultant for major brands, and Hamad Al Marri, a watch collector and artist from Saudi Arabia. United by their mutual longtime passion for timepieces, the two joined forces in 2021 to launch their eponymous brand on Kickstarter. Its fast-track to success seemed an inevitability almost from the beginning, as the project was fully funded after 35 seconds on the crowdfunding platform, supported by an enthusiastic community of thousands that had formed around the founders. Those first Furlan Marri watches that emerged from the initial Kickstarter kickoff campaign were vintage-influenced chronographs, taking clear design cues from forebears of the 1930s and ‘40s produced by brands like Patek Philippe, Lemania, and Vacheron Constantin. The cases were 38mm in steel (upsized a bit from the 34mm - 35mm norm of the era being paid homage), the dials...
Fratello
Although the Singaporean brand RZE has only been around for five years, it quickly cemented itself as a fan-favorite microbrand. Combining a strong visual identity with unique technical execution and very sharp pricing, RZE’s founders have a winning recipe in hand. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing the next model, the Resolute Type A. […] Visit Introducing: The Superfly RZE Resolute Type A - A New Take On An Old Concept to read the full article.
Fratello
The incredible wins of Jutta Leerdam (left in the header image) and Jordan Stolz (on the right) probably did not go unnoticed if you watched the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. Or what about the silver medal for the Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer (center)? You also might have witnessed Lindsey Vonn’s crash on the slope. […] Visit Here Is What’s New In Timekeeping For The Winter Olympic Games 2026 to read the full article.
Fratello
There’s something about a tuxedo dial that always gets under my skin. That high-contrast, black-and-white look - usually a dark perimeter surrounding a lighter center - evokes more than legibility; it conjures an entire era of design. Think black-tie parties, cocktail hours, and the sort of aesthetic self-assurance only true contrast can deliver. In the […] Visit Five Tuxedo-Dial Watches To Bring That 20th-Century Charm Back to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
If you ever find yourself in the fortunate position of reviewing watches, you’ll quickly start compiling a mental list of the watches you’d like to see, wear, and spend time with. It’ll be a long list, and no matter how many watches you try, it’s not a list that will ever get shorter. I’ve been doing this for a few years now, and one watch that has always been near the top of my list was the Leica ZM 2, a passive GMT watch made to a high standard from - and there’s no other way of putting this - a camera company. Unfortunately, the ZM 2 has managed to continually elude me. That is, until now. There’s plenty to say about the ZM 2, but before we get into this too deeply, let’s get two things out of the way: First, I’m not sure it was a good move for Leica to rename its flagship watch so soon after launch. It’s confusing for the consumer, and a bit annoying to anyone trying to cover the watch. So, for clarity’s sake, let me say that the ZM 2 is the same watch launched under the L2 name a few years ago, and it’s the same watch that was reviewed under that name by other outlets. It’s a confusing move, one that has, I think, made it slightly harder for the ZM 2 to grab a foothold than it otherwise might have been. Which is a bummer because (and this is my second point): This watch is great, full stop. I loved wearing the ZM 2, and I would happily own this watch should I ever find myself in a position to do so. I know some will question Leica’s thi...
Fratello
You can be a fan of Van Gogh while knowing you will never, ever have one of his works hanging on your wall. Can you be a fan of watches while being aware that you can’t afford the objects of your desire? Yes, you can, but only if you can let go of the concept […] Visit Inclusive Exclusive Watchmaking - What’s It All About? to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
If there is one element of watch ownership that speaks to the human psyche more than almost any other, it's the notion that what you wear is unique to you. And it's true, there simply isn't another watch out there with your dings in the case or your aged strap. No material creates such allure through the aging process as bronze. And watch designers have known this for some time. With wear, your bronze watch case will evolve far quicker and more obviously than any steel case (swimming in salt water really speeds things up!). Bronze is a copper alloy generally containing around 12% tin. Its discovery dates back several millennium BC. Before giving way to cheaper iron and stronger steel, the Bronze Age lasted almost three millennia. Bronze possesses a number of advantageous properties. And the versatility of its application has continued its use right up to modern day. One of those properties is its resistance to salt water corrosion. Typically, when exposed, bronze only oxidizes at the surface, forming a protective layer over the underlying metal. In the past, this made bronze the material of choice for boat and ship fittings. (Prior to the wide employment of stainless steel.) It also featured in early diving equipment. More recently, it has spurred a growing trend of tool watches. Not all bronze watches are created equal though. That’s why we’ve put together this hand-picked selection of some of, what we feel are, the best bronze watches for 2026 - enjoy! [toc-section h...
Worn & Wound
The Urwerk UR-100 has become one of my favorite designs in high end independent watchmaking. Whenever I encounter one (a rare event given the brand’s annual production of just around 200 watches total) I’m blown away by the way it distills the essence of the brand into a completely wearable, compact, package. I’ve always been a fan of the Urwerk philosophy, but until I tried on a UR-100 I always felt the watches themselves might be too ungainly or oddly shaped for me personally. There’s something about this case though, mostly its impressive thinness, that makes it feel like a “normal” watch on the wrist but still something otherworldly when you look down to check the time. That, to me, feels like a sweet spot. The latest from Urwerk brings a new watch into the UR-100 lineage with the UR-100V LS Ceramic. This is effectively a new variant of the original UR-100V LS (short for “light speed,” which we’ll get to momentarily) that appeared in 2024. The new watch features a white ceramic case, a first for the brand and more complex than it first appears, and the same whimsical ideology of its predecessor, and many other Urwerk watches, which are all in one way or another a commentary on timekeeping itself. All Urwerks (well, almost all) share a common wandering hour satellite time telling mechanism that has become their calling card. It’s actually a rather mechanically elegant way to tell the time, basically with a wandering hour “pointer” to a fixed ...
SJX Watches
One of the most talked-about watches of this year’s LVMH Watch Week, the TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer reimagines Heuer’s quirky midecentury tide-tracker in the contemporary Carrera ‘Glassbox’ format. With its warm hues and vibrant teal accents, the Seafarer captures much of the charm of the original while incorporating most (if not all) of the brand’s latest technical upgrades. Initial thoughts The Carrera Seafarer belongs to the tradition of historical reissues, in the same vein as watches like the Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” and Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute B02 that give new life to past icons. While these reruns can get tiring, there continue to be instances in which the original model has become too iconic to not be given another go. Such is the case with the Seafarer, a quirky creation from the 1940s originally sold under the Abercrombie & Fitch name, which was, at the time, a premium sporting goods retailer trusted by the likes of Ernest Hemingway. Interestingly, the original was never a true commercial success, but its novel complication and vibrant colourways have since made it highly collectible in recent years. Much like early Rolex Daytonas, the original Seafarers were under appreciated in their time but later gained a niche following. Dressed in the modern Carrera Glassbox case, the Seafarer shines with its champagne-coloured dial, blocky typeface and playful chromatics. Thankfully the reissue stays true to the original’s purpos...
Teddy Baldassarre
G-Shock continues to fill an important role in the landscape of watch collecting, almost solely occupying a genre that it essentially created. G-Shock watches are practical, accessible, and functional; but they’re also so much more than that. They are expressive, vibrant, and fun. Their impact on the broader culture around watches can’t be understated, and it’s a connection that remains intact today, over 40 years after emerging onto the scene, and over 30 years since the formation of the 6900 lineage. The design that hails from 1995 has changed surprisingly little, and remains one of the vanishingly few items that can make that claim without looking completely out of place on the wrist today. As the saying goes, good design is timeless. I’m not so sure this is technically "good" design, but it is unique and timeless in its own way. When it first debuted in 1995, the 6900 design used a rounded case, representing a departure from the blocky cases that had typically defined what a G-Shock was. Situated above the square digital display were a trio of circular graphics, with a button situated under the dial itself, all set within a shock-resistant structure. The watch brought the best features of the 5000, the 5900, and the 6600 together, creating a "best of all worlds" in a way. These features represented unlimited possibilities, and were almost mysterious at a glance, but they signaled just what was possible with a digital display. Those three circular graphics wer...
Worn & Wound
I have what you might call a love/hate relationship with Audemars Piguet. They are, without a doubt, makers of some of the finest watches in the world. Objectively speaking, there’s a level of craft involved with the production of AP watches that is hard to match at the scale at which they operate. Every Royal Oak I’ve ever handled feels like a perfectly made thing without any compromises. I honestly can’t say the same about equivalent watches from other brands in the so-called Holy Trinity. And yet, there’s so much baggage with Audemars Piguet in our current watch culture. I wrote about it here, specifically as it relates to the Royal Oak and how it has become a signifier of wealth and status that has overshadowed watchmaking and watch culture. I find this flex culture to be a huge turn off, and the way AP seems to lean into it, by producing more and more varieties of Royal Oak, some with mini sculptures of Marvel characters on the dial, to be a signal that they’re a willing participant in the watering down of their brand. But then Audemars Piguet will go ahead and release something beautiful that is not a Royal Oak and I’m reminded that derisively referring to them as The Royal Oak Company (something I’ve done frequently over these last few years) is ultimately unfair. Earlier this week, as part of a larger drop that included several exotic Royal Oaks, a pocket watch, and more, AP launched what might be one of the riskier watches they’ve introduced in...
Fratello
It is no secret that I am a fan of Unimatic. The Italian brand has built its reputation on wonderful tool watches that stand out for their clever minimalist design. On top of that, it would be fair to say that Unimatic has released some of the most creative collaborative efforts of the last few […] Visit Hands-On With New Unimatic Modello Cinque U5S-BL Limited Edition to read the full article.
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