1,216 articles · 342 videos found · page 34 of 52
Monochrome
The launch of the Bulgari Aluminio in 1998 flew in the face of conventional watchmaking with its unusual combination of black rubber and lightweight aluminium. With its graphic solid black and off-white livery, the Aluminio soared in popularity as an attractive, entry-level sports watch with a slick Italian soul. Marking its much-anticipated comeback in 2020, […]
Hodinkee
The king of collaborations wants nothing but integrated bracelets and straps, and has one of the craziest collections of TAG F1s you will ever see.
Worn & Wound
Very few things put a smile on my face quite like the Ulysse Nardin Freak. It’s one of the first haute horlogerie watches I can remember encountering, well before watches were ever a hobby or preoccupation, in a glossy magazine advertisement that I probably saw while waiting for a doctor’s appointment or something else similarly trivial and forgettable. The Freak, though, has stayed with me. How could it not? It’s one of the most cleverly named watches ever made, for one. And its “no dial, no hands, no crown” concept continues to endure, and even after multiple decades of horological innovation surrounding Ulysse Nardin (which they very much had a role in kicking off) it remains every bit as avante-garde, insane, and completely delightful as its always been. For the third straight year, Ulysse Nardin has brought just one watch to show at Watches & Wonders. The Freak S Nomad, a follow up to 2022’s Freak S, is a futuristic tour-de-force that pays tribute to classical watchmaking at the same time as it shows us something we’ve never quite seen before. The movement, an imposing flying carousel that rotates around its own axis, features two balance wheels posted at a 20 degree incline linked to a vertically integrated differential mounted to ball bearings. Every Freak movement, no matter how advanced or comparatively simple (this one is the most advanced there is) is an exercise in problem solving. When the movement itself is in motion, it adds a whole layer o...
Time+Tide
Zenith have resurrected the Defy Extreme Diver with full vigour and in-your-face attitude.The post The Defy Extreme Diver brings back a diver to the Zenith catalogue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Yves G. Piaget, the fourth generation of the Piaget watchmaking and jewellery dynasty, launched the sporty-chic Polo watch in 1979. With its ultra-thin gold case and sleek bracelet decorated with horizontal gadroons, the Polo captured the era’s zeitgeist to become a massive hit. In 2016, Piaget gave the Polo a complete makeover, transforming it into […]
Video
Fratello
My theoretical-wrist-grail taste has evolved, as has the watch-collecting community. In the face of unavailability and client-selective ADs, independent choices have come to the fore. And despite the shaky world markets, plenty of potential buyers are looking for alternatives outside the big-brand catalogs. Debuting back in 2010 with distinctively minimal luxury and the world’s best-looking […] Visit Introducing: The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon - The Brand’s First Lunar Flirtation to read the full article.
Deployant
Our next session is with Laurent Ferrier by returning to the classical design with the Classic Moon, their first moon phase display.
Monochrome
The moon phase indicator and date combination is a flagship model at Frederique Constant, appearing with the launch of the brand’s second manufacture movement in 2005. Early models, like the Heart Beat Manufacture, were equipped with the brand’s hand-wound moon phase and date movement (FC-915). Evolving over the years and replacing the manual-winding movement with […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A quick introduction to the highly-technical IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar with a moon phase complication accurate to 45 million years.
Fratello
Almost ever since the Tudor Black Bay 58 came out, people have been craving a GMT version. But, of course, this isn’t the first GMT watch in Tudor’s collection. The regular 41mm Black Bay GMT debuted in 2018. After that, the smaller 39mm Black Bay Pro showed its face in 2022. However, both of those […] Visit Introducing: The Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT - By Very Popular Request to read the full article.
Video
SJX Watches
Amongst Vacheron Constantin’s novelties at Watches & Wonders is the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph Collection Excellence Platine (CEP), the latest model to receive the monochromatic, all-platinum treatment. Coming two years after the Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph CEP, this utilises platinum extensively throughout the watch, and even the stitching of the strap, while maintaining many of the standard model’s key characteristics. Initial thoughts On its face, the new Tourbillon Chronograph closely resembles the standard model in rose gold. The view from the back is practically identical – which is a good thing given the appeal of the cal. 3200, a recent in-house calibre (and not Lemania based) but one constructed with traditional aesthetics and details. Nevertheless, being a CEP edition, it embraces a primarily grey palette. This is tastefully complemented by the blue accents, including the blued steel hands, and a single blued screw on the tourbillon cage. It’s a straightforward yet effective combination. The formula is the same one applied to past CEP editions, so the similarity between this and the standard model is understandable. However, varying the design more in order to distinguish this from the regular production model would have made it a bit more special. Nevertheless, the CEP possesses a refined charm and is more appealing than its current standard model, albeit with a price tag that is quite a bit more, as is usually the case for CEP...
Fratello
You might have to look twice, but you’re looking at the updated IWC Portugieser Automatic 42. These models have a completely re-engineered case construction with a more slender side profile. The bezel-less watches feature double-domed box-style glass sapphire crystals for unobstructed views of the sunburst dials or the versions finished with 15 layers of transparent […] Visit The Refined And Reworked IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 - Plus New Dial Colors For The Portugieser Automatic 40 And Chronograph to read the full article.
Deployant
Vacheron Constantin introduces a host of new timepieces for 2024, including one Haute Joaillerie piece. These novelties include new variations of the Overseas, Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph, Patrimony Manual-Winding, Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date and Égérie Moon Phase, as well the Égérie The Pleats of Time concept watch and Haute Joaillerie Grand Lady Kalla. Vacheron ConstantinRead More
SJX Watches
Perhaps the complication most associated with IWC, the perpetual calendar with its distinctive four-digit year display was introduced in 1985 in the Da Vinci. Today IWC takes the “perpetual” concept to its maximum with the Portugieser Eternal Calendar that boasts a supercharged perpetual calendar, otherwise known as a secular calendar, requiring no adjustment for a thousand years. In addition, it is equipped with a moon phase of unprecedented accuracy – a day in 45 million years. Initial thoughts Even though it appears similar to the standard Portugieser Perpetual Calendar – though it is slightly thicker and wider – the Eternal Calendar is an appealing and note-worthy proposition in terms of its technical merits. The rare complication, however, comes at preposterously steep price. Discreetly dressed in the classic Portugieser case, but the Eternal Calendar reveals a modern twist in the form of the glass dial that shows off the calendar works underneath. To accomplish that, the movement employs a sapphire bridge in the calendar module, marking the first time IWC is using the material as a structural element in a calibre. The extensive use of sapphire hints at the impressive technicality of the movement, giving a sense of tangibility to the mechanics within. And the mechanics are certainly worth admiring. An “eternal” or secular calendar complication is appealing, for both the mechanical inclined and even the plain romantic who wants something that will go on...
Fratello
We are lucky to have reached a phase in the modern industry where the standards of mass production are such that watches can endure all sorts of conditions. The adage “they don’t make them like they used to” hasn’t entirely panned out with watchmaking, at least regarding production quality (design, aesthetics, and luxury culture certainly […] Visit The IWC Fliegerchronograph 3706 - A Trusty Companion And Neo-Vintage Gem to read the full article.
Video
Quill & Pad
Nothing can stir up the watch world these days quite as much the launch of a new Apple watch. For some it's a must-have gadget, for others it just isn't a real watch. But quartz watches face perhaps more competition from smartwatches than mechanical watches. Does quartz even have a real future?
Revolution
In 2020, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud introduced its second collection, the Chronomètre FB 2RE. This timepiece signaled a significant milestone for the Maison, featuring the first round case, a display with three central hands, and notably, the debut of a movement with a double regulation system-a fusion of fusee-and-chain transmission with a one-second “remontoir d’égalité”. This […]
Monochrome
Founded by couple John and Claire, Byrne is an independent watchmaking brand that debuted in 2022. John, a watchmaker with a design background, serves as the creative driving force behind the brand, while Claire, his wife, handles business-related affairs. What makes Byrne’s creations stand out is their unique display. The face of their watches evolves. […]
Episode 77 of A Week in Watches is going to be slightly different. This episode has two hosts and no script! With the big event happening so soon (the next episode will be made from Watches & Wonders), we figured getting ready with a little Q and A would be fun. That said, two very different watches with prominent moon phase complications were also worth covering. Join Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss in the studio as they discuss the new releases and then answer some fantastic questions from the W&W;+ Slack community. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop, which recently added the new Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Tourbillon to the catalog. It is a gorgeous piece of haute horology that showcases Mr. Silberstein’s unique style. Head over to WindupWatchShop.com to check them out, as well as accessories, EDC, clocks, and more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 77: Mission to Watches & Wonders appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
This might well be the most unexpected release of Tudor in years. A couple of months ago, we already spotted something not supposed to exist, or at least, a watch that can’t actually be acquired by the general public. Released in the frame of the partnership with Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, Tudor created […]
Video
Monochrome
Piaget is world-famous for its vibrant creations in the field of watches and jewellery. In this video, we are taking a look at an important yet sometimes lesser-known side of the brand: its expertise in the field of movement creation and manufacturing. Everything started in the small village of La Côte-aux-Fées in the Swiss Jura […]
SJX Watches
Luxury watch retail has transformed markedly in the past decade – from the rise of mono-brand boutiques and e-commerce, to industry consolidation and the growth of the secondary market – traditional retailers have had to navigate several converging trends. We sat down with Lisa Bridge, chief executive of Ben Bridge Jewelers, to hear her views on these topics. Founded in 1912, Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jewelers is one of the largest watch and jewellery retailers in the western United States, operating 35 locations in nine states from Colorado to Hawaii. Although the company was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2000, it continues to be run by the Bridge family. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Brandon Moore (BM): What do you see as the biggest growth drivers in the U.S. luxury watch retail sector over the next few years? Lisa Bridge (LB): It’s been an exciting renaissance in the watch industry over the last few years in terms of the number of people who have a real interest and a real desire to collect and to be passionate about watches. It’s not necessarily what people predicted a few years ago when people were talking about Apple Watches as an existential threat to the Swiss watch industry. Instead, it’s been the opposite. [The Apple Watch] got people wearing a watch and then going, oh, let me learn more about this watch thing. And the experience for customers has also increased and will continue to improve over the next few years in terms of the ...
SJX Watches
Swatch and Omega are once again dropping another collaboration that is bound to be a hit, the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase. Inspired by the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Snoopy”, the new MoonSwatch features a moon phase along with an all-white Bioceramic case and matching white strap. Snoopy resides on the moon phase display at two o’clock, which features a hidden quote printed in Super-Luminova, “I can’t sleep without a night light!”, that is invisible except in the dark or when exposed to UV light. The Mission to the Moonphase is not a limited edition and instead part of the permanent collection. Initial thoughts Although the MoonSwatch has been a massive hit in terms of units sold – the total sold to date is in the low millions – recent iterations of the model haven’t been particularly exciting, with most of them simply having the addition of a gold-plated seconds hand. With the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, however, Swatch is bringing something more interesting to the table. While it certainly isn’t imaginative, the appeal of the watch is obvious. For one, it builds on the capitalises on the desirability of the actual Speedmaster “Snoopy”. At the same time, the all-white livery sets it apart from the other MoonSwatch iterations. Like the other versions of the MoonSwatch, the new Snoopy edition offers decent value at US$310. It is inexpensive, though it does feel inexpensive since the case is essentially plastic mixed with ceramic. B...
WatchAdvice
IN PARTNERSHIP: Zenith has gone back to their vintage roots with a faithful re-creation of the intended design from the 70’s, and we’ve road-tested it to see if the 1970’s works in 2024! What We Love Vintage styling that doesn’t look out of place todayPracticality of the chronograph and calendar functionsThe subtle green colour that’s not in your face What We Don’t The 38mm size is a touch on the small sideLeather strap could be more detailed to suit the watchThickness when compared to the case size with the raised lugs Overall Rating: 8.125/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 7.5/10Design: 8/10Build quality: 9/10 Zenith came out of the blocks strong for 2024 where at LVMH Watch Week in January they went strong on their Chronomaster line. Part of these launches was the re-introduction of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar in three colourways, which we covered here. The commentary and feedback from these releases were overall positive, especially amongst the collector community where vintage and sub 40mm pieces are received incredibly well. Just look at the below Instagram post from ChampsG with the comments on this. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chamath Gamage (@champsg) So when we agreed to do this hands on review, I was curious as to how I would like the green boutique edition, as quite frankly it’s not a watch I would generally gravitate towards – the Chronomaster Sport is a little more my style. But that’s what I love about havi...
Monochrome
The Lady Serenade and PanoMatic Luna are Glashütte Original’s two mechanical watch collections for women. While the PanoMatic Luna is essentially a slightly smaller version of the men’s model, the Serenade collection was conceived as a ladies’ watch from the start. Available with time-and-date functions, the Serenade takes on a new complication in the form of a moon phase […]
Video
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