28,224 articles · 174 videos found · page 362 of 947
Deployant
Back to regular programming…today’s post is on my personal watch…the Jaeger LeCoultre Platinum 2. A stealthy watch, if there ever was one. To the unintiated, this watch looks like a regular Reverso, with a beautiful grey dial, and power reserve. To the knowledgable, this is a sample of 500 piece limited edition, the movement isRead More
Revolution
It’s an uncanny thing about every new Piaget creation, how they all instantly seem to just belong. Even when it comes to the most novel of novelties from the brand, look away for a scant minute and once you turn your attention back to them, it’s hard to imagine a time when they weren’t a […]
Revolution
The watches produced by Jaquet Droz since the name was relaunched by the Swatch Group in 2001 have for the last 11 years been notable mostly for extremely beautiful high-art dials (using everything from extremely exotic enameling techniques, such as pailloneé, to rare minerals like meteorite) and for very distinctive implementations of classic complications. (We […]
Revolution
The Louis Moinet Vertalis Tourbillon “Red Stromatolite” Whatever your spiritual beliefs, there is near-universal agreement that the spirit is but a brief tenant in the body, and even today, to live out one’s biblical assurance of threescore and ten years is to consider oneself relatively lucky. We unhappy mortals, therefore, are like to surround ourselves […]
Revolution
I am trying to learn how to Dougie. For those of you who are not as sentiently tapped into the zeitgeist of rap culture, this is a dance that involves you moving from side to side whilst rolling your shoulders, ironically enough, kind of like Axl Rose. This is important for me because I like […]
Deployant
I was invited to view a very exclusive mobile phone…with built in pocket watch with a tourbillon, crafted in titanium. A lot of thought has gone into this phone…though the mobile technology is not really state of the art, the completeness of the thinking behind the idea is amazing. Built like a clamshell phone…vaguely familiarRead More
Deployant
Some readers have written to tell me that the watches I feature are almost always very expensive, as they usually are top range luxury timepieces. Though I understand you, my dear readers, enjoy the super watches…like readers of car magazines enjoy seeing photographs and tests on supercars, you would also like some more down toRead More
Deployant
The latest iteration of The Freak…with Rolf’s signature on the plate attached to the dial at 6. The plate releases the lock on the bezel, which also serves as device to set the time. The watch is amazing in simplicity…no crown…set the hands by turning the bezel. Wind the watch by turning the rear bezel.Read More
Deployant
Vianney Halter is a very interesting watchmaker. Intensely passionate about his craft, and insanely loyal to producing everything inhouse in his little farmhouse in St.Croix – a little village up in the mountains in the Swiss Jura. Visiting his workshops are like visiting a toystore for a man who still loves to play with everythingRead More
Deployant
Greubel Forsey is one of the independent watchmakers to watch…they are very innovative, and creates timepieces which are wonderful to the eye…like landscapes…and fully deserve what I call watchscapes…landscapes of watches. Started by two veterans from Renaud et Papi – the firm bears the name of the founders…Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey. Robert is French,Read More
Deployant
The watch, in White Gold. Limited to an edition of 20 pieces, this is No 1. A closer look at the front dial The rear of the watch… A Side view of the watch, showing the engraving with Singapore’s lattitude: A closeup of the tourbillon, showing the special design of the tourbillon cage Slide openRead More
Deployant
Am a bit tied up preparing for my book…more about this later…and for SIHH 2011, so am lagging a bit on watchscapes…a new word I coined for watch photographs…especially those with extreme macros, making the watch elememts look abstract and like landscapes. To tie the watch fans, here is a photograph of the older RolexRead More
Deployant
Dear Readers, I know many of you return to this blog to look at watch photographs. I also know many of you love the landscapes. As you have discovered…I am taking a short break on this blog (not taking any breaks making photographs) on watch photography. Rest assured that watches will return soon, in aboutRead More
Deployant
The Urwerk White Shark…limited Edition in 12 pieces, especially for The Hour Glass and Chronopassion. A closer look at the time indication mechanism. The red numeral is also the limited edition number…12 examples, so allows each watch to be individualised with its limited edition number in red on the hour indicator. Nice touch. A closerRead More
Worn & Wound
I first met Max Maertens at Dubai Watch Week last year. The young designer already has a storied career under his belt, working on projects with brands like Chopard, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and MB&F;, where he started out as an intern. Here, something clicked. For several years, Maertens firmly fell in the “F” or “friends” category of the brand, collaborating with MB&F; and L’Epée on the T-Rex clock before being given free rein to create the TriPod and the Orb. But his legacy with MB&F; is only just getting started. Through these projects on several horological objects, the brand’s founder Max Busser saw something special and took him under his wing as his protégé and future successor. Today, we see Maertens’ first take on a more traditional MB&F; wristwatch – well…. sort of. Making its grand entrance is the HM12 Guardian, the next chapter in the brand’s horological machines. It started with a “simple” brief (though we all know, nothing MB&F; does is simple. “I was in Max’s office, and he said to me, ‘wouldn’t it be cool to create a watch that’s also a robot’s head?’ And somehow, immediately in that moment, a vision popped in my mind of how it should look,” recalls Maertens. “In the end, I would say this final concept of the HM12 is about 80% of what I had in my mind from that first idea.” Yes, the concept still originated from the mind of Busser himself, but the design of the new HM12 Guardian – a wristwatch with a “very...
Monochrome
Just a stone’s throw north of Neuchâtel, Switzerland and crossing the border into France, you will stumble upon a town called Morteau. Much like Le Locle and the Vallée de Joux are for the Swiss, Morteau is the heart of French mechanical watchmaking. It is here that you will find the Pequignet manufacture, a company […]
Time+Tide
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Only a month ago in this very column, we had just about got over the new release season, but I alerted you all to the fact that we were far from done. Technically, we’re halfway through 2026 now, and it feels like every week there’s been at least one … Continued
SJX Watches
Phillips’ spring auction season wraps up with The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XXII on May 30 – 31. As is now the norm, independent watchmakers have carved out a significant section of the catalogue including the usual suspects from F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour, as well as rare showings from under-the-radar makers like Oscillon and Yosuke Sekiguchi. Lot 878 – Oscillon L’instant de Vérité Despite how hot the indie segment has become, Oscillon has largely stayed under the radar, perhaps due to its intensely cerebral nature, or because the brand only produces about five watches per year. The duo behind the brand, Dominique Buser and Cyrano Devanthey, are collectors of pre-computerised watchmaking machines. Their collection is so extensive that they can produce all movement parts – save for the jewels and shock protection – under their own roof using these machines. Even putting this context aside, the watches themselves are still mechanically interesting. The most striking detail is the bowtie-shaped balance, which is harder to poise and less aerodynamic than a conventional annular balance, but looks much cooler. L’instant de Vérité uses an unusual tensator constant-force spring. To explain this, consider a tape measure. The force required to pull more length from a tape measure doesn’t noticeably increase regardless of the length already paid out. Now imagine hooking the end of the tape to a pulley, so that turning the pulley (winding) pulls tape out, and ...
Fratello
Field watches and GADA (go anywhere, do anything) pieces sit at the heart of practical watchmaking. They are designed to do everything well without unnecessary fuss and to look good while doing it. For many enthusiasts, this category represents the sweet spot. You get versatility, robustness, and timeless design without drifting into luxury territory. Today, […] Visit What Are 10 Of The Best Field And GADA Watches Under €1,000? to read the full article.
Fratello
When the dress code says, “casual chic,” what do you wear? “Not an eggplant-colored suit” is my first thought. I saw it once during an opening cocktail of a grandiose watch event, and the combination with white sneakers didn’t make it any better. Would an elegant, slim dress watch have saved the overall look? It […] Visit Is The Latest Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738G-001 The Greatest? to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Concorso de Eleganza Villa d’Este for 15 years now, but this year marks the first time a limited edition is debuting at the event: the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold. Staged annually on the shores of Lake Como, the classic car show has historically awarded a unique Lange watch to the “Best of Show” winner. This year’s winner will once again receive a watch with an engraved hunter case back, but for everyone these there is the new Cabaret Tourbillon, a limited edition of 50 pieces that is the most appealing iteration of Lange’s most unusual, and least popular, wristwatch with a tourbillon. Initial thoughts The Cabaret Tourbillon is probably the least popular Lange tourbillon due to its shape and size; the original version was also relatively plain in terms of appearance. The new limited edition, however, looks and feels entirely different. Thought the dimensions are the same, it looks like a whole new watch with the Honeygold dial. The relief elements on the frosted surface give the dial a subtle depth, while the colour contrasts well with the case. Though this is not a Handwerkskunst edition, the dial gives it a special something. Ordinarily, a modest cosmetic makeover like this would be uninteresting, but here the gentle redesign elevates a watch that previously felt a little flat into something more inspired. I only wish Lange had given the movement a little extra decoration to set it apart from the standard calibre. As...
Monochrome
Over the past few years, Patek Philippe has been continuously reshaping the Calatrava. What was once the ultimate ultra-classical dress watch – well, it still is with the 6196P – has evolved into something more textured, more casual, and, importantly, more practical. References like the 5326 Annual Calendar Travel Time and the 5328 8-Day introduced […]
Hodinkee
The watch world hasn't seen an auction season like this in quite some time. Well, ever, frankly. Phillips set multiple records (43 by their count, though many are quite obscure), including a new record for the highest single sale of $96,328,083, besting their result from just last fall. If you add in their online auction, they passed $100 million for the first time ever. Sotheby's smashed the record for the most expensive A. Lange & Söhne ever (for a pocket watch, we might add)—a record that only stood for a few weeks, set during the house's Hong Kong sale. But it wasn't so much the overall numbers that were shocking as the fact of which watches were selling for what prices. So, what the heck is going on? Well, we were watching; some of us from afar, others (Andy Hoffman) in the auction rooms. Instead of focusing solely on broad strokes, let's look at five specific results and why they matter for the market. A Bog-Standard Stainless Steel Akrivia AK-06 is Now a $3.8 Million Watch, 30 Times Its Original Retail Rexhep Rexhepi is the hottest watchmaker of the new, young generation, and it's not particularly close. That's not a dig on his contemporaries, but rather a reflection of the realities of the market, where people are clamoring (to an unbelievable degree) to buy a watch from a man who has made very few watches in the first place, and the few that have come to market reach astronomical prices. There aren't many data points to go off of. Only twelve Akrivia or Rexhep ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Cheap dive watches can be great, but too many start to feel the same. These 6 tested divers show what value, compromise, and upgrading really look like.
Monochrome
In our recent ABCs of Time article, The Top Five Countries Where Watchmaking Reigns Supreme, England didn’t quite make the cut (and some of you took issue with that), so let’s take a look at the history of English watchmaking and give the country its due. After all, several of the most important inventions actually […]
SJX Watches
Recently revived Genevan haute horlogerie brand Niton jumps into the jumping hours market with the Prima — one of the more refined high-end examples of the industry’s latest favourite complication. It features a bespoke, shaped calibre that proudly carries the Poinçon de Genève — true to its inspiration — and is packed with creative choices and features. Initial thoughts Not long ago it seemed like 2025 would go down as the year of the jump hour, but the trend was evidently just getting started. The Niton Prima exemplifies this ongoing trend with surprising elegance and historical fidelity. As a rule of thumb, I view revival brands with a degree of scepticism; I would prefer people make a name for themselves rather than buying one. However, the Niton Prima shows a clear understanding of — and passion for — the source material, so I am satisfied this is not a mere cash-grab. It doesn’t hurt that the watch is excellent inside and out, and while expensive in absolute terms, it is fairly priced for what you get. The movement deserves special mention as the source of much of the appeal, being a true shaped movement — a very handsome one at that — and a competent timekeeper. It is finely finished with a plethora of interesting and clever features, including hidden screws for joining the bridges and mainplate, a small seconds hand that stops itself at 60 after the crown is pulled, and a sonnerie au passage to enhance the sound of the jump hour. Another point i...
Worn & Wound
One of my favorite days on the watch media calendar every year is the Naoya Hida preview day. Every spring for the last few years, watch media types make appointments at the Armoury on the Upper East Side to get a look at the upcoming Naoya Hida releases for the year. It feels like a very old fashioned way of doing things. Yes, there’s a press release sent out ahead of time, but Naoya Hida only makes one announcement like this per year – there are no mid-cycle drops or limited editions released to coincide with some later event. Members of the Naoya Hida team are present and there to explain the collection, piece by piece. This year, Naoya Hida will produce a total of 10 models, 7 of which are new designs. We won’t go through each one here, but rather focus on the references that are completely new and those that have the most notable upgrades. The reference that immediately caught my eye and was easily the most unexpected of the bunch is the new NH TYPE2C-2. To this point, Naoya Hida has really been defined, in my estimation, by their dial aesthetic, which prominently features elaborate hand engravings in the dial surface. It’s a very traditional and inherently ornate way to make a dial, and the execution is always top notch. It’s a type of craft that’s a true “IYKYK” proposition, though. From a distance the handwork on these dials might not be obvious, but they really come alive under close examination, especially under a loupe. Anyway, the TYPE2C-2...
Monochrome
Seasoned divers, like our own Derek, will all tell you that, in our day and age, a mechanical dive watch isn’t truly relevant anymore, having been replaced by diving computers. And yet, either for safety or emotional reasons, many still use an old-school timepiece during their seasons. In the world of classic car rallies, the […]
WatchAdvice
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we thought we’d revisit the review on the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph. A perfect watch for Mother’s Day! What We Love The elegant but sporty look Great size for smaller wrists It’s light-powered, so no battery! What We Don’t The crown and protectors protrude a little Maybe on the thicker side for some as a smaller-sized ladies’ watch Clasp took a little while to get used to wearing being larger than an integrated bracelet with a butterfly clasp Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This was originally published as The TAG Heuer Aqauracer Solargraph Review: Now With Diamonds! The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph in the pink dial and diamonds was a piece that came out just prior to Watches & Wonders in mid-March, along with a few other Aquaracer Solargraph drops. Similar to the Northern Lights collection that dropped at last year’s LVMH Watch Week it adds to the smaller 34 mm-sized Solargraphs with a choice of coloured dials and diamonds on the dial and bezel. Now, this isn’t a piece I would wear, but I could see many ladies out there having this as a daily watch. I mean, what’s not to love about it? It is a great size at 34mm, so it’s not too small or too large for smaller wrists. It has the diamond indices which give it a little more of that elegant or dressy look, and the pink dial is a nice pop of colour for thos...
Hodinkee
Given that May 1st is celebrated as International Workers Day, it seems almost compulsory to reward yourself with a little mid-day Mayday watch ogling, right? Congrats, Baller, you've done it again. Happy Friday. Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Certina Argonaut chrono went for £1,620, the Vacheron Constantin 6394 for £7,400, the IWC Mark XII for £2,400, and the Cartier Coussin for CHF 42,000. Strays Everyone's encouraged to take a closer look at this, described as an "18k Vintage Vacheron Constantin Geneve Quartz Watch," and let's take a moment to collectively register the fact that, in the pictures, the second hand has clearly moved, so either a) the battery's still got some life in it after all (impressive!), or b) maybe it's not quartz. Mr. Hoffman wrote earlier this week about the Patek 5322G, "[a] chiming alarm in a mechanical watch today is a purely romantic complication that recalls an earlier era." While he presumably wasn't specifically referencing the LeCoultre Memovox, it's certainly what springs to mind when I think of the alarm watches from an earlier era, and if you've made it this far in life without one, here's a pricey way to address that lack. Photo courtesy Precious Collections. Yes, the dial is imperfect, but look, if you're going to scare the bejesus out of yourself with an old mechanical alarm that sounds like a tattoo machine suddenly buzzing to life on your wrist, don't you owe it to yourself to do so with lots of gold? Finally, if you've w...
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