Results for Master Chronometer (METAS)

MB&F;’s LM Split Escapement Meets Eddy Jaquet’s Mastery of Engraving

Auction: Space-Flown Watches From a Rolex GMT-Master to Omega Speedmasters

Ahead of the international watch auction season that kicks off in a few weeks, Boston-based RR Auction has opened an online auction that will interest those hunting especially rare, space-flown watches. Simply titled Space, the auction is focused primarily on space memorabilia, and includes three space-flown wristwatches that warrant a closer look, including a French astronaut’s Speedmaster that spent almost six hours in space. Known for its sales focused on historical memorabilia, particularly those relating to space exploration, RR Auction has notched up several notable watch sales in the past, including a Bulova chronograph worn on the Moon that sold for almost US$1.6 million in 2015. We round up highlights from the upcoming sale, which closes October 24, 2024. The catalogue and bidding are available online. Lot 6286 – Rolex GMT-Master II flown on Apollo 14 by Edgar Mitchell  First up is the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 1675 worn by astronaut Edgar Mitchell on the Apollo 14 mission that landed on the Moon in February 1971. Enhancing its appeal, the watch has tangible provenance: actually be seen in archival footage recording prior to take-off and in onboard footage taken during the mission. While the GMT-Master II was not uncommon among astronauts of that period – it was conceived as a watch for pilots after all – few actually made it to space. This example is only the second lunar Rolex to be sold publicly, after Ron Evans’s GMT-Master II worn on Apollo 17, whic...

Owner's Review: The Serica 5303-3 COSC Diving Chronometer Is Parisian

Picture the scene: a hectic work week ends with a quick bite at your favorite Italian trattoria, then you hustle a few blocks afterwards to a dimly lit West Village jazz club to catch a blazing first set from the house band. Glancing down at your wrist, you see you have just enough time to cab it to the airport for the redeye to Paris for a well-deserved long weekend, beachfront on the Côte d'Azur. But the watch on your wrist isn’t a vintage Rolex GMT-Master or Omega Seamaster 300, although either would be a fine choice to segue from the office to the French Riviera without missing a beat. No, your timepiece is from Serica, a microbrand based in France with enough Continental cool and midcentury charm to appear as if it just popped out of a time capsule from 1962. If ever a modern sports watch evoked the Mad Men era, this is it. Even though it’s only been in existence since 2019, Serica doesn't feel like a typical microbrand. In fact, it has the aura of an established horological icon, one with its own storied history and visual language. And if it’s not readily apparent, I’m positively obsessed with the entire Serica aesthetic.  Serica's French-designed, Swiss-made creations blend the refinement of classic Parisian fashion with the urbane cool of a European matinee idol. The company’s debut release was the W.W.W field watch, followed by the 5303 diver that made its bow in 2021, in both black and white-dialed variants. A new colorway was offered the followin...

Bring a Loupe: A Philippe Dufour Duality, A Zenith Caliber 135 Chronometer, And An Odd 1920s Cartier

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

Reference Points: Understanding The Rolex GMT-Master

Unpacking the world's most famous travel watch.

Bring a Loupe: A Cotton Bowl Tudor Date + Day, A Tropical Rolex GMT-Master, And A Government-Seized Patek Philippe Nautilus

All that, and more in this week's round-up of vintage (and sometimes modern!) watches from around the web.

Introducing – Hajime Asaoka Revives Extinct Japanese Brand Takano and Presents the Chateau Nouvelle Chronometer

We’ve said it on multiple occasions but the world of watches isn’t limited to Switzerland, or to an extent, to Europe. There are fascinating watchmakers all over the globe, and Japan is one of the most prolific countries when it comes to independent watchmaking. One of them is Hajime Asaoka, not only the man behind […]

Why Rolex’s Sailing Connection Is About More Than the Yacht-Master

Introducing: Serica Expands Its Field Watch Offering With The New 6190 M.S.L Chronometer

New dials and colors form an elegant tribute to the golden era of sport watches.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Two-Tone Rolex GMT-Master II, An Omega Seamaster Worldtimer, And A Patek Philippe Calatrava

Plus an IWC Perpetual Calendar, and a Grand Seiko GMT.

First Look – The New Editions of the Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Chronometer Celebration

Carl F. Bucherer embraces almost every facet of watchmaking. Operating since 1888, Carl F. Bucherer started retailing luxury watches and jewellery in Lucerne before going international. In 1919, Bucherer spotted another niche and began manufacturing its own branded watches. With a rich archive of material, Carl F. Bucherer’s Heritage collection is home to reeditions of […]

A Closer Look: Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer 39mm

Pre-Owned Picks: A Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16700, A Reverse Panda Tudor Black Bay Chrono, And A Grand Seiko Elegance

Plus a Vacheron Cornes de Vache, and a Lange Saxonia Automatik.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Tudor METAS Black Bay Black, A Rolex Turn-O-Graph, And An Omega 'Schumacher Racing' Speedmaster

Plus a Patek Gondolo, and a green JLC Reverso Tribute.

Hands-On: The New Grey And Black Rolex GMT-Master II In Stainless Steel

Sure, it's "just another GMT," but more options aren't a bad thing.

Introducing: The Rolex GMT-Master II With Grey And Black Ceramic Bezel

It's not the coke that people expected, but it's a solid under-the-radar option for the lineup.

First Look – The New Brellum Duobox Triple Calendar Moophase LE Chronometer

Established in 2016 by Sébastien Muller, a fourth-generation watchmaker, Brellum is an independent brand that employs a direct distribution model and offers exclusivity with only a few hundred pieces crafted each year, all COSC-certified chronometers. The Duobox, the brand’s inaugural collection, captured the hearts of enthusiasts with its timeless looks and competitive pricing, with several […]

Breaking News: Move Over COSC – Omega Launches A Brand New Chronometer Certification With The Creation Of The Laboratoire de Précision

It's a bold move made all the more impactful mere days ahead of Watches & Wonders.

First Look – The Squale Master Titanium 120 ATM, Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of a Diving Icon

Like many other brands born during the golden era of watchmaking, and in particular the early days of the professional dive watch, Squale might not sound familiar to a mainstream audience but has to be considered an emblematic maker of dive watches for seasoned enthusiasts. 65 years ago, in 1959, Squale launched its first watch; […]

Just Because – A Set Of Unique Raúl Pagès Régulateur à Détente RP1s With Dials By Master Enameller Anita Porchet

When two masters of their respective crafts meet, it’s very likely greatness will ensue. However, while masters may strengthen each other, it’s difficult to find common ground when crafts might seem at odds. Despite this, a positive and uniquely intriguing outcome is still a possibility. Such is the case with the collaboration of Raúl Pagès, […]

Pre-Owned Picks: A Tudor METAS Black Bay Burgundy, A Serti Dial Rolex Submariner, And A Hesalite Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 3861

Plus a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref. 5140 in platinum, and a rose-gold Cartier Tortue.

The Value Proposition: The Longines Master Collection Small Seconds

Heritage inspiration done right.

Burgess Clock B is the World’s Most Precise Pendulum Clock and is Made to a 250-Year-Old Design by John Harrison, Longitude Prize Winner and Inventor of the Marine Chronometer

Two-hundred fifty years ago, Longitude Prize-winning clockmaker John Harrison made clocks losing just one second per month. But that wasn't enough for him: in his later life, Harrison claimed that he could make a wall clock with a then-unheard-of-precision of just one second over 100 days! And 250 years later, it turns out he was right.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Rolex 'Lefty' GMT-Master II, An IWC Mark XVIII, And A '90s Breitling Montbrillant

Plus a two-tone Cartier Santos, and a Vacheron Constantin Overseas on a rubber strap.

A Master Gunsmith Makes a Watch by Hand

Based in Pennsylvania, Dewey Vicknair is a respected gunsmith who specialises in restoring rifles and shotguns, and has been doing so for decades, gaining an esteemed reputation in the process. Now in his mid-fifties, he is also a self-taught watchmaker who has been performing watch servicing on the side. Recently Mr Vicknair made the leap from fixing watches to making one. Mr Vicknair explained the genesis of his first watch: “When I saw your stories about Atelier de Chronometrie and what they do with vintage Omega movements, I was inspired.” His inaugural creation is a hand-wound wristwatch of his own making, literally. Although the movement started out as a 1950s Omega cal. 266, Mr Vicknair reworked majority of it and made many parts from scratch, including the going train bridge, as he did for the case, dial, and even the gasket for the crown tube. Because he made most of the parts himself, Mr Vicknair had to fabricate the equipment required to make the parts, including a cutter for the gasket and a screw holder for black polishing. He even did the silver plating of the movement parts himself. It is an unexpected accomplishment for a first-time watchmaker. Initial thoughts Ordinarily I would be sceptical of an unknown watchmaker seeking publicity for a new project with a five-figure price tag. But a few things changed my mind. One was seeing Mr Vicknair’s unusually thorough documentation of his production process, which is almost entirely manual – even the mach...