31,771 articles · 168 videos found · page 298 of 1065
Monochrome
Founded in 2017, Laventure is the project of a man named Clément Gaud. Despite achieving a degree of fame over the years, it is still a one-man show. Focused on genuine Swiss-made watches with an undeniable vintage flair and made for adventure (hence the name), Laventure has produced several watches under the Marine and Sous-Marine […]
Worn & Wound
Ressence is one of my favorite independent watch brands for a number of reasons. Chief among them, of course, is the novel time telling system invented by the brand, which is unlike anything else in watchmaking. It’s an example of both mechanical ingenuity and a design triumph, and like others who have had a chance to experience it, I’m continually blown away by the intuitive layout of these watches and the creativity in rethinking something as basic as telling the time. Another reason Ressence has such a strong appeal is that this design language has proven to be incredibly flexible, something we’ve observed over the years as the brand has collaborated with a variety of partners on interesting limited edition projects. The Grail Watch release with Alain Silberstein remains a personal favorite, as does their Dubai Watch Week LE from a few years ago (a new limited edition celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi is also pretty great). A pair of new watches made in collaboration with the artist Daniel Engelberg might just be my favorite Ressence limited edition yet. We got a very quick preview of these watches when we met with Ressence at Watches & Wonders earlier this year, and were immediately taken with their bold color palettes and a design that really leans into the brand’s aesthetic while still being wholly unique works. Engelbert is a German artist and a quick look at his Instagram feed reveals his interest in color and shape, and these dials immediat...
Time+Tide
Naoya Hida presents their most complicated watch yet, powered by a Habring and Dubois-Dépraz perpetual calendar calibre.The post Naoya Hida releases the Type 6A perpetual calendar, rivalling equivalent Patek Philippe models (at least in price) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The latest watch from Ressence represents a number of firsts for the brand. It’s their first watch with a bracelet, the first with a GMT complication, and the first to be marketed somewhat boldly as a tool watch. The conceit behind the Type 7 is express the Ressence look and the brand’s principles in the most rugged possible context. It borrows many ideas and features from previous releases, as you’d expect, but combines them into something genuinely new and fills out a spot in the Ressence catalog that has somewhat surprisingly always been open. Ressence calls the Type 7 their “sportive-chic GMT,” which is language that we sometimes hear high end brands apply to elegant sports watches derived from a design language that might not traditionally support a true sports watch. “Chic” is often code for integrated bracelet, and expensive, and both of those are (somewhat) true of the Type 7. I imagine there will be straps that can fit this watch, but it was clearly conceived from the start as being made for a bracelet, so we can call it integrated in spirit, at least. Like the case, the bracelet is constructed from titanium, and includes a clasp with micro-adjust built in. The case measures 41mm in diameter and is 14mm tall. It’s 50 meters water resistant, which is maybe not as robust as some might expect when the “tool watch” label is invoked, but is pretty deep when compared to most other watches in the Ressence catalog, with the notable exception of the...
SJX Watches
Continuing the development of scaled-down versions of its signature wristwatch, Ressence unveils the Type 9. Characterised by a 39 mm titanium case – the smallest model in the brand’s current catalogue – the Type 9 is similar to the Type 8 in being a time-only displaying just hours and minutes, with no seconds. In a first for the brand, the minute scale has been repositioned from the dial to the fixed bezel that now sports a five-minute scale. Initial thoughts The Type 9 is a logical evolution of the brand’s entry-level model that retains the trademark “planetary” time display but in a smaller, simpler format. With a diameter of only 39 mm and short lugs, the Type 9 is more wearable. Though the Type 9 is the most affordable watch in the line-up, the new model does not compromise on aesthetics, maintaining the distinctive look and feel. Priced at CHF12,500, the Type 9 is CHF1,000 less expensive than the next-most-affordable model, the Type 8. For me, it is an ideal Ressence wristwatch that combines a perfect proportions with affordability. Arguably the only downside of the Type 9 is that it adds to the ever-growing catalogue of fairly similar models. The overlap between the Types 8 and 9 are obvious and possibly confusing. Perfect size In traditional Ressence style, the case of the Type 9 has no crown. Instead time-setting and manual winding of the movement is done by rotating the case back. Due to its construction, the case is only water resistant to 10 m, “s...
Time+Tide
Ressence introduces its most affordable and simple watch yet, with all the refinements that make it basic(ally perfect).The post The Type 9 continues a simplified chapter for Ressence appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
When you think of Ressence, the first things that come to mind are likely the brand’s forward thinking, non traditional design language, and their completely unique mechanical solution for telling time via a series of rotating circles as opposed to traditional hands. You probably don’t think of traditional craft – given the hyper-modern aesthetic of the brand, most of their signature designs forego the tenets of classical watchmaking. There are exceptions to be found, of course, in the Ressence’s library of one-offs and limited editions, but classifying their approach, on the whole, as somewhat “industrial” isn’t too far off the mark. That’s what makes a watch like the Type 8 Indigo so interesting. It’s one of those exceptions, and in it we can see the many different things a Ressence watch can be. The Type 8 Indigo is Ressence’s contribution to the The Indigo Project, led by Shellman, the brand’s Tokyo based Japanese retail partner. The design of the dial incorporates a single indigo dyed silk thread, placed in a spiral pattern by a skilled artisan. Indigo dyeing is part of a craft tradition in Japan spanning centuries, and the watch is a tribute to both Japanese tradition and an impressive design object on its own. Because of the dye and the nature of the thread itself, a range of blue tones are visible on the dial. According to Ressence, the total length of the thread is 2.5 meters, and it measures just 0.2mm in diameter, which underscores the in...
Fratello
Praesidus is one of those brands I have quickly come to love. It focuses on introducing vintage-inspired military watches with unique stories. The brand has a knack for finding remarkable military stories and using them as inspiration for its timepieces. The latest addition to the growing lineup is the Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph. This watch’s […] Visit Hands-On With The New Meca-Quartz Praesidus Type H-75 Chronograph to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
One of the most interesting new watches (and new brands) to surface at Geneva Watch Days this year was the Albishorn Maxigraph, made in collaboration with Massena LAB. Now, just a few months after their debut, Albishorn is back with their second effort, the Type 10. This might seem like a rapid pace for a brand to be moving at, but once you understand Albishorn’s backstory, it begins to make a little more sense. The brand is the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet, a watch industry veteran who is currently Director of Innovation and Marketing at Sellita. There are probably few individuals in the watch space better positioned to make a quick start than Sébastien, and after chatting with him briefly about his brand and his plans for it at Geneva Watch Days, it’s no surprise to see the Type 10 surface now, and it will be even less of a surprise to know that Sébastien has a an even longer term release roadmap planned out well in advance. The conceit of Albishorn, you’ll likely remember, is that of a brand that creates “vintage watches that never existed.” These are not vintage reissues, or even inspired, necessarily, by actual vintage watches. Rather, the watches that will make up the Albishorn collection will exist as thought experiments, imagining parallel histories in which a watch like the Type 10 or the Maxigraph could have been designed, but weren’t. It’s a subtle but important twist on the notion of a vintage inspired watch, and one that, I think, shoul...
Monochrome
Founded in 1934, Airain was well known for its Type 20 flyback chronographs in the mid-20th century, supplying the French military along with brands like Breguet and Mathey Tissot. These chronographs could be instantly reset to zero by pressing the 4 o’clock pusher via the flyback function and had specific requirements like a bidirectional 12-hour […]
Time+Tide
If you could only own and wear watches from one watch category, what would it be?The post You can only wear one type of watch for life… Andrew, Marcus, & Zach share their picks appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force is not like other watches. At a glance, it clearly doesn’t look like them, but more importantly, it also works a bit differently too, featuring a first in watchmaking. To be clear, it still tells time with three hands, is operated by a crown, and has all of the movement components one expects to find on a watch, from a mainspring to an escapement. But it hides a very cool secret. Something that sets it apart. Hidden within is a little mechanism that helps it be more accurate. It’s not a complication, per say, as it doesn’t add any functions beyond time-telling, rather, it makes for a better watch. The Gravity Equal Force is one of a small handful of watches that attempts to address a fundamental issue with mechanical timepieces: variations in accuracy across their power reserves due to changing torque. As the power reserve diminishes, the torque, or force, decreases, the amplitude of the escapement falls, and the timekeeping becomes less accurate. Watchmakers have addressed this issue in various ways over the last few hundred years, which are often grouped together and referred to as “constant force” mechanisms. The Gravity Equal Force uses a simple, though uncommon, mechanism compared to typical “constant force” systems such as fuseé, chains, and remontoirs called a Geneva or Maltese cross. This mechanism prevents the watch mainspring from unwinding to the point where the torque and, thus, the accuracy really drop off. Ho...
Monochrome
Ninety years in the making, Audi has done something extremely cool! They’ve taken a concept that was never brought to life and finally built it. It’s called the Auto Union Type 52 Schnellsportwagen, and it’s basically the wildest Autobahn cruiser you can ever imagine! It’s a bit of an exaggeration saying it was ’90 years […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
In the world of independent micro-brands, NEOTYPE has made a strong impression since its 2022 launch. Founded by two industry veterans, each with fifteen years of watchmaking experience, NEOTYPE embodies their shared passion for functional design and quality craftsmanship.
Monochrome
We’ve said it on numerous occasions, but watchmaking isn’t limited to Switzerland or even Europe. There is potential all around the globe, sometimes in the most unexpected places. Japan, for that matter, is one of the most fascinating spots for watches, including independent, creative horology. Names such as Minase, Hajime Asaoka (and Kurono) or Kikuchi […]
Teddy Baldassarre
More than just about any other watchmaker, Japan's Seiko has become known for offering not only multiple styles and complications in its product families, but also several different types of movements - from affordable quartz, to proprietary hybrid Spring Drive, to high-tech solar and radio-controlled, to classically traditional mechanical. However, one Holy Grail combo that has eluded Seiko and its fans until very recently is the rare GMT (aka dual-time) watch powered by a mechanical movement and priced at what most would consider entry-level for a budding collector. Fortunately, the past few years of R&D; have yielded several all-new GMT-equipped, self-winding mechanical movements for the Japanese megabrand, which have found their way into several models in its modern collections. Here’s a guide to familiarize yourself with all the Seiko mechanical GMTs on the market now - and yes, all of them offer the enticing value proposition that has made Seiko a darling of enthusiasts at every level of economic means. SEIKO 5 SPORTS The Seiko 5 Sports series traces its roots all the way back to 1963 and the original Seiko Sportsmatic 5, a groundbreaking timepiece that ushered in the emblematic “five attributes” that define Seiko’s entry-level mechanical collection today. These include automatic movements, date or day/date displays in a single window, water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a case and bracelet made of durable materials. Stylistically, the w...
Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet's annual Social Club festivities kick off this year with a new AP House and a boatload of new APs.The post Audemars Piguet Social Club 2024 kicks off with the debut of a new ‘Sand Gold’ alloy & a John Mayer collab appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Founded last year by Thomas van Straaten, VPC is a Dutch micro brand making its debut with the Type 37HW. Mr van Straaten, who formerly works for an Amsterdam-based watch dealer and now writes for media platform Fratello, started VPC with the goal of creating the “ultimate” everyday watch in his words. VPC is short for Venustas Per Constantiam, Latin that translates as either “beauty through constancy” or “charm through restraint.” Featuring numerous clever details, the Type 37HW is the result of Mr van Straaten’s own experience owning, and later growing bored with, numerous watches that, in his view, featured compromised designs. He appears to have approached this problem forensically, considering everything from the bracelet end-links to the typography on the dial. Initial Thoughts The Type 37HW is an impressive debut that manages to stand out in a crowded segment of the watch market thanks to several interesting details. The central premise of the Type 37HW is that it is a “go anywhere, do anything”, or GADA, watch. Almost every aspect of the watch appears to have been designed with this use case in mind. The Type 37HW offers goldilocks proportions, and is unusually slim at just 9.8 mm thick (including 2 mm for the domed sapphire crystal). The svelte profile is likely possible thanks to the use of a manually wound Sellita SW216-1. Unfortunately, the combination of a screw-down crown and a manually wound movement – one with a relatively short 45...
Monochrome
Watches have always been intertwined with big historical events all over the world. Many are connected to pivotal events or influential people, such as the Omega Speedmaster and the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the Moon or the watches worn by King Charles III of the British royal family. But some watches are not […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Chiming watches represent one of the most coveted types of complicated watches in the world - despite the fact that they are also one of the most archaic and, in practical terms, obsolete. The most popular type is the minute repeater, which chimes the time audibly on demand; it was invented for pocket watches in the 18th and 19th Century as a practical method of alerting its wearer of the current time in the dark, in the era before electric lighting and luminous details on watch dials. Definitively regarded as more a luxury today than a tool, a minute repeater has an independent chiming mechanism with two small hammers striking coiled metal gongs, generally activated by a slide on the side of the case, to produce different tones for the hour, quarter hour, and minute. The most sophisticated of these chiming watches might also include a grande sonnerie, and/or petite sonnerie: the former perpetually strikes the hour every hour and the hour plus the quarter-hour at every quarter, without any need for the wearer to activate it with a slide; the latter strikes the hour every hour, and the quarter-hour (but not the hour) every quarter, also independently of any activation by the wearer. Sometimes the chiming functions are even coordinated with moving, elaborate dial animations called automata. Watches with chiming functions tend to be rather rare and almost always prodigiously expensive, but a handful of watchmakers have managed to create examples that are slightly less compl...
Worn & Wound
You’ve got two options. First, you can craft or find a device that can bend space and time so that you can travel back to an alternate universe in which the MIL-W-46374F Type 6 SANDY 660 was widely issued and battle-worn, and readily available. Second, you could just pay closer attention to what Tornek Rayville (under its current MKII Watch umbrella) is doing and snag a version that’s better than the slightly obscure original. Maybe I’ve been reading too much science fiction lately, but as fun as the first option sounds, the second option is probably the right move. Today, we’re looking at Tornek-Rayville’s take on a lesser-known mil-spec watch with a short-lived history of service but plenty of potential. The spec called out for a navigator-style watch with a rotating bezel, quartz movement with antimagnetic properties, water resistance, and a focus on legibility. The TR Type 7B “Blakjak” is a modern take on the post Gulf War-era watch that improves upon the spec while adding some premium touches that us watch collectors will appreciate. Let’s dig in and take a closer look at the latest and greatest from Tornek Rayville. Case The first thing that struck me when unboxing the watch was the sheer size and weight of it. The 7B ships on a quick-release stainless steel bracelet and includes a nylon and rubber strap. I took it off the bracelet and popped it onto a nylon strap of my own for the initial evaluation. My wrist is pretty average, measuring in at 6.75...
Deployant
The calendar is an indispensable component of civilisation. It allows us to chart the flow of time in order to better organise milestones pertaining to religion, agriculture, and social life, among other things. Of the many types of calendars that we are aware of, the Chinese calendar remains one of the most complex. The ChineseRead More
Quill & Pad
Type 20 is a specification by the French Ministry of Defense for the standard-equipment pilot's watch chronographs. Unlike German pilot's watch specifications, those for the French Type 20 are not clearly documented but are rather based on common characteristics shared by various manufacturers. Bhanu Chopra explains what makes these watches so sought after and goes through the main models and characteristics.
Monochrome
Dutch entrepreneur Tom van Wijlick has made a conscientious effort to restore revival-brand Airain’s name and image through carefully curated re-editions of historic watches. Not only has the Type 20 captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts and collectors, but the Sous-Marine is set to do the same. Both collections are inspired by past designs […]
Worn & Wound
In the big wide world of watches, there is nothing quite like a Ressence. The Belgium-based brand has made its name through futuristic designs that utilize co-planar revolving discs and other dial elements to create a cohesive and interesting time-telling experience. In the brand’s lineup, the Type 1 Round is positioned as the foundation and the most distilled vision of what Ressence stands for. The new Type 1° M, however, reveals a playful side that has not been seen before. Out with the staid black and gray tones for which the brand has been so well known for; it’s time for some color. The Type 1 Round’s case is, well, round, and measures 42.7mm wide, 47mm lug to lug, and 11mm thick. It is made of Grade 5 Titanium and does away with a traditional crown (more on winding in a moment). The dial is in the classic Ressence regulator style and displays days, hours, minutes, and seconds. Without a number in sight, which is which? On this multi-colored version it’s a little easier to ascertain: the blue chapter ring along the edge of the dial marks the seconds while the green dial tracks the hours. Yellow is for running seconds, and the red segmented ring marks the days of the week with the two outlined sections representing the weekend. Under the hood, Ressence’s patented Orbital Convex System (ROCS) enables the modules for the hours, minutes, seconds, and days to continuously revolve around one another. The movement is based on a (heavily) modified ETA-2892 and runs...
Worn & Wound
Ressence continues to capture our interest and imaginations thanks to their ingenious time telling display, powered by their proprietary Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) module. The platform of circular discs orbiting one another is unlike anything else in watchmaking, and Ressence could probably dine out on this technology alone for years. But as releases like the new Type 1 DX3 prove, they don’t seem content to just make the same watch over and over again. The fact is, the physical characteristics of the ROCS system provide a great canvas for a design team to really go to town, and experiment with aesthetic choices that wouldn’t be possible on a normal watch. The new Type 1 DX3 is a limited edition collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons for this year’s Dubai Watch Week. It’s the third and final watch in a series of collaborations between Ressence and the luxury retail group behind the Dubai Watch Week concept, and continues Ressence’s exploration of traditional Arab art. In this execution of the Type 1, the dial is a canvas for Arab geometric art, with a motif in gold and brown hues. The DX3 is a play on popular fumé dials, with darker tones at the perimeter and lighter shades in the center. Of course, like every Ressence, the smaller dials move throughout the course of a day, so the character of this effect changes gradually from moment to moment. Adding further to the dial’s visual complexity, virtually the entire surface is lumed, filled in a cloi...
SJX Watches
At this year’s Dubai Watch Week, Ressence and its Middle East retail partner, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, have unveiled their third and final edition – the Type 1 DX3. This unique timepiece puts a distinctive twist on the minimalist Type 1, featuring a dial inspired by Arabic geometric patterns, echoing the aesthetic of the pair’s past collaborations. Initial thoughts This limited edition for the Dubai retailer resonates with me – and is arguably one of the most outstanding recent watches from Ressence – illustrating the potential to blend modern aesthetics while grounding the watch in the region. It manages to stand apart from Ressence’s minimalist watches, which have been iterated in a multitude of variants to date. The DX3 sticks to the outline of the standard Type 1 Round, but its standout feature lies in the copper-tone dial that’s embellished with captivating rose motifs reminiscent of Islamic art and architecture, and further accented with Super-Luminova that glows green. The Type 1 DX3 retails for CHF23,600, will be limited to merely 35 pieces and accompanied by a copy of Arts & Crafts in Motion, the brand’s first book that’s published jointly with Seddiqi. Considering the dial decoration, this undeniably presents a more alluring proposition in contrast to the standard production models. However one can hope that Ressence will maintain the exclusivity of this design and refrain from replicating it later on. A cloisonné dial with Arabic patterns The DX3...
Worn & Wound
For watch collectors and enthusiasts, Tissot is a brand that holds special meaning. Part of the Swatch group, they are a rare brand that offers a little of everything, always at a good price, and always Swiss-made. Vintage, modern, sport, digital, dress, quirky, classic – you name it, they’ve got it. They also span all types of movements, making it very easy to find a watch that suits your taste and budget. While a great way to get into Swiss-made watches, Tissot is a brand that you’ll find yourself going back to over the years. Today, we’re very excited to welcome Tissot to the Windup Watch Shop. For watch collectors and enthusiasts, Tissot is a brand that holds special meaning. Part of the Swatch group, they are a rare brand that offers a little of everything, always at a good price, and always Swiss-made. Vintage, modern, sport, digital, dress, quirky, classic – you name it, they’ve got it. They also span all types of movements, making it very easy to find a watch that suits your taste and budget. While a great way to get into Swiss-made watches, Tissot is a brand that you’ll find yourself going back to over the years. Today, we’re very excited to welcome Tissot to the Windup Watch Shop. The post Tissot Just Hit Our Windup Watch Shop! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
It’s hard to imagine how fine a more or less simple steel watch can be. You’ve likely encountered high-end steel watches from the typical luxury houses that come to mind. For example, Omega, Rolex, or Grand Seiko make stunning steel watches with excellent finishing. It’s fair to ask yourself, how much better or different can finishing get? And then, if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity, you get to see Naoya Hida’s watches, and you realize that a seemingly simple steel watch still has plenty of room for elevation. The difference isn’t in broad strokes, it’s in the minutia. “Fit and finish” turned up that much more. Details are finished by hand for that wabi-sabi effect of subtle variations and vibrations that add life. I once heard a person refer to something as having “gravity” to define the “X” factor that sets something of quality apart. As a physical, unavoidable force of attraction, this makes sense. While it might take a loupe to truly appreciate the subtleties of the finish on a Naoya Hida watch, it pulls you in with a force beyond your control. I’ve had the experience of seeing the Naoya Hida watches twice now, about a year apart from each other, both times at Mark Cho’s Armoury location in NYC’s Tribeca. The first time was certainly exciting, but the second, which was just a few weeks ago, was revelatory. Perhaps that is because Mr. Hida, and his engraver Keisuke Kano, came to the US to present the watches in person. The ad...
Worn & Wound
When I think back to last year’s Watches & Wonders, there are only a handful of watches and experiences that really stand out in my memory now that time has done its thing. The one-off Streamliner that H. Moser coated entirely in Vantablack comes to mind, as does that giant purple Hublot that has become a point of personal obsession.. As I reflect back though on my first Watches & Wonders, there’s another meeting that stands out, somewhat surprisingly, from all the others, and that’s our experience with Ressence. I’ve always admired Ressence and had limited hands-on experience with them in boutiques and at meetups prior to seeing them in Geneva, but it was another thing entirely to have a whole bunch of them laid out on a table with brand founder Benoit Mintiens personally taking us through the collection. These watches are truly special, quite rare, and try them all on in rapid fire succession was just a lot of fun. The big new release at the time, the Type 8 C, made a particularly strong impression as the new entry level Ressence. It was lightweight, beautiful, and approachable in a way that no other Ressence had felt like to me. Now, just in time for Watches & Wonders ‘23, Ressence has introduced another Type 8, this one in a gorgeous shade of green. The new Type 8 S (for “sage green”) has exactly the same specs as last year’s version in blue. That means it still has a lugless 43mm case made from grade 5 titanium, that’s just 11mm tall. It has a flyi...
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