Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for Tool Watch vs Dress Watch

22,622 articles · 6,358 videos found · page 332 of 966

Related pages

Wiki · Guide
Tool Watch vs Dress Watch

The two ends of the wristwatch axis: utility vs formality. The Submariner / Calatrava extremes and the 1972 Royal Oak hybrid.
TAG Heuer’s Carrera Dato Gets a Glassbox Update and a Bright Teal Dial Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer s Carrera Dato Gets Jan 30, 2024

TAG Heuer’s Carrera Dato Gets a Glassbox Update and a Bright Teal Dial

Last year was the year of the Glassbox for TAG Heuer, and in 2024 they’ve picked up nearly where they left off in what many will agree is their key LVMH Watch Week release. The twist with the latest Carrera in the Glassbox form factor (with that gorgeous domed crystal) is that this one comes in the cult classic “Dato” format, with an uncommon date window at the 9:00 position and a sole 30 minute counter at 3:00. It’s immediately recognizable, particularly in the bold teal colorway TAG has chosen for this release.  The latest Carrera cements the Glassbox style by extending into yet another segment of the long history of TAG’s most elegant racing chronograph. Just in the last year, we’ve seen Glassbox designs in the unusual 12:00 date Carrera, a reissue of the popular Skipper, and a completely new Porsche collaboration with one of the most unusual chrono movements we’ve seen. Now we get a Dato version, giving another old favorite a new look. Note that in addition to the dramatic color, the dial also features an unusual circular brushed finish that we imagine will give this Dato a dynamism in the light that isn’t easily captured in photos.  The teal Dato comes in a case measuring 39mm in diameter and 13.86mm tall. That might seem to be on the tall side, but the Glassbox design, with its prominent crystal and the outer flange on the dial, makes everything feel just a little more compact. The design of the crystal, and the way the flange fills it, also helps l...

Read article
Introducing – The Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster Orange Limited Edition with New Old Stock Dial and Movement Monochrome
Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster Orange Limited Edition Jan 18, 2024

Introducing – The Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster Orange Limited Edition with New Old Stock Dial and Movement

A visually faithful re-edition of a vintage dive watch, the classic version of the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster – which we reviewed here – combines the charm of an old watch with the ease-of-use of a modern watch, built with contemporary features and materials like sapphire crystal. And in all fairness, this is a perfect package […]

Read article
Rashid Tsoroev Introduces the Evo Arrow with a Hand-Hammered Dial SJX Watches
Jan 9, 2024

Rashid Tsoroev Introduces the Evo Arrow with a Hand-Hammered Dial

Based in the southernmost corner of Russia, Rashid Tsoroev is a watchmaker who got his start in 2019 with fairly simple time-only watches powered by the oversized ETA Unitas calibre. Now Mr Tsoroev has upgraded his work, both stylistically and mechanically, with the debut of the Evo Arrow that is priced affordably at US$5,000. Still a three-hand watch but now equipped with a La Joux-Perret (LJP) automatic, the Evo Arrow sports a hand-hammered brass dial – a technique is sometimes described as tremblage – that he makes himself. Mr Tsoroev relies on suppliers for other components like the case, but he finishes all the components in his own workshop. Initial thoughts Like many independent makers in this price segment, Mr Tsoroev outsources several aspects the watch,  but he applies his skill to key aspects, including producing and finishing the dial and hands; this contrasts with brands that merely design and assemble watches. Mr Tsoroev’s attention to detail is admirable, considering the price of the watch. Elements like the font he designed for the watch and the rounded arms of the hands reflect the thought put into the design and execution. Granted, there are constraints imposed by the retail price and presumably Mr Tsoroev’s location (where there are probably no suppliers in a radius of hundreds of kilometres), but the Evo Arrow feels like an honest creation by a craftsman. The only thing I would change is the movement. I would swap the LJP calibre for a Russian ...

Read article
A Tale of Two MAEN Manhattans Worn & Wound
Maen Dec 4, 2023

A Tale of Two MAEN Manhattans

As watch collectors and enthusiasts know, the devil is in the details – whether it’s a pop of color, a date window, or a line of text, we know that subtle differences can make significant impacts. Sometimes these details don’t necessarily make or break a watch; rather they bring out different characteristics or evoke certain emotions. In the case of the MAEN x Worn & Wound Manhattan LE and the regular production Manhattan, we get two (maybe even three) different vibes altogether. As watch collectors and enthusiasts know, the devil is in the details – whether it’s a pop of color, a date window, or a line of text, we know that subtle differences can make significant impacts. Sometimes these details don’t necessarily make or break a watch; rather they bring out different characteristics or evoke certain emotions. In the case of the MAEN x Worn & Wound Manhattan LE and the regular production Manhattan, we get two (maybe even three) different vibes altogether. The post A Tale of Two MAEN Manhattans appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Read article
Introducing – The Gerald Charles Maestro 3.0 Chronograph Seddiqi Special, With Meteorite Dial Monochrome
Gerald Charles Nov 29, 2023

Introducing – The Gerald Charles Maestro 3.0 Chronograph Seddiqi Special, With Meteorite Dial

Gerald Charles has pulled off something quite extraordinary in the watch world: all its collections revolve exclusively around one case design. And what a case design that is! Created by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 2006, the flamboyant Maestro case design is the backbone of Gerald Charles. Ranging from time-and-date models to skeletonised versions and […]

Read article
Circula Adds New Dial Colors to their Protrail and Aquasport II Collections Worn & Wound
Nov 23, 2023

Circula Adds New Dial Colors to their Protrail and Aquasport II Collections

Fresh off the heels of Circula’s latest release, the DiveSport 500m diver, the German maker is at it again and just in time for the holiday season, introducing two new colorways to each of their existing ProTrail and AquaSport II lines.  In case you are not familiar with the Protrail, it is Circula’s take on a modern field watch, boasting significant anti-magnetic properties (up to 80,000 A/m), a 1,200 Vickers scratch resistant stainless steel case, and an Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. This robust go anywhere, do anything watch has a diameter of 40mm, lug to lug length of 46mm and 12mm thin, which is well within “Goldilocks” parameters. All this and 150n water-resistance to boot. The two new colors for the Protrail are green and grey. All are available on a sailcloth strap or matching stainless-steel bracelet. Pricing starts at around $800 for this model. Also seeing a refresh is the AquaSport II, Circula’s version of a modern skin-diver. Equally capable in the boardroom, as on the dive boat, this formidable 200m dive watch boasts many sophisticated details. Sporting an attractive hand-brushed stainless steel case, a 120-click sapphire bezel and the same Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. Similar to the Protrail, this one is 40mm in diameter, 46mm from lug to lug and an impressive 12.6mm thick. “Goldilocks” parameters checked off once again.   A new brown/gilt dial joins the  AquaSport II collection, alongside recently introduced anthracite and red colorways. ...

Read article
Christopher Ward’s C1 Moonphase is their Most Ambitious Version of this Complication to Date, with a Gorgeous Aventurine Dial Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward s C1 Moonphase Oct 26, 2023

Christopher Ward’s C1 Moonphase is their Most Ambitious Version of this Complication to Date, with a Gorgeous Aventurine Dial

Christopher Ward has been on a hot streak over the last year, with the introductions of the Bel Canto and the Twelve collection raising their profile with enthusiasts who veer toward the avant-garde and a style of sleek sports watch that’s in fashion at the moment. These watches have been met with a certain degree of, “Oh, I didn’t know Christopher Ward could do that…” by crops of skeptics who have since been won over. But the fact is, Christopher Ward has been upending expectations and redefining what the brand could be for years. For many in the collector community, a watch that really signified the brand branching out was the C1 Moonglow, which Zach Weiss reviewed here in 2019. A combination of an intricately layered dial design execution and liberal applications of lume in an inherently playful complication was a sign that Christopher Ward had even more ambitious ideas they were willing to play with, and now they’ve introduced a long awaited follow-up to the Moonglow, the C1 Moonphase. Christopher Ward describes this watch as their most ambitious moonphase to date, and it feels very much a part of this newer crop of Christopher Wards that really push the envelope in terms of design, reaching toward ideas that have typically been associated with haute horlogerie in the past. The C1 Moonphase features an aventurine dial, a material often associated with the moonphase complication because of its resemblance to the night sky. Aventurine is essentially glass tha...

Read article
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces a New Master Ultra Thin Moon with a Dramatic Gradient Blue Dial and Rose Gold Case Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Oct 16, 2023

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces a New Master Ultra Thin Moon with a Dramatic Gradient Blue Dial and Rose Gold Case

Sometimes a watch comes along and just kind of stops you in your tracks. We all, I think, have those moments where we stumble across a watch or see a new release and imagine that the brand has downloaded your thoughts and run them through some kind of artificial intelligence program designed to create watches that are uniquely appealing to you, and you alone. I think a lot of people are actually going to find the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon to be that kind of beautiful, but it happens to hit on a bunch of things that really sing to me in a watch like this.  The Master Ultra Thin watches are incredible pieces of engineering, with impossibly slim movements that translate to cases that provide a wearing experience like little else on the market. If I could ever identify a gripe with the line, though, it’s that the dials have never really blown me away. They are very nice, to be sure, but they have a tendency to be relentlessly dressy, and a bit sober. That’s perfectly fine of course for a watch in this genre, but they tend not to have that “wow” factor. They’re watches for connoisseurs who know exactly what they’re looking for.  The newest entry in the Master Ultra Thin collection has all the watchmaking chops and refined sensibilities of every other watch in their corner of the JLC family tree, but this one leads with the dial in a way that others don’t. The new Master Ultra Thin Moon features a dark gradient blue dial, borrowing a bit of that...

Read article
Zenith Adds a Black Dial to the Chronomaster Original Family Worn & Wound
Zenith Adds Sep 12, 2023

Zenith Adds a Black Dial to the Chronomaster Original Family

It is perhaps a reflection of all the good work Zenith has done over the last few years that a new variant of the Chronomaster Original can arrive and it feels like a watch that has simply existed for years. The El Primero 3600 powered line of vintage influenced chronographs feel timeless in a way that only a small handful of watches can – those few that have been around for decades and gone through only incremental changes. Under the hood, the Chronomaster Original is about as tech forward as you can get when it comes to mass market chronos from a heritage Swiss brand, with its impressive 1/10th second counter. But the dial, on this new version, does the neat trick of creating something brand new to the line that seems both obvious and every bit as classic as the “original” Original.  When we think of the Chronomaster Original, it’s the tri-colored subdial arrangement that immediately comes to mind for most. That is the design characteristic of the dial that feels most essential. You could be forgiven for asking yourself the question: did this ever come in black? The answer, until now (and for this case size) was “no,” but here Zenith has unveiled a new Chronomaster Original that substitutes the cream white backdrop of the earlier version of the watch for a simple black. White and black as options are so ubiquitous in this segment that it’s genuinely surprising this watch was only just introduced as a secondary option. Zenith, of course, already makes this ...

Read article
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces a Pair of New Dial Options for the Polaris Chronograph Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Sep 5, 2023

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces a Pair of New Dial Options for the Polaris Chronograph

First launched in the 1960’s, then resurrected in 2018, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris has long been a standard-bearing watch for the luxury Swiss watchmaker. Now, five years on from the relaunch of the Polaris, Jaeger-LeCoultre has reinvisioned the watch in two new ways. Recently, the brand has added two new signature dials to new Polaris Chronograph line-up that not only showcase the artisanal craftsmanship of the house, but also raises the question of when does a sports watch become a piece of art? Each watch in the new collection displays the technical precision that has become synonymous with the brand. The two dials – a rich blue and a sporty gray – are made from applying lacquer to the dial, giving these timepieces a richness that nicely juxtaposes the 42mm steel case. The lacquered finish works as a backdrop to a complex dial that packs a punch, including a well-balanced set of subdials at 3 o’clock (featuring a 30-minute timer) and a running seconds subdial at 9 o’clock. The entire dial is encompassed in an outer ring that is marked with the tachymeter scale while both variants are accented in a pleasantly contrasting orange.  On the reverse of the watch is a sapphire crystal caseback which reveals the automatic Calibre 761 movement, which houses a generous 65-hour power reserve. The final touches of this movement include blued screws and Côtes de Genève decoration on the baseplate as well as on the signature open-worked winding rotor bearing the ‘JL...

Read article
[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 There’s not Aug 16, 2023

[VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38

There’s not much left to say about the resurgence of the integrated bracelet sport watch and the many modern iterations we’ve seen on the theme. Some have history, many more don’t, and it certainly hasn’t gotten any easier to decipher the unique elements that make one stand out from another. I’d argue that this comes down to execution which, when paired with a historically relevant and idiosyncratic approach, tends to produce the best example of the genre. Though that’s not a rule, merely a subjective observation. One of the more peculiar examples of this is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato, a watch that was released smack in the middle of the ‘70s, designed by an Italian architect, and has experienced a slightly tumultuous lineage, all leading to this graceful 38mm reference with copper dial.  The Laureato has an interesting and varied history, yet is often absent from the discussion around great sport watches of the ‘70s. It wasn’t designed by Gerald Genta, like the Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Ingenieur watches of the same era, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a great origin story. Similarly to those other watches, the original design holds up remarkably well today, and Girard-Perregaux has preserved the core of the Laureato admirably, though some less than flattering eras to boot. $14900 [VIDEO] Hands-On with the Copper Dial Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 Case Stainless Steel Movement GP03300 Dial Copper Clous de Paris Lume Super LumiNova Lens Sapphi...

Read article
The Sportiest Nomos Gets an Update with a New Size and Two New Dial Colors Worn & Wound
Nomos Gets Aug 4, 2023

The Sportiest Nomos Gets an Update with a New Size and Two New Dial Colors

Any watch enthusiast who has been around the corner once or twice has no doubt discovered Nomos, Germany’s worst-kept secret in distinctive design and excellent quality and finishing for its price. Nomos’ unapologetically Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic may not be for everyone, but it’s easy to admire how far this Glashütte-based watchmaker has come in just over three decades. Today we look at the Nomos Ahoi Neomatik 38, a watch that is new inside and out. The Ahoi is the sportiest line in the catalog, which admittedly isn’t saying much. But it does have crown guards and 200m of water resistance, considered by Nomos as “suitable for diving.” To that end, the winding stem features a red ring that is only visible when the crown is unscrewed, a reminder that full water resistance is only guaranteed when the crown is entirely secure. The case is pleasantly thin at 9.9mm thanks to a new movement – more on that in a moment. And the lug-to-lug distance has been reduced to 48.7mm, compared to 51mm on the standard Ahoi. Other nice details include a contrasting orange second hand, double-sided anti-reflective coating on the domed crystal, and a waterproof textile strap suitable for diving. Inside, the new Ahoi is powered by the DUW 6101 for the first time. Developed by Nomos and introduced in 2018 with the Neomatik line, this caliber is both beauty and brains. The rotor and bridges get some love with ribbing polish and perlage, and the movement utilizes Nomos’ re-imagine...

Read article
Fears Adds a New Mallard Green Dial Variant to the Brunswick Line as a Boutique Exclusive Worn & Wound
Fears Jul 31, 2023

Fears Adds a New Mallard Green Dial Variant to the Brunswick Line as a Boutique Exclusive

Fears is celebrating the one year anniversary of the opening of their flagship showroom in Bristol, England with the release of a pair of watches in Mallard Green, a color that has never been used on a regular production Fears watch before. This release marks what the brand says will be the beginning of a new “Boutique Editions” collection that will expand to every future model in the Fears catalog.  The first watches in the Boutique Editions collection are the Brunswick 38 and Brunswick 40, two representations of the classic cushion cased design that is at the core of the Fears design language. The dark green color used for the new dials is based on the tones seen on the mallard drake duck, and has hints of gray and blue that give the green an additional depth. The finishing process for these dials involves a silver galvanic coating being applied prior to the hand painting of each individual dial with a translucent varnish. Fears says that green pigment is added a drop at a time to achieve the desired tone. The dials also have a sunburst finish which is designed to catch light in interesting ways, and showcase the depth of the green tones.  The dial layout differs slightly from the 38mm watch to the 40mm version. The larger watch is effectively a sector dial design, with an outer ring for the Arabic numerals and minute track in a high contrast white. The inner section has a very subtle “micro guilloche” pattern that contrasts with the outer portion, which is giv...

Read article
Sequent Partners with Seconde/Seconde on What they Describe as a Smartwatch with the Most Ungrateful Solar Charging Dial Ever Made Worn & Wound
Casio n when two innovative Jul 25, 2023

Sequent Partners with Seconde/Seconde on What they Describe as a Smartwatch with the Most Ungrateful Solar Charging Dial Ever Made

It’s always a special occasion when two innovative brands partner with one another to create something truly unique. Take, for example, the Sequent SolarCharger F**KING SUN watch, a product made in collaboration between Swiss smartwatch brand Sequent and Seconde/Seconde, a Paris-based artist who uses humor and street art-inspired design to mod vintage watches for the Banksy generation. Romaric André, the mind behind Seconde/Seconde, was tapped by Sequent to add his specific style to their SolarCharge model. With a bit of tongue-and-cheek humor, André balances a minimalist dial with a cartoonish delight. Sequent may be looking to renewable energy sources (like solar), all while Seconde/Seconde’s biting commentary on how the myopic view of everyday problems (like a melting ice cream cone, as seen on the subdial) blinds us to the potential that’s still out there. This collab is a perfect pairing between the often-cited stereotype of Swiss orderliness and the Paris artist’s whimsical cynicism. Adrian Bachmann, CEO and co-founder of Sequent, seems to agree, having added his support of this partnership, “When [André] landed us his first draft, I loved the idea and meaning of it immediately.” Apart from the aesthetics of the watch itself, the Sequent is a great reinterpretation of the smartwatch. While it looks like a standard analog watch, its functionality has all the high-tech gadgetry expected for those looking for a smartwatch that’s designed for health moni...

Read article
Bulova Relaunches the Jet Star, with their High Frequency Precisionist Movement, in Three Striking Dial Variants Worn & Wound
Bulova Relaunches Jul 20, 2023

Bulova Relaunches the Jet Star, with their High Frequency Precisionist Movement, in Three Striking Dial Variants

Good design always comes back in cycles. Whether it’s the revival of midcentury furniture or Neoclassical architecture, there’s an undeniable truth when it comes to design: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Watch brands are surprisingly good at acknowledging – even celebrating – past designs, only making small updates for better performance or tweaking the finer details to refine the overall product. Bulova’s release of their reimagined Jet Star is one such example of this. Taking inspiration from the archival 1970’s Jet Star, the new Bulova 1973 Jet Star has made incremental updates to the overall design, preserving what works and making small improvements along the way. The stainless steel case remains as angular and interesting to the eye as the original, but has since been updated with a trio of colorways for a variety of options. Customers can now choose between a sporty steel timepiece with red and blue accents, a gold-toned Jet Star with rich brown and gold tones, or a not-so-subtle red and steel model. While the aesthetic of the watch could be right out of the 70’s, the internals of this watch are anything but retro. Utilizing a Precisionist movement, this quartz caliber vibrates at a remarkable 262kHz, making for a gorgeously smooth second hand that sweeps across the dial, similar to a mechanical watch. This unparalleled accuracy punches well above the weight class and price point of the Jet Star. Each of the three references in this collection ...

Read article
Linde Werdelin Debuts a New Oktopus with a Bold Moon Phase Complication and Stark Contrasts Worn & Wound
Linde Werdelin Jul 19, 2023

Linde Werdelin Debuts a New Oktopus with a Bold Moon Phase Complication and Stark Contrasts

Last time we brought you news of a Linde Werdelin Oktopus, it was to highlight a limited edition project with Black Badger that took what can only be described as a maximalist approach to luminescent material. As a bonkers expression of independence and personal style, I’ve always been a fan of this type of watch, and Linde Werdelin in particular does a nice job of doing exactly their own thing (and maybe picking some well thought out collaborators along the way). The latest Oktopus, a nearly monochromatic expression of the Oktopus Moon with a case made from a space age carbon material, is an under the radar statement piece for a very specific type of watch nerd that finds big, bold sports watches from the usual suspects just a little too middle of the road.  The Oktopus Moon 3DTP White Black Ink starts with the case, specifically the material, which is a three dimensional, thin ply carbon (3D, TP, naturally). Linde Werdelin says this material differs from other carbon composite materials or forged carbon in that it uses a technique of layering ultra thin layers of carbon atop one another to achieve the desired strength while remaining very light weight. This technique apparently also allows for maximum design flexibility, and lets Linde Werdelin do its thing with the case shape of the Oktopus, which is a complex 8-sided structure with broad facets at the top of the case, adjacent to the bezel. We’ve seen a lot of highly angular, sculptural, integrated bracelet sports...

Read article
Zach Goes to the Movies: The Ancient Mechanical Device at the Center of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and the Vintage Inspired Hamilton Worn on Indy’s Last Great Adventure Worn & Wound
Hamilton Worn Jun 30, 2023

Zach Goes to the Movies: The Ancient Mechanical Device at the Center of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and the Vintage Inspired Hamilton Worn on Indy’s Last Great Adventure

There are endless stories in the watch community of the random things that spark an interest in this hobby. We’ve all heard many variations on the watch as a hand-me-down artifact from a relative being the curiosity driving agent behind an interest in horology. Just the other day, an old friend sent me an Instagram post from an account that specializes in cataloging toys from the 1980s – it was a Transformers watch, and when I saw it I immediately remembered that I’d begged in vain for this weird item as a Hanukkah gift, only to come up empty. This very well could have been my Rosebud – the thing that without even realizing it set the stage for an adulthood of staying up way too late on internet forums looking for a great deal on a pre-owned Seiko. When I saw Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that this movie could be that defining moment for a new generation of watch enthusiasts. Hyperbole? I don’t know, maybe. The movie features, as a primary plot point, a mechanical watch-like device, referred to in the film as the Antikythera. Hardcore watch enthusiasts and horology scholars know that the Antikythera is very much a real thing, even if the version in the new film comes out of the imagination of the screenwriters. But it’s that nebulous “real or not real?” status that I imagine will make some younger, future watch nerds curious, and set them down a path that leads, inexorably, to sites like this one, and spending way ...

Read article
Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster SJX Watches
Omega Speedmaster Earlier Jun 9, 2023

Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster

Earlier this week, leading Swiss-German newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published a lengthy story about the possible fraud behind the record-setting sale of an Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 at Phillips in 2021. Mystifying at the time, the CHF3.12 million result was a huge number that far exceeded past records for that particular Speedmaster. As NZZ revealed in its story, the Speedmaster in question was a “Franken” watch pieced together from assorted vintage components – and some fake parts – and it was purchased by Omega itself, on the advice of its then museum head. The allegations are that the then museum head was in cahoots with the seller of the watch. Omega has gone to the police with this, and also released a statement, noting in part, “Omega and Phillips were the joint victims of organised criminal activity involving the selling of this specific watch by auction.” The Omega Museum, which fortunately has enough correct and legitimate vintage Speedmasters on display. Image – Omega Both Omega and Phillips should have done more due diligence, but it appears a few bad actors were diligent in allegedly defrauding Omega. For more on the matter, Dutch watch publication Fratello published an excellent examination of the happenings. The alleged fraud has been covered widely in the mass media, from Bloomberg to Fortune, ironically the same publications that last year touted the success and value-appreciation of the Speedmaster. Mountains and molehills The ...

Read article
Oris Celebrates their Anniversary with the Latest Hölstein Edition Release: An Aquis with a Bold Purple Dial Worn & Wound
Oris Celebrates their Anniversary Jun 2, 2023

Oris Celebrates their Anniversary with the Latest Hölstein Edition Release: An Aquis with a Bold Purple Dial

Every year, Oris releases a limited edition watch on June 1 to celebrate their birthday. These Hölstein Editions run the gamut: last year’s was a somewhat wild blast from the past, and the year before saw a sober but very attractive rendition of their popular Big Crown Pointer Date. This year, Oris is tackling the Aquis, which makes its Hölstein Edition debut. As you’d expect, being an anniversary edition, there are a handful of twists that separate this Aquis from others in the collection.  First, the obvious. This dial is purple, folks. I feel like I’ve been banging the purple drum for a long time. We’ve clearly reached a point, probably months ago, where this is the color of the moment. A look back at new releases over the last year or so reveals plenty of evidence that we’re in the midst of peak purple, and that’s totally fine by me, especially as we enter the summer months. But this is the first time I can recall seeing a purple dial from Oris, and it looks great on the Aquis. This is a platform that plays particularly well with color – the deep red (and diamond set) Aquis remains a Watches & Wonders favorite.  The purple theme is extended to the caseback, where instead of a typical exhibition window, we get a full color Oris bear, wearing his diving gear, against a bright purple background. You’ll also find the limited edition number as well as a “Hölstein Edition” designation on the caseback. Like the ProPilot X Kermit Edition released a few...

Read article
Arken Introduces their Second Act with the Dual-Time Equipped Alterum Worn & Wound
Jun 1, 2023

Arken Introduces their Second Act with the Dual-Time Equipped Alterum

There was a time a couple years back when the integrated steel sport watch craze had hit peak levels. Seemingly everywhere you looked, each brand had their very own version of an integrated system. For Arken to make their debut in a completely saturated environment with an  integrated sports watch of their own was pretty gutsy, but the Instrumentum wasn’t your typical integrated arrangement. On paper, the diver had one welcome surprise after another: a Grade 2 titanium build overlaid with hardness coating, a depth rating of 300 meters, and a startling $500 pre-order price tag. After you account for its strikingly fierce aesthetic on wrist, Arken’s inaugural timepiece offered up an incredible value proposition that was impossible to ignore. Fast forward to the present day, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of 2023 and yet another industry trend, otherwise known (and self-proclaimed) as the Year of the GMT. Although the industry got off to a scorching hot start with an array of GMT watches released in all sorts of styles, prices, and various movements at the beginning of the year, it has quieted down a bit, even with Watches & Wonders in our rearview mirror. That is until now, because Arken has returned for their second act with a titanium dual-time travel watch they’re throwing into the GMT ring called the Alterum. At first glance, the Alterum is more refined in nature, but its core design language remains. With the aggressively-styled bezel no longer a part ...

Read article
De Bethune Debuts the DB28xs Starry Seas, a Smaller Version of their Signature Design with a Beautiful Ocean Inspired Dial Worn & Wound
De Bethune Debuts May 29, 2023

De Bethune Debuts the DB28xs Starry Seas, a Smaller Version of their Signature Design with a Beautiful Ocean Inspired Dial

The De Bethune DB28 is an absolutely insane watch. As I found out for myself in Geneva earlier this year, the watch’s large proportions play tricks on you: it’s enormous to the eye, but incredibly light on the wrist thanks to the titanium case construction and airy design with those patented hollowed out, articulating lugs. Even though this watch is the ultimate example of “It actually wears a lot smaller…” I think it’s understandable that collectors would call for a version that’s actually smaller, and that’s what De Bethune has delivered with the new DB28xs Starry Seas. This is essentially a scaled down version of the DB28 that incorporates a fantastic and first of its kind dial that applies guilloche in an entirely new way.  The centerpiece here is certainly the dial, which is made from heat blued titanium, taking on the dramatic bright blue shade that has become a De Bethune hallmark of sorts. The decoration is what De Bethune refers to as “random guilloche,” and they say this is the first time this technique has been used in a watch dial design. The cumulative effect is a dial that looks like ocean waves in motion, and it’s been accented with small white gold “stars” to create the impression of the night sky being reflected off the surface of a body of water. It’s a natural extension of other “Starry” De Bethune references, which typically depict a night sky view. The case will be familiar to those who know the DB28 (the lucky few). It...

Read article