501 articles · 7 videos found · page 5 of 17
Hodinkee
Industry veteran Georges Kern reveals how Breitling has won market share and what new brands Universal Geneve and Gallet will add to the portfolio.
Fratello
During Dubai Watch Week, I sat down with Georges Kern to discuss his House of Brands group, which consists of Gallet, Breitling, and Universal Genève. His work on adding Gallet and Universal Genève to his portfolio has not gone under the radar. In recent times, we noticed a lot of speculation, rumors, previews, and advisory-board […] Visit “Collectors Are Helping Me Avoid Mistakes” - A Talk With Georges Kern On The House Of Brands to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Longines Legend Diver, introduced in the mid-aughts but tracing its origins all the way back to the embryonic era of modern dive watches in the 1950s and ‘60s, is the epitome of retro-vintage cool for many lovers of sport watches. Here’s how the watch, and its hallmark and still-rare Super Compressor case design, found a successful niche, and an avid audience, in the 21st century. 1959: The Inspiration As with many now-common watchmaking innovations, Longines was one of the pioneers in waterproofing timepieces, making its first water-resistant case as early as 1937, and introducing its first wristwatches purpose-built for recreational diving in the late 1950s. Unlike many of its predecessors and contemporaries in that fertile era of iconic dive watches - like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner (both 1953), and Omega Seamaster Professional (1957) - Longines’s Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042, launched in 1959 and the most direct ancestor of today’s Legend Diver - did not employ the now-ubiquitous, external, unidirectional rotating bezel for its dive scale. Instead, the watch was designed in the so-called compressor style, also used by brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Enicar, and Universal Genève, whose case design included an inner dive-scale ring, positioned on the dial’s flange and mounted under the crystal, which rotated in both directions, operated by an additional crown at 4 o’clock. The “Super” in Longines’ “Super Compressor”...
Worn & Wound
After several weeks of speculation, Breitling has made an official announcement that they have acquired Gallett, the Swiss watchmaker that traces its roots back to 1826. The news was first reported by Tony Traina and a small handful of other outlets back in February, but this is the first time Breitling has acknowledged the deal in a public way. Breitling had previously announced their acquisition of Universal Genéve in 2023, a move that immediately led many to wonder of Georges Kern, Breitling’s CEO, might be looking to make additional expansions to bolster his business. Now, with the Gallett acquisition, his plans and those of the Partners Group (the investment firm which has had a stake in Breitling since 2017) appear to be coming into focus. “This acquisition is a natural next step in Breitling’s expansion,” Kern said in a statement. “We are reviving Gallett under the umbrella of Breitling’s expertise and craftsmanship. Our vision is long-term – reviving Gallett as a strong brand in watchmaking, while honoring its legacy and innovation in chronographs.” Unlike watches in the upcoming Universal Genéve collection, it is expected that Gallett will be sold alongside Breitling in the brand’s boutiques and, presumably, other authorized channels. This will provide potential Breitling customers with a lower priced option and is something of a tacit admission that the asking price of a new Breitling has crept up to a level that some new customers might...
SJX Watches
One of the badly kept secrets in Swiss watchmaking has just come true: Breitling has acquired Gallet. Backed by Swiss private equity firm Partners Group, Breitling has been slowly building itself into a group of brands. The Gallet acquisition comes a little over a year after Breitling took over Universal Genève. According to Breitling chief executive Georges Kern speaking to Fratello Watches, Gallet will be positioned in the sub-CHF3,000 range, topping out at CHF5,000. This puts its squarely in the segment of established brands like Tudor and Longines, which enjoy unparalleled economies of scale, as well as online-only micro brands that lack the overhead of established brands. The rationale of acquiring Gallet is clear. As Mr Kern mentions in his Fratello interview, it gives Breitling a stronger position vis a vis third-party retailers since the brand can now offer products across the price spectrum, with Universal Genève at the very top. This is particularly relevant as many brands owned by luxury groups like Richemont continue to withdraw from third-party retailers. Another factor that is left unsaid in the interview is the enlarged group presumably improves the odds of an exit for Breitling’s private-equity backers. Partners Group bought a majority stake in Breitling at end 2022 from CVC Capital, another private equity firm that bought Breitling in 2017. According to news reports at the time, CVC divested part of its Breitling stake at over five times the 2017 valua...
Fratello
Following Breitling’s acquisition of the renowned Universal Genève brand, the Grenchen-based watchmaker has done it again with another iconic name in chronographs - Gallet. With Gallet, Breitling, and Universal Genève, the group will cover a wide range, from entry-level luxury to the high-end segment and everything in between. Gallet’s heritage In a separate article, Fratello […] Visit Breaking News: Breitling Acquires Another Historic Watch Brand! It’s Gallet! to read the full article.
Monochrome
Today, there is only one Reverso, with Jaeger-LeCoultre printed on its dial, but this was not always the case. During the 1930s, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Cartier made watches that used the Reverso case for their timepieces. Moreover, the 1931 Reverso was not the first reversible case design. A few years earlier, Universal Geneve […]
Worn & Wound
My original idea when I was asked to contribute to this series was to focus on my favorite watch acquisitions of the year, explain why they’re noteworthy, and describe my thought process behind purchasing or trading for each. While I was writing about my Universal Geneve Ref. 842116 Tank and Seiko 6139-6002 Pogue, I couldn’t help but notice how far my collection has come over the last year or so. Since the purchase of my first wristwatch in 2012, it’s always been my goal to cultivate watch boxes filled with both timeless classics and rare oddities. Looking at my collection as this year concludes, I’m proud to say I’ve never changed this philosophy. It was with this realization that my plans for this article began to transform into a conversation about watch collecting identity. While 2024 has been quite the successful year for my collection and I, it’s also the year that I went from being an affordable watch collector to being …an affordable watch collector. You see, the watch collecting hobby is filled with subjective terminology. Words and phrases like “rare,” “new old stock,” “like-new old stock,” “budget-friendly,” and of course “affordable” frequently see usage on online auction platforms, social media, forums, and advertisements. While these are often used as buzzwords for sellers wanting their post to be boosted in search algorithms or by collectors wanting to flaunt their new purchase, I’ve always been fascinated by how pliable...
Worn & Wound
“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing info@wornandwound.com. The Return of the Universal Geneve Polerouter Things are stirring at Universal Geneve. Just a few weeks ago in this very column, we brought you news of the reformed brand’s exhaustive new website, which features a ton of info on UG’s history, and seems purpose built to be a home for the new collections when they arrive sometime in the next year or so, give or take. This week, another new development: the introduction of three apparent one-off versions of the classic Polerouter. As reported in Revolution and elsewhere, the release marks the 70th anniversary of the first SAS polar flight (for which the collection is named) and features a trio of meticulously recreated Polerouters. Unfortunately, these are not meant for the public at large – a stainless steel version with gilt accents and a gorgeous red gold edition with a black dial are both going straight to the UG archives. A white gold version with a blue dial and matching white gold bracelet is set to be auctioned next year at Phillips, with proceeds going toward Geneva’s CFP Arts school, which focuses on teaching students ...
Worn & Wound
Lorier surprised us at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago last week with a new release dubbed the Rambler, a collaboration with Indiana based Janus Motorcycles. For Lorier to collaborate with a motorcycle brand might not make much sense at first, but stepping back, the two brands are very much in sync. Both have a trade in classic aesthetics rooted in mid century styles, and both brands prize simplicity in design. Most of all, Janus and Lorier both place a high value on actually getting out and using their products authentically. The experiences tied to riding or the types of sporting activities you might undertake while wearing a Lorier are core to each brand, and the Rambler evokes and invites those experiences in the same way that the brand’s prior watches have been successful in doing so. The Rambler is built on the same 36mm case that will be familiar to owners of the Astra and the Falcon. Like those watches (especially the Falcon) the Rambler is inspired by the classic field watch. Something Lorier does in their marketing materials that I always appreciate is draw direct parallels to specific watches that provided inspiration in the design process, and for the Rambler they’ve cited classic field and pilot’s watches like the Rolex Oyster Imperial, Universal Geneve 20504, and the Omega 6B/159. More importantly than the specific references though, Lorier ties the Rambler to motorcycle culture through the people who would have worn those watches. These are the war ...
Monochrome
Gerald Genta is surely mostly known for his work with Audemars Piguet (1972, Royal Oak), Patek Philippe (Nautilus, 1976) or his own bold and original creations. There is, however, much more to the man than just these two icons of the luxury sports watch category (think Universal Geneve Polerouter, Omega Constellation or Rolex King Midas). […]
Worn & Wound
Not everyone loves a nice integrated bracelet watch in their collection, and there’s a few reasonable reasons why that may be. For one, you’re going to be stuck with the same bracelet for the rest of the watch’s natural life unless there’s an OEM leather or rubber equivalent offered by the brand (or perhaps on the aftermarket). Secondly, the integrated bracelet look can be somewhat of an acquired taste, not everyone is into that – and depending on the model the watch can appear dated, reminiscent of those oval cased watches of the past like the Universal Geneve Ultra-Slim Shadow on the Milanese bracelet. But, for those of us who have caught the integrated bug, there’s no telling the depths we will explore in order to find that perfect integrated bracelet watch. This is a segment that will require a little more patience and finesse to discover. Once you buy the watch you have your sights set on, you can’t change much about the look afterwards, and the saying buy once, cry once really fits this category here. Santos De Cartier Starting the list off with an absolute classic, and if you want to start here – and end here, I’d have a hard time disagreeing with you. The Santos De Cartier is an absolute icon in the watch world, dating all the way back to 1904 when it was designed by Louis Cartier for the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Its roots are deeply ingrained in the evolution of aviation and it retains the title of the world’s first pilot wa...
Worn & Wound
Last year, Heinrich introduced an eye-catching dial in an all new case. Each of Heinrich’s watches up to this point have been described as vintage inspired with strong 70s vibes.The Helicoprion “Buzzsaw” is no different, with the dial taking fairly direct inspiration from Universal Genève’s Unisonic “Buzzsaw” tuning fork watch from the late 1960s and ‘70s. Whether we will see a reincarnation of this design from Universal Genève under Breitling’s stewardship remains to be seen, but if you are crying out for a funky dial design at an affordable price, this could be the watch for you. The Helicoprion name comes from an extinct genus of shark-like fish, which had a spiral of teeth in its lower jaw – the teeth increasing in size as it spiraled outwards. This creature, along with Heinrich’s latest watch, has also been dubbed the “Buzzsaw” due to the similar circular tooth configuration seen on the blade of a circular saw. While the Universal Genève reference also saw each tooth shifting to a darker or lighter shade as they increased in size, the Heinrich Helicoprion dial markings are presented in a single color as the teeth grow between each hour (or five minute) index. $558 Hands-On: the Heinrich Helicoprion “Buzzsaw” Case Stainless steel Movement Miyota 9015 or Sellita SW200 Dial Various Lume Yes Lens Sapphire Strap Beads of rice bracelet Water Resistance 200 meters Dimensions 40 x 47.8mm Thickness 13.5mm Lug Width 20mm Crown screw down Warranty ...
It’s here, the last episode of the year. A Week in Watches episode 70 – wow. Though the year is coming to a close, there still is some news – big news actually – to discuss, so it’s a pretty full episode. We kick it off with some upgrades from Grand Seiko to one of their core designs. From there, we head to the UK to check out a couple of late-in-the-year releases from Farer. Then, it’s over to Switzerland to discuss Breitling’s acquisition of Universal Genève. Finally, we’re back to Japan for some new, and very cool, GMTs from Seiko 5. This week’s episode was brought to you by the Windup Watch Shop. Head over to Windupwatchshop.com and be sure to check out the recently launched Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72 and Datomaster VK63 Version 2s, as well straps, EDC, clocks, and more watches. The post A Week in Watches Ep. 70 – Seiko 5’s new GMT and More! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Worn & Wound
As a self-proclaimed watch guy, I’ve developed a natural habit for watch spotting in the wild. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the midst of a routine trip to my local cafe or seated in my designated row as I observe the rest of the passengers board the plane. It’s also not limited to being out and about, as I’ve been known in my household to occasionally pause a movie if I spot something interesting on a character’s wrist. Needless to say, my watch-radar is always on. There are a few things that actually set this “radar” off. But for the most part, it’s design recognition. You know what you’re looking at, even when you just catch a glimpse of the watch from across the room. All the classic models and references have this going for them. A couple months back however, I must admit, I was stumped. A gentleman strolled into our Worn & Wound office and was looking to chat with someone from our editorial team. He walked into our headquarters, so surely he should have a watch on, right? So mid-conversation, I glanced over when the opportunity presented itself, and just visible outside of a denim shirt cuff, layered with a stone gray tweed overcoat, was a watch that I thought I recognized.But the more I looked, the more I got confused … and intrigued. “Definitely vintage,” I thought. But was it an IWC? A Universal Geneve? It was none of the above – it was actually something totally new. Turns out the gentleman visiting that day was Jesse Marchant, a New Yor...
SJX Watches
Massena Lab is a design studio that got its start collaborating with independent watchmakers on limited edition timepieces. But the firm more recently unveiled watches under its own label, starting with last year’s Uni-Racer, a chronograph modelled on the mid-20th century Universal Genève “Big Eye” chronograph. Founded by William Rohr, best known for being the former manager of the Timezone.com watch forum, Massena Lab follows up with the Uni-Racer Holiday Collection, a trio of chronographs time clad in funky colours with a retro bent that bring to mind watches of the 1970s. Initial thoughts Vintage remakes have been trendy for several years now, and the sheer number of them mean they are often hit-or-miss. It’s rare for a remake to get the details right – especially since the case and movement are modern – something that takes a keen eye to decide what to copy and what to tweak. Mr Rohr’s creations often get the details right – the two-tone sector dial jumping seconds and gilt dial chronograph are cases in point – reflecting his decades of watch collecting. And importantly they are fairly priced. But the Uni-Racer Chronograph stands out from Massena Lab’s portfolio to date. Not only was it the first watch to bear the Massena Lab brand, but it was a near-exact copy of the vintage original – which split opinions and elicited lots of vocal critiques on social media. Uni-Racer “Rally” Still, for anyone who appreciates old-school design, ...
SJX Watches
Having gotten its start by collaborating with independent watchmakers like Habring2, Massena Lab has just unveiled the first watch of its own brand, the Uni-Racer. A vintage-style wristwatch modelled on the Universal Genève Uni-Compax “Big Eye” chronograph of the 1960s, the Uni-Racer features several details that will appeal to enthusiasts, while having an affordable price tag of just under US$3,500. Initial thoughts Like all other remakes of vintage watches, the Uni-Racer reproduces the look of its vintage inspiration, while enlarging everything – the case is 39 mm compared to 37 mm for the original – to suit modern tastes. But unlike most other remakes, the Uni-Racer attends to the details that only a keen-eyed collector would appreciate, which is hardly a surprise since Massena Lab founder William Rohr is a longtime watch collector himself (and probably best known as the former general manager of watch forum Timezone.com). Features like the hand-wind movement and vintage-style buckle indicate the attention to detail in its conception. But there are also the less obvious elements, like the tiny, engraved logo on the crystal and the Massena Lab emblem that resembles an inverted Universal Genève logo. In fact, Massena Lab says it “interviewed former Universal Genève employees and suppliers to confirm original details and aesthetics”. The achievement of the Uni-Racer is not a novel design, but the careful curation of details that give the watch an authentic...
Fratello
I had to drive from Amsterdam to Brussels in 2015 to see the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time with deadbeat seconds in the metal. It was worth it. Both the three-handed Geophysic True Second and Universal Time impressed me a lot, especially the travel watch with a world-map dial and a practical complication. Upon learning […] Visit Why I Bought The Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time to read the full article.
Fratello
Artisans de Genève is not the only company creating personal interpretations of grail watches from Rolex and Patek. Still, I feel that ADG deeply respects the clients’ base models while meticulously improving details. Adding interest and bespoke detailing to an already accomplished design is a delicate subject, but to me, Artisans de Genève is on […] Visit Introducing The Cyano - Artisans De Genève’s First Personalized Audemars Piguet Watch to read the full article.
Time+Tide
As far as boss complications go, the world timer is pretty up there. Not only is it technically impressive, it’s also visually arresting: the city ring and typically colourful layout make walking around with one of these on your wrist the watch equivalent of playing Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World (Girls)’ wherever you go. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geophysic … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Top of the world – the epic, awesome Jaeger-LeCoultre Tourbillon Geophysic Universal Time appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
Hands-on, detailed analytical review of the Czapek Genéve Place Vendôme Tourbillon GMT, with high resolution photographs, specifications and price.
Deployant
Full hands-on in-depth review of the Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic Tourbillon Universal Time with high resolution photographs and analytical notes.
Deployant
Review of the JLC Geophysic Universal Time with live photographs, specs, price and hands-on commentary.
Deployant
Special edition of Watchscapes to help you with the exact hue of the "salmon" dials of the new Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie Chronograph, Salmon Series.
Deployant
Full hands-on review of the Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie - a chronograph in three version of dial colours and materials. With live images and hands-on video!
Worn & Wound
eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Omega Geneve Dynamic Starting this week off with a really neat 1960’s vintage Omega Geneve Dynamic. I mean, does it get any retro-cooler than this oval stunner with the blue bullseye dial?? The unique oval steel case is in excellent condition with the original radial brushed finish still intact. The dial is what makes this one stand out though, with the silver base and bold blue ring and black/white thin hash lines. Really a wild look. This example looks all-original, including the original leather rally strap with Omega signed buckle! Seller states the watch runs well, but no movement picture. View auction here. Mido Multifort Next up we have this beautiful little Mido Multifort Super Automatic military style piece. The steel case looks good, and it has a nice wide bezel. The seller doesn’t give the width of the case, but it’s definitely going to be on the smaller side. The black dial with luminous Arabic numeral hour markers is gorgeous, with a great patina’d look, and a classic sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The crown is the correct, original one, oversized and domed, unique to Mido. Seller states the watch runs, but again no movement picture. Really fun military style wa...
SJX Watches
FVF Genève founder Franc Vila has created a unique piece of his flagship tourbillon for a noted European collector of independent and complicated watches who goes by @thedeadwatchsociety on Instagram. The FVF1 Tourbillon “Seven Poets” is a romantic twist on the day complication that assigns a daily reading from one of seven historical poets. Initial thoughts Franc Vila is a man of many passions. His atelier in central Geneva is packed with art, and each piece has a story — I can’t think of anyone better to create a poetry-themed watch. Neither, it seems, could the lucky owner who commissioned the Seven Poets. The watch is fundamentally similar to the standard FVF1 C2 Tourbillon Superligero, with its 42.5 mm case, titanium monocoque construction, seven-sided day roller, and flying tourbillon architecture. Even in its basic configuration, the FVF1 is a distinctive offering that relaunched Mr Vila’s career after he parted ways with his eponymous brand. But the Seven Poets is anything but basic. Like the “Today” edition reviewed last year, the Seven Poets deviates from the norms of traditional watchmaking. Instead of indicating the day of the week, the day roller has been repurposed to feature the hand-engraved names of seven poets that are personally meaningful to the owner who commissioned the watch. I liked the conceptual, philosophical statement made by the “Today” edition, and the Seven Poets takes it one step further. This simple change to an indicat...
Fratello
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the stunning timepiece that Artisans de Genève personalized for Andre Agassi. It was great to see what the brand had come up with for the world-famous tennis star, as he is one of my childhood heroes. For its latest personalization effort, Artisans de Genève was contacted by Alexander […] Visit Artisans De Genève Reveals The Remarkable Personalized Kraft Signature to read the full article.
Fratello
Artisans de Genève is a name that many watch fans know for its bespoke approach to watchmaking. The company offers handcrafted timepiece customization services upon request from its customers. It has led to a string of unique, brilliant, customized watches. If you have ever seen one of the brand’s custom projects, you will know that […] Visit How Artisans De Genève Brings Personal Stories To The Wrist to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The Ardra Labs Delta Type addresses the sizeable minority that grapples with unusual time-zone offsets ignored by traditional GMT watches, doing so in a clever, practical, and visually distinct manner, in a well-rounded package. Initial thoughts Most of our lives follow standard time zones defined as full-hour offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) - the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), practically speaking. However, well over a billion people, from Newfoundland, Canada, to New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, march to a different beat. The Ardra Labs Delta Type, created by Indian-American Nava Krishnan - a cybersecurity professional living in Washington, DC, with family back in South India - aims to provide a solution for those ignored by conventional GMT watches. Louis Vuitton made an attempt towards the same end, though by very different means, with the recent Twin Zone. Timezones of the world. Image – CIA World Factbook India, the world’s most populous country since 2023, spans two of the 24 geographic time zones - GMT+5:00 and GMT+6:00 - however, rather than splitting into two, the country splits the difference, with the entire nation observing a single GMT+5:30 time zone. This is not entirely unique: China nominally operates on a single time zone rather than the five geographic ones it covers, though that is a full-hour offset. While Venezuela and North Korea have abandoned their partial-hour time-zone offsets in the last decade, the Indian governm...
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