11,846 articles · 59 videos found · page 240 of 397
Quill & Pad
This month’s Dispatch explores the changes in the market we’ve seen against the backdrop of new releases and discontinuations at Watches and Wonders 2023. We also bring you our usual coverage of high level trends for our Overall Market Index and the Big Three brands: Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet.
Worn & Wound
One of the prevailing narratives to come out of Watches & Wonders 2024 was that it was, across the board, a pretty quiet year. That may have been true for some, but others, like IWC, came to play. A good portion of the attention IWC got this year was (justifiably) directed at the new Portugieser Eternal Calendar that Zach Kazan introduced a few weeks ago, but that watch was far from the only Portugieser IWC brought to Geneva this year. The Portugieser is not the first watch that springs to mind for most of us when contemplating IWC - far more likely would be some sort of Pilot’s Watch or, more recently, the Ingenieur - but it has been, at times subtly, possibly the most important collection in the IWC catalog. I know so many collectors for whom the Portugieser was their first nice watch, and it is a model I continue to see in the wild, especially in cities like New York or London where people still routinely wear suits to work. IWC, like Rolex, is a brand that prefers evolution over revolution when it comes to its designs - one only has to look at the slow transformation of the Pilot’s Watch for evidence of that. The last few years have seen the brand slowly tinkering with the Portugieser line, bringing it up to date and refining what was already a great watch to make it better. This year, they continued that process and introduced a slew of new models and colorways, all of which come together to make up possibly the best lineup of Portugiesers ever assembled. Co...
Worn & Wound
One of the most interesting stories to emerge from Watches & Wonders (and the surrounding events in Geneva that saw literally hundreds of brands exhibiting new novelties) is the seemingly robust state of truly creative watchmaking happening at all price points. Anyone who strolled through the Beau Rivage (where many of these brands were hanging out, either officially or unofficially) can rattle off a list of favorites: SpanceOne, Sartory Billard, Furlan Marri, and Beda’a are just a few that come immediately to mind. Another brand that we saw (in an unofficial capacity – literally a meeting taken in the Beau Rivage lobby) was Amida, which is not a new name in watchmaking, but a rethinking of a heritage brand that we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes on. The new Amida Digitrend is a reimagining of a watch by the same name released in 1976. The unusual case shape takes inspiration from both classic sports cars and modern architecture, and the “driver’s watch” time display is a play on the original LED-style display, designed to be easily viewed from an angle with a hand on the steering wheel. Amida has been relaunched by watch designer Matthieu Allègre (whose clients include Lyrique, Simon Brette, and others) and Clément Meynier, founder of Depancel. Their new venture is timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the original incarnation of Amida, and relies on a combination of heritage and nostalgia, as well as some clever modern watchmaking, to make the brand i...
Fratello
Another gold commemorative Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 1969 “Tribute to Astronauts” is coming up for auction. This one belonged to NASA astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr. (1929–2017). Gordon’s commemorative gold Speedmaster Apollo 11 Omega presented only 34 of these watches to NASA astronauts in 1969 and the years after. Occasionally, these gold Speedmaster models […] Visit Up For Auction: Apollo 12 Astronaut Richard Gordon’s Omega Speedmaster Professional BA145.022-69 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Amida, a historical brand recently brought back to life, has introduced its first watch in more than 45 years, the Digitrend. Based on a historical design from 1976, the new Digitrend features an upright digital jump-hour display and a retro-futuristic design. While the formula for reviving dormant brands is nothing new, the team behind Amida, led by designer Matthieu Allègre and also includes Clément Meynier and Bruno Herbet, has managed to hit all the right aesthetic notes at a reasonable price. Initial thoughts I’ve always been attracted to retro-futuristic design, and watches like the original Digitrend have a distinct appeal. Unfortunately, the quality of the originals left much to be desired. In this context I appreciate what Mr Allègre and his team have accomplished. Specifically, they’ve managed to improve the design, including the small details like the typography, without diluting the original aesthetic. Additionally, the build quality has improved over the original. The brushed steel case of the new Digitrend is simple but done well. Most importantly, they’ve installed a much higher quality movement, which is comprised of a Soprod P092 base movement with an in-house designed jump-hour module that adds just nine additional parts. This minimalist approach is commendable and should aid reliability and serviceability. The hour and minute discs rotate in the same plane as typical hands, but are then ‘projected’ to the vertical time display with a sapphir...
Monochrome
An absolute must for any respectable watchmaker, the chronograph complication was once again well-represented at the 2024 edition of Watches and Wonders… To say the least, as we’ve seen some fascinating new models. What struck us most was the fact that many of these chronograph watches came with more than just a start-stop-reset function. Flyback, […]
Time+Tide
T+T founder Andrew joined Norqain CEO Ben Küffer at the Norqain booth at Watches and Wonders to customise his very own watch.The post Norqain’s new customisable Wild One of 1 has 3.5 million possible configurations – watch Andrew make his appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Five years ago, at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (aka SIHH, the predecessor to Watches and Wonders), Audemars Piguet shocked the watch world. When “AP” launched the all-new Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet collection, the reception was lukewarm at best, but most reactions were straight-up negative. In particular, the dial design got a proper […] Visit Showing The Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Some Love This Monday Morning to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Choosing ten favorites amongst the novelties presented at the Salon is a reflection of personal taste. The choice of ten was based on the emotional reaction these timepieces have sparked in Sergio Galanti.
SJX Watches
Just ahead of the public unveiling on April 13, Patek Philippe debuted 82-strong Rare Handcrafts 2024 collection at its Geneva salon during Watches & Wonders. Made up of Dome Clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches, it is the largest such release in the brand’s history. Unlike the most recent Rare Handcrafts collection that was country-specific, the 2024 collection continues with the typical diversity of the annual line-up with motifs as varied as the techniques used to render them. While natural themes figure prominently, less traditional themes like classic American automobiles and surfers, like the Calatrava ref. 5089G-129 “Morning on the Beach” (pictured above), are explored as well. While only a subset of the 82-piece collection is on display at the Patek Philippe Salon – and open to the public till April 27 – a few pieces stand out from the rest. Calatrava ref. 5089G-148 “American Beauties”, one of several depicting 1950s American cars Dome Clocks One of the themes of the 2024 collection is “Gardens of the World,” and among the most striking is the Dome Clock ref. 20151M-001 English Garden. Decorated with cloisonné enamel that contains nearly 50 m of gold wire, the English Garden offers a charming composition featuring a stately home in the country. Dome Clock ref. 20151M-001 English Garden Dome Clock ref. 20151M-001 English Garden Patek Philippe also drew inspiration from across the pond, with American themes featuring prominently. Among this sub...
Fratello
It’s Sunday morning! Yes, that means it’s time for another Sunday Morning Showdown inspired by the new releases we saw at Watches and Wonders 2024. It’s time for a full-on Rolex showdown after last week’s Tudor vs. Rolex battle. Last year, The Crown introduced the 18K yellow gold and Rolesor versions of the GMT-Master II […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex GMT-Master II “Black And Gray” Rolesor 126713GRNR Vs. Stainless Steel 126710GRNR to read the full article.
Time+Tide
After a couple of goes at higher-end complications, Frederique Constant take a stab at something more simple.The post The Frederique Constant Moonphase Date Manufacture is packed with characterful, simple details appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com Matty Matheson’s Pantry Staples If you’re a fan of the FX series “The Bear,” Matty Matheson needs no introduction. He plays Fak, the heavily tattooed handyman on the series, but his most significant contribution to the series might actually be behind the scenes. Matheson is a chef, and serves as a consultant on the show in addition to his acting duties, ensuring that the kitchen scenes and culinary creations depicted feel authentic. Now he’s launched his own brand, the Matheson Food Company, which will produce all kinds of simple pantry staples (sauces, salad dressings, boxed mac & cheese) with branding that draws heavily on our collective nostalgia for classic brands that were part of his childhood. This piece in Creative Review digs into the new brand and what makes it distinct in the food scene. The First Trailer for M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap It’s possible that the trailer for Trap, the new film from M. Night Shyamalan coming this summer, gives too much away. In the event you want to be completely surprised, I won’t describe it here. But it’s also possible that th...
Fratello
I have mixed feelings this year. I had to watch from afar as I was writing remotely and not part of the lovely circus that is Watches and Wonders. But despite a few of our editors noting a rather lukewarm personal reception, I was surprised by some gems at the show and have some grail-worthy […] Visit Fratello Favorites: Thor’s Favorite Watches And Wonders 2024 Releases to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
In the pantheon of modern enthusiast brands, it’s hard to deny that Tudor sits at the top of the heap. One simple explanation for this is that Tudor is really good at giving us what we want - almost. They also have a history of giving us something exceedingly close to exactly what we ask for, with a slight twist, then having us fall in love with it anyway. When Tudor introduced the Black Bay 58, it was a clear winner. If you’ve ever been to an event where watch collectors gather en masse you’re sure to have run into one. But the original black colorway, with its heavily vintage coloring and gilt accents, wasn’t quite the modern aesthetic some people were looking for. That watch came three years later when Tudor dropped the Black Bay 58 Blue kind of out of nowhere on a random day in July 2020 (although pretty much any day that summer would have felt decidedly random). The Black Bay 58 was off like a rocket. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when, in 2021, Tudor released two more versions of the 58. What was a massive surprise was that the two new additions to the lineup were each made in precious metal. Naturally, people had thoughts. I, for one, was on board with the move, and the Black Bay 58 925 Silver is easily one of my favorite Tudors. For as much as people seemed to generally like these watches, there was a clear sense that something was missing. That something was a bracelet. Now, Tudor has solved that problem, at least for the Black Bay 58 18K. In just ab...
Worn & Wound
Getting outside Palexpo is essential during Watches & Wonders week. Not only because being inside the massive complex for days on end will quickly wreak havoc on your mental and physical health (it’s dry in there, and not seeing any natural light can’t be great for you), but because there’s so much watch related stuff happening in Geneva parallel to what’s going on at Watches & Wonders. Many smaller indies post up at hotels along Lake Geneva and take meetings with media and their dealer networks, and over the last three years these meetings have been some of our favorites to attend. One of them, with Louis Erard, produced an almost obscene level of interest. I think each of mentally bought a watch in the hour we spent chatting with CEO Manuel Emch. The watch you see here, a new collaboration between Louis Erard and atelier Oï, is the only watch we can show you from that meeting. Everything else is under embargo, but will be revealed throughout the rest of the year. But man, I was glad to see this new limited edition on the table almost immediately after sitting down. It’s the same design as a watch in my own collection, featuring a dial made up of deeply cut striated ridges that fan out like a, well, like a fan, I guess. No markers or branding, but each ridge is effectively a minute marker, so telling the time is fairly straightforward after a brief adjustment period. This LE has a gold tone dial, which leaves a very different impression than my silvery gray v...
Hodinkee
Forget about Paul Newman Daytonas, these chronographs are the truly Holy Grail for Rolex collectors.
Worn & Wound
Bremont made their debut at Watches & Wonders last week, and they unexpectedly became the talk of the show. The new watches represent a dramatic departure from the design language Bremont has cultivated over the past 20 years, and serve as the introduction of Davide Cerrato at the helm of the company (he’s been CEO since spring of last year, but these new novelties are the first from the brand without the design input of founders Nick and Giles English). Relaunches are complicated, and we can’t recall a similar attempt at a rebrand that was so ambitious. To unveil a completely new strategy at a brand’s first Watches & Wonders under a CEO who has been in place for less than a year is a massive undertaking, and regardless of how you feel about Bremont’s new direction, there’s no denying that this was a big swing. Below you’ll find reactions to Bremont’s Watches & Wonders presence from Zach Weiss and Zach Kazan, both of whom had a chance to (briefly) go hands-on with the new novelties. We hope to have an opportunity to spend more time with these watches in the near future to bring you a more complete evaluation outside the fanfare and noise of the industry’s major trade show. Zach Kazan A somewhat slower year for big, flashy new releases at Watches & Wonders means that smaller stories about watches and brands that don’t normally generate a ton of heat will be talked about and picked apart in a way you wouldn’t necessarily see. Last year, when Rolex dropped...
Monochrome
Brought back from the ashes a few years ago, OW Watches or Ollech & Wajs has slowly but steadily been expanding its collection of sports instruments, including pilot’s watches, diving tools, chronographs and even an ultra-robust take on the watch with integrated bracelet. For its latest release, the brand takes a closer look at the […]
SJX Watches
Unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2024, Chanel’s capsule collection for the year is Couture O’Clock that draws inspiration from the workshop of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel by referencing dressmaking tools. A homage to the brand’s dressmaking and tailoring, the lineup includes wristwatches and pendant watches, but the most captivating timekeeper is undoubtedly the Couture O’Clock Musical Clock, a unique piece that is table clock containing a music box and automaton. A three dimensional display under a glass dome, the clock is centred on five ceramic dressmaker mannequins that travel around the base like a carousel while a tune plays. Continuing with Chanel’s tradition of a clock each year, is clad in Chanel’s elegant colours of black, white, and gold, but lavishly constructed, with diamonds set on the chandelier, brooches and 245 pieces of onyx inlaid on the base. Initial thoughts Table clocks occupy a niche in timepiece collecting, yet are incredibly diverse and range from the hyper mechanical to the whimsical. Chanel’s Musical Clock is paradoxically all at the same time – impressively in its mechanics, incredibly extravagant in execution, yet lighthearted in theme. Like the brand’s past table clocks – most just as impressive and expensive – the Musical Clock is an apt homage to the Chanel. But unlike its predecessors, the Musical Clock is a more straightforward embodiment of the brand’s best-known line of business. It is also more feminine than Chane...
Hodinkee
After a week of recording Hodinkee Radio at Lucid Studios, we turned the space into a good old-fashioned watch party.
Worn & Wound
This is a pretty big year for A. Lange & Söhne. We’ve hit 25 years of the Datograph, which made its debut in 1999, and Lange is celebrating with a pair of very special limited editions of their iconic chronograph. One of them is truly off the wall, and we’ll get to that next week. For now, we’ll take a look at the Datograph Up/Down Limited Edition in white gold, with a blue dial. It’s a perfectly lovely example of the watch that many Lange collectors will insist put the brand on the horological map, and a strong counterpoint to the other Datograph that we’ll tell you more about soon. First, it’s crucial to understand the importance of the Datograph not just in Lange’s collection, but in high end watchmaking writ large. When it was first unveiled in 1999, Lange was a young brand, only five years into their relaunch. They had earned the respect of connoisseurs in the late 1990s, but the introduction of their first in-house chronograph caliber with the Datograph took them to another level. This was years before Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet would launch their own in-house chronograph calibers, in an era where using supplied calibers from chronograph was common for brands at every level, including the absolute upper tier. It can be argued that the Datograph ushered in an arms race of sorts that would find many of the highest end watchmaking manufactures in a constant state of one-upmanship that goes on to this day. There have been a variety of Datograph...
Worn & Wound
If you had told me a few weeks ago that one of the brands I’d feel best about coming out of Watches & Wonders 2024 would be Raymond Weil, I’d probably have been pretty confused, because at that point I don’t think I even had a meeting set up with the brand, and their attendance at the show was not even on my radar. But Watches & Wonders, as ever, has surprises in store for everyone. And sometimes you wind up taking an unexpected appointment with a brand you frankly don’t really know much about or have paid much attention to over the years, and it completely wins you over. Raymond Weil, dollar for dollar and watch for watch, had one of the most impressive showings at this year’s Watches & Wonders, and they took me completely off guard. Worn & Wound has covered Raymond Weil sporadically over the course of our website’s existence. CEO Elie Bernheim came on the podcast in 2017, and there have been a handful of new releases written about and reviews filed, but for the most part Raymond Weil has simply not appeared in these pages. Why is that? Well, for much of the brand’s history, they just haven’t caught the eye of the enthusiast. Raymond Weil has always positioned itself as a mass market brand making affordable watches for everyday people, not collectors or connoisseurs, necessarily. There’s nothing at all wrong with that, of course, it was just never really our wheelhouse. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zach Kazan (@zkazan) But the b...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A look at the origins of Atelier Wen and the story of the Atelier Wen Perception, a watch that promotes and emphasizes Chinese craftsmanship.
Deployant
Deployant contributor Kunal Khema picks his top 3 watches from the novelties whown at this year's Watches & Wonders 2024.
Monochrome
Manuel Emch, the head of Louis Erard, is on a mission to democratise watchmaking. By inviting watchmakers, designers and artists to collaborate on different projects and offering traditional métiers d’art dials to a broader audience at accessible prices, Louis Erard fills a big gap in the watchmaking scene. Once again, the brand’s versatile Regulator watch […]
Fratello
It was one of my first Baselworlds, perhaps in 2016 when I heard the news that Angelus was getting resurrected. The brand was going to present something mind-blowing that year. The anticipation was almost unbearable as, at that point, (vintage) Angelus had started to become one of my favorite brands. But while the U10 was […] Visit Introducing: The Angelus Instrument De Vitesse Monopusher Chronograph to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope occupies a strange place in the world of Speedmasters. It was introduced to considerable fanfare in 2021, but hasn’t yet connected in a meaningful way with the enthusiast world. And yet, everytime I see one at a meetup or watch related event, I find myself really enjoying it. It’s the kind of watch that you forget about until you can’t forget about it anymore, if that makes any sense, and it feels like it’s one or two iterations away from figuring out exactly what its niche is in the Omega catalog. Today, Omega has announced two new versions of the Chronoscope to celebrate the upcoming Paris Olympics, offering a new chance to connect with one of the least discussed Speedmasters. Watches made to celebrate the Olympics are nothing new for Omega, and they really love counting down to the big event, releasing watches to remind us that the games begin in a year, 100 days, and so forth. Olympic themed watches have often featured the Olympic rings in fairly obvious ways, but Omega seems to be steering away from that strategy, favoring the use of gold instead to signify a more thematic connection to the games. That’s what we get here, with a pair of Speedmaster Chronoscopes, one in steel with golden highlights, and the other in solid Moonshine Gold with a full gold bracelet, each featuring the distinctive, 1940s inspired chronograph scales that are the Chronoscope’s calling card. The two watches feature the same dial, which Omega d...
Teddy Baldassarre
There are dive watches that you wear to go diving and there are dive watches that you wear - well, maybe afterward, to the country club where you go to talk about diving. It is this latter category that we’re focusing on with this list - so-called “luxury” dive watches, timepieces that still offer all the functionality and toughness one requires of a diver (all of the watches listed come in at 200 meters or more of water resistance) but do so at a higher level of elegance than elevates them from tool watch to dress watch - i.e., precious metal or exotic-material cases, extra complications, exclusive designs, artisanal executions, or a combination of the above, all of which account for their accordingly lofty price points. Here are a dozen that qualify. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Price: $30,500, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 14.2mm, Water Resistance: 300m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Audemars Piguet Caliber 4308 Audemars Piguet added a purpose-built dive watch to its Royal Oak Offshore collection of boldly styled sport-luxury timepieces - which spun out of the original, classic Royal Oak series - in 2010. The Royal Oak Offshore Divers feature 42mm cases that are integrated not into metal bracelets (like those of the core Royal Oak models) but into sleek, sporty rubber straps suited for underwater submergence. The cases are water-resistant to 300 meters and the dials, with the hallmark “Mega Tapisserie” textured motif, host a pair...
Worn & Wound
It’s always worth celebrating when we see true design artistry and a successful attempt at bringing something wholly unique to the micro-independent watch community. Betina Menescal is the creative mind behind Möels + Co. At 24 years old she is a powerhouse of fresh ideas and is determined to design watches that are completely original. You won’t find a single component in one of her watches, aside from the Sellita movements and straps, in a catalog anywhere. The numerals, the hands, the case, the crystal are all entirely designed by Betina, and manufactured for her alone. The Designer To say that Betina comes from an artistic family would be an understatement. There are three opera singers, a children’s musician, and her father, who would turn out to be a great influence for Betina. He was briefly into architecture but quickly moved on to media production. Among his credits: he was a co-director for the movie Anaconda, and produced commercials for the likes of Coca-Cola, Asics, Adidas, and did World Cup commercials for Gillette. When Betina was nine years old, her father took her on a business trip to Buenos Aires. “My dad didn’t know how to talk to kids. So all he was doing was looking at the buildings and mentioning the architecture here, and the art there. Look at that little detail on the facade or the ceiling.” Betina began to notice that her father had an eye for these details, and how these small features fit into a whole. “It was always a big pr...
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