Hodinkee
Fashion Watches: Citizen And Yves Saint Laurent: A Not So Unlikely Tale Of Licensing Agreements
The most notorious fashion designer of the 20th century made watches with Citizen dating as far back as the 1970s.
Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)
3,202 articles · 304 videos found · page 52 of 117
Hodinkee
Fratello
Omega’s Speedmaster Is The Perfect First Watch
The Omega Speedmaster is one of the few watches that we can truly call iconic. While that must be one of the most overused words in the English language these days, it is apt in this case. But despite the Omega Speedmaster being truly iconic, I have never owned one. Worse yet, I have never […] Visit Omega’s Speedmaster Is The Perfect First Watch to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2024
As we look back on the year, we take pride in the stories we’ve shared and extend our sincere appreciation to all our readers for their support. As 2024 draws to a close, we revisit some of our standout features, spanning in-depth explorations of complex movements, historical perspectives on timekeeping, and comprehensive reviews of the latest watch releases. Our founder SJX looked at some of the most significant watches to emerge in 2024, including the record-setting F.P. Journe Tourbillon à Remontoir d’Égalité “15/93” prototype, and the fascinating Patek Philippe ref. 767 grand complication with double split-chronographs (which means triple elapsed time measurement) that was acquired by none other than the Patek Philippe Museum. Together with David Ichim, he also co-authored a series of stories explaining notable Rolex innovations, including the brand’s most complicated watch, the Sky-Dweller; the instantaneous Day-Date; and the Deepsea with its unparalleled pressure resistance. Based in Seattle, Brandon Moore nonetheless travelled to Geneva, where he visited the Vacheron Constantin manufacture in Geneva suburb Plan-les-Ouates and the Akrivia workshops in the city’s historic Old Town. Brandon also managed to visit the Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts exhibition at the brand’s Geneva Salon, resulting in his photoessay. And in between all that, he pondered the last two decades of the perpetual calendar’s evolution, a span that has arguably given birth to s...
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the Orion Sylph
I have a confession: I previously dismissed Orion for the wrong reasons. As an avid collector of microbrands, somewhere along the way I subconsciously created an arbitrary value scale based solely on movements. Collecting primarily in the sub $500 range, most watches that have passed through my watchbox have been powered by Seiko NH movements- the long reigning king of budget friendly 3rd party workhouse movements. On the occasions that I crossed that $500 threshold, I’ve been conditioned to expect a Miyota 9000 series, slightly more expensive, and considered an upgrade largely thanks to an extra two beats per second and the resulting sweeping second hand. Truth be told, I could care less about beat rates, but owning something deemed more premium is hard to pass up. It’s this human desire for the seemingly better thing that led me to shy away from Miyota powered watches over $700. Afterall, having $700 to drop on a microbrand opens up the option to own a watch powered by a Sellita SW200, a Swiss movement synonymous with luxury. Of course, this is a deeply flawed way to collect watches and judge value. And, (spoiler alert) a guaranteed way to miss out on value-packed brands that don’t blow their entire budget on a movement. After spending time with Orion’s Miyota 9039 powered Sylph collection, which hovers just over $700 like much of their catalog, I’ve gained a new appreciation for brands that prioritize finishing and design over being the best bargain by spec sh...
Worn & Wound
Watches, Stories, & Gear: A Profile of RaMell Ross, the Year of the Smart Lock, and Death of a Unicorn Gets a Trailer
“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. A Special Edition of a Great Pack from Triple Aught Design We are at the point where time is, frankly, not on your side if you’re looking for last minute holiday gifts. But we couldn’t help but include this new edition of the highly regarded FAST Pack Litespeed from Triple Aught Design as a last minute holiday gift for the gear and EDC enthusiast, Or for yourself, no judgement, we promise. The Black Magic Edition is, as you’d expect, a completely blacked out rendition of the 22 liter pack. It features Challenge Sailcloth’s ULTRA 400 fabric, an uncommonly lightweight, strong, and waterproof material. The retail price is $550, and more information can be found here. The Year of the Smart Lock is Coming The end of the year always brings a slew of think pieces from many of our favorite publications on what to look for in the new year in terms of trends, tech, and just about everything else. Over at The Verge, they’ve got a story on 2025 being the year of the smart lock that caught our attention. Smartlocks make a lot of sense – they can be tied to an app on your phone, an...
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Casio AE 1000 from the movie Mine - a review and tutorial (works for Casio Casino Royale as well)
Monochrome
The Petrolhead Corner – A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance To Own a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen
Mercedes-Benz and racing go hand-in-hand. After all, it’s one of the most successful manufacturers in both pre-war Grand Prix, post-war Formula 1 and Endurance Racing, birthing many legendary cars. From the very early days of motor racing, the brand has been active in all sorts of categories. It won the 1914 French Grand Prix with […]
Worn & Wound
Holthinrichs Ends the Year with a Limited Edition Collaboration with The Horology Club
One of my favorite stories to cover over the course of 2024 has been the evolution of Holthinrichs, a brand I’ve long been fascinated by for their unique Horlogerie Brut design language and apparently boundless ambition. The brand shifted course quite dramatically in 2024, moving away from a reliance on 3D printing for their case construction, and focusing on a more affordable CNC-machined product that they hope will allow them to scale and reach new clients without sacrificing the brand’s vision. At the same time, they’ve also developed an insanely complex haute horlogerie piece that is easily their most ambitious watch to date. We covered the new affordable Signature collection earlier this year, as well as Ornament Nouveau, and we even had brand founder Michiel Holthinrichs on the podcast to walk us through all of it. To say it’s been an eventful year at Holthinrichs would be an understatement, and yet they’ve found time in the last days of 2024 to unveil yet another new piece, a collaboration with The Horology Club, a Hong Kong based collector community. The limited edition Signature Ornament “Concrete Jungle” can perhaps best be viewed as a creative spin on the current stone dial trend. The dial is made from lume infused concrete, which according to Holthinrichs makes this the first luminous concrete dial ever made. We believe them, simply because concrete dials are incredibly rare (though not completely unheard of). Concrete, of course, is not a natur...
Teddy Baldassarre
Longines Ultra-Chron Carbon High-Frequency Diver Review
Just over two years ago, Longines launched the Ultra-Chron, a revival of the super-accurate 1968 original that gained notoriety as the world’s first high-frequency diver. Now Longines has released the Ultra-Chron Carbon, which is the brand’s first watch with a case made from carbon fiber, which, of course, is known for its lightweight durability. The watch, in fact, comes in at just 80 grams for the case and strap. The original Ultra-Chron Diver Ref. 7970 from 1968 was a cushion-cased steel watch that measured 41mm wide with 200 meters of water resistance. It was outfitted with the 5Hz Caliber 431 movement, which was accurate to 2 seconds per day. Our resident expert Mark Bernardo went into all the details of this model as well as the brand’s history with high-frequency timekeeping, in an article you can read here. The 2022 revival was a little bigger, coming in at 43mm wide, but also beefed up the water resistance to 300 meters. This new Ultra-Chron Carbon shares the same basic specs as this revival model but the blacked-out design kind of makes all the difference in terms of style versatility. Rather than a red minutes hand and matching red accents on the bezel, we see a sleek, monochrome aesthetic that is more stealth than sporty. The use of a contemporary material like carbon also offsets some of that overt “vintage-inspired” design language in favor of its own identity. The cushion-shaped case measures 43mm wide and 14mm thick with a 48mm lug-to-lug measu...
SJX Watches
The Omega Speedmaster for Military Pilots is Now Available to Civilians
Originally conceived for pilots of the US military (and covered here by Fratello), the Omega Speedmaster Pilot is now available to civilians. The origins of the watch explain the military-influenced, instrument-style dial design, which is meant to evoke the utilitarian nature of an instrument panel inside a fighter jet. The regular production version of the watch retains the same specs as the military exclusive, but with different livery. The case has the straight lugs of the Speedmaster “Ed White” but in a larger format thanks to the automatic cal. 9900 inside. Initial thoughts I’m something of an outlier amongst enthusiasts since I prefer automatic to manual-wind, even within the Speedmaster collection. While a manual-wind movement is traditional for the Speedy, I appreciate the day-to-day convenience of an automatic. Additionally, Omega’s latest-generation automatic chronograph movements are all impressively high-spec. While the Speedmaster Pilot may not achieve the same aesthetic purity as its manual-wind counterparts, it remains an excellent everyday option, especially with the military provenance. That said, the military provenance is not exactly military-issue. The watch was designed for military pilots who presumably buy it on a personal basis for off-duty wear; it is not an actual mil-spec instrument watch. This can be seen in the dial design, which has aviation-inspired elements, rather than actual, functional indicators for pilots. Even though this is m...
SJX Watches
Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”
To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar. As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor. Initial thoughts The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive. Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same). Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself. Year of the serpent The snake zodiac edition is...
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Christian Sh*ts On An Overpriced G-Shock | Rant&h;
Fratello
Fratello’s Top 5 High-End Indie Watches Of 2024
Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we continue our series of best-of-the-year lists as we cover the best watches from high-end independent brands in 2024. Expect to see an exotic group spanning a nice variety of designs and complications. Of course, five watches do not do justice to the many ones we could have […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 High-End Indie Watches Of 2024 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Up Close: Voutilainen Tourbillon 20th Anniversary
The Voutilainen Tourbillon 20th Anniversary is the most complicated serial-production watch in the Voutilainen catalogue. Modelled on Kari Voutilainen’s first-ever watch, a pocket watch made in 1994, the anniversary tourbillon is a wristwatch that is typical Voutilainen in style and substance. The design is classical while the quality of execution is exceptionally high. Initial thoughts The anniversary tourbillon is predictable in a good way – it looks, feels, and functions as you would expect from a Voutilainen. Even at arm’s length the quality of the watch is apparent. The guilloche on the dial is refined and tidy, while the movement decoration is impeccable. Zoom in and the movement decoration gets even better, which is unsurprising since Voutilainen likely offers the best movement decoration that’s done in an artisanal manner yet at scale (the brand makes perhaps 100 watches a year). The overall quality of the watch is outstanding, and the movement especially so. The details of the bridges are perfectly executed, while the steel parts are elegantly shaped and flawlessly polished. As impressive as the decoration itself is the fact that Voutilainen can do this consistently across all its watches for a reasonable-ish price – a testament to the company that Mr Voutilainen has built. As a wristwatch, however, the movement lacks the scale of the pocket watch. As such, the wristwatch movement feels a little constricted compared to the pocket watch.Everything is clos...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Seiko Dress Watch Of The Yar
As someone who typically leans towards the toolish side of Seiko’s offerings, there was something about the watch I bring you today which stopped me in my tracks for an inexplicable reason. Perhaps it is explicable (perhaps in real time while writing this) and I may figure out a way to explic...I mean, explain it. Yes, I am coming to you to introduce a new Seiko Presage Classic model. It is called the SPB478J1, and I think it just might be the attainable dress watch of the year. Okay, taking a step back for a moment, I am a Rolex guy and a two-tone guy. I regularly wear a two-tone Rolex Datejust on a jubilee bracelet so I certainly have a type. And you can see from looking at this watch, the Seiko SPB478J1, that it fits nicely into this category for me. Getting my biases out of the way, let’s dig into the watch. So Seiko, as we know, calls its watches by their reference numbers. But it also gave this one a nice little descriptor on the website: Delicate Cream Silk. I mean, come on, that’s amazing. It’s almost like it could be the alternative name of a band consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak. The name actually refers to the watch’s dial because, of course it does. The dial texture is “inspired by unbleached natural Japanese silk, a material which has long featured in Japanese home décor and clothing since ancient times.” The brand calls this a ‘Shiro-Iro’ colored dial. Moving to the watch itself, it features gold-colored accents for a mixed-met...
Worn & Wound
Hublot’s Latest Art Piece is a Big Bang Tourbillon Designed by Samuel Ross
Those who know me personally, and perhaps those of you who regularly tune into the podcast and read my little ramblings here on the blog, know that over the course of the last year I’ve become somewhat disillusioned with large luxury brands and what I perceive as a general stodginess among the big luxury groups. I’m finding that there’s just a lot more innovation and original thought – at every price point – in the independent sphere. Not only that (because it’s really not surprising), but indies are truly having a moment. They aren’t just more interesting and “better” in most metrics than big group brands, they are peaking, and perhaps in the midst of a new golden age of boundary pushing watchmaking. But, of course, there are exceptions. There are still mass market brands that get me excited by taking risks and doing things that are inherently not mass market, and Hublot has long been Exhibit A. This is a brand that was unfairly maligned for a long time by the enthusiast community, but as the pendulum has swung from straightforward sports watches to more creative and inspired designs, many have come to appreciate the pure originality at Hublot. If I didn’t know better, it would be easy to assume they were an indie themselves. Something that Hublot does better than just about any other brand, indie or otherwise, is position their watches as works of art. There’s probably a real debate to be had about whether watches, particularly modern watches prod...
Fratello
Hands-On: The New Omega Seamaster Diver 300M With A Steel Dial And Titanium Bezel
Yes, you read that correctly. I think the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, with its steel dial, titanium bezel, and mesh bracelet, is wrong. Allow me to explain myself. Historically, combining the 1990s case design with a mesh bracelet that originated a couple of decades before that doesn’t make sense. As a dive watch, it […] Visit Hands-On: The New Omega Seamaster Diver 300M With A Steel Dial And Titanium Bezel to read the full article.
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WWT#66 - Is It Worth Spending Over $1000 On A Watch? Does Spending More Increase Enjoyment?
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Urwerk UR-230 Polaris in White Ceramic
Typically, Urwerk leans heavily on darker tones for its case designs, with few exceptions, such as the EMC Time Hunter in its Stormtrooper-like white ceramic. However, the new Urwerk UR-230 Polaris marks another bold and refreshing departure. With a case crafted from a ceramic-based white composite, this release feels surprising and perfectly natural, expanding the […]
Monochrome
Introducing – The New Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Qualified
While the Speedmaster started its life as a racing chronograph destined to measure average speeds (hence its name), it quickly changed vocation when, during the 1960s, it became the watch of choice for US Air Force pilots and, of course, NASA astronauts. From there, the Speedmaster became one of the most famous pilot’s chronographs and […]
SJX Watches
Insight: The Modern Performance Chronograph Movement
High-end chronograph movements of today tend to have in common a vertical clutch and column wheel. Such “performance” chronographs are typically also automatic, and practically every high-end watchmaker, from Audemars Piguet to Vacheron Constantin, has its own take on the modern “performance” chronograph. The chronograph movement as we know it today is actually a fairly recent invention. Despite being common in today’s chronograph constructions, the vertical coupling, or at least its concept, is decades-old. The Pierce cal. 130/134 launched in the 1930s is regarded as the first commercially available wristwatch with a vertical clutch. There are examples of even older stopwatches that relied on crude forms of the vertical clutch, but most were either prototypes or small-batch production. But the large-scale use of the vertical clutch only started in the late 1960s, when Seiko debuted the cal. 6139. Launched in 1969, the Seiko cal. 6139 was a vertical clutch movement produced on an industrial scale. Not only was it among the first-ever automatic chronographs, but the cal. 6139 also was objectively the most advanced amongst them. Compared to the modular construction of the Breitling-Heuer Chronomatic Caliber 11 and the fairly classical architecture of the Zenith El Primero, the Seiko cal. 6139 was endowed with a vertical clutch and a novel construction all around. It was, however, an industrial, no-frills movement at heart. The one that started it all – the cal. ...
SJX Watches
Zenith’s 1/100th Second Chronograph Inlaid with Tiger’s Eye
Zenith has given its 1/100th-of-a-second El Primero 21 an unusual attire – pusher protectors and a dodecagonal bezel in tiger’s eye mineral stone. Matched with a dial featuring tiger stripes and green accents, the Defy Extreme Jungle retains the trademark double balance wheels of the model. The movement features a conventional timekeeping balance operating at 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz), and a smaller regulator for the chronograph that beats 10 times as fast, 360,000 beats per hour or 50 Hz, enabling the chronograph to record times with a resolution of up to to 1/100th of a second. Initial thoughts I have long thought that the Defy Extreme was too similar to other, more famous oversized sports chronographs, that is, until I actually got to try on the Defy Extreme Jungle in person. The new Defy still evokes other designs, but it is finely executed, with the minerals stone inlay being notably well done. At the same time, the tiger’s eye elements add some originality to the design, so this easily stands out as the most interesting model in the Defy line. The tiger’s eye components, especially since they are prominently positioned, are likely more fragile than the same on the equivalent titanium model, but they add texture and colour so are arguably worth the sacrifice of practicality. At US$26,900, the Defy Extreme Jungle is pricier than the average Zenith chronograph, but still a reasonable proposition given the exotic material and 1/100th of a second movement. Tige...
Worn & Wound
Watches, Stories, & Gear: A New Look for Jaguar, a Watch Made for the Sauna, and Enron is Back (But Not Really)
“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. A New Pack from YETI We’re big fans of both YETI and Mystery Ranch around here, so when it was announced in early 2024 that the former had acquired the latter, it had many of us curious about what the future would hold for the storied backpack brand. Rumors have circulated for months that YETI would be phasing out the Mystery Ranch name, and it looks like a new pack introduced recently could provide a preview of how these brands might live together in the future. The Yeti Bozeman 27L Backpack has a design that will be familiar to many Mystery Ranch acolytes because, as you’d expect, it was designed in partnership with the Mystery Ranch team. While the small aesthetic details are all YETI, the functionality, including the “RipZip” opening and adjustable harness system, are clearly attributed to Mystery Ranch. You can find more information on the Bozeman 27L Backpack right here. Is Enron Back? Earlier this week, a chill went down the spine of many who are old enough to remember the Enron scandal, and the dramatic fall of the Texas based energy company. It all fell apart in th...
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GONE IN 60 SECONDS - Panerai PAM 655 Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic Acciaio
Deployant
New: Zenith DEFY Extreme Jungle
The Zenith DEFY Extreme Jungle is a limited edition timepiece that draws inspiration from the untamed energy and captivating mystery of the jungle. As the final installment in Zenith's series of watches inspired by extreme environments, this model follows the Desert and Glacier editions. Limited to just 50 pieces, the DEFY Extreme Jungle combines innovative design with high-performance features, making it a notable addition to Zenith's DEFY collection.
Worn & Wound
Doxa and Topper Unveil a Sharp New SUB 300 Limited Edition
My relationship with Doxa watches spans over 20 years. As an avid reader of Clive Cussler, I was particularly excited when Doxa decided to relaunch the Sub 300T in the early 2000s. I even managed to secure a review sample for the magazine I wrote for then. Once I received the watch, I became curious about why Clive Cussler chose to have his antagonist wear an orange-dialed Doxa watch. To find out, I reached out to his publicist and received a surprising response: “Dr. Cussler would like you to call him for an interview.” I still vividly remember the shock and nervousness I felt. After leaving him a message, he promptly returned my call, and we spoke for an entire hour. Ultimately, I received my answer, which you can read about in my article on the Doxa Clive Cussler Themed Sub 300T release we published last July. If you want to read my full interview with Dr. Cussler, even though the magazine is no longer available, NUMA, Cussler’s real-life National Underwater and Marine Agency, has it on their website. Since then, I have owned numerous Doxa watches, but none of them have called out my name quite as much as their latest collaboration with Topper Fine Jewelers. It’s as if they were thinking about me while designing this one. The new Doxa Sub 300 Great White Topper Edition is a white-dialed beauty with a fully luminescent dial. I know what you’re thinking: if you’re going to own a Doxa, shouldn’t it be colorful? Specifically, shouldn’t it be orange? The answ...
Worn & Wound
Owner’s Review: the Seiko Prospex Land GMT SPB411
Seiko is no stranger to releasing watches that immediately capture the attention of enthusiasts. Still, sometimes, due to the frequent release schedule, a release slips through the cracks. The Seiko Prospex Land GMT SPB411 is one such piece. While it might not have accumulated the same level of buzz as some of Seiko’s other releases in the last year or so, this reissue of the iconic 1968 Navigator Timer is a near 1:1 homage to the past, but with enough modern upgrades to make it highly relevant today. I’ll admit that when it came out, I thought it wasn’t bad but I easily overlooked it for some reason or another. Then, I happened to be visiting a local watch boutique, and they took me to the back to show me a few fun things they had sitting in the safe. Low and behold, the SPB411. As soon as I picked it up, I knew it was special. For the price point (we’ll get to that shortly), I thought it was really well done and impressed me more than most Seiko’s I’ve come in contact with. It was also just really good-looking. I love a vintage-inspired design when it’s done really well and since this is a near one-to-one re-issue, Seiko nailed it. The original Seiko Navigator Timer was a milestone in the brand’s history, being their first GMT with a rotating bezel. It’s a model that remains beloved for its classic sport design and useful complication. The SPB411, though a modern update, channels the same spirit of the 1968 model, with some refined tweaks that appeal ...
Fratello
Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome Chronograph
Stockholm-based Nezumi Studios has been in business since 2011 and making affordable, traditionally designed watches since 2015. The focus is on sporty pieces, such as divers, GMTs, chronographs, and field watches. Now a new variant enters the collection. The Tonnerre Monochrome chronograph, with its classic color scheme, is sure to be a hit. Nezumi’s watches […] Visit Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome Chronograph to read the full article.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Blue Boutique Edition
When it was first presented in 2017, the Black Bay Chrono generated mixed emotions. The good ones came from the overall performance and fairly reasonable price (considering the whole package), as well as the unexpected industrial alliance with Breitling. Others pointed out the rather uninspired design of the inaugural edition as well as the strange mix […]
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