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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

4,969 articles · 39 videos found · page 48 of 167

The Certina DS+ is a shapeshifting innovation that lets you switch watch cases with zero fuss Time+Tide
Certina DS+ Oct 30, 2022

The Certina DS+ is a shapeshifting innovation that lets you switch watch cases with zero fuss

Certina have always had a way of flying under the radar for a myriad of reasons, but this new concept from the Swiss brand has marked them out as utterly unique among their peers. The concept of a modular wristwatch has been around for a little while, occasionally cropping up with microbrands and other Kickstarter … ContinuedThe post The Certina DS+ is a shapeshifting innovation that lets you switch watch cases with zero fuss appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look - The Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Chronograph, A Warm New Face for Minerva’s Reversed Marvel Monochrome
Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Chronograph Jul 25, 2025

First Look - The Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Chronograph, A Warm New Face for Minerva’s Reversed Marvel

Minerva, founded as H. & C. Robert in 1858 in the Swiss Jura village of Villeret and renamed Minerva SA in 1929, remains one of the great guardians of traditional chronograph craftsmanship. Its first chronograph movement, the Calibre 19-9, debuted in 1908, and for over 165 years, its workshops have produced some of the finest […]

First Look - Celebrating its Tenth Anniversary, the Bovet 19Thirty Receives a Refreshingly Modern Face Monochrome
Bovet Jun 16, 2025

First Look - Celebrating its Tenth Anniversary, the Bovet 19Thirty Receives a Refreshingly Modern Face

Bovet, the historic Swiss brand founded in 1822, was revived by Pascal Raffy in 2001 as a temple of haute horlogerie. Since then, the brand has become synonymous with high-end complications decorated with lavish artistic flourishes. One of the more ‘straightforward’ collections in Bovet’s universe is the 19Thirty, a time-only model with a unique and […]

De Bethune Turns to Swizz Beatz for Kind of Two GMT SJX Watches
De Bethune Turns Apr 10, 2025

De Bethune Turns to Swizz Beatz for Kind of Two GMT

The third iteration of De Bethune’s swivelling, double-faced watch is the Kind of Two GMT “Season 3” conceived in collaboration with American rapper and watch enthusiast Swizz Beatz. Powered by the hand-wound DB2517 movement, the watch indicates one time zone on the front and another on the reverse, with both sides able to be worn face up thanks to patented, pivoting “floating” lugs. Initial thoughts The Kind of Two series employs a useful reversible case, cleverly using the “floating” lug construction of the DB28 to create a double-faced watch. Here one dial is traditional with blued steel hands, and the other an open-worked face revealing the movement that also has a regulator-style display for the second time zone. The clever approach with a unique movement is typical De Bethune, although this loses some novelty as the third double-faced watch in the De Bethune line-up. The Kind of Two GMT is definitely one of the most elaborate two time zone watches on the market, but at over US$200,000, it is pricey for a GMT, even by the standards of independent watchmaking (Voutilainen’s GMT, for instance, costs less). Two-faced The “Season 3” edition adopts a restrained palette of black and gold with blue accents. The 43.3 mm by 11.4 mm case is titanium and zirconium, with blued steel hands and a blue-and-black guilloche dial centre on the front showing local time. Notably, this dial includes a jumping seconds that is driven by a secondary escapement visible on ...

Introducing - The Union Glashütte 1893 Johannes Dürrstein Edition Moon Phase in Rose Gold Monochrome
Union Glashütte Oct 23, 2024

Introducing - The Union Glashütte 1893 Johannes Dürrstein Edition Moon Phase in Rose Gold

In 1893, Johannes Dürrstein, a distributor for A. Lange & Söhne, founded his own watchmaking business, which eventually evolved into what we now know as Union Glashütte. Today, the Swatch Group-owned brand is famous for keeping the traditions and aesthetics of Saxon watchmaking, offering a range of competitively priced models across seven collections. The 1893 […]

First Look - The Rose Gold & Steel Union Glashütte Belisar Chronograph Moon Phase Monochrome
Union Glashütte Oct 21, 2024

First Look - The Rose Gold & Steel Union Glashütte Belisar Chronograph Moon Phase

German entrepreneur Johannes Dürrstein opened a manufacture in Glashütte in 1893 to produce quality Glashütte watches at significantly lower prices than other manufacturers in town. Closed in 1933 and acquired by Swatch Group in 2000, Union Glashütte is proud of its Saxon watchmaking heritage and sticks to the founder’s policy of competitive prices. One of […]

Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster SJX Watches
Omega Speedmaster Earlier Jun 9, 2023

Editorial: All the Fuss Over a “Franken” Omega Speedmaster

Earlier this week, leading Swiss-German newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) published a lengthy story about the possible fraud behind the record-setting sale of an Omega Speedmaster ref. 2915-1 at Phillips in 2021. Mystifying at the time, the CHF3.12 million result was a huge number that far exceeded past records for that particular Speedmaster. As NZZ revealed in its story, the Speedmaster in question was a “Franken” watch pieced together from assorted vintage components – and some fake parts – and it was purchased by Omega itself, on the advice of its then museum head. The allegations are that the then museum head was in cahoots with the seller of the watch. Omega has gone to the police with this, and also released a statement, noting in part, “Omega and Phillips were the joint victims of organised criminal activity involving the selling of this specific watch by auction.” The Omega Museum, which fortunately has enough correct and legitimate vintage Speedmasters on display. Image – Omega Both Omega and Phillips should have done more due diligence, but it appears a few bad actors were diligent in allegedly defrauding Omega. For more on the matter, Dutch watch publication Fratello published an excellent examination of the happenings. The alleged fraud has been covered widely in the mass media, from Bloomberg to Fortune, ironically the same publications that last year touted the success and value-appreciation of the Speedmaster. Mountains and molehills The ...

Face-Off: Seiko Credor Eichi II 7R14 vs. Grand Seiko Spring Drive 9R02 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Spring Drive 9R02 When Feb 6, 2020

Face-Off: Seiko Credor Eichi II 7R14 vs. Grand Seiko Spring Drive 9R02

When it comes to finely-finished, time-only movements, the ultimate Seiko offerings are the Credor Eichi II and Grand Seiko Spring Drive 20th Anniversary. The Japanese equivalent of watches like the Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain and Philippe Dufour Simplicity, the pair are the work of the Micro Artist Studio and finished to the same magnificent level, broadly speaking. (The Grand Seiko 8 Day is of the same quality, but it is a much larger and more complex watch.) Because the movements, the 7R14 in the Eichi II and 9R02 in Grand Seiko SBGZ001 and SBGZ003, are fundamentally identical, comparing the finer details of the two – an enlightened, obsessive nitpicking – makes for some interesting conclusions. The 7R14 in the Eichi II (left) and the 9R02 of the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 The sampled are both finished examples that were purchased in stores, and not prototypes, so both are representative of their respective model and movement. Though both were made in the Seiko-Epson’s Micro Artist Studio, probably by the very same craftsmen, the Eichi II was produced in 2015, while the Grand Seiko SBGZ001 dates to 2019, which is the year of its launch, and is the property of Mark Cho, founder of menswear retailer The Armoury. Same but different Both movements share the same architecture and layout, with the key functional difference being the power reserve, in both duration and display. The Eichi II’s 7R14 has a single barrel and a 60-hour power reserve, indicated on a fan-sha...

Introducing: The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments In Three Mesmeric Colors Fratello
Nov 7, 2025

Introducing: The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments In Three Mesmeric Colors

The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments collection brings together the ancient Japanese art of Raden (inlaying of shell), traditional Vietnamese lacquer, and Swiss watchmaking. The dials comprise hand-laid mother-of-pearl fragments sealed beneath layers of natural lacquer. Offered in three limited editions (Green, Blue, and Pink), these watches showcase Awake’s mission to make metiers d’art available in […] Visit Introducing: The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments In Three Mesmeric Colors to read the full article.

Introducing - Game Changer…? Casio Launches its First Mechanical Watch, the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic Monochrome
Hamilton Jul 15, 2025

Introducing - Game Changer…? Casio Launches its First Mechanical Watch, the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic

It’s been several years since the Swiss abandoned the truly affordable, sub-400-euro mechanical watch category. Once a gateway to Swiss mechanical watchmaking at reasonable prices, lower-end Swatch Group brands (Tissot and Hamilton) are now priced above that range. This situation, however, has been extremely beneficial to two Japanese giants, a sort of duopoly composed of […]

Portrait - Löbner Watches, “Vom Guten das Beste” or The Best of The Best Monochrome
Seiko May 12, 2025

Portrait - Löbner Watches, “Vom Guten das Beste” or The Best of The Best

Swiss watchmaking captures all the attention. The most prestigious brands, trusted by the market, are “Swiss Made”, which acts as an absolute guarantee. The only one to dominate the watch landscape, historically, outside of Switzerland, is the great Japanese classic: Seiko. On closer inspection, however, watch-related know-how has developed outside of Switzerland, particularly in Eastern […]

Introducing the Seiko Prospex SPB473, a Limited Regional Release for the European Market Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko s made just Aug 5, 2024

Introducing the Seiko Prospex SPB473, a Limited Regional Release for the European Market

A thing you discover about watch collecting after being involved in the hobby for a little while is that it’s a truly international endeavor. This manifests itself in a number of ways. The geography of the watchmaking industry is obviously something that’s discussed frequently, with Swiss, German, Japanese, and American styles of the craft all taking slightly different shapes. But even more than that, practical matters like the availability of watches to actually purchase has a lot to do with where you are in the world. Just last week, we told you about a pair of new limited edition Grand Seikos made just for the US market, and today we have a similar story about a Seiko diver for sale exclusively in Europe. Regional releases strike again. The Seiko Prospex SPB473 would have caught our eye regardless, but something about it being vaguely forbidden if you happen to live in America makes it all the more appealing. Now, realistically, this watch won’t be that hard to track down if you really put some effort into it. There are all kinds of ways an American customer can obtain a watch made for a foreign market. Proxy buyers, the pre-owned market, and simply calling up a dealer and asking if they’d consider an international sale are all viable options. But if it really is the thrill of the hunt that makes watch collecting exciting and rewarding, have those few extra hoops to jump through could actually be welcome for some.  The SPB473’s key feature is a beautiful grad...

Minase Debuts a DLC Coated Limited Edition Horizon Worn & Wound
Seiko or “G-SHOCK.” It’s Mar 11, 2024

Minase Debuts a DLC Coated Limited Edition Horizon

Of all the countries with prominent watchmaking industries, it’s possible that Japan’s is least understood. There’s a mythology around Swiss, German, and even American watchmaking that transcends any particular brand, but for many “Japanese watchmaking” is akin to saying “Seiko” or “G-SHOCK.” It’s unfair, for sure, as there are many interesting brands in the independent space making a name for themselves in Japan, and while it can be argued that Japanese brands share a certain sensibility when it comes to craftsmanship and quality, the aesthetc and design range is incredibly wide. Minase is one of my favorite examples of a brand that really illustrates this concept, as there’s a huge range within their own catalog, and they very much do their own thing while adhering to certain Japanese design and craft principles. Compare their execution of urushi lacquered dials to Seiko and you’ll begin to get the idea. Their newest release, the limited edition Horizon GEN DLC. The Horizon is a classic Minase case shape with an elongated, rectangular profile. The design is inspired by the horizon line stretching over the sea, which you really pick up in the subtle curves of the midcase. Like all Minase cases, however, this one is deceptively complex, with plenty of facets and other flourishes that make it visually interesting and appealing from every angle. The curve of the crystal, for instance, follows the curve of the case, and the case and bracelet appear on ...

Happy Birthday, Swatch Worn & Wound
Casio ns but Mar 3, 2023

Happy Birthday, Swatch

Swatch, the brand that is just about everyone’s first watch, celebrated their 40th birthday this week. On March 1, 1983, Swatch unveiled its first collection of plastic cased, battery powered watches, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that it just might have saved the Swiss watch industry. After a long period of dominance in the mass production of watches, quartz watches made by Japanese companies at a massive scale radically changed the watchmaking landscape, putting the traditional mechanical watchmaking industry into something of a tailspin. The massive success of Swatch through the 80s and into the 90s injected cash and enthusiasm into Swiss watchmaking that the industry still benefits from to this day.  We write about anniversaries all the time in these pages. As we’re all fond of saying, “Every year is an anniversary year.” But in the coverage of the big Swatch 4-0 that I’ve seen this week, I’ve much more commonly heard it referred to as a “birthday,” and I think that’s important. Anniversaries can be joyous occasions, but the word implies a certain seriousness that isn’t right for Swatch. A birthday is different. It’s fun, there’s cake, and hopefully some color. That’s how I think of Swatch (minus the cake).  Swatch and I are just about the same age. I turned 40 in October of last year, and it’s interesting to think about the brand approaching middle age, as I, much to my dismay, seem to be doing as well. Does Swatch also have naggi...

Chopard Introduces the L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen SJX Watches
Chopard Introduces Jan 4, 2021

Chopard Introduces the L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen

While the L.U.C XP is best known as Chopard’s pared-back, formal-dress wristwatch, it also forms the base for an interesting collection of limited-edition timepieces decorated in urushi and maki-e, forms of traditional Japanese lacquer – an East Asian take on the metiers d’art often found in Swiss watchmaking. The latest addition to the line its most unusual to date, being not just a decorative expression but also a new, albeit simple, complication. Decorated in lacquer and gold dust, the L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen has a mechanism displaying traditional Chinese time of 12-hour days, with each hour represented by an animal of the Chinese Zodiac. Initial thoughts Watches inspired by Chinese culture are common – and increasing given the strength of demand for watches in China – but they oftentimes have an over-the-top aesthetic. Chopard, on the other hand, incorporated the Chinese motifs elegantly, resulting in an appealing watch. At a distance, the Spirit of Shí Chen has a simple, geometric style, but up close the dial reveals its decorative details. The deep-black lacquer dial – sprinkled with gold dust that evoke the cosmos – gives the watch a clean, restrained appearance, save for the elaborate, solid-gold frame and shí chen indicator. An ancient way of telling time is uncommon in a modern watch, making the shí chen indicator the highlight – appropriately enough it is rendered in gold powder and fine detail, with a gold-dusted background tha...

RECOMMENDED READING: The New York Times pulls back the iron curtain on Raketa Time+Tide
Konstantin Chaykin s maverick creations But Dec 13, 2020

RECOMMENDED READING: The New York Times pulls back the iron curtain on Raketa

When it comes to watches, we too often think of the Swiss – with the German and Japanese manufacturers no longer trailing far behind. But watchmaking is truly a global enterprise. In Russia, many collectors will immediately think of Konstantin Chaykin’s maverick creations. But there is also a larger manufacturer, with a surprising amount of … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: The New York Times pulls back the iron curtain on Raketa appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Kikuchi Nakagawa Introduces the Ichimonji SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Calatrava ref 96 Nov 24, 2020

Kikuchi Nakagawa Introduces the Ichimonji

Founded by a pair of Japanese watchmakers, Kikuchi Nakagawa got its start in 2018 with the launch of the Murakumo, a time-only wristwatch inspired by the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 96 of the 1930s. Now the duo once again look to Swiss watchmaking of the same period for the Ichimonji. Kikuchi Nakagawa’s newest watch sticks to the elegantly focused formula that defined the Murakumo – a black-polished steel case, along with hand-made hands, and a Vaucher movement. The emphasis is recreating the vintage aesthetic as well as honing the case finishing to the highest level. Initial thoughts The appeal of the Ichimonji is very much like that of its predecessor. It looks and feels like a vintage watch, but not quite, because it is clearly finished to a far higher level, a quality that is discernible in how the surfaces catch the light. Design wise the watch faithfully recreates the sensation of a vintage watch, but elevates it to another level of refinement thanks to a keen attention to detail. Take for instance the hour numerals for five and seven, which have been replaced with dots in order to avoid cutaway numerals. And the external finishing of the watch is similarly elevated. In fact, there is likely no other watch in this price segment with a similarly finished case. The case is polished by hand as a movement component would be, as are the hands. While the baton-shaped hands appear similar at a glance, but are actually three dimensional and hand finished to create br...

Frederique Constant Introduces the Highlife Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Frederique Constant Introduces Sep 10, 2020

Frederique Constant Introduces the Highlife Perpetual Calendar

Long focused on affordable mechanical watches, Frederique Constant continued with its specialty after its acquisition by Japanese watchmaking giant Citizen. Now the Swiss brand has just revived its bestseller from two decades ago, the Highlife collection, which has been redesigned extensively. It’s a new watch in all but name – the revamped Highlife harks back to the integrated-strap of the original, but it is a design very much catered to today’s taste. The Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture The new Highlife collection debuts with three models that share the same tonneau-shaped case and integrated bracelet with quick-release pins. The most interesting watch of the trio is the Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture, which is affordable despite its in-house movement and styling that’s reminiscent of more expensive watches. The other two models in the line up are simple automatics: one is time-only with an “Open Heart” dial revealing the balance wheel, and the other is a COSC-certified three-hander with date. Highlife Automatic COSC The Highlife Heart Beat Initial thoughts The Highlife manages to translate the look of high-end luxury-sports watches into an affordable watch by keeping a few design elements and simplifying everything. It is unavoidably derivative in style, but competently designed. So the 41 mm case is a simple affair with simple lines and surfaces, but dressed up with a polished, domed bezel. However, it avoids looking too plain even with t...

Orient Star’s Manual-Wind Moon Phase is Slick and Silicon SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Sep 29, 2025

Orient Star’s Manual-Wind Moon Phase is Slick and Silicon

The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding is the brand’s first manual-wind moon phase, and also the first in years with a solid dial, making it a refreshing change of pace from the brand’s usual fare that leans towards open-worked and occasionally over-designed styling. Initial Thoughts Excepting the vintage inspired Diver 1964, the M45 F8 moon phase is the most attractive watch in the Orient catalog to my eye. Most of the brand’s designs are too busy for my tastes, so these entries are a welcome departure that will certainly appeal to enthusiasts with more classical tastes. The moon phase disk itself, with mother-of-pearl inlay, is a highlight. And the absence of a seconds hand is a pleasant surprise, though the moon phase sub-dial feels naked without the traditional co-axial small seconds hand. Since the small seconds version of this calibre is not compatible with the moon phase module, Orient could have moved the Orient Star logo onto the sub-dial for more visual balance. Most importantly, this is a manually wound watch – with a competent movement – in a price segment where such things are hard to find. Looking at Japanese watches in particular, manual wind options from Grand Seiko and Credor are significantly more expensive, while Seiko, Orient, and Citizen dropped their entry-level manual watches years ago. Pleiades About two years ago, Orient Star reorganised its catalog by launching M Collections, a family of watches each named after astron...

Piaget Polo Review: How The '80s Luxury Watch Icon Holds Up Teddy Baldassarre
Audemars Piguet had introduced Dec 1, 2025

Piaget Polo Review: How The '80s Luxury Watch Icon Holds Up

While it’s more widely known for its jewelry these days, Piaget, founded in the small Swiss village of La Cote-aux-Fées by Georges Piaget in 1874, has been a watchmaker from the beginning. Its original trade, in fact, was making movements, and the company began making complete watches in In the 20th century. Before getting into the Piaget Polo, it's worth it to get into the brand's history in thin watchmaking. Since 1957, when Piaget created the historic 2mm-thick Caliber 9P, the company has been world renowned for the elegant thinness of its watches and movements. The world’s thinnest self-winding mechanical movement, Caliber 12P, followed Caliber 9P just three years later, in 1960, and Piaget has building upon these foundations ever since. Its most recent triumph in this area was the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, which debuted in 2018 as a prototype and hit the market in 2020; the entire watch, case and movement, is just 2mm thick, matching the wafer thinness of the original Caliber 9P. Along with Bulgari, another watchmaker known more for its jewelry, Piaget continues to embody the ne plus ultra of what ultra-thin watchmaking can accomplish.  [toc-section heading="The Integrated Bracelet Era Begins"] However, while “thin and elegant” remains the calling card of the Piaget watch brand overall, the market was looking for something a little different - a little bolder, perhaps - in the 1970s. Audemars Piguet had introduced its groundbreaking Royal Oak “Jumbo...

Breaking News: Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary Sells for US$1.51m SJX Watches
Nov 8, 2020

Breaking News: Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary Sells for US$1.51m

The very first Philippe Dufour Simplicity 20th Anniversary to leave Mr Dufour’s workshop was the first major example of independent watchmaking at Phillips’ Retrospective: 2000-2020 auction. It set a very high bar, hammering for 1.1 million Swiss francs, or 1.36 million francs including fees, which is equivalent to US$1.51 million. Almost forty times the retail price of the Simplicity when it was launched in 2000, the price is a new record for the model. The result handily crosses an earlier record set just a month ago at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, where an 34 mm example from the original production run sold for US$662,000. The Simplicity 20th Anniversary features a hinged hunter back, a feature not found in the original series Impressive as it is, the record price was reached swiftly. Although the estimate was 200,000-400,000 francs, a bidder on the phone represented by Tiffany To of Phillips opened with a 450,000 franc bid. The phone bidder was joined by a handful of fellow phone as well as in-room bidders – Mr Bacs commented during the proceedings there were seven phone lines active – along with a solo bid online from Singapore. The price rose quickly in 50,000 and 100,000 franc steps, with Ms To’s phone bidder clinching the prize. The seven-figure price for the Simplicity elevates Mr Dufour to the rarefied territory of living independent watchmakers whose wristwatches have sold for above US$1m at auction. There are just two watchmakers who can make that clai...

SJX Podcast: Freak Face-Off: Original vs. Freak S SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Freak – how does Oct 27, 2025

SJX Podcast: Freak Face-Off: Original vs. Freak S

On Episode 16 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss ongoing horology events in Paris and Singapore, and debrief on the new Piaget Andy Warhol. It’s also the debut of a new segment comparing two watches head-to-head. First up is the Ulysse Nardin Freak – how does the original, now 25 years old, stack up to the new Freak S? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.