3,333 articles · 17 videos found · page 41 of 112
Monochrome
Five years ago, Kari Vouitilainen‘s atelier unveiled an exciting evolution of the brand’s signature time-only Vingt-8 series, the Voutilainen 28TI model with an inverted calibre. The 28TI (Titanium Inverse) watch, with its sumptuous detailing and delicate decoration, brought to the fore movement components that were previously visible through the sapphire caseback, allowing an impressive display […]
Monochrome
With ArtyA, founder Yvan Arpa has formed a truly unique vision of watchmaking. ArtyA watches are undoubtedly spectacular pieces that boldly venture beyond the mainstream. The independent watchmaking brand now unveils 3 different and original takes on a rare, haute horlogerie classic. Its elaborate movement unites two “grandes complications” in one calibre: a minute repeater […]
Monochrome
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s dream of mechanical independence materialised in 1996 with the presentation of Chopard‘s first in-house movement known as calibre 1.96. Produced in Chopard’s Fleurier manufacture, the calibre was fitted inside the first L.U.C 1860 watch, writing a new chapter in the brand’s high-end watchmaking journey. Recognised as one of the finest ultra-thin micro-rotor automatic […]
Monochrome
TAG Heuer is renowned for its automotive heritage and racing chronographs, but the brand also boasts a strong nautical and water-sport legacy, particularly with its Aquaracer dive watch collection. Introduced in 2004/2005 as the direct successor to the 2000 series, the Aquaracer line has become a cornerstone in TAG Heuer’s portfolio. The collection was fully […]
SJX Watches
Tissot added to the Chemin Des Tourelles Squelette collection of accessibly-priced skeleton watches. Sharing the same exact case design as last year’s updated model, the trio of new additions have open-worked dials that display the inner workings of the Powermatic 80 calibre. Both the styling and movement are no-frills, and matched with a price below US$1,000, making them a good option for the beginner enthusiast. Initial thoughts Tissot is known for affordable Swiss-made watches and the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is exactly that. The novelty of the watch lies in the open dial that reveals the skeleton movement. Although the calibre isn’t fancily executed, it is cleanly finished and provides visual detail that sets this apart from most similarly priced watches. The design is also enhanced by the fact that it doesn’t have a date, which gives the dial a clean, symmetrical appearance. Priced between US$895 and US$975, the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is a good value proposition, especially since skeleton watches are not common in this price segment. Entry-level skeleton While the sporty PRX collection is now its most high profile product, the brand overhauled the Chemin des Tourelles line last year. Named after the street where the Tissot headquarters are located, Chemin des Tourelles is made up of dress watches, with the skeleton model being the top-of-the-line. The Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton has a case that’s 39 mm in diameter and 11.2 mm thick, with a domed ...
SJX Watches
An ambitious evolution of its signature square-cased chronograph, the Monaco Split-Seconds was first revealed as a unique piece for Only Watch. Although the regular production version was launched earlier this year, the one-off example made for Only Watch remains unique for the finishing on the case and movement. Initial thoughts Powered by a sophisticated Vaucher calibre, the Monaco rattrapante is mostly made of titanium – the alloy is used for the case and movement – and a deft evolution of the Monaco case. On the wrist, the watch feels good as it is noticeably lightweight despite being quite large. The case design is evidently derived from the original but smartly reworked to give it a more pronounced, stylised form. Details like the facetted sapphire crystals and oversized pushers complement the styling. Overall, the aesthetic is the hyper-mechanical look of the same school as Richard Mille and Hublot, but here executed to a high level thanks to the Vaucher calibre that’s hand finished. The only element of the design I would do away with is the “X” bridge on the dial, which feels like an affectation that doesn’t really do much for the design. But overall the aesthetic is cohesive and appealing. Importantly, the watch acquits itself well up close. The finishing on the titanium bridges and plates of the movement is particularly impressively, given the difficulty of achieving a mirror polish on the alloy. And because the Vaucher calibre is a high-end construct...
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 […]
Monochrome
In 2020, for its 60th anniversary, Grand Seiko unveiled two milestones: a new automatic, hi-beat movement named calibre 9SA5 and a new collection of watches with an updated design language known as Evolution 9. It took us and the watch community a bit of time to understand the importance of this move by the Japanese watchmaker; […]
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
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 […]
Fratello
Last year, Thomas gave an introduction to Citizen’s Miyota operation, with a focus on the Miyota 9-series movements and their use in many microbrands we are familiar with. The consensus is that this popular family of automatic calibers offers plenty in terms of specifications, variety, customization, and value. Today, I’m looking at the 8-series movements, […] Visit A Look At Miyota’s 8-Series Movements For Microbrands to read the full article.
Monochrome
Any serious watch buff is familiar with the story of Zenith’s El Primero high-frequency automatic chronograph calibre of 1969. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and Zenith’s iconic movement ticks on thanks to upgrades and ever-higher frequencies to track elapsed times. A variant of the brand’s famous Zenith Chronomaster – itself a descendant of the iconic […]
SJX Watches
A year after revamping Pilot collection with fresh-faced aesthetics, Zenith releases a pair of boutique editions – the Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback. Both feature blue dials with a linear horizontal pattern inspired by stamped aluminium body panels of vintage aircraft. Initial thoughts Zenith is best known for El Primero of 1969, a high-frequency chronograph calibre now in its second generation, which is the movement found in both new Pilot models, although the former is not a chronograph. Both, however, share the same design that defines the current Pilot line-up. Unveiled last year, the Pilot has a friendlier, more modern face than most aviator’s watches that tend to be military-inspired. It has all of the hallmarks of a pilot’s watch, including large Arabic numerals and legibility, but manages to look distinct from all the other pilot’s watches on the market. Although blue is hardly a novel colour, the new patterned dials adds to the contemporary look, being even less military-esque than last year’s models in conventional black. The Pilot Automatic retails for US$7,500, while the Pilot Big Date Flyback retails for US$11,500. The time-and-date automatic is relatively pricey for a simple watch, although the high-beat, in-house movement helps justify the price somewhat. On the other hand, the chronograph is competitive against similar watches from rival brands, particularly since the calibre inside is the latest generation of the El Primero. Moreov...
Hodinkee
Vintage meets modern in this 10-piece limited run of orange Depthmasters that went on sale today.
SJX Watches
Six years ago, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon “Apollo 8”, a distinctive take on the Speedmaster Moonwatch featuring a Moon surface-patterned movement and dial. Basically an amalgamation of the all-ceramic Dark Side of the Moon (DSOTM) with the Moonwatch, the model has now undergone a significant mechanical upgrades with a new METAS-certified calibre, while preserving essentially the same design. Initial thoughts The original Apollo 8 was noteworthy for challenging the traditional concept of the Speedmaster Moonwatch. While it had the same movement and dimensions, the materials, styling, and finishing were entirely different. Visually, it was a major departure from the familiar Moonwatch. The latest version sticks to the same aesthetic, so it doesn’t bring much novelty in terms of appearance, save for a rocket-shaped seconds hand. But it does have an upgraded movement, essentially the next-generation Moonwatch movement finished in the Apollo 8 style. As is often the case with Omega, incremental improvements to existing models are a means to explore new concepts or technologies, which in the case of the original Apollo 8 would have been the textured lunar-surface finishing. This new model would have been more significant if a more developed or advanced version of the texturing had been applied, setting it apart more obviously from its predecessor. Priced at US$14,300, the upgraded Apollo 8 falls sits at the middle of the price range for the cera...
SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-one was an important year for Grand Seiko as it saw the introduction of the brand’s latest-generation mechanical movement, the cal. 9SA5. A modern movement with attractive aesthetic and proprietary escapement, the cal. 9SA5 debuted in the Heritage “White Birch” SLGH005. But Grand Seiko didn’t stop there. Building upon the flagship calibre, Grand Seiko created the cal. 9SC5 and launched the Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001. A large, sporty watch but entirely in lightweight titanium, the Tentagraph is a milestone for Grand Seiko (GS) as the brand’s first-ever mechanical chronograph. “Tentagraph” is self-explanatory, an acronym outlining the key features of the watch and cal. 9SC5 within: TEN beats per second, Three-day power reserve, Automatic winding, and chronoGRAPH. Initial thoughts The Tentagraph has all the tactile features expected in a modern, high-spec sports chronograph, namely substantial proportions and crisp, smooth pusher action. As expected for GS, it boasts high quality finishing inside and out, with the case in particular having category-leading finishing and detailing. And from a technical perspective, it is notable for being the high-frequency chronograph with the longest power reserve on the market – the balance runs at 36,000 beats per hour, or 5 Hz, and the power reserve is 72 hours, or three days. Aesthetically, the Tentagraph is refreshingly modern. It retains the characteristic GS design, but tweaked to accentuate the sport...
Monochrome
In 2016, Glashütte Original unveiled the Senator Excellence series, an offspring of the more considerable Senator collection distinguished by a subtly modern and elegant aesthetic. Along with the series, the brand introduced the in-house Calibre 36, featuring a silicon balance spring, a substantial 100-hour power reserve, and chronometer-grade timekeeping. This innovative movement was the foundation […]
SJX Watches
Having introduced the ZM 1 and ZM 2 wristwatches in 2018, Leica now launches its first sports watch with ZM 11. Deviating entirely from the camera-inspired aesthetics of the earlier models, the ZM 11 is a straightforward three-hander in a minimalist style with an integrated bracelet (or strap). But like its predecessors, the ZM 11 is equipped with a movement made by a specialist, in this case Chronode. Initial thoughts On its face, the ZM 11 comes across as uninspiring at first, appearing similar to many current luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets. But on closer inspection it reveals interesting details, including a nicely finished case and bracelet with facetted, brushed surfaces. Also notable is the quick-release mechanism for the bracelet that’s activated by a red button, a reference to Leica cameras. The red button aside, however, the design doesn’t capture the essence of a Leica camera as the earlier ZM 1 and ZM 2 did. The earlier pair incorporated camera-inspired details into functional elements, like a patented “push-piece” crown that mimics the push of a shutter-release button. While the ZM 1 and ZM 2 are arguably Leica watches, the ZM 11 feels more like a Leica-branded watch. Priced around US$7,000 for the base model, the ZM 11 is competitively priced as far as integrated-bracelet sports watches go. The IWC Ingenieur, for instance, is about 40% pricier. However, such sports watches are generally priced at a premium relatively to everything else...
Deployant
Sellita is one of the mainstays for Swiss made ébauches in the industry. We pick six watches with movements which are derivatives of the Sellita ébauches.
Quill & Pad
Hairsprings are miniscule. Generally no more than one centimeter in overall diameter when coiled, they are roughly 50 microns thick and 150 microns wide. Tiny they may be, but insignificant they are not. In fact, they are so significant that Rolex refers to them as “the guardians of time.” But what do silicon hairsprings bring to the table? Watchmaker Ashton Tracy explains why he went from skeptic to fan.
SJX Watches
Corum’s latest creation is the Concept Watch, a one-off timepiece that departs from the brand’s current offerings in its futuristic style. For a brand better known for the Golden Bridge and Admiral’s Cup, the Concept Watch is bold, different, and not for everyone. Made of recycled titanium, the case contains a movement with a flying tourbillon and sapphire crystal bridges set against an aventurine base. The movement, however, is a La Joux-Perret calibre that’s been found in Corum watches for several years. Initial thoughts With most of its sports watches being large and ostentatious, it’s good to see the brand shifting towards something more elegant. The Concept Watch is compact at under 40 mm in diameter and relatively restrained in design. While it is more appealing than most of Corum’s recent watches, there are caveats. I am not fond of the case design, which is too reminiscent of the Patek Philippe Nautilus. A round case with apertures that maximises the view of the movement, one similar to that of the Franc Villa FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero, would have made this less derivative. Also, the strap attachment appears awkward, and will probably not make its way into other ways. At the same time, even though the design is a break from the past, the CO374 movement has been employed by Corum for more than a decade now. It is a La Joux-Perret calibre found in various forms across several brands, including the Arnold & Son TES Tourbillon. Notably, Corum debuted a...
Hodinkee
Two more high jewelry Serpentis for ladies who lunch in Palm beach or summer in Mustique or both!
SJX Watches
One of the latest releases from Roger Dubuis, the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph, makes the most of its openworked dial to show off a newly-developed calibre, the RD780, which combines an inclined balance wheel with an integrated chronograph. A complex movement with two patents pending, the RD780 is notably elaborate with unusual features like a digital minute counter and twin barrels. And technically-minded enthusiasts will also note the RD780 boasts diamond-coated silicon escapement parts, which are both wear- and magnetism-resistant. Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis’ current chronographs distinguish themselves through bold design and flashy technical features. While the style is outlandish, it is refreshing to see this unique approach to a chronograph design, particularly since the technical features are novel and interesting, such as the inclined balance wheel and column wheel, visible through the openworked dial. But the Excalibur chronograph’s technical merits are perhaps overshadowed by the design, which is excessive in a hyper-mechanical style. The chronograph’s dial is busy, even for an openworked dial. It is not easy to read, even when compared to what is being offered by the likes of Richard Mille, which is perhaps the closest comparison to the Excalibur chronograph. The Excalibur chronograph is priced at US$101,500, making it more affordable than the equivalent from Richard Mille, the RM 72-01. In fact, the Excalibur is half as expensive as the Richar...
Worn & Wound
If there was an easy knock you could make against the previous iterations of the Singer Reimagined chronographs, it’s that they were too big. At 43mm in a big cushion case, they have a ton of wrist presence to be sure, and require a larger wrist to pull off effectively. But they’re mechanically ingenious, and, in my opinion, pretty great looking from a purely aesthetic perspective, so I was always willing to forgive them for their size. Now, with a pair of watches in the brand’s new Singer 1969 collection, they’ve gone a long way toward answering doubters who made the large size of their earlier watches a dealbreaker. They’ve also incorporated new functionality, refining the mechanical piece to make their watches even more intuitive. The 1969 Chronograph is the heavy hitter of the pair of watches announced today. This watch features an updated Agengraphe caliber that’s smaller (to fit the new 40mm case) and also includes a time display. Elapsed time is still read from the centrally mounted hands, but the current time is now displayed in an aperture at 6:00 via a pair of rotating discs. The chronograph incorporates jumping minutes and hours for precision, and the caliber is capable of timing events of up to 60 hours, which is a feat only Singer can claim. The more modest 1969 Timer is my personal favorite of the two new watches. This is effectively an update of Singer’s Flytrack watches, which incorporate a 60 second timer via the centrally mounted running...
Time+Tide
A common feature of any independent brand, micro or otherwise, is the brave undertaking of “cutting out the middleman”. Even though this phrase has become overused, and in some cases, rightfully ridiculed, the success of many independent brands lies in online-only availability, which is often one of the main driving forces behind affordable prices. Yet … ContinuedThe post Marnaut opens a new chapter with a Croatian boutique, Swiss movements and German manufacturing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
The most sophisticated type of calendar watch, a perpetual calendar is endowed with a mechanical “memory” that enables it to record and display the time, day, date, month, and often the moon-phase, accurately for many years. The complex movement in a perpetual calendar compensates for the length of every month, including February in both leap years and non-leap-years, meaning that it should not need adjusting until the year 2100, which is the next annum in which the Gregorian calendar’s leap-year cycle is disrupted (it will be the first year since 1900 that is exactly divisible by 100 but not by 400, and thus not a leap year). As you'd expect, perpetual calendar watches (called "quantième perpétuel" in French) are extremely complicated in their mechanics and design, representing one of the highest pinnacles of high horology and priced accordingly. Throughout the modern wristwatch industry, only a relative handful of brands have mastered the art of the perpetual calendar: we showcase some of them, and their most impressive perpetual calendar timepieces, here. A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar Introduced in 2021, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar adopts the new approach taken to perpetual calendar design that the Saxon maison established in 2012 with the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar. In typical Lange fashion, the technical approach taken is complex in the service of user-friendly practicality. Its in-house, self-winding movement, Caliber L021.3, ...
SJX Watches
Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva has revealed the newest iteration of his trademark complication, the Lunations Black Ruthenium. Equipped with his proprietary moon phase movement, the Lunations moon phase is so accurate it will accumulate a mere one-day discrepancy after 14,000 years. Limited to just ten pieces, this is a variant of a model first introduced a dozen years ago, but remains the brand’s most complex wristwatch. Initial thoughts The Lunations has all of the Sarpaneva design elements, including the moon “face”, open-worked dial (which in this case is actually the movement), laser engraved decoration as well as hand finishing, so it resembles many of the brand’s other watches. But the Lunations is actually one of the most complex watches devised by Sarpaneva. The Lunations is unusual in combining both the brand’s recognisable design with an original movement, one developed with the help of Andreas Strehler, whereas most of Sarpaneva’s other watches are powered by simpler, outsourced movements. Constructed in a novel manner with a two-disc moon phase display that’s so large it’s almost the diameter of the movement, the calibre inside is both interesting and complex. However, a moon phase complication is usually simple – and inexpensive – in most other watches. Consequently, the Lunations feels pricey with its €39,500 price tag, particularly so considering that Sarpaneva’s other moon phase models powered by outsourced movements cost hal...
Hodinkee
The Ocean Diver and the Moon Pilot join the young brand's growing lineup.
SJX Watches
Arguably the master of movement decoration, Philippe Dufour is revered for the impeccable finishing of his wristwatches – along with a handful of pocket watches, including the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch that sold in 2021 at Philips for CHF2.33 million including fees. But the first timepieces Mr Dufour made never bore his name on the dial. They were a series of five grande sonnerie pocket watches created for Audemars Piguet (AP) that he began in the late 1970s and completed in 1988. The very first of the five, the Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch no. 1 – by Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet – will go under the hammer at Philips’ upcoming Geneva auction taking place on May 13 and 14, 2023. (Video courtesy of Phillips) Initial Thoughts Having slowly gone out of fashion starting in the early 2000s, pocket watches tend to go under the radar when set against comparable wristwatches. In 2021, Philippe Dufour’s own Grande Sonnerie wristwatch sold for more than double his grande sonnerie pocket watch – in the same auction. However, anyone who understands independent watchmaker and Mr Dufour’s work will appreciate the significance of this pocket watch. This not only predates the Philippe Dufour brand, but the series of five watches made for AP was the impetus for him to strike out on his own. Because of what he perceived as deeply disrespectful behaviour by AP executives, Mr Dufour vowed never again to make watches for others after completing the five watches for AP. ...
Time+Tide
The Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium brings lightness to the original Excalibur design A case-matching multi-link bracelet completes the monochrome design Equipped with a micro-rotor, the calibre RD720SQ is an utterly avant-garde take on a time-only movement You may be surprised to learn, as I was, that Roger Dubuis’ Excalibur collection is coming up on nearly two … ContinuedThe post The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium offers a subtler take on the brand’s avant-garde designs appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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