3,030 articles · 145 videos found · page 49 of 106
Hodinkee
If a hyper-futuristic Urwerk wasn't enough of a statement, you can now wear a ceramic example that tells you how long it will take for light to reach planets you'll never visit.
SJX Watches
Nestled in the Jura Mountains, La Chaux-de-Fonds has been a cradle of Swiss watchmaking ever since its watchmaking school, the Technicum, opened in 1865. For aspiring watchmakers, the climax of their training was traditionally the creation of a montre école – or what’s known as a school watch. This is the story of Hugues Bürki, a Technicum alumnus, who built what would become a record-breaking school watch, and who would later make horological history as a movement engineer. Hugues Bürki. Image – author The Technicum The watchmaking school of La Chaux-de-Fonds was founded in 1865. In its early days, the school occupied rooms inside the modestly named ‘Technicum’, a local vocational-technical school. By 1885, the school’s own building had been inaugurated, yet the name Technicum stuck. In 1933, in the wake of the global economic crisis, the nearby watchmaking schools in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle were merged to form the Technicum Neuchâtelois. The Technicum in the 1960s. Image – author It demands attention that both divisions of the Technicum Neuchâtelois had a particularly strong focus on high-precision chronometry at the time compared to other watchmaking schools in Switzerland, which specialised in other domains, such as the construction of complications and traditional finishing techniques. In fact, some of the innovations in chronometry we associate with brands like Longines can actually trace their roots to the Technicum Neuchâtelois, including...
Fratello
If you’ve listened to Balazs and me on Fratello On Air, you’ll know that I have a huge crush on Parmigiani Fleurier. Specifically, the Tonda PF 36mm is on my radar, but if my wrist were larger, today’s watch would be a likely candidate. Specifically, the brand has introduced the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Agave Blue, […] Visit Introducing: The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Agave Blue to read the full article.
Fratello
Let bygones be bygones. When the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection debuted in January 2019 at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), the reception was mixed, to put it mildly. Since then, the collection has evolved and become increasingly refined. The upgrade that won me over was the elaborate stamped dial that […] Visit Three New “Codes” To Crack: Two 38mm Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Watches And One 41mm Tourbillon to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
There are certain “easy wins” with watch enthusiasts that brands rely on. Put a line of red text on a black dial diver, and you’ll get some smiles. Add a micro-adjust to your clasp, and you’ll avoid some angry emails. Drill your lugs, and… well, I at least will be excited. And when it comes to chronographs, a sure-fire way to get some attention is to invert your sub-dials. Yep, though it has been done countless times, “panda” dials still get the thumbs-up from us nerds. So, it was no surprise that the recently released “Black and White” Speedmasters (which, to those of us from NYC, brings to mind a certain iconic cookie before a watch dial) were received with much excitement. Take one of the most celebrated watches in production, give it a dial treatment that is hard to mess up, and, unsurprisingly, you have a hit. Well done, Omega. Yeah, the Speedmaster Black and White is very nice looking To make matters more exciting, despite the many, many, many versions of Speedmasters over the years, Pandas are not common among them. I’m no Speedy scholar, so my internal reference archive isn’t complete, but having been the occasional Speedy customer, I know that pandas were few and far between, usually limited, or precious metal, and rarely a “reverse” or “evil” panda (white sub-dial on a black surface) in form. That this new model is available in steel and not limited actually makes them special, by not being special. The dilemma, if you can call it th...
Fratello
Whenever we’re in Geneva, it’s fun to stop by ArtyA. On any given day, the boutique could see a visit from a music star. Or, at one point, a custom motorcycle took center stage. Late last year, though, it was just us from Fratello who took up residence for an hour to see the brand’s […] Visit Hands-On With The ArtyA Luminity Wavy AMR-01 to read the full article.
Fratello
Collaborations in high watchmaking are nothing new, but most stop at the wrist. The LA VDB-03 Louis Varius Project goes a step further by pairing a modern GMT wristwatch with a large mechanical clock designed to wind and reset it automatically. Developed jointly by Louis Vuitton and De Bethune, the project brings together a contemporary […] Visit Introducing: The Louis Vuitton × De Bethune LVDB-03 Louis Varius to read the full article.
Fratello
Sometimes, a watch that lands on my desk ends up being markedly different from the standard fare. It didn’t take me long to realize that the RGM Model 222-RR was one of them. This watch takes inspiration from some of the great American railroad stories from the early 20th century, which instantly makes the Model […] Visit Hands-On With The Charming RGM Model 222-RR to read the full article.
Hodinkee
With a new case, and new movement, it’s a new(ish) look for Audemars Piguet for 2026. But if you look back far enough, you’ll find the brand’s inspiration, and imagine what might be coming.
Monochrome
For its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet has chosen a format that predates the wristwatch yet remains central to the brand’s most ambitious technical expressions: the pocket watch. The new 150e Héritage pocket watch directly references the Manufacture’s historic ultra-complicated pocket watches of 1899 (L’Universelle) and 1921 (La Grosse Pièce). It is also connected to milestones […]
Fratello
I vividly remember visiting the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), the predecessor of Watches and Wonders, in Geneva in 2010. Alongside Richard Mille, Richemont Group brands, and a few others, Audemars Piguet showcased its latest creations. That year, the Royal Oak Openworked ref. 15305 stood out to me. It was based on the […] Visit Introducing: New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked And Malachite-Dial Models to read the full article.
Fratello
Recently, I bought an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M with a 43.5mm all-brushed steel case and a sandblasted gunmetal-gray dial. This purchase came after the launch of the fully revamped Planet Ocean. With the fourth generation’s sharper facets, redesigned bracelet with polished center links, slimmer profile, and importantly, no helium escape valve (HEV) at the […] Visit Why I Bought A Third-Generation Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Over The New Version to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Having previously collaborated with almost every major art museum in the world, from MoMA to the Louvre, Swatch has licensed four masterpieces of 20th-century art from the Guggenheim, including works on display in New York and Venice. Accessibly priced, non-limited and available online, the Swatch x Guggenheim collection brings works from Monet, Degas, Klee, and Pollock to a wrist near you. Initial thoughts Painted dials have a long history in watchmaking, but the difficult nature of the work meant that for most of history they remained out of reach for all but the wealthiest clientele. While hand-painted dials are vanishingly rare and breathtakingly expensive, modern production methods mean that legendary masterpieces can now be easily scaled down and mass produced. Swatch was a pioneer in this regard, introducing its first artist collaboration with Kiki Picasso in 1985, just two years after the company launched its revolutionary plastic watch. The Picasso collaboration was the first of many, and since then there’s hardly a major art museum that hasn’t licensed selected works to Swatch. The works selected for this collaboration come from two different Guggenheim collections. Three of them are famously on display at the Guggenheim New York, while the fourth may be seen at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The odd-looking double-length seconds hand is an homage to this transatlantic duality. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Functionally, the four quar...
Worn & Wound
I’ll be honest and say it right off the bat: the G-SHOCK MRGB2000KT3A is not for me. Still, I am just one person in an endless ocean of watch enthusiasts, so I’ll try to take a look at the MRGB2000KT3A through the eyes of someone it is for. After all, I am not immune to the allure of a G-SHOCK; I’ve owned several, and they’ll always have a place in my heart as one of the first watch brands that I really loved. So, with my new persona adopted, let’s dive into the newest-and most limited-model in the MRG-B2000 series. The first notable thing about the MRGB2000KT3A is the name attached to it. Kobayashi Masao, a master metalsmith and engraver from Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, has lent his craft to the watch in a big way, etching a phoenix on the bezel. Perhaps I am making that sound rather tame, though; to clarify, the phoenix peeks out from the left side of the bezel, with flames mirroring its position on the right side. The engraving’s dramatic persona is based on the phoenix design on the tsuba iron guard-a fitting between a Japanese sword’s hilt and the blade-of Kobayashi Masao’s MR-G katana, making a connection between the watch and the artist’s own line of work. The deep-layer hardened titanium bezel wears a distinctive blue-green kurogane-iro (“iron color”) shade, thanks to a green DLC coating and brown Arc Ion Plating (AIP). Stippling further texturizes the bezel, and four emerald-capped screws sit at the 1, 5, 7, and 11 o’clock positions. No...
Time+Tide
The Rolex Day-Date is inarguably one of the most iconic watches of all time, but Jason Lee argues that its ref. 1803 guise might be its best.The post An owner’s review of the vintage Rolex Day-Date ref. 1803, and why it’s such an underrated watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Today, we go hands-on with a watch from one of my favorite small brands. Atelier Wen rarely misses a beat with its releases, and the new Millésime Perception Xuán is no exception. As we’ll see, it uses a familiar platform but trades engraving for stoneworking. Plus, for those who struggle with the idea of a […] Visit Hands-On: The New Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán to read the full article.
Monochrome
Simple solutions to complex problems could well be Dr Ludwig Oechslin’s overriding philosophy. Former curator of the Musée international d’horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Oechslin studied archaeology as an undergraduate and obtained a PhD in Philosophy – with a scholarship to study theoretical physics and astronomy – and became a Swiss master watchmaker in 1983. Bringing […]
Fratello
A few hours from now, when a Rolex clock strikes 1:40 PM GMT-5, we’ll hear the roar of engines on Daytona International Speedway - a polyphonic roar made up of 60 engines across four categories. We’ll hear the raw howl of the GTD and GTD Pro categories, familiar supercar sounds. Bee-like, buzzing overtones, emanating from […] Visit The Rolex 24 At Daytona Endurance Race Returns Today - With Rolex Daytonas Awaiting The Winners to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Dakar is the true stuff of legends. And it’s not just the historic editions that still leave many of us in awe, the yearly adventure is still the playing field for the creme de la creme in rallying. Each competitor, whether on two wheels or in a car or truck, has to battle the […]
Teddy Baldassarre
"Made in America" is a label that is much rarer to find on products now than it was 100 years ago, and that is especially true when it comes to watches. Once a bustling industry in the U.S.A., watchmaking largely migrated away from its traditional American hubs in the early 20th Century to countries like Switzerland and Japan, which still import oodles of watches to the States every year. However, American watchmaking has been seeing a slow, somewhat quiet renaissance over the past couple decades as a new generation of trailblazing entrepreneurs, from all across the U.S., strive to bring the horological trade back to these shores. Each of them takes a slightly different approach; some, like RGM, make nearly the entirety of their watch, including the movement, in the U.S., while others, like Shinola, import the majority of components but assemble the watches in an American factory, providing dozens or hundreds of local jobs. Here we take a look at 25 notable American watch brands, spotlight their leading models, and briefly examine how "Made in America" each one really is. [toc-section heading="RGM"] Founder: Roland G. Murphy Headquarters: Mount Joy, PA Notable Models: Pennsylvania Series 801, Pennsylvania Tourbillon, 801-A “Aircraft” “RGM” are the initials of Roland G. Murphy, the trained watchmaker and former Hamilton Watch Company technical manager who founded his own watch brand in Lancaster County, PA, one of America’s ancestral watchmaking centers, in 1992...
Hodinkee
Kari Voutilainen shares a behind-the-scenes look at his workshop and the Brodbeck Guillochage center.
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko’s flagship boutique in Singapore is host to Tokyo Time, an event designed to bring the vibrancy of Tokyo into the heart of Singapore. Thematically, the event focuses on the people of the world’s largest city experiencing the flow of time. As explained by Ida Idris-Low, Managing Director of Grand Seiko APAC, “Tokyo is defined by a beautiful intricacy – eight distinct districts moving in tandem, each with its own culture and cadence”. Ref. SLGH0055 White Birch in Kagurazaka. Image – Seiko Watch Corp / Gregory Harris In order to capture this, the brand enlisted New Zealand-based photographer Gregory Harris to shoot each watch in situ. The pop-up seeks to connect eight Grand Seiko watches to eight parts of Tokyo. For example, Mr Harris shot the Tentagraph ref. SLGC001 in Toyosu, a man-made island home to the world’s largest wholesale fish market. The Icefall ref. SBGH347 was paired with Roppongi, known for its museums by day and clubs by night. Ginza’s champion is the Evolution 9 U.F.A. Ice Forest ref. SLGB003 – Grand Seiko’s most significant launch of last year. Ref. SBGW301 in Daikanyama. Image – Seiko Watch Corp / Gregory Harris Hosted by Grand Seiko, Tokyo Time takes place from January 16-29 at the brand’s Marina Bay Sands boutique. The exhibition is free and open to the public without registration. For more information visit the dedicated page on Grand-Seiko.com.
SJX Watches
The Olympic Games are just around the corner, which means Omega is getting ready to time 116 events in 16 different disciplines as the Games’ official timekeeper, a title the brand has held throughout much of the past century. That association has resulted in a long line of increasingly tasteful commemorative watches, including the Seamaster Diver 300M Milano Cortina, which applies discreet Olympics branding to an appealing new white ceramic iteration of the Seamaster. Initial thoughts It’s hard to see the Seamaster Milano Cortina as an entirely new watch since an almost identical black version was released back in 2021. That said, the snow white ceramic cements the connection to the upcoming Winter Olympics, due to be held jointly by Milan and Cortina. A common critique of ceramic is that it can look like plastic; I find this to be especially true when it comes to glossy white ceramic. This is where the emblematic Seamaster case and the industrial prowess of Omega pay dividends. The case is sculpted exactly like its stainless steel counterparts, with contrasting brushed and polished finishes that distinguish it as a premium product. The milky white material is complemented by grade 5 titanium, which is used for the bezel frame, both crowns, the solid case back, and the pin buckle. The ceramic bezel insert is deeply relief-engraved by laser, giving it a satisfying tactility that is all the more appealing considering the ageless properties of ceramic. Naturally, the Se...
Worn & Wound
Earlier this week we brought you news of the latest in Zenith’s ongoing Revival series, but the big news for the brand coming out of LVMH Watch Week is a big expansion of the contemporary Defy collection at all levels. As a certified Defy-head, this move has my full support. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Defy has long been my favorite sports watch line, full stop. I’m a huge fan of the way the modern Defy combines a funky, avant-garde design sensibility with real sports watch chops (these watches are truly built like tanks, and have been since the 1960s). The latest Defys to enter the collection span the breadth of Zenith’s range as a watchmaker, from the simple and straightforward to the highly exotic. We’ll start with the simple. The Defy Skyline 36 has a pair of new variants, with silver dials joining previously issued versions in blue, ice blue, green, and pink. You can have your silver dialed Defy Skyline 36 with or without a diamond set bezel. As with earlier versions of the Defy Skyline in this size, the option for a diamond bezel reveals that Zenith hopes to market these watches to the women’s market, but 36mm is actually a great size for an integrated bracelet sports watch for just about anyone. Watches in this style tend to wear a little bigger than their dimensions would suggest, and there’s something inherently appealing and comfortable about a watch like this that’s a little undersized, anyway. Like other Defy Skylines, thi...
Hodinkee
The new Tambour shows off and celebrates the hand-turned guilloché skills from La Fabrique du Temps.
Monochrome
La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton continues to expand the Gérald Genta collection with the introduction of the Geneva Time Only, a new pair of 38mm timepieces. Following the Geneva Minute Repeater, this new model carries forward the same design, with fluid geometry, architectural precision, and attention to proportion, now presented in a simpler, time-only […]
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton sharpens its haute horlogerie credentials with the Escale Minute Repeater, a chiming complication paired with a jump hour and retrograde minutes display. Built around La Fabrique du Temps’s proven minute repeater calibre, the watch trades the previous Escale minute repeater’s world time function for a cleaner, more focused dial dominated by grey flammé guilloché. The result puts Louis Vuitton in direct competition with established players in complicated watchmaking, and comes complete with a discreet repeater slide hidden within the signature trunk-inspired lugs. Initial thoughts On the back of a strong 2025, Louis Vuittion doubles down on haute horlogerie, now in a more traditional case than last year’s Tambour. While the brand still offers the quartz Tambour Street Diver for just a few thousand dollars, Louis Vuittion’s ambitions clearly lie in the high-end. After years of strategic acquisitions and investments, the brand has the industrial base to compete and the know-how to do things its own way. The Escale Minute Repeater is the embodiment of Louis Vuitton’s ambitions, and is competitive with other minute repeaters from established haute horlogerie brands thanks to its modern movement and tasteful details. In short, it shows the brand understands the tastes of the day, and, more importantly, how to deliver a compelling package that leans into Louis Vuitton’s unique legacy and brand DNA. Furthermore, the minute repeater is something of a s...
SJX Watches
TAG Heuer rides the vintage reissue wave with the Carrera Seafarer, a chronograph that tracks the tides with a quirky mechanical complication originally developed for the American retailer Abercrombie & Fitch in the early 1950s. Delivered in the brand’s popular ‘Glassbox’ case, the sun-bleached aesthetic features a champagne-coloured dial and Intrepid Teal accents to capture the spirit of mid-century maritime instruments in a modern, wearable package. Initial thoughts The past year has shown that TAG Heuer is doubling down on technical credibility. The brand launched carbon hairsprings that are now ready for mass production as an alternative to silicon hairsprings, and the brand has also regained the coveted position as the official timekeeper of Formula 1. Furthering its bid to recapture lost magic, the Seafarer is a modern Carrera ‘Glassbox’ infused with the immense charm of the original Seafarer models signed by Abercrombie & Fitch. The Carrera Seafarer is powered by the modern TH20-04 movement, derived from the TH20-00, that’s been tweaked to show the times of high and low tide using a mechanism likely adapted from a moon phase indictor. While still reliant on the simplistic concept developed for the 1950s models, the complication’s gear ratios have been refined and modernised by TAG Heuer engineers. As a result, the Seafarer displays the local tide times for a given place, serving as a proper tool watch for birdwatchers, anglers and fishermen in gene...
Fratello
Although the Classic Fusion collection represents Hublot’s earliest heritage, the Big Bang is arguably the brand’s bread and butter. Today, we see several new additions to the lineup. The novelties range from the design-heavy Big Bang Unicorn SR_A to the new pastel-colored Coal Blue models. In this release overview, we’ll briefly cover some of the […] Visit Introducing: New Additions To The Hublot Big Bang Lineup - Samuel Ross And Coal Blue to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton revives its emblematic Escale Worldtime complication with significant technical upgrades and metiers d’art craftsmanship. Powered by a new family of mid-sized movement from La Fabrique du Temps, the collection comprises two models distinguished by their decorative treatments: the standard Worldtime features a hand-painted flag disc reproducing the brand’s iconic trunk motifs, while the Worldtime Flying Tourbillon elevates the execution with an arduously made champlevé grand feu enamel city ring requiring 40 firings to achieve its kaleidoscopic palette. This reimagining of the worldtime complication draws directly from Louis Vuitton’s heritage of hand-painted personalised monograms on historical trunks - a visual language no other watchmaker can authentically claim - translating the brand’s trunk-making legacy into haute horlogerie. Initial thoughts Last year, Louis Vuitton launched a new line of high-end movements built and decorated to the standards of industrial-haute horlogerie automatics from the likes of Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe. These movements debuted in the Tambour Taiko Spin Time, a complication requiring a small-diameter movement - 23 mm in that case. Though finely made, these movements were arguably too small for a ~40 mm watch, as seen with the otherwise excellent Monterey re-issue. Demonstrating the impressive capacity of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), Louis Vuitton has filled that void in its movement portfolio with a li...
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