28,248 articles · 175 videos found · page 413 of 948
Monochrome
It was hard not to love, or at least feel some tenderness towards the Orient Bambino models (especially the Classic) released by the brand to mark its 75th anniversary. We are tempted again with the M45 F7 Small Second, as Orient Star (established in 1951, part of Seiko Epson since 2017) expands its Classic Collection […]
Fratello
Another Friday, another list! This week, we’re starting a new series looking for alternatives to some of the world’s most popular watches. We’ll kick the series off with five alternatives to the iconic Rolex Datejust. The Crown’s classic, with roots going back to 1945, is one of the most popular daily wearers. While its legacy […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Datejust Alternatives In 2026 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC, the body responsible for certifying watch movements as Swiss chronometers) has just announced a new chronometry standard that will be rolled out over the course of 2026. The news comes at a time when the COSC has some competition for timekeeping certifications, most notably the METAS certification (which first requires a watch movement to be COSC certified) used by Omega and Tudor, as well as other certifications provided by the brands themselves. The new COSC certification is being framed as an additional level of certification that will accompany the familiar “Certified Chronometer” tag that is seen on the dials and paperwork of millions (literally) of watches that have been put through the COSC paces over the years. The new “Excellence Chronomenter” certification provides an additional layer of guarantee of reliability that goes beyond simple accuracy. As a refresher, COSC certification certifies the movement is working at an optimal level, not a fully cased watch. To achieve a Certified Chronometer certification, a movement must show average accuracy of -4 to +6 seconds per day over a 15 day period, tested across 5 positions and 3 temperatures. The Excellence Chronometer certification tightens the accuracy threshold from a spread of 10 seconds in total to 6 (-2 to +4 seconds per day). It also adds metrics for magnetic resistance and power reserve verification in fully cased watches. According to the COS...
Teddy Baldassarre
What are the best Tudor watches in the current lineup? It really depends on what type of watch ticks all the stylistic boxes for you - whether it’s a classic diver, a dual-time travel companion, or a racetrack-ready chronograph; a sturdy, outdoorsy timekeeper you can wear on a nature hike, or something elegant and uncomplicated that you can wear to the symphony. Using as our starting point some of the style categories in which Tudor's parent brand Rolex has excelled, here we attempt to home in on the best Tudor watches for each taste. [toc-section heading="For The Casually Stylish Diver"] Tudor’s answer to big brother Rolex’s megapopular Submariner series is relatively easy to spot. The Black Bay collection is the undisputed flagship of the 21st-century Tudor lineup and has played a huge role in Tudor stepping out from under Rolex’s substantial shadow to establish an impressive identity all its own. Improbably, It did so by deftly combining elements from earlier Tudor dive watches, most of which were clearly inspired by the Rolex dive watches that preceded them to market. The so-called “snowflake” hour hand that is so emblematic now to the Black Bay family was drawn from the Tudor Submariner Ref. 7016 from 1969 that was famously supplied to the French Navy, whose divers found two distinctly different hands to be beneficial in reading the time underwater.) The large screw-down crown, with engraved Tudor rose emblem, was introduced on the 1958 "Big Crown" model...
Monochrome
What is a chronometer…? In short, it is a watch that has been officially tested for its precision. And to guarantee the precision of watches, several tools exist, such as the ISO 3159 standard (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year) and official organisations, such as the Observatoire de Besançon in France, the Glashütte Observatory […]
Hodinkee
Baltic says goodbye to a great model with a glossy black dial and a splash of bling.
Worn & Wound
I have a very clear memory of the time period around the launch of the Baltic MR01 collection, the first in their ongoing series of micro-rotor powered dress watches. It felt like a turning point for the brand, who up until then was really known as a heritage inspired sports watch microbrand. The MR series was a real left turn, and there was excitement around it across the watch community. The use of a micro-rotor powered automatic movement in a watch well under $1,000 was completely novel, and it signaled that Baltic had ambitions well beyond iterating on classic sports watch DNA. The intervening years have proven that out, as the brand no longer occupies such a narrow niche. If you had told me in 2021 that only a few years later my favorite Baltic would be their take on a cocktail watch, complete with stone dials, I never would have believed you. The new MR Moissanite closes a chapter for Baltic. We’re told this is the final MR to be released in the current format, and that a refresh is coming. If that’s the case, Baltic has chosen to close out this incarnation of the MR with its most ostentatious execution to this point. The two dial variants seen here each feature bezels set with baguette cut moissanite gem stones, linking these watches in style and philosophy to the 1970s inspired Prismics linked above. Moissanite, for the uninitiated, is a lab grown diamond alternative first introduced in the late 1990s. It has many physical qualities that are very similar to...
Fratello
Baltic’s MR, which stands for “micro-rotor,” is the perfect affordable flex on the wrist. The 36mm watches in the collection feature a sturdy field-watch case paired with either a Breguet-style or dressy roulette-inspired dial and, to top it all off, a micro-rotor movement. For around €700, the Baltic MR offers unmatched style and attitude, even […] Visit Introducing: The Baltic MR Moissanite - The Final MR…For Now to read the full article.
Fratello
Rado has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Les Couleurs Suisse. Until now, this has led to 12 releases that used Le Corbusier’s 63-shade color system, which he described in his book Polychromie Architecturale. For its latest collaborative effort, Rado took it a step beyond just using the Swiss-French architect’s color system. While these watches each […] Visit Introducing: The Rado True Round × Les Couleurs Le Corbusier Special Editions to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform. Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake). Initial thoughts While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos. Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake). Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line. A ...
Worn & Wound
So vast and varied is the Citizen lineup, that it’s easy to miss new releases, even when they definitely shouldn’t be missed. It’s that breadth and diversity of models that make Citizen such a storied brand, and two new Promaster models are fresh on the scene to add even more flavor. The Promaster Land GMT touts travel-ready capabilities of the Promaster Air GMT, but focuses it on grounded robustness instead of pilot task-managing. All of that sounds complicated, but really boils down to aesthetics, materials, and sizing. With two dial color options, the Promaster Land is burly and simple, but bold enough to catch some attention on the wrist. Both models feature a 39.5mm stainless steel case with a fixed 24-hour GMT bezel, giving the watch a muscular, no-nonsense silhouette, whether on the provided bracelet or strap. Even numbers receive the numeral treatment on the bezel, with indices marking the odds. The crown sits at 6 o’clock, matching the date window, and providing a standard, balanced profile that appears almost soft, given the dimensions of the case, and the typeface used. The two dial colors reflect the practicality-first design ethos of the Promaster Land: red and blue, or reference BJ7150-50W and BJ7150-09L respectively. Both feature the same detail accoutrements, with large, effortlessly visible white numerals and hour, minute, and second hands, and a yellow, arrow-tipped GMT hand. A relatively subtle minute track circles the dial, but doesn’t dra...
Monochrome
Hitting the road to Fleurier, the discovery of L’Atelier Bernard was not what I expected. Bernard is a rather dated first name – one you rarely hear anymore for young people in Europe’s French-speaking countries. So, when I pushed open the door of their workshop in Fleurier, I was expecting to meet two old Swiss […]
Time+Tide
Zach interviews Matthieu Sauret, Jaeger-LeCoultre's Head of Product & Heritage, to get more insight into JLC's vintage curation programme.The post If an original decade Reverso is your grail, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’ has you covered appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Jack Mason is a young micro-brand founded in Dallas, Texas, in 2015, and initially made its name in US retail before making a decisive turn towards enthusiast-focused, direct-to-consumer watchmaking. Recent releases have shown fewer fashion cues, more mechanical credibility, and an emphasis on real-world usability. The Strat-o-Timer GMT has been central to that shift. After […]
Deployant
Franck Muller adds four new models to their Vanguard Sport line, with this Asia Pacific Exclusive. The novelties are presented as new dials.
Fratello
Oldies but goldies. Reverso watches from the 1930s comprise Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fifth capsule collection of The Collectibles. As you can see, this time, the focus is squarely on the brand’s iconic model, the reversible Reverso, originally launched in 1931. All eight watches were fully authenticated and restored in the brand’s restoration workshop in Le Sentier, Switzerland. […] Visit Introducing: Eight Curated Reverso Watches From The 1930s to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Universal Genève Polerouter is probably the most historically significant watch that enthusiasts of a certain age have never heard of. Okay, maybe that's overstating it, but the watch is certainly less, well, universal in its claim to icon status than several other, more well known models that debuted later. And yet, if it weren't for the Polerouter, which came out in the mid-1950s and which afforded an opportunity for a young, precocious watch designer to make his first mark on the industry, we may never have had the opportunity to experience some of those 1970s models that came later. Intrigued? Read on. [toc-section heading="Universal Genève History (1894 - 1950s)"] Despite the “Genève” that has become attached to the company’s name, the firm originally known as Universal Watch traces its roots to a smaller Swiss city, the village of Le Locle (also home to Ulysse Nardin, Zenith, and Tissot), where it was established in 1894 by watchmakers Numa-Emile Descombes and Ulysse-Georges Perret. Descombes died a few years later, and Louis Berthoud, one of the company’s most talented watchmakers, rose from the ranks to become Perret’s partner in 1897. The pair moved operations to Geneva in 1919, forging the company's modern name and identity. The firm became known for chronographs, and eventually produced both pocket watches and trench watches (pocket watches converted to wristwatches for soldiers in the field) for armies on both sides of the two World Wars. O...
Monochrome
Timex has been on a roll in the last few years, returning to mechanical watches after a decades-long hiatus. Quartz watches still dominate the portfolio, of course, ever since the brand first ceased mechanical production in 1982. A renewed focus on mechanical collections at lower and mid-tier levels began in 2017 after the 1960s-era hand-wound […]
Teddy Baldassarre
If there is one element of watch ownership that speaks to the human psyche more than almost any other, it's the notion that what you wear is unique to you. And it's true, there simply isn't another watch out there with your dings in the case or your aged strap. No material creates such allure through the aging process as bronze. And watch designers have known this for some time. With wear, your bronze watch case will evolve far quicker and more obviously than any steel case (swimming in salt water really speeds things up!). Bronze is a copper alloy generally containing around 12% tin. Its discovery dates back several millennium BC. Before giving way to cheaper iron and stronger steel, the Bronze Age lasted almost three millennia. Bronze possesses a number of advantageous properties. And the versatility of its application has continued its use right up to modern day. One of those properties is its resistance to salt water corrosion. Typically, when exposed, bronze only oxidizes at the surface, forming a protective layer over the underlying metal. In the past, this made bronze the material of choice for boat and ship fittings. (Prior to the wide employment of stainless steel.) It also featured in early diving equipment. More recently, it has spurred a growing trend of tool watches. Not all bronze watches are created equal though. That’s why we’ve put together this hand-picked selection of some of, what we feel are, the best bronze watches for 2026 - enjoy! [toc-section h...
Monochrome
Renowned for its rugged all-terrain watches for outdoor adventures, Alpina goes off-piste with its new Alpiner Manufacture Date watch made in collaboration with Geneva customisation expert, Label Noir. Reflecting Alpina’s close ties to the alpine world, the Alpina x Label Noir features a snow-white dial and an unprecedented (for the brand) hammered case. The 130-piece […]
Monochrome
Hamilton is often referred to as the watchmaker of cinema, which is no surprise since Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 500 films. Recently, the brand has expanded its reach into video games, where immersion and character development are equally important. Hamilton Far Cry 6, Death Stranding 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops […]
Fratello
This year marks 180 years since Fears Watch Company Limited’s foundation in 1846 and a respectable 10 years since its reestablishment by Edwin Fear’s great-great-great-grandson, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. That means there’s a good reason for a celebration, and following the announcement of the Brunswick 40 “1846 Edition” in January, the British brand keeps the ball rolling […] Visit Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour “Celestial” Limited Edition to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Legacy Machine collection has always been MB&F;‘s most paradoxical line. Conceived as a tribute to 19th-century watchmaking, it features some of the most theatrical three-dimensional movements in contemporary horology. The LM101, introduced in 2014, was the most restrained expression of that idea. Smaller, thinner, and mechanically simpler than its siblings, it stripped the concept […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko has one of the most expansive catalogs in the watch industry, which is key to the Japanese brand’s prowess, but its nuances can also make it quite overwhelming at times to sort through from a consumer perspective. Today, I’m going for hyperspecificity on multiple levels, not only focusing on the brand’s “Luxe” tier, but also on a specific series within that tier, and on one watch, well, specifically. As you’ve likely already noticed from this article's title, we’re gathered here today to jump into the deep end with the Presage Classics Craftsmanship Series SPB495. Though its name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, the Seiko Presage SPB495, to me, truly demonstrates the dynamic range to be found within the contemporary Seiko lineup, given that you have the patience to sort through the complexities of the brand’s collections and naming convention nuances. [toc-section heading="History And Context"] Seiko’s Craftsmanship series officially made its start in 2013 as the brand celebrated its centennial anniversary. Positioned within the larger Presage collection, this initiative has been a way for the brand to further enhance the collection's foundational elements, mainly being a mechanical line, guided by and harkening to Seiko’s centuries-long history, with a focused attention to its dials. Essentially, the Craftsmanship series adds in more sophisticated, high-end elements into the mix, paying tribute to many traditional, artisanal techniques th...
Time+Tide
Watch Ho & Co and Selten pay tribute to Hong Kong's famous floral emblem with a sequel to their stunning MOP dial collab.The post The Watch Ho & Co x Selten Jui Bauhinia offers a familiar 39mm platform, now with Bauhinia light-play appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Chopard working with Zagato is a bold move. Of all the famous Italian coachbuilders, Zagato is the most outspoken. The marque dates back to 1919, and its automotive legacy started in 1928, when a Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo 1750 claimed victory at the Mille Miglia. The bulbous forms and flowing shapes recall Ugo Zagato’s expertise in […] Visit Introducing: The Chopard × Zagato Lab One Concept Watch - Experimental, Outspoken, And Just 43.2 Grams to read the full article.
Fratello
Studio Underd0g is one of the most refreshing success stories in modern watchmaking. What began as a plucky one‑man operation creating distinctive, cuisine‑themed watches has grown into a full‑blown enterprise producing more than 14,000 watches per year - and still growing. Even with Chinese‑sourced Seagull ST‑1901 calibers powering the popular 01Series and Swiss movements used […] Visit Studio Underd0g Establishes The D0ghouse, Its New British Watchmaking Facility to read the full article.
Fratello
During Dubai Watch Week, I sat down with Georges Kern to discuss his House of Brands group, which consists of Gallet, Breitling, and Universal Genève. His work on adding Gallet and Universal Genève to his portfolio has not gone under the radar. In recent times, we noticed a lot of speculation, rumors, previews, and advisory-board […] Visit “Collectors Are Helping Me Avoid Mistakes” - A Talk With Georges Kern On The House Of Brands to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Urwerk continues to iterate its most accessible model with the UR-100V “LightSpeed” Ceramic. The Lightspeed is essentially a variation of an earlier model, with ceramic composite replacing carbon composite. The ceramic composite incorporates fibreglass and carbon fibre, giving it a textured surface and greater strength. Though it’s relatively affordable compared to other Urwerk models, the UR-100V still retains the brand’s signature elements, including a wandering hours display and various astronomical-time indicators on the dial. Initial thoughts The UR-100V now exists in a multitude of variations, perhaps too many, but the Lightspeed stands out as one of the most interesting in both material and style. The ceramic composite case is appealing for both its appearance and utility – it is hard, strong, and lightweight – and is being used for the first time by Urwerk. It also doesn’t cost that much more than earlier versions of the model, making this iteration more compelling. More broadly, I would have liked Urwerk to vary the display across the UR-100V line, beyond the case material, making each iteration more distinct. As they stand, most share the same dial and indications, with only the case changing for each edition. Light and white Because the case is a ceramic composite rather than pure ceramic, it has a textured surface with a slight glossiness. These characteristics stem from the fibreglass and carbon fibre sheets within the composite, explaining the w...
Fratello
Sometimes good things happen really fast. It’s been less than two weeks since I wrote the introduction article for the new CIGA Design Time Cipher. In it, I expressed my wish to take the brand’s latest creation for a spin, and barely a week after publication, the watch landed on my desk. So for the […] Visit Hands-On With The Fun CIGA Design Time Cipher to read the full article.
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