18,939 articles · 2,647 videos found · page 307 of 720
Monochrome
While most of you are familiar with Sarpaneva, the indie watch company created by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva, his other brand, S.U.F Helsinki, is slightly more confidential. Standing for Sarpaneva Uhren Fabrik, said to be “Finland, through and through,” S.U.F Helsinki is Stepan’s vision to explore simpler, sportier and more accessible watches… but still inspired by his […]
Fratello
HP Hercules watches, originally crafted in post-war Germany, made a comeback in 2022 under the leadership of Swiss watchmaker (of Dutch origins) Adriaan Trampe, formerly of EZA watches. The brand’s rebirth leans on nostalgia, but aims to recharge it with modern mountaineering efforts. I got a chance to go hands-on with the Hercules Hand-Wound Double […] Visit Hands-On With The Everest-Worn HP Hercules Hand-Wound Double Barrelled to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Back in 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso Tribute collection to celebrate the 85th anniversary of their iconic reversible rectangular-cased watch. Last year they added four new Reverso watches to this collection, two of which finally get us back to a case size that is nearly identical to that of the original Reverso from 1931. The Reverso has been a canvass for so many of JLC’s designs and watchmaking innovations over the years but I have to say it is so nice to get back to the basics with a legitimately unisex size and a monoface dial. As nice as the duoface Reversos are, the watch was conceived for polo players who wanted to protect their watch while leaving room for some personalization on the enclosed side. Here I am looking at the Reverso Tribute Monoface in steel with a blue dial, though it is also available in a white dial version. JLC Reverso History The year is 1931: Herbert Hoover is President, the Empire State Building in New York City is nearing completion, and the Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as America’s National Anthem. Of course, something entirely different is going on in the world of Swiss watchmaking when businessman and watch distributor Cesar de Trey attends a polo match while traveling in India. He notices one of the players watch crystal shattered while playing so he he pitched an idea to one of his colleagues who just happened to be Jacques-David LeCoultre. LeCoultre enlisted his partner Edmond Jaeger and the rest is, as they say,...
Teddy Baldassarre
With Tissot's revival of its 1978 Seastar design and its transformation into the PRX line back in 2021, the brand seemed to catch lightning in a bottle, offering the watch-collecting world an integrated-bracelet style at an affordable price point. While the PRX collection initially debuted with quartz-powered watches (with price tags to reflect that), the brand built on the initial success of the new identity and further developed its value proposition with the release of PRX models incorporating an automatic mechanical movement - the Powermatic 80 caliber - all while remaining under the $1,000 mark. In the years since, Tissot has only continued to diversify its repertoire of models within the PRX model family, offering a variety of case sizes, additional functionality, and, of course, nearly every color option that you can dream up, still at one of the most competitive price points in the industry. We know it, we love it, and though we aren’t through the decade yet, I think it’s safe to say that the Tissot PRX has solidified itself as one of the most influential watches of the 2020s. Today, I'll focus on none other than the Tissot PRX 35mm. Inarguably, the 40mm PRX remains the most popular size of the watch, but as someone who makes her preference for smaller watches well-known, I would argue that shaving off just 5mm in diameter has a profound impact on the versatility of the design, especially for those with smaller wrists. Tissot PRX History Size comparison: ...
Time+Tide
Another stunning dial from Seiko and another accessible price point, this time with links back to the brand's origin.The post The Seiko Presage Classic Series Urushi dial pays homage to the brand’s origins appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Monochrome
Montblanc, the renowned producer of luxury fountain pens since 1906, entered the watchmaking arena in 1997. Keen to enhance its horological credentials, Montblanc acquired the famous Minerva manufacture in 2006. While the brand’s vintage-inspired 1858 line takes inspiration from Minerva’s historical watches and is named after the year the fabled manufacture was founded, it would […]
Time+Tide
Dimepiece, Foundwell and Timex are back with a new collaboration that remixes the Intrepid 1995 reissue in a new 36mm size.The post The new Timex Intrepid x Dimepiece Edition is a 36mm remix of their 1995 reissue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Seems it wasn’t that long ago (in reality, it was close to a year ago) that I wrote my first “Objects of Desire” article about the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, finishing with: given the prices of their watches I was unlikely to be able to buy any of the ones I truly lusted after anytime soon. My observation at the time was “go big or go home." As you will see, I've ended up going big and am now the proud owner of a Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1.
Monochrome
The symbiotic relationship between mechanical watches and motorsports shows no signs of waning. When Girard-Perregaux was in the hands of Italian CEO Luigi Macaluso, a former rally driver, the brand forged a partnership with Ferrari in 1994, lasting ten years. In 2021, with Patrick Pruniaux at the helm, Girard-Perregaux became the official watch partner of […]
Time+Tide
From Bolt and Volkanovski to Murakami and Arsham, here's a guide to the provocative brand's coolest ambassadors.The post How Hublot makes the most of its ambassadors, and 11 of the coolest from world champs to K-pop stars appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Fratello
A couple of weeks ago, we discussed what we considered some of the best watches of 2025 overall. We realized that chronographs were somewhat underrepresented in that episode and couldn’t let that fly. Today on Fratello Talks, we’re discussing the best chronographs of 2025 (so far). You join Nacho, RJ, and Thomas in the studio, […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Best Chronographs Of 2025 (So Far) to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Watches with mechaquartz movements are a small but quietly growing niche within the industry, particularly in the ambitious, creative, and extremely budget-conscious world of small independent watchmaking. Watchmakers have discovered that these “hybrid” movements, which offer quartz-level accuracy along with a dose of mechanical appeal, can often provide the opportunity to make chronograph watches that entice watch enthusiasts while still maintaining the affordable price points that keep their brands competitive. But what is a mechaquartz movement, exactly, and what watch brands are currently offering the most interesting examples of this technology? Read on. What is a MechaQuartz Movement? In a nutshell, mechaquartz (which various brands and other sources have also spelled mecaquartz, meca-quartz, or mecha-quartz) refers to a chronograph movement that combines a battery-powered quartz crystal oscillator for the main timekeeping (i.e., the hours, minutes, and running seconds) with a mechanical module for the stopwatch functions. The latter element ensures that the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly over the dial, as in a fully automatic watch, rather than in short jumps, as it would operate in a fully quartz one, and that the seconds hand will snap back instantly to zero at the end of a time measurement. A mecaquartz movement is often referred to as a hybrid movement, but it’s not a hybrid in the same technical sense as, say, Seiko’s Spring Drive calibers, ...
Worn & Wound
A few months ago when Seiko unveiled their Jaws watch, I didn’t really think much of it. Jaws is one of the most popular movies ever made, and it’s celebrating a big anniversary this year. In a world where watch brands collaborate with all kinds of silly entities for all kinds of silly reasons, it seemed like a pretty normal release. Then, just in the last week, Seiko announced a trio of watches bearing the Datsun name. OK, a Japanese car – a cult classic car at that – doesn’t require a whole lot of mental gymnastics to figure out. But then yesterday, when I opened Instagram over my morning coffee and saw the new Seiko “Pepsi” watches, reader I have to admit: it broke my brain a little. At first I thought it must be a prank or a joke. Maybe Seiko’s account got hacked and one of these new AI engines built an entire marketing campaign around the most on-the-nose “collaboration” yet? But no, a little digging revealed that the two new Seiko 5 Sports watches with blue and red Pepsi bezels were indeed an endeavor bearing the name of the number 2 cola in the country. We’ve been referring to bezels in this colorway as “Pepsi” bezels for longer than I’ve been involved in the watch industry, as a hobbyist and certainly as a professional. It certainly never occurred to me that one day the beverage company would sign on as what amounts to an official partner with a watch brand. But it’s a testament to the ultra-corporatized watch world we’re all livin...
Monochrome
Panerai and its Submersible line of dive watches hardly need an introduction as these robust, military-inspired timepieces, crafted for modern adventurers yet rooted in Panerai’s mission to develop precision instruments for the Italian Navy’s underwater commandos, have excited enthusiasts since 1998, first as part of the Luminor collection, and as a standalone series since 2019. […]
Time+Tide
What happens when you add a WWI naval camouflage to a tool watch and throw in a pinch of radioactive gas for good measure?The post Oracle Time teams up with Ball with dazzling results appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Monochrome
Dutch watch enthusiast, collector and entrepreneur Diederik van Golen is back at it again, reviving a fun historical piece of watchmaking with his newly founded brand, Volan Watches. Inspired by his love for cars, yachting and watches, the goal is to bring back the Keyring Watch, an item that was very popular in the 1950s […]
SJX Watches
Jaquet Droz is enjoying a good run with unique, dragon-themed watches. While last month’s debut was firmly in the mould of Anglo-Saxon fantasy lore, the Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold “Dragon Mask” is inspired by the Chinese dragon. A unique piece created at the behest of a client, like most of brand’s current repertoire, the Dragon Mask has an open-worked dial engraved and painted by hand – and set with emeralds – installed on a skeletonised, self-winding tourbillon movement. Initial thoughts Personalised commissions are, by definition, personal and not for everyone. This watch is over the top in its decoration, maybe even overdone to the point of kitsch, but I like it. Dragon-themed watches don’t always get the motif right – Breguet’s dragon was a little too fat – but this one is done well in its own way. The case is a little large for what it is, but the size is useful as it results in a larger canvas for the dial decoration. And because this is a Jaquet Droz, the execution, both in terms of dial and movement, will be good quality, as is usually the case with the high-end brands owned by Swatch Group. I imagine the client who commissioned this will be pleased – except maybe for the CHF450,000 price tag, which is steep but typical for a watch like this. A dragon in all its colours Despite its strikingly different look, the Dragon Mask is actually a variation of the clean and modern Tourbillon Skelet. Both share the same movement and case, but the Drago...
Time+Tide
Exhibition casebacks on watches can be magical - but like any overused magic trick, used too often, the wizardry fades, Tom argues.The post Why exhibition casebacks aren’t always a selling point appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Sherpa Watches is the brainchild of Martin Klocke, an engineer and vintage Enicar enthusiast determined to revive the legendary Enicar Sherpa divers of the 1950s and 60s. Staying true to the pioneering compressor case technology initially developed by EPSA (Ervin Piquerez SA), Sherpa’s modern Ultradive series brings the same pressure-sealing construction into the 21st century. […]
Fratello
Every once in a while, a big box with Seiko watches arrives at the Fratello office. It contains the brand’s releases for the upcoming months and allows us to review and photograph them ahead of time. I still remember when I discovered the Seiko SPB317 in there, back in 2022. I immediately fell in love […] Visit From Homage to Heritage: Why I Traded My Seiko SPB317 for the 6105-8000 to read the full article.
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SJX Watches
Urban Jürgensen made its comeback earlier this year with an impressive line-up that includes the flagship UJ-1 Tourbillon. Much of the credit for the brand’s watches and watchmaking goes to Kari Voutilainen. Mr Voutilainen has imbued Urban Jürgensen’s watches with the high standards of quality synonymous with his own brand, resulting in watches that are equally exquisitely craft and steeply priced, but arguably worth it. Though best known for his eponymous brand, Mr Voutilainen is also co-chief executive of Urban Jürgensen (and also a minority shareholder). His fellow steward of the Danish marque that is now headquartered in Bienne, Switzerland, is Alex Rosenfield. While Mr Voutilainen is in charge of watchmaking, Mr Rosenfield leads marketing and branding. From left: Kari Voutilainen, Andrew Rosenfield, and Alex Rosenfield. Image – Urban Jürgensen Given the opportunity to speak at length with Mr Voutilainen, I could not refuse. We discussed the true nature of artisanal work, ranging from movement decoration to guilloche, the details of Urban Jürgensen’s movements, and more. You can find his insightful answers below. But interestingly, my conversation with Mr Voutilainen reminded me of the first time I met him, which was at Baselworld 2006 when he launched the Masterpiece Chronograph (with a special hairspring from what turned out to be a questionable supplier). Even two decades ago, well before he was famous, Mr Voutilainen was passionate about the same thing...
Worn & Wound
I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short. How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...
Time+Tide
Named after one of the finest cigars on the planet, this horological tribute to Old Havana is a refreshing rectangular dress watch.The post Cuervo Y Sobrinos defines 1930s Cuban elegance with the cigar-inspired Espléndidos Heritage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
When the Sternglas Marus 2.0 dive watches landed on my desk, I had to dig into the Fratello archives. I knew I had written about a Sternglas diver before. As it turns out, that was the first iteration of the Sternglas Marus released in 2021. Four years on, we’re graced with a duo of new […] Visit Hands On With Two New Bauhaus-Inspired Sternglas Marus 2.0 Divers to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Longines Legend Diver is one of the brand’s most popular and lauded vintage-inspired watches due to its distinct style and tremendous value for money. The original Legend Diver that serves as the template for the contemporary iterations is the Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042 that was launched back in 1959. In 2007, Longines debuted the Heritage Revival, which was a faithful reissue that was followed up with a date-window version in 2009. Fast forward to 2017 and Longines began to expand this collection to include options like a Milanese bracelet as well as a 36mm iteration to join the existing 42mm model. Then in 2023, we saw the Longines Legend Diver debut in a 39mm wide case that serves as the template for the white-dial iteration I review here. Of course, this is a truncated version of the Longines Legend Diver story, and you can read the full version by our resident historian Mark Bernardo here. There are currently eight dial-color variations in the Longines Legend Diver family: beige, black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, and white, which is the most recent and the one I am going to get into here. If I had to pick a favorite, it might actually be the orange, which is more of a muted terra cotta that looks just excellent. That said, the white-dial model introduced earlier this year is a sleeper diver that stays with you long after you first see it. It’s not too difficult to nail a watch when you’ve mastered dial color techniques the way Longines has, but ...
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