Hodinkee
Introducing: The Massena LAB Uni-Racer
A '60s classic reinterpreted.
923 articles · 6 videos found · page 5 of 31
Hodinkee
A '60s classic reinterpreted.
Hodinkee
Tropical vibes in a modern, affordable, water-resistant diver.
Revolution
Old meets new in the latest collaborative effort from Massena LAB and Unimatic.
Revolution
I assembled the new Panerai movement the other day. I wish there was a way to rephrase that sentence so I could accurately convey how challenging I found it to be. To be absolutely fair, it was at the end of a long week. You may think that Watches & Wonders is more chilled out […]
Revolution
I assembled the new Panerai movement the other day. I wish there was a way to rephrase that sentence so I could accurately convey how challenging I found it to be. To be absolutely fair, it was at the end of a long week. You may think that Watches & Wonders is more chilled out […]
SJX Watches
The Star Caliber 2000 occupies a peculiar position in the history of grand complications. It was never the most complicated watch in the world. At its debut it ranked fourth — behind Patek Philippe’s own Calibre 89 and Graves Supercomplication, and the Leroy 01 — and in the quarter-century since, the complexity record has moved further still, most notably to Vacheron Constantin. The complication arms race the Calibre 89 inadvertently triggered ran its full course, and the Star Caliber 2000 was never part of it. What it did instead was something harder to measure and, as it turns out, more durable. It demonstrated that the tradition’s inheritance of unsolved problems — the desynchronised equation, the imperfect melody, and the moon exiled from the sky — was not inevitable. That each problem had a solution. And that the solutions, taken together, produced a different kind of watch: not necessarily more complicated but more coherent; not a larger accumulation of independent mechanisms but an integrated instrument in which every display refers to a single source of truth. The arms race In early 1989, as Switzerland prepared to celebrate the most complicated portable timepiece ever made, the man who had just assembled it returned to his bench. Paul Buclin had spent years assembling and setting up the Calibre 89 by hand — 1,728 components driving 33 complications. Weighing most of a kilogram, the watch itself required its own carrying case. The watch was a monument...
Deployant
This year, Ulysse Nardin and Gumball 3000 continue their collaboration and releases the Freak x Gumball 3000 Edition 2, based on the UN Freak X.
Fratello
When you type in “retrograde” in the search box on the Fratello homepage, the results are watches in the upper echelons of high horology. The presence of a Longines is the exception that proves the rule. However, there is a brand that can be categorized as “affordable luxury watchmaking” and has quite a reputation for […] Visit Introducing: The Maurice Lacroix 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde With The Brand’s 26th Masterpiece Caliber to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The Toka from Finnish duo Roope Kortela and René Valta reflects the ongoing appeal of beautifully finished, time-only watches, combining a thoughtfully reworked historical calibre with the brand’s first champlevé enamel dial. With an emphasis on high-grade finishing and increasingly in-house components - including a proprietary free-sprung balance - the Toka is a strong sophomore effort from the startup independent. Rene Valta (foreground) and Roope Kortela Initial thoughts It’s been more than 25 years since Philippe Dufour unveiled the Simplicity, a watch that challenged prevailing wisdom about what fine watchmaking was all about. Launched at a time when brands and collectors were focused on complications, the Simplicity arguably created the niche for highly finished time-only watches and intensified collector focus on independent watchmaking in general. Though the field has become crowded over the past quarter-century, collector demand has proven durable. The Toka is a watch built in this tradition. The Omega calibre inside the Toka has been heavily reworked by Kortela Valta. The watchmakers kept most of the original architecture intact, while applying high-end finishing top to bottom. Furthermore, since the start of 2025, the watchmaking duo has expanded the list of components they’re able to make in-house, including the new free-sprung balance that differentiates the Toka from the Eka and Oma models that preceded it. The Toka features a fairly traditional...
Hodinkee
The new Chronomaster Sport Chronograph brings a slew of technical updates to the El Primero caliber.
Deployant
Czapek adds to their impressive repertoire with a new model with a new in-house caliber 10 movement. Introducing the Time Jumper.
SJX Watches
The Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 stands as one of the most technically ambitious pocket watches of the modern era. Launched to mark the turn of the millennium, it was the fourth most complicated watch in the world at its debut, but its true significance lies not in numbers, but in the ingenuity of its mechanisms, which redefined how grand complications could be conceived, engineered, and executed. An original complete set of four Star Caliber 2000 watches is being offered for sale by Sotheby’s at its first-ever watch auction in Abu Dhabi, which takes place in December. The first complete set to ever appear publicly, the sale will likely draw significant attention from collectors and institutions alike. The technical significance of the Star Caliber 2000 The Star Caliber 2000 was and is a remarkable achievement in watchmaking, but it was never the world’s most complicated watch. When it debuted, the Star Caliber 2000 ranked fourth in the official tally of complications, behind the Patek Philippe’s own Caliber 89 and the famous Henry Graves Super Complication from 1932, as well as the lesser-known Leroy 01 from 1904. Over the past quarter century, the Star Caliber 2000 has fallen down the rankings as more complicated watches, for both the pocket and the wrist, have been developed by Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. But the Star Caliber 2000 should not be judged solely by this kind of ranking, which is largely superficial. The watch is packed with a number o...
Fratello
Apollo 8 was the first space flight to reach the Moon. On board were NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders. It took them 68 hours to travel to the Moon, and during the first 66 hours, the spacecraft’s windows were facing Earth. Apollo 8 needed to swing behind the Moon (in total, […] Visit Hands-On: The New Omega Speedmaster Grey Side Of The Moon With Caliber 3869 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its most enduring wristwatch design, Girard-Perregaux (GP) has just unveiled the Laureato Fifty, a watch that highlights the brand’s storied history, while asserting the manufacture‘s place in the current competitive market. As expected, the watch is powered by the brand’s new workhorse calibre GP4800, which makes its official debut here. A limited edition of just 200 pieces, the Laureato Fifty is dressed in a two-tone case of steel and yellow gold, echoing the 1975 original. Though this is a one-off limited edition, it is more than likely that this revised Laureato styling will be implemented across the Laureato line in the coming year. Initial thoughts To understand the Laureato Fifty, we must first consider the era to which it pays tribute. The original design of the Laureato, presented to the world in 1975, appeared right between Gerald Genta’s iconic duo of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, launched in 1972 and 1976, respectively. Compared to these designs, which would come to define the category, the Laureato was different in a few respects. First, the original design is credited to one of GP’s in-house designers, whose name has been lost to time. Second, the original Laureato was cutting edge at the time with its proprietary, chronometer-certified quartz movement, compared to the ultra-thin automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre-derived calibre found in the Royal Oak (and later, the Nautilus). Turning to...
Teddy Baldassarre
The ETA 2824 caliber has been a presence in the world of mechanical wristwatches for more than 50 years, helping the Swiss watchmaking industry forge a path through the Quartz Crisis and serving as the engine for hundreds of three-handed timepieces from an array of brands, large and small. While it is a rarity here in the 21st Century, its legacy can still be seen across the horological world - from the proliferation of similar movements by makers like Sellita to the increasing ubiquity of the ETA 2824’s souped-up successor, the Powermatic 80. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the ETA 2824. A (Very Brief) History of ETA Nearly everyone that follows the wristwatch industry has heard of ETA, and most of those have probably worn a watch with an ETA movement, but few are likely aware of the Swiss movement maker’s long and convoluted history. We generally trace its origins back to the formation of the historical watchmaking firm Eterna, in 1856 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. But in reality its roots reach even deeper. Eterna is perhaps most famous today as the maker of the Kon-Tiki dive watch, and it is currently owned by the Hong Kong-based Citychamp Watch and Jewellery Group. Originally however, the firm was a manufacturer of ébauches - unassembled movements for sale to outside watchmakers - and was named “Dr. Girard & Schild” for its founders, Dr. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild. Renamed Schild Frères by the next generation of owners, the compan...
Worn & Wound
Is it too late to dub the summer of 2025 “Black Watch Summer”? That might be how I remember this particular season. The watch I’ve worn most, by far, as the temps have soared is my Ming 37.09 “Uni,” a blacked out void of a watch if ever there was one. And a few weeks ago at Windup I purchased my first vintage watch in ages, a DLC coated Favre-Leuba chronograph that I couldn’t pass on. And now, as we’re fully in the dog days, I sit here with the new Aera Instruments M-1 Blackbird on my wrist, another cool, sleek, blacked out watch that bolsters the notion that Aera is one of the most interesting accessible indies of the moment. I reviewed Aera’s D-1 dive watch a few years ago, and the tone of that review was one of pleasant surprise. At the time, the brand was in the midst of launching their second collection, and from the photos and press materials I had seen, I was struggling to make sense of why this brand needed to exist. That might seem like a harsh standard, but we live in a period where it’s incredibly easy to churn out incredibly generic sports watches for minimal money and talent that absolutely no one needs. The whole point of this website, as I see it, is to find the stuff that has a real reason to be made because it offers something different. So I was surprised to find that the D-1 subverted my expectations by flipping the idea of a dive watch on its head. It kind of looks like a generic dive watch at a glance, but every single detail is act...
Worn & Wound
It tends to be a big deal when a watchmaker unveils their first “in-house” movement, a pivotal milestone that often marks a step into the upmarket. For Italian brand Venezianico, tapping into the expertise of Fausto Berizzi, the technical director of OISA, was the key to their first proprietary mechanical caliber, designed, registered, and built entirely in Italy. The result is the Redentore Utopia, and its beating heart: the V5000 Caliber mechanical movement. In a break from convention, the Redentore Utopia is more of a stage for the V5000 Caliber movement-a catalyst for the Venezianico brand and its future momentum. Still, Venezianico matches the enthusiasm of the movement with a visually-gripping timepiece that certainly doesn’t signal its status as simply a vessel for the brand’s technical growth. Wearing a 316L stainless steel case that measures at 38mm in diameter and 8.9mm in thickness, the Utopia is firmly a dress watch. The deep blue dial is constructed via ion plating and features a dazzling, hand-engraved guilloché pattern, designed exclusively for the Utopia on a rose engine lathe by master artisan Riccarfo Renzetti. The result is a radial motif that gives the appearance of being in constant motion, with light glancing off each angle as the watch is shifted on the wrist. On the dial, baton-style, hand-applied indices line the circumference, and faceted alpha hands match the stainless steel case’s polished finish. The sole text detail on the dia...
Fratello
Manufacturers of ebauche watch movements have a major impact on the watch industry. They might not be the sexiest of companies, but their decisions directly determine what new watches we can expect to see from brands. When Miyota recently announced a flyer GMT caliber (Caliber 9075), we soon saw a flurry of new affordable flyer […] Visit Caliber Cravings: New Ebauche Watch Movements We Would Like To See to read the full article.
We think AP's new caliber is such a big deal, we drafted in some big guns to go deeper with it.
Worn & Wound
2022: the Kodo constant force tourbillon. 2023: the Tentagraph hi-beat mechanical chronograph. 2024: the 9SA4 manual wound, hi-beat, dual-impulse escapement caliber, and Kodo Daybreak. It’s easy to forget that Grand Seiko has brought the proverbial heat to Watches & Wonders every year since the fair started, unveiling something that one could call “revolutionary” for the brand, if on varying scales. Well, it’s looking like 2025 will continue the trend with the introduction of Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2, the first caliber with U.F.A., or Ultra Fine Accuracy, designation. Before proceeding, there are two important concepts to understand: Spring Drive and Grand Seiko’s history with acronyms (which, if you know, feel free to jump two paragraphs ahead). Starting with the former, the elevator pitch, which I will take from our article dedicated to the topic is “Spring Drive combines the best of mechanical watchmaking and the best of quartz timekeeping to create a state-of-the-art caliber that lacks the weaknesses inherent to both of these movements.” A bit deeper, Spring Drive movements use the energy stored in a traditional mainspring to drive their proprietary “Tri-synchro” regulator, which replaces the classic lever escapement. It consists of a glide wheel, the rate of which is controlled by an electromagnetic brake, and is essentially regulated by an integrated circuit with a quartz oscillator. The result is a mechanical movement with quartz-like accuracy and...
Fratello
Last week, Horage introduced the DecaFlux with its latest in-house movement, the K3. This is a silicon-equipped caliber designed to offer modern watchmaking technology to a broader audience. As an independent Swiss brand, Horage has continually pursued innovation in mechanical watchmaking, challenging conventions and embracing new materials. The K3 represents the latest chapter in this […] Visit Introducing: The New Horage K3 Automatic Caliber to read the full article.
Fratello
Miyota is synonymous with high-quality, affordable mechanical movements. Collectors of independent and microbrand watches know the name well. This year is special for the brand because it marks the 50th anniversary of the popular Caliber 82 series. To celebrate this automatic movement’s success, let’s examine its core elements. In a world where small, creative watch […] Visit Miyota Celebrates 50 Years Of The Caliber 82 Series to read the full article.
Fratello
If 100 people were asked about the first words that come to mind when “Audemars Piguet” is spoken, I wager that almost all would respond with “Royal Oak.” That signals how popular Gérald Genta’s groundbreaking 1972 design has become. However, before this and even after the Royal Oak was released, Audemars offered a very different […] Visit In-Depth: The Audemars Piguet 5043BC “Ultra-Thin” And Caliber 2003 to read the full article.
Fratello
In 2019, Omega introduced the hand-wound caliber 3861 in both Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary editions. Then, in 2020, the brand used it as the movement for the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award edition with an automaton on the case back. One year later, Omega introduced an update of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, featuring a […] Visit The February 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Caliber 3861 to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
Konstantin Chaykin has designed, developed, and manufactured his own automatic movement, caliber K.33.3, which features a tungsten micro-rotor. The movement makes its debut in the unique piece Zebra Wristmon.
SJX Watches
Citizen launched its flagship mechanical watch, the Caliber 0200, two years ago. Despite being better known for high-end quartz watches – including the most accurate ever – the Japanese watchmaker managed an impressively executed three-handed sports watch, with an equally outstanding new movement. Now the model finally receives a mechanical upgrade with the Caliber 0210, which incorporates a date along with subtle improvements to the external design, while retaining the excellent case and bracelet that define the model. Initial thoughts The Caliber 0210 indicates the brand’s interest in further developing this excellent model – encouraging for fans of the model like myself. Despite the Caliber 0210 looking much like its predecessor, it is actually a substantially different watch in tangible terms. Ordinarily the addition of a date would be a no-no for a purist enthusiast, but here the date is integrated well in terms of dial proportions and (re)design. The appealing attributes of the Caliber 0200, and now the Caliber 0210, clearly mark the two out as watches conceived for a niche audience, namely enthusiasts who appreciate quality – and are able to distinguish this from the competition (Grand Seiko to state the obvious). However, this target audience often prefers the purity of a three-hand watch without a date. At the same time, this audience comprehends the substantive upgrades in the Caliber 0210 beyond the date – amongst them the improved case constructi...
Worn & Wound
Seiko introduced a new caliber back in March via their Prospex GMT Diver collection, adding caller GMT functionality into the brand’s well understood contemporary dive watch platform. Those watches have generated quite a bit of chatter in the watch community, with many singing their praises with respect to overall fit, finish, and wearability, and others wishing for a more functional flyer GMT complication. While the dust might still be settling, Seiko marches on, with the latest crop of watches to feature their still new 6R54 GMT movement. This time, Seiko brings the movement to the Alpinist family, which seems like a natural place for a GMT equipped watch to land. It takes what has always been cast as an explorer’s watch (with its signature compass bezel) and gives it a modern, practical, mechanical complication for a different kind of exploration. I’ve always been a pretty big fan of the Alpinist for many of the reasons Blake identifies in his Missed Review. There’s something charmingly anachronistic about wearing a watch designed with such an old fashioned aesthetic (those cathedral hands, especially) but built to modern sports watch standards. With a GMT complication added, the Alpinist retains a lot (maybe all) of that old fashioned charm, just slightly tweaked. The Explorer-style steel 24 hour bezel gives these watches a clean and sporty look, and we still get the trademark handset and those big numerals (just at the cardinal positions here, rather than ev...
Quill & Pad
The Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6007A marked a physical and spiritual shift for the brand and may be one of the most un-Calatrava Calatravas of recent memory. Joshua Munchow takes a look at what made this model an outlier and also why it simultaneously didn't come from left field.
SJX Watches
Cartier’s best known watches are often symmetrical and formal, think Tank or Santos, but also animal inspired, most notably the Panthère. But its latest suite of ladies’ watches is unconventional in its mix of forms and finishes. Inspired by the jewellery collection of the same name, the Clash [Un]limited is edgy, modern, and different from the brand’s usual offerings. Initial thoughts While I can’t profess to be an expert in ladies’ watches, the Clash is both an interesting and appealing design to my eye. It is an intriguing mix of design elements that might seem ill-matched on their face but somehow work well together. So the dial and facetted crystal are obvious retro, but they go well with the studs and balls of the bracelet; the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. At the same time, the edgy styling of the Clash doesn’t feel like Cartier, which has a predominantly classical or Art Deco house style. In fact, the Clash seems like something from a brand more associated with streetwear, like Louis Vuitton for instance. That said, the colourful variant of the Clash does evoke Cartier’s signature Tutti Fruitti jewellery. Chic yet eccentric Launched in 2019, Clash de Cartier was perhaps Cartier’s first collection of jewellery with a distinct streetwear aesthetic, one heavy on studs and spikes. According to Cartier, however, Clash took inspiration from the work of Jeanne Toussaint (1887-1976), the brand’s longtime artistic director who favoured...
Deployant
Méraud Watch Co. presents the Antigua, a gorgeous manual chronograph watch with NOS Landeron 248 caliber movements, in a maritime motif.
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