Teddy Baldassarre
Watches of the Vietnam War: Vintage Classics and Their Modern Descendants
Our most controversial military conflict gave rise to wristwatches that stood the text of time.More
Results for Beads of Rice Bracelet
31,467 articles · 132 videos found · page 29 of 1054
Related pages
Teddy Baldassarre
WatchAdvice
Revisting The Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar Ice Blue Review
The first standard production watch with the Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar movement, of course, had to be a Navitimer. We have gone hands-on with it to see how it stacks up! What We Love That ice-blue dial is stunning! Has an amazing wrist presence and an iconic design Easy to use and adjust movement with the perpetual calendar What We Don’t The reverse-style strap can get in the way, depending on your wrist size The 30m water resistance is on the low side The 43mm size will not suit all wrist sizes if you have a smaller wrist Overall Rating: 9 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Originally published as: Reviewing The New Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar In Ice Blue When you think of Breitling, one of the first, if not the first, model that comes to mind is the Navitimer. Not only is it one of Breitling’s most iconic models, but it is also one of the most iconic watches out there, thanks to its history, unique slide-rule bezel and overall design cues that make it stand out. You can easily recognise a Navitimer on the wrist from a distance. In that regard, it’s up there with the Submariner, the Speedmaster, the Luminor, and the Royal Oak, to name but a few. So it stands to reason that it was one of the models to receive the new in-house B19 Perpetual Calendar movement as part of Breitling’s 140th Anniversary Collection. The 18k Rose Gold 140th Anniversary Navitimer B19 Chronograph Perpetual Calendar. This was my p...
Hodinkee
The Business of Watches Podcast: Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf Studer
This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Hölstein, Switzerland, near Basel, at the peach-rose colored headquarters of Oris to talk to Rolf Studer, the brand's Chief Executive Officer. One of the 50 largest Swiss brands by sales, Oris is a true independent, making mechanical watches at fair prices, conveying the brand's unique spirit. Its history dates back to 1904, with boom times in the 1960s that were kick-started by the tireless legal and lobbying work of Dr. Rolf Portmann, an Oris executive (and honorary chairman today), whose efforts led to overturning the Swiss Watch Statute in 1966 that had prevented Oris and many other brands from using Swiss lever escapements in their watch movements. Oris CEO Rolf Studer. Photo courtesy Oris. Some 60 years later, Oris is marking that milestone with its Star Edition, an updated version of the Star, the first Oris watch to use a Swiss lever escapement after the law was changed. Portmann and Ulrich Herzog (now the Chairman) went on to lead a management buyout of Oris in 1982, which solidified the company's position as an independent brand. Studer, who has been co-CEO since 2016 and was appointed CEO last month, discusses Oris' positioning and strategy in the current market, where the strong Swiss franc is challenging it and fellow watchmakers. Oris has responded with models that not only offer value to customers but also draw on its storied history and the unique community culture it has fostered. Studer makes the case f...
Worn & Wound
Cartier Highlights Some Luxurious Bracelets with their Watches & Wonders Releases
The Cartier appointment at Watches & Wonders this year was, as always, a dizzying experience. The incredible breadth of the collection is unlike anything you’ll see at Palexpo during Watches & Wonders week, and it always amazes me how freely these incredibly valuable, intricate creations are freely passed around a table of watch media types to handle, photograph, and try on. It would be absolutely impossible to run down everything we were shown in our meeting, but I keep coming back to a selection of releases that zero in on Cartier’s unique bracelet making capabilities. This is not something I normally expect from Cartier, but maybe I should. I think for the most part we recognize Cartier as masters of design and shape – there have been so many great case designs over the brand’s history it’s impossible to recount them all here. Some have become genuinely iconic and some have been a bit lost to history, but their ingenuity and creativity is second to none and they have the reputation they deserve as a design first brand for good reason. In our mind’s eye, collectively, we typically see these watches on straps. But for certain references a bracelet is key to understanding not just the visual design language, but in how these watches wear. Because a great bracelet doesn’t complete the look of a watch, it makes or breaks the experience of having it on your wrist, and can take a watch from being a beautiful design object to something you’d actually want to...
Worn & Wound
Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs
Hublot has never trafficked in subtlety. The Big Bang chronograph first made its presence known with a 44mm size, hefty ceramic bezel with contrasting screws, and a rare combination of rose gold and rubber, which contrasted different textures with clashing case finishes. So what if it had an ETA movement-which, at the time, seemed more plebeian than the in-house movements of rival luxury chronographs? In that maximalist, McBling era, the stance and the presence were all that mattered. Hublot has only taken its flagship model to more audacious heights. At this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, the Big Bang Reloaded enters the collection, following the 20-year anniversary of the Big Bang, by combining the intricate case with Hublot’s in-house chronograph movement, the Unico calibre, bringing together all the things that Big Bang enthusiasts love. The Reloaded exemplifies Hublot’s adherence to high-tech materials: available in titanium, scratch-resistant 18-karat “Magic Gold,” and three options of ceramic: black, blue, and dark green. The strap, still in textured rubber, matches the case colors. Hublot introduced its Unico calibre in 2010, and now the HUB 1280 UNICO makes an appearance from behind a skeletonized and multi-layered dial: redesigned to match the stencil-style numbers, a date window at between 4 and 5 o’clock, and horizontally-placed chronograph registers. It’s an automatic flyback chronograph, with 43 jewels and a power reserve of 72 hour...
SJX Watches
In Depth: The Horological Evolution of Jacob & Co.
Since “Jacob and Jeweller” made its first foray into fine watchmaking two decades ago, Jacob & Co. has positioned itself as a master of maximalism in all its forms, both bejewelled and technical, with some of the brands’s most audacious creations free of gem-setting entirely. The story of Jacob & Co.’s rise as an independent watchmaker features a celebrated cast of constructors. While other brands focused on vertical integration, Jacob & Co. opted to become a patron of promising complication specialists and independent watchmakers, funding their visions while challenging them with its own. Now, 20 years on, Jacob & Co. has evolved into a major player in the ultra-high end watchmaking segment, and is one of the fastest growing brands in an otherwise downbeat market; according to the brand, its 2025 watch sales were close to CHF300 million at retail. The brand’s obvious success is due to both its astute commercial instincts, founder Jacob Arabo’s inimitable personality, and also its ability to bring technically demanding movements to market and iterate on them with remarkable regularity. The gongs of a minute repeating Astronomia, one of the line’s many flankers. Few brands have managed to build credibility in both jewellry and watchmaking simultaneously. On the occasion of the brand’s 40th anniversary, it’s worth looking at how Jacob & Co. has succeeded where others have failed. Chapter 1: The Quenttin Jacob & Co.’s first 20 years were somewhat quiet on...
Worn & Wound
Hanhart Introduces a Pair of Desert Inspired Limited Edition Chronos
Despite frequently being (in my opinion, falsely) labeled as a boring, neutral color, beige has been making a splash across the watch world recently. When paired with the right auxiliary colors, beige can appear adventurous, rugged, and even classy, in the right circumstances. Perhaps I’m biased, as my 1983 Volvo 240 DL sports a handsome Rose Beige exterior, but it really is one of the most versatile colors, especially when paired with the right contrasting shades. One of beige’s best applications is in vintage-inspired timepieces, and Hanhart has jumped on the retro field watch trend with their latest, the 417 TI Desert Pilot Limited Edition, available in 39 and 42mm case sizes. Hanhart has long been known for their military-style sport watches, and across the German brand’s 144-year history, they’ve had no shortage of classically-styled pilot watch variants. The 417 TI Desert Pilot combines sharp legibility thanks to black details on the beige dial, with robust functionality and case construction. Both sizes sport a Grade 5 titanium case with a matte finish, giving the watch a rugged, utilitarian look; this is furthered by the crown at 3 o’clock, flanked by two pushers that control the dual chronographs on the dial, positioned at 3 and 9 respectively. The hand-wound, Sellita-based AMT 5100 caliber movement is responsible for the flyback column-wheel chronograph functionality, and is visible through an exhibition caseback, which feels unusual but not unwelcome...
Monochrome
Industry News – Morgan Stanley’s 2025 Top 50 Watch Brands Report: Rolex Leads Amid Rising Market Polarisation
Just a couple of days after the publication of Vontobel’s Luxury Goods report, listing the 10 largest watch brands for 2025, as well as analysing the watch industry’s evolution over the last 12 months, it’s now time for another eagerly awaited report to be published. We’re talking about the in-depth annual analysis produced by Morgan […]
Monochrome
Buying Guide – Hard Rock Horology with 6 of Today’s Finest Natural Stone Dial Watches
There’s absolutely no stopping the phenomenal rise and popularity of natural stone dials! Surpassing the typical short lifespan of a trend, the natural stone dial that surged in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s is here to stay. From micro-brands to mainstream giants and everything in between, it seems like everyone has been captivated by […]
Time+Tide
Bulgari’s “Art of Gold” at LVMH Watch Week 2026 brings the Monete and Tubogas back to centre stage
Bulgari offers a rose gold secret watch utilising ancient coinage and a yellow-gold, gemstone-set cuff watch to inaugurate its 2026.The post Bulgari’s “Art of Gold” at LVMH Watch Week 2026 brings the Monete and Tubogas back to centre stage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
The Petrolhead Corner – The One-of-a-Kind Mercedes G-Class That Entered The Dakar Rally Four Times Can Be Yours!
Every year, in early January, my racing heart beats a little faster for a very simple reason. It’s the men and women who bravely try to conquer the desert on two, four or more wheels for days on end. Travelling thousands of miles through the toughest terrain, it’s not for the faint-hearted. And with the […]
Monochrome
Introducing – Benjamin Hui’s Independent Atelier Debuts Project Tai Yu, In Honour Of China’s First AHCI Watchmaker
Founder of Independent Atelier and watch collector Benjamin Hui has spent a good portion of his life devoted to the work of Kiu Tai Yu. As one of the key figures in the birth and rise of Chinese high-end independent watchmaking, Tai Yu was the first applicant from China to become a member of the […]
Monochrome
News – The 2026 Rolex Price List Shows 1 to 6% Price Rise Depending on Metals and Models
New year, new resolution, new price rises… Some things never change. This article shouldn’t come as a surprise. For some years now, on the first days of the year, we publish the complete list of updated prices for Rolex. Indeed, new year means new price policies and new price lists for watch brands, and the […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Last Vingt-8 And The First Of Something New With The Voutilainen 28MPR Moonphase And KV21 Tonneau
Kari Voutilainen bids farewell to the VINGT-8 movement platform as of December 31, 2025, and introduced a new KV21 hand-wound that will be the brand's base for the future.
Worn & Wound
Year in Review: the Best Travel Watches of 2025
Travel watches have been on the absolute rise in recent years. Where dive watches were once the default option for a first sports watch, GMTs, dual times, and world timers have been making a credible play for wrist time with enthusiasts of all strata. There are practical reasons for this - movements like the Miyota 9075 and Seiko NH34 have made including a GMT complication in a watch more affordable than ever - but I think practical reasons only scratch the surface of this precipitous rise. To tell the whole story, you have to look for the romantic. There’s an inherent appeal in travel watches. They’re optimistic and remind us to stay interested in the world even when we’re stuck at home, or work, or in the myopia of day-to-day life, when the little things around us stop us from looking further. I think this appeal was only reinforced by a mandatory two-year stay inside, at home, and I don’t think it’s by chance that our collective release back into the world post-COVID coincided with the rise of the travel watch. I mean, sure, in a world where our phones automatically adjust to new time zones, and most people’s preferred travel watch is an Apple Watch, mechanical travel watches (or, really, analog - there are some pretty stellar quartz offerings to be had, you don’t need to look further than the Timex Q Continental GMT for evidence of that) may be more talismanic than necessary, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. So, with all that ...
Monochrome
The Petrolhead Corner – The New Toyota GR GT & GR GT3, An End Of The Year Knockout Duo
After years of speculation, rumours, teasing and will-they-wont-they stories, it is finally here! Toyota’s ultimate performance car, the GR GT! And to put their money where their mouth is, they immediately released a GT3-spec race car alongside it, aptly named the GR GT3. And although looking at the brand’s current catalogue of mostly hybrid and […]
Worn & Wound
Year in Review: the Best Dive Watches of 2025
When I started writing about watches for a living, it seemed like every watch was a dive watch. I’m only slightly exaggerating. Six years ago, we were entering the height of vintage dive watch reissue fever, and things have only begun to slow down on that front in a noticeable way in the last year, or thereabouts. So when it came time to look at the year in divers and pick the five best, surveying the landscape really drove home a few important points. First, dive watches are no longer the center of watch culture. I’m not exactly sure what is (but I have some thoughts, and we’ll get to them in a later article), but divers simply do not dominate the new release calendar or the thoughts and wishes of enthusiasts the way they did a few short years ago. The other realization I had in compiling this list is that the players in the dive watch landscape are shifting. Sometimes subtly and sometimes dramatically. The brands represented here (and, more apt, not represented) tell a big part of the story in dive watches in 2025. This year end list (and others you’ll see in these pages leading up to the end of 2025) is not meant to be exhaustive or definitive, but is more of a personal reflection on how I saw the year in a particular category. Don’t worry, you’ll get other perspectives soon from other members of our team. I specifically wanted to write about divers because, well, I’m not really a dive watch guy, and I thought it might be interesting and a fun challeng...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The New Oris ProPilot Date: An Updated And Improved Version Of The Swiss Aviation Stalwart That Keeps Its Approachable Price
Oris upgrades its classic ProPilot with some nice tweaks, including a new case, a better handset, and a textured dial.
Time+Tide
TAG Heuer brings the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix to your wrist with latest Monaco limited edition
This neon-soaked, violet-to-blue Monaco embodies the thrills of a nighttime F1 race, released in time for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix.The post TAG Heuer brings the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix to your wrist with latest Monaco limited edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Ressence Introduces a Type 1° with a Touch of Gold for Dubai Watch Week
Dubai Watch Week is here, and with it, so are a lot of new watches. Ressence is marking the moment with a new limited edition take on their Type 1°, pairing what is maybe the most core model in their lineup with a rose gold-plated dial to create something that feels both familiar and novel all at once. Produced in a limited edition of 70 pieces worldwide, this is the Ressence Type 1°RG. Ressence, as a brand, is many things to many people. For some, it’s a colorful, exuberant exploration of the fun side of independent watches - a very high-end G-SHOCK of sorts, a balm for the soul weighed down far too often by the staid and serious watches that so often clog our Instagram feeds. For others, Ressence is that staid, serious watch; a brand pushing to the extremes of what a watch can be, exploring not just the complexities of modern watchmaking, but challenging the very nature of how time can be displayed and perceived. Naturally, each of these slightly pretentiously phrased extremes captures only a part of the whole; like most things, the reality of Ressence falls somewhere in the middle of these two perspectives. Still, Ressence is a brand that deservedly invites interest, and this latest release is no exception. In practice, the Type 1° is the prototypical Ressence, a pretty straightforward summation of what it takes to be a Ressence watch, and, as such, it has often served as a platform for the brand to play with its own aesthetic. In the past, we’ve seen Ressence ...
WatchAdvice
Hands-On Review Of The New Zenith DEFY Skyline Tourbillon
A tourbillon with attitude and a dial that refuses to be ignored. Zenith takes the DEFY Skyline to a whole new level with this rose-gold powerhouse. Bold, modern, and seriously impressive on the wrist! What We Love The combination of a brick-red dial with 18kt rose gold is the perfect combination. Rich, warm, and instantly eye-catching. High-frequency movement and a flying tourbillon is an extremely rare combination that Zenith has executed with some serious technical finesse. From the mirror-polished chamfers to the brushed facets and the rose-gold rotor, everything feels intentional, premium, and beautifully executed. What We Don’t Limited versatility when on the full-gold bracelet. It pushes the watch firmly into “special occasion” territory. A premium model with stunning looks and highly technical movement, the price, however, might put the watch out of reach for many. While the rotor and caseback finishing are gorgeous, much of the movement is still closed off, and some collectors may wish for a more open view. Overall Rating: 9.1/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build quality: 9/10 Zenith has long stood as a brand that has valued itself on precision and bold mechanical innovation, all the way from its roots back in Le Locle in 1865. This has become apparent even more with the invention of the El Primero movement, cementing the brand’s position as one of the leaders of high-beat performance. In the modern era of watchmaking, Zenith...
Monochrome
First Look – The new Steel and Purple Dial Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA Ice Forest SLGB005
Earlier this year, at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025, Grand Seiko unveiled a new and rather important collection, fitted with a brand new movement and carrying a meaningful name, the Spring Drive UFA. Now, if you’re a GS fan, you’ll immediately spot the connection with the VFA models of the past, as the new Ultra […]
Time+Tide
Grand Seiko unveils new SLGB005 ‘Ice Forest – Violet Dawn” U.F.A. limited edition in steel
Grand Seiko's U.F.A. range now has a purple dial limited edition and a first-ever Ever-Brilliant Steel case and bracelet.The post Grand Seiko unveils new SLGB005 ‘Ice Forest – Violet Dawn” U.F.A. limited edition in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Updates the Classics Premiere Line with New Dials and a New Bracelet
In some ways, Frederique Constant remains an outlier in a market that thrives on hype. Traditionally, the Swiss brand has built somewhat of a reputation as being a tortoise – slow and steady, releasing classic styles – versus the hares who seemed more concerned about virality than crafting a timeless piece. Because of this, even the smallest changes to their collections can raise the proverbial eyebrow and gain a little attention. Case in point: the newest in their Classics Premiere line-up. During Geneva Watch Days, it was a series of small adjustments that caught our attention. Most notably, the release of two new colors (blue and salmon – previously only a EU exclusive), the Art Deco-inspired Arabic numerals, and the release of a new steel bracelet. Each of these small components ultimately make an otherwise standard watch within the Frederique Constant line-up feel a little refreshed among its peers. For those unfamiliar with the Classics Premiere collection, it’s a smaller series, coming in at just 38.5mm (or a “delicate” size, as Frederique Constant’s marketing team puts it – isn’t that cute?). Within that petit (or would it be klein? I never know in Switzerland) stainless steel case houses a FC-301 automatic caliber (base LJPG100), giving the wearer an impressive 68-hour power reserve. Regarding the design of this particular pair, the new use of Breguet style numerals complements the overall vintage charm of the Classics Premiere. This is further...
Monochrome
Portrait – The Work of Indie Watchmaker Alan Birchall & his Fully Handmade Watch Show a Promising Future
There’s no denying that the love for independent watchmaking is on the rise. Throughout the past couple of years, we have also very happily seen a growing interest in artisanal watchmaking. Creating watches by hand, with traditional tools and techniques and hours and hours of labour. This time around, we have another new name lined […]
Time+Tide
Gérald Genta expands the Gentissima collection with a contrasting pair of studded Oursin showstoppers
The Gentissima Oursin collection expands for Geneva Watch Days 2025 with two stunning yellow gold and rose gold variations.The post Gérald Genta expands the Gentissima collection with a contrasting pair of studded Oursin showstoppers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
WatchCharts July 2025 Watch Market Update: Performance of Top Brands Remains Mixed
For the fourth month in a row, the picture of performance at the top remains mixed: the WatchCharts Overall Market Index fell by -0.1%, prices for Rolex fell by -0.2% and by -0.3% for Audemars Piguet. However, Patek Philippe prices rose by +0.6%.
Monochrome
The Petrolhead Corner – The Quadrifoglio Collection is the Stuff of Alfa Romeo Dreams
Few countries can hold a candle to the Italians when it comes to cars. With brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and so on, there’s no shortage of four-wheeled beauties. Just mention names like Bertone, Pininfarina, Zagato, Ghia, Giugiaro, and the hearts of most Petrolheads will start racing with excitement. It’s no wonder, then, […]
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Dashing Retro Allure of the Eberhard & Co. Chronographe 1887 Édition Limitée
Founded by Georges Eberhard in 1887 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Eberhard & Co. had established itself as a purveyor of innovative, technically advanced chronographs by 1919. Although the independent brand is well-known among Italian collectors, and its Chrono 4 model, with four separate counters inspired by the dashboard of race cars, might resonate with some readers, […]
Monochrome
Introducing – A Fresh Splash of Lime Green and Ice Blue for the Armin Strom Orbit
Armin Strom first introduced the System 78 series model, the Orbit, in 2022, which became the world’s first watch with an on-demand date display integrated into a ceramic bezel. The original version featured a mostly monochromatic look, a steel case and a black gold dial, accented only by the red date pointer tip and matching […]