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Results for Vallée de Joux

23,032 articles · 2,483 videos found · page 508 of 851

The IWC Ingenieur 40, Now in Classic Blue SJX Watches
IWC Ingenieur 40 Now Dec 4, 2024

The IWC Ingenieur 40, Now in Classic Blue

IWC’s sports watch with an integrated bracelet, the Ingenieur Automatic 40, now gets a dial in dark blue, arguably the quintessential dial colour for such watches. Modelled on the Ingenieur SL designed by Gérald Genta’s in the 1970s, the modern day Ingenieur was released last year in several dial colours, including black and silver. The new model with a blue dial retains the exact same design, including a bezel secured by five functional screws, an integrated H-link bracelet, and a grid-patterned dial. Initial thoughts As a classic colour for such a watch, the blue dial was long expected. It’s arguably the most appealing Ingenieur, though the titanium model has an edge (at a much, much higher price). While it is hard to find fault in the execution of the Ingenieur, it was released somewhat late, as the fad for integrated bracelets already lost steam last year. This new addition is arriving even later, though the upside is it will be more easily available than before. The blue dial model is priced the same as the earlier versions, making it a little expensive considering the entry-level movement inside. Most sports watches with integrated bracelets in the same price segment rely on more sophisticated calibres. Textured blue The new version has specs identical to its siblings in the collection. The stainless steel case is 40 mm in diameter and 10.8 mm thick. Featuring brushed surfaces with polished bevels, the case has the 1970s Ingenieur elements of a circular bezel ...

First Look – The New Yema Wristmaster Slim CMM.20 Combines Micro-Rotor, Integrated Bracelet and Fair Price Monochrome
Yema Dec 4, 2024

First Look – The New Yema Wristmaster Slim CMM.20 Combines Micro-Rotor, Integrated Bracelet and Fair Price

While mostly known for its emblematic range of dive watches, known as the Superman (possibly the most famous French watch), Yema has recently worked hard to expand both its collections and, something truly interesting, its manufacturing capacities – with a strong commitment to bringing back French watchmaking, with in-house developed and assembled movements. One of […]

The Totally Unique Hublot MP-16 Arsham Droplet – A Pocket Watch, Pendant & Clock All In One WatchAdvice
Hublot MP-16 Arsham Droplet – Dec 4, 2024

The Totally Unique Hublot MP-16 Arsham Droplet – A Pocket Watch, Pendant & Clock All In One

This is a review with a difference. Why? Because it isn’t the typical watch you wear on the wrist, Hublot’s unique Arsham Droplet is a pocket watch, desk clock and wearable jewellery all in one! What We Love The totally unique shape It’s Hublot material science at its best! Its versatility as a three-in-one-piece What We Don’t You can’t wear it on your wrist It is not as practical in this day and age The crystal shape can distort the dial in places Overall Score: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability/Versatility: 8/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 The Arsham Droplet is typically Hublot, even though it doesn’t look like anything else Hublot has produced. Ever. That statement sounds like an oxymoron a little, but if you know Hublot, then you’ll know that they pride themselves on creating pieces that are like no other watch brands out there. Just take a look at their watch collaborations. Orlinski, Sang Bleu, and Murakami to name a few. Or their Manufacture Pieces, like the MP-05 LaFerrari, the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System, or MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Retrograde. These are all Hublot, and while all very different, all have that distinct Hublot style, embedded with Hublot DNA at their core. One of the main reasons these are all unique is Hublot gives create reign to their designers and collaborators, to infuse as much of them into the pieces as Hublot. To me, I love this. Rather than sticking a logo on an already existing watch with a ne...

Hands On: Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC275 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC275 Dec 4, 2024

Hands On: Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC275

Twenty-twenty four marks the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko’s 9R Spring Drive movement platform, an occasion the brand has chosen to mark with a range of anniversary editions including the Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary SBGC275. A large, richly detailed watch with a captivating dial, the SBGC275 is robust, interesting, and capable of nearly anything, short of fitting under a short cuff. Initial thoughts At first glance, the SBGC275 looks like just a Spring Drive chronograph with a red dial. But a closer look reveals a highly nuanced colour that changes from red to orange depending on the angle – the result of a proprietary dial coating technique. At 44.5 mm in diameter and nearly 17 mm thick, the SBGC275 is unapologetically big and bold. That said, the watch feels smaller than it is thanks to the use of titanium for the case and bracelet, and the unusually wide 23 mm lug width helps reduce the visual size. This latter dimension may limit the options for aftermarket straps, but since most owners will likely stick with the bracelet, this concern is largely academic. The watch is powered by an upgraded version of the familiar cal. 9R86 Spring Drive chronograph GMT movement, which made its debut in 2007. But eagle-eyed movement geeks will notice the SBGC275 is equipped with the fine-tuned cal. 9R96 first seen in 2017, which was also used in the Nissan GT-R 50th Anniversary edition. In many ways, the SBGC275 captures Grand Seiko’s strengths and weaknesses. The b...

Hands On: Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” with Cal. 3861 SJX Watches
Omega Speedmaster “First Omega Dec 4, 2024

Hands On: Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” with Cal. 3861

Omega revived the CK 2998-inspired Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” earlier in the year. More than just another remake, I am convinced the FOiS may just be the perfect Speedmaster, at least for me. The second-generation “First Omega in Space” (FOiS) sports details that will appeal to enthusiasts, including a blue-grey “soleil” dial and domed sapphire crystal that completes the vintage-inspired look. And it’s powered by the latest generation Moonwatch cal. 3861. Initial thoughts Despite being interested in watches since my sophomore year in high school, I can’t say that the Speedmaster was ever a go-to watch for me. I have had a couple of Speedies here and there, but the model was never the centre of my attention as a collector. I mostly felt the modern Speedmaster, in its many forms, is good, especially for the price point, but never perfect. Based on that experience, I didn’t expect much of the FOiS, thinking it be yet another reissue, which is why I hesitated when I got the call from the Omega boutique in Seoul. My opinion changed when I went to the boutique to try it on. I was surprised to see how appealing it looked on the wrist, especially compared to the first-generation FOiS that was too plain with a black dial that seemed flat. Others seem to share my opinion. The critical response to the new FOiS has been mostly positive, other than the familiar debate over the faux-aged lume, which some find excessive but I personally don’t mind. In fact, I ...

Casio Just Re-Released The Very First G-Shock Teddy Baldassarre
Casio Dec 3, 2024

Casio Just Re-Released The Very First G-Shock

Casio's G-Shock brand is celebrating a big birthday this year. And much like many industries, it is taking its 40th anniversary as a chance to look to the past, to get nostalgic, to wax digital. The thing is, while a brand like TAG Heuer can make a statement with the launch of the KITH F1 watches in near ‘80-faithful form, or even one like Timex can reissue the IronMan in a 1:1 configuration (JDM only; sorry, USA), Casio is in a bit of tough spot…for a good reason. I think of the G-Shock like the affordable, digital version of the Omega Speedmaster "Moonwatch," a watch whose design has been altered but, in many ways, has effectively been in uninterrupted production since the 1960s – and we love it for that reason. Similarly, through models like the modern DW-5600, Casio has been producing some manner of the original G-Shock since, um, the birth of G-Shock four decades ago. And again, we love that. I mean, people really love that. I even own a DW-5600 and I’m not what you might call a G-Shock guy, or a G-shocker, or whatever it is you call it (to be honest, people probably don’t call it anything). This has been a deeply circuitous route to saying that the brand has released a throwback G-Shock to celebrate its own birthday which is essentially a reissue of the very first G-Shock. And all of my preamble is to illustrate that, at first blush, you probably don’t notice anything massive here. But like any release worthy of watch nerdery, the devil is in the resin...

Introducing – The Roaring Tiger Version of the Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle Monochrome
Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle Following Dec 3, 2024

Introducing – The Roaring Tiger Version of the Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle

Following the trail set by the Desert and Glacier editions, Zenith sends its Defy Extreme into the jungle to complete its trilogy of hostile environment-inspired models. The boldest, most robust and technical-looking model in the brand’s collection roars loudly with tiger stripes and lush green jungle accents. Zenith’s Defy Extreme collection, released in 2021, is the […]

First Look – Hanhart Brings Back the 415 ES Chronograph (incl. Video Review) Monochrome
Dec 3, 2024

First Look – Hanhart Brings Back the 415 ES Chronograph (incl. Video Review)

German watchmaking brand Hanhart has etched a commendable place in watchmaking history for itself, primarily through its very good stopwatches and chronograph watches. While most attention goes to the 417 ES, the vintage-inspired pilot’s chronograph with its red-marked fluted bezel, red pusher and bicompax dial layout, there’s plenty more to the brand than just that. […]

Book Review: ‘Time on My Hands’, a Watch Collector’s Memoir by Mitch Katz SJX Watches
MB&F; Dec 3, 2024

Book Review: ‘Time on My Hands’, a Watch Collector’s Memoir by Mitch Katz

Time on My Hands: A Collector’s Journey in a World of Watches. By Mitch Katz. Tasfil Publishing. US$24.99 in paperback, US$10.89 for e-book Thanks to the growing popularity of watch collecting, there is no shortage of books one can find about watches. Even mainstream bookstores often have a few in stock, while specialty bookstores across the world, from Powell’s in Portland, Oregon to Tsutaya in Daikanyama, Tokyo, have entire sections devoted to watch books. But the watch publishing industry is dominated by brand books, like MB&F;: The First Fifteen Years, that celebrate a particular brand or model. Perhaps because watch collecting is still a nascent hobby, there have not been many (if any) memoirs written about watch collecting. And while Time on My Hands by Mitch Katz is highly educational at times, it succeeds most as a personal story about one man’s long journey down the rabbit hole of watch collecting. Initial thoughts As hard as it is to find a book written by a fellow collector, it’s rarer still to find one that recounts events that formed the basis of one’s own watch education. I first became aware of Mr Katz in 2008 when I joined the Purists forum, which is also where I became acquainted with SJX. When I was at university, the forum served as my nightly reading, and the wisdom I gained reading Mr Katz’s posts, and those of fellow Purists, helped me get up to speed on the many nuances of the watch industry. In Time on My Hands, Mr Katz shares the ups and...

Finding A New Fallback Watch Worn & Wound
Dec 2, 2024

Finding A New Fallback Watch

My favorite thing about the watch world is the people. Far and away, my experience of watch enthusiasm has been - if you avoid anonymous comments sections - one of kindness, warmth, and, above all, generosity. This is a world in which people routinely hand you the watches off their wrists, and are always willing to offer up information, experience, and advice. So in that context, it was shocking, but not surprising, when our illustrious CEO, Blake Malin, offered me his own Lorier Hydra Zulu for an extended trial period. The Lorier Hydra Zulu, which was introduced around Windup NYC last year, has been on my radar since its release. To be frank, the only reason I don’t own this watch yet is that it’s been pretty hard to find one. With the infrequent drops selling out quickly and a real dearth of availability on the second-hand market, my only choice has been to wait for Lauren and Lorenzo Ortega to restock. Thankfully, Blake’s intervention means I’ve had an excellent chance to experience the watch and to see if the Hydra Zulu has what it takes to fill in as my new ‘fallback watch.’ I’ve always resisted the term ‘beater watch.’ While I understand the sentiment behind the phrase, I’ve never liked the connotation. After all, one person’s beater can easily be another’s grail (again, a phrase I’m not a fan of), and, while most use the term entirely innocuously, ‘beater watch’ has always struck me as somewhat… dismissive, if not downright condes...

Auction: Citizen 100th Anniversary Pocket Watch No. 001 for Charity SJX Watches
Citizen 100th Anniversary Pocket Watch Dec 2, 2024

Auction: Citizen 100th Anniversary Pocket Watch No. 001 for Charity

Soon to go on the block at Sotheby’s upcoming New York sale is the very first Citizen 100th Anniversary Special Limited Edition Pocket Watch, numbered “001/100” on the case back. The penultimate lot in the sale that will take place on December 6, the pocket watch is being sold to benefit 1% for the Planet, the environmental charity whose founders include the entrepreneur who established outdoor clothing brand Patagonia. Included with the pocket watch is a special edition copy of Citizen: The Essence of Time, a book that details the brand’s history over the past century. The book is numbered “001/100” to match the watch. The cal. 0270 Launched earlier this year to mark the centennial of Citizen’s first-ever watch, the anniversary pocket watch was inspired by the original 1924 timepiece. Though it has a vintage-inspired aesthetic, the pocket watch is entirely modern in construction and materials. The delicately textured dial is made via electrodeposition, while the case is polished titanium. More notably, the case houses the in-house cal. 0270, a newly developed manual-wind movement with a sophisticated construction that includes a free-sprung balance. After the automatic cal. 0200, this is the second mechanical movement unveiled by Citizen, continuing its progress in developing a stable of high-end in-house calibres. (We reviewed the pocket watch in detail last month.) Estimated to sell for around US$10,000-15,000, the pocket watch “001/100” will be sold a...

Striking In Different Ways: Minute Repeaters From Jaeger-LeCoultre And Parmigiani Fleurier Plus A Banging Pink-Dialed Bremont Fratello
Parmigiani Fleurier Plus Dec 2, 2024

Striking In Different Ways: Minute Repeaters From Jaeger-LeCoultre And Parmigiani Fleurier Plus A Banging Pink-Dialed Bremont

Watches can be striking in different ways. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Mechanica Calibre 362 and the Parmigiani Fleurier L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse are striking watches that sound the time on demand. The Bremont Terra Nova 38 “Pink” is a field watch that steps out of its comfort zone with an unexpected, striking pink dial. You’ve seen […] Visit Striking In Different Ways: Minute Repeaters From Jaeger-LeCoultre And Parmigiani Fleurier Plus A Banging Pink-Dialed Bremont to read the full article.

Up Close: Aigaki Debuts with the Direct-Impulse Tourbillon SJX Watches
Dec 2, 2024

Up Close: Aigaki Debuts with the Direct-Impulse Tourbillon

Founded by a Japanese transplant to Switzerland, Aigaki is making its debut with the impressive Direct-Impulse Tourbillon. Though relatively youthful, brand founder Takahiko Aigaki is a watchmaker of the old school who developed the watch and then makes almost all of it by hand. Produced almost entirely in Takahiko Aigaki’s own home-workshop with hand-operated tools, the Tourbillon is characterised by its hand-engraved silver dial and a finely-finished movement combining unique architecture with a proprietary escapement. Initial thoughts I’ve been following Aigaki on Instagram for several months, having become intrigued by the unusual in-line architecture of the movement, and its symmetrical direct-impulse escapement. Initially, only the movement components were shown, but even this sneak peak was enough to pique my interest. Now that the watch has been unveiled, I feel like it was worth the wait. The Tourbillon is a compact, 37 mm timepiece with a clean aesthetic and domed crystal that lends it something of a vintage feel. On its face, the appearance is simple, but the watch instantly conveys the sensation of a finely-crafted object, especially when you turn it over. But even on the front, the details of the dial give away the fact that it is hand-made. Interestingly, there is no ink or paint used on the dial. All of the dial markings and elements are hand-engraved using traditional tools; the brand name is engraved with a hand-operated pantograph. The Tourbillon is v...

The Petrolhead Corner – 55 Years After Its Debut As A Concept Car, The Bertone Runabout Enters Production Monochrome
Nov 30, 2024

The Petrolhead Corner – 55 Years After Its Debut As A Concept Car, The Bertone Runabout Enters Production

Few design institutions have left such a lasting mark on automotive design than Bertone. Just going through the studio’s palmares reveals some absolute masterpieces. The Alfa Romeo B.A.T. series, the Lamborghini Marzal, and the Lancia Stratos Zero, for instance. And those are just design studies, concept cars that would influence production cars further down the […]

Micro-Brand Digest: New Watches from Japan, Australia, Singapore, and More! Worn & Wound
Nov 29, 2024

Micro-Brand Digest: New Watches from Japan, Australia, Singapore, and More!

Welcome to the Worn & Wound Micro-Brand Digest, a semi-monthly roundup of new micro-brand news we’re following. This includes promising concepts, Kickstarter launches, restocks, and everything in between. Worn & Wound was founded over 10 years ago to support small independent companies and affordable micro-brands, and our passion for these brands remains strong. Here’s what has caught our attention this month. If you come across a project that qualifies for our roundup, please email us at info@wornandwound.com to be included. Houtman Watch Jason Liddell grew up in Western Australia and has always deeply appreciated the great outdoors. He is particularly fond of the iconic regions and landmarks in Western Australia, including the Murchison River and the Pilbara. Houtman Watches is named after the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, charted by the Dutch sailor Frederick de Houtman in 1619. The Houtman Abrolhos is the southernmost true coral reef system in the Indian Ocean and comprises a stunning chain of 122 islands along with their associated reefs. The first two series have been named after the rivers mentioned earlier, and their most recent collection is called the Murchison. This series showcases four dial and hand configurations, which include two field/dress watches, one field/sport watch, and one pilot watch. All these watches have a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm, a thickness of 11.5mm, and a length of 48mm from lug tip to lug tip. The interior width measure...

Realistically Aspirational: Four New Watches in the “Micro-Indie” Space Worn & Wound
Nov 29, 2024

Realistically Aspirational: Four New Watches in the “Micro-Indie” Space

There’s a bit of dialogue toward the end of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory from 1971 that goes: Wonka: but Charlie… Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted. Charlie: What happened? Wonka: He lived happily ever after. An inversion of the typical “be careful what you wish for” sentiment that puts a rosy tint on the morbid but wonderful film, I can’t help but hear it play in my head when I look at the current state of independent watches. Once, there was a dearth of brands and originality, and now, there is almost too much. Well, not almost; there is. We went from a time when unique options were few and far between, making any that popped up all the more rare and exciting, to now, when they are almost common. I’M PRETTY SURE WE’RE CHARLIE IN THIS STORY What an absurd state of affairs! Am I actually complaining about there being too much originality? Well, no, but yes (mainly for this article and humor). You see, I used to be easily seduced by these new and unique pieces, but now, I have decision paralysis. Oh, the horror! In reality, this is remarkable. We’ve wondered for years what brands would do when the vintage craze ran its course and a need for originality returned. Rather than purely wild watches that depart from tradition entirely (though there are many), we’ve seen smaller brands invest in research, development, and craft to create watches that, at least, I would not have thought possible a handful of yea...

Hands-On: Seiko's Best GMT Just Got More Colorful Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Nov 29, 2024

Hands-On: Seiko's Best GMT Just Got More Colorful

The Seiko SSK GMT line has slowly taken the watch world by storm, and Seiko took the SKX-style format this year and updated it with a trio of new dial formats. Earlier this year, I wrote a story on what – at the time – was every single existing SKX-style Seiko SSK GMT on the market, but that story is officially out of date. Before I get any further into this, it makes sense to establish a few things about these watches. First, they were released in 2022, creating a new wave of GMT affordability in the watch world. Why do I keep calling them SKX-style watches? Well, because the case profile is nearly identical to that of the now-discontinued icon, the Seiko SKX. The Seiko SSK001 and 003 models (the blue- and black-dial versions) are watches that I often suggest to anyone looking for a true "everyday" attainable watch. I even chose it in a video I did with Teddy where we both were tasked with building a collection under $7,000 ( let me know if you think I won). But enough lede-burying. Let’s get to the newness. In total there were three new variations released: The SSK033 with a blue and black bezel, the SSK035 with a green dial and bezel format, and the SSK036, which brings a black/brown aesthetic to the mix with a leather strap (the other two come on Jubilee-style bracelets). So let’s start with the SSK033. As an owner of the Rolex GMT-Master II with the blue-and-black bezel, I immediately zeroed in on this one. But where this clearly differs from the Rolex in term...

Business News: Laurent Perves Appointed CEO of Vacheron Constantin SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin As Vacheron Constantin gears Nov 29, 2024

Business News: Laurent Perves Appointed CEO of Vacheron Constantin

As Vacheron Constantin gears up to mark its 270th anniversary in 2025, the brand has just announced Laurent Perves will assume the top job at the start of the new year. Having been the Chief Commercial Officer since 2022, Mr Perves succeeds Louis Ferla, who is now in charge of Cartier. Mr Perves is well positioned to lead the storied Geneva brand into its next chapter, having held management roles in the key departments of the manufacture, namely marketing, communications, and commercial. Although he began his career in fragrances, where he rose to senior roles in Proctor & Gamble, Mr Perves started in the watch industry a decade ago. He joined Audemars Piguet in 2014 as head of communications, before being tapped to become the chief marketing officer at Vacheron Constantin in 2016. Since 2022 he was the number two at Vacheron Constantin as chief commercial officer, where he oversaw the brand’s commercial strategy but also built relationships with key clients and collectors in general. Despite the high bar set by the Berkley pocket watch – the most complicated watch ever – Mr Perves and his team have put together an impressive lineup of products for the brand’s 270th anniversary, which will be debuted progressively over the next year.