Results for Big Bang

A Small Brand Takes a Big Swing: the Retter Mistral

Retter is a microbrand founded by New York native Deep Ghosh, and they’ve just released their second watch, the Mistral. The first Retter watch, the 22, was a sub $1,000 integrated bracelet sports watch. The Mistral represents a bigger swing, and could be a sign of the brand growing into itself a little, something you’d hope any brand on their second collection would be doing.  The Mistral is described by Retter as a “dress-casual” watch, which I think in most scenarios is actually just a “watch.” It’s unfortunate, in my opinion, that we need to put labels like this onto new designs, but that’s just where we are at the moment I guess. The Mistral has a genuinely distinct visual identity that doesn’t really fit into a particular category. It’s ironic that the brand would use a somewhat toothless descriptor like “dress-casual” to describe something that in practice isn’t nearly as generic as the term would imply.  What we have here is a 38mm watch with horn lugs and a thin profile of just 7.4mm (crystal included). Retter is able to accomplish this thanks to a case construction they call “shell-style.” You have a to dig a bit through their press materials to get a handle on what this actually means (it’s not explained in detail on their website), but it’s essentially a clever method of building the case in such a way that it suggests old-fashioned soldered lugs without actually doing the work of soldering them. The lugs are part of an integ...

Why the Genta-Designed Credor Locomotive Limited Edition Might Be the Start of Something Big

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Mini is Big News for Small Watch Lovers

Maurice de Mauriac Introduces a (Very) Big Version of their Signature Chronograph

Maurice de Mauriac in 1997, and helmed by twins Massimo and Leonard Dreifuss since 2021, has carved out a niche as one of the more playful and eccentric modern independent watch brands. Their watches are known for their use of color and materials, even extending to the plethora of strap and bracelet options available. There are a total of 113 options on their website, to say you are spoiled for choice would be an understatement. New for 2024 is a mountain of a watch, inspired by a mountain of a man. When everyone else is making them smaller, MDM is making them big. The Maurice de Mauriac Chrono Modern Big Date Deep Blue is a large name for well… a large watch. Since we are on the subject, might as well get the measurements out of the way, as there are 2 available sizes. Large and extra-large. The former is 45mm in diameter, with a lug-to-lug width of 53mm, while the latter is 48mm in diameter, with a lug-to-lug width of 56mm. The cases seen here with a blue dial are titanium (the watch is also offered in bronze and steel). Inspired by 6’4”, 320 pound Swiss wrestler Samir Leuppi, these watches are meant for big wrists like his and Maurice de Mauriac does not dispute it. These are definitely not for the timid of wrist. One of the wonderful benefits of a larger watch is uncanny legibility, exemplified here with big bold Arabic numerals at the outer minute track and a big date complication at 12:00.  The other distinguishing feature of this watch is the ornate knurled b...

Graduation Gift Guide: Remembering Their Big Day with Rado

Did you know that Rado was one of the first watch brands to use high-tech ceramics in their timepieces?  In 1986, they launched the Integral, a style icon, which combined sapphire and ceramics. The goal was to create a watch that could withstand the rigors of everyday life and come out unscathed. In the decades that follow, many other brands have adopted this technology, yet Rado remains at the forefront. As the wheels of scholarship and innovation keep on turning, an education, just like high-tech ceramics, can protect and prepare for all of life’s upcoming challenges. In honor of graduation, in this gift guide we have selected 7 Rado watches that would make excellent companions as your graduate enters life’s next chapter. The post Graduation Gift Guide: Remembering Their Big Day with Rado appeared first on Worn & Wound.

21 Movie Watches Spotted on the Big Screen, from 1961 to Now

Spotting watches in the movies, on the wrists of our favorite actors and often playing key roles in the film’s storyline, has long been a favorite pastime of cinephiles and watch enthusiasts, and identifying these movie watches, often all the way down to each model’s individual reference number, has become an online cottage industry. This compilation in no way purports to be the most comprehensive list of every movie watch ever, but it does spotlight some of the most noteworthy watches worn on the silver screen over the past sixty-plus years. Without further ado, let’s grab our popcorn and dive into the list, in more or less chronological order from the 1960s to today.  And for those of you who want even more about movies and watches, make sure to check out our original feature length masterclass Watches of Cinema here. Hosted by watch and movie obsessive (not to mention our VP of Content here at Teddy) Danny Milton, this 10-part video walks through the history of watches in movies decade by decade. So, grab some popcorn and get comfortable because this is gonna be fun. Blue Hawaii (1961) - Hamilton Ventura American watchmaker Hamilton introduced the first electronic watch, the Ventura, to great fanfare in 1957, and the watch would go on to even greater fame when it was worn by Elvis Presley - at the time, arguably the biggest star in the world - in the 1961 film, Blue Hawaii. The watch, which is believed to be Presley’s own rather than a prop (see above), ...

Shop Spotlight: Grab Your TV Dinners – Mido Debuts A New Limited Edition Multifort Big Date With A 3D Dial Inspired By Retro Television Sets

Limited to 999 pieces, you can now get yours in the Hodinkee Shop.

Seiko Launches a New Crop of Astrons for a Big Anniversary

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Seiko brand. Now I know, you’re saying, “Hey Griffin, didn’t Seiko celebrate its 110th anniversary last year?” Well, yes. And no. It’s complicated, okay? Alright, it’s not that complicated. The brand that would become Seiko was founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori. They released their first pocket watch - the Timekeeper - in 1895 and they followed that up with their first wristwatch - the Laurel - in 1913. Last year’s celebrations marked the 110th anniversary of that watch. This year’s centenary celebration commemorates the first time the name Seiko was used on a watch dial, something which didn’t happen until 1924, and Seiko has promised nine limited edition watches as part of that celebration. True to that effort, we’ve already seen a recreation of the 1924 Seiko watch released as part of the Presage lineup, alongside special editions of the 62MAS-inspired Marinemaster and Prospex divers, and a new version of the Speedtimer. Now Seiko is bringing the Astron to the party and releasing a brand new model with a never-before-seen combination of features and complications. Leading the pack is the aforementioned SSH156 Astron GPS Solar Kintarō Hattori Limited Edition, a bold black and gold-tone titanium multi-time zone chronograph with an integrated bracelet and full Astron Solar capability. The watch is powered by the all-new Caliber 5X83 movement, the first Seiko Astron movement to include a subdial at ...

Watch Spotting: Bill Murray Wearing An Oris Big Crown Caliber 473 On Set Of Upcoming Movie, ‘The Friend’

Great Danes and a great watch collide in this behind-the-scenes photo.

Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Big Reveal from Rivian, Voyager 1 Goes Dark, and a Dune Primer

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com Voyager 1 May Have Gone Dark  The “pale blue dot” image The New York Times reports this week that Voyager 1, the first spacecraft to leave our solar system and venture into interstellar space, may have gone dark. It had a good run: Voyager 1 was launched 46 years ago, and captured scientifically important images of Jupiter and Saturn, and famously turned its camera back home to snap the famous “pale blue dot” image of earth. As Voyager 1 left the gravitational pull of the sun, it continued to send data back to NASA, but that stopped sometime in November of last year, and it seems increasingly likely that the probe is simply adrift in space, capping decades of important research. The sheer distance Voyager 1 has traveled (and will continue to travel, whether it’s transmitting data or not) is simply mind blowing, and the longevity of the mission leaves an emotional void among those who care about this kind of research just as much as a scientific one.  A Highly Anticipated New Lens from Sony According to a recent post on sonyalpharumors.com, a new first of its kind lens will s...

Tudor Predictions 2024 – The Potential Return of the Tudor Oysterdate Big Block Chronograph

A few days ago, the MONOCHROME team delivered our yearly forecast of potential launches for the 2024 Rolex Collection. As always, we try our best to guess what the Crown will be presenting at the watch industry’s largest fair, Watches and Wonders. While trying to imagine and design these potential Rolex models, we also started […]

Value Proposition – The Bang On 1960s Retro Vibe of the Timex Marlin Jet

US watch brand Timex is on a mission to recuperate its former glory, and one of its strategies is to resurrect winning designs from its past. Renowned for its accessibly priced mechanical and quartz watches, in the early 1960s, one in three watches sold was a Timex. The Marlin, a mechanical dress watch designed in […]

First Look – The Oris Father Time Limited Edition is a Cricket-Themed Bronze Big Crown

Given its complexity and often lethargic pace, cricket is not a sport that pops up in the crosshairs of watch brand alliances. However, in 2022, Oris struck an alliance with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), becoming the first official timekeeper in the club’s history. Celebrating this three-year partnership, Oris and the MMC have collaborated on […]

Video Review – The Original and Accessible Mido Multifort TV Big Date

Over the past couple of years, the luxury sports watch segment has exploded in popularity. Fueled by a demand for seemingly impossible-to-get watches like the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, people started to look elsewhere. Many brands and even some independent watchmakers presented their own spin on the concept, resulting in a wide range of […]

[Hands-On] Ming Brings Lightweight and Big Textures to Dubai Watch Week

Ming has had a deep presence at this year’s edition of Dubai Watch Week, not just with their latest and greatest on display, but with Ming himself offering insights to his process, including creation of the ultra-lightweight LW.01, in the form of a speech given at the beginning of the show. He even found time to challenge Rexhep Rexhepi to a game of foosball in the halls of the show. At the booth, a selection of new Ming releases drew a consistent crowd throughout the week of the show, and we took the opportunity to get a hands-on look at a few of our favorites, including one of the best releases around the fair in Dubai: the 37.08 Sand.  If there’s one thing that Ming has excelled at in recent years it is the delicate interplay between forms and textures, and how they can be harnessed to create a unique dial and case experience. Their skill here was on full display this year in Dubai with two watches in particular, the 37.08 Sand, and the 37.04 Rose Gold. In addition, Ming released a 29.01 Dubai worldtimer for Arabic speaking collectors. A trend we saw realized across many of the exhibiting brands at the fair. Both the 37.08 Sand and 37.04 Rose Gold feature extraordinary dial work, though in very different ways. Beginning with the 37.08 Sand, which Ming says is the first in a series of watches that will showcase deep-relief textured dials, the initial offering does not disappoint in this department. The dial depicts a somewhat ambiguous wave pattern that could be int...

The 1916 Company: The next big watch marketplace?

Louis Vuitton is ready to participate in the big league of high watchmaking

Are small dive watches the next big thing?

The Roundup: A 90’s Throwback Zodiac, A Bold Tissot, and A Mini Knife That Packs A Big Punch

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. We’ve curated a selection to fit everyone’s style and budget. Hit the links below to learn more and pick something special up for you, a loved one, or a friend!  Also, don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop’s rewards program to earn points with every purchase and save. The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and other gear. We’ve curated a selection to fit everyone’s style and budget. Hit the links below to learn more and pick something special up for you, a loved one, or a friend!  Also, don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop’s rewards program to earn points with every purchase and save. The post The Roundup: A 90’s Throwback Zodiac, A Bold Tissot, and A Mini Knife That Packs A Big Punch appeared first on Worn & Wound.

IWC Presents a Re-Edition of the “Markus Bühler” Big Pilot

The Watch Market 2023: 5 Big Questions regarding Tudor, Rolex, Zenith, Oris, and Pricing

There are always things that fans ask of brands across any industry, and the watch world is no different. Why not a Omega Seamaster 300M without a helium escape valve, a smaller titanium Rolex Yacht-Master, and why isn't JLC more popular? Raman Kalra has a few more questions for 2023.

Pre-Owned Picks: A Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 'Big Date,' A Rolex GMT 'Root Beer' Ref. 16713 With Extra Patina, And An Omega Speedmaster Mark II 'Racing Dial'

Plus, a modern-day sports watch from Cartier and a touch of California from Panerai.

Introducing: The New Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Hank Aaron Limited Edition Aptly Honors The Legend

2,297 pieces in honor of 2,297 runs batted in.

Alpina Releases a Surprising Limited Edition for a Big Anniversary in the Heritage Carrée Mechanical

Alpina is celebrating their 140th anniversary this year, and the brand that refers to themselves as the inventors of the sports watch have released a rather surprising limited edition to celebrate the occasion. Most recent Alpinas are very much in that very specific sport and adventure watch genre, and fit a familiar profile with modern sensibilities and a design language that speaks to their overall ruggedness. The new limited edition is cut from a very different cloth, and communes directly with the brand’s long history through the components of the watch itself. Using recently discovered and expertly restored vintage movements from the Alpina archives, the Alpiner Heritage Carrée Mechanical 140 Years is partially a history lesson, but also an example of a creative way to pay respect to the past.  This one starts with the movement. The Calibre 490 running inside the Heritage Carrée Mechanical was originally produced in 1938. A total of 28 vintage movements were recently uncovered by Alpina, and have been fully restored to function as they were originally intended when they came off the production line 85 years ago. The rectangular movements were not just ordinary, run of the mill calibers for Alpina at the time, but incorporated new features like a crown assembly that was patented to protect against the intrusion of dust into the case, and robust construction that would predict Alpina’s focus on sports watches in the years to come. The manually wound caliber beats...

IWC Introduces a New “Tahoe” Version of their Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar

IWC’s Top Gun “Lake Tahoe” edition of their ceramic cased chronograph has been an object of fascination for many since its release last year. While it lacks a certain practicality (it’s 44.5mm wide) and versatility (it’s, well, bright white) it’s undeniably striking, and would seem to be the perfect watch for a handful of very specific purposes, one of which is surely sipping on brightly colored cocktail, oceanside, in Miami. There’s nothing else quite like it on the market (besides the other colored, ceramic IWC chronographs), and it presents as an interesting contrast in design sensibilities to the “normal” IWC chronographs, the ones in steel, with an altogether more sober vibe. They’re the same, but also wildly different, and illustrate how IWC has one foot in contemporary sleekness and another in paying homage to their own history, visible on the same chronograph platform.  Last week, the Tahoe got a sequel of sorts with a new Big Pilot perpetual calendar using the same materials and design notes as the chronograph. The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe had been seen on the wrist of IWC ambassador Lewis Hamilton recently, so the official news of its release to the public isn’t a huge shock, but as an admirer of the Tahoe chronograph it’s fun to see its expansion to another product line, and makes us wonder if we could see a Tahoe edition of the simplest IWC pilot watches. A Mark XX Tahoe? Take my money.  That’s enough...