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The Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Arrives in Forged Carbon SJX Watches
Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Sep 5, 2024

The Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Arrives in Forged Carbon

Well liked for its affordability and integrated-bracelet style, the Tissot PRX is now available in a novel material for the first time. The Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic Forged Carbon has a lightweight case of carbon composite matched with an integrated rubber strap, and it is equipped with a no-frills automatic movement. Initial thoughts From an LCD digital to a Grendizer edition, the iterations of the PRX are endless, but the model is still appealing with its simple style and inexpensive price tag. Like its peers, the PRX Forged Carbon model is a functional watch with a monochromatic aesthetic matches the design perfectly. But it’s lighter than the steel versions of the model, and arguably more wearable. That said, carbon composite is not as durable as metal alloy, so this might not have the same easy robustness as the steel version. At US$995, this does cost more than the base model PRX, but it is one of the most affordable Swiss-made watches with a carbon composite case and automatic movement. No-frills fun The new PRX retains the style and dimensions of its steel counterpart. The case is 40 mm in diameter and a one-piece construction of carbon composite with a press-fit steel back. It’s slight thicker than the steel model because the steel case back connects to an inner case of steel that sits within the carbon composite outer case. The composite used for the case has a marbled finish that is typical of the material. Made up of white, grey, and black, the case is match...

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TAG Heuer Introduces the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Introduces Sep 5, 2024

TAG Heuer Introduces the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport

After having expanded the line-up of its bestselling, vintage-inspired Carrera “Glassbox”, TAG Heuer now turns to something modern, the Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport. Though it shares the Carrera moniker and TH20 movement, the new Extreme Sport chronograph is nothing like is retro counterpart. Available in titanium or 18k rose gold, the Carrera Extreme Sport is a big, bold chronograph with a skeletonised dial and integrated rubber strap. And at the top of the new collection is the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Extreme Sport, which is the most modern take on TAG Heuer’s affordable double complication of chronograph plus flying tourbillon. Initial thoughts TAG Heuer’s offerings are now mostly either vintage-inspired and hyper-modern. The Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport definitely falls into the latter category. The open-worked dial is surprisingly intricate, with the X-shaped latticework finished with a combination of colour-treated frosted recesses and straight graining. With a skeletonised dial and chunky case, the Chronograph Extreme Sport feels similar to other watches in this segment, though the case is distinctive as the Carrera design. For anyone who feels TAG Heuer’s vintage-inspired watches are too traditional, this has the same in-house movement but presented in contemporary package. Like most watches of this style, the Chronograph Extreme Sport has an integrated rubber strap for a seamless clean profile, but never really fits as well as a convent...

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First Look – The Bold, Racing-Oriented New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport Collection Monochrome
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport Sep 5, 2024

First Look – The Bold, Racing-Oriented New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport Collection

This year, TAG Heuer is expanding its lineup by introducing a new collection, the Carrera Extreme Sport series with 6 different models, blending the brand’s legendary racing heritage with advanced materials and innovative design. Earlier this year, the brand unveiled the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 in time for the 24h of Le Mans, paying […]

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Hot Take: Brand-New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport References Fratello
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport Sep 5, 2024

Hot Take: Brand-New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport References

TAG Heuer isn’t shying away from ultra-modern styling lately. Or, I should say, the brand offers a choice of modern and classic watches, even within the racing-themed Carrera line. For those who tend to prefer vintage looks, there is the Carrera Glassbox. If, however, you are more into futuristic designs, we have something for you […] Visit Hot Take: Brand-New TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport References to read the full article.

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First Look – The Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80, now with Gradient Dials or in Full Forged Carbon Monochrome
Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Sep 5, 2024

First Look – The Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80, now with Gradient Dials or in Full Forged Carbon

One of the Swiss watch industry’s main successes from recent years, and Tissot‘s star collection, the PRX range has become a true hit since its inaugural release in 2021. Since then, this collection has been drastically enlarged to offer more movements, more colours, more materials, more straps and more dimensions. While we thought the mint […]

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Grand Seiko Marks 20 Years of Spring Drive 9R SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Marks 20 Years Sep 5, 2024

Grand Seiko Marks 20 Years of Spring Drive 9R

Grand Seiko’s debuted its first-ever Spring Drive movement in 2004 with the cal. 9R65. Now the brand is marking 20 years of the 9R Spring Drive movement family with the Elegance Collection SBGY035 and SBGA499, both sporting striking red dials inspired by the sunlit autumn scenery around Mount Hotaka. Part of the Thin Dress Series, the SBGY035 is flat and elegant, with a domed, textured dial. On the other hand, SBGA499 employs the classic Grand Seiko case and bracelet, matched with a sunburst-brushed dial in red that has the signature Spring Drive power reserve indicator at eight o’clock. The SBGA499 Initial thoughts I am a Grand Seiko fanboy. The brand offers a strong value proposition across its catalogue. Furthermore, Spring Drive is synonymous with Grand Seiko. The hybrid approach of Spring Drive means it boasts quartz-level accuracy despite being having an entirely mechanical mainspring and gear train. The new pair are perfect representations of Grand Seiko’s approach to horology, both good and bad. The two watches are striking, especially since red isn’t a colour often employed by Grand Seiko. The SBGY035 in particular stands out since the textured red dial is uncommon for Grand Seiko and dress watches in general. The SBGY035 That said, Grand Seiko’s limited editions feel too frequent, especially since many are only colour variations of each other. This is a regular criticism of Grand Seiko, but it hasn’t dampened sales of such limited editions, which pro...

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Hands-On with the Relaunched Favre Leuba Collections at Geneva Watch Days Worn & Wound
Ulysse Nardin Sep 4, 2024

Hands-On with the Relaunched Favre Leuba Collections at Geneva Watch Days

One of my first and most eagerly anticipated Geneva Watch Days meetings was with Favre Leuba, a brand that I’ve admired for a very long time, even as its modern incarnation felt like a shell of the brand of its vintage heyday. Favre Leuba is a brand with a long history, dating back to the first half of the 18th century, and is perhaps best known for the Bivouac, a watch with an integrated altimeter complication. Ownership of the brand has changed many times over the years, and in recent years the marque was controlled by various holding companies that never did justice to the watches created in Favre Leuba’s best years. This year, however, marks a new start for the brand, under the leadership of watch industry veteran Patrik Hoffmann, who had a long stint at Ulysse Nardin, and later WatchBox. At Geneva Watch Days, they debuted a robust new collection of watches that pays homage to the brand’s history while also looking forward, giving Favre Leuba the best chance they’ve had in years for real success.  Patrik Hoffmann at Geneva Watch Days 2024 There are multiple ways to relaunch a brand. You can start small, even with a single watch, and work your way toward building a collection. Or you can go big with something akin to the kitchen sink approach, with varied collections and price points. The advantage, I suppose, of going big is that a brand will get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn’t, but it also seems risky. What if none of it works? Favre Leuba...

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First Look – The Impressive Louis Moinet Speed of Sound, With Vintage Valjoux 88 Inside Monochrome
Louis Moinet Sep 4, 2024

First Look – The Impressive Louis Moinet Speed of Sound, With Vintage Valjoux 88 Inside

With Jean-Marie Schaller at the helm, Louis Moinet navigates the seas of haute horlogerie with a distinctive style marked by its impressively staged mechanical movements, exotic materials and flamboyant styling. Louis Moinet’s latest port of call will appeal to fans of the legendary Valjoux 88 calibre, brought back to life onboard the Speed of Sound. […]

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Alarm Watches: A Complete Guide to the Most Underappreciated Watch Com Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 4, 2024

Alarm Watches: A Complete Guide to the Most Underappreciated Watch Com

If we're ranking watch styles by everyday practicality, it's hard to beat the alarm watch. Most of us are regularly needing reminders of appointments, events, and other commitments, and to have the source of such audible alerts right on your wrist, rather than buried in a pocket or a handbag, would seem to be the height of practicality even in today's high-tech world. Around the middle of the 20th Century, many watchmakers agreed and began to embrace the style, but alarm watches never achieved anywhere near the widespread popularity of other complications like chronographs and GMTs. Nevertheless, the alarm watch has played a significant role in horological history, and a handful of important brands have not only been instrumental in its creation and development but continue to rely on it as a major pillar of their collections today. Here is the story of how the mechanical alarm watch came to be, how it became a signature style of certain watchmakers, and how it continues to evolve today despite its niche status in the industry.  Johannes Dürrstein, regarded as the inventor of the alarm watch  Watches with alarm functions go back farther into horological history than most probably realize. Johannes Dürrsstein, a watchmaker in Glashütte, Germany, invented the first mass-produced, alarm-equipped pocket watch caliber in 1900. Dürrstein’s invention used an extra-long mainspring that could fuel both the timekeeping and the independent alarm hand, which was activated by a...

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The Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch - Now Available For Purchase Online! Fratello
Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch - Sep 4, 2024

The Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch - Now Available For Purchase Online!

Surprise, surprise! Swatch will offer the Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch for sale online in the United States and China starting today. Most likely, the brand chose these countries because they have huge areas without any Swatch boutiques nearby. But while they are the first, with some luck, they won’t be the last. The online […] Visit The Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch - Now Available For Purchase Online! to read the full article.

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Introducing – The Hanhart Preventor HD12, the Brand’s Vision of a Robust Everyday Watch Monochrome
Sep 4, 2024

Introducing – The Hanhart Preventor HD12, the Brand’s Vision of a Robust Everyday Watch

The everyday watch… The go-anywhere-do-anything watch… The allrounder… The one-watch collection… A key player for brands that want to widen their audience, and yet a highly complex topic. A company specialising in pilot chronographs, Hanhart has shown consistency in recent years with superbly designed models inspired by the past and fair prices to remain competitive […]

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Hands-On: the Praesidus DD-45 “Patina” Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Lemania Longines IWC Omega Sep 3, 2024

Hands-On: the Praesidus DD-45 “Patina”

The muggy jungle of the South Pacific was no place for weak watches. As World War II raged through the early 1940s, Allied troops found themselves trailing behind the production capabilities of their Axis counterparts, and manufacturing on the homefront turned all attention to the war effort. Civilian-spec’d watches were not going to cut it in either theater of operations – the elements were too brutal for delicate equipment of any kind. Military necessity being the timeless innovator it is, the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) committed to finding robust timekeeping options for the Allies that could be produced as quickly as possible. The specifications were stringent and twelve brands were tapped for the task: Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, and Vertex. Among many other things, the watches were to have a black dial, Arabic numerals and be housed in a stainless steel case. The time would be made legible with the help of luminous indices and hands – care for a little radium, anyone? Every watch was marked on the caseback with triple Ws: Wrist Watch Waterproof. The diameter ranged in sizes, depending on the brand, with Longines at the larger end of 38mm and IWC and Omega on the small side at 35mm. These watches are widely considered to be the first true field watches, as we know field watches today.  The entire set, one watch from each of the twelve brands selected for production, is a collection-grail for ...

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Introducing – The AP Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Chronograph in new Shades of Grey Monochrome
Audemars Piguet collection Sep 3, 2024

Introducing – The AP Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon Chronograph in new Shades of Grey

Introduced in 2020, a year after the debut of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection, the Flying Tourbillon Chronograph’s combination of two complications with an openworked dial was designed to showcase the brand’s high-end watchmaking skills. The latest iteration of this model comes in a two-tone white gold and black ceramic case and an […]

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The New Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière Puts Glowing Blocks of Globolight Center Stage Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière Puts Sep 3, 2024

The New Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière Puts Glowing Blocks of Globolight Center Stage

The upward trajectory of Christopher Ward in the eyes of enthusiasts and collectors has been well documented over the last few years. The Bel Canto, of course, completely changed the game for the brand, and was an announcement to the broader watchmaking community of something ardent supporters have known for quite some time: that the team at Christopher Ward is capable of real outside-the-box thinking, and has an ambition to tweak expectations far beyond that of most brands in their price range. They have periodically introduced watches since that in one way or another qualify as what you might call “statement pieces,” or watches that seem to exist for the purpose of shifting the community’s expectations around the brand. The Twelve X, introduced earlier this year, is a perfect example, and I’d also point you toward a personal favorite of mine, the C1 Moonphase, which works as an art piece the same was some of the watches created by my favorite high end independents. Their latest offering, at least on the surface, is perhaps not as paradigm shifting as any of the watches mentioned previously, but it’s still generating an awful lot of chatter online for a series of dramatic improvements to just about every feature of a core offering from Christopher Ward: the dive watch.  The Trident collection, Christopher Ward’s dive watch range, is now in its 15th year, and the new C60 Trident Lumière is described by the brand as the pinnacle of the series to date. There ar...

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Alpina Launches the Alpiner Extreme Skeleton Worn & Wound
Citizen Watch family Sep 3, 2024

Alpina Launches the Alpiner Extreme Skeleton

For more than 140 years, Alpina has made a name for itself as a premier watch brand for sportsmen and adventurers alike. Now under the Citizen Watch family, the Swiss brand continues to bring to market exciting watches that often punch way above their weight class. Take, for example, the latest release by the brand: the Alpiner Extreme Skeleton. Coming in two references, depending on the strap chosen, these watches mark an interesting advent for the brand: marrying sports watch performance with a skeletonized dial in one.  Every millimeter of this Alpiner iteration has been consciously redesigned for both aesthetics and performance. It’s hard to talk about this watch without mentioning the namesake skeleton architecture of the watch. Of course, the lack of a proper dial gives us a peek into the inner workings of the movement; it’s the small finishes throughout the watch that make it truly impressive. Take, for instance, the finishing on the movement that alternates between satin and polished surfaces. Or the hour markers applied by hand to the crystal, giving them a floating appearance against a dialless backdrop. Or the luminescent hands which tie it all together and remind one that this is, first and foremost, a sports watch. It’s all packed into a compact and wearable 39mm x 40.55 mm cushion case. Noted earlier, this watch comes in two references. The first (AL-520GSKT3AE6B) is a monochromatic gray variant that’s inspired by the Alpine foothills. This reference...

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Can I Swim With My Omega Speedmaster Professional? Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Professional? Every once Sep 3, 2024

Can I Swim With My Omega Speedmaster Professional?

Every once in a while, we see comments and questions on the Speedmaster that need to be addressed. One of them is about the water resistance of the Speedmaster. It’s often mocked for the lack of water resistance, but what many don’t seem to know is that, according to Omega, it’s safe to swim while […] Visit Can I Swim With My Omega Speedmaster Professional? to read the full article.

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Introducing – The New MeisterSinger Edition Anton Bruckner Hour-Strike Monochrome
MeisterSinger Sep 3, 2024

Introducing – The New MeisterSinger Edition Anton Bruckner Hour-Strike

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of renowned composer and musician Anton Bruckner, MeisterSinger has aptly chosen its hour-strike “au passage” Bell Hora chiming watch for a special release. The MeisterSinger Edition Anton Bruckner honours the composer while preserving the signature features that define the brand’s creations, including the classic single-hand display combined to the chiming […]

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First Look – The New & Elegant Black-Gold Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding Monochrome
Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding Sep 3, 2024

First Look – The New & Elegant Black-Gold Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding

To attract and cultivate a new generation of watch enthusiasts who are still young but may develop a passion for collecting fine mechanical timepieces, Vacheron Constantin launched a new entry-level collection in 2018. Inspired by the design of the Reference 6073 introduced by the brand in 1956, the collection was aptly named Fiftysix, capturing the […]

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Longines’ Retro Legend Diver 39 mm in Modern Colours SJX Watches
Blancpain have established Sep 3, 2024

Longines’ Retro Legend Diver 39 mm in Modern Colours

For the 65th of its trademark vintage dive watch of the 1960s, Longines is giving the modern remake a set of new colours. The new Legend Diver is essentially extensions of last year’s release, retaining the double-crown case in the smaller 39 mm size and gaining new dial colours in green, terracotta, or anthracite grey. The model is equipped with a “grains-of-rice” stainless steel bracelet with a micro-adjustment feature. Initial thoughts While many brands, namely Rolex and Blancpain, have established a familiar template for the dive watch, Longines has its a distinct design with the Legend Diver that has its characteristic Super Compressor case with two crowns and internal bezel. The design isn’t unique to Longines but the brand has arguably been most successful with it in the modern day And compared to other Super Compressor-style divers in this price range, the Legend Diver has the advantage of a higher-spec movement in the form of the COSC-certified L888.6 with 72 hours of power reserve. This makes the Legend Diver an appealing and affordable watch that’s priced at US$3,400. Lacquered colours The highlight of the release are the lacquered dial in green, terracotta and anthracite grey. The colour extends to the rotating bi-directional bezel designed for measuring dive time. The bezel can be rotated utilising the screw-in crown at two o’clock. The dial layout is symmetrical with no date, and features elongated indices and raised Arabic numerals coated with Su...

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The Breathtaking Girard-Perregaux La Esmeralda ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition Honey Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux La Esmeralda ‘A Secret’ Sep 2, 2024

The Breathtaking Girard-Perregaux La Esmeralda ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition Honey

One of the things I will absolutely never tire of when it comes to attending watch shows like Watches & Wonders and Geneva Watch Days is the opportunity to handle watches that would be simply impossible to view at any other time. These events are important for networking purposes and to see and learn about new releases from mass market brands as early as possible so we can share them with our readers, but let’s be honest: even the “rare” watches from brands that are part of the big luxury groups are relatively easy to see if you’re in New York City and connected to the watch media or collector world. But there are some watches that when they’re brought out, you understand immediately that you’re probably getting your one, last look. That’s the impression I got at my Girard-Perregaux meeting when they showed me the La Esmeralda ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition Honey.  I saw lots of cool stuff over three very busy and sweaty days taking meetings in the Beau Rivage and other hotels that lack American style air conditioning during Geneva Watch Days, but if you asked me to narrow things down and pick just one watch that is simply the most beautiful object I saw during my time there, the Esmerelda gets my vote. Beauty, as we know, is in the eye of the beholder, so I won’t speak in absolute terms here. It would be perfectly reasonable to prefer the Garrick S3 or the Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance, or virtually any number of other great watches. But the Esmerelda ...

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Grand Seiko Just Released a Collector’s Dream Watch! Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Just Released Sep 2, 2024

Grand Seiko Just Released a Collector’s Dream Watch!

At Watches & Wonders 2024, Grand Seiko announced the new 9SA4 caliber and the first two watches featuring it, the SLGW002 and SLGW003. As a refresher, the 9SA4 is a manual hi-beat (36,000 bph), 80-hour, time-only caliber featuring their in-house dual-impulse escapement, first seen in the 9SA5. With a power reserve on the back of the movement, beautiful bridge designs and finishing, and a unique “wagtail-bird-shaped” winding click, it set a new bar for Grand Seiko’s mechanical calibers. But, perhaps just as exciting as the movement itself was that the watches featuring it were sized at an idyllic 38.6mm diameter and 9.95mm thickness with a 20mm lug, addressing the naysayer’s concerns around Grand Seiko’s sizing. While a pair of fantastic releases, since introduction, we have been wondering where we will see this movement next. Well, we just got our answer, and I have to tell you, I’m equally surprised and delighted. They went vintage rather than with the new case and a different dial, which would have been most expected. Yes, they decided to bring back, as a limited edition, of course, a “recreation” of the 45GS from 1968. A little history, the 45GS came out a year after the 44GS and featured the same case design, but differed in that it featured the brand’s first hi-beat manual wound movement, the 4520. The SLGW005 – the return of the 45GS The 44/45GS case defines the Grand Seiko “Grammar of Design” as set out by Taro Tanaka, with flat, Zaratsu poli...

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First Look – The New Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat “Icefall” 37mm SBGH347 Monochrome
Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat “Icefall” 37mm Sep 2, 2024

First Look – The New Grand Seiko Heritage Hi-Beat “Icefall” 37mm SBGH347

While Grand Seiko is celebrating this year the 20th anniversary of its first Spring Drive calibre, the 9R released in 2004, there’s another series of movements that’s equally important, the 9S series, which is all about mechanical calibres. First presented in 1998 and still the cornerstone of the collection, the calibre 9S found its way […]

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It’s An Exquisite Millésime Monday Morning With The New HYT T1 Millésime Series Fratello
HYT Sep 2, 2024

It’s An Exquisite Millésime Monday Morning With The New HYT T1 Millésime Series

The French word millésime means “vintage” and is most often linked to great wines and champagnes. The new HYT T1 Millésime series offers a vintage-inspired dial matching the contemporary look of HYT’s most understated creation. And just like a millésime wine, the new trio of watches refers to a limited period. The HYT T1 Millésime […] Visit It’s An Exquisite Millésime Monday Morning With The New HYT T1 Millésime Series to read the full article.

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First Look – The New Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Atera Valley SLGA025 Monochrome
Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Atera Valley Sep 2, 2024

First Look – The New Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Atera Valley SLGA025

A contemporary yet gentle evolution of the original “Grammar of Design” established with the 1967 44GS, the Evolution 9 collection is the vision of the future for Grand Seiko. More modern, more ergonomic, presented in a sporty-chic attire and mostly equipped with new generations of the emblematic calibres 9R and 9S, this collection has already […]

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