Hodinkee
Hands-On: Greubel Forsey's New Hand Made 2 Is Watchmaking In Its Purest Form
Three watches a year. Nearly 100% handmade. Top tier finishing. It's a special watch.
4,214 articles · 25 videos found · page 4 of 142
Hodinkee
Three watches a year. Nearly 100% handmade. Top tier finishing. It's a special watch.
SJX Watches
In a fortuitous turn of events, Mark Zuckerberg was spotted with the Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 just a week ago – just in time for the debut of the Hand Made 2. Unlike its predecessor that was equipped with a tourbillon, the Hand Made 2 is “merely” a three-hander with a power reserve indicator, presented in a more compact case that’s just under 41 mm. But like the first model, the Hand Made 2 is mostly made with traditional, hand-operated tools – specifically, 96% of the watch is made this way, an endeavour that requires 5,000 hours of work according to Greubel Forsey. (NB: The watch pictured is a prototype and is not perfectly clean.) Initial thoughts The Hand Made 2 is essentially the Hand Made 1 scaled down in every respect – dimensions, complexity, and price – except for the manual production methods and fine finishing, which remain impressive and outstanding. Even at arm’s length the quality of the Hand Made 2 is obvious. Up close, it is evident all of the details have been properly taken care of. As it was with the Hand Made 1, the second edition is also impressive for what cannot be seen – tolerances and precision that are equivalent to Greubel Forsey’s serial-production watches made with automated equipment. Achieving that with manual equipment is impressive and no doubt explains a good deal of the price. Surprisingly, the Hand Made 2 looks more complicated than its predecessor, despite doing away with the tourbillon. That’s because the archit...
Time+Tide
Every year, the Bell & Ross design team goes nuts with an incredible and (sadly) hypothetical vehicular creation. This year it was the Racing Bird, an awesomely streamlined take on a prop-powered racer, the sort of machine you’d see at the Reno Air Races. Of course, while the plane is conceptual, the watches are very, … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The bird is the word – Bell & Ross’ BRV2-94 Racing Bird that is appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Here at Time+Tide we make no bones about being greatly enamoured of Longines’s heritage offerings, so it’s understandable that we made a beeline for the Lindbergh and 1945 models. However, our attention was rapidly drawn to the comparatively pared-back Record, which intrigued us with one simple word on its dial – ‘chronometer’. Now, in case you’re not … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: One simple word that makes the Longines Record a big deal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
At first glance, the pairing of a GPS-enabled, solar-powered watch, with a direct lineage to an 800-year-old family tradition in one of Japan’s most culturally important crafts might seem odd, but that’s precisely what we’re looking at with this high-end Casio MRG-G2000GA ‘Gassan’. Before we get to the sword side of things, let’s have a … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: 21st century tech meets Japanese swordsmithing tradition in the Casio MRG-G2000GA ‘Gassan’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Meet the Casio G-Shock "Vandalism" from iflwatches. This isn't mass-produced; every single dial is hand-painted one at a time, meaning the art on yours will be entirely unique to you.
Hodinkee
Plus, a wild Millenary from AP and ever-so-thin Piaget.
Quill & Pad
Everything Greubel Forsey does is about nurturing incredible skill, craftsmanship, and a fundamental belief in patience. This rings doubly true for the Hand Made 1. It looks absolutely perfect from every angle, and the experience is magnified when you realize that not only is this watch completely hand finished (the norm for Greubel Forsey) but wrought from scratch by an individual’s hands.
Deployant
Full review of the IWC Portofino Monopusher Chronograph with hands on commentary and live photographs.
Deployant
I also dropped by Girard-Perregaux and was presented the Laureato Fifty Tourbillon Micro-Rotor. Here is my hands-on impressions.
Deployant
At the Speake Marin suite, we were introduced to the Tourbillon Royal Blue. Here is our hands-on impression after handling the watch at the Beau Rivage.
Video
Is the Rolex Land-Dweller a hidden gem or a rare mistake from the crown? Today, we go hands-on with one of the most polarising watches in Rolex history.
Deployant
Day -1 of GWD began with an impromptu visit to the Rexhep Rehepi Ateliers and had hands-on with the Chronograph Flyback Prototype No.1.
Fratello
Omega is introducing a new Speedmaster 38 collection. For a long time, Omega offered a serious alternative to the famous Moonwatch for those who wanted a smaller automatic version. The Speedmaster Reduced 3510.50 was in production from 1988 to around 2010. In its final years, demand for the 42mm hand-wound Speedmaster Professional was simply higher. […] Visit Finally A New Speedmaster Reduced? Hands-On With The Redesigned Omega Speedmaster 38 to read the full article.
Fratello
Why use a traditional, coiled balance spring when you can use a 14-micron-wide and 120-micron-“thick” silicon blade instead? With the latter, Girard-Perregaux set out to overcome the inherent challenge of fluctuating power delivery in mechanical watches. The goal for the 235-year-old Swiss watchmaker from La Chaux-de-Fonds was to achieve consistently superior precision. The quest involves […] Visit Hands-On With The Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement — Could We Catch The Purple “Butterfly” Inside? to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
We go hands-on with the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver, and see why this is the watch Grand Seiko fans and watch enthusiasts have been wanting! What We Love The new case size and dimensions That dial, I mean, seriously?! The new bracelet and clasp design What We Don’t The lack of a date window The full titanium construction may not be to everyone’s liking The anti-magnetism could be increased to accommodate modern life Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value For Money: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 This year, Grand Seiko upped the ante and took the fight to the swath of other luxury dive watches on the market with the release of its new Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver, which was released at Watches & Wonders 2026. It was the dive watch Grand Seiko enthusiasts had been wanting and waiting for. A smaller, more wearable diver that was a little more contemporary than the models it replaced. With a raft of changes, including a smaller, better-proportioned case, a redesigned bracelet, new micro-adjustment and a more modern dial aesthetic, the new Ushio 300 Diver ticked so many boxes. Plus, Grand Seiko decided that steel was too heavy for a sports watch, so they made it from High-Intensity Titanium instead. The 2026 Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver models We had the privilege of previewing it before Watches & Wonders, and while the article I wrote up for the Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A 300 Ushio Diver was a ...
Worn & Wound
As I expand my knowledge of microbrands, I was super excited to receive a sample from Vario, a Singapore-based company that’s been going strong for a decade. The brand’s latest offering builds on its Navi collection, which first joined Vario’s catalog in 2021. The line holds firm to its nautical roots with its sleek and refined interpretation of a porthole throughout the case and dial along with its compass and anchor hands and sailor-cap crown. Over the past five years, the Navi has taken a few forms, from the inaugural jump-hour to special editions like the Popeye and Vario’s collaboration with Watch Enthusiasts India (WEI). In 2024, we saw the introduction of a single-hand version, offering a slow-time display with an Engine Order Telegraph (EOT) 12-section dial in which each of the 12 sections is broken down into 15-minute intervals for a general reading of the time rather than one to the exact minute. Now, Vario builds on this design with five new colorways and, for the first time, new languages. With this extension of the Navi collection, Vario is taking the line into international waters starting regionally with Chapter One: Europe. The foundation of the models remains the same as what we saw in the original and now sold-out single hand version. The case is rendered in 316L stainless steel and executed in highly wearable proportions at 38mm in diameter and 11mm in thickness. The lugs strike a good balance of geometry and curvature that allows the model to si...
Video
There are brands that make watches. And then there's the brand that basically invented watchmaking as we know it today. Breguet — Abraham-Louis Breguet — gave us the tourbillon, the Breguet overcoil, Breguet hands...
Fratello
The man who brought the Louis Moinet watch brand to life sadly died very recently. Jean-Marie Schaller, the owner and creative force behind Louis Moinet, passed away peacefully on May 16th at the age of 66. The watch industry lost one of its brightest characters, but the brand continues, and it does so in its […] Visit Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
I take the new TAG Heuer Monaco Chronographs in blue and green for a hands-on review to see how this watchmaking icon has evolved for a new generation! What We Love: Improved ergonomics for slimmer wrists Distinctive dial colours with different personalities Substantially upgraded TH20-11 movement What We Don’t: Limited strap options Square case still wears large 13.9mm thickness remains noticeable Overall Rating: 8.7/10 Value for Money: 8.8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.7/10 Build Quality: 8.7/10 Few watches in the world of horology are as instantly recognisable as the TAG Heuer Monaco. Even more than five decades after its introduction, the iconic timepiece’s square silhouette remains one of its most distinctive features. If you aren’t familiar with the story of the Monaco, it was first introduced in 1969—and it has quite the story behind it. The Monaco arrived during one of watchmaking’s most defining technical contests: the development of the first automatic chronograph. The birth of the Monaco was closely linked to the Calibre 11 movement, which was developed through a collaborative effort between Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton-Büren and chronograph specialist Dubois-Dépraz. The Calibre 11 was essentially part of a movement “race” against Zenith’s El Primero Calibre 3019 PHC and Seiko’s Calibre 6139. The new generation of TAG Heuer Monaco Chronographs presented in blue and green dials. Jack Heuer, who was one of the driving forces behind the Cal...
Fratello
Last year, I had the honor of testing the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty in bi-color prior to its release. It’s a tricky thing to walk around with a watch that isn’t out yet, but luckily, I live in a small village where the risk of it being spotted is rather low. Back then, I was […] Visit The Perfect Laureato? Hands-On With The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty With A Rose-Gold Dial to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Why wear black when you can stand out in red? It’s a good question, and why we went hands-on with the Red Grape Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds Tuxedo dial. What We Love The Red grape colour is different and gives the watch a talking point The vintage style isn’t too overt, and keeps the blend of modern and old The textures and contrasts used on the case and dial create a watch that has depth aesthetically What We Don’t The 39mm size wears nicely, but could get lost on larger wrists The grey can wash out the watch, especially on lighter skin tones The 41-hour power reserve could be improved for those who may not see this as an everyday watch Overall Rating: 8.7 / 10 Value For Money: 8.7/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Ever since Raymond Weil’s Millesime collection debuted in 2023, it has reshaped perceptions of Raymond Weil. Winning the GPHG Challenge Prize that year, it soon caught the attention of collectors and the general watch-buying public. The vintage style and value-driven proposition helped solidify this, not to mention the subsequent models in different colours and the addition of a chronograph. The Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds Mario reviewed shortly after its debut The Millesime marked the beginning of a new direction for the independent, family-owned Swiss brand and gave it another feather in its cap, so to speak, and the latest additions to the collection launched earlier this year continue that momentum. Now,...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A hands-on comparison of two affordable field watch models that deliver serious value, comfort, and convenience at under $50.
Video
Hands-on review Christopher Ward Biscay Automatic
Fratello
This is the answer to the not-yet-answered question, but that was going to pop up anyway: The BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton is both an open-worked and a skeletonized watch. You get optimal full-frontal horological nudity in a chic sporty package for a great price. This watch might tick all your boxes. Find out as I […] Visit Leaving Little To The Imagination — Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton to read the full article.
Fratello
This is the answer to the not-yet-answered question, but that was going to pop up anyway: The BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton is both an open-worked and a skeletonized watch. You get optimal full-frontal horological nudity in a chic sporty package for a great price. This watch might tick all your boxes. Find out as I […] Visit Leaving Little To The Imagination — Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Casio Duro vs Swatch Sea Wasp: a hands-on comparison of two very different affordable dive watches, from build quality and bezels to price and personality.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Casio G-Shock GRAVITYMASTER GWR-B3000 adds shock detection that re-aligns its hands after impacts. A look at the new Tough Movement, specs, and pricing.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Looking for one watch that can handle nearly everything? These 14 hands-on reviewed picks balance comfort, durability, versatility, and character.
Video
Hands-on review of the Weiss Standard Issue 38mm and 42mm.
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