WristBuzz
MB&F; Legacy Machine 1 EVO: The Watch That Started It All Gets a Tougher Shell
Fifteen years on, MB&F;'s most classically minded creation comes back hardened for daily wear, without losing any of its original magic.
Results for Grand Feu Enamel
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WristBuzz
MB&F; and Caran d'Ache Built a CHF 850 Mechanical Gorilla That Sharpens Pencils, and It's Absolutely Unhinged
The GorillaSharpener is the latest proof that MB&F; will make basically anything, and we mean that as a compliment.
WristBuzz
Nivada Grenchen F77 MKII 100 Years: Stone Dials and a Serious Movement Upgrade
Seven new dial variations, a more capable caliber, and a centenary worth celebrating, the F77 MKII is Nivada's boldest statement yet
Time+Tide
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Zandvoort F1 editions celebrate the Dutch Grand Prix’s final lap in a blaze of orange
TAG Heuer celebrates the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort with two Formula 1 Solargraph limited editions inspired by the Orange Army.
SJX Watches
Explained: Grande Sonnerie Click Wheels
A visual staple of grande sonnerie watches is a pair of large, highly finished and intriguing-looking click wheels. Continuing our exploration of various horological energy systems — including winding efficiency and the fusee and chain — we examine the linkage of ratchets, clicks and wide-toothed gears that comprise the winding works of some of the industry’s best chiming watches. A Patek Philippe grande sonnerie movement from 1915. One crown for two barrels The grande sonnerie is rightfully considered the pinnacle of chiming complications. With the ability to automatically sound the hours and quarters, a grande sonnerie requires heaps of power to keep it going over the course of a day. As a result, most grande sonnerie movements rely on a second mainspring barrel that is isolated from the timekeeping going train. The requirement for independent barrels stems from the different rates at which the barrels unwind. The striking works require a faster-turning barrel that’s only active for short periods, while the going train feeds from a slow and steady barrel. Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie pocket watch crafted by Philippe Dufour. As the barrels discharge unevenly, it makes sense that they cannot be wound in sync. Winding both mainsprings in sync would typically over-strain one of them since their winding states are rarely the same at any given time. Although the two barrels themselves are separated, they often share the same winding train. Now a signature of Vallée...
WristBuzz
MB&F; HM12 The Guardian: The Robot Watch That Actually Transforms
MB&F;'s twelfth Horological Machine is a flying-tourbillon wristwatch that docks inside a 15 kg, nearly 400 mm tall transforming robot companion, and only 36 will ever exist
Monochrome
Introducing - Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Jumping Date
Jaeger-LeCoultre revisits one of its most important contemporary tourbillon movements with the new Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Jumping Date. While the underlying Calibre 978 is familiar to collectors, the latest iteration restructures the movement’s architecture. Featuring a partially openworked dial, the tourbillon, signature jumping date mechanism, and 24-hour display come to the fore. Paying homage […]
SJX Watches
Zenith Expands G.F.J. Caliber 135 Collection
After introducing the G.F.J. Caliber 135 last year, Zenith has expanded the line with two new models and created a new collection in the process. Following closely in the footsteps of the platinum debut model, the new additions are dressed in 18k yellow gold and tantalum, with richly furnished natural stone dials. The cal. 135 returns - now finished in a more traditional manner - boasting impressive performance that does justice to the movement’s enviable competition record. Initial thoughts The return of the legendary cal. 135 was something I always hoped I’d see, but never thought I would. But in a moment akin to Omega’s recreation of the famed cal. 321 chronograph, Zenith brought back one of the most successful observatory calibres in history. The movement made its return last year in grand style to mark the brand’s 160th anniversary, well built but priced well above Zenith’s typical domain. The style was also an acquired taste, with a hand-guilloche chapter ring, with a matching pattern machined into the movement bridges. The dial treatment was one thing, but the finishing of the movement arguably dulled what could have been an ascendant moment. For 2026, two new dial configurations - bloodstone and onyx - join what can now be called an official collection, both equally as luxe as the model’s blue debut. Fortunately, when it comes to the cal. 135, Zenith left the brick-style bridge finishing behind, opting for more ordinary - but more attractive ...
Time+Tide
The Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie is a big statement of intent (now with video!)
You don't come across a watch like this everyday: this exceptionally complicated chiming watch gives us a glimpse of the future of Blancpain.The post The Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie is a big statement of intent (now with video!) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
New with Reviewed: Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie (video)
We were invited to Le Brassus to see the unveiling of the latest, ultra complicated watch from Blancpain: the new Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie
Blancpain has just unveiled its most complex modern-day watch, the Grande Double Sonnerie, to mark its 190th anniversary. This CHF1.7 million grand complication signals Blancpain’s return to the highest tier of haute horlogerie. One of the most technically ambitious chiming wristwatches ever made, the Grande Double Sonnerie incorporates traditional complications: grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater, flying tourbillon, and retrograde perpetual calendar, but also offers an unexpected twist with two distinct chiming melodies, a Westminster chime plus a a bespoke sequence composed for Blancpain by Eric Singer of rock band Kiss. Initial thoughts It has been some time since Blancpain unveiled a truly headline-grabbing complication. The manufacture made its name in this arena with the 1735 of 1991, but in the decades since, its output has leaned toward more conventional high-end offerings - perpetual calendars, tourbillons, carrousels, and chiming watches - while its commercial momentum has come largely from the Fifty Fathoms and Villeret triple calendar. The unexpected Grande Double Sonnerie is therefore a reminder of what Blancpain can do at the very top level of watchmaking. The Le Brassus-based manufacture tends to be overlooked when speaking of high horology today, but the Grande Double Sonnerie should remind enthusiasts how sure-footed Blancpain is in this regard. Even before considering the many complexities of the timepiece, the watch impresses from the fir...
Monochrome
First Look - The Impressive Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 985
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Grande Tradition collection is the repository of the brand’s most complicated timepieces, featuring multi-component calibres and incredible levels of decoration and finishing. Bringing almost 200 years of expertise to the table, the Master Grande Tradition is home to emblematic complications like the tourbillon, the minute repeater and the perpetual calendar, often combined and […]
Fratello
Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 985 In Pink Gold And Platinum
Jaeger-LeCoultre has undergone many management changes over the years. The most recent is Jérôme Lambert, who returns as CEO after having held the role from 2002 to 2013. Each staff turnover results in a shift in direction for JLC, whether that be the Le Sentier brand focusing on movement development or taking on more technical […] Visit Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 985 In Pink Gold And Platinum to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing - The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication
Roger Dubuis celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, a milestone that calls for a look back at its remarkable journey. While the brand’s history may not be long, it is undeniably rich and eventful. Today, however, the focus is on the latest revelation at Watches and Wonders Geneva: the Excalibur Grande Complication. This new timepiece […]
Deployant
New: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication
New from Roger Dubuis, a Grande Complication arrives to the Excalibur with a perpetual calendar with bi-retrograde display, minute repeater and tourbillon.
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces the Chronomètre Furtif
As is tradition for F.P. Journe, the unique creation made for the most recent Only Watch has now evolved into a regular production watch, the Chronomètre Furtif, that has the same dimensions and movement, but an entirely different material and style. The Chronomètre Furtif is striking, all-black sports watch that is almost entirely in tungsten carbide, a hard and strong material typical used for tooling. The furtif, or “stealthy”, aspect is enhanced by the tone-on-tone fired enamel dial in dark grey with laser engraved markings that are primarily visible to the wearer. Initial thoughts The Chronomètre Furtif is expected because of the Only Watch edition that came before it – and because Francois-Paul Journe has talked about it – but it is novel amongst F.P. Journe watches for the all-black look. That said, it is still recognisable as an F.P. Journe as it inherits many elements from the lineSport. In the hand, the Chronomètre Furtif is almost entirely black at many angles, though the mirror-like dial is highly reflective. And it is impressively heavy at some 250 g, though it sits well because the case is wide and flat. But most of all, the low-key look is arguably all the more appropriate given the fame of the maker and the desirability of his watches. At this moment in time I would absolute love a furtif F.P. Journe rather than a highly recognisable model like the Elegante or Chronomètre Bleu. The cal. 1522 inside Stealth and l0w-key The Chronometre Furtif ret...
Monochrome
In-Depth - The New Bulgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon, And Some More Chiming Beauties
The grande sonnerie is one of the most intricate mechanisms in watchmaking. Its creation requires the utmost technical expertise as hundreds of components are required to interact simultaneously and strike time indications perfectly. Bulgari has a rich tradition of crafting striking watches, having already produced grande and petite sonnerie watches. This expertise first originated from the […]
Quill & Pad
Breguet Classique Grande Complication 5317 Reviewed by Tim Mosso
In Tim Mosso's opinion, a tourbillon watch like the Breguet Classique Grande Complication 5317 would cause a sensation. On its own terms as a modern luxury article, the 5317 is both a wonder and a comparative value.
Quill & Pad
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Master Grande Date: A Serious Player in the Steel Sports Watch Market (and, Yes, it has a Blue Dial) - Reprise
The large date complication is always a favorite. And with the variety of details on the dial of the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Master Grande Date, including exposed mechanics and varying textures, it seems clear that the brand has found its new flagship for this line.
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2023”
The Chronomètre Bleu has taken on somewhat of a cult status among the followers of F.P. Journe. So much so that it has leaked out beyond the brand’s group of core supporters to become one of the most sought after watches on the primary and secondary market today. This year, for Only Watch, F.P. Journe has decided to revisit this popular design and reimagine it as the Chronomètre Bleu Furtif Bleu, which is also a debut for an entirely new calibre. Initial thoughts While the Chronomètre Bleu is known for being popular among the wider watch community, F.P. Journe’s LineSport models still divide opinion, so combining the sport watch case with the eye-catching dial of the Chronomètre Bleu is a bold choice. Of course, as with everything that F.P. Journe does it is never completely straight forward, the dial on the Furtif Bleu is not a copy of what you see in the Chronomètre Bleu, instead it is translucent enamel with the numbers laser engraved for a matte finish. The one fault I can see with the design of these numerals is the oddly small “6” so as to accommodate “émail”. This feels like it throws the balance off ever so slightly. The aim of this watch appears to be to make it hard to read, with the very name of it making reference to it being difficult to read unless the dial is directly facing you. While the romantic view of this being that it makes telling time an entirely personal activity, it could also just lead to difficulty whenever in low light set...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch by Philippe Dufour
Arguably the master of movement decoration, Philippe Dufour is revered for the impeccable finishing of his wristwatches – along with a handful of pocket watches, including the Grande Sonnerie pocket watch that sold in 2021 at Philips for CHF2.33 million including fees. But the first timepieces Mr Dufour made never bore his name on the dial. They were a series of five grande sonnerie pocket watches created for Audemars Piguet (AP) that he began in the late 1970s and completed in 1988. The very first of the five, the Grande Sonnerie Pocket Watch no. 1 – by Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet – will go under the hammer at Philips’ upcoming Geneva auction taking place on May 13 and 14, 2023. (Video courtesy of Phillips) Initial Thoughts Having slowly gone out of fashion starting in the early 2000s, pocket watches tend to go under the radar when set against comparable wristwatches. In 2021, Philippe Dufour’s own Grande Sonnerie wristwatch sold for more than double his grande sonnerie pocket watch – in the same auction. However, anyone who understands independent watchmaker and Mr Dufour’s work will appreciate the significance of this pocket watch. This not only predates the Philippe Dufour brand, but the series of five watches made for AP was the impetus for him to strike out on his own. Because of what he perceived as deeply disrespectful behaviour by AP executives, Mr Dufour vowed never again to make watches for others after completing the five watches for AP. ...
Quill & Pad
Stories Of Gods, Wine, Spirits, And A Watch: The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grande Complication Bacchus - Reprise
Vacheron Constantin released a watch that crosses the bridge between the worlds of watches and wine: a single-piece edition called Les Cabinotiers Grande Complication Bacchus. Ken Gargett understands that watch people find this as exciting as wine lovers might find the new vintage of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Romanée-Conti.
Revolution
A Closer Look at the Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie
Launched in 2017, the Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie is one of the brand’s most complicated and innovative timepieces. Wei takes a closer look at this repeater with a 43.5 x 16.13mm case, 72 hours of power reserve and a hand-finished tourbillon inclined at 25 degrees that completes a full rotation every 24 seconds. Its crisp […]
Quill & Pad
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique: Excellence In Tourbillon Chronometry
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique from 2016 is a dress tourbillon of the modern era that does much more than look pretty. Tim Mosso takes a closer look here and divulges in-depth background.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: MB&F; LM Sequential EVO
MB&F; has just rolled out its very first chronograph, which becomes the second model in its EVO line of sports watches that began with the LM Perpetual EVO, now the brand’s bestselling watch. Christened the Legacy Machine Sequential EVO, the new chronograph continues with the same aesthetic of an open dial that reveals the mechanics along with a streamlined case. The LM Sequential EVO is most interesting for its movement, which is paradoxically complicated yet simple. Developed by Stephen McDonnell, a constructor who’s been a longtime collaborator with MB&F;, the movement is a double chronograph capable of recording twin times simultaneously along with a “Twinverter” mechanism that can either operate both chronographs or invert them – a complicated endeavour. But the setup is a simple one, essentially two discrete chronograph mechanisms that operate independently but linked by the inverter mechanism. Initial thoughts I was impressed by the LM Sequential EVO when I first saw the watch. It is a big, imposing watch with sleek lines and a wide face that is filled to the edges with intricate mechanics and quadruple sub-dials packed tightly together. Despite its size, the watch wears well due to the shape and length of the lugs, while looking like a grand complication on the wrist. And once I understood that it was a double chronograph, I was even more impressed; it looks even more complicated than the top contenders in the category, namely the Lange Triple Split and Au...
Deployant
New: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grande Complication Bacchus
Vacheron Constantin's single-piece edition Les Cabinotiers Grande Complication Bacchus combining grand complication watches with mastery of artistic crafts.
Quill & Pad
The Sonnerie Souveraine By F.P. Journe: A Legend In Its Own Time - Reprise
One of the most incredible timepieces François-Paul Journe has ever created is the Sonnerie Souveraine. This chiming masterpiece took six years to develop and warranted ten patents. Joshua Munchow revisits the reasons why this masterpiece and its maker are legends in their own time, while Ian Skellern provides original photography and video of the stainless steel-encased grande sonnerie.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P-001
Patek Philippe closed 2020 in a big way with the launch of the Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301P-001 in November. The most complicated wristwatch unveiled by the Geneva watchmaker in recent years, the Grande Sonnerie is a grande and petite sonnerie carillon. With last year’s Geneva watch fair cancelled, the brand unveiled its new releases one by one throughout the year, starting with the limited-edition Calatrava ref. 6007A in June, allowing each new model to be in stores as soon as it was announced. The Grande Sonnerie ref. 6301P-001 was no different, albeit on a tiny scale, with reputedly only a handful available in each region – all sold before the launch. Initial thoughts An impressively large watch, the ref. 6301P feels like a modern-day grand complication. The size is a consequence of the wide and complex movement, so the watch has good proportions all things considered. But the styling is classical, incorporating many elements from vintage Patek Philippe watches – and also the ref. 5370P split-seconds chronograph – which gives it an elegant appearance, something helped by the relative thinness of the case. Still, it is clearly a contemporary watch – Patek Philippe rarely does exact remakes of vintage watches – with details that mark it out as such, including the recessed case band and the luminous hands. The fact that the watch is contemporary is evident in the movement, which looks and functions like a modern calibre, reflecting Patek Philippe’s measured,...
Deployant
Release info and Insider commentary: the new Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater with Jumping Seconds.
Patek Philippe releases an ultra complicated watch in the form of the Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater with Jumping Seconds. This is the first Grande and Petite Sonnerie without any other complication in a Patek Philippe wristwatch. Press release information with commentary in italics Key highlights Grand Complication highlighting the chiming functions:Read More
Revolution
The Ultimate Hold-My-Beer Watch: Patek Philippe’s Ref. 6301P Grande Sonnerie
Patek Philippe closes off 2020 with the ultimate hold-my-beer watch: the Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande Sonnerie in platinum