4,679 articles · 546 videos found · page 44 of 175
Monochrome
Despite offering a plethora of well-designed and attractively priced watches, coupled with a rich history, Junghans relishes its somewhat under-the-radar reputation. Integral to Junghans’ contemporary image are the original Meister timepieces dating back to the 1930s and the iconic Max Bill collection, which debuted in the 1960s when the esteemed Bauhaus designer collaborated with the […]
Monochrome
It might sound surprising, but the Dutch watchmaking scene is much more active than many imagine. One of the most prominent and enduring names in the Netherlands is, without a doubt, Christiaan van der Klaauw. Specialised in astronomical timepieces – think about the Planetarium – CdvK has recently been acquired by Pim Koeslag (ex-Frederique Constant) […]
Worn & Wound
Among watch brands, Omega won the race to the moon–it also won the PR war, and now whenever someone uses the term “moon watch,” your mind invariably turns to the Speedmaster. But while the Omega Speedmaster may have been the first watch to the moon, it isn’t the only one. In 1971, Apollo 15 mission commander Dave Scott became the seventh man to walk on the moon, and when he looked at his wrist to check how long he’d been out of the lunar lander, it was a Bulova that gave him the time. Forty-five years later, Bulova released a re-creation of this watch: the Lunar Pilot. Now, they’ve leaned into the space angle even more, with the Lunar Pilot Meteorite, which, as the name suggests, features a dial made of actual space rock. The Lunar Pilot was built to NASA’s specifications and, as such, bears some superficial resemblance to the Speedmaster as a three-register chronograph with a tachymeter. (Coincidentally, the Lunar Pilot Meteorite was also released shortly after the latest Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster from Omega, which features a dial made to look like the lunar surface.) But a more rounded and slightly larger case–43.5 mm versus the 42 mm of the Speedmaster–with slim, rectangular pushers that span from the crown to almost the lugs gives the Lunar Pilot a unique silhouette. The meteorite model features a dial crafted from a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite that Bulova promises gives each of the 5,000 limited edition watches a unique crystalline pattern...
Revolution
Monochrome
Hermès has a distinctive gift for infusing its mechanical timepieces with a dash of poetry. The Arceau family, home to the lyrical Temps Suspendu model that can suspend time on demand, also taps into the band’s equestrian ties, referencing the brand’s origins as a producer of harnesses and saddles in Paris in the mid-19th century. […]
Video
Hodinkee
A Boutique-only edition adds to last year's updated Pilot collection.
Monochrome
A visually faithful re-edition of a vintage dive watch, the classic version of the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster – which we reviewed here – combines the charm of an old watch with the ease-of-use of a modern watch, built with contemporary features and materials like sapphire crystal. And in all fairness, this is a perfect package […]
Worn & Wound
A January launch of a new Speedmaster (on a Tuesday, of course) has become a bit of a tradition for Omega over these past few years. Today, Omega has announced a new Dark Side of the Moon Speedmaster, which at first glance (and maybe a second and third glance) will look a whole lot like an earlier iteration of the popular ceramic version of the chronograph. The newest addition, though, has a few little updates that are likely to appeal to the most hardcore Speedmaster collectors. “Little” is the operative word here for at least one of them, which also might be the most technically impressive. The Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 is a follow up to the first edition of this watch, which was released in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the mission. That original Apollo 8 watch was an immediate hit. It combined a lot of the modern tech and materials of contemporary ceramic Speedmasters with the familiar and highly regarded manually wound movement that is so much a part of the Speedy’s DNA. The rendition of the lunar surface on the dial was also particularly well executed and impressive. The new Apollo 8 features an updated movement, Calibre 3869, which is analogous to Calibre 1869 used in the previous version. This new movement has been specced to match Calibre 3861, the manually wound caliber at the heart of the current Moonwatch. It’s a significant upgrade from the older movement, and has been fitted with a co-axial escapement and meets all the requir...
Monochrome
In 2012, Blancpain introduced the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar, an extremely complex watch fusing the Chinese and Gregorian calendars, complete with a moon phase complication that coincided with the Year of the Dragon. Twelve years have passed, and the dragon is back in the limelight again. To mark this twelve-year cycle, Blancpain’s latest interpretation of […]
Hodinkee
Plus a precious Jacquet Droz and a high-beat two-tone Zenith Chronomaster El Primero.
Video
SJX Watches
Based in the southernmost corner of Russia, Rashid Tsoroev is a watchmaker who got his start in 2019 with fairly simple time-only watches powered by the oversized ETA Unitas calibre. Now Mr Tsoroev has upgraded his work, both stylistically and mechanically, with the debut of the Evo Arrow that is priced affordably at US$5,000. Still a three-hand watch but now equipped with a La Joux-Perret (LJP) automatic, the Evo Arrow sports a hand-hammered brass dial – a technique is sometimes described as tremblage – that he makes himself. Mr Tsoroev relies on suppliers for other components like the case, but he finishes all the components in his own workshop. Initial thoughts Like many independent makers in this price segment, Mr Tsoroev outsources several aspects the watch, but he applies his skill to key aspects, including producing and finishing the dial and hands; this contrasts with brands that merely design and assemble watches. Mr Tsoroev’s attention to detail is admirable, considering the price of the watch. Elements like the font he designed for the watch and the rounded arms of the hands reflect the thought put into the design and execution. Granted, there are constraints imposed by the retail price and presumably Mr Tsoroev’s location (where there are probably no suppliers in a radius of hundreds of kilometres), but the Evo Arrow feels like an honest creation by a craftsman. The only thing I would change is the movement. I would swap the LJP calibre for a Russian ...
Hodinkee
Plus a killer complicated JLC Master Control and a read-to-dive Omega Ploprof.
Monochrome
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Frederique Constant, and there is plenty to celebrate. With 31 in-house calibres under its belt, including complications like the tourbillon, perpetual calendar, flyback chronograph or the advanced Monolithic Oscillator, the brand founded by Dutch couple Aletta and Peter Stas and now in the hands of Citizen Group has […]
Revolution
Worn & Wound
One of the most interesting developments in the collector community over the past few years is the emergence of Shinola, and their acceptance in enthusiast circles. It’s no secret that Shinola hasn’t always been widely praised by the most discerning and hardcore enthusiasts, but a series of more restrained releases (along with some that are just the right level of wacky – remember the square cased, yellow dialed Mackinac yacht timer?) has bought them some goodwill with new audiences. A new GMT in bronze would seem to capitalize on multiple trends in the enthusiast simultaneously. Part of the Monster collection, the aptly named Bronze Monster is a 40mm GMT equipped sports watch with a robust appearance and 100 meters of water resistance. The aesthetic feels aviation inspired, which makes sense given the GMT complication, although unfortunately this is a “caller” style GMT without an independently set local hour hand (it runs on a Sellita SW 330). Still, it’s attractive, and feels lush in bronze with a matching brown fumé dial. Fence post hands oversized Arabic numerals reveal that legibility was of primary importance to the design team on this reference. The case has gentle, curvy lines at the lugs, and the key visual impression of the Bronze Monster outside the dial is the 24 hour bezel, also in bronze, with numerals in relief. It’s a striking look that reminds me of watches that the collector community has praised, like Omega’s “Nekton” Seamaster ...
Video
Monochrome
Gerald Charles has pulled off something quite extraordinary in the watch world: all its collections revolve exclusively around one case design. And what a case design that is! Created by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 2006, the flamboyant Maestro case design is the backbone of Gerald Charles. Ranging from time-and-date models to skeletonised versions and […]
Worn & Wound
Fresh off the heels of Circula’s latest release, the DiveSport 500m diver, the German maker is at it again and just in time for the holiday season, introducing two new colorways to each of their existing ProTrail and AquaSport II lines. In case you are not familiar with the Protrail, it is Circula’s take on a modern field watch, boasting significant anti-magnetic properties (up to 80,000 A/m), a 1,200 Vickers scratch resistant stainless steel case, and an Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. This robust go anywhere, do anything watch has a diameter of 40mm, lug to lug length of 46mm and 12mm thin, which is well within “Goldilocks” parameters. All this and 150n water-resistance to boot. The two new colors for the Protrail are green and grey. All are available on a sailcloth strap or matching stainless-steel bracelet. Pricing starts at around $800 for this model. Also seeing a refresh is the AquaSport II, Circula’s version of a modern skin-diver. Equally capable in the boardroom, as on the dive boat, this formidable 200m dive watch boasts many sophisticated details. Sporting an attractive hand-brushed stainless steel case, a 120-click sapphire bezel and the same Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. Similar to the Protrail, this one is 40mm in diameter, 46mm from lug to lug and an impressive 12.6mm thick. “Goldilocks” parameters checked off once again. A new brown/gilt dial joins the AquaSport II collection, alongside recently introduced anthracite and red colorways. ...
Hodinkee
A new take on the "Alaska Project" perhaps? We may need to wait until 2024 to find out...
Hodinkee
A new laser treatment introduces a kaleidoscope of colors to the Pro Pilot X.
Hodinkee
Plus, a sports watch from Nomos and a a master class from JLC.
Video
Worn & Wound
Sometimes a watch comes along and just kind of stops you in your tracks. We all, I think, have those moments where we stumble across a watch or see a new release and imagine that the brand has downloaded your thoughts and run them through some kind of artificial intelligence program designed to create watches that are uniquely appealing to you, and you alone. I think a lot of people are actually going to find the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon to be that kind of beautiful, but it happens to hit on a bunch of things that really sing to me in a watch like this. The Master Ultra Thin watches are incredible pieces of engineering, with impossibly slim movements that translate to cases that provide a wearing experience like little else on the market. If I could ever identify a gripe with the line, though, it’s that the dials have never really blown me away. They are very nice, to be sure, but they have a tendency to be relentlessly dressy, and a bit sober. That’s perfectly fine of course for a watch in this genre, but they tend not to have that “wow” factor. They’re watches for connoisseurs who know exactly what they’re looking for. The newest entry in the Master Ultra Thin collection has all the watchmaking chops and refined sensibilities of every other watch in their corner of the JLC family tree, but this one leads with the dial in a way that others don’t. The new Master Ultra Thin Moon features a dark gradient blue dial, borrowing a bit of that...
Revolution
Deployant
The Traditionnelle collection is Vacheron Constantin’s take on Geneva haute horlogerie traditions stemming from the 18th century. Yet time and time again, the manufacturer has shown that it isn’t afraid of adding contemporary touches to its Traditionnelle timepieces. Recent additions such as the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface have seen the collection embrace the use ofRead More
Hodinkee
Plus, a PanoMaticLunar from Glashütte Original and the oddball charm of the Tudor Iconaut.
Hodinkee
Plus, a modern-day sports watch from Cartier and a touch of California from Panerai.
Video
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