Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen Eco-Drive Watch Showdown: Nighthawk vs Navihawk Hands-On Review
The Citizen Navihawk 40 and Nighthawk offer two very different takes on the modern pilot watch. After wearing both, one proved easier to recommend.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
SJX Watches
Hands On: Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Titanium
The Greubel Forsey (GF) Balancier 3 topped our summer watch wish list thanks to its uncompromising craftsmanship and ergonomic form factor. Though not an altogether new watch — the model debuted in 2023 — the “baby blue” edition updates the formula with a dimpled finish on the prominent Y-shaped bridge that spans the dial. Initial thoughts Greubel Forsey is one of the few artisanal independent brands that has managed to create a distinctive and compelling sports watch. While the style of the Balancier 3 might be an acquired taste for some — especially those who prefer more of a dial — the quality of make is obvious and the finishing is almost clinical in its perfection. This helps justify the steep cost of entry, even for an ‘entry level’ model like the Balancier 3. The Convexe line grew significantly during former CEO Antonio Calce’s tenure, from late 2020 to early 2024, as the brand prepared to scale. Fortunately, the brand pulled the plug on its growth plan and has subsequently reverted to a more balanced line-up, no pun intended. Beyond the blue colour, the primary element that distinguishes this edition is the dimpled finish of the titanium bridge that supports the hand stack. More than just a finish applied for its own sake, the matte treatment helps break up the monotony of mirror-polished elements on the “dial” and provides enhanced contrast with its own mirror-polished bevels. To achieve this look on titanium, the GF developed a new technique...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Watch Ho & Co. x Selten Yum Cha Edition
Today marks the third collaboration between Watch Ho & Co. and Hong Kong-based microbrand Selten. I don't believe we've covered any of Selten's past watches, but last October the brand appeared on my radar after I spent a good bit of time at their booth looking at their watches during theWindUp Watch Fair New York. It's also when I met Jackie Ho, the founder of the Hong Kong watch-enthusiast-and-collector community Watch Ho & Co. Before today, there were two Watch Ho & Co. collaborations with Selten, the Jui and Jui Bauhinia, both under $1,300 and centered around a distinctive "Mountain" pattern CNC-machined onto mother-of-pearl dials. The Bauhinia edition expanded on the design of the first by offering two iridescent dial options, in either pink or purple, and I'm willing to bet that if you float around watch communities on Instagram, you've definitely seen at least a few wrist shots from collectors online. I have a few friends with these watches, and they look really fantastic in person. To celebrate the third anniversary of the enthusiast group, Jackie Ho takes the third collaboration, named Yum Cha (the Cantonese word for dim sum), in a completely different creative direction. On paper, this new watch goes much more upscale with handcrafted decoration instead of CNC machining to achieve a hand-engraved motif on the dial, with grand feu enameling on top. But while the previous editions attribute the dial motif to ancient Chinese armor, the inspiration for the Yum Cha ed...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Grand Seiko “Hisen” SBGZ011
Grand Seiko’s excellent dive watches may have stolen the show Watches & Wonders, but the waterfall-inspired Masterpiece Collection “Hisen” SBGZ011 proves the brand hasn’t let its next-generation Spring Drive rollout outshine its fine watchmaking project — the Micro Artist Studio. While best known for the Credor Eichi II, and some of the finest chiming wristwatches yet made, the Micro Artist Studio’s work for Grand Seiko is perhaps even better, and though its resplendent movements can be found in more subtle watches, the “Hisen” is just as decadently decorated outside as it is within. Initial thoughts Last year, Grand Seiko kicked off a streak of hits, launching the compact and precise Spring Drive SLGB003, on a quick-adjust bracelet. This year the brand launched an even deadlier duo of mid-sized Spring Drive divers, and probably has another commercial success on deck for next year. But in the background, the Shinshu Watch Studio, where all Spring Drive watches are made, continues its fine watchmaking efforts with the stunning diamond and Mozambique garnet set “Red Lion” ref. SBGD228, and the “Hisen” SBGZ011 reviewed here. Aesthetically, it is my least favorite of the four engraved-case models the brand has produced in recent memory — my favourites being the SBGZ001 “Snowflake” the astral SBGZ007 — due to the dial being too busy. However, the engraved 44GS case is almost magical, reminding me of the Quartz VFA ref. 3823-7030 and 3820-6000. L...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5227G-015 “Rose Gilt”
Patek Philippe’s headline launches this year included the surprising Celestial ref. 6105G and Nautilus 50th anniversary editions, but also more classical, yet under-the-radar, watches, like the Calatrava ref. 5227G-015 with a “rose-gilt” dial and hinged case back. Though the Calatrava ref. 5227 with its distinctive “officer’s case” has been in the catalogue for well over a decade, the latest iteration is the best yet. The combination is somewhat formulaic – “salmon” dial and white gold case – but it is good looking and evocative of old-school Patek Philippe dress watches. At the same time, this new variant of the ref. 5227 contains a latest-generation automatic movement. Initial thoughts Ironically two of the standout launches by Patek Philippe during Watches & Wonders were fairly basic, essentially facelifts of references that have been in the catalogue for decades. One was the ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar, and the other is this, the Calatrava ref. 5227G-015. Though both are entirely different in function and price, they are similar in style. The designs are both restrained and evocative of vintage Patek Philippe watches; both also have dials in popular shades. “Salmon” is definitely overdone as a dial colour, but it doesn’t stop this Calatrava from being really appealing. The ref. 5227 is typical Patek Philippe in form. Even though it’s at the larger end of the range for Calatrava models, it still feels elegant. The case is thin and sits fla...
Monochrome
Hands-on - Nomos Hits the Sweet Spot with the Tangente Neomatik 38 Update
Unlike the noise generated by the release of the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimers in 2025, Nomos Glashütte’s novelties at Watches & Wonders this year focused more on refined versions of its core collection. Among these refinements was the Tangente Neomatik 38 Update, featuring the brand’s patented peripheral ring date complication, which returned in a more […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
10 Great Watches When You Don’t Want Another Diver: Hands-On Picks
We wore 10 alternatives to dive watches to find the ones that still deliver the durability, versatility, and everyday appeal diver fans expect.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral
The Tourbillon Sidéral debuted last year to mark Breguet’s 250th anniversary. This year, the brand is celebrating the 225th anniversary of its founder’s best-known achievement: the tourbillon. For this occasion, Breguet released a quartet of new references, among them the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral ref. 7255PT, a 50-piece limited edition in platinum, once again featuring an in-house aventurine enamel dial. Initial thoughts Despite being the brand’s first-ever flying tourbillon, the Tourbillon Sidéral feels somewhat familiar. That’s because its cal. 187M1 is derived from the brand’s original wristwatch tourbillon movement, the cal. 558, released in 1989. That explains the familiar off-centre dial arrangement and full-plate architecture visible through the case back. Within this lineage, the Tourbillon Sidéral can be considered the spiritual heir and technical successor to the Classique Tourbillon Messidor 5335 released 2007, a watch that seemed to suspend its tourbillon in mid-air. In fact, this mystery tourbillon was driven by a sapphire crystal drive wheel, and its upper pivot was supported by a sapphire crystal bridge. The Tourbillon Sidéral elevates this concept to its natural conclusion, dispensing with the upper support bridge entirely, resulting in a true flying tourbillon. Unfortunately, the two-armed tourbillon cage itself spans almost the entire width of the opening, and at times resembles an upper support bridge, at least until the eye registers ...
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: Laps Leaps into New Territory with the Arche, their First Mechanical Model
What started as a fashion watch brand a decade ago is making a leap into more traditional watchmaking territory. Laps has introduced its first mechanical model, the Arche as part of a new Studio Series. The collection consists of four iterations, two with simple textured dials and two that take on one of classic watchmaking’s key artforms: enamel. The dial is arguably the main focus of nearly all watches. It conveys the most pertinent information and serves as the aesthetic centerpiece. When French designer and art collector Antonin Mercie created Laps in 2016, he took the emphasis on the dial a step further – this would not just be the core focus of the watches but the core focus of the brand. Examples of watches from the Laps “Signature” collection The base of the original Editions models varies slightly but overall carries a vintage aesthetic hailing from the funky eras of 70s and 80s watchmaking. Both the Prima and the Signature cases are rectangular, with the former being slightly smaller and squarer at 28mm by 23mm and the latter slightly larger and more rectangular at 35mm by 26mm. Each is topped off with the option of a leather strap or bracelet whose design is aligned with the retro theme, mimicking a stretch bracelet in texture but presented in a traditional manner with a buckle closure. Powering the models in the Editions series are straightforward, time-only quartz movements. All of this lays the foundation for the star of the show – the dials – whi...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon
Parmigiani Fleurier is a brand that has long embodied the idea of quiet luxury — or "private luxury," as Parmigiani CEO Guido Terrini asserts — frankly, sometimes to a fault. Many of its models pair spectacular watchmaking with a radically simplified design language, and the unique execution of a mechanical chronograph in the brand's Tonda Chronograph Mystérieux earlier this spring quite literally hides its mechanical extravagance as part of the complication. We'll have more on the Chronograph Mystérieux soon, but there's another watch launched this year that also feels unmistakably Parmigiani in execution—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary in white gold. To celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary this year, Parmigiani Fleurier launched a trio of limited-edition Toric models at Watches and Wonders, featuring hand-hammered gold dials. The Toric Petite Seconde in platinum, a Toric Quantième Perpétuel in rose gold, and a Toric Chronographe Rattrapante in platinum all got the new dial treatment. Then, a few months after the show, Parmigiani dropped this whopper of a watch. Let's get the not-so-fun part out of the way first—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary is limited to 5 pieces, and priced at CHF 490,000. To most collectors, it might be an unobtainium watch in so many aspects, but that doesn't stop this thing from being an absolute joy to see in person. At a glance, the overall silhouette of the Carillon Tourbillon fits into the classic Parmigiani play...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Two Wild Dials From Ming, With The "Peepshow" and J.N. Shapiro Collaboration "Lightning"
You could easily argue that Ming is a materials and manufacturing incubator masquerading as a watch company. Lume that glows white. The lightest ever mechanical watch. The world's first 3D-printed titanium bracelet-strap hybrid. All of these are associated with pretty incredible products, but, to some extent, I think it's fair to say the watches themselves are vehicles for showcasing cool innovation. That's not to say the watches are anything but great. But on occasion they're solutions looking for a problem. I kind of love the brand for it. That kind of innovation also extends to dial making, where Ming has recently released two really interesting dial-making exercises in their collaboration with J.N. Shapiro for the 37.06 "Lightning" and standalone 29.06 "Peepshow." I recently had the chance to go hands-on with a few novelties from Ming. The brand, of course, had a great coup when the 37.09 "Bluefin" beat Tudor and a few others for the best sports watch at GPHG in 2024. They followed up with the 37.09 Uni, which I would say is their most practical release of late. The 56.00 "Starfield" is pretty wild but not to my taste, so I gravitated toward covering the two more dial-focused releases of this year (and their LW01 lightweight watch, which will get a future story on its own). It seemed fitting to start with the Ming x J.N. Shapiro 37.06 "Lightning," since I was actually photographing Shapiro's most recent release the same day. And boy, is the watch stunning in person. Th...
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Urwerk UR-100V Lightspeed Ceramic, Poetic Time Measurement at the Speed of Light
Since its debut in 2019, the UR-100 Series has become one of Urwerk‘s most approachable and recognisable creations. “Approachable” is, of course, a relative term in terms of price, yet it is true regarding wearability. The UR-100 features the brand’s signature wandering-hour satellite display, but unlike the more extravagant EMC, UR-120 or UR-230, it packages […]
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Urban Jürgensen UJ-2, the Brand’s Sophisticated Time-Only Watch
When Urban Jürgensen returned under the stewardship of Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield, the inaugural collection naturally attracted attention with the spectacular UJ-1 Tourbillon and the sophisticated UJ-3 Perpetual Calendar. Yet, of the three models, it is perhaps the UJ-2 that best explains what the revived manufacture is looking to achieve. The UJ-2, to put […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: Berneron Quantième Annuel
After introducing the asymmetrical Mirage and then scaling it down for the Mirage 34, Berneron has changed direction for its third release. The Quantième Annuel is rigidly symmetrical — and the brand’s first complicated watch — but continues to embody the high-effort philosophy demonstrated by the brand’s debut models. That ambition extends beyond its instantaneous annual calendar mechanism to an unusual construction with replaceable steel bumpers designed to absorb everyday wear. Initial thoughts Deadpool, the titular super hero portrayed on screen by Ryan Reynolds — himself a budding watch collector — is known for his signature catchphrase, “maximum effort.” That might as well be the unofficial slogan for Berneron, a brand that has surprised collectors with the lengths it’s willing to go to get small details just right. The Berneron QA is available with silver or black dials. This was clear from the outset. When the brand made its debut with the Mirage in late 2023, collectors fawned over its full gold construction — which extends even to the spring bars — and its ovoid cal. 233 movement that takes full advantage of its asymmetrical case, which is said to follow the Fibonacci sequence. These attributes were repeated at smaller scale — small enough to require an entirely different movement — with the Mirage 34. The QA is Berneron’s third watch, and by far its most complicated. Once again, the “maximum effort” mentality is on display in all...
WatchAdvice
Hands-On Review: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Pastel Blue Brings The Fun Back
I took one of TAG Heuer’s most vibrant Formula 1 Solargraph editions out for a test drive to see whether its playful design is backed by everyday practicality. What We Love: Vibrant Pastel Blue feels refreshing and full of character Recaptures the playful spirit of the original Formula 1 Lightweight wearability and Solargraph practicality suit the fun aesthetic. What We Don’t: AUD $2,950 feels steep for a quartz TH-Polylight watch. The monochromatic design may be too niche for some. Limited strap options restrict its overall versatility. Overall Rating: 8.3/10 Value for Money: 8.3/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.0/10 Few watches in TAG Heuer’s catalogue like to have fun quite like the Formula 1 Solargraphs. Originally introduced in 1986, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 editions represented a new beginning for the recently formed brand, bringing together colourful designs, lightweight construction, reliable quartz movements and an accessible price point. Original 1986 TAG Heuer Formula 1. Image reference: Magazine.Tagheuer.com The first Formula 1 editions arrived during a period when colourful quartz watches were trending, helping to reinvigorate the Swiss watch industry after the Quartz Crisis. TAG Heuer looked to join in on the fun and responded with something lightweight, accessible and closely connected to the brand’s history and heritage in motorsport. The vibrant colours and composite construction of the watches separated them from tradition...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Laps Arche Collection
Over the last ten years, Paris has emerged as a leading city worldwide in microbrand-style watchmaking—led by Serica and Baltic—but a lesser-known brand is making a case for entry into that conversation, and that brand is Laps. Founded in 2015 by Antonin Mercier, Laps built its name on graphic dials that were hand-assembled in limited editions using unconventional materials like wood, tobacco leaf, exotic skins, and archival prints. With its latest release, the brand steps away from the loud, design-forward quartz pieces that made its name and into something more restrained—an automatic watch built with subtle and balanced style. Paris is obviously known for its major fashion houses, institutions that have stood for centuries, but I come from a world of menswear, and especially over the last few years there's been a wave of smaller, standalone shops popping up alongside those institutions—Husbands, Rubirosa, De Bonne Facture, among others—and I'd argue the same divide is playing out in watches. Complementing the stalwarts are names like Baltic and Serica, and with their new Arche line, I think Laps can now enter that conversation too. Form and function always stay top of mind for me, and sometimes I struggle with watches that skew too far in one direction or the other. Perhaps like a pendulum, my own taste sways from one side to the other from time to time, but its natural resting point is the middle—which is exactly where the brand's latest release, the Arche,...
Monochrome
Hands-on - Bell & Ross Goes Avant-Garde with the Architectural BR-X3 Micro-Rotor (Incl. Video)
We’ve come to know and love Bell & Ross for its unbridled devotion to the world of aviation and its many flight instrument-inspired watches. The recently launched BR-X3 Micro-Rotor, however, which is a less complex spin-off from last year’s BR-X3 Micro-Rotor Tourbillon, goes in an entirely different direction. It’s not tied to flight instruments, nor […]
WatchAdvice
Did Longines Give The Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve A Modern Makeover? (Hands-On)
Longines have created a new spin on a heritage design, but have they done enough to give the unique watch a modern kick? Let’s find out! What We Love: A modern but non-generic colour & finish Universal, easy-wearing dimensions Unique heritage-inspired complication What We Don’t: Questionable lume Movement finishing somewhat lacking How new can an ‘old’ watch be? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Heritage revivals have become a huge part of the modern watch industry. Everywhere you look, there’s another release that’s either an exact copy of, or inspired by, a design from a bygone era. While these watches have returned to varying degrees of success, they typically all share one common thread: they put their fingers on the pulse of the watch community to see which past designs have proved wildly popular, then remaster them accordingly. Longines, however, has started to behave a little differently. While the brand has found plenty of success bringing back watches from its vast archive (case in point, the Ultra-Chron) they use them as a celebration of its brand identity, inviting the watch community to celebrate alongside it. That doesn’t mean chasing what’s popular, but rather embracing what makes Longines so distinctive in a sea of sameness. Perhaps the best example of this is the Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve. Inspired by a design from 1959, the watch was brought bac...
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection
Raymond Weil celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Weil founding his eponymous brand in 1976. And the brand’s first integrated-bracelet watch is a nod to the seventies era of experimentation: where, in the face of impending quartz dominance, watchmakers produced bold designs like they had nothing to lose. This was the era of the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, both launching the concept of the luxury sports watch—in essence, a classier and far pricier interpretation of the Go Anywhere, Do Anything ethos that once took its inspiration from military and field watches. Only this time, going anywhere is to Monaco or St. Moritz, and doing anything is jumping off the back of a yacht into the waters of Bali. Fifty years later, the integrated bracelet watch has never been more popular. Perhaps it’s the trickle-down effect from the cachet of those two OGs, which have taken off so much that people are willing to snap up an anniversary Nautilus desk clock, or storm your nearest Swatch store for a plastic Royal Oak. Or it’s the promise of a certain inherent and integrated toughness, eschewing the notion that we won’t ever reach 1,000-ft deep-water depths and still make it back to the boardroom. In fact, skip the beach-to-boardroom mentality. This category is all upscale by comparison, and the A.R.T. series — which, according to Raymond Weil, stands for “art, refinement, and timekeeping,” with the latter perhaps seeming redundant — captur...
Deployant
Hands on: Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate - now in 38mm!
The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate is now available in 38mm. We got a quick look and here is our impressions on the salmon dial variant.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Rolex Day-Date 40 Jubilee Gold
Twenty twenty-six has been a milestone year for Rolex, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its signature Oyster case with several commemorative models. While not as innovative as the enamel-dialled Daytona or as surprising as the revised Yacht-Master II, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 dresses the brand’s flagship time-only watch in a new proprietary gold alloy dubbed “Jubilee” gold and an aventurine stone dial. Initial thoughts Stone dials are everywhere, but as usual Rolex has found a way to stand out by using an unusual mineral. Most brands today source the same few varieties of stone — especially malachite and tiger’s eye — from the same few suppliers, resulting in stone-dialled watches that tend to resemble one another. But with its unusual aventurine dial and muted Jubilee gold case and bracelet, there’s no mistaking the Day-Date 40 for anything else. And this is also actually aventurine stone, rather than the more commonly used and less expensive aventurine glass. The exotic dial and proprietary alloy give the new Day-Date 40 a look that is both distinctive yet coherent with the rest of the collection. Many key Rolex models are perpetually out of stock, underscoring the brand’s commitment to value. While it might seem disingenuous to describe a US$65,700 time-only watch as a good value, the Day-Date 40 in Jubilee gold makes a case for itself. In a perfect world with on-demand availability, this would be a strong value proposition. The A. L...
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Dominique Renaud Pulse 60 and the Fascination of a One-Hertz Regulating Organ
Dominique Renaud hardly needs an introduction. Co-founder of Renaud & Papi, later to become Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi (APRP), he helped shape modern haute horlogerie by developing complications for Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, A. Lange & Söhne and many others. His workshop also became a breeding ground for independent watchmaking, with Robert Greubel, Stephen […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Citizen Dive Watches We Recommend After 10 Years of Hands-On Testing
Looking for the best Citizen dive watches? We break down the models we've reviewed on our wrists, highlighting the details that matter after real ownership.
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Superb Inverted Movement of the 39mm Minerva Unveiled Secret Limited Editions
Earlier this year, Minerva stepped out from the shadow of Montblanc to reclaim its independent, stand-alone branding and celebrated the occasion by releasing two limited editions of the Unveiled Secret. Presented in compact 39mm cases with wine-red accents and a new, inverted in-house monopusher chronograph calibre exposed in all its magnificence on the dial, rest […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: Chanel J12 Coco Game
This year Chanel celebrated games of all sorts, from chess to cards and even video games with the J12 Coco Game — a quartet of Chanel’s best selling ceramic dive-ish watch featuring pixel art renditions of the Mademoiselle herself. This haute joaillerie variant is the maximalist-chic final boss of the sub-collection, set with 5.88 carats of diamonds, and equipped with the same bulletproof movement and hardy ceramic construction that makes the J12 so practical — though without the useful bezel or date. Initial thoughts Every year I look forward to Chanel’s Watches & Wonders launches — more-so than I do many “real” watchmakers — and every year the brand graces us with a one-two punch of remarkable objects and whimsical watches, often related by a common theme. This year’s theme was games, and Chanel outdid itself with a multi-million-dollar, unique (and already sold) chess set as the halo piece. Downrange there are allusions to playing cards, dominos and Scrabble, and a quartet of video game-inspired J12s. The other three models in the lineup, from left to right: ref. H11063, H11091, and H11062. Image – Chanel Pixel art developed as a natural consequence of past technological limitations, but it remains popular, particularly among independent game developers. And I suspect these watches will appeal just as much to a generation — my generation — that grew up with indie games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Undertale, rather than retro pixel art games lik...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Longines Hydroconquest 39mm
Although the most current form of the Longines Hydroconquest has only been around since March of this year, it comes up in a lot of conversations. Since its release, it has found considerable relevance with the value-focused audience, managing to strike a balance that is becoming increasingly rare – strong enthusiast value from a major brand at a competitive sub-luxury price point. In a space that used to be dominated by Omega (and more recently, Tudor), Longines has stepped up with an offering that checks a lot of boxes, including the fact that this new and nicely proportioned diver rocks a price tag that feels more 2016 than 2026. Launched in 2007 as a dive-themed spin on the brand's longstanding Conquest line, the Hydroconquest has had a handful of generations that progressively refined what started as a quirky diver with oversized numerals, chiseled crown guards, and a characterful hour hand with a diamond-shaped lume plot. Until recently, with the launch of the latest generation, that was the known format of the Hydroconquest. With modern positioning, it was just unconventional enough to stand out among its peers, and the brand's alignment with Swatch allowed for reliable movements, attractive price points, and the chance of local retail availability. An example of a 2018 Hydroconquest in 41mm offered as a US market LE. Then, earlier this year, Longines launched this latest iteration in 42mm and, yes, 39mm. The watch you see here is the 39mm example, and its steel...
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Quiet Luxury of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 34 in Solid Gold
2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the Oyster Perpetual, the game-changing waterproof watch that altered the course of Rolex’s history. Put to the test by British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze as she swam across the English Channel with a gold Oyster on her wrist in 1927, the hermetic Oyster case was further upgraded with a self-winding […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C Time Traveler One Khaki
Chopard came out of Watches and Wonders this year swinging by simply introducing a new colored dial in the L.U.C. 1860, and perhaps it was a great indicator that sometimes, a show-stealer need not be a new mechanical innovation, but rather a refinement of an already great watch. But I would be remiss not to also talk about another release I loved seeing from the brand this year—also really just a new colorway in a limited run of 250 pieces—that I think has not gotten nearly enough love. The Chopard L.U.C Time Traveler One ref. 168574-3013, in ceramicized titanium with a khaki green dial, marks a decade since the Time Traveler One's original introduction back in 2016. While the overall design of the worldtimer hasn't really changed, the brand hasn't held back in its use of different colors and metal variations for the model, leading to a varied back catalog for this single watch. This new version, with its combination of matte grey, green, and yellow, stands out quite a bit in Chopard's L.U.C lineup. It's the only L.U.C currently in production with a travel complication, and its understated, slightly rugged look literally contrasts with the generally polished, dressy executions of the other L.U.C models. That industrial vibe is thanks to the all-matte, sandblasted dark grey look of the ceramicized grade 5 titanium used for the 42mm by 12.09mm case, including both crowns—the one at 2 o'clock sets the local time and the date, while the crown at 4 o'clock adjusts the cit...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Singer Reimagined DualTrack
Having made its name with auto-racing central chronographs, Singer Reimagined recently debuted its first-ever GMT, the DualTrack. Retaining the aesthetic established by Singer’s chronographs, the DualTrack is a straightforward “caller” dual-time watch with a local time display and independent 24-hour ring. On the back, however, the DualTrack reveals its party trick: a manual wind movement with four visible barrels that combine for six days of power reserve. Developed by an unnamed specialist (that is probably Chronode), the ST5001 has four mainsprings spread out across the movement with the balance hoisted above them, making for an unusual construction and layout. Initial thoughts I like Singer’s original proposition of racing-inspired central chronographs, which are true to the brand’s origins as an offshoot of the cult Porsche 911 mod specialist, Singer Vehicle Design. The Track 1 chronograph was a good debut concept backed by an innovative movement. The DualTrack is similar, but simpler, more affordable, and also more practical. The DualTrack still has the retro-inspired, cushion-shaped case that’s approximately the same as that on the chronograph, making it a little chunky, but the size feels appropriate for a sports watch. It also feels good on the wrist; in contrast, the smaller Caballero with the same base movement feels too small. But instead of a central chronograph, the DualTrack has a pair of useful features: a second time zone and a long power reser...
WatchAdvice
Hands-On With The Zenith Defy Extreme Ultraviolet
The Zenith Defy Extreme Ultraviolet is bold, unapologetically big, and has major wrist presence. And we love it! What We Love The look of the microblasted titanium case with the purple dial and strap The lightweight construction makes it easy to wear The 1/100th second chronograph is a fun complication to play with What We Don’t It is a larger watch that will not fit all wrists The style is not for everyone or everyday wear due to the size, design, and colour The power reserve could be stretched a little more to 60 hours if I’m being picky Overall Rating: 9 / 10 Value For Money: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 The Zenith DEFY Extreme is a cool watch, no matter how you look at it. This is the third DEFY Extreme I’ve been able to wear, and every time I put one on my wrist, it just feels right. Yes, it’s not exactly a technical analysis to start a watch review with, but there’s something about these watches that makes me smile. Last year, when I reviewed the DEFY Extreme Diver Shadow, I found it to be a surprisingly easy-wearing watch thanks to the titanium construction and the way Zenith has crafted the case design and bracelet. It wore exceptionally well on the wrist, although slightly smaller at 42.5mm. The Zenith DEFY Extreme models I went hands-on with last year However, I did then spend some time with the DEFY Extreme Lapis Lazuli with the high-polish two-tone case, which would be the Ultraviolet’s more flamboyant cousin. Agai...