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Worn & Wound

Luminox Apr 6, 2023

A Picture of Good Stealth: Luminox Unveils the Master Carbon SEAL Automatic

When it comes to military watches, my mind draws a bold red line between two distinct types. First, there’s the batch that originates from the vintage kin. You know, the Dirty Dozen field watch, the stoic flieger, and of course the quintessential stainless steel diver. Then there’s the modern and robust digital watch equipped with the innovative case material and a slew of multi-functions that you’d need more than two hands to count. But the happy medium between the two has always been within Luminox, a brand that has fostered and maintained a partnership with the U.S. Navy SEALs for three decades and counting. The latest addition to the Navy SEAL Luminox collection blends together a new case material and their patented Luminox Light Technology, while still keeping the spirit of analog time – it’s called the Master Carbon SEAL Automatic inspired by the Frogmen’s grind, grit, and durability. The Master Carbon SEAL Automatic utilizes a lightweight and rugged case made out of CARBONOX+. This forward-looking material boasts ultra-strong and weatherproof properties that in weight, equates to three times lighter than titanium. The unique feature that comes along with the “+” in the CARBONOX+ name is its stealthy gray tint which also displays the fingerprint-esque carbon fiber pattern that is individual to each watch. Except with the Master Carbon SEAL Automatic, the carbon fiber execution is much more subtle, displaying less of the white swirls we’ve seen in ot...

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Worn & Wound

Rolex Daytona Change Mar 30, 2023

Hands-On With the New Rolex Daytona

Change is hard, as they say. Particularly when the thing that requires it, wasn’t exactly broken in the first place. Rolex has found themselves in a near impossible situation of updating the near universally lauded 1165XX generation of the Daytona. A watch that’s recently found itself in a position it never really asked to be in, serving as the barometer of the second hand watch market and subsequently the subject of ire to many lamenting availability issues writ large at boutiques the world over. The watch itself, though? When considered at its initial MSRP upon introduction in 2016, which was $12,400 (or even its MSRP last year, which was $13,500), is pretty awesome. Not without fault, certainly, but a mighty fine chronograph to be sure and a total sweetheart on the wrist.  But of course, the Daytona was a rare bird to score at retail pricing, and judging it at aftermarket prices was a far murkier proposition. Still, there’s no doubting that this watch tapped into something deep, serving as the veritable poster child of the meteoric rise of the hype watch, and for good reason: it’s a great all around watch sitting on a load of heritage that includes some of the coolest figures of the past 50 years helping to inadvertently build the watch’s lore to unhealthy levels in today’s climate. While things have mercifully cooled off over the past 12 months, this is still largely the context in which Rolex is tasked with creating a new generation of Daytona, which they...

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Worn & Wound

Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Gets Full Mar 28, 2023

Rolex Yacht-Master 42 Gets Full RLX Titanium Treatment

In what may have been the most predicted move by Rolex in years, the use of their newly introduced RLX grade 5 titanium has taken a step into the Yacht-Master collection, something teased years ago by Sir Ben Ainslie in the form of a dateless prototype. We saw the first official use of the material in this Deepsea Challenge Sea-Dweller revealed earlier this year. The latest release welcomes the stuff within the Yacht-Master collection in the new 42mm reference 226627, and a few of the features we noticed in the Sea-Dweller have returned, tipping what may be titanium exclusive details.  Titanium is having some of a moment in recent years. We’ve seen its use spread from small independents and micro-brands like Boldr and Autodromo, now to the likes of Rolex. It may not be as exotic sounding as it once was, but we’re seeing it used in more inventive ways across the board, predominantly in how it’s finished. Just this year, while attending Watches & Wonders, we’ve learned of two particularly high end titanium watches that have had their production experience delays due to the difficult nature of finishing it to a certain standard. The finishing of this particular titanium watch is very Rolex, with relatively uniform satin brush graining throughout the 42mm case and bracelet, with a chamfer running the length of the lug line. That chamfer on the lug is one of the key details we noted on the titanium Deepsea as well, leading one to believe it could become a detail reserv...

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Worn & Wound

Zenith Relaunches Mar 28, 2023

Zenith Relaunches the Pilot with Two New Aviation Themed Watches

It’s the year of the Pilot for Zenith. After shoring up their Chronomaster collection and injecting new life into the Defy over the last few years, Zenith has returned to the Pilot collection and given it a complete revamp. The Pilot is a historic line for Zenith, having trademarked the word “Pilote” all the way back in 1888 (and “Pilot” in 1904). In the early days of the company, the brand focused largely on the manufacture of flight instruments and watches for pilots. They of course weren’t the only brand to cut their manufacturing teeth on the burgeoning need for these types of devices, but were (and still are) the only brand to trademark the word “Pilot,” which allows them the opportunity to use it on the dial in a way other brand’s can’t. The new collection is a stab at bringing something very old in Zenith’s history and making it new in a very explicit way. In other words, these aren’t vintage inspired pilot’s watches, but something far more contemporary. There are two new watches making their debut this week, each in two different materials, for a total of four new Pilots flying their way into boutiques soon enough. The Pilot Automatic is a three hander running on the El Primero 3620, the same chrono-less EP movement found in the Defy Skyline collection. We get a date at 6:00, right below a horizontal line that is meant to recall indicators on a pilot’s instrument panel to refer them back to the horizon line. The Arabic numerals are large...

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Worn & Wound

Omega Speedmaster MKII Racing – Mar 24, 2023

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Eric L.

Editor’s Note: In this edition of the 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, long time reader Eric L. shares their trio of watches, which include a brand I had to Google to discover. This is a collection motivated not by hype, but by enthusiasm alone so hat’s off to Eric for this selection. Bonos points for one of the coolest G-Shocks in existence.  If you’d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here. Header image credit: Analog:Shift Long time listener, first time caller. NATO’s are great…always. Full Stop…no question.  Keep up the good work folks. Omega Speedmaster MKII Racing – $4,000 It’s a Speedmaster, but you didn’t type in “best watch algorithm” in the Google Machine to find out which Speedy you should buy (It’s the Professional Moonwatch…it went to the moon, but Omega rarely talks about it). Plus, everyone knows that the 70’s racing scene was so funky and lit that it deserves more credit that it receives. Funky case, orange highlights, tach ring under the glass…it’s just better than the Moonwatch in all respects, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Scared of vintage watches? Get the reissue with a co-axial movement that’s COSC certified. Elliott Brown Houlton Professional – $550 Analog watches are a thing of the past you say?  All soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines need are G-Shocks and Timex Ironman watches, you say?  Well my brothers and sisters in the UK’s Special Boat ...

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Worn & Wound

Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden We’re Mar 20, 2023

[Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden

We’re not yet at the stage that the BR05 is seen as THE Bell & Ross-there’s still a long way to go before it could dethrone the classic square silhouette of the BR01 and BR03 models-but it feels like it has grown up enough to be seen as not just another brand jumping on the integrated bracelet sport watch bandwagon. It’s not even four years since the first of the BR05 variants were unveiled, and during that time we have seen three-handers, chronographs and GMTs. Stainless steel watches have seen bead-blasting and ‘Artline’ finishing. There have been rose gold and two-tone cases. Dials have come in black, white, copper, green, and blue. And lets not forget the Kenissi powered BR-X5 which has also evolved from the same case. As I browse the BR05 catalogue, both past and present, I’m struck by two thoughts. Firstly, there have been a LOT of different watches in this line. It’s not surprising that a brand should choose to repeat and rework a flagship model, but even allowing for quite a number of limited editions, that’s still a lot of releases since the original 2019 debut. This leads to my second thought. Despite always being impressed with the overall aesthetic, case design and finishing, why haven’t I found one that I really like? Finding my own answer to that has required me to attempt to classify what type of watch the BR05 actually is. $6600 [Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden Case Stainless Stee Movement BR-CAL.322 (Base SW300-1) Dia...

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Grand Seiko Feb 24, 2023

Opinion: Watch Collecting in the Quantum Realm

Possibly against my better judgment, I saw Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania recently. While it’s not my least favorite Marvel movie, it was pretty bad, somehow finding a way to rob Paul Rudd of nearly all of his natural charm, and filled with special effects that look not very special at all. I found my mind drifting, wondering if any of these actors actually met each other during filming, or if production had them fly in separately to film in front of massive green screens. And, as it too frequently does, my thoughts turned to watches. Wondering, as my colleagues did a few weeks ago, if Rudd chose that Grand Seiko for himself at the Ant-Man premiere, and if there was a quantum reality where he might have chosen a different watch for himself altogether, and if maybe in that reality he plays Captain America instead, and the MCU movies weren’t in a state of perpetual decline.  The premise of Quantumania is actually interesting. Without getting too deep into the weeds, everything in the movie hinges on the quantum physics inspired idea that every decision point you encounter has infinite possibilities, and those possibilities play out in the “quantum realm.” That means new versions of you, and everyone you encounter, are constantly splitting off of your own perceived reality. This type of multiverse enabling storytelling is core to comic book mythologies, and seems to be playing out more frequently in this phase of Marvel films. In Quantumania, it means that in one ...

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Worn & Wound

Feb 21, 2023

G-SHOCK Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Frogman with a Limited Edition Inspired by a Colorful (but Poisonous) Frog

I’ve long held that you can tell an awful lot about a person by their taste in G-SHOCKs. By now, there are so many types of these watches out there, it’s not hard to get a sense of what kind of message a watch collector is trying to send out into the world about themselves through their choice in G-SHOCK. The hardcore collector types will naturally want to flex the limited or hard to find collabs. Your Rick and Morty and Budweiser editions, for example. I get the sense that people who are most likely to actually use their G-SHOCKs for their intended purpose are drawn toward simple, blacked out, “tacti-cool” watches that don’t draw too much attention. These are the simple, traditional G-SHOCKs being worn as nature intended, by the professionals who put themselves in dangerous situations for a living, or klutzes who know for a fact that their watch is going to become intimately familiar with every door jamb it approaches. And then there are people like me. We’re dabblers, interested in G-SHOCK but not obsessive, who are mostly drawn to aggressively colorful designs like the new GWFA1000APF1 seen here, made for the 30th anniversary of the Frogman.  The Frogman watches, if you need a quick refresher, are G-SHOCKs made with diving and water adventures in mind. While all G-SHOCK watches have ample water resistance, the Frogman series features analog time telling via large, dive watch style hands, and a dual coil motor system designed to quickly move those hands as y...

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Worn & Wound

Grand Seiko Feb 13, 2023

A New Collection of King Seikos Make their Debut Just in Time for a Big Seiko Anniversary

We’ve already seen a flurry of activity from Seiko and Grand Seiko in 2023 to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the first wristwatch to bear the Seiko name. In what might be the most exciting anniversary release of this young year, Seiko has added a quartet of new watches to their recently relaunched King Seiko line. King Seiko began to reemerge back in 2020 as part of the brand’s big 140th anniversary celebration with a recreation of the historic KSK, featuring many of the premium touches we normally associate with higher tier Seiko and Grand Seiko releases. A collection of new, vintage inspired designs appeared last year, and that basically brings us to today. You’d be forgiven for forgetting about the new King Seikos given the comparatively infrequent releases, but they’re the type of watches that always get collectors excited for their attention to small, historical details and overall bang for buck. The new batch of King Seikos is without a doubt the most compelling collection yet, and will hopefully serve as a building block for more regular releases in the future.  We’ll start with the SPB365, which keeps the same 37mm case as last year’s releases, but adds a special dial design featuring a hexagon motif. This design, known as the “Kikkoumon,” is meant to symbolize a tortoise shell, an animal that represents longevity in Japanese culture. The symbol is frequently used in samurai armor, as well. It’s also a subtle nod to the origins of King Seiko,...

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Worn & Wound

Louis Erard Adds Three Colorful Variants Feb 7, 2023

Louis Erard Adds Three Colorful Variants to the Petite Seconde Collection

Louis Erard has unveiled their first new watches of 2023, and they build on one of the brand’s key developments from last year. Usually when this brand comes to mind, enthusiasts think of their watches with regulator layouts, and the many interesting collaborations they’ve undertaken in the last few years as they’ve really gained traction with collectors. The Petite Seconde, part of their Excellence collection, is perhaps a little slept on by comparison. These are simple three handers, and not as flashy or unusual as the regulators (well, except for this one), but they have a charm of their own and represent a kind of simple, elegant watch that used to be quite common but is now harder to find in an environment dominated by sport and tool watches. The new watches introduced today all use plenty of vibrant color, and come in a case size that collectors have been asking for.  The 39mm Petite Seconde case seen here made its debut just about a year ago with the Petite Seconde Terracotta, a coppery, earthy spin on a traditional format. Until that point, the Petite Seconde had only been available in a 42mm case, which while not enormous by most standards, certainly stretched the limits for a watch of this type, which is at least attempting to approach a certain level of refinement. Notably, the Terracotta was available in either a 39mm or 42mm case, while no such option has been made available for this colorful trio. We’re not sure if that’s a signal that Louis Erard ...

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Worn & Wound

Ming Jan 13, 2023

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Vincent Deschamps

Editor’s note: In our first Three Watch Collection for $5,000 of 2023, reader and fellow watch writer, Vincent Deschamps of Mainspring.Watch brings us a trio of classics from some of our favorite small independent brands. There’s a lovely and unique balance to these three watches and it’s one of the most creative we’ve come across yet.  You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. It wasn’t until I thought of submitting my ideas for a three-watch collection for $5,000 that I imagined myself as someone who could have a three-watch collection. While I tend to only wear the same watch everyday (the Lorier Falcon III,) I do see the massive benefit of having other watches for different purposes. As an enthusiastic support of independent watchmaking, below you will find my selection for a three-watch collection below. Each watch fulfills a particular need and use case and I believe each one does it quite well. Lorier Falcon Mark III – $499 At the top of my list is the Lorier Falcon Mark III released in late 2022, the archetype everyday sports watch. I’m a sucker for watches that can do 100% of what I need 95% of the time, and that’s what the Falcon is to me. It comes with a solid build, good specs, and an elegant figure that makes it work in most situations I find myself in. And it’s quite affordable coming in at $499. There are two things about this watch that make it work so well for me: it...

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SJX Watches

Franck Muller Introduces #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Jan 6, 2023

Franck Muller Introduces #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard

Franck Muller pushed the boundaries of the possible in high-end watchmaking in its earlier years, particularly with its whimsical complications like the Crazy Hours. Now, the brand has gone in the direction of edgy and provocative with its collaboration with Tokyo streetwear brand #FR2. Bearing the clothing label’s emblem of two naughty rabbits, the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard is a limited edition available only in Southeast Asia and Australia. Initial thoughts  When I first saw the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard, I was conflicted about the aesthetics. This type of pop-culture collaboration has been done before and often. Various watch brands have tied up with well-known streetwear labels. And Franck Muller itself recently launched a Vanguard customised by Bamford Watch Department to feature Popeye on the dial. But upon closer examination, the #FR2NCK MULLER feels like a more interesting collaboration because of the striking black-and-white livery – and the irreverent logo on the dial. The rabbit emblem is fairly discrete at a distance, making it something of a in-joke. Beyond the design, the case is notable for being a composite of carbon fibre and glass, which gives the material a banded pattern that is slightly glossy. The composite case perfectly complements the black-and-white palette of the watch. And inside the composite case is an in-house automatic movement, making it slightly more interesting than the Franck Muller watches powered by stock third-party movements. As i...

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Time+Tide

Dec 19, 2022

MICRO MONDAYS: The Peren Nera Rogue BW is a keenly priced dive watch with a stealth-driven look

Peren can be a confusing brand for people who are new to their concept, but despite a rather baffling backstory including a ransomed prototype, the new limited edition of the Peren Nera Rogue is perhaps the brand’s most versatile watch yet. If you’re looking for a traditional dive watch with a stealth-driven look, the Peren … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Peren Nera Rogue BW is a keenly priced dive watch with a stealth-driven look appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Dec 12, 2022

Why do Watches Use Sapphire Crystals? A Brief History and a Few Altern

Watches differ greatly in their sizes, designs, capabilities, straps and bracelets, and even in the materials used to make their cases. The one element that nearly always seems to be present when we peruse watches’ specifications is the use of sapphire for the crystal (for the newest of newbies, that’s the round, glass window over the dial). Over a certain “luxury” price point, a sapphire crystal is not even seen as a benefit but the baseline standard, like tempered laminated glass in a car windshield. How did sapphire come to play this key supporting role in watch manufacturing, and what did watchmakers use before it came along? For that matter, what differentiates different types of sapphire crystals from each other? Which materials other than sapphire are still being used in the watch industry, and why? And is sapphire being used for anything else in horological circles besides crystals? What are the properties of sapphire? Believe it or not, that little lens over the dial of your watch is made from one of the hardest substances on Earth. It is one of two precious gemstones from the mineral variety corundum, the other being ruby. Corundum, a crystallized aluminum oxide, is clear in its purest state; sapphires and rubies receive their blue and red colors, respectively from impurities: traces of titanium, and iron in the former, and of chromium in the latter. Sapphire (above) has a ratio of 9 on the Mohs Hardness scale. Among minerals, only moissanite, a naturally...

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F.P. Journe have made it Dec 9, 2022

Lang & Heyne Introduces the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic”

Dresden-based Lang & Heyne is a German independent watchmaker that makes just 100 to 150 timepieces per year. Created to mark the ninth year of the partnership with its retailer in Hong Kong, its latest release is the Friedrich II Remontoir “The Lavish Attic Edition”. If the watch sounds familiar, that’s because the prototype of the limited edition was sold at Phillips in May for HK$819,000, or just over US$105,000. Now it returns as a serial-production timepiece in a limited edition of 36 watches – nine pieces each in stainless steel, white gold, rose gold and platinum. Lang & Heyne (L&H;) was founded in 2001 by watchmakers Marco Lang, Mirko Heyne, and Lothar Zieger. All three founders have since left the brand, most recently Mr Lang, who left to set up his eponymous brand. Their departure has allowed the brand to evolve into less traditional watches like the Friedrich II Remontoir for the Lavish Attic, which has a sporty aesthetic and titanium movement bridges. Initial thoughts I was intrigued when I came across the prototype offered at Phillips. A watch with a constant-force escapement is something you don’t often see (even if brands like F.P. Journe have made it a speciality). That, combined with the stark black dial, steel bracelet, and sporty design, made it an unusual proposition. As a serially-produced watch, albeit a limited edition, the Lavish Attic edition retains the key elements that give it a distinctive look, namely the glossy, black enamel dial ...

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Patek Philippe Ref 5935A World Time Dec 5, 2022

Up Close: Patek Philippe Ref. 5935A World Time Flyback Chronograph

While much of the buzz around Patek Philippe’s recent launches has been centred on the Nautilus ref. 5811/1G in white gold, the year has been mostly about other than the Nautilus and Aquanaut. Amongst the most notable new launches for 2022 is the World Time Flyback Chronograph ref. 5935A-001. Continuing with Patek Philippe’s development of steel watches beyond its traditional sports models, the ref. 5935A is a striking new take on a model that made its debut in 2016. Previously available only in precious metals (namely white gold or platinum), the ref. 5935A is the first of the model in stainless steel – and one of the brand’s few complicated watches in the metal. And the ref. 5935A is larger in diameter than its predecessor, but its most eye-catching feature is the dial in “rose-gilt opaline” (or “salmon” if you wish). Initial thoughts A World Time in steel is a big deal because the world time is arguably an iconic watch for Patek Philippe. Select vintage examples are amongst the handful of Patek Philippe references that can sell for high-seven or even eight figures. Granted the ref. 5935A adds a chronograph into the mix, but it is still modern take on a signature complication. The ref. 5935A retains the familiar Louis Cottier-type world time display that’s almost synonymous with Patek Philippe, but with contemporary materials and colours. And at 41 mm it is also larger than usual for a Patek Philippe complication, giving it something of a sporty feel...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Oct 11, 2022

Lee Pace, the elven-king-turned-murder-suspect, needs watches

Galactic emperor, elven king or supervillain – Lee Pace refuses to be typecast, lending his chiselled chin to a variety of larger-than-life characters.  Nominated for an Emmy for his work in Pushing Daisies and hailed for standout performances in Soldier’s Girl and Lincoln, his newest silver-screen foray sees him play a suspect in the slasher-murder-mystery ordeal that is Bodies Bodies … ContinuedThe post Lee Pace, the elven-king-turned-murder-suspect, needs watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Bell & Ross Sep 23, 2022

Norqain Introduces Lightweight Carbon Sports Watch

Just three months after it announced Jean-Claude Biver joining its board,  Norqain has unveiled its first product conceived in conjunction with the industry veteran best known for having created Hublot as we know it today, the Wild One. The Wild One is a lightweight sports watch with a case of a carbon composite known as Norteq and a laser-cut, patterned dial. It’s the culmination of a two-year project involving Norqain, synthetic rubber specialist Biwi, and more recently Mr Biver, who “[challenged] the team to innovate; to create a lightweight and shock-resistant timepiece that reflects the brand’s active DNA”. Initial thoughts Often found in expensive and exotic sports watches – although not an expensive material in itself – carbon composite cases are uncommon at the US$5,000 price point, thought they are becoming more common. Alongside models from Oris and Bell & Ross, this is amongst the few offerings in this price segment. And the Wild One has all the features of a bona fide sports watch, including water resistance of 200 m and of course a robust Kenissi movement. That said, the Wild One will also have the downside that is intrinsic to carbon composite – it is essentially a type of plastic and looks the part, resulting in a look that you either like or not. Notably, the liberal use of modern synthetic materials like carbon composite and rubber certainly evokes other products Mr Biver had a hand in creating. And so do the aesthetics; the patterned di...

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SJX Watches

Aug 18, 2022

Up Close: Franc Vila FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero

Short for “Franc Vila Founder”, FVF is a tale of redemption. Founded by the namesake designer, FVF is the second act of the Spanish watch designer, one he embarked on after his first went off the rails as many independent watch brands tend to do. FVF’s inaugural watch is the FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero. It’s an original look and at a glance there’s nothing linking it to the creations of the original Franc Vila brand – a good thing in my estimation. But look closely and hints of the earlier designs emerge. Most importantly the FVF1 reveals itself as an impressively executed watch – the movement has an interesting construction, excellent finishing, and an original aesthetic. Mr Vila has made his comeback in style. NB: The watch pictured is a prototype that’s been worn so it shows wear. The FVF1 has a flying tourbillon, roller day indicator, day and night display, and a 100-hour power reserve Rising from the ashes Born in Valencia but now a longtime resident of Switzerland, Mr Vila founded his namesake brand in 2005 and rode the wave that buoyed modern, flamboyant independent watchmaking for the next decade or so. Propelled by Mr Vila’s convivial personality, Franc Vila became one of the hot brands of the era. During those heady days, it could sell several dozen tourbillons and minute repeaters a year, making it one of the top clients of now-defunct complications specialist BNB Concept. A classic from the original Franc Vila brand, the Tourbillon Planèta...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Aug 7, 2022

This data analyst microchipped his wardrobe to track cost per wear. What he found could change how you buy watches forever

“If it’s not measurable then it’s not manageable.” It’s a saying beloved of accountants, number crunchers and other po-faced types, often looking to protect you from your, let’s face it, hare-brained ideas based on some purported “gut feel”.  But this would seem to be the personal manifesto of Andre Nader. The data analyst is a … ContinuedThe post This data analyst microchipped his wardrobe to track cost per wear. What he found could change how you buy watches forever appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Patek Philippe rank them amongst May 19, 2022

A Magnificent Watch Collection Goes on Show in London

For me, watches are and always have been about people – those that make them, those that design them, and those that buy them. And while many of you reading this will do your utmost (likely on a daily basis) to keep your interest in watches in check with your bank balance, every so often you meet a collector, an enthusiast, who takes things to a whole other level. Somebody who has gone all in, a collector who takes it to a level that even insiders like Thierry Stern of Patek Philippe rank them amongst the greatest collectors of all time. Patrick Getreide is that individual. Having spent the past four decades quietly building one of the world’s greatest privately-owned collections of wrist and pocket watches, he has now put all of his timepieces on show for the world to enjoy and admire. The show I feel hugely privileged and excited having visited the exhibition on its opening day in London. Privileged because there were only a few press invited; excited because I believe it will open up our passion to more and more, aligning watchmaking with art, where it belongs. The exhibition comprises 168 best-of-the-best vintage and contemporary museum-quality watches, among which are unrepeatable special orders, ultra-rare, limited editions, the most valuable examples of their type, and the largest number of Patek Philippe pieces once owned by the celebrated American collector Henry Graves Jr. now in private hands. It is also the first curated exhibition of a private collection ...

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Breitling Introduces Apr 11, 2022

Breitling Introduces the New Navitimer B01 in 41, 43, and 46 mm

Distinctive for its slide-rule bezel, the Navitimer is synonymous with Breitling. Having been in near continuous production since its introduction 70 years ago, the Navitimer has been offered in a bewildering array of iterations, but the 2022 Navitimer B01 returns to the roots of the model with a vintage-inspired design, but livened up with bright, metallic dials. Initial thoughts If you already like the Navitimer, the 2022 version is an appealing proposition. It’s essentially the traditional Navitimer design with Breitling’s in-house chronograph movement that has an excellent construction. The model is consistently priced given the in-house movement, while the design has enough vintage elements to give it a classic Navitimer feel. The dial colours, however, are modern, so this avoids being a vintage remake (which Breitling has done enough of). Of the three sizes, the 41 mm is identical to the vintage original, so it’s probably the perfect size. The 43 mm is probably still acceptable on most wrists, but the 46 mm will be enormous. If there is to something to criticise it is probably the wide range of models – two case metals, three case sizes, and a dozen or so dial types, though not every dial is available in every size. The number of choices feel too ambitious and confusing for a launch of a new model. Throwback design The new Navitimer is the first redesign of the model since current chief executive Georges Kern took the helm of Breitling in 2017. Unsurprisingly...

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SJX Watches

Richard Mille Mar 27, 2022

SevenFriday Introduces the Peculiar and Alien Free-D

A maker of affordable watches with unconventional styling, SevenFriday is now a decade old. To commemorate the milestone, the brand has unveiled the Free-D. To put it mildly, the Free-B adds three-dimensionality to the brand’s trademark time display comprised of rotating discs. And in a first for the brand, which has historically relied on Miyota, the Free-D is powered by a Swiss-made movement, Sellita to be exact. Initial thoughts While SevenFriday has increasingly felt like a “fashion” brand with its endless iterations of the same design, the brand has produced timepieces that are genuinely compelling. The Free-D is certainly one of the more interesting examples of its unorthodox design, though the over-the-top style is an acquired taste to say the least. Bold, extra large, and definitely peculiar, the Free-D is actually based on the brand’s signature “squircle” case but dressed up with a 3D-printed external shell and lugs. The added parts do exactly what they are meant to, which is to elaborate on the brand’s traditional case style to distinguish it for the anniversary. And they give the watch a decidedly alien aesthetic – it looks like a prop from a sci-fi film. At the same time, the external cladding on the case is essentially plastic. Granted, plastic of various types is widely used in high-end watchmaking – Richard Mille and Hublot are proponents of its use – but it is certainly not for everyone. In contrast, the time display is simple but easy...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date Mar 17, 2022

A Week On The Wrist: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date With Sector Dial

One of the most-talked-about watches of the 2017 SIHH, the new Master Control Date adds a sector dial and tons of charm to an iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre archetype.

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Q Quill & Pad

Quill & Pad

Mar 11, 2022

Introducing The Vincent Deprez Handmade Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition: Traditional Artisanal Independent Watchmaking At Its Best

One of Ian Skellern's highlights during Geneva Watch Days 2021 – in fact one of his highlights of 2021 altogether – was meeting a new young independent watchmaker called Vincent Deprez, who showed him an early prototype of his first watch, the Tourbillon Classique. Ian was immediately impressed by both Deprez’s obvious passion for traditional watchmaking and the extremely high quality of his watch.

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W WatchAdvice

WatchAdvice

Ball Watch es may not be Mar 9, 2022

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original 40mm Hands-on Review

What we like: Great looking watch with solid engineeringExcellent fit and finishComfortable on the wrist What we didn’t : Crown guard may feel fiddly for day-to-day useSharpish edges on the claspNot the easiest watch to change straps Overall rating: 8.125 /10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 First things first. Let’s all get our minds out of the gutter and leave the crude, juvenile schoolyard jokes behind. We’re better than that. Aren’t we? Yes, I get that jokes about balls are just too easy and we should all rise above it and move on to more sophisticated humour. Probably. Ball watches may not be front of mind for the vast majority of us considering a watch purchase, but it really shouldn’t be overlooked… once you get past the name… Yes, I know what I typed just in the previous paragraph. But it’s just too easy. As the size of your balls, all the best quality of the watches are hidden, away from prying eyes. But once you dive deeper you’ll see that perhaps these inner qualities are worth a second glance. Or three. To be honest, much like the rest of you, I’ve not given the Balls a second glance. Even though I’ve known about the brand for a long time, the only thing that I knew about them was their glow-in-the-dark capabilities, thanks to their tritium gas tube technology. Other than that, to me, they were just another brand utilising reliable workhorse movements from ETA/sellita, but not much else stood o...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Patek Philippe Calatrava ref 6119 Dec 31, 2021

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2021

Twenty-twenty one was a landmark year in watch collecting just because it was so unusual (which applies to the rest of the world as well). And it so happens that it was also the 10th year of the site, an occasion we marked with our maiden SJX editions, which were created in collaboration with Habring² and Kudoke. Over the decade we have done what we like best – with tweaks and refinements along the way – which is comprehensive stories on watches or topics that matter or are merely interesting. We published almost two stories of this type each week throughout 2021. We’ve narrowed down the list of memorable stories to a few that we think are especially worth revisiting for their insight or through provoking nature. Enjoy the read (which might take awhile so find a comfortable spot). And the photos were pretty good too Technical deep-dives The best of the year’s reviews were detailed than ever, going beyond close-up photos to include illustrations that explain intriguing mechanics. One such story was the in-depth examination of the Ferdinand Berthoud FB RS written by Richard Lee and SJX, which details how the watch pursues chronometry with a traditional chain and fusee, but with a modern twist of complex going trains. The tourbillon within the FB RS We repeat the exercise with the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 6119, an elegant watch that’s once again focused on chronometry, thanks to a movement constructed to delivery maximum energy with minimum thickness. Expla...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

A. Lange & Sohne Nov 21, 2021

Exhibition: A. Lange & Söhne ‘Exceptional Masterpieces’ in Singapore

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, A. Lange & Söhne is staging its first exhibition in Singapore since 2019. Taking place at the National Gallery Singapore, a historical building that was once the country’s supreme court, Exceptional Masterpieces happens from December 1-5, with public entry starting on December 3 (though registration is required). “This exhibition, as well as the rare and special watches on display, will allow those who might not know us well to have a better understanding of the brand,” explains Charles Langlois, Managing Director for South East Asia and Australia. Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst 1815 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst Alongside displays explaining many of the artisanal techniques employed by the brand to decorate and embellish its watches, the exhibition includes a few 19th century Lange pocket watches that illustrate the origins of the brand. But the highlight for most enthusiasts will be the 30 limited edition Lange wristwatches on show. Segmented into three themes – Honey Gold, Lumen, and Handwerkskunst – the wristwatch display is a stellar line up of some of the most desirable Lange wristwatches. The Tourbograph and 1815 Moon Phase from the 165th Anniversary “Homage to F.A. Lange” set The Tourbograph prototype with an undecorated movement Almost every model within each series will be on display, including the 175th anniversary Honey Gold trio launched last year and the Richard Lange Tourbillon “Pour Le Merite” Handwerksu...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Zodiac – SJX Edition Oct 25, 2021

Introducing the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac” - SJX Edition Two

Like the recent Habring² Erwin “Star”, the Kudoke 2 “Zodiac” was conceived to encapsulate the brand’s work while being different enough to stand apart from its other watches. Limited to 21 pieces (and one prototype), the Zodiac is the first watch in the brand’s Handwerk collection that is fully engraved on the front and back – entirely hand engraved in fact, with the only machine engraving on the watch being the markings on the rim of the case back. Origins This started with the simple fact that I was impressed with the Kudoke 2 when I first saw it in 2019. The watch also won the Petite Aiguille prize at the year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Equally important was the fact that I appreciate the specialised, artisanal nature of the Dresden-based brand, which is essentially a husband-and-wife enterprise led by by Stefan and Ev Kudoke. That said, I did wish the dial of the Kudoke 2 had more detail. And at the same time, Kudoke historically specialised in hand-engraved movements, which made it was obvious the solution was to enhance the Kudoke 2 with engraved decoration. “Kudoke” is hand engraved on the applied plaque whereas on the standard model it is machine engraved The starting point of the Zodiac was the day-and-night indicator on the standard Kudoke 2 – it is my favourite element and had to be retained. And its celestial-Art Deco would influence the rest of the Zodiac’s design. The day and night scale with a tiny crescent at 12 ...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Oct 24, 2021

OPINION: Why typefaces and logos can make or break a watch

When buying a watch, most people think about issues such as accuracy, water resistance or power reserve – but for me, it’s the typography that matters most. Before I go further, let’s start with a mini lesson: the words font and typeface are not synonymous. A typeface is a family of fonts (ie Times New Roman, … ContinuedThe post OPINION: Why typefaces and logos can make or break a watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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