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Results for Lange Pour le Mérite Series

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Fratello’s Top 5 Currently Available Watches With Full-Lume Dials Fratello
Hamilton last weekend during May 31, 2024

Fratello’s Top 5 Currently Available Watches With Full-Lume Dials

Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we take a step away from the pre-owned watches we have been covering lately. Earlier this week, IWC announced the first fully luminous ceramic watch. Watch spotters saw it on the wrist of Formula 1 driver and IWC ambassador Lewis Hamilton last weekend during the Monaco Grand Prix. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Currently Available Watches With Full-Lume Dials to read the full article.

Glashütte Original Spezialist SeaQ Chronograph Review Teddy Baldassarre
Glashutte Original May 30, 2024

Glashütte Original Spezialist SeaQ Chronograph Review

While it was established relatively recently, in 1994, Glashütte Original can legitimately trace its lineage as far back as 1845, which also happens to be the year that watchmaking essentially arrived as an industry in Germany. As I cover in much greater detail in this article, a full century of horological tradition, centered in the town of Glashütte in the state of Saxony, came to an end with Germany’s defeat in World War II. It was replaced by a new era in which a state-owned conglomerate of once-independent heritage watch manufacturers, the Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe or GUB, shifted focus from artisanal techniques and luxuriously decorative timepieces to mass-produced tool watches for military and civilian customers. Many of the watches produced in the GUB era - spanning the Cold War years from 1951 up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 - are largely forgettable, but Glashütte Original, the luxury-watch firm that emerged from the dissolution of the GUB, has cherry-picked the most interesting and memorable of those utilitarian timepieces, produced in the late 1960s and ‘70s, for modern reimagining in its “Spezialist” series. Serving as the base model for the Spezialist models is a single, now-collectible divers’ sport watch from 1969, the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, which was the first dive watch produced in Germany (technically, at the time, East Germany) that met the international ISO 6425 standard. Glashütte Original paid tribute to the fondly rem...

First Look – New High-End Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & Dame 9518 Monochrome
Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & May 29, 2024

First Look – New High-End Breguet Marine Chronograph 5529 & Dame 9518

The words ‘contemporary’ and ‘sporty’ are hard to apply to Breguet, but barring the aviation-inspired Type 20, the Marine collection is as close as you’ll get to a luxury sports watch collection inspired by the brand’s legitimate and longstanding maritime ties. Introduced in 1990 and refreshed over the decades, Breguet’s sporty Marine collection welcomes two […]

TAG Heuer Introduces a New Skeletonized Monaco Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Introduces May 28, 2024

TAG Heuer Introduces a New Skeletonized Monaco

Once again, TAG Heuer has released a new Monaco chronograph to celebrate the running of the Monaco Grand Prix, which took place over the weekend in, you guessed it, Monaco. While it’s surely a bit on-the-nose to unveil a new chronograph that is named after the race itself on race weekend, we’ll forgive TAG here given the simple fact that the Monaco Grand Prix’s place in our culture. If it’s not one of the most watched races in the world, it’s certainly one of the most recognizable and well known. The word “Monaco” to many will immediately conjure images of the race, unless it’s heard by a watch collector, in which case iconic square cased chrono is likely to be front of mind. In any event, not introducing a new Monaco on race weekend would likely amount to a tactical error on TAG Heuer’s part, given the intense focus on F1 over the weekend.  The new watch is effectively a new variant of the watch released last year, which introduced skeleton dials to the Monaco collection with brightly colored accents and lightweight titanium cases. Here we have a DLC coated titanium case measuring 39mm across and 15.2mm tall, with a skeletonized dial featuring dark blue and bright yellow accents. Skeleton dials can, of course, sometimes be a bit difficult to read, but time-telling on the skeletonized Monaco is fairly straightforward with sharp white minute markers at the perimeter of the blue minute ring, and oversized lume filled hour markers set against the Caliber 02...

News – IWC Unveils Ceralume, The First Fully Luminous Ceramic Watch (Spotted at Monaco GP on Lewis!) Monochrome
IWC Unveils Ceralume May 27, 2024

News – IWC Unveils Ceralume, The First Fully Luminous Ceramic Watch (Spotted at Monaco GP on Lewis!)

The use of luminescent materials on watches is far from new… Soon after the discovery of radium and its properties (and dangers…) by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, watch dials – markers, numerals and hands – have been coated with radium and then different substances (tritium, Super-LumiNova) to produce light in the dark. Fully […]

Introducing: The Stealthy Allure Of The BA111OD CHPTR_Δ.5 Label Noir Limited Edition Fratello
May 27, 2024

Introducing: The Stealthy Allure Of The BA111OD CHPTR_Δ.5 Label Noir Limited Edition

If you haven’t heard that term before, that makes two of us, but trust me; I’ll explain. The CHPTR_Δ.5 (pronounced “Chapter Delta point five” in case you were stumbling) is the lovechild of BA111OD and Label Noir, designed by Thomas Baillod. It is a triangularly different, semi-open-worked creation with a dark vibe. This comes in […] Visit Introducing: The Stealthy Allure Of The BA111OD CHPTR_Δ.5 Label Noir Limited Edition to read the full article.

Ulysse Nardin Introduces the Military-Inspired Diver OPS SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Introduces May 27, 2024

Ulysse Nardin Introduces the Military-Inspired Diver OPS

Ulysse Nardin just dropped the Diver Net OPS and Diver X Skeleton OPS, a pair of military-inspired sports watches made from sustainable materials. Dressed in olive drab and black, the two watches utilise recycled steel and carbon composites, and even nylon straps made from fishing nets. Though the emphasis on sustainability and styling are clearly modern, the basis of the watches is historical: the design is modelled on the shipborne marine chronometers Ulysse Nardin was once famous for. The Diver X Skeleton OPS with its open dial Initial Thoughts Ulysse Nardin opted for more restrained aesthetics for the new Diver Duo, instead of the brighter colours found on past models. The Diver Net OPS in particular has a low-key, functional look. Notably, the trademark “X” motif on its dial – which you either love or hate – is not particularly obvious. I find the “X” too bold on some other designs, but here it works better with the military-esque look of the dial. However, both the materials and movements found inside the two watches reflect the brand’s focus on advanced, industrial watchmaking. The Diver Net OPS, for example, is an entry-level model but still equipped with an in-house movement with a silicon hairspring and free-sprung balance, along with a diamond-coated escapement. The Diver Net OPS And the use of recycled materials is also interesting. The carbon composite parts of the case are offcuts from the aircraft manufacturing, which according to the brand red...

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood, their Highly Anticipated New Chronograph Worn & Wound
Oak & Oscar May 23, 2024

Oak & Oscar Introduces the Atwood, their Highly Anticipated New Chronograph

For nearly a decade, Chase Fancher and his team at Oak & Oscar, along with their partners, have not only been creating great and sporty timepieces, but they have also been creating a community. To them, the people that purchase their watches are not customers, they are owners. As such, the community has been asking for a new Oak & Oscar chronograph for quite some time. Especially since their Jackson Big-Eye was discontinued. The Jackson, you’ll recall, was a 40mm x 14mm 30-minute chronograph, with flyback function, and it housed a manual wind Eterna Caliber 39 movement. The community’s prayers have now been answered with the new Oak & Oscar Atwood. Just like its predecessor, it is also a proper Flyback chronograph, but this one can time intervals up to 12-hours. Instead of the Eterna caliber 39, it houses an AMT5100M caliber, which is a product of Sellita’s high-end skunkworks AMT division. It is a 23 jeweled, manually wound chronograph with a 58-hour power-reserve, and with the crisp, tactile satisfaction of its blued column wheel you’ll find excuses to time anything. You will also find all the usual Oak & Oscar refinements, including a sandwich dial, a signature high-contrast extra-long chrono seconds hand, and each subdial features subtle yet bright hints of orange that increase the legibility of the timing function. There is also a subtle nod to their first chronograph, which includes a wrapped tachymeter scale along the rehaut that goes to 54 units. As they li...

Raising the Bar: A Recap of the 2024 San Francisco Windup Watch Fair and EDC Expo Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Fortis May 23, 2024

Raising the Bar: A Recap of the 2024 San Francisco Windup Watch Fair and EDC Expo

Each Windup Watch Fair is special in its own way. We make memories, strengthen old connections, make new ones, and hopefully walk away with a cool watch on our wrists. But speak to anyone who attended the 2024 Windup Watch Fair and EDC Expo in San Francisco, and they’ll instantly tell you there was something extra special happening there. The Venue This was the first time that we held the Fair at Gateway Pavilion, a two-level, open-floor plan environment on Pier 2, within the Fort Mason complex, an arts and culture campus operated by the National Parks Department. With its stunning views, ample natural light, and wide-open arrangement, it became an ideal place to bring enthusiasts together.  The Brands All in all, we ended up having 94 unique and incredible brands participate in the show between both watch and non-watch companies-the largest Windup to date. We want to give a massive thank you to each and every sponsor who came to the event and a special thanks to our Lead Sponsors: Alpina, anOrdain, Christopher Ward, Fortis, and Oris. It was incredible to see the wide variety of new watches and products at the Fair, many of which were launched to the world for the first time at the event itself. You could literally feel the enthusiasm in the air! The Enthusiasts Speaking of enthusiasm, the crowds that came each day of the three-day event were energized and engaged. Thousands flocked to our Fort Mason venue to soak in both the products and the panels! They came to lear...

First Look – Military Gear for the Ulysse Nardin Diver Net OPS & Diver X Skeleton OPS Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Diver Net OPS & May 23, 2024

First Look – Military Gear for the Ulysse Nardin Diver Net OPS & Diver X Skeleton OPS

Sustainability is a big trend in watchmaking today as brands jump on the bandwagon of environmentally friendly products. Some, like Chopard, ensure the sustainable source of their gold, while others look to innovative recycled materials with a lower carbon footprint. As a brand with legitimate and historical maritime ties, Ulysse Nardin’s environmental focus is the […]

Just In Time For Summer: Five Divers Under $1,000 Worn & Wound
May 22, 2024

Just In Time For Summer: Five Divers Under $1,000

Few kinds of watches are as universally beloved as the dive watch. For myriad reasons – durability, legibility, history, and more – the classic dive watch, for essentially its entire history, has been a smashing success. We think it’s easy to see why: diver’s watches capture a sense of adventure and (mostly) anachronistic utility that still feels cool today. Their aesthetic has never really gone out of style, and there is no arguing that a solid dive watch is exactly what a lot of enthusiasts think of when they imagine what a “nice watch” is. Like with EDC gear or sports cars, there’s a sense of enjoyment of knowing that our tools are more than up to the task. Thankfully, an entry into the dive watch game doesn’t cost an arm and a leg; in fact, here are five dive watches under $1,000 that we would strap on any day for life’s adventures. Without further ado, let’s, um, dive in. Few kinds of watches are as universally beloved as the dive watch. For myriad reasons – durability, legibility, history, and more – the classic dive watch, for essentially its entire history, has been a smashing success. We think it’s easy to see why: diver’s watches capture a sense of adventure and (mostly) anachronistic utility that still feels cool today. Their aesthetic has never really gone out of style, and there is no arguing that a solid dive watch is exactly what a lot of enthusiasts think of when they imagine what a “nice watch” is. Like with EDC gear or spor...

Massena LAB Teams Up with Raúl Pagès Once Again for the Limited Edition “Absinthe” Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe watches May 22, 2024

Massena LAB Teams Up with Raúl Pagès Once Again for the Limited Edition “Absinthe”

Massena LAB has announced a new collaboration with independent watchmaker Raúl Pagès inspired by one of the most important Patek Philippe watches of the last century. The Absinthe, which serves as the direct follow-up to the pair’s massively successful 2022 release, the Magraph, brings together a proprietary hand-wound movement, a strikingly green dial (reminiscent of the infamous spirit for which the watch is named), and all the vintage charm we have come to expect from Massena LAB in one surprisingly affordable (and highly limited) package. William Massena is one of those rare figures in the watch industry who everyone seems to know. He’s an outsized presence who seemingly manages to be everywhere at once and have a hand in every facet of the watch industry. Over the last few years though, his name has come to be associated primarily with Massena LAB, where he consistently produces some of the most talked about limited editions and collaborations on the market. This latest release follows closely on the heels of a watch introduced last month. That watch - a collaboration between Massena LAB, Pagès, and Phillips Auction House in association with Bass & Russo - debuted the M690 movement used in the Absinthe and drew inspiration in its layout from the iconic (and record-setting) 1952 Patek Philippe ref. 2458 produced for J.B. Champion, Jr.  That watch was one of only two Patek wrist watches to have been fitted with an Observatory-grade movement, and its unique d...

Introducing – The Staggering Beauty of the Bulgari Aeterna High-Jewellery Watch Collection 2024 Monochrome
Bulgari Aeterna High-Jewellery Watch Collection May 22, 2024

Introducing – The Staggering Beauty of the Bulgari Aeterna High-Jewellery Watch Collection 2024

Bulgari celebrates Rome, la città eterna, with a spellbinding collection of high jewellery watches congregated in the 2024 “Aeterna” collection. This year also marks Bulgari’s grand 140th anniversary. To celebrate, creative director Fabrizio Buonamassa brings out the big guns with some of the most extraordinary timepieces dripping with the brand’s signature coloured gemstones and his […]

Jaeger-LeCoultre Finally Adds their Geographic Complication to the Polaris Collection Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Finally Adds their Geographic May 21, 2024

Jaeger-LeCoultre Finally Adds their Geographic Complication to the Polaris Collection

There are few brands that the watch community collectively holds in higher esteem than Jaeger-LeCoultre. Think about the truly historic names in watchmaking and you’ll find vocal groups of detractors for just about every single one. But JLC is different, and always seems to be above the fray. The “watchmaker’s watchmaker” stuff is a clever bit of marketing, but it’s actually true, and keeps the brand both insulated from the watch world’s hot-take culture protected by legitimate ties to some of the most important watches ever made. But if there’s one thing, one very small thing that enthusiasts and collectors can poke at with Jaeger-LeCoultre, it’s their recent fumbling in the area of sports oriented watches.  Now, you might be saying to yourself that JLC just isn’t a “sports watch” brand, and that refined dress watches and expert technical watchmaking is their brand and butter. Of course that’s true, but JLC has made great sports watches in the past with innovative cases and movements by their own design made to be robust enough for nearly any activity. It’s a genre they’ve played in for decades. The Reverso, of course, now thought of as a dress piece, was originally conceived for polo players. If you do a Chrono24 search for Memovox references from the 1970s you’ll find no shortage of oversized, funky, cases. And of course we can’t forget the last great sports watch line Jaeger-LeCoultre had, the impressively overbuilt Master Compressor co...

Highlights: Complicated Wristwatches at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Opera Two May 21, 2024

Highlights: Complicated Wristwatches at Phillips Hong Kong

Having covered the highlights from independent watchmakers and historical pocket watches at The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVIII on May 24 and 25, we now turn to complicated watches past and present. Amongst the historical are an Omega 30I tourbillon wristwatch tested at the Geneva, Neuchatel and Kew observatories, as well as a pair of chronographs with historical movements, an Excelsior Park with the Venus 179 split-seconds chronograph calibre and a Montblanc with the large, 17”’ Minerva monopoussoir chronograph movement. More recent is the Patek Philippe ref. 5059R London edition with applied Roman numerals and the Girard-Perregaux Opera Two, an ultra-complicated watch that’s a value-buy. The auction is scheduled for May 24 (lots 801-934) and May 25 (lots 935-1083), with online bidding and the catalogue available on Phillips.com. The Patek Philippe ref. 5059R made for the Grand Exhibition in London. 822 – Lange Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” Launched in 2021 to overwhelming demand, the Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” was the A. Lange & Söhne’s second luminous digital-display watch after the “Phantom” of 2010. It was a limited edition of 200 watches and based on the second-generation Zeitwerk, which is visually almost identical to the original model but enhanced with several technical upgrades, including a longer, 72-hour power reserve. Like the earlier “Phantom”, the Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen” has a tinted sapphire dial that reveals the luminous numer...

3 Standouts at the Backbone Media Spring Showcase: Gerber, Wiley X, and Thule Worn & Wound
May 20, 2024

3 Standouts at the Backbone Media Spring Showcase: Gerber, Wiley X, and Thule

Backbone Media has been a long-standing force in the outdoor industry as a media and PR agency representing some of our most beloved gear brands. Each spring they bring a curated selection of their clientele to NYC for their Spring Showcase. The Worn & Wound team was on the scene and here are 3 standout products that we couldn’t stop talking about. Gerber – ComplEAT Cook Set  We likely all know the Portland, OR-based brand Gerber for their multitools, as well as their folding and fixed blades. However, their new modular camping cook and dining set was a show-stealer. The 16-piece ComplEAT Cook Set has everything you need to easily feed a group of hungry campers. It features a stock pot and sauté pan, both with generous cooking surfaces. The dining set comes with space-maximizing designs that complement their custom utensil sets perfectly. Best of all, when it’s time to break camp, everything packs together in the storage bag for ultra-compact stowing between destinations. Wiley X – WX Founder Sunglasses It’s not only great to visit Backbone’s Spring Showcase to see what’s new from some of your favorite brands, it’s great for discovering new brands as well. One of those discoveries for us was the sunglasses brand Wiley X out of Texas. They have been creating tactical and safety lenses for military and tactical use since 1987 and now have a stylish line of daily use sunglasses that don’t sacrifice any of the safety and ballistic ratings of their professio...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - RJ’s Picks From Oris, Fortis, Tissot, And More Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre May 20, 2024

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - RJ’s Picks From Oris, Fortis, Tissot, And More

Although €2,500 is not nothing, it’s a very difficult budget to work with - or so I assumed. Initially, I thought I would always go vintage or pre-owned with this budget. For example, it can buy you a nice vintage Longines, Omega, IWC, Breitling, or Jaeger-LeCoultre. But I checked with our managing editor Nacho, and […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - RJ’s Picks From Oris, Fortis, Tissot, And More to read the full article.

REVIEW: Hands On With The Studio Underd0g Mint Ch0c Chip WatchAdvice
Christopher Ward Baltic Formex May 17, 2024

REVIEW: Hands On With The Studio Underd0g Mint Ch0c Chip

In the early 2020s, everything was shut down, and the watch industry was beginning to stagnate. However, one man decided to make the most of it and designed a watch – inadvertently helping facilitate the ‘Rise of the Microbrand.’ But do we believe the hype? Let’s find out! What We Like: A non-serious yet refined design Remarkable build quality for the price point Comfortable and well-made strap with plenty of adjustment What We Don’t: Insufficient lume Crown and pushers are extremely fiddly to use Low power reserve Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 7/10 The 2020s post-pandemic watch industry has been coined by some to be the ‘Rise of the Microbrand.’ for those unfamiliar with the term, a microbrand is a watch brand, usually independently owned and run by a small team – Essentially a small business or a start-up, in normal terms. What the ‘Rise of the Microbrand’ indicates is the massive resurgence of interest in said start-ups, which in turn has been a contributing factor to saving modern horology as we know it. That might sound like hyperbole to you, but I don’t say it lightly – Microbrands like Christopher Ward, Baltic, Formex and Farer have grown to the point where they now challenge household names. Every day, promising young microbrands such as HZ Watches also come out of the woodwork, transforming the industry in small but significant ways. We even got the chance to look at a HZ wat...

Introducing – The Charming Old-School Spirit of the MeisterSinger Enamel Edition 1Z Monochrome
MeisterSinger May 14, 2024

Introducing – The Charming Old-School Spirit of the MeisterSinger Enamel Edition 1Z

With their single-handed time indications, MeisterSinger’s watches offer a refreshing change of tempo to our fast-paced, hyper-accurate digital universe. Founded in 2001 by Manfred Brassler in Münster, Germany, the brand’s inspiration resides in the sundials and single-hand tower clocks of the Middle Ages. In 2004, the brand released a special watch called the Edition 1Z. […]

Portrait – Watchmaker Jiro Katayama, the Man Behind Otsuka Lotec and Japan’s new Sensation Monochrome
Otsuka Lotec May 13, 2024

Portrait – Watchmaker Jiro Katayama, the Man Behind Otsuka Lotec and Japan’s new Sensation

Some brands want a global presence, while others are perfectly happy to focus on a much smaller part of the world. Such is the case for Jiro Katayama, a Japanese watchmaker who produces watches under the name of Otsuka Lotec. This low-key but high-impact independent watchmaking atelier has been making the rounds online despite selling […]

Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle Fratello
Cartier Showing How It’s Done? May 10, 2024

Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle

We have heard quite a few complaints from brands about the watch market recently. Many are struggling from economic uncertainty and a serious correction after lockdown-induced all-time highs. One brand, however, seems to be on a bit of a winning streak. According to Morgan Stanley, Cartier overtook Omega as the second-largest Swiss watchmaker behind Rolex […] Visit Is Cartier Showing How It’s Done? - Why The Brand Wins While Others Struggle to read the full article.

Explained: The Detent Escapement SJX Watches
Breguet s natural escapement May 8, 2024

Explained: The Detent Escapement

Among the many different escapement types, one in particular stands out, the detent escapement. Taking its name from détente, French for “trigger”, this system is often considered to be the purest type of escapement due to its efficiency and virtually lubrication-free operation. Any sort of mechanical clock or watch requires an escapement, a mechanism that transfers torque from the power source to the regulating organ. The escapement bridges the steady rotation of the gears in the going train and the oscillation of the balance. As a result, the escapement fulfils a double function, both maintaining the swing of the balance and regulating the discharge speed of the mainspring and going train. The detent escapement was invented in the second half of the 18th century,  somewhat simultaneously but independently by the English watchmakers Thomas Earnshaw (1749-1829) and John Arnold (1736-1799). A somewhat similar escapement was prototyped by the Frenchman Pierre Le Roy (1717–1785) some three decades earlier, but the modern detent escapement is derived mostly from Earnshaw’s design. Initially, the escapement was conceived for use in marine chronometers, explaining why it is also known as a chronometer escapement. The chronometer escapement also inspired many innovative subsequent escapements, like the Breguet’s natural escapement, the Robin escapement, and the Daniels co-axial. Drawings of detent escapement types taken from ‘The Marine Chronometer: Its History and ...

Hands-On: the Zelos Spearfish Dual Time Worn & Wound
May 6, 2024

Hands-On: the Zelos Spearfish Dual Time

If a tide pool at a waterpark represented the world of micro/independent watches, some brands would be the kids who sit at the edge, waiting for a wave to bowl them over, others would be the dad that overcompensates by proving he can swim all the way out to the source only before losing his trunks, and then there’s Zelos…the person who showed up in their custom Speedo and polarized purple goggles doing laps around the perimeter. If you want a quality diver, finished brilliantly, made with interesting materials, eye-popping dials, all for around $500, Zelos has you covered. However, there is another Zelos. One that lights up a cigar, slips out of their lounge sandals, and makes their way into a meticulously curated tranquility pool…but still with the purple polarized goggles. This Zelos comes around a couple times a year, playing with high-end Swiss movements and interesting complications.  The first “tranquility pool” Zelos of the year recently hit the market. They took the case from their popular Spearfish line and released the Spearfish Dual Time. Three of the five watches in the line are made of titanium and come on titanium bracelets; the remaining two have cases made from forged carbon and come on a canvas leather strap. I had the pleasure of trying out the Moonscape forged carbon model for a little over a week, and while I do have some complicated thoughts on the model itself, what is indisputable is that you’re getting lavish materials and an elaborate ...