862 articles · 179 videos found · page 25 of 35
Quill & Pad
When Joshua Munchow first saw the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture, he was surprised. But now, in the full context of everything happening with the brand, his main reaction is, "Greubel Forsey is dead, long live Greubel Forsey!"
Hodinkee
It has an odd history, but it's probably my favorite modern Rolex.
Worn & Wound
Some things are as sure as the rising sun, and in the Land of the Rising Sun, that means nature-inspired dials from Seiko…King Seiko, to be exact. As friendly divisional rivals in the 60s and early 70s, the workshops of King Seiko and Grand Seiko challenged one another while pushing the technical and aesthetic envelope of Japanese watchmaking. While some consider GS victorious as the KS name was sunsetted in 1975, the reality is that both were instrumental in establishing Seiko’s mid-century identity. More recently, Grand Seiko has spun off as a high-end, independent brand, and the King Seiko nameplate was rebooted in February of last year as a more premium offering within Seiko. Today, we take a look at a watch that isn’t entirely new yet brings an interesting flourish to the recently resurrected collection. The SJE095’s specifications are reasonable for the average wrist: 38.6mm x 45.8mm x 10.7mm, 5 bar water resistance, and powered by in-house caliber 6L35 (28,800 vph, 45 hour power reserve, +15/-10s a day) with a date complication and boxed sapphire crystal. Like the other SJE and SPB-reference King Seikos, it features a striking stainless steel case, sharp angles, and expansive flat surfaces, attributes of the original 1965 KSK on which the entire modern KS line is based. This new dial features a self-repeating pattern of circles and fine lines known as kiku tsunagi-mon. This particular design holds special significance in Japanese culture for several reasons....
Hodinkee
Drawing from traditional Japanese art forms, King Seiko joins in the love of nature-inspired limited editions.
Deployant
Seiko continues to focus on their high end King Seiko, and releases a new reference with a Edo-kiriko style geometric dial. Here is teh SJE095.
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SJX Watches
Seiko has unveiled a limited-edition iteration of its vintage-inspired timepiece, the King Seiko. The King Seiko SJE095 features a textured dial adorned with a uniquely Japanese motif-a geometric pattern known as kiku tsunagi-mon inspired by the chrysanthemum flower. Save for the patterned dial, the limited edition maintains the compact case profile found in the King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091 was earlier this year. Initial thoughts While the latest King Seiko models have a notably streamlined case, the stylistic resemblance to the original from 1965 bordered on being a vintage remake. Fortunately, Seiko has decided to create a standout iteration (albeit a limited edition) that, as is often the case with Seiko and Grand Seiko, pays homage to Japanese culture in the dial decoration. The highlight is the intricate geometric pattern on the dial. Besides evoking traditional Japanese cut-glassware, the engraving possesses a degree of elegance, while upholding a sense of balance in the dial. The balance could have been improved if the date window were absent, allowing the engraving to run uninterrupted across the dial. This limited edition carries a price of US$3,400, just US$100 more than the standard King Seiko. The small difference makes this a no-brainer over the regular production model, though it can be argued this is somewhat pricey in absolute terms for a mid-range Seiko model. Rooted in tradition This limited edition draws substantial inspiration from the chrysanthe...
Time+Tide
The King Seiko SJE095 highlights a chrysanthemum pattern as Japan’s national flower. The case is based on the original King Seiko from 1965 with an even thinner profile. It’s a limited edition of 600 pieces and will be available from October 2023. Although its return to market focused mainly on recreating vintage models, King Seiko … ContinuedThe post The King Seiko SJE095 takes its dial inspiration from Japan’s national flower appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Teddy Baldassarre
Since its founding in 1846, Ulysse Nardin has long been regarded as the standard bearer of nautical timekeeping, a historic watchmaking maison whose very name conjures up romantic images of seagoing adventure and oceanic exploration. However, here in the 21st century, Ulysse Nardin is also known in watch connoisseur circles as one of the most technically innovative and boldly experimental watchmakers on the scene, beginning with the bombshell introduction of the Freak in 2001. How did this intriguing brand achieve both these distinctions and how does it continue to pile up accolades in the modern era? Read on for a complete guide to the history, evolution, and diverse timepiece portfolio of today’s Ulysse Nardin. Foundations in Chronometry Like many inhabitants of Switzerland’s Jura Mountain region in the 18th and 19th centuries, Léonard-Frédéric Nardin took up the trade of watchmaking largely out of economic necessity, to supplement his family’s farming income during the cold, snowbound winter months. He passed that horological savoir faire on to his son, Ulysse, who proved to be an apt pupil and honed his own horological skills further under the tutelage of two of the region’s most talented and revered watchmakers, Frederic-William Dubois and Louis JeanRichard-dit-Bressel. In 1846, at the young age of 23, Ulysse Nardin (above) established his own watchmaking workshop in his hometown of Le Locle, where the eponymous company is still headquartered today. Ulysse ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Monta just announced the third-gen version of their signature dive watch, the Monta Oceanking. Get a closer look at this flagship diver.
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Time+Tide
The ‘60s were an important era for Seiko, as it saw the introduction of both the Grand Seiko and King Seiko lines. Originally launched to promote healthy inter-company competition with Grand Seiko, the King Seiko name made its debut in 1961, and in 1965, the iconic KSK model was released. The luxe-leaning Grand Seiko of … ContinuedThe post The slender new King Seiko collection channels the retro elegance of the 1965 original appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Since its relaunch last year, King Seiko has emerged as something of a budget-friendly alternative to Grand Seiko with its straightforward, vintage-inspired designs. Continuing in the same direction are the latest additions to the line, the King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091. Most notably, the new models boast a slimmer case compared to their predecessors, thanks to the higher-end cal. 6L35 inside. Despite the tweaks, both retain retro styling that pays homage to the King Seiko “KSK” from 1965. Initial thoughts While last year’s King Seiko models were executed well, I felt they were missing something, particularly in terms of case proportions. They were a little too thick for a vintage-style watch. Therefore, a slimmer version with the more precise cal. 6L35 movement is welcome. The new King Seiko remains conservative in style and almost a vintage remake. However, the case is significantly slimmer at 10.7 mm, compared to over 12 mm for last year’s model. This was achieved with a flattened “box” sapphire crystal and a redesigned case middle with thinner lugs, giving it dimensions better suited to the design. The SJE091 The only drawback is the price of US$3,300, which is almost double last year’s King Seiko models. While the difference is justified by the improved movement and better case proportions, it might be tough to stomach given the stylistic similarity between the two. A slimmer case The new additions are modelled on the “KSK” model of 1965. They have ...
Quill & Pad
After reading article after article discussing the virtues of Patek Philippe's Nautilus, it became clear to watch enthusiast and Quill & Pad reader Perry Heim that none stated a self-evident truth that appears obvious to him. In this "letter to the editor" Perry explains in detail what he finds so appealing about the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711. And he stacks the Nautilus up against some serious contemporary contenders.
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage King Seiko 45-7000 King Seikos were one of Seiko’s high end dress watch lines, and to this day they are still highly under-rated. This model, the 45-7000 is easily one of their best ever designs. A classic example of Seiko’s “Grammar of Design”, with bold flat planes and sharp edges on the stainless steel case. The clean silver dial with no date and the manual wind hi-beat movement make it nearly perfect. I can tell you from experience that this model is very difficult to find in excellent condition, having looked for one for about 10 years. Recently I found one from a seller in Singapore, otherwise I’d be buying this example myself! The case has been refinished, which I would usually avoid, but it was done by Lapinist who does simply stunning work and actually finishes the cases with the same Zaratsu technique as Seiko. This one also comes with a super cool see-through caseback (still has the original too), so you can see that beautiful movement! View auction here. Vintage CWC Chronograph Here we have a brilliant vintage military issue chronograph. This CWC two-register chrono has markings indicating it was issued to the British Royal Air Force. The large 39m wide a...
Time+Tide
Many moons ago, I was getting a made-to-measure suit from a tailor in Sydney called Patrick Johnson, who was just launching his business that’s since become very successful. Patrick has since moved premises multiple times, but in that early fitting room, one entire wall was devoted to framed photographs of Prince Charles or, as it … ContinuedThe post King Charles’ killer eye for style also extends to his watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Deployant
We compare the megabuck Rodenstock HR50 lens to the value priced Fujinon GF 50. Both attached to the Fujifilm GFX 50S II as the digital back.
Worn & Wound
There’s a certain level of homeland pride in every way that Bremont operates. It’s apparent in their designs and palpable throughout their entire company from top to bottom. The Giles brothers have made it their life’s mission to produce beautifully British-made mechanical watches and if there needs to be any more confirmation of how successfully that’s going, then let “The Wing”, Bremont’s vast campus and headquarters in Henley which has subsequently brought watchmaking back to U.K. shores, put any queries to bed. As Bremont ambassador and now friend of Worn & Wound, Alex Bescoby eloquently put it in a recent interview, “Bremont is all about beautifully putting together traditional and British design, and celebrating that.” Well, for the folks living across the pond, there’s lots to celebrate as this past weekend, in front of 2,200 ceremony attendees and millions watching around the world, King Charles III was crowned as Great Britain’s new monarch. It’s only fitting that Bremont, who already has an ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to honor His Majesty’s Armed Forces, has released two limited edition models that marks a moment in history with the coronation of His Majesty. The MBII King Charles III Limited Edition largely retains the familiar design cues of the Martin-Baker collection – dual crown configuration, internal rotating bezel, a distinct knurled barrel design and internal case reinforcements. As every other Bremo...
SJX Watches
After a quarter century at Cartier, Cyrille Vigneron was tapped for the top job in 2016, becoming President and Chief Executive Officer of perhaps the grandest name in jewellery. Under his stewardship Cartier’s lustre has only grown. Not only is the jeweller the second-largest watchmaker by sales, it is such a coveted marque that LVMH chief Bernard Arnault recently commented in the Wall Street Journal, “Cartier is a fantastic brand [but] it’s not for sale.” During Watches & Wonders, I met Mr Vigneron for an interview that ran longer than expected, but we barely touched on watches or jewellery. Dressed in a grey turtleneck, Mr Vigneron possessed the air of an intellectual, very much atypical for an industry where leaders are often big personalities and dressed to match. Yet Mr Vigneron is actually something of a social media influencer, albeit a professional one with over 82,000 followers on LinkedIn. His latest post on the professional social media platform posed the question, “What is true beauty?”, accompanied by a photo of a fallen autumn leaf. It received over a thousand likes and almost 100 comments. His posts on the network usually discuss abstract concepts while offering sharp insight, which is why I decided to leave out the watches (which we have already amply covered) and instead seek his perspective on bigger topics. The interview was edited for clarity and length. SJX: I follow your LinkedIn posts and find there’s always a philosophical, reflective...
Revolution
Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin drops an incredible one-of-one reference from its Les Cabinotiers collection for Watches & Wonders 2023 The Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication is a two-dialled expression of the pinnacle of Vacheron’s craft No less than 774 components make up the elaborate movement that boasts 11 complications It’s hard to overstate the level of … ContinuedThe post The mind-blowing majesty of the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Dual Moon Grand Complication appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Revolution
Hodinkee
The Seiko SKX is out of production, which means it's time to pass the crown. Behold the heir to the throne.
Revolution
Time+Tide
Actor Orlando Bloom has long been known for his on-screen feats of derring-do in film, as star of the Pirates Of The Caribbean and Lord Of The Rings franchises, and it turns out he’s had some swashbuckling adventures IRL, too. Bloom revealed this week on The Late Late Show with James Corden that when the … ContinuedThe post How Orlando Bloom recovered his rare watches stolen by the ‘Bling Ring’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Brellum is an up and coming independent brand that prides itself on its rich familial history in watchmaking. Founder Sebastian Muller can trace his family lineage of watchmakers all the way back to his great grandfather who set up his very own shop in 1910. The rest, as they say, is history. Brellum exists today with the intention of continuing the Mueller legacy by producing highly-crafted timepieces that, not only present with a thoughtful design for the modern day wearer, but to pay homage to their family’s passion for traditional Swiss watchmaking. Their surname is an anagram in the brand’s namesake afterall. Recently, the brand announced a very limited run of a handsome pilot’s chronograph equipped with a GMT function with the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer. The dial is where the Brellum Pilot LE.1 GMT Chronometer shows a whole lot of flash without straying too far away from the traditional pilot’s watch aesthetic. And by flash, I mean that opalin silver-now dial. From the images, it seems that this dial has its own character all on its own, displaying a luster against radiant lighting, and then a more toned down matted white in neutral lighting. All of the dial markings use black as the main color for unmistakable legibility including the minute track, 24 hour display bordering the outer portion of the dial, and applied numeral hour markers. The subdials take up dial real-estate at six, twelve and nine with a date window sneaking into the six o’clock s...
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