21,387 articles · 217 videos found · page 274 of 721
Quill & Pad
Marketing material for the modern mechanical watch almost always includes a description of the movement’s frequency. You may have even sensed that the higher the frequency, the more accurate a movement gets. But is this entirely true? Find out here.
Worn & Wound
It takes a certain courage and determination to start a watch brand. One has to articulate his or her vision into three-dimensional, complex, and mechanical objects. I sometimes struggle to transfer thoughts and ideas about watches to paper, let alone deal with prototypes, source components, and market the final product. In order to get our attention, one must also offer something that is familiar while being different, well-made but not too expensive. If the watch looks too much like something we’ve seen before, we tend to shoot it down. If it comes attached to a price tag orbiting that of fashion watches, we frown at it. So, perhaps we should celebrate the efforts brands put out on an almost daily basis to bring us new watches, as many of us wouldn’t be able to do the same. In that spirit, today we’re going to take a look at the second model from a young French brand called Manime. The model in question is La Fidèle (“The Loyal One” in French) which is the founder’s take on the popular genre of sport watches with integrated bracelets. Manime was founded in 2020 by Edouard Paris, a countryman based out of Thailand. I say countryman because I was born and raised in France, a country which was put back on the horological map ten years ago thanks to popular brands in the likes of Baltic, Serica, Beaubleu and Yema. I may (obviously) be biased here but I believe that French watches come with a certain aesthetic that leans strongly towards elegance and sobriety...
Deployant
Citizen has released a new mechanical watch in their modestly priced range - the Series 8 with a GMT function. Here is our comprehensive review.
SJX Watches
With a towering height of 1.62 m and hefty weight of 40 kg, the one-of-a-kind Space-Time Blade created for Only Watch 2023 undeniably embodies the quintessential Urwerk style in both form and concept. The Space-Time Blade is the only sci-fi, retro-electronic clock in an auction dominated by mechanical wristwatches, proving that Urwerk always does things its own way. Even then the Space-Time Blade is hardly a clock in the conventional sense. It eschews minute and hour hands, and even the outline of a conventional standing clock. Instead it illustrates Urwerk founders Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei’s fascination with the captivating and vintage technology of Nixie tubes. It will be sold by Christie’s during Only Watch, the charitable auction held every other year to raise funds for research into a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Initial thoughts It’s easy to see this in the corner of a Brutalist home, alongside other examples of interpretive modern art, but that is not what makes this piece interesting from a construction or technical standpoint. Instead it is the Nixie tubes and their display, along with the multiple timekeeping functions that provided reason for pause. The many and varied ways in which this piece can measure and display time speak to the heart of Urwerk’s philosophy. Known for polarising pieces that push the line between timekeeper and sculpture, Urwerk has created its most abstract timepiece to date with its singular take on the standing ...
Worn & Wound
For many people, an affordable Seiko 5 was their first mechanical watch, and the value-packed series holds a special place within the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts all around the globe. And what better watch to carry with you on your photography adventures around the globe. For many people, an affordable Seiko 5 was their first mechanical watch, and the value-packed series holds a special place within the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts all around the globe. And what better watch to carry with you on your photography adventures around the globe. The post The Roundup – Essential Gear for Photographers appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Time+Tide
The Grand Seiko SBGJ275 and SBGM253 celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 9S mechanical movement The SBGJ275 from the Sport Collection depicts the cloudy sky above Mt. Iwate The SBGM253 from the Elegance Collection takes a sophisticated approach with a blue sunburst dial The gradual departure from navy blue to sky blue as a watch … ContinuedThe post The Grand Seiko SBGJ275 and SBGM253 take to Mount Iwate skies celebrating the 9S movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
Of all the different types of complicated timepieces, watches with a GMT or second-time-zone function are among the most useful in everyday life, especially for those of us who travel frequently, do long-distance business in other parts of the world, or some combination of both. Until relatively recently, if you wanted such a watch with a traditional mechanical movement (as opposed to a digital or quartz option), you could expect to pay a fairly hefty price for it. Fortunately, a growing number of watch brands - large and small, well-established as well as plucky newcomers - have started to make GMT watches that are attainable for newer, less affluent aficionados while also being robustly built and thoughtfully designed. In this article, we spotlight 20 of these affordable GMT watches, in ascending order of MSRP, all of which fall under the $2,000 threshold. (If you’re interested in a broader look at the GMT watch category, and might be convinced to spend a bit, or a lot, more, check out our original list of the best GMT watches.) Under $1,000: Timex Q Timex GMT Price: $229, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 12.5mm, Lug Width: 18mm, Crystal: Acrylic, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Quartz Analog Always known for its value proposition, mass-market Timex has also gotten onto the radar of vintage-watch fans in recent years by reproducing some of its cult-favorite historical models, seeking out the sweet spot between historical flair, modest dimensions, and great pricin...
Quill & Pad
G-Shock is a sub-brand of Casio that is designed to withstand mechanical stress, vibrations, and shocks. It's a great affordable watch, but is it still worth buying? Raman Kalra certainly thinks so and explains why.
Time+Tide
A couple of weeks ago, T+T reported how Swatch were suing the Malaysian government after it seized 172 of their watches from stores. The reason for the seizure? The watches, which come in either rainbow colours or a single colour with a rainbow trim, were released in support of Pride, the movement that promotes the … ContinuedThe post Wear this Pride-themed Swatch in Malaysia and you face a three-year jail term appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Historically known for its over-the-top jewelled watches and oversized complications, Jacob & Co. recently debuted a watch that is very much quintessential Jacob, but surprisingly novel in mechanical terms. The Astronomia Revolution sticks to the distinctive, extra-large styling that defines the model, but contains an all-new movement that combines several complex assemblies into an even more complex movement, all in the name of a dynamic, fast-rotating display. Carrying the tourbillon and time display, the carousel is impressively quick and completes one revolution a minute, a feat made possible by a one-sixth-of-a-second constant-force mechanism and a differential for the time display. The kinetic nature of the dial means this is unlike any other mechanical watch. Initial thoughts The Astronomia Revolution made it into my list of notable complications unveiled at Watches & Wonders earlier this year: “[The] Revolution seems like yet another variant of the New York jeweller’s bestselling and bulbous timepiece… Except that it is not… While past versions of the Astronomia required between ten to 20 minutes or more for the carousel to complete one rotation, the Revolution does it in one minute [and] functions as a minute hand. To move a component that large at such a speed is unprecedented…” Which pretty much sums it up. It looks like a typical Jacob & Co. watch, but is much more interesting mechanically. That is because the movement goes against the prevailing co...
SJX Watches
Citizen’s flagship mechanical dive watch gets an upgrade with the Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m “Fujitsubo”. The new “Fujitsubo” diver features a gradient-finish grey dial, but its standout feature is the case and bracelet in the brand’s proprietary hardened titanium alloy coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC). Initial thoughts Sometimes underestimated, Citizen’s dive watches don’t garner as much attention as those of its competitor Seiko, primarily due to the scarcity of mechanical dive in Citizen’s lineup. Most of Citizen’s dive watches are solar-powered or quartz. Nevertheless, the Japanese watchmaker has recently taken significant steps towards boosting its mechanical offerings, particularly with the introduction of the oversized and modern Promaster 200 m diver. The “Fujitsubo”, on the other hand, takes inspiration from the Challenge Diver of 1977, explaining its vintage styling. But this latest iteration exudes a more contemporary feel owing to the gradient grey dial and the DLC coating on the case and bracelet. The resulting shades-of-grey livery makes this stand apart from its predecessor, which was essentially a like-for-like remake. Priced at US$1,195, the “Fujitsubo” DLC is a bit more expensive than the standard titanium model. Nonetheless, it justifies the higher price tag with improved aesthetics and the superior durability offered by the DLC coating. That said, it would have been even more appealing with the option of a rubber ...
Time+Tide
Despite being a multi-billion dollar industry with hundreds of years of development, there don’t seem to be that many people dedicating their time to chronicling watch history. You have the rare enthusiast and some museum curators, but overall the amount of brands clamouring their achievements without much accuracy significantly muddies the water. As a technology … ContinuedThe post Could this obscure Submarine have been the first waterproof wristwatch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari is a stunning feat for two main reasons: it is the thinnest mechanical watch in the world and it meets some extreme requirements for shock and water resistance all while being only 1.75 mm in height. Here Joshua Munchow takes a deep dive.
Worn & Wound
Back in January of 1973, Citizen, a pioneering Japanese watchmaking house, released a unique riff on a watch that they’d launched only a few months earlier. The watch was their very first mechanical chronograph. This version had the chronograph pushers situated at the top of the case, rather than on the side, in what’s affectionately referred to as a bullhead configuration called the Citizen Challenge Timer. Fans would soon nickname the “Tsuno Chrono” and its instantly recognizable 70s tones and panda dial layout would make this particular variant a legend. Fast forward to August 1, 2019, when a young watch journalist, and co-founder of a particular watch enthusiast publication, would rush home from a movie theater to research a timepiece he’d seen on screen. Zach Weiss had just finished viewing Quentin Tarantino’s critically acclaimed ninth film, Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood. Here’s an excerpt from the article he penned and published immediately thereafter. The film went on to be nominated for a total of ten Academy Awards at the 2020 Oscars and won two including Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, which further cemented his role and this watch into absolute icon status. Despite a blatant continuity error, it’s clear that this was not a miscasting. It was still the right watch, on the right wrist, in the right role, at the right time. Now, 50 years later from the introduction of the original Tsuno Chrono, Citizen has reimagined the concept, form fact...
SJX Watches
In an era of modern and accessible digital technology, the utilitarian role of mechanical timekeepers has inevitably dwindled. Yet, it is still pursued as a luxury of an artform – either of the highest finishing by hand that can’t be performed by machines, or the research and development in making a mechanical timepiece – in particular wristwatches – as accurate as possible. One of these horological pursuits, to preserve the accuracy of mechanical wristwatches, is the supply of a constant force to the escapement. To isolate the varying torque as a mainspring gradually unwinds, some haute horlogerie watches today incorporate either a fusée-and-chain or a remontoir, which supplies a steady torque to the escapement for stable timekeeping. However, there is one particularly novel take on constant force released by Girard-Perregaux, in the form of a proprietary escapement. First unveiled as a prototype in SIHH 2008, the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement has a patented, double escape wheel system that is designed from the ground up to inherently have a built-in constant force system, thus eliminating the need of a remontoir or a fusée-and-chain. Despite being first created 15 years ago, Girard-Perregaux (GP) is still further developing the escapement today, with a new set of patented improvements publicly available – strongly hinting at a revamped model in the near future. These patents make it worth a deep dive into the original Constant Escapement (CE) fr...
Teddy Baldassarre
The most sophisticated type of calendar watch, a perpetual calendar is endowed with a mechanical “memory” that enables it to record and display the time, day, date, month, and often the moon-phase, accurately for many years. The complex movement in a perpetual calendar compensates for the length of every month, including February in both leap years and non-leap-years, meaning that it should not need adjusting until the year 2100, which is the next annum in which the Gregorian calendar’s leap-year cycle is disrupted (it will be the first year since 1900 that is exactly divisible by 100 but not by 400, and thus not a leap year). As you'd expect, perpetual calendar watches (called "quantième perpétuel" in French) are extremely complicated in their mechanics and design, representing one of the highest pinnacles of high horology and priced accordingly. Throughout the modern wristwatch industry, only a relative handful of brands have mastered the art of the perpetual calendar: we showcase some of them, and their most impressive perpetual calendar timepieces, here. A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar Introduced in 2021, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar adopts the new approach taken to perpetual calendar design that the Saxon maison established in 2012 with the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar. In typical Lange fashion, the technical approach taken is complex in the service of user-friendly practicality. Its in-house, self-winding movement, Caliber L021.3, ...
SJX Watches
Two years ago, Louis Vuitton unveiled the Tambour Street Diver, a livelier iteration of its longstanding Tambour dive watch. Now the brand debuts the Tambour Street Diver Chronograph, adding further a stopwatch to the nautical-inspired aesthetic. Together, the two Street Divers now form the entry-level of the brand’s mechanical watch offerings, which progress upwards into seven-figure, minute-repeater-with-automaton territory. Initial thoughts The new chronograph is a natural progression from its predecessor, retaining the elements of a traditional dive watch, including a less-common inner rotating bezel, while incorporating Louis Vuitton’s bold and modern styling, including the tall, drum-shaped case. The design is as much “street” as it is “diver”, and very much in keeping with the brand’s aesthetic. Both the case and dial are executed well, although the two-tone case might not be to everyone’s taste. Enthusiasts, however, will note the ETA movement inside. The movement is reliable and robust, though the US$11,105 price tag deserves a more interesting calibre. That said, given Louis Vuitton’s well-funded ambitions in watchmaking, it is a certainty that the brand will soon roll out in-house calibres in all price segments of its catalogue. Nautically inspired The new chronograph available in two variations: Skyline Blue (blue with metallic sun-ray finish) and Neon Black (matte black), each matched with a case colour in the same colour. Both have the same ...
Time+Tide
Despite “Road” and “Ocean” not necessarily being compatible worlds, the Ball Roadmaster Ocean Explorer is an incredibly cohesive watch with impressive features. Few brands can blend classical sophistication and modern ingenuity as well as Ball can, and they also understand the need mechanical watch lovers have for analogue interactions. Whether you have a need to … ContinuedThe post The Ball Roadmaster Ocean Explorer blends nautical utility with strong all-round specifications appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
If you’ve read any previous Boldr article on Time+Tide, you would’ve noted the general enthusiasm about the excellent value proposition the brand presents. Whether that’s with a sub-A$500 mechanical, titanium watch or a well-specced Seiko GMT-powered all-rounder, we’re long-time fans of their outdoorsy aesthetic, too. For that very reason, we’re excited to add Boldr to … ContinuedThe post The Time+Tide Shop is now home to Boldr Supply Co. appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
J.N. Shapiro introduces the first handmade mechanical watch “Made in America” since 1969 The Resurgence is a love letter to handmade watchmaking, offering a layered guilloché dial, engine-turned mid-case, and damaskeening on the bridges Options are plentiful, making each Resurgence unique to its owner Whenever we talk about the ultra-high end of horology, the discussion … ContinuedThe post The J.N. Shapiro Resurgence brings American craftsmanship roaring back appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Wei sits down with Guillaume Laidet of Vulcain to discuss the new Vulcain Cricket ‘Style Moderne’ limited edition for Revolution & The Rake. The Vulcain Cricket dates back to 1947 when it was introduced as the world’s first mechanical alarm watch, powered by the now-legendary caliber 120. The alarm worked with a hammer that struck […]
Quill & Pad
In this presentation that John McGonigle of Oileán Watch gave for Engineers Ireland, he explains how watches work. The video is well worth watching for anyone interested in just what makes a mechanical wristwatch tick.
Revolution
Aviation and dive watch enthusiasts might know Sinn, a cult brand that has a rich history of developing high-accuracy and highly durable utilitarian watches. Among its 2023 debuts was the T50, a 500m water-resistant watch that comes in titanium or Sinn’s alloy called “Goldbronze”, that is awaiting patent. The T50 is 41mm in case size […]
Worn & Wound
This year’s marquee release from Grand Seiko is the all new Tentagraph, an imposing and technically impressive chronograph that makes use of a new high beat caliber and a case shape derived from previous watches in the Evolution 9 Collection. It’s kind of hard to believe, but up until now, Grand Seiko didn’t have a purely mechanical chronograph in their collection. Spring Drive has ruled the day if you need a watch for timing laps, steaks, or anything else, but that changes this year. With the Tentagraph, which carries reference SLGC001, Grand Seiko introduces a new movement, Caliber 9SC5. This movement is notable for its shared architecture and essential technical features with the next-gen 9SA5, the double-impulse escapement caliber introduced by the brand a few years ago. We’ve seen that basic time and date caliber adopted in a variety of excellent watches in the relatively short time it’s been in production, but this is where the fun really starts: we now have a new caliber derived from the 9SA5, which of course would lead anyone following the brand to think that a) we’ll see more chronographs coming from Grand Seiko within the Evolution 9 Collection and b) we’re likely to see more complications. The 9SA5 now takes its place as a halo caliber, with many possibilities ahead when it comes to variations large and small. Like the 9SA5, the 9SC5 beats ten times per second and is powered by two barrels giving it a three day power reserve. That’s with the ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Nearly every advance in watchmaking technology has been in the service of increased utility and functionality - even inventions that we now consider entirely luxurious affectations. The minute repeater, for example, was invented so a watch wearer could audibly check the time in the dark in the days before luminous treatment on dials. Even the tourbillon began its existence as a device for enhancing timekeeping accuracy, countering the effects of gravity on a pocketwatch’s movement. Thus it should come as no surprise that as the world entered the electronic era in the mid-20th century, watchmakers would attempt to harness the new technologies to improve the precision - and hence the desirability - of their products. Read on as we trace the evolution of timekeeping technology all the way up through today’s most accurate watches. Birth of the Chronometer Not long after the tracking of time migrated from giant clocks in the town square to portable devices carried in waistcoat pockets, and eventually worn on wrists (click here for a brief history of watches), the need for a standard of dependable accuracy in these mechanical timekeepers became evident. Hence the establishment of standards for which a timepiece could be deemed a "chronometer." The classical definition of a chronometer goes all the way back to the golden age of seafaring exploration in the 18th Century, when ships required the use of a highly accurate onboard clock that enabled their navigators to det...
Worn & Wound
You might recall that when Blake Buettner brought us news of Furlan Marri’s very first fully mechanical watch (after the success of their popular meca-quartz chronograph that we still can’t believe ever sold for under $500 during the crowdfunding campaign) he mentioned that the limited production black dialed three hander he had in for review would be followed up by a trio of models in the brand’s permanent collection. That was in June of 2022, and at long last, those watches are here. These three new references use the same platform as the previously issued “Black Sector” 2116-A, but in an array of colors that give the watch a new impact. The new dials, Salmon Sector, Grey Sector, and White Sector, have been given reference numbers 2154-A, 2161-A, and 2145-A, respectively. While the Grey Sector has what Furlan Marri refers to as a double printed dial, the white and salmon versions both have applied baton hour markers, and all references have a fine texture applied to the dial. The Breguet style numerals at the cardinal positions have become a hallmark of sorts for Furlan Marri, and those remain on all three variants. Dial text is minimal (just the Furlan Marri wordmark and the reference number discreetly out of the way between 4 and 5), the sector layout identical to the black version from last year. Fans of aggressive symmetry will be quite pleased, I think. An area where Furlan Marri has excelled since the launch of that first chronograph back in 2021 is i...
Time+Tide
Magnetism is an everyday danger to your mechanical watch, but these five antimagnetic watches dealt with it best and first.The post 5 of the most pioneering anti-magnetic watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Responsible for some of the most reliable and well-priced diver watches on the market, Seiko is synonymous with the genre. The Japanese watchmaker continues to expand its dive watch offerings, but now with a second time zone complication. A “modern reinterpretation” of its Hi-Beat 300 m dive watch from 1968, the Prospex 1968 Diver’s GMT is the first mechanical dual-time zone dive watch in Seiko’s Prospex sports watch collection. The SPB383 Initial thoughts Arguably the collection offering the best value in Seiko’s line-up, Prospex is going slightly upscale with the second time zone movement, while maintaining its strong price-performance ratio. The standout among the new models is the SPB381 with its deep green dial. While the limited edition SPB385 with its textured, “ice blue” dial is undoubtedly fancier, the SPB381 is clean and functional but appealing with its palette. The SPB381 Though it is a two-time zone watch, the Diver’s GMT is still primarily a dive watch. So it retains the traditional elapsed time bezel and clever places the 24-hour scale on the flange around the dial. That said, the Diver’s GMT is more accurately a dual time zone watch with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand, rather than a true GMT that has an adjustable local-time hour hand (as found in pricier Grand Seiko models). This means a few extra steps when setting the time for a change in time zones, though it is a perfectly acceptable compromise considering the price. At U...
Time+Tide
Casio as a first watch is something that a lot of us can relate to. No matter how many fine mechanical timepieces are in the collection, there’s just an effervescent joy in these plastic wonders that transport me back to a simpler time, when my biggest dilemma was which Saturday morning cartoon to watch. I’ve … ContinuedThe post 5 of the best limited-edition character Casio G-Shock watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The H. Moser & Cie Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Armour is an exceptional timepiece that combines sophisticated design, intricate mechanics, and the unique properties of tantalum. This watch offers not only accurate timekeeping but also the ability to display the date and month with perpetual accuracy, making it a highly sought-after watch among collectors.
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