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Hands-On With The New 2nd-Generation Formex Field Automatic Fratello
Formex Field Automatic Formex May 22, 2025

Hands-On With The New 2nd-Generation Formex Field Automatic

Formex is known for packing a ton of punch in relatively affordable watches. The brand’s offerings are rich with features and well made at very competitive prices. None exemplifies this more than the brand’s entry-level model, the Formex Field Automatic. Today, I am delighted to introduce the second generation of the watch. Now, the cynical […] Visit Hands-On With The New 2nd-Generation Formex Field Automatic to read the full article.

Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Under €2,500 In 2025 Fratello
May 22, 2025

Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Under €2,500 In 2025

Today, we’re looking at some of the best watches under €2,500 in production right now. This is one of the most contested price points in the watch market, though many brands that previously operated in it have slowly but surely priced themselves out. That said, a handful of microbrands, both new and old, have made […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Under €2,500 In 2025 to read the full article.

Highlights: Complicated Watches at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon May 21, 2025

Highlights: Complicated Watches at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction encompasses excellent complications at a range of price points. Highlights at the top end include the controversial Patek Philippe ref. 3448 “Senza Luna”, a massive Jaeger-LeCoultre exotic tourbillon, a skeletonized Credor chronograph, and a special-order Patek Philippe that was presumably a gift from parent to son. Also on the block are fine pocket watches for the Chinese market on the first day of the sale, while the second and third sale days include notable examples of independent watchmaking. The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX takes place from May 23-25, 2025. The full catalogue, and more, is available on Phillips.com. Lot 839 – A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split In 2004, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Double Split, a chronograph with both split-seconds and split-minutes–a feat previously only accomplished in pocket watches. Never one to stand still, Lange added split-hours into the mix with the Triple Split in 2018. The case is the brand’s typical fare, with distinctive stepped-out lugs, and continues its tradition of placing the split-button in the case band, rather than in the crown, as is the convention for wristwatches. This rose gold variation, of which only 100 were made, is matched with a handsome blue and silver dial. To create the Double Split, Lange built on the landmark L951 movement of the Datograph, adding a pair of rattrapante mechanisms, one for seconds and the other, minutes. From there, Lange added an hour...

Zenith Introduces a Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with a Lapis Lazuli Dial Worn & Wound
Zenith Introduces May 21, 2025

Zenith Introduces a Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar with a Lapis Lazuli Dial

One of my favorite releases from Watches & Wonders (and one of the best watches Zenith has made in years, in my opinion) was the G.F.J., a study in blue and a celebration of the brand’s 160th anniversary. The G.F.J. is something of a no-expenses-spared dream watch, with a platinum case and optional bracelet that basically doubles the price (because why not?) as well as a finely finished movement and loads of history built into the watch’s story, with a focus on the brand’s historic pursuits in chronometry. When I had that watch on my wrist I wondered how the G.F.J. line might expand, and if this watch was an opening salvo in a more ambitious series of releases to come. I don’t know that we have any answers to those questions, necessarily, with the release of the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli today, but there’s certainly some connective tissue between Zenith’s newest novelty and the G.F.J. we saw a few months ago.  Looking at the latest Zenith Triple Calendar, it’s impossible not to notice a certain aesthetic similarity to the G.F.J. Both make prominent use of lapis lazuli, one of the most common precious stones used in watchmaking. On the G.F.J., lapis is what makes up the majority of the dial space, with the stone in the main dial nicely complementing the blue mother of pearl in the subsidiary seconds. On this new Triple Calendar, the lapis is truly the star of the show, dominating the dial and only yielding for the three subregisters i...

First Look – The New Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli Monochrome
Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar May 21, 2025

First Look – The New Zenith Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli

Zenith‘s Triple Calendar model is based on the compact 38mm case of the Chronomaster Original, itself modelled after the 1969 El Primero reference A386. This reference provides a balanced and wearable foundation for a relatively complex movement. Initially launched in stainless steel (2024) and subsequently in rose gold (2025), Zenith has decided that it was […]

Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli SJX Watches
Zenith Introduces May 21, 2025

Zenith Introduces the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli

Continuing with the blue theme for its 160th anniversary, Zenith has upgraded its compact, vintage-inspired chronograph with a natural stone dial. The Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar Lapis Lazuli is a combination of old and new, plus a luxe dial. The watch is equipped with the latest-generation El Primero movement, but dressed in a 1970s design – here upgraded with a dial of lapis lazuli, the same semiprecious stone found on the G.F.J. cal. 135 revival. Initial thoughts I like the basic design of the Chronomaster Original because it’s essentially a remake of the 1969 El Primero, which is a retro design that still works well today. Zenith has made too many exact replicas of the vintage originals, but fortunately the lapis lazuli edition is different. The stone dial sets it apart visually, while also giving it a more refined feel than the typical Zenith. Though simple, the lapis dial feels like a substantive upgrade to an established and appealing design. The upgraded dial, however, comes at a price that’s too steep. At US$22,700, the lapis dial costs almost US$10,000 more than the standard model with a brass dial. The difference is too much and equally difficult to justify. A prototype revived Although the Chronomaster Original Triple Calendar a seems like a vintage remake, it is not exactly. Instead, the standard model introduced last year was based on a 1970s prototype that never made it intro production. So it has the familiar 1969 El Primero case and dial la...

Introducing – The Blue Ceramic IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince Monochrome
IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar May 21, 2025

Introducing – The Blue Ceramic IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Le Petit Prince

More than 80 years after its initial release, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel Le Petit Prince or The Little Prince remains as popular as ever. As one of the most active brands in the field of pilot’s watches, and knowing Saint-Exupéry’s career as an aviator, IWC has long partnered with The Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation […]

Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity Fratello
May 21, 2025

Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity

How can a brand grow while maintaining exclusivity to uphold the perception of a luxury brand? Increasing accessibility was the right strategy for a while. But this democratization of luxury is becoming a thing of the past. Traditional clients and affluent newcomers in the world of luxury demand exclusivity. For them, luxury is all about […] Visit Democracy Is Dead: Luxury Watches Are On An Antidemocratizing Path Of Extreme Exclusivity to read the full article.

MB&F; Launches an Entirely New Collection for their 20th Anniversary with the SP One Worn & Wound
MB&F; May 20, 2025

MB&F; Launches an Entirely New Collection for their 20th Anniversary with the SP One

Would you expect anything less from MB&F; on their 20th anniversary than the launch of an entirely new collection? The independent brand founded by Max Büsser has spent the last two decades confounding expectations, delighting enthusiasts and collectors along the way with some of the brazen and creative watch designs of the modern era. The brand’s influence and importance on the modern independent watch scene really can’t be overstated. To date, MB&F; releases have existed on two distinct tracks: the LM or “Legacy Machine” collection, which represents Max Büsser’s idea of a classical watchmaking style (think circular cases, classical complications, and a generally traditional if sometimes highly complex readout of the time), and the HM, or “Horological Machine” collection, which can be described as pure, maximalist creativity. This is where you see watches shaped like dogs, and spaceships, with time read in unusual and unexpected ways. While you’d think that working within two collections in this manner (particularly where one is seemingly unbound by traditional watchmaking rules) Max and his team would have the freedom to create just about anything they set their mind to. In reality, of course, there are always projects that don’t reach the finish line for one reason or another. The SP One (SP is short for “Special Projects”) represents an entirely new product category for MB&F; with the promise of reviving these projects and creating entirely new one...

Casio F-91W Review Teddy Baldassarre
Casio May 20, 2025

Casio F-91W Review

The Casio F-91W is the best-selling wristwatch of all time, with more than 100 million units sold. This statement comes a pretty significant caveat, which depends on whether or not you consider the Apple Watch - well, a watch. I am a defender of “smartwatches,” but I think they have evolved to the point where “wearable” is a more appropriate term given the fact that their functionality when it comes to communication and health monitoring exceeds what any watch has ever done. So, with that established for the sake of this article, let’s put the 300 million Apple Watch sales aside for now. Casio F-91W History And "Controversy" The Casio F-91W was introduced all the way back in 1989 and is still in production, with the astonishing figure of 3 million units per year. What's even more remarkable is the fact that the Casio F-91W you can buy in 2025 basically looks the same as one you could have bought when it first launched 36 years ago. It was also the first watch designed by Ryuusake Morai, the prolific designer behind some of the most iconic Casio G-Shocks seen today. When a watch has been around as long as this, it can transcend fads and trends, but few can claim immunity/teflon status to an unfortunate PR association like the F-91W when it was used as a timer for explosives. I would absolutely not call it a “controversy,” because that would just be silly, but the always-excellent Watches of Espionage has a fantastic article dedicated to the topic, which you ...

First Look – Luca Soprana Goes Independent, with his New, Minimalist yet Sophisticated Time Only Watch Monochrome
May 20, 2025

First Look – Luca Soprana Goes Independent, with his New, Minimalist yet Sophisticated Time Only Watch

Luca Soprana is an independent watchmaker, not widely known by a large audience, yet highly regarded by collectors and industry insiders for his work with renowned brands. Situated in Vaumarcus, near Neuchâtel, his Atelier 7h38 focuses on restoration as well as developing and producing high-end movements for external clients. While some projects have been unveiled […]

Hands-On: the Vaer G5 Meridian GMT Worn & Wound
May 20, 2025

Hands-On: the Vaer G5 Meridian GMT

Before receiving the G5 Meridian, I had what I thought was a clear idea of Vaer in my head: mil-spec watches at an affordable price. Founded in Venice, California in 2016, the brand has built themselves a reputation of earnest capability and practical styling that appeals to budding enthusiasts looking for an everyday watch that leans towards rugged simplicity rather than fast-fashion. Vaer watches have been built in the States since 2018, with their first mechanical piece coming to market in 2019.  Whether through my own lack of in-depth research or via social media algorithms showing me exclusively the brand’s field watches for some reason, I had apparently missed the relatively diverse other half of their catalog, spearheaded by the release of their first dive watch in 2020, first solar diver in 2021, and first chronograph in 2022. Since then, they’ve expanded each category into multiple references that cover a wide array of functions and styles, shirking my own narrow-minded ideas and, apparently, their own social media advertising algorithms. Thus, with a heap of welcome and humble surprise, I received the new G5 Meridian GMT and began my Vaer re-education. Unboxing My G5 arrived in a slim navy box with a clean, minimalistic design-appropriate for its price range, but not “cheap”-feeling in any way. I prefer minimal packaging (what the hell am I going to do with all these empty boxes anyways), and Vaer has done a nice job presenting the G5 as a serious, ent...

Maurice de Mauriac Pays Tribute to the Hotel Concierge with their Latest Release Worn & Wound
May 20, 2025

Maurice de Mauriac Pays Tribute to the Hotel Concierge with their Latest Release

Over the last year or two, I’ve been traveling more and more for work. More often than not, I’ve found the experience impersonal at best. Thanks to the new invention of “contactless check-in”, I am usually greeted by a row of iPads, making it feel more like I’ve made a 4-day reservation at a Genius Bar versus a holiday in Malibu. You see, like glass-blowing or macrame, hospitality is a dying art. The ability to make one feel welcomed isn’t as simple as having a few brochures at the front desk; but, instead, it’s an immeasurable talent that turns a two-night stay into an experience.  Luckily, there are a few good men fighting the good fight. An entire network of them, actually, called Les Clefs d’Or. Since 1952, this international organization has dedicated itself to the art of hospitality through its 4,000 members, making it one of the largest organizations of its kind. While many hotels now have a new-hire sit at a podium labeled CONCIERGE to hand out brochures of local attractions, the members of Les Clefs d’Or understands that a concierge is an untapped resource, giving you tips on where to eat, what to do, and he may pull a few strings to get you that hard-to-come-by table at the local Michelin-starred joint down the block.  Now, of course for me, the imagination starts running when I think of a private organization of hotel professionals who are maintaining the old guard of hospitality. One might even be reminded of The Society of the Crossed Keys ...

First Look – The MB&F; SP One, the First Chapter of the New Special Projects Collection Monochrome
MB&F; May 20, 2025

First Look – The MB&F; SP One, the First Chapter of the New Special Projects Collection

Founded in 2005 by Maximilian Büsser and counting on the participation of “friends” in the creative process, MB&F; has levitated around two main collections since its creation, but always with a rather radical concept and designs like nothing else on the market. First came the Horological Machines (with HM1 in 2007), futuristic watches inspired by […]