Results for Neo-Vintage

Formex Introduces their New Travel Watch, the Stratos UTC

If you’ve chatted with the Formex team at a Windup event over the course of the last year or so, they have subtly teased their latest release, the Stratos UTC. It’s a watch that’s been in the works for some time, and a pretty big move for the brand. Formex has built a large following and an impeccable reputation in the enthusiast community through their ingenious solutions to all manner of issues pertaining to the physical case and bracelet. Their case suspension system designed to reduce the effect of shock is of course a prime example, but they’ve also developed a fantastic carbon fiber folding clasp that fits most straps and can easily adjusted on the fly, plus they make watches with interchangeable bezels, and they have a great bracelet with a simple and effective micro-adjustment capability of its own. But in terms of their movements, they’ve always been off the shelf (though chronometer certified). The Stratos changes that, introducing a clever travel complication similar to what you mind on watches well over twice the cost.  What we’re dealing with here at a high level is a watch that’s still easily recognizable as a Formex. It’s a modern, somewhat burly sports watch with an angular case that recalls the Essence design that many will be familiar with while cranking it up a notch or two in complexity. Like the Essence, we can expect the Stratos to wear small thanks to short, integrated lugs – the lug-to-lug measurement is just 46.5mm against a 41mm...

Maurice Lacroix Adds New AIKON References in Titanium

Close your eyes and come with me on a walk down memory lane. It’s 2006. I’m in my sophomore year of high school and it’s homecoming season. There’s a dance after the first football game of October and I’m out on the floor, in my very best outfit from JCPenney, waiting for the next song to load from the DJ’s (or was it math teacher’s?) iPod Nano. A synth comes over the gymnasium speakers and my 15-year-old self is introduced to the Grammy-nominated album, Konvicted, by Akon. I don’t think I’ve ever been the same since that moment, dear reader. It’s now nearly 18 years later when I am reminded of this as the latest release from Maurice Lacroix on the extension of their AIKON line-up hits my inbox. Sure, it’s spelled slightly differently, but nostalgia makes rooms for homophones, don’t you think?  The Swiss watchmaker has been producing the AIKON line since 2016 and, for the first time, now comes in titanium. The new additions come in two model options (Automatic or Automatic Chronograph) and a total of four colorways, giving the wearer an array of options for their personal preference and daily needs. Let’s start with the basics first – why titanium? The most important reason people choose titanium is for its durability. As Maurice Lacroix has noted, these four titanium references were designed as a response to their customer base’s needs. Having a watch that can withstand the normal wear and tear of daily life is a blessing when you’re payin...

Introducing – Longines Launches 15 New References in the Master Collection With Engraved Dials

Possibly the most classic and timeless range of Longines, the Master Collection has long been slightly overlooked since its inception in 2005, maybe due to a rather shy design. Yet, in 2022 to mark the brand’s 190th anniversary, Longines gave this collection a highly appealing twist, with grained dials and engraved Breguet-like numerals, elevating this […]

Favre Leuba’s New Chronograph Takes to the Sea Sky

Seiko Announces New Prospex 1968 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretation SLA077 And SLA079

The Seiko Marinemaster rings a lot of bells when it comes to dive watches. Since its very inception, with the reference SBDX001, the Marinemaster was tagged as a robust, professional-grade diver. Fast forward to 2024, Seiko again reaches into the heritage that made the Marinemaster a legend by introducing the SLA077 and SLA079 as part of their Prospex collection.

Doxa’s New SUB 300T Sharkhunter Is A Nod To Another Clive Cussler Adventure

Introducing – The Accessible Tissot Heritage 1938 COSC, Now in a Fresh White-Blue Edition

Released last year, the Tissot Heritage 1938 COSC is a watch that’s hard to not objectively find brilliant. Combining a nice retro design with modern specs and a truly fair price, it even comes equipped with a chronometer-certified movement – making it one of the most accessible Swiss chronometers on the market. This handsome, affordable […]

First Look – The new Baltic MR Roulette Collection, Bringing Vintage Calatrava Vibes

Founded in 2017 by Etienne Malec and friends, Baltic continues its rapid expansion to the point of not being able to use the term micro-brand anymore… Now an established watch brand with a comprehensive collection, ranging from racing chronographs to dive watches and adventure-themed models, Baltic also ventured into the world of dress watches with […]

We Put Hamilton’s Most Versatile New Adventure Watch to the Test

Will the Monaco Be TAG Heuer’s New Answer to the Ultra-Modern Sport Watch?

Introducing – The Piaget Polo Chronograph, Now in Emerald Green Panda

A highly important model within the brand’s collection, the Piaget Polo was born in 1979 as a vision of a luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Its distinctive design, which was re-edited in an opulent, faithful full gold model earlier this year (in the frame of the brand’s 150th-anniversary celebrations), the Piaget Polo is […]

Interview: A Conversation with Benoit de Clerck, Zenith’s New CEO

A few years ago, I bought my first luxury watch on eBay, an Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m ref. 2220.80.00. It was a watch I had first noticed on the wrist of Daniel Craig in Casino Royale over a decade earlier, and one which I had coveted. I spent way too much money on it, and accidentally (eBay defaulted to the wrong payment method) used my parents’ credit card to buy the watch. It was a boneheaded move, compounded by eBay’s then-nascent authentication program taking over two months to actually get the watch to me. But don’t worry, I did pay my parents back in relatively short order and eventually got the watch. And I got a fun story out of it that I am unlikely to soon forget. I would posit that many of us have similar stories about how we wound up making our first big watch purchase. Benoit de Clerck, who introduced himself to me as Ben, certainly does. “My first salary was a camera, a Nikon - you know, these old cameras and all that - but my second salary was an IWC Pilot’s Watch, 3706, and the story is, I did not have enough money to pay for it.” “So I paid it part on my credit card; part on cash; borrowed money from friends, brothers, sister, and friends; and post-dated checks,” he told me, “And the guy had never seen someone who wanted to do that for a watch, and of course, I wanted that watch now, obviously.” You might be amazed to know that Ben walked out of the boutique that day with his watch. “The owner of that store took a r...

[VIDEO] Hands-On with Sinn’s New Releases at Time to Watches

The Time to Watches show in Geneva, which runs at the same as Watches & Wonders but is not affiliated with that show in any way, offers a very different experience than what we found in Palexpo. It’s smaller, for sure, but also much more easygoing, less hectic, and calmer in every way. Much of that comes down to the brands that exhibit at Time to Watches, which tend to be small, enthusiast focused, and largely more affordable than the high end luxury brands on the other side of town.  The show, in fact, is so relaxed that meetings are barely required. On the day we attended, you could simply walk up to a booth at pretty much anytime, sit down, and talk about the watches on display. But we did carve out time to talk to some of the brands that are squarely in our wheelhouse at Time to Watches, and the first on the docket was Sinn. As accessible as Sinn is, relatively speaking, we don’t often have the chance to go hands-on with their newest releases fresh out of the gate, so we were excited to be able to spend some time with the new HYDRO U50 dive watches and their latest aviation inspired chronograph, the 103 St Ty Hd. In these videos, Zach Weiss takes us through the new HYDRO U50, a watch that many Sinn fans have been anticipating for some time. These oil filled watches combine the practicality of Sinn’s U50 diver with the over-the-top engineering of legendary tool watches like the EZM2 and provide incredible legibility.  We also have Zach Kazan on the new 103 St Ty...

Business News: Greubel Forsey Gets New CEO

Greubel Forsey has just announced a change of leadership, with Michel Nydegger assuming the role of chief executive officer. Interestingly, the current chief executive officer, Antonio Calce, will then become a vice president starting August 2024. Mr Nydegger joined the brand eight years ago and rose to his present role of head of marketing and communications in 2021, shortly after Mr Calce took over. Mr Nydegger was part of the team that supercharged Greubel Forsey’s revenue and profitability, and embarked on an expansion of its “inclined” manufacture, thanks in part to a bestselling line of sports watches introduced by Mr Calce. According to the company, despite the management changes, “Greubel Forsey will remain independent, with Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey, and Antonio Calce continuing as shareholders.” The significance of this leadership transition at Greubel Forsey is not yet publicly known, although there has been talk that the brand is seeking new investors. The company’s ownership structure was simplified in 2022 when Richemont sold its 20% stake to Messrs Greubel, Forsey, and Calce. One rumoured scenario is that a consortium led by a well-known industry personality is taking over Greubel Forsey, something that may be announced in fall 2024.  

Rado 2024 new watches: True Square x Kunihko Morinaga (with video)

A quick view of all the Rado 2024 novelties (video) with a focus on our highlight from the collection - the True Square x Kunihko Morinaga.

De Bethune New Novelties For 2024: DB Kind Of Grand Complication

Wei sit down with Pierre Jacques, CEO of De Bethune, as we discover their 2024 novelties, the highlight is definitely the DB Kind Of Grand Complication.

TAG Heuer’s Wild New Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph

If the narrative around Watches & Wonders 2024 is a slate of subdued, iterative watches that are somewhat short on the “wonders,” a take that has been forming even before the beginning of the show, counterpoints will inevitably be offered in the discourse. This year’s flashiest release from TAG Heuer, the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph, is perhaps the most compelling piece of evidence that some brands, even the absolute largest among them, are still trying to wow us. It’s a big, bold reminder that the “AG” in TAG stands for avant-garde, and after a year spent focusing on one of the best consumer products the brand has released in years in their Glassbox line of Carreras, it points toward their other key strength.  TAG is showcasing the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph as the next stage in a long line of precision chronographs, going back a more than a century, beginning with the legendary Mikrograph in 1916, a stopwatch used in Olympic timekeeping in the 1920s and 1930s that was capable of recording timing intervals to the 1/100th of a second. This watch was followed by the Microsplit, which could do the same, but with the addition of rattrapante functionality. Heuer continued to produce iconic chronographs and stopwatches throughout the 1960s, always making the most of the watchmaking technology available. That includes quartz timekeeping, with the introduction of a battery powered split-second chronograph worn by some of the most recognizable names in moto...

Vulcain Introduces New Dial Variants in the Skindiver Nautique Line

Back in March of last year, Zach Weiss reviewed the Vulcain Skindiver Nautique. This was a case where the headline really said it all, but of course the whole review is worth a read for a fuller context. I had some hands-on time with this watch as well, and agree completely with his sentiments. Describing the watch as “very reasonable” is really essential to understanding it. It’s not extraordinary, it’s not a revolution in watchmaking. It’s a deeply adequate and relentlessly normal execution of tried and true sports watch format: the skin diver. And that’s OK! The entire idea of the modern skin diver is really based on the fact that a handful of brands really nailed the design decades ago. It’s not a platform that needs to be played with. There are lots of new versions of this type of watch from a huge variety of brands, and I think “reasonable” is really what most of them should be shooting for.  Vulcain has just announced a total of four new variants of the Nautique Skindiver, and they strive to offer a little more variety than the initial drop from last spring. New dial variants include options in orange, brown, and green, as well as a new reference with a bronze case and black dial, and a very striking variant in yellow gold plate with a dial in a dark shade of blue. This one, I have to admit, is a little outside the bounds of reasonable, and might be striving for something a little more.  All of the new Skindiver Nautique variants have the same 38...

Rado’s New Watch Changes Color, Just Like Kunihiko Morinaga’s Clothing Designs

Meet the Breitling Navitimer new models, inspired by aviation but designed for everyday wear

Blancpain Unveils New Fifty Fathoms Automatique in a 42mm Case

Audemars Piguet’s new CEO, Ilaria Resta, talks about her mission to lead boldly

Portrait – Audemars Piguet’s New CEO Ilaria Resta Speaks About Her Arrival and the Future of AP

Five months in as CEO of one of the most luxurious watch brands, Audemars Piguet, Mrs Ilaria Resta offers her view on the current market and how she sees the future of the esteemed Le Brassus-based Maison. Dressed in a green suit with a 38mm purple dial Code 11:59 on the wrist, Italian-Swiss Ilaria Resta […]

Omega unveils new white dial edition of the Speedmaster Moonwatch

Audemars Piguet opens new AP House in Milan