Results for Carbon Fiber Watch Cases

Shaping A Century

Vacheron Constantin’s tonneau-shaped watch, the Malte, celebrates 100 years with two new models It’s been a century since Vacheron Constantin introduced its first tonneau-shaped wristwatch - which was probably among the first series-produced wristwatches ever made, as 100 years ago, in 1912, the wristwatch was still very much a novelty, tonneau or otherwise. The tonneau shape […]

Gallet Returns For Its 200th Anniversary With Four New Watch Collections

Gallet is returning to the watch industry in 2026, exactly 200 years after its founding in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The historic Swiss name returns as a sibling brand to Breitling, which will manufacture the new watches and provide the infrastructure behind them. The relaunch centers on four collections — Flying Officer, Multichron Pilot, Multichron Sport, and […] Visit Gallet Returns For Its 200th Anniversary With Four New Watch Collections to read the full article.

Cartier Watchmaking Prize Winners Announced

The 28th edition of the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow has announced the winners of the annual competition, which seeks to recognise and nurture promising young watchmakers and technicians. In total, six prizes were awarded to students from France and Belgium. Aymeric Peters won first prize in the Apprentice Watchmakers category for “Silence Choisi” Understanding the Cartier Prize The watchmaking industry faces a well-known shortage of young talent, and awards like the Cartier Prize, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition, and the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives enhance the appeal and visibility of the profession in a meaningful way. The theme of the 28th edition of the Cartier Prize was “Shifting the Balance: Reading and Perceiving Time Differently”. This theme explains why almost all entries featured heavily abstracted time displays. Layla Sluysmans tied for second prize in the Apprentice Watchmakers category with her creation “Nymphéa” The format of the Cartier Prize differs from that of other similar awards. Finalists were chosen based on sketches and presentations, and were given just 80 hours (over three months) to complete their creations with the help of dedicated mentors. To ensure a level playing field, each candidate is provided with a Cartier cal. 012 alarm clock movement and a CHF500 budget cap. Eléonor Picciotto presided over the ceremony, and the prizes were awarded by a jury comprised of Roy Davidoff, P...

Introducing - The Gérald Charles Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Tiger’s Eye for Ahmed Seddiqi

As part of the celebrations for its 75th anniversary, which will be the highlight of the upcoming Dubai Watch Week 2025, Ahmed Seddiqi has teamed up with Gérald Charles to present a special edition of the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin. With only 20 pieces produced, this limited model takes the instantly recognisable Maestro case, designed by […]

Casio AQ-230 Review: The Minimalist Ana-Digi Watch

When you think of Casio watches, one inevitably goes to digital classics like the F-91W, A168, AE-1200, or the G-Shock line. The Casio AQ-230 is the odd exception, in that it’s almost a minimalist dress watch intended to slip under a cuff. It’s also been around for over 30 years now, so it has to be doing something right.The Casio AQ-230 is the quintessential under-the-radar piece that doesn’t shout "digital watch" too loudly. The cleanly minimal, ana-digi design is thoughtful in ways that I appreciate but are subtle. For example, the analog hands never touch the digital LCD screen. The AQ-230 was released all the way back in 1995 as a follow-up to the old Casio Janus AQ-200 from 1982. The design was almost completely unchanged, other than the addition of another pusher on the left side of the case and a slimmer case width. Naturally, the AQ-230 stands out from other Casio watches due to its slightly “dressier” appearance and aesthetic. I have heard some people say it’s Casio's version of the Cartier Tank - which sounds a little outlandish but kind of checks out once you think about it. Casio AQ-230 Case and Bracelet This is a quintessentially unisex case size, coming in at 29.8mm wide, 8.1mm thick, and 38.8mm tall (with 30 meters of water resistance). This may sound a little small and, honestly, it is. But that’s not a bad thing, especially considering the rectangular case shape. The Cartier Tank Louis in the large case size measures 27.8mm wide and 38.1mm...

Best of 2024: Independent Watchmaking

Independent watchmaking continued its hot streak in 2024, with interest and demand for this niche segment holding up better amidst an industry-wide slowdown. But surprisingly – or unsurprisingly depending on how you look at it – there were relatively few outstanding new creations from the indies. A handful, however, did stand out. We look at the team’s highlights of the year, which range from Konstantin Chaykin’s thinnest-watch-ever to the debut by Swiss-based Japanese watchmaker Takahiro Aigaki. Aigaki Direct-Impulse Tourbillon – Brandon Moore I still remember the moment I stumbled across Takahiko Aigaki’s Instagram profile earlier this year, because the close-up image of the tourbillon cage made me do a double take. Sure, it was well finished, but in 2024 good finishing no longer provides the competitive advantage it once did; the top end of the market is just too competitive. No, what struck me was the unusual double direct-impulse escapement. When the Direct-Impulse Tourbillon was finally revealed, it was worth the wait. While arguably a bit plain on the outside, the movement exhibits a degree of grace and technicality that is still quite rare. The watch is truly a sleeper, in the sense that the case and dial reveal little of the horological magic within. Daniel Roth Tourbillon – Brandon Moore It’s counterintuitive to be writing about the launch of the Daniel Roth brand in 2024, considering the man himself was one of the seminal independent watchmakers ...

Our Favorite G-Shock Watches Of All Time

We are back with another roundup by our editorial team, this time focused on G-Shock. Our objective this time was simple: to pick the G-Shock which got us into G-Shock in the first place. This doesn’t necessarily mean we are choosing a watch we own, or even have owned (though both of those scenarios are covered in these paragraphs) but rather the G-Shock that opened are eyes to a brand which – to put it mildly – has garnered a fanatical audience. So behold our entirely subjective list of what amounts to our favorite G-Shock watches. Let us know what models got you into G-Shock in the comments below! Mark Bernardo: MTGB1000 Unlike many of my peers who found themselves drawn into a career in watch journalism, my road to watch appreciation didn’t run through the G-Shock. I have worn a watch for as long as I can remember but I have always been, for the most part, an analog guy: Timexes, Fossils, the Victorinox Swiss Army pilot’s watch I bought myself with my first sizable tax refund as a gainfully employed young adult. When I started as a writer and editor specializing in timepieces, my initial take on the model was probably something like, “Casio G-Shock? Isn’t that what all those officers are wearing when they’re cuffing perps on Cops?” Having now outed myself as someone who watched Cops, I can now also admit that my narrow perception began to change drastically after a fateful press trip to Japan in the late 2000s - the first time, I was told back the...

An Entirely New Watch Concept from Lebond

If you choose to, it’s really easy to look around the watch industry and throw up your hands in frustration that there are no new ideas. Even as we move through a period of what many hardcore enthusiasts agree is a new Golden Age of inventiveness in the affordable watch space, there’s a lot of evidence that many are playing it safe. Brands both big and small, at all price points, tend to revert to proven formulas that they know will work for them. The idea, after all, is to sell watches, so you can’t really blame anyone for deciding to lean on past performance in the hopes that it will predict future success. But that makes a brand like Lebond that much more interesting. They’re not leaning on any proven formulas, and not only are they trying something genuinely different, but brand owner Asier Mateo is actually relinquishing control of the design of each piece year in and year out.  I would describe Lebond as a fairly high concept and niche brand. The style of these watches will not appeal to everyone, and collectors would seem to benefit from a long view of the brand – it will all make a lot more sense in five, ten, or twenty years, if all goes according to plan. The idea is relatively simple: each year, Lebond releases a new watch designed by a different well known architect. Mateo is an architect himself, and founded the brand as a vehicle to expose watch lovers to the work of the world’s most talented architects. Of course, he’s also aiming these watche...

Watch Bracelet Types: Here Are the Most Famous and Popular Styles

Among the many decisions facing a prospective watch buyer before pulling the trigger on a new timepiece, is choosing which type of strap or bracelet it should have. We covered the various types of watch straps in this article; read on for our rundown of the most popular watch bracelets, focusing on some of the influential, proprietary styles from brands like Rolex and Breitling, which have impacted numerous other brands’ designs, as well as more niche-oriented options geared to collectors and historical-minded enthusiasts. Oyster Bracelet Rolex’s iconic Oyster bracelet is the template from which many other three-link bracelet styles have been drawn. Its name comes from its association with the Oyster case, which Rolex first introduced in 1926 and for which the original version of this bracelet served as an extension. Oyster bracelets are recognizable for their wide center links bordered by thinner end-links. Rolex patented the design in 1947 and fitted one on a watch in 1948. In the early versions, the links were riveted; these were phased out in favor of a “folding” style in 1967, which eventually gave way to the modern, solid-link style in 1975. Three-link bracelets like the Oyster and its various descendants are particularly popular on sports watches and dive watches.  President Bracelet The Rolex Day-Date appeared on the market in 1956 and with it came a new three-link bracelet called the President. Intended as the epitome of Rolex’s luxurious bracelet optio...

Geneva Watch Days 2023: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph 8Tech with a Carbon-Titanium Case

15 Best Sailing Watches in 2023, from Affordable to Luxury

Unlike dive watches, most of which share many common technical and aesthetic elements geared toward their intended underwater use, sailing watches and yachting watches are harder to define. Sailing watches range from a simple three-hander with a nautical design influence, one to wear while chilling on the deck of a cruise ship or at the yacht club, to a tool-oriented timepiece geared toward competitive regatta racing, with countdown functions, tides indicators, and other utilitarian features. In this feature, just in time for the closing weeks of summer sailing season, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites in every style, listed from eminently affordable and functional to luxurious and exclusive.  Timex Intelligent Quartz Tides Watch Price: $136, Case Size: 45mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug Width: 16mm, Crystal: Mineral, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Timex Intelligent Quartz Caliber What mass-market Timex may lack in horological prestige, it makes up for in clever utility with its Intelligent Quartz Tide Temp Compass. What makes this watch’s quartz movement “smart?” Basically, it’s an open-ended tech platform that uses onboard sensors and microprocessors in the movement to drive individual functions on analog displays, providing an array of information from perpetual calendar to world clock to flyback chronograph to an array of nautical-navigation features, which include a tide tracker, compass, and thermometer. The compass incorporates an adjustable declina...

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Ben Roth

Editor’s Note: In this edition of the 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Ben Roth shares a trio of all-time classics that span genres and styles. We love this collection for its authenticity and inspiration, with all three of these watches actually appearing in Ben’s collection.  If you’d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here.  I gave myself an additional challenge when choosing my three watches for $5,000, in that I didn’t want to put anything on the list that I actually own. What I wanted to dig into is exactly what I look for in the watches I wear and what pieces completely reflect what I’m looking for (and stay within the price limit.) What came from this challenge is a sharp and subtle collection that references my favorite books and movies while also being completely functional for everything life can throw at a person. Doxa Sub 300T Caribbean – $1,890 A Doxa Sub 300T was the first watch I thought of for this collection, and I was originally going to pick the black Sharkhunter colorway. The blue Caribbean won out, however, because if I were ever to do the impossible and become a one watch guy a blue dive watch would be my pick. The Caribbean colorway honors that, and if the Sub 300T is good enough for the likes of Dirk Pitt and Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor then it’s certainly good enough for me. It would also be amazing on a nato strap for the summer, and I could see myself wearing...

A Week In Watches Ep. 53: Forged Carbon Regatta Timing With Tissot & More

With our first year behind us (thanks for all the well wishes!), we’re back with episode 53 of A Week In Watches with new releases from Tissot, Breguet, Seiko & more. One of our favorite watches of the summer (thus far) has come from Tissot, and it’s a forged carbon regatta timer called the Sideral. Yes, it’s a callback to something they’ve done in the past, and yes, it’s still awesome. With a carbon case and Powermatic 80 movement, this is a ton of watch (and funk) for about $1,100, see more here. Elsewhere, Breguet gives us a first look at new Type 20 and Type XX watches, with a stunning new movement and a date window that may leave you scratching your head. Head to the video on YouTube to give us your take on the date, as well as the rest of the watches in this week’s episode. Rounding things out, we’ve got news of a new Pontos S Diver from Maurice Lacroix, which is a welcome site from the brand, though we wonder if it could have done with a slight bit of modernization? Speaking of, Seiko has modernized their King Seiko with a trimmer case architecture and a new movement which brings a date to the regular production modern King Seiko. Finally, IWC has brought the silver dial back to the Mark Pilot watch and it works about as well as you’d expect, which is to say, pretty damn well. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop. For an excellent and ever-growing catalog of watches, straps, clocks, and more, head to windupwatchshop.com....

A New 3D-Printed Carbon Fiber Composite Case and an Upgraded Mechanical Altimeter Takes The Oris ProPilot Altimeter to Greater Heights

I think it’s safe to say that we’re past the initial shock and awe moments from the first couple of days of Watches & Wonders. As we all digest the barrage of releases, the next day or so is my favorite because now we really get to sift through each and every novelty to discover the watches that may have been overshadowed by the preliminary excitement. To look past the first glass case surrounded by all the fancy lights and signage to find the brand’s deep cuts from this year’s showing. Oris came out of the Watches & Wonders gates in a playful way by featuring their ProPilot x Kermit Edition, but a more serious, utilitarian ProPilot that has legitimate expedition-watch chops has also garnered some of our attention. Compared to its ProPilot predecessor, it’s significantly lighter and capable of pushing to greater heights – it’s the new ProPilot Altimeter. The Oris ProPilot Altimeter confidently stands as the only wristwatch at Watches & Wonders, and the world, to utilize an integrated mechanical altimeter. By way of some ingenious engineering and a series of numerals and markers located within the segmented dial cut-outs, as well as a metric scale (either feet or meters depending on the reference you opt for) on the rehaut, an accurate reading of your current altitude can be read. The crown at 4 o’clock signed with an “ALT SET” wordmark manages the entire altimeter system. Unscrewing the crown activates the altimeter by allowing air to enter the case. On...

Jacob & Co. Introduces a Roulette Automaton Watch

Jacob & Co. already has a roulette complication in its catalogue inside the Astronomia Casino, a variant of its signature watch. Now the jeweller has condensed the concept into the Casino Tourbillon, which does away with the orbital carousel to focus on the roulette automaton, although it still conceals a flying tourbillon on the back. Initial thoughts The Casino Tourbillon is very much a Jacob & Co. watch with its exuberant style and complication – but it is slightly more restrained in design than the brand’s usual offerings. While it’s far from a low-key watch with its 44 mm diameter and over-16mm height, it is modest for a Jacob & Co. watch. The roulette complication is interesting and smartly executed, though not exactly new. It is essentially a more sophisticated version of the Franck Muller Las Vegas, which instead relied on a simple execution made up of a fixed wheelhead and freely-spinning pointer hand. Priced at US$280,000, the  Casino Tourbillon is pricey. Although the dial construction is complex, the roulette automaton is relatively straightforward, as is the flying tourbillon. It is, however, unique in today’s market. While casino-inspired complications were once popular (after the Franck Muller Las Vegas became a bestseller), they are uncommon today. So for the high roller who wants a novel casino-themed complication, this is probably it. Game of chance While Jacob & Co.’s watches are usually over the top, the Casino Tourbillon is relatively clean...

WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: New Rolex price hikes, which models were the most affected?

Editor’s Note: In a new series for Time+Tide, we recently partnered with @watchanalytics to crunch the numbers and dig into the horological market trends and value fluctuations for the references that matter. Last time, we delved into the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Turquoise and its value spike in the wake of the record-breaking Patek Phillipe Nautilus 5711/1A-018 … ContinuedThe post WATCH ANALYTICS WEDNESDAYS: New Rolex price hikes, which models were the most affected? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

CODE41: The subversive watch brand that dared to tell the truth and its latest crazy idea…

Interviewing the CEOs of watch brands can prove to be a tiring business.  You have to circumnavigate all that smiling evasion, the confected optimism and promises for exciting releases “coming soon but which we can’t talk about yet”. Claudio D’Amore, the CEO of CODE 41, is very different.  While most of the watch industry relies … ContinuedThe post CODE41: The subversive watch brand that dared to tell the truth and its latest crazy idea… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Franck Muller Unveils Cintrée Curvex Central Tourbillon

Having proclaimed himself the “Master of Complications”, Franck Muller the man was once one of the most inventive contemporary watchmakers. He has stepped back from the business that bears his name – which is now known for its extravagant style – but the brand continues to have the occasional interesting complication. The Grand Central Tourbillon is one such watch, boasting a large, flying tourbillon at the centre of the dial. Offered in a variety of coloured dials with “exploding” numerals, the Grand Central Tourbillon is powered by an automatic, form movement that traces the shape of the brand’s signature Cintrée Curvex case. Initial thoughts Today Franck Muller is mostly associated with flashy watches like the Vanguard Skeleton Sapphire. But long ago Franck Muller himself debuted his first tourbillon wristwatch in 1984 – a Breguet-inspired watch with just “Franck” on the dial – the first of many tourbillons he would go on to create. The Grand Central Tourbillon evokes some of Franck Muller’s history with its unusual central tourbillon. The complication is rare, with only a handful of brands having accomplished a central tourbillon, most notable amongst them Omega and Beat Haldimann. And Franck Muller has made it more interesting – the movement is automatic with a four-day power reserve. As per the norm for the brand, the Grand Central Tourbillon is available in myriad colours and metals – some iterations almost indistinguishable from the...

VIDEO: Watch our epic video about the new Zenith Chronomaster Manufacture Edition, which includes an invitation from CEO

We have had some moments over the six plus year journey of Time+Tide, and this is certainly one of them. We have been asked by Zenith, one of the great manufactures, to help them launch this – the FINAL El Primero Special Edition in the 50th Anniversary year – the Chronomaster Manufacture Edition. Above is … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: Watch our epic video about the new Zenith Chronomaster Manufacture Edition, which includes an invitation from CEO appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Forgotten Most-Complicated-Watch-Ever Made for the Most Famous Banker Ever

The timepieces that held the title of “most complicated watch ever”, as well as their famous owners, are mostly well known – save for the long-lost English grand complication commissioned by banker J. Pierpont Morgan. Morgan was a great collector of watches, and his grandest timepiece was a double-dial, astronomical pocket watch made by J. Player & Son. It  was the most complicated English watch ever made, and perhaps the most complicated watch in the world at the time of its completion. Though Morgan’s watch has long been surpassed in complexity by other hands, and it bears the name of a defunct English brand, it has arguably the greatest provenance of all super-pocket watches. Unlike James Ward Packard or Henry Graves, who were both wealthy, accomplished, and little known individuals outside their fields, Morgan is still the best known banker in history; the biggest bank in the United States today bears his name. The grandest of all time But first, a brisk walk through the grand complication hall of fame. The most famous most-complicated-watch-ever is, of course, the Patek Philippe Graves “supercomplication”, which sold for US$24m in 2014 and still holds the record for the most expensive watch ever sold. Commissioned by American banker Henry Graves Jr in 1925, and delivered in 1933, the Graves pocket watch outdid the now obscure Leroy 01 that was sold in 1904 to a Portuguese millionaire. And it also surpassed the various watches produced for automobile ...

Spot the Watch: Future President of the United States Donald Trump

A special Spot the Watch on the President of the United States elect Donald Trump and his Rolex Day Date which is nicknamed the President.

The Best Microbrand GMT Watch Just Got A Forged-Carbon Glow-Up

Nodus and Raven put forged carbon on the TrailTrekker's bezel and dial, with a lume trick and a $1,075 price. Here's what the fourth chapter changes.

Introducing - The Bangalore Watch Company Peninsula Carbon, with a Dial Made from Recovered Carbon

Bangalore Watch Company was founded in 2018 and has since built its catalogue with native India in focus. Aviation, cricket, space exploration and national industry have all served as foundations for its collections, often narrative-driven. Last year, the brand introduced the Peninsula Professional, a rugged, adventure-ready bezel-less sports watch inspired by India’s mountains, coastlines and forests. […]

The Most Attainable High-Beat Automatic Watch is One You Can Wear Ever

If you’re not familiar with high-frequency movement calibers, or “high-beat”, as they’re also known, you can think of them as a sort of final boss within mechanical watches. That 5 Hertz heartbeat translates to a hypnotic ten ticks per second, and apart from Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive, which is an entirely different an

First Look - New Independent Watchmaking Atelier Aubert & Ramel and their First Watch, the Ouréa

Watchmaking prizes and competitions have a remarkable virtue. Their primary vocation is to discover new talents and bring them into the spotlight. A perfect example is the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition, which has been celebrating and supporting young independent watchmakers since 2012. For me, this award was the opportunity to discover the extraordinary talent […]