24,848 articles · 222 videos found · page 347 of 836
Hodinkee
From the white birch dial to the satisfying click of a new manual movement, Grand Seiko may have just dropped their best dress watch in years.
SJX Watches
At Watches & Wonders 2024, Parmigiani Fleurier is launching the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date, a concise sports watch clearly catered to those who want just two hands. Featuring a “Golden Siena” (or “salmon”) dial in its inaugural guise, the new Tonda PF barely deviates from the design of the original released in 2021, retaining the same case, proportions, and movement, but eliminates the date. Initial thoughts Among the sports watches launched during the integrated-bracelet-sports-watch fad, the Tonda PF stood out for its unique aesthetics that are neither boring nor flashy. While many of its competitors were often obvious derivatives of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, the Tonda PF was more original and managed to retain some of the traditional design codes of Parmigiani’s more formal watches. From a distance, it is challenging to tell the difference between the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date and the original. In fact, the only real difference lies in the dial design and colour. Although the differences are minimal, the salmon dial with a no-date layout offers a more refined aesthetic that will appeal to purists. At CHF23,500, the watch is priced the same as the date version and like it, is a decent-enough value proposition. Though it seems expensive when compared to more affordable alternatives like the Louis Vuitton Tambour or Moser Streamliner, the Tonda PF is more affordable than the Royal Oak or a Nautilus (which are mostly unobtaina...
Worn & Wound
This year at Watches & Wonders, Oris finds itself focusing primarily on a single collection: the Aquis. For years, the Aquis has carried the torch as the brand’s flagship modern sports watch. A capable diver with an integrated bracelet (it had one before they were cool), the Aquis has been made in a dizzying variety of case sizes and dial variants over the years, with complicated models, limited editions, and even diamonds finding their way to the line. But over all that time, the Aquis itself has never really had a proper reset. That changes this year, with a new, more refined Aquis Date that seeks to improve on the old version in all the ways watch collectors care about. The new Aquis is made of a number of subtle changes that add up to a noticeable, if incremental, improvement. This is not a radical rethinking of the Aquis, but feels more like an admission from Oris that certain elements of the tried and true design could be tweaked for a better overall experience. It’s an approach, frankly, that we think more brands should take. When something is generally pretty good, it makes no sense to kill it and start from scratch. Success over a long period means little iterative changes that make your product better as performance expectations shift, and Oris seems to embrace that. Of the changes made to the new Aquis, the most important is likely the small tweaks to the case. Oris has redefined the Aquis silhouette by making everything a little more balanced, with lugs t...
Fratello
The introduction of the Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter celebrates the 25th anniversary of the first nonstop balloon flight around the world. It does so with a smoky orange dial and a piece of the history-making balloon on the case back. But more importantly, it’s a completely new watch. The 2013-introduced Aerospace Evo now has a […] Visit A Swift Hands-On With The New Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter to read the full article.
Monochrome
This new creation by H. Moser & Cie. is the brand’s second venture into the skeleton watch category, following the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton introduced in 2022. Notably, a tourbillon watch joined the Streamliner collection the same year, presented in full red gold attire with a Vantablack-coated dial. In 2024, a Tourbillon Skeleton is added […]
Worn & Wound
Well, here we go again. Just a few weeks after the launch of the Swatch x Omega Mission to Moonphase, which saw Snoopy appearing on a pure white MoonSwatch, we’ve got an entirely new creation featuring our beagle friend. By entirely new of course what I really mean is: another color. The Mission to Moonphase New Moon is an all black rendering of the Mission to Moonphase concept. Swatch has been teasing this release over the past several days on social media, so it’s not exactly a surprise, unless you think about the very existence of these watches in the first place, and the conversation that develops around them whenever a new one drops, which is, on its face, surprising. The new Mission to Moonphase New Moon arrives just before April’s new moon, which is also the date of the total solar eclipse that will be visible to millions of Americans in the eastern part of the country (and many more will see a partial eclipse, which is still quite a thing). One wonders why Omega and Swatch didn’t come up with an eclipse themed watch for the occasion. There are all kinds of ways to play with the idea of blotting out the sun. A Bioceramic rendition of the sun’s corona could have been a pretty cool thing. I shouldn’t say “could have been,” of course. It could well be in the works. Quantum physics has proven that if enough time passes, every possible rendition of the MoonSwatch will eventually come to fruition. Back to the Mission to Moonphase at hand. The New Moon re...
Monochrome
The H. Moser & Cie. Concept series, distinguished by the sheer elegance of minimalistic yet very elaborately finished dials, expands to include a watch in a sporty Pioneer case. The result is beautifully controversial, perhaps as intended by the brand, for the athletic, almost brutal, and adventure-ready case gets paired with a very funky-coloured dial. […]
Quill & Pad
Arnold & Son likes to walk to its own beat. For their latest watch, the Longitude, the opposite is the case. It's a sports watch with an integrated bracelet, and yes, it even comes with a green dial.
Fratello
I am always happy to try a new Zenith watch, especially when it’s made of precious materials. And that’s precisely what this Chronomaster Sport is about, boasting a rose gold case, a spinel-, diamond-, and sapphire-set bezel, and a gold meteorite dial with diamonds. Chronomaster Sport 22.3100.3600/69.M3100 This Zenith Chronomaster Sport in 18K rose gold […] Visit Hands-On With The Rose Gold Zenith Chronomaster Sport Boutique And Online Edition to read the full article.
SJX Watches
As a sister brand of Singer Vehicle Design, the “restomod” outfit specialising in Porsche 911s, Singer Reimagined naturally got its start with auto-racing inspired chronographs, namely the Track 1. Now the brand has pivoted and debuted its first diving watch, the Divetrack Chronograph. Decidedly oversized – the diameter is 49 mm – the Divetrack has the aesthetics of a dive timer, but also the functionality thanks to a clever case and dial construction. And like the Track 1, the Divetrack is powered by the smart AgenGraphe movement that consolidates all of the chronograph indicators onto the central axis. Initial thoughts Oversized dive watches are cool. Watch nerds appreciate them for the technology, design, and function even if no one really uses them for the intended purpose. This applies to the Seiko Tuna, Rolex Deepsea Challenge, and now the Divetrack. At 49 mm in diameter and almost 20 mm high, the Divetrack is unabashedly oversized. It has an appealing instrument-like design along with a clever decompression scale on the dial. And the Agenhor movement inside ranks amongst the most inventive chronograph movements on the market. But the Divetrack is priced at CHF85,000, which is surprisingly high. In comparison, the Track 1 in titanium or aluminium costs about CHF50,000. The number is difficult to justify regardless of how you slice it. Although the movement has been modified for a 24-hour counter, the modification isn’t a major one. Still, the small edition ...
Fratello
It’s been almost a year since Tudor released the Black Bay GMT with the opaline white dial. Strangely enough, we never did a hands-on review of the watch. While it essentially was a line extension of the Black Bay GMT, the dial brings a certain praiseworthy attraction. The brand’s second GMT is the Black Bay […] Visit Going Hands-On With The Tudor Black Bay GMT Opaline And The Tudor Black Bay Pro to read the full article.
SJX Watches
London-based Bamford Watch Department’s latest is the B80 Limited Edition, a collaboration with Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam. In keeping with Bamford’s vintage-with-a-twist house style, the B80 boasts a “ghost” dial with a gradient finish and numerals inspired by historical military watches. The 39 mm titanium case has a black finished that’s been treated to appear aged. Initial Thoughts There is something about all-black watches that makes them cool. Part of it is the no-nonsense, military-instrument look they evoke. Black-coated watches, at least most of them, suffer from a major drawback - coatings wear off in time, resulting in a worn look that is more often than not unappealing. But here the wear has been done in advance for a fuss-free watch. According to the duo behind the B80, this is a “tool” watch conceived according to the notion “if [the watch is] too perfect, fix it”. Bamford, a company that got its start by modifying Rolex watches, often with vintage inspired styling and black-coated cases, is perhaps poking fun at its roots with the worn-out PVD finish of the B80. Even the dial features a “smoked” patina along with hands and indices with aged lume, thereby creating a “vintage” watch. But as with most Bamford watches – the brand now mostly makes original watches under its own name – the B80 is affordable and imbued with a spirit of fun. The back, for instance, is engraved with “You’re Ace”, and the watch is delivered with a...
Fratello
Last week, I introduced the new Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition to you. It’s a relatively affordable vintage-inspired watch with a blue dial and flyer GMT movement inside. I also told you that I was quite excited about it because of its attractive design, modest proportions, and price. However, my opinion was entirely based […] Visit Hands-On With The Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition - A Fun And Crowd-Pleasing Favorite to read the full article.
Monochrome
Back in 2020, Czapek launched its Antarctique, the brand’s first luxury sports watch that simultaneously featured the brand’s first in-house calibre. The design followed the codes of what a luxury sports watch is said to be, with a shaped case, integrated bracelet and a textured dial. But Czapek being Czapek, it didn’t cut any corners. […]
WatchAdvice
Part cyberpunk, part stealth fighter, we go hands on with the Bell & Ross Cyber Ceramic to see if this avante guarde piece can handle the urban jungle. What We Love The faceted designLittle details you keep noticing after a longer wearIt truly is a stealth watch with little branding What We Don’t The loud ceramic rotor noiseThickness of the caseLegibility of the hands and dial Overall Rating: 8.625/10 Value for money: 8/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 9/10 Bell & Ross is one of those under-the-radar brands. Ironic given their penchant for aviation-themed timepieces! So when I was thinking about what watch I’d like to review, and not had the chance to really spend much time with, Bell & Ross came to mind. I haven’t read any hands-on reviews with them in recent times, nor have I really seen any floating around. Originally I was thinking of doing a review of one of their more classic pieces, however, Bell & Ross offered us an alternative. The new Cyber Skeleton in black ceramic. Introducing the Bell & Ross Cyber Ceramic Initial Thoughts I’ve never been into all-black watches. I’ve nothing against them, they’ve just not really appealed to me all that much. However, the Bell & Ross Cyber Skeleton isn’t your everyday all-black piece. It is a statement on your wrist. One that will most probably not get much attention until it does. It’s one of those pieces that isn’t easily recognisable from a distance (hence under the radar) but on closer inspec...
Quill & Pad
The primary goal of the De Bethune DB28XS was to address collectors’ requests for a smaller version of the watch. Mission accomplished. The DB28 Starry Seas is seriously slim by De Bethune standards. And then there's that sensational dial!
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...
SJX Watches
The spring sale season that kicks off in Geneva come mid May will no doubt include many top lots across the three major auction houses, but Christie’s will claim two of the most compelling watches to go on the block: an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph and F.P. Journe Vagabondage, both unique pieces made for Michael Schumacher. Gifts from longtime Scuderia Ferrari manager Jean Todt, each watch features a custom dial commemorating Mr Schumacher’s unprecedented streak of Formula 1 world championships, as well as commemorative engraving on the back. The pair come straight from the Schumacher collection, consigned by his family along with a handful of other watches. Mr Schumacher’s watches will be offered at Christie’s Rare Watches auction taking place on May 13, 2024 in Geneva. Initial thoughts I follow F1 casually and I usually don’t like watches with emblems on the dial – the Vagabondage has 11 logos on the hour scale – but these two watches are exceptionally desirable in my eyes, particularly the Vagabondage, which is incredible for its rarity and provenance. The watches capture Mr Schumacher’s remarkable racing career – his seven world championships tie him with Lewis Hamilton as the all-time record holders – evoking the glamour and prestige of Formula 1 but also the longstanding association between watchmakers and auto racing that arguably started with sports chronographs like the Daytona and Carrera in the 1960s. At the same time, the watches il...
Fratello
Last July, Omega decided it was time to introduce the watch for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Ben wrote about the new Seamaster Diver 300M Paris 2024 edition here. The combination of the white dial and Moonshine Gold bezel insert struck a chord with me, but it wasn’t until a few months later when […] Visit Hands-On With The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Paris 2024 Edition to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
“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 A New Dial Color for Vulcain’s Vintage Inspired Chronograph Vulcain’s Chronograph 1970s really nails a very specific time in watchmaking history, with a classic two register layout and sizing that evokes classic vintage pieces (it’s 38mm in diameter and about 12mm tall). Now, in addition to silver, blue, black, and salmon dials, Vulcain has just launched a new model in a verdant green with silver subdials. It’s undeniably nice looking, and gives a vintage inspired chrono just a little taste of something contemporary with a color that’s very much of the moment. They’re available to order now via Vulcain’s website, with a retail price set at CHF 2,500. More information here. WorldTempus on the “Women in Watchmaking” Trope An editorial with a provocative title in WorldTempus caught our attention this week: “Can we please stop talking about women in watchmaking?” Writer Sophie Furley takes a position in the piece that we tend to follow here at Worn & Wound, which is one that posits all experts in the field should be treated exactly the same, and that the best way to ...
Monochrome
Five months in as CEO of one of the most luxurious watch brands, Audemars Piguet, Mrs Ilaria Resta offers her view on the current market and how she sees the future of the esteemed Le Brassus-based Maison. Dressed in a green suit with a 38mm purple dial Code 11:59 on the wrist, Italian-Swiss Ilaria Resta […]
Worn & Wound
RZE builds watches for adventure. Its latest, a collaboration with Fratello, takes that ethos more literally than ever, with a dial that resembles the topography of a map. It’s a field watch with the field on the watch. The RZE x Fratello Resolute Pro “Contour” keeps the angular design of the Resolute line case. It’s a rugged design, complemented well by its rugged qualities. Grade 2 titanium gives the watch some serious durability while keeping it light and easy to wear, particularly at 40mm. RZE’s proprietary UltraHEX coating ups the case’s durability and combined with a sapphire crystal and titanium bracelet more or less guarantees no part of the watch will scratch. But the case isn’t what’s new about this watch: it’s the dial that really makes the collaboration. Made from forged carbon sheets, the dial gets its signature contours from steel powder infused into the carbon. Because of the nature of this process, each watch dial in this limited run features a unique pattern. A topographical pattern is featured on the caseback as well, which also features a Fratello logo. Applied indices and logo on the dial, and brushing on the case and bracelet give the watch a luxurious finish. Inside is the Miyota 90s5, an automatic movement that features hand-winding capability and hacking, with 42 hours of power reserve. Water resistant to 100 meters with a signed screwdown crown, lumed indices and hands, and an anti-reflective coating on the crystal, the watch is a...
SJX Watches
A watch that exemplifies the ambitious vertical integration of Louis Vuitton’s watch division, the Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-à-Jour combines a skeleton tourbillon movement with a plique-à-jour enamel dial. Transparent and akin to stained glass, plique-à-jour enamel is rare in watchmaking, with only a handful of brands having accomplished it. But this specific form on the Voyager tourbillon, which goes without any backing under the dial, is even more uncommon. Because there is no base for the dial, the transparency of both the dial and the movement is maximised. Initial thoughts The original version of this watch, essentially identical but without the enamel dial, was launched in 2016. Louis Vuitton didn’t get much attention as a watchmaker then, though I liked the watch, particularly the slim profile and open-worked movement made by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). The quality of the watch indicated Louis Vuitton was going places as a watch brand. Louis Vuitton has come a long way since then as a watchmaker. It now boasts several automaton wristwatches, the Rexhep Rexhepi RR01 collaboration, and its own prize for independent watchmakers. Appropriately enough, the Voyager tourbillon has been enhanced, reflecting the substantial expansion and development of LFT since 2016. The movement, dial, and case are all made in-house at LFT, reflecting Louis Vuitton’s impressive manufacture that now rivals some of the most prominent names in haute horlog...
Worn & Wound
I first took serious notice of Shinola when the brand released its limited edition yacht timer, the Shinola Mackinac in 2022. It’s a funky, vintage inspired design, with a square case, circular yellow-orange dial, and pops of blue that make it an eye-catching piece, perfect for summer. I bought it-and probably overpaid, but, hey, everyone’s got that watch they bought with their heart not their financial sense-and at the same time bought into Shinola’s story as a company that pays homage to its Detroit roots and assembles their watches in America. The Mackinac really seems to represent a turning point for the company. Its release was followed by a string of watches seemingly designed for watch enthusiasts who took issue with Shinola’s pricey, quartz-heavy early catalog. Take the latest addition to the Shinola lineup: the Ceramic Monster, which I had the opportunity to spend a week with recently. The Monster line has always had the best case design of any of Shinola’s watches-particularly with the subtly curved lugs, which here allow the accompanying strap to be flush with the case, unlike other Shinola models which feature straight, spindly lugs-but the Ceramic Monster is the first in the lineup to look truly distinct from other brands’ divers. This is thanks not just to the color change-the watch is all black with some red and white highlights -but to the subtle rippling wave pattern featured on the dial meant to evoke a choppy day on the Great Lake...
Hodinkee
In white gold, made in 200 pieces, and with a beautiful "Crystal Sky" dial, this watch nods to the past and weighs gentle on my mind.
Fratello
Audemars Piguet is making sure its 5134 caliber gets a proper goodbye. The successor of the legendary 2120 movement is being discontinued…but not just in any watch. None other than John Mayer had the honor of coming up with one last dial and case design for a limited-edition Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. In addition to […] Visit Audemars Piguet Lays Its Cards Out For 2024 - Including A Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer Limited Edition to read the full article.
Fratello
The Seiko SPB143 is a veritable fan favorite among lovers of Seiko dive watches. And that’s for good reason. It combined the mid-range quality we know from this level of Seiko offerings with subtle, timeless dive-watch aesthetics. Today, Seiko releases the spiritual successors to this watch. These are the standard-production SPB451 (blue dial) and SPB453 […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Prospex SPB451, SPB453, And SPB455 - Successors To The SPB143 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
In a move that could only be earth shattering, breaking news in the watch industry, one of the most renowned brands has released their most iconic product in a color with no hue. Yes, the Speedmaster Professional, the Moonwatch, can now be had not only with the traditional black dial, but a white version that is perhaps meant to feel a bit more luxe, given its finishing and the (lack of) options consumers will have with respect to the question of crystal, bracelet, and caseback. This release isn’t exactly a surprise to those who follow Omega closely, but it is, all things considered, a fairly dramatic shakeup to the Speedmaster collection. The unveiling of the white dialed Speedmaster is not a big shock or surprise to those who track, predict, or are otherwise interested in new releases from Omega. Daniel Craig, James Bond himself, was spotted wearing what turned out to be a prototype version of the white Speedmaster last year. The jokes about a spy not being able to keep a new watch secret practically write themselves. In any case, it didn’t take long for the collecting community to reach the conclusion that the Omega ambassador was wearing new version of the Speedy to be released at some point in the near future. And a white dial for the Speedy Pro would be fairly predictable even if it hadn’t been spotted on Craig’s wrist. Some of Omega’s most sought after limited edition Speedys have been white, particularly the Silver Snoopy from 2015, and the Alaska Project...
Teddy Baldassarre
In early 2024, Bulova released a version of its vintage-inspired space-mission-worthy chronograph, the Lunar Pilot, with a dial that is indisputably unique and whose origins are literally out of this world. Here’s a closer look at the Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph Meteorite Dial Limited Edition. To start with some background on the model: Bulova Watch Company, founded in New York in 1875, played a noteworthy role during the height of the U.S.A.’s Space Race with the Soviet Union in the 1950s and ‘60s. The company, at the time headed by American war hero General Omar Bradley, established a partnership with NASA through which it provided precision instruments and timekeeping devices equipped with Bulova’s signature Accutron tuning-fork technology. These instruments were used by NASA astronauts on no less than 46 space missions, and a Bulova Accutron clock remains in the moon's Sea of Tranquility to this day, placed there by astronaut Buzz Aldrin in 1969 during the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Two years later, Bulova made a customized, one-of-a-kind chronograph wristwatch for Colonel Dave Scott (above), commander of 1971’s Apollo 15 mission, the fourth to land on the moon. The watch, essentially the prototype for today's Lunar Pilot models, was specially engineered for lunar conditions, with a case built to withstand drastic changes in pressure, temperature, atmospheric conditions, and gravity. Scott, the seventh man to walk on the moon and the first to driv...
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton has received much press recently for the Tambour, a restrained, sleek watch with just three hands. But the brand also makes watches at the other end of the spectrum, as personified by the Tambour Opera Automata. A large watch with an even larger presence, the Opera Automata is an extremely complicated watch with a kinetic dial – that is also enamelled by Anita Porchet. The pusher at two o’clock activates the automata on the dial, which also serves to indicate the time with jumping hours and retrograde minutes. Although mechanically identical to the earlier Carpe Diem automata watch, the Opera Automata is more striking thanks to its vivid colours, and also more relatable for East Asians given the theme. Initial thoughts The Tambour Opera Automata is a statement watch that is hard to miss by virtue of its size and colour. Although the extravagant style is typical of Louis Vuitton, the details of the enamel dial are particularly fine. Moreover, the motif is more appealing to me personally compared to its predecessor, the Carpe Diem from three years ago. I was impressed by the Carpe Diem, both for its complexity and execution, particularly the delicate enamelled snake, but the skull-and-snake motif was too much for me. It was also less relatable, since it is a vanitas, a familiar concept in Western culture. With a Chinese opera motif, the Opera Automata, on the other hand, is more relatable. The Opera Automata is impressively decorated on the front – unsurp...
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