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Christiaan van der Klaauw Gallery Christiaan van der Klaauw

Wristshot gallery from the Horlogeforum Christiaan van der Klaauw thread.

Bravur Introduces the “Team Heritage” Collection, Paying Tribute to Classic Cycling Teams of the Past Worn & Wound
Bravur Apr 8, 2024

Bravur Introduces the “Team Heritage” Collection, Paying Tribute to Classic Cycling Teams of the Past

Swedish brand Bravur was founded in 2011 with the goal to design, develop and hand build mechanical watches to order. Essentially, crafting watches to the highest standards, never compromising on craftsmanship and quality. They build all their mechanical watches in a small workshop in Båstad and having their own assembly gives them maximum control over their production. Inspired by the founder’s shared enthusiasm for bicycle racing in the southern region of Sweden, their latest 2024 release is a new range within their ‘Team Heritage’ series. There are three new models, the REN, PEU and MER, each representing an iconic cycling team from the 1950s to 80s. The measurements are 37mm in diameter, 44.6mm from lug-to-lug and only 11.4mm thick, while a Swiss Made Sellita SW300 oversees the timekeeping. The muse for the REN edition is the Renault team jersey, the very team that dominated the sport from 1978 to 1983. Its white sandwich dial cleverly displays the bold yellow, black, and white color pattern which characterized that team. The PEU edition’s austere scheme represents the legendary checkerboard pattern of the storied Peugeot team of the 1960s through to the mid-80s. Its excellent monochromatic legibility is ever so lightly garnished with a hint of green accents. The MER edition is the wildest of the three, inspired by the Mercier team that holds the record for the most participations in the Tour de France. Its textured purple dial is surrounded by a bright yellow...

First Look – The New Czapek of Watches & Wonders 2024, Including the Promenade Collection Monochrome
Czapek Apr 8, 2024

First Look – The New Czapek of Watches & Wonders 2024, Including the Promenade Collection

Independent watchmaker Czapek whets our appetite ahead of Watches & Wonders 2024, pre-releasing the handsome Antarctique Mount Erebus, the first gold version of its successful luxury sports watch. But there is more coming our way from the creative brand: two cool new versions of the Antarctique and, more importantly, a new collection, Promenade. The New […]

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Michael Chong Worn & Wound
Cartier Tank There’s also Apr 5, 2024

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Michael Chong

Editor’s Note: For this edition of The Three Watch Collection for $5,000, we have a collection from collector Michael Chong. Michael has chosen a trio of watches that track his varied horological interests, from a quirky Seiko to perhaps the most classic watch design of them all, the Cartier Tank. There’s also a familiar Nomos Club Campus, but this one has a twist.  Since high school graduation, I have spent 5 years navigating the vast world of watches, collecting and refining my collection to reflect my lifestyle and identity. However, I underestimated this task, and I now realize that this is a dynamic lifelong journey, subject to the natural or unexpected changes that humans go through in their life, whether it is relocation, career shifts, evolving needs or wants, or amending personal tastes/niches. Below I present my ideal three-watch collection under 5k, shaped by 5 years of this process. Seiko A829-6019 – $650 In 2020, while searching for an LCD Speedmaster 186.0004, I stumbled upon the Seiko A829-6019, which also boasted a NASA connection and was more affordable. I discovered this 1982 Seiko A829 on eBay up for auction with its original bracelet and endlinks. After doing deep research ensuring it was all 100% original, I purchased it and the watch was delivered the following week. Despite some wear and tear, including a scratched bezel and faded red accents, all functions, including the alarms (extremely loud), worked flawlessly. The standout feature was the...

Sotheby’s is hosting a ‘Rough Diamonds’ watch auction soon in Geneva INSIDE A CAVE Time+Tide
Apr 4, 2024

Sotheby’s is hosting a ‘Rough Diamonds’ watch auction soon in Geneva INSIDE A CAVE

A watch auction hosted inside of a cave? Surely not. Well, do not be so sure because this is 100% actually happening next week in Geneva. Dubbed by Sotheby’s as the ‘Rough Diamonds’ auction, the sale will be hosted underground at the wine cellar La Corne à Vin (47 bis Rue de Lausanne, Geneva) on … ContinuedThe post Sotheby’s is hosting a ‘Rough Diamonds’ watch auction soon in Geneva INSIDE A CAVE appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

I Bought a Pre-Owned Omega Speedmaster Reduced that’s as Old as Me Worn & Wound
Omega Speedmaster Reduced that’s as Apr 3, 2024

I Bought a Pre-Owned Omega Speedmaster Reduced that’s as Old as Me

It is often warned, within the watch enthusiast community, that pre-owned (especially bordering on vintage) watch collecting is a monster all its own - sitting at the end of booby-trapped temple, with spring-loaded spike walls and perilous pits waiting to consume another person tempted by the pretty shiny things inside. And yet, occasionally you manage to traverse the ledge, dodge the poison barbs, and slide under the closing stone door, grabbing your fedora in the nick of time. Sometimes things just go right, but giving yourself the space to be vigilant always helps. Does anyone else hear a John Williams score in their head? Just me? Like many a watch collector before me, I’ve been yearning for an Omega Speedmaster since I first found out about its heroic travels. It went to the moon, I believe. I dunno, you’ll have to double check me on that. Anyway, I would take almost weekly trips to the AD just to try it on. Each visit went the same way. I’d approach the Omega counter, point to the Speedmaster Professional, and say “you know which one.” Sapphire sandwich because I love marveling at the movement. My AD would stand there while I carefully inspected it. As I did the week before, and the one before that. I’d tell him, “you can go help the guy over there if you need to,” knowing damn well he can’t leave me alone with the watch, but it made me feel better to say it to establish that I am, yet again, not ready to buy it. We’d chitchat, I’d leave, and ...

S.U.F Helsinki Introduces the “Moomin” Diver SJX Watches
Apr 3, 2024

S.U.F Helsinki Introduces the “Moomin” Diver

A bestselling franchise launched two years ago, S.U.F. Helsinki’s latest Moomin edition is the Moomin Diver. Based on the brand’s Vetehinen diver, the Moomin diver features an illustration from Moomin and the Comet that depicts the titular character diving. As with past Moomin editions, the diver features a laser-engraved and hand finished dial with lots of Super-Luminova. Initial thoughts The Moomin watches by S.U.F., the affordable sub-brand of Sarpaneva, are fun value propositions that offer a good quality of dial and case work for the price. This is typical of S.U.F. as well as Sarpaneva in their respective price segments. Priced similarly to the very first model at €5,550, the latest edition continues that while introducing a new dial motif. This is a timely change since the original dial design had already been repeated several times, including on the pricier, full-fledged Sarpaneva version. While the latest edition doesn’t have the same level of detail on the dial – it’s mostly engraved as opposed to being substantially open worked – it brings a new look with the dive watch aesthetic. Though the Moomin editions have been repeated several times, perhaps too often, this is an appealing new launch considering the price-performance ratio and relatively small edition size of 52 watches across two dial types. Diving-themed diver’s watch The new diver features a steel dial that reproduces a drawing from Moomin and the Comet, one of the many Moomin books pen...

Worn & Wound Celebrates the Opening of Grand Seiko’s First International Flagship Boutique in NYC Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko s First International Flagship Apr 2, 2024

Worn & Wound Celebrates the Opening of Grand Seiko’s First International Flagship Boutique in NYC

Last Thursday, collectors, enthusiasts, and members of the Worn & Wound team came together to celebrate the opening of Grand Seiko’s latest Flagship Boutique, which opened on New York’s iconic Madison Avenue in February. The first boutique of its kind anywhere outside of Japan, this new space is a remarkable testament to the enormous popularity and respect Grand Seiko has garnered since its introduction to the international market in 2010. The event drew in collectors from all over the East Coast and offered a rare after-hours opportunity to explore Grand Seiko’s wide-ranging collection. New York City collectors have, for the last few years, been lucky enough to have access to Grand Seiko’s marvelous SoHo boutique. That space, which Zach Weiss visited in 2021, is a small, intimate affair, with white-washed brick walls and a narrow footprint, perfectly placed among the cast-iron architecture and red brick buildings of the neighborhood. This new Flagship Boutique is something else entirely. Entering the warm, sun-drenched main hall of the boutique from the cool New York City weather, you’re greeted by a space unlike any other, with tall ceilings, Japanese carpentry, and glass everywhere you turn. It’s an easy space to get drawn into but, like an iceberg, there is plenty that sits below the water, or in this case, below street level.  Following the large staircase to the lower floor reveals an intimate lounge space and bar. It was this wonderful space that played...

Bamford Drops B80 Collaboration with Ace Jewelers SJX Watches
Rolex watches often Apr 2, 2024

Bamford Drops B80 Collaboration with Ace Jewelers

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...

The Speake Marin Ripples Infinity Date is One of the Best Named Watches and Coolest Under the Rader Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Options Around Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko comes Apr 1, 2024

The Speake Marin Ripples Infinity Date is One of the Best Named Watches and Coolest Under the Rader Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Options Around

I have a small obsession with watch naming conventions. I’m absolutely fascinated by the decisions brands make in what to call their watches. Some brands, for example, use only reference numbers, and collectors wind up giving the most popular watches nicknames (Grand Seiko comes to mind, although last year saw a notable exception to the rule). Then there are countless brands that incorporate language of adventure, particularly on high seas, into watch names: the Submariner, the Supermarine, the Sea-Rambler, and on, and on, and on, and on. And of course there are brands that steal a strategy from car manufacturers (or is it the other way around?) and give their watches names in one of the Romance Languages, an attempt to instill a sense of class and taste. But what I like are the simple and punchy names that get right to the root of what the watch is about. Memorable, sometimes funny names that communicate an ethos and make you go, “Oh yeah, of course,” all at once. The Speake Marin Ripples is one of my all time favorites.  The Ripples is Speake Marin’s take on the integrated bracelet sports watch, a category that seems about as far afield as you might get from the brand’s roots, but that’s a story for another day. In my opinion, the Ripple is one of the most distinctive integrated bracelet designs to come on the scene in this recent period during which everyone under the sun has tried their hand at this type of watch. It belongs, I think, in the same conversat...

The Ulysse Nardin Freak – The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part III SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Mar 31, 2024

The Ulysse Nardin Freak – The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part III

An outlandish concept that originally sprang from the mind of Carole Forestier Kasapi, the Ulysse Nardin Freak of 2001 was perfected by Dr Ludwig Oechslin and then made reality thanks to the advent of silicon in watchmaking. Lightweight and magnetism resistant, silicon was used for the escape wheels but that was only the beginning of the story. [This story, the third and final instalment in the series, details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor. The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part I covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and unique escapement. Part II deals with the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement.] Silicon, Silicium, Silinvar Now used interchangeably with silicon, silicium is actually French for “silicon”, but now it is also used as the trade name for the proprietary form of silicon used by Ulysse Nardin for movement components, namely silicon with a hard oxide outer layer that gives the material thermocompensating properties. Silicium was developed by Swiss scientific institute Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) in collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. Notably, the material is also known as Silinvar, which resulted from a separated but related CSEM project backed by a consortium made up of Rolex, Patek Philippe and Swatch Group. As a ...

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Mar 31, 2024

A Week in Watches Ep. 77: Mission to Watches & Wonders

Episode 77 of A Week in Watches is going to be slightly different. This episode has two hosts and no script! With the big event happening so soon (the next episode will be made from Watches & Wonders), we figured getting ready with a little Q and A would be fun. That said, two very different watches with prominent moon phase complications were also worth covering. Join Zach Kazan and Zach Weiss in the studio as they discuss the new releases and then answer some fantastic questions from the W&W;+ Slack community. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop, which recently added the new Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Tourbillon to the catalog. It is a gorgeous piece of haute horology that showcases Mr. Silberstein’s unique style. Head over to WindupWatchShop.com to check them out, as well as accessories, EDC, clocks, and more. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 77: Mission to Watches & Wonders appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Hot-Take: Tudor Unveils A New Pink-Dialed Black Bay Chrono On A Five-Link Bracelet Fratello
Tudor Unveils Mar 28, 2024

Hot-Take: Tudor Unveils A New Pink-Dialed Black Bay Chrono On A Five-Link Bracelet

Less than two weeks out from Watches and Wonders, Tudor has jumped the starting gun with a pre-show introduction. This pink-dialed Black Bay Chrono is also the version of this model we’re seeing for the first time on the brand’s five-link (don’t call it Jubilee) bracelet. Its distinct shade of pink sets it aside from […] Visit Hot-Take: Tudor Unveils A New Pink-Dialed Black Bay Chrono On A Five-Link Bracelet to read the full article.

Worn & Wound and the Horological Society of Utah Bring Alpina and More to Salt Lake City Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant answered Mar 27, 2024

Worn & Wound and the Horological Society of Utah Bring Alpina and More to Salt Lake City

The Horological Society of Utah is a growing consortium of collectors and enthusiasts in Salt Lake City and throughout the Intermountain West. Their nonprofit is dedicated to supporting the culture of horology through education and community. John Liley and Aaron Recksiek, some of the Society’s founding members, reached out to Worn & Wound to co-create a fun event designed to delve into a handful of brands right in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley- which is, of course, Squatters Pub Brewery. Alpina, Bulova, Accutron, and Frederique Constant answered the call.  Last Thursday, with an epic view of the Wasatch Front, the entire second floor of the well-known SLC-based brew pub was filled with enthusiasts and collectors all seeking to get their hands on the latest and greatest from each brand. Alpina led the charge, with a full complement of their latest Alpiner Extreme Automatic models, including their California Dial variant-clearly a crowd favorite that evening.  Bulova and the Windup Watch Shop joined forces to outfit their line of Hack field watches with US-made Mil-Straps. Anyone who purchased a Hack watch was able to pick out an ADPT strap of their choice to pair with their new watch. As you can see from the images, It’s clear that those watches and straps are just meant to be together. We also gave away one of the Hack Watches to a very lucky attendee.  As guests sipped on a selection of Salt Lake Brewing Co.’s very own IPAs, TJ Harris, the Director of Br...

The Ulysse Nardin Freak – The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part II SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Freak – Mar 26, 2024

The Ulysse Nardin Freak – The Saga of a Scientific Timepiece Part II

Having explored the origins of the Ulysse Nardin Freak, from its concept by Carole Forestier Kasapi to its realisation by Dr Ludwig Oechslin, we now turn to the Freak’s more recent innovations, starting with the Dual Ulysse Escapement. [This story explains the evolution of the unique, high-performance escapement of the Freak. Part I, covers the origins of the Freak, from its conception to realisation, as well as its distinguishing characteristics, namely the inventive movement construction and innovative escapement. Part III details the history of silicium, the proprietary Ulysse Nardin silicium hairspring, and the patented Grinder rotor.] A new and improved version of the Dual Direct escapement in the original 2001 Freak, the Dual Ulysse made its debut in 2005 inside the Freak 28’000 V/H, colloquially known as the Freak 2. Slightly larger than the original model but otherwise very similar, the Freak 2 operated at 28,000 beats per hour (4 Hz), a higher frequency than the 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) of the original Freak. One of the factors which made possible the increase in frequency was the revised escapement christened the Dual Ulysse Escapement. A diagram showing the key parts of the Dual Ulysse Escapement. Image – Ulysse Nardin The Dual Ulysse Escapement Another creation of Dr Oechslin’s, the Dual Ulysse departs from the classical natural escapement à la Breguet that the original Dual Direct Escapement was based on, but it still bears some resemblance to its...

Fratello’s Top 5 Pre-Owned Sleeper Watches: Part 5 - Featuring Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tudor, And More Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Tudor Mar 22, 2024

Fratello’s Top 5 Pre-Owned Sleeper Watches: Part 5 - Featuring Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tudor, And More

Another Friday, another Top 5! Today, we continue our quest to find more great pre-owned picks you might love. This is the fifth article with a selection of watches that deserve your attention. As always, we try to find the best pre-owned watches from bigger and smaller brands. They can be vintage, neo-vintage, or modern. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Pre-Owned Sleeper Watches: Part 5 - Featuring Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tudor, And More to read the full article.

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - Daan’s Picks From Baltic, Seiko, Vero, And Autodromo Fratello
Baltic Seiko Vero Mar 22, 2024

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - Daan’s Picks From Baltic, Seiko, Vero, And Autodromo

As RJ said at the start of his “best watches under €1,000” article, it’s not easy to make a list like this at all. That’s not because there aren’t any options to choose from; actually, the opposite is true. Sure, the fact that they have to be new and available watches limits the range somewhat. […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - Daan’s Picks From Baltic, Seiko, Vero, And Autodromo to read the full article.

Assouline Updates their Massive Rolex Coffee Table Book Worn & Wound
Rolex Coffee Table Book Assouline Mar 21, 2024

Assouline Updates their Massive Rolex Coffee Table Book

Assouline is known as a brand that reflects the finer things in life. As a standard-bearer of fine art, culture, and lifestyle, Assouline has solidified its reputation as a premier publisher synonymous with sophistication. Wherever the haute monde is, Assouline is sure to follow with one of their well-designed, beautifully curated coffee table books. Their latest edition, Rolex: The Impossible Collection, 2nd Edition is an especially exciting release for the horologically-inclined, focusing on the one-hundred watches that define the brand’s legacy and rich history. Within the pages of The Impossible Collection, readers will get a chance to explore the various ways in which Rolex has entered the cultural consciousness. From the first wristwatch dating to the early 1900s and the first Oyster Perpetual from 1931, to an Explorer worn during Sir Edmund Hillary’s expedition to the summit of Mount Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, this book acts as a reflection of a brand which has stood at the cross-section of adventure, style, and sportsmanship. For the casual collector to the fanatics among us, Assouline’s attention to detail and design in The Impossible Collection will inspire readers while making a handsome companion for your library. Every page is carefully designed to elevate the reading experience, while leaving the page clean and uncluttered, so every watch has room to shine. Ro...

Photo Report: Traveling Through Zürich and Schaffhausen with IWC Worn & Wound
IWC Just Mar 18, 2024

Photo Report: Traveling Through Zürich and Schaffhausen with IWC

Just a few weeks ago I was graciously invited to fly to Switzerland to get a first glimpse of some of the new novelties this year from IWC. Now obviously I can’t speak to what I saw until the embargo lifts during Watches & Wonders, but the fun didn’t stop there. We had several exciting excursions while we were in both Zürich and Schaffhausen, and of course I had my camera with me to capture some snaps along the way. I felt like these images shouldn’t just live on my iPhone just for me, and maybe there might be someone out there who is interested in visiting either city and this might help push them to buy those plane tickets and get on over there! The Limmat River running through the Old Town Zürich Now some might think that the first stop on a press trip by a major luxury watch brand would be to see watches but you would be wrong. IWC knew how to kick off this tour just right by taking us straight to a chocolate factory. And not just any chocolate factory, but the home of Lindt Chocolate! Home to Switzerland’s largest chocolate museum, it was truly remarkable and I had a blast learning how this chocolate that I love so much is made. If you ever find yourself in Zürich this is a must stop. And yes, you get to try as much chocolate as you’d like! A fountain of chocolate Beautiful architecture inside A closer look at the chocolate fountain! Easter ready Minimalist design throughout the building Candy for all! Welcoming staff throughout With bellies full of choco...

Revolution and Sinn Team Up for a First of its Kind 155 Chronograph Worn & Wound
Sinn Team Up Mar 18, 2024

Revolution and Sinn Team Up for a First of its Kind 155 Chronograph

Our friends at Revolution have launched their second limited edition collaboration with Sinn, following up on 2019’s 155 Bundeswehr “Dark Star,” a collaborative effort with both The Rake and Revolution publications. Here we have another 155, this time in a notably darker, and tougher configuration, but still paying tribute to the very roots of the German watch brand. The 155 chronograph, for many Sinn collectors, represents the true beginnings of the brand, and this release captures that spirit while adding some of the contemporary twists you’d expect from a collaboration partner like Revolution. It’s all very enthusiast focused, and should really speak to hardcore Sinn fans.  Before we get into the details on the new release, an introduction to the 155 is probably in order to fully contextualize the limited edition. Beginning in 1967, the 155 Bundeswehr chronograph was made exclusively for the West German Federal Defense Force. Beginning in the 1980s, Helmut Sinn began selling issued Bundeswehr watches that had been decommissioned under his own brand name. This practice helped to bolster Sinn’s reputation in watch communities that care about military provenance, tool watch history, and classic design, and laid the groundwork for what Sinn would come to represent to many, makers of no-nonsense, practical tools with true military bona fides. The 155 itself is a ruthlessly simple affair, with a two register chronograph layout and bi-directional 60 minute bezel d...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - RJ’s Picks From Seiko, Hamilton, And Christopher Ward Fratello
Christopher Ward Picking three watches under Mar 18, 2024

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - RJ’s Picks From Seiko, Hamilton, And Christopher Ward

Picking three watches under €1,000 that I think are the best buys in 2024 is not easy. What I always find amusing are comments under articles that say, “This list is not valid if it doesn’t include brand X, Y, or Z.” But I understand comments like these if you’re a fan of one of […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €1,000 - RJ’s Picks From Seiko, Hamilton, And Christopher Ward to read the full article.

Citizen Marks Centenary with Pocket Watch and New Calibre SJX Watches
Citizen Marks Centenary Mar 18, 2024

Citizen Marks Centenary with Pocket Watch and New Calibre

Twenty twenty-four marks the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Citizen watch – a pocket watch powered by the hand-wound cal. 16. To celebrate the centenary, Citizen looks towards the next century with an all-new calibre making its debut in the 100th Anniversary of the First Citizen Watch Special Limited Edition, a pocket watch with a pleasing vintage aesthetic but one that’s entirely modern in materials and manufacturing. Initial thoughts Pocket watches are uncommon today, which is perhaps why they are difficult to get right in terms of look and feel. Contemporary pocket watches often try to replicate the look and feel of their vintage counterparts, but usually end up seeming artificial and lacking in authenticity. As a result, the Citizen anniversary pocket watch is certainly an interesting proposition.  The Citizen cal. 0270 At first sight, the watch is convincingly vintage in appearance. It is evidently carefully designed, with classical styling on both sides and well-chosen details in the movement, which lends it a genuine sense of timelessness. The dial design is evocative of railway pocket watches (which Citizen did supply to Japanese railway companies), while the movement has the elegant bridges and proportions characteristics of old-school calibres. But on closer examination, many details in the dial and case reveal themselves to be modern, like the fact that the case is titanium or the balance wheel has Gyromax-style regulating weights. Even the seemingly a...

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo “Sketch” is Back Worn & Wound
Bulgari Octo Finissimo “Sketch” Mar 15, 2024

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo “Sketch” is Back

Back in 2022, Bulgari released the “Sketch” version of the Octo Finissimo to equal shares of acclaim and, well, the opposite. Those watches celebrated the Octo’s tenth anniversary, and this year they’re doubling down with new sketches that take the idea to the next logical step on the occasion of Bulgari’s 140th anniversary. We like to poke fun at the anniversaries here as a somewhat craven excuse for brands to sell us new stuff that we certainly don’t need, but in the case of the Octo it’s really worth celebrating. This watch has a profoundly unusual design within a subset of watches that grew in esteem by orders of magnitude over the last several years, while existing in a larger context within an industry that put more value on classic, vintage inspired designs than bold, contemporary ones during the same time period. For the Octo to rise during this period was somewhat unpredictable, and speaks to the enduring quality of the design and of the watch itself. The follow up to the original Sketch watches is sure to garner plenty of attention, and would seem to put most of it on the caliber that makes the Octo possible.  Like the first Sketch LEs, the watches seen here are likely to be somewhat divisive. The original watches, both a chronograph and time-only version, had dials that appeared to be sketched by hand. They took the familiar layout of the Octo but presented it in an illustrated format. These new references (time only models in steel and rose gold,...

Hands-On: the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker Worn & Wound
Nodus Mar 13, 2024

Hands-On: the Nodus x Raven Trailtrekker

“Whoa, this thing is cool” is what I found myself speaking out loud upon opening up the box for the newest collaboration between Nodus Watches and Raven Watches - two forces in the microbrand community that have a solid history of putting out some really great watches. The real question is, what happens when these two team up? Is this the initial meeting of superheros that eventually leads to the Avengers of the watch space? I’m in no place to make that call, but what I can confidently comment about is how this watch looks and feels on the wrist. But like any good saga, we could use a little back story.  Nodus Watches are a team based out of Los Angeles, CA with a focus on providing premium timepieces that are durable and innovative, while supporting the rest of the watch community. Whether you’re attending one of their Intersect events that brings smaller brands and their customers together across the US, or checking out their other collabs as part of their Design Lab, there’s a lot to like about Nodus. Raven Watches is based out of Kansas and their timepieces are inspired by travel, adventure, and photography -- making for rugged, versatile timepieces that are built for the long haul. The inspiration behind the TrailTrekker is the perilous journey that many heartlanders from the midwest made from Kansas to California, the home states of each brand. Let’s take a closer look at this noteworthy collab. Case The 39.5mm case is perfectly proportioned for my 6...