Two Broke Watch Snobs
This Citizen Watch Dial Is Hand-Dyed Paper, and No Two Are Alike
Citizen's new The CITIZEN AQ4090-08A pairs a hand-dyed indigo washi paper dial with a ±5 sec/year Eco-Drive movement. Just 200 pieces worldwide.
3,334 articles · 17 videos found · page 48 of 112
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen's new The CITIZEN AQ4090-08A pairs a hand-dyed indigo washi paper dial with a ±5 sec/year Eco-Drive movement. Just 200 pieces worldwide.
SJX Watches
Texas-based independent 1776 Atelier commemorates America’s 250th year with the Liberty 250, a rose gold skeleton watch with sharp anglage on a movement that is overwhelmingly American made, from the main plate to the free-sprung balance. Initial thoughts The American watch industry transformed from a cottage industry heavily reliant on European imports to the world’s largest watch manufacturer in just a few decades, concentrated around a handful of massive, and capital intensive, factories. This meant that when Waltham, Elgin, and Hamilton closed their American factories in 1957, 1968, and 1969, respectively, the entire domestic watchmaking disappeared almost overnight. 1776 Atelier is one of a handful of independents trying to rebuild it. Founder Jason Lu is a Texan technology executive turned self-taught watchmaker who cut his teeth restoring pocket watches as a hobby. He was later mentored by Donat Kornagel of DK Precision — a prolific German movement customiser — and took anglage-guru Philippe Narbel‘s full week masterclass. Co-founder Zach Smith — WOSTEP-trained watchmaker and KERN-whisperer — also founded Hour Precision, one of the few American component suppliers. Two members of Hour Precision’s fleet of KERN CNC mills Together, their approach is antithetical to the so-called “American system” of industrial watchmaking, which failed in the US but lives on in Switzerland and Asia. Instead, they build watches in small numbers by labour-intensive ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen introduces four new Promaster Marine divers with the Eco-Drive Caliber E118, offering a year-long power reserve in a 40.6mm case.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Ollech & Wajs marks its 70th anniversary by launching the Early Bird as the EB-24, a 24-hour automatic powered by a Soprod P125 movement.
Deployant
The CITIZEN introduces a limited-edition model with an indigo washi paper dial hand-dyed in kachi-iro, the traditional Japanese “victory colour,” in a 40mm Super Titanium case with Cal. A060 Eco-Drive movement. 400 pieces worldwide. The following post is based on press release information. Editorial commentary appears in italics. New: The CITIZEN AQ4094-58L Limited Edition CommentaryRead More
Fratello
Today, we’ll take a brief look at a stunning new timepiece. With the Balancier QM, Greubel Forsey announces a new hand-finishing standard. What’s more, this new bar applies to every component within the caliber. That’s 298 pieces! Best of all, the watch is offered in a perfectly wearable case. Shall we investigate? Greubel Forsey makes […] Visit The New Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing To A Whole New Level to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The new Farer Racing Chronograph pairs a hand-wound Sellita movement with 1960s racing watch design cues across three colorways.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The new Unimatic Swimming Pool Collection pairs shimmering poolside dials with the obscure Seiko VH31A quartz movement across six limited references.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Mido refreshed the Mido Ocean Star 200 with the 80-hour Caliber 80 and a Nivachron hairspring, priced from $950 to $980 across four dial options.
SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux (GP) closed out the Laureato’s 50th anniversary last year by launching the Laureato Three Gold Bridges, 18 years after the ‘three gold bridges’ format was first applied to the brand’s signature sports watch. Available with our without a diamond-set bezel, the Laureato Three Gold Bridges signals the brands emergent ambitions. Initial thoughts Few brands can lay claim to their own distinctive movement architecture, and GP is right to make the ‘three gold bridges’ format a pillar of the brand’s resurgence. While the brand did not have a monopoly of this format in the pocket watch era, the appealing architecture has been synonymous with GP since the formula was first applied to a wristwatch in the 1990s. To look at the Laureato Three Gold Bridges is to understand how a mechanical watch works, and that’s a key aspect of its appeal. The layout clearly separates the major functions, with the power source, the going train, and the regulating organ supported by dedicated bridges front and back. The sporty Laureato case and sturdy H-link bracelet are secondary to the spectacular movement, but the hard-wearing stainless steel construction does a good job of making the haute horlogerie calibre wearable on a daily basis, even if the 30 m water resistance rating trails competitors. The gem-set model illustrated is priced at CHF219,000, while the unadorned variant with a simpler white gold bezel retails for CHF162,000. This pricing slightly undercuts tha...
Monochrome
Independent watchmaker Vincent Deprez first attracted attention with his Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition, a remarkably accomplished debut that showcased a fully hand-finished tourbillon movement and his ability to manufacture most of the watch himself using traditional methods. Trained at Vacheron Constantin and later active in restoration at Patek Philippe, the Geneva-based French watchmaker now expands […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Zenith Chronomaster A384 Revival is a faithful, 1:1 resurrection of the very first steel watch to house the legendary El Primero movement back in 1969.
Hodinkee
At a glance, the Ressence Type 11, which launched earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, might feel like every other Ressence. That's kind of the point. Distinct as it is within the collection, the Type 11 keeps the brand's visual language intact while changing what's underneath it. The biggest change is under the hood—it's the first Ressence to feature the brand's own integrated caliber, replacing the usual combo of an ETA base with Ressence's Orbital Convex System on top. Before we get to more on that, let's take a look at the Type 11's exterior. The 41mm by 11mm case, in grade 5 titanium, continues the trend seen in many of Ressence's recent releases toward more compact cases and feels like an evolution of the Type 9, in a sense. A fully polished, almost tonneau-shaped case features a short 45mm lug-to-lug measurement, while the lack of downturning of the lugs means the case still maintains quite a bit of presence on the wrist. On the Type 11, the lack of a bezel means the dial and crystal extend to the edges of the 41mm diameter. It's this kind of seamless visual effect that has lent models like the Type 1 and the Type 3 a distinctively futuristic look, and here it works very well with these lugs. Water resistance is bumped up to 3 ATM (as opposed to the typically "splash resistant" rating of its non-dive watches). On the dial side, we get the satellite display that Ressence is best known for, showing the hours, running seconds, and a power reserve indicator withi...
Teddy Baldassarre
A look at Krayon watches, founded by movement engineer Rémi Maillat and specializing in ighly complex astronomical and calendar calculations.
Monochrome
The Manhattan series is an important collection for Maen, being an integrated-bracelet sports-watch design series with an increasingly refined execution at an accessible price. Last year, the Swedish brand with Dutch roots introduced the Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin, a slimmer and more elegant interpretation of its popular collection, powered by a hand-wound movement. Now, Maen […]
WristBuzz
The second-generation Freak [X] gets a new micro-rotor movement, a 41 mm case, and an interchangeable strap system, making Ludwig Oechslin's wild idea more wearable than it's ever been
Hodinkee
What We Know Citizen recently announced two new limited-edition models as part of its celebration of the 50th Anniversary of its light-powered Eco-Drive movements. For those not in the know, Eco-Drive relies on any light source—not just solar—to power the movement and build a pretty impressive power reserve (in most cases). That adage holds true for the watches that they released most recently. Let's start with the one that will probably resonate the most with our audience: the new limited-edition version of "The Citizen." Limited to only 400 pieces, the watch features a relatively classic case design, measuring 40mm by 12.2mm, with the brand's proprietary Super Titanium case treated with Duratect Platinum. This is capped by what the brand calls its deep indigo-blue Tosa washi paper dial, with gold-colored (not true gold) accents on the applied indices and date surround. Washi paper, a special type of Japanese mulberry paper, was hand-dyed using natural lye fermentation to create a deep indigo color while preserving the paper's texture. More specifically, the color, called Kachi-iro, is a deep shade of indigo that is traditionally considered lucky because it is pronounced in the same way as the word for "victory color." Inside the case is the Cal. A060 Eco-Drive movement. When fully powered up, it has 18 months of power when in power-save mode. In addition to hours, minutes, and seconds (and hands and indices with lume), the movement has a clever perpetual calendar set...
Hodinkee
This week on The Business of Watches, we take your questions on the business of timekeeping. We're joined by a swath of the Hodinkee team, including Editor-in-Chief James Stacey, Senior Editor Mark Kauzlarich, and Hodinkee Editor TanTan Wang. We're answering your questions and marking 30 episodes of BoW. You submitted some excellent questions, including how changes in 3D printing technology will impact watch movement manufacturing, whether watch brands consider enthusiasts' preferences in their design and release schedules, and what the future of multi-brand watch boutiques looks like. There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversations. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This new show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes1:18 F.P. Journe Souscription Chronomètre à Résonance Achieves $13.9 Million – Becomes Fifth Most Expensive Wristwatch Ever Sold (Hodinkee)2:35 Kari Voutilainen 2:47 Marteau: The Heat Wave4:08 The Barrelhand Monolith Has Landed (Hodinkee) 11:45 Ming Polymesh (Hodinkee) 12:40 Seiko Watch Corporation President Akio Naito (The Business of Watches) 13:10 Peanuts Watches by Citizen (collectpeanuts.com) 15:03 Timex 15:50 We Criticize The Wrong Thing When We Attack ...
Hodinkee
What We Know Time flies, and it’s been almost 10 months since J.N. Shapiro launched the brand’s first complication, a limited-run monopusher chronograph for a private group of collectors in the Boston area. It featured a salmon-and-black dial and a stainless-steel case, limited to 14 pieces. Now the concept is back, with the same movement, but with some arguable upgrades in how the entire watch is treated. The brand has tapped tantalum and zirconium as major parts of the watch's construction, materials used extensively in aerospace engineering for their special properties. "Our workshop is located in one of the largest aerospace manufacturing hubs in the world," says Shapiro in their press release. "Companies like SpaceX, Boeing, Northrop, and JPL are all nearby. This watch is a nod to that environment, using space-age metals and meteorite to reflect where we come from and what inspires us." The watch comes in two dial variants, both cased in 38mm-by-9.6mm (8.2mm without crystal) tantalum cases. The dark grey material, famously hard to machine, is incredibly heavy, giving the watch a lot of gravitas on the wrist. Photo courtesy J.N. Shapiro. The first dial, which is the most direct homage to the Californian tie with aerospace, features a Meteorite with a blued zirconium chapter ring and blued hands. The chapter ring is engraved with hour markers and Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9, plus a minute track, but no specific chronograph scale. The subsidiary dial counter has a...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We tested 17 quartz watches that make the movement feel like a strength, including solar field watches, serious divers, high-accuracy pieces, and weird digital icons.
SJX Watches
First launched in 2019, the Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar remains one of the most fascinating watches in its category. Thanks to a movement with a secondary, low-power mode, the Twin Beat has an extended power reserve measured in months – all contained in a reasonably sized, 41 mm case. The original version of the Twin Beat was complex and finicky. Now Vacheron Constantin (VC) has refined and upgraded the movement, resulting in a second generation model with an extra five days of power reserve in Standby mode – which means the watch will run for 70 days. Initial thoughts I described the original Twin Beat as a “genuinely interesting, albeit pricey, watch”. Even though several years have passed, the Twin Beat remains genuinely interesting. It is a novel concept executed in a sophisticated manner. In contrast to majority of ultra-long power reserve watches, the Twin Beat is ordinarily sized. I am certainly glad VC has revived the concept and made it better. The original probably had a few kinks in the movement that made production difficult so the first generation never really made it to market in significant numbers. The kinks have been resolved with the new version, which is probably also more robust from a usability point of view. The same holds true today of the price, though given the overall price index of the market, the new Twin Beat is arguably less expensive in relative terms. The first generation model Two running modes On ...
Monochrome
Since its launch in 2021, the Seastar 2000 Professional has occupied an interesting spot in Tissot’s catalogue. For around EUR 1,000, it delivers a specification sheet that normally comes with more expensive dive watches: a helium escape valve, a ceramic insert bezel, 600m water-resistance, ISO 6425 certification, and a robust Swiss movement. In short, this […]
Monochrome
First released in 2019, Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar marked a before and after in the sophisticated realm of QPs. While not the first watchmaker to feature dual frequencies, Vacheron’s Twin Beat broke new ground as the first movement allowing you to switch between the two regulating mechanisms, converting a gas guzzling complication […]
Hodinkee
What We Know Angelus is bringing back one of my favorite traditional chronograph designs with the new multi-scale Instrument de Mesures. The new version of their 2025 GPHG Chronograph award-winning monopusher features three scales for telemeter, tachymeter, and pulsometer, and comes in a black or white dial, harkening back to early 1930s and 1940s chronograph designs where chronographs were pure utility. Powered by the manually-wound A5000 movement, a version of a La Joux-Perret 5000-4 (a movement manufacturer which is under the same ownership umbrella as Angelus), the watch measures 39mm by 9.25mm with a stainless steel case and display caseback, a single co-axial crown pusher for the chronograph, and 30m of water resistance. The movement has a 42-hour power reserve and runs at 3Hz. If the movement architecture looks familiar, LJP owns the rights to the famous THA monopusher movement. The telemeter scale allows you to calculate distance by measuring the time between when you observe something and when you hear it. The tachymeter, of course, allows you to measure speed over a distance. And the pulsometer allows you to check your heart rate. Combining all three can be a mess of a thing, but long ago, the watch world settled on this beautiful stacked set of scales with a snailed, swirling effect. The watch also features lume at the hour markers, hidden in the three scales. The new Angelus Instrument de Mesures is limited to 25 pieces in each dial version and retails for ...
Monochrome
There’s a particular type of watch that doesn’t feel the need to explain itself. It doesn’t have a fancy movement with a skeletonised rotor. It doesn’t come in a box made of rare-earth metals the size of a carry-on. It doesn’t require trips to maisons and ateliers. It just shows up, orange-faced and slightly thick, […]
WatchAdvice
TAG Heuer’s Monaco Evergraph may just be the best Monaco yet. A redesigned case, a new look dial, and of course, the new TH80 movement. We took it for a spin to see how it stacks up. What We Love: The new innovative TH80 movement Refined case makes for a better wearing experience Overall look is sporty and modern What We Don’t: The new clasp doesn’t allow for an exact fit on the wrist The watch does wear larger on the wrist visually, so check the sizing if you have smaller wrists The lack of versatility due to the Monaco design. it is a sports watch through and through Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 When TAG Heuer unveiled the Monaco Evergraph at Watches & Wonders 2026, it immediately became one of the show’s most talked-about releases. Why? Because it housed a completely new chronograph movement developed over several years by TAG Heuer Lab in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. The Monaco itself is no stranger to innovation. Since its debut in 1969 as one of the world’s first automatic chronographs and one of the first waterproof square-cased watches, it has always had a special place in TAG Heuer’s collection. The design has never been universally loved, but that’s arguably part of its appeal. More than half a century later, it remains one of the most recognisable watch designs in the industry. Steve McQueen made the Monaco famous in Le Mans, but it wasn’t an instant hit,...
Teddy Baldassarre Videos
In today's Q&A, Teddy takes watch-related questions from the audience across social media. Topics include: The most valued watch in Teddy's collection. How to be on the Real Collectors series. Chasing vs. buying watches. Opinions on the new Grand Seiko UFA Diver, and more!
SJX Watches
After more than 20 years, avante garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. It combines a Horological Machine with a high-end shaped movement, flying tourbillon the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a designer. That Maertens did the har...
SJX Watches
After more than 20 years, avant-garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. The HM12 is a Horological Machine containing a high-end shaped movement featuring a flying tourbillon, nestled in the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and founder Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a...
Time+Tide
The Sea-Gull 1963 Premium chronograph presents a refined case, enhanced ST-1901 movement, fresh dial options, and a meteorite edition.
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