582 articles · 10 videos found · page 5 of 20
Fratello
We have a huge soft spot for the classic Oris Big Crown Pointer Date here at Fratello. It is one of our favorites from the brand for several different reasons, not least of all because we collaborated with Oris on a Fratello limited edition of the “BCPD” in 2020. Over time, Oris has updated this […] Visit Oris Introduces The Stylish Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date has a prestigious history starting with the founding of the independent Swiss brand that makes it. Oris began making watches in 1904, when it was founded in Hölstein, Switzerland, by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, who named the company after a nearby brook. A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris has become a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-made watches, particularly sport-oriented models. Among the brand’s modern pillars are the dressy Big Crown Pointer Date and the more aviation-centric Big Crown ProPilot, which trace their existence all the way back to 1938. That year marked the launch of the first Oris watch dubbed “Big Crown,” named after its signature element, an oversized, fluted winding crown meant to be easy to grasp and to operate by a pilot wearing heavy gloves. The modern edition of the Big Crown ProPilot debuted in 2014 (example above), notably adding what is today one of its signature features: a knurled bezel that resembles a jet turbine. Oris has revamped, tweaked, and added complications to the original, ...
Time+Tide
A recent patent filing may have just revealed that a modern triple calendar Rolex watch is no longer a ridiculous pipe dream.The post New Rolex patent suggests the Crown may make a modern triple calendar watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Fall is hitting us hard here in the Netherlands this week. Temperatures are dropping, and so are the leaves. But autumn doesn’t have to be a season defined by rain and storms. In Canada, especially, the period from September to November can be quite enjoyable, with the sun hitting the multicolored leaves on the country’s […] Visit Hands-On: The New Oris × Cervo Volante Big Crown Pointer Date With An Indian Summer Dial to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Rolex "crown" logo is one of the most recognizable brand marks in the world, signifying the Swiss watchmaker's international renown for exclusivity, luxury, and prestige of ownership. It has been around longer than you probably realize, and, much in keeping with the ethos of Rolex, has seen very little change (although that's not to say it's been entirely unchanged) over its decades-long existence. Here's what you should know about Rolex's legendary corporate symbol and the role it continues to play in defining Rolex as a world leader in luxury watches. Origin of Rolex Brand Name Before the Rolex logo came the Rolex brand name. And unbeknownst to many enthusiasts these days, their favorite brand’s name has not always been Rolex. The original name, Wilsdorf & Davis, referenced the surnames of Hans Wilsdorf (above), a German entrepreneur schooled in the business of Swiss watchmaking, and his partner and brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, who founded the original company in London’s Hatton Garden commercial district in 1905. Wilsdorf was an early proponent of wristwatches, which in those days before World War I were still not as widely popular among gentlemen as pocket watches. The company assembled watches from cases and movements imported from Switzerland, where Wilsdorf had previously worked for a watch manufacturer and exporter, and exported them throughout the British Empire. Wilsdorf bought out Davis’s share of the company in 1919, right around the same time that...
Worn & Wound
We love great craft, thoughtful design, and products that only get better with time. That is why we are joining a small group of like-minded publishers to spotlight something special from the world of footwear and give one reader the chance to own it. The prize comes from Crown Northampton, a family-run English maker that treats a sneaker like a piece of fine shoemaking. If you appreciate purposeful materials, honest construction, and details you can feel every time you lace up, this one is for you. This giveaway is organized by our friends at Heddels, with Stitchdown, Shoegazing, Rose Anvil, and Worn & Wound as partners. Each of these outlets cares deeply about quality and heritage. Heddels covers well made clothing and goods. Stitchdown and Shoegazing focus on classic footwear and construction. Rose Anvil is known for testing and breaking down what makes products durable. We come from watches, where finishing, serviceability, and long life matter. Together, we are celebrating makers who hold the line on standards. Why these shoes, and why now. Crown Northampton’s Ernest Wholecut Sneaker brings bench-made methods to an everyday silhouette. The leather is the kind you rarely see on sneakers. The construction is slow, precise, and designed to age well. The result is a clean profile that pairs with everything, backed by the kind of build quality we admire in a great watch. It is a product you can wear hard, care for, and enjoy for years. Click here to enter the giveaway, a...
Monochrome
Oris has long defined itself as a maker of mechanical watches for “today’s world citizens”, with a clear commitment to function, value, robust engineering, supported by original looks. The new Big Crown Calibre 113 extends that philosophy by combining the brand’s historic pilot’s watch design with one of its most advanced hand-wound movements. Initially introduced […]
Time+Tide
Crowns on the left: cursed, cool or a concession for southpaws? Tom gets deep into destro watches.The post Destro watches – does crown position really matter? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
This year, it’s all about the Pointer Date for Oris. New for Watches & Wonders 2025, Oris has unveiled a selection of new references featuring what many would consider the brand’s iconic complication. According to Oris, some version of a watch with a pointer date complication has been in production for nearly 90 years, which is quite a significant chunk of time in the watch landscape. The pointer date currently finds its home in the Big Crown Pointer Date collection, part of the brand’s lineup of watches with an aviation influence. The oversized crown, of course, was meant to be usable by pilots wearing gloves in the cockpit, and everything about the dial, including the red tipped pointer date hand, has been designed with easy legibility in mind. The new pointer date watches in the collection stay pretty close to this tradition, but add new dial colors that are a bit less sober than what we typically think of when it comes to aviation inspired watch designs. First up, new versions of the Sellita powered Big Brown Pointer Date in a trio of vibrant colors: yellow, blue, and lilac. These watches are available in the traditional 40mm stainless steel case most often used for the Big Crown Pointer Date. They’re also available for the first time with a stainless steel, H-link bracelet with alternating brushed and polished finishing and a folding clasp. I think the addition of a bracelet changes up the look of these watches in a pretty major way, making them immediately ...
Worn & Wound
In recent days, much of the watch internet has been abuzz with the apparent news of a new Rolex collection with the somewhat hard to believe name of Land-Dweller. Leaked images of the Crown’s new watch began to emerge in the days leading up to this year’s Watches & Wonders, and, as you’d expect from the internet, debate ensued. The shots purported to capture a Datejust-adjacent design with sharper lines and, perhaps, an integrated bracelet. The official Rolex teaser for Watches & Wonders on Instagram seemed to confirm many of the details that had already been guessed, and then a very Daniel Craig at the Olympics style image of Roger Federer wearing the watch hit social media via the tennis star’s (and Rolex ambassador’s) Instagram account. It appeared to everyone at this point that the Land-Dweller was real – we only had to wait for the details. Rolex has made those details public as of today, with the announcement of the new Land-Dweller collection. This is much more, though, than Rolex jumping on the integrated bracelet sports watch bandwagon (although, it is that, at least a little bit). The Land-Dweller is also an important moment for Rolex as a movement maker, as it introduces their new, patented, direct impulse escapament which goes by the trade name Dynapulse. It uses dual silicon wheels and introduces us to Rolex caliber 7135. More on that caliber in a moment, but first, the broad strokes of the Land-Dweller collection. The new collection features a f...
Monochrome
Here we are. Watches and Wonders, the main event of the year for the watch industry and the watch community, has not opened its doors yet, but Rolex has already released its new models for 2025. And this is it, the big news is here… The Crown is introducing a brand-new collection – something that […]
Quill & Pad
Today, there are a great many wonderful wines fromSpain – especially regions like Rioja, Ribera and Priorat – but while Vega Sicilia has challengers, it still holds the crown. Ken Gargett takes a closer look (and tasting).
Revolution
Wei Koh examines how Steve McQueen’s magnificent wardrobe and wristwatches stole the show in classic 1968 heist film, The Thomas Crown Affair.
Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet's perpetual calendar saga continues with the Calibre 7138.The post Audemars Piguet introduces the Calibre 7138, a new perpetual calendar operated entirely by the crown appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Before Rolex chucks CFB in the bin, Zach has a proposal for the Crown...The post Rolex calls it quits on the Carl F. Bucherer brand, but I have a proposal for the Crown… appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
A quietly luxurious white gold case and bracelet, but a gauntlet-throwing gradient of rainbow gemstones.The post Zenith seeks to steal the rainbow crown with the new white gold Chronomaster Sport Rainbow appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
The crown is one of the most important yet underappreciated parts of a watch. The humble crown has played an extensive role in helping Rolex – and the rest of the watch industry – get to where it is today. Here's why.
Quill & Pad
The crown is one of the most important yet under appreciated parts of a watch. The humble crown has played an extensive role in helping Rolex – and the rest of the watch industry – get to where it is today. Here's why.
Time+Tide
A salmon dial, platinum case, and bi-retrograde complication of the Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is Vacheron Constantin's subtle take on the recent phenomenon.The post The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Retrograde Day-Date is vying for the stealth-wealth crown appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When you think of Rolex, you don’t exactly think of quirky or unusual watches. Nowadays, the massive brand is known for its simple, surgically measured designs. Only one model remains the odd one out. The Air-King is probably the quirkiest Rolex piece currently in production, along with the Milgauss. It is one of the oldest … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Air-King: A history of the Crown’s most divisive model appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
To kick off 2023, Oris officially revealed the Oris Big Crown Calibre 473-a watch showcasing the latest evolution of their in-house Caliber 400.
Time+Tide
Oris debut new in-house manually wound calibre 473 in the new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473. Despite being manually wound, it is 0.5mm THICKER than the previous automatic model due to new power reserve indicator on the movement. The release also heralds Oris’ first-ever butterfly clasp with fine adjustment mechanism. Introducing: The Oris Big Crown … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Oris debut new in-house manually wound movement with the Big Crown Calibre 473 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Founded in 2017, French brand Baltic quickly found success with its affordable, retro watches. The brand is now celebrating its fifth anniversary with a few commemorative editions in the pipeline, the first being the Aquascaphe Dual-Crown “5th Anniversary”, a retro “Super Compressor” style dive watch dressed up in streetwear colours of the 1990s, the decade during which the thirty-something founders of the brand grew up. Initial thoughts A micro-brand that got its start via crowdfunding, Baltic’s growth is a testament to its commercially-sensible products. Its watches are amongst the best propositions when it comes to retro watches. Baltic’s watches are all eminently affordable, with just enough details to give them a tiny bit more appeal than their prices would suggest. By the same token, the Dual-Crown is an appealing watch. Compact and affordable, the Dual-Crown was only available in muted colours to date. In fact, Baltic hasn’t launched a special edition of the model to date (and the brand does a lot of special editions), making the anniversary model unusual. The anniversary model continues where the original Dual-Crown left off, which is colour, or lack thereof. For anyone who liked the original but wanted something more lively, this is it. The anniversary Dual-Crown is only differs from the standard model in subtle ways, perhaps too subtle. As a result it does not have the strongly coherent aesthetic of Baltic’s other watches, which are clearly an...
Time+Tide
Oris has been on a bronze rampage over the past year, with attractive releases such as the limited edition Carl Brashear calibre 401 and “Fratelloris” Big Crown, as well as the standard production Cotton Candy collection of Sixty-Five divers. While the material has become less of a novelty move for manufacturers, I fully welcome the … ContinuedThe post Oris introduce their first ever Big Crown ProPilot Big Date in bronze appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Oristas out there eagerly anticipate the annual Oris Hölstein Edition, and the Big Crown is a beloved staple of the range. Recent additions have been strong with the new Caliber 400 making its Aquis debut, and the Big Crown cherry-candy delight of Fratello’s bronze-cased limited edition here. Despite the distinctive looks of the short-lugged … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The new Oris Hölstein Edition is a cool grey vision of a Big Crown future appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
In 2020/2021, the pre-owned landscape has experienced a seismic shift called consolidation, led by the acquisition of online vintage and pre-owned dealer Analog/Shift by Watches of Switzerland in late 2020 and more recently Hodinkee purchasing Crown & Caliber. Elizabeth Doerr converses with pre-owned watch specialist WatchBox's CEO Justin Reis for views on the Hodinkee takeover and the current pre-owned market.
Time+Tide
Will you fall for the understated charm of the Rolex Explorer II?The post HANDS ON: Is the Rolex Explorer II enough of a value proposition to be the Crown’s ultimate tool watch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Monarchists in Britain have endured a tough time of late. Just before coronavirus went literally viral, there was a right royal rumble as Prince Harry and Meghan quit the royal family. As if that wasn’t bad enough, 2021 now sees the royal family in danger of losing another of its crown jewels, the King George … ContinuedThe post Britain runs the risk of losing another of its crown jewels – King George’s Breguet pocket watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
There’s a strong argument that the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was the first real diver’s watch of its kind… and that’s because it was. It’s also true that the Rolex Submariner, which was also released in 1953, but after the Fathoms, did borrow some stylistic cues from the Blancpain. However, if any one watchmaker can claim … ContinuedThe post Dive watch fundamentals – Why Rolex still wears the crown of the deep appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
Three references capturing the Crown Chronograph’s design cues.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.