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Results for Mother of Pearl Dial

33,667 articles · 155 videos found · page 460 of 1128

Insight: Bidirectional versus Unidirectional Winding SJX Watches
Jul 15, 2026

Insight: Bidirectional versus Unidirectional Winding

One of the quieter debates still ongoing in the horological world revolves around the difference in winding efficiency between unidirectional and bidirectional winding mechanisms. There are two schools of thought on the subject: some watchmakers remain convinced that a bidirectional winding mechanism is the clear winner in terms of efficiency, while a second group claims there are no real performance gains over simpler unidirectional winding mechanisms. Harvesting energy The basic idea behind automatic watches is to harvest energy from the wearer’s natural arm movements to wind the mainspring. The rotor is an unbalanced mass (its axis of rotation doesn’t coincide with its center of mass) that is subject to both gravity and the inertial forces exerted by the wearer. As the watch moves through different positions, the rotor spins in unpredictable bursts, generating substantial kinetic energy. A winding mechanism then turns the fast revolutions of the rotor into slower but more torque-heavy turns that wind the mainspring. Common transmission ratios cited by horological textbooks range between 1:110 and 1:180 — meaning that the barrel click wheel only makes one turn for every 110 to 180 turns of the rotor. In short, the winding mechanism transforms the erratic kinetic energy of the rotor into potential elastic energy, stored inside the mainspring’s coils. A short history Much like any sub-genre of horology, the history of automatic winding is lengthy and nuanced. This ...

Swatch Asks the Importance Questions: Introducing the What If…Jelly? Collection Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Jul 14, 2026

Swatch Asks the Importance Questions: Introducing the What If…Jelly? Collection

This was supposed to be the summer of the Royal Pop. Still the biggest cultural moment for watches of the year, the Royal Pop launch did not exactly go as anyone anticipated, and it created perhaps the wrong kind of crossover moment for all involved. I’ve come to think that the product itself, a colorful pocket watch sharing a silhouette with the Royal Oak, is a lot of fun and a genuinely good and smart idea, but the rollout was so epically poor it will take a long time for the sour taste in all of our mouths to be washed away.  I’m not quite sure what the current availability of Royal Pops actually is in the various Swatch boutiques that are designated to sell them. I’ve seen exactly one in the wild, at Windup Chicago over the weekend, worn on the wrist of an attendee on an aftermarket strap of some kind. It’s safe to say, though, that it has not yet caught on as a Labubu-like sensation the way that Audemars Piguet and Swatch likely hoped that it would.  So, like Swatch themselves, I’m forced to ask “What if…?” What if the Royal Pop had been earmarked for a summer 2027 release instead, and that this year’s big launch was actually the one that came across the transom last week? The new “What If…Jelly?” is one of my favorite types of Swatch releases: those that remind us that what the brand does best are not the intra-group collabs like the MoonSwatch or big hype pieces like the Royal Pop, but the colorful, purely original designs that could only b...

Hands-On: The Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni 'Brunito Steel' Hodinkee
Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni Brunito Jul 14, 2026

Hands-On: The Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni 'Brunito Steel'

It has been a long time since a Panerai has made it onto the list of my favorite watches from a Watches and Wonders showing, but there's one particular model that many of my other colleagues and I have continued to talk about since we first got a glimpse of it in April. I'm talking about the Luminor 8 Giorni, reference PAM01733, in a uniquely finished steel case that Panerai is calling "Brunito steel." Put crudely, this Brunito steel case feels like the distressed-jeans equivalent of the Luminor collection. The large 44mm steel case gets a layer of black PVD treatment, but the final effect is then accomplished through a brushing process by hand. The tendency of black PVD coatings to eventually wear out is an advantage here, as the different monochromatic hues ranging between the bright silver of the base steel and the dark black PVD coating now give the case a look of distressed metal aged over time. The finishing is throughout the entire case, from the inside of the lugs to the caseback and the distinctive crown guard that has become an iconic design element of the Luminor silhouette. Yes, even the strap buckle achieves the same treatment.  The handwork also means that each watch is unique, with subtle differences in brushing and fading. I've only seen one in person, so I can't tell you just how different one might be from the next. Though the main draw to this model is the aesthetic, this Luminor's dive watch heritage is not just for show, as it maintains a proper 300-m...

Your Chance To Own Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s Omega Speedmaster Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Jul 14, 2026

Your Chance To Own Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s Omega Speedmaster

In less than a week, we will commemorate the Apollo 11 lunar landing, which took place on July 20th, 1969. The first astronauts to set foot on the Moon were, of course, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. The other Apollo 11 astronaut, Michael Collins, waited for them while orbiting the Moon in the Columbia […] Visit Your Chance To Own Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s Omega Speedmaster to read the full article.

Dispatch: From The World's Factory To A Watchmaking Culture: What I Saw At Shenzhen Watch Week Hodinkee
Behrens CIGA Design Jul 14, 2026

Dispatch: From The World's Factory To A Watchmaking Culture: What I Saw At Shenzhen Watch Week

Shenzhen Watch Week is China's premier annual event dedicated to the watch industry. More than just a trade show, it brings together established brands, independent watchmakers, suppliers, and manufacturers, offering perhaps the clearest snapshot of where Chinese watchmaking stands today. For anyone interested in understanding the industry beyond its reputation as "the world's factory," there are few better places to start. There are surprisingly few opportunities anywhere in the world to experience so many Chinese watch brands under one roof. Switzerland has Watches & Wonders and Geneva Watch Days, while Japan hosts brand presentations, watch fairs, and events such as Tokyo Watch Week. But an exhibition devoted almost entirely to Chinese watchmaking is something quite different.  In recent years, brands such as Behrens, CIGA Design, and Fam al Hut have begun attracting international attention, winning prestigious awards, and demonstrating that China is capable of far more than manufacturing for others. Yet outside China, it remains virtually impossible to see these brands together or experience their watches firsthand. That is why, when I received an invitation to attend Shenzhen Watch Week, I wanted to see for myself what is happening in Chinese watchmaking today. Watches made in China are, of course, nothing unusual. Many of the world's leading brands—including Swiss manufacturers—rely on Chinese suppliers for cases, dials, bracelets, hands, movement components, an...

The Ice-Cold Anti-Summer Watch: Hands-On With The Straum Frozen Metal Titanium Fratello
Straum Jul 14, 2026

The Ice-Cold Anti-Summer Watch: Hands-On With The Straum Frozen Metal Titanium

The Straum Frozen Metal Titanium adds a new dial treatment to the brand’s Jan Mayen platform. Its white perimeter gradually gives way to bright silver at the center, creating what Straum calls a reverse fumé. The result is a dial that appears to be caught right as it freezes from the outside in. This is […] Visit The Ice-Cold Anti-Summer Watch: Hands-On With The Straum Frozen Metal Titanium to read the full article.

Fratello On Air: Watches, Brands, And Styles We Like But Would Probably Never Buy Fratello
Jul 14, 2026

Fratello On Air: Watches, Brands, And Styles We Like But Would Probably Never Buy

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss watch brands, models, and styles that we like but would probably never buy. To be clear, this episode isn’t about picking on anyone or anything. Instead, there are other reasons these pieces aren’t on our wrists and may never be. This podcast player […] Visit Fratello On Air: Watches, Brands, And Styles We Like But Would Probably Never Buy to read the full article.

Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition Fratello
Ming Jul 14, 2026

Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition

Today, the 14th of July, is France’s National Day. Every year, the country celebrates the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789, which was a major event of the French Revolution. Additionally, it commemorates the Fête de la Fédération, which celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14th, 1790. […] Visit Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition to read the full article.

Hands On: Cartier Santos-Dumont Obsidian is Volcanic Class SJX Watches
Cartier Santos-Dumont Obsidian Jul 14, 2026

Hands On: Cartier Santos-Dumont Obsidian is Volcanic Class

Amongst Cartier’s crowd favourites launched this year is a new take on its elegant aviator’s watch, now upgraded with a mesh-link bracelet. The standout is the Santos-Dumont LM Obsidian that matches the yellow gold case and bracelet with a dial that is actually volcanic glass. This sticks to the classic Santos-Dumont template with a slim case containing an even slimmer Piaget movement, but the dial gives this a distinctly different feel from the conventional versions of the model. And unusually given the dial material, this is regular production. Initial thoughts Even though the original 1904 Santos was conceived as a professional’s “tool” watch of sorts, the modern-day Santos-Dumont is undoubtedly a dress watch, but one with a little flair. The form case and screws on the bezel set it apart from the average dress watch that is usually plain. This takes the design to another level with the bracelet and obsidian dial. The bracelet is a little showy since it is entirely yellow gold, but the links are fine enough that it still feels elegant. Similarly, the dial is high contrast but arguably passes as a dress watch. The case is compact and slim, so this still passes as a dress watch, one that is both ostentatious and elegant. If anything, I would have wished it was one size larger. This, along with the other variants of the Santos-Dumont on a bracelet, is in the “LM”, or “large model”, format. At under 32 mm in diameter, the case size is reminiscent of a vint...

Hands-On: the Split GMT Worn & Wound
Citizen s movement factory earlier Jul 13, 2026

Hands-On: the Split GMT

The longer I navigate my watch journey, the more I realize it’s a bit like dating. You get a press kit and metaphorically swipe left or right in a very judging-the-book-by-its-cover type of way. The aesthetics are often the first thing to draw you in and make you curious or to turn you away. In either case, as a good journalist, I’m usually compelled to read the press release and gather a bit more information, skim the profile if you will. I can fully admit aesthetics are highly subjective, but substance is vital. Still, I can’t fully assess a watch without going hands-on. Images can either disappoint or not quite do justice to a design, and the promises spelled out in specs need to be put to the test. Seeing a watch is the real make or break moment to determine if we’re a perfect match. I recently went through this dating ritual with Split watches, a London-based independent brand making its U.S. debut with a new GMT. A few things really stood out to me when I first received the announcement. The look of the watches was interesting, combining unique design elements, shapes, and colors. Reading about the vision behind the design was poetic, drawing from elements of music and nature – two of my favorite sources of inspiration. The watches are powered by the Miyota 9075 true GMT movement – calibers I’ve developed even more appreciation for after visiting Citizen’s movement factory earlier this year.  Beyond the watches themselves, I was equally impressed wit...

Auctions: Buzz Aldrin's Watches Are Coming To Auction Hodinkee
Jaeger-LeCoultre Shark Deep Sea Chronograph Jul 13, 2026

Auctions: Buzz Aldrin's Watches Are Coming To Auction

This story has been republished from our friends at Hodinkee Australia.   Amongst the lots in Sotheby's New York's latest Space Exploration auction, I found some interesting things. In fact, I found 24 of them. Watches - all owned by none other than retired Brigadier General of the U.S. Air Force, and second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. The astronaut, born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., has listed a large portion of his watch collection, primarily Omegas, but there's a smattering of watches from other brands amongst the spacefaring lots. It's no surprise that Buzz's Apollo 11-flown Omega Speedmaster Professional isn't present; that watch is still lost, stolen on the way to the Smithsonian after its sojourn to the moon in 1969 (and it still technically belongs to the U.S. government). Buzz Aldrin in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, wearing that aforementioned lost Omega Speedmaster ref. ST105.012. Image courtesy of NASA There’s a range of Omegas that are meaningful to Aldrin that he’s acquired through decades of collecting, including dive watches he relied on as an experienced scuba diver and a big box of souvenir watches. There’s no denying the man is a collector and a true watch enthusiast. Bidding is open online right now before live bidding sessions begin on July 15th in New York - here are some of the highlights. Jaeger-LeCoultre Shark Deep Sea Chronograph Image courtesy of Sotheby's This is the most interesting watch in the sale that isn’t an Omega: Aldrin’s JLC Shar...

Introducing: The Krayon Parhelion, A Maximalist Take On The Brand’s Anywhere Watch Hodinkee
Krayon Jul 13, 2026

Introducing: The Krayon Parhelion, A Maximalist Take On The Brand’s Anywhere Watch

What We Know Pretty much anything that independent watch brand Krayon produces feels like it rests solidly in the if-you-know-you-know realm of exquisitely engineered high-end complications. The brand's focused catalog contains variations on three main complications—the universal sunrise and sunset calculator that is the Everywhere, the watchmaker-adjustable sunrise and sunset-indicating caliber that is the Anywhere, and the most recently introduced weekday and weekend pointer date display in the Anyday. Sure, Krayon's recent Pac-Man collaboration in a limited run of Anywhere watches might feel like an odd one out, but most of the examples I've seen on the wrists of collectors have all flown well under the radar with tastefully measured executions. But if you've ever wondered what a Krayon would look like with a touch—scratch that, a lot—of bling, well, the new Parhelion might just do the trick. It's hard to mistake this new watch for anything else in the catalog thanks to the sheer number of baguette-cut sapphires set across the entire watch—159 of them, to be exact. To house this number of gemstones, the case is 42mm in diameter, made from an alloy of white gold with a high percentage of palladium for a very white hue to match the brightness of the stones. Thickness, given the complication, is impressive at 9.5mm. When I first saw a prototype of the Parhelion a few months ago, only the bezel was inlaid with sapphires, in a stunning gradient from white to blue. Bu...

Maurice de Mauriac Releases their Latest Tennis Themed Limited Edition Rallymaster Worn & Wound
Maurice de Mauriac Jul 13, 2026

Maurice de Mauriac Releases their Latest Tennis Themed Limited Edition Rallymaster

Maurice de Mauriac has released their latest in the ongoing Rallymaster series today. The Rallymaster has become a hit in recent years among the growing crowd of overlapping tennis and watch enthusiasts, with a string of limited editions tied to the Grand Slam tennis championships. These watches, designed by Carlton DeWoody, have a real charm to them, and honestly work better than they should given some of the more literal tennis influenced design elements. The watches have always worked though because of their whimsy and a clarity of vision that doesn’t take itself too seriously. DeWoody also has a real knack for color, and has always been able to figure out the right way to reference specific aspects of the sport without it all going completely over the top. In other words, they are just fun, nice looking watches.  The latest in the series, the Rallymaster Swiss Tennis, is perhaps a little more inside baseball for tennis fans (sorry to mix sports metaphors there). Revealed at the Swiss Open in Gstaad, the colorway is dominated by tones found in the Swiss flag, and the watch leans into Swiss tennis heritage and the country’s appreciation for the sport. Maurice de Mauriac is the official timekeeper of Swiss Tennis, the sport’s governing body in Switzerland.  The new Rallymaster features the same tennis net inspired graphic running across the center of the dial that we’ve seen in previous editions, here situated against a brushed silver dial surface. The dial is a...

Introducing - The New Speake Marin Ripples Portobello, Inspired by London’s Colourful District Monochrome
Speake-Marin Jul 13, 2026

Introducing - The New Speake Marin Ripples Portobello, Inspired by London’s Colourful District

Speake Marin introduced the Ripples in 2022, and with it, the independent brand entered the crowded luxury sports watch category with its own, slightly eccentric creation. The rounded-square La City case, the strongly textured dial, and the small seconds at 1:30 made it instantly recognisable. Infinity Date, Dune Date, Ripples Skeleton and even a full […]

The Hermès Cape Cod Gets A Masculine Makeover In Titanium For The First Time Fratello
Hermes Jul 12, 2026

The Hermès Cape Cod Gets A Masculine Makeover In Titanium For The First Time

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the Hermès H08 is one of the best summer watches available under €10k. Had I waited a week, this new titanium Cape Cod might have challenged for that spot. The Cape Cod has been part of the Hermès lineup since 1991 and celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. […] Visit The Hermès Cape Cod Gets A Masculine Makeover In Titanium For The First Time to read the full article.

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the New Dune Trailer, a Fiat Arrives Stateside, and a New Watch from Haim Worn & Wound
Jul 11, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the New Dune Trailer, a Fiat Arrives Stateside, and a New Watch from Haim

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Dune: Part Three – Official Trailer The trailer for Dune: Part Three dropped this week and, brother, I am seated. With each installment of Frank Herbert’s franchise, I am reminded just how well-deserved the $1.15 billion gross at box office has been. It has been no small feat for director Denis Villeneuve to make the vast scale and lore of Herbert’s universe digestible for mass-market appeal, while also being true to the intricacies of its source material. For Part Three, the story will focus on the culmination of Paul Atreides’ story, with his holy war now in motion and political tensions ever-present and ever-threatening (and, as a little treat, we also get to see that little freak Robert Pattinson with bleached hair and eyebrows). While this film marks the end to Villeneuve’s series, the franchise only focuses on the first two novels, leaving plenty of room for future filmmakers who are up for the challenge. But I know that good things come to those who wait, so I’m hoping there’s a director out there just chomping at the bit to bring Leto II and his big, disgusting sandworm body to IMAX. Meta Now Lets Anyone Use Your Instagram Photos in AI Images—Un...

From Lab Coat To Swim Shorts: The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” Fratello
IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” Jul 11, 2026

From Lab Coat To Swim Shorts: The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool”

IWC Schaffhausen has expanded its compact integrated-bracelet lineup with a striking new release — the Ingenieur Automatic 35 featuring a vibrant “Pool” dial (ref. IW324902). This fresh “aquatic” execution takes the mid-sized 35mm stainless steel platform (originally introduced to the modern collection as an ergonomic, vintage-inspired alternative to its 40mm sibling) and dresses it up […] Visit From Lab Coat To Swim Shorts: The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” to read the full article.