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Above the Date Window: Steve McQueen's Monaco and What Sotheby's Catalogues Really Tell You

How a sliver of dial real estate above the date window decodes provenance on every screen-worn Heuer Monaco that has passed through Sotheby's and Phillips.
Panerai Introduces the Radiomir PAM01347 and PAM01348 “Otto Giorni” SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Mar 27, 2023

Panerai Introduces the Radiomir PAM01347 and PAM01348 “Otto Giorni”

With a distinctive style inspired by historical military dive watches, Panerai has pivoted to a more contemporary aesthetic in recent years. This year the brand is once again looking back into its history with the Radiomir “Otto Giorni” PAM01347 and PAM01348. Both models are modelled on historical designs but executed in modern colours and finishes. Initial thoughts  Both watches are essentially facelifted versions of the Radiomir 8 Days PAM00992, sharing the same dial layout and in-house manual movement. While the PAM00992 was historically inspired (though not a remake of any one model), the newly launched pair is clearly more modern. The two watches are clearly targeted at someone who likes the Panerai style, but wants something more current in terms of colours and textures. With that in mind, the PAM01347 and PAM01348 are sensible and successful new launches. Both watches use recycled steel for the case, but more notable is the “aged” case finish that goes well with the textured, smoked dial. Otto Giorni Like most Radiomir models, the PAM01347 and PAM01348 are rooted in the dive watch developed by Panerai (and produced by Rolex) in 1935 for the Italian navy. With its distinctive cushion case and wire lugs (recognisable as a Rolex pocket watch with additional, soldered lugs), the Radiomir is one of Panerai’s signature models alongside the Luminor. While the historical Radiomir was a massive 47 mm in diameter, more recent Radiomir models are 45 mm,  as is th...

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Cartier Introduces the Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Mar 27, 2023

Cartier Introduces the Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor

Fresh off the success of last year’s unexpected Santos-Dumont “Lacquered Case”, Cartier continues with the theme but now with an newly developed open-worked movement. Making its debut in three variants, the Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor underscore Cartier’s commitment to the Santos-Dumont, the model that’s truest to the 1904 watch designed for pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont. Equipped with the cal. 9629 MC that has a plane-shaped rotor, the three references include a pair of regular production models in steel and rose gold, along with a 150-piece limited edition in a striking combination of yellow gold and blue lacquer. Initial Thoughts Cartier been using lacquer to decorate its jewellery, watches, and accessories almost since its founding in 1847. While a first for the brand in the modern-day – and also unique amongst watchmakers – last year’s lacquered Santos-Dumont was modelled on a similar 1920s watch, so it makes sense for the Parisian jeweller to continue with the theme. In this context, the highlight of the Santos-Dumont Skeleton collection is undoubtedly the yellow gold model with navy-blue lacquer inlays. Not only is the lacquer applied to the case and bezel as was the case with last year’s model, but it is applied to the movement bridges. The combination of lacquer, skeleton movement, and a whimsical plane-shaped rotor instantly sets it apart from other Cartier watches, yet it is still easily recognisable as a Cartier creation. This watch ce...

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Grand Seiko Introduces the Tentagraph SLGC001 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Introduces Mar 27, 2023

Grand Seiko Introduces the Tentagraph SLGC001

Grand Seiko made a big splash at last year’s Watches & Wonders with the launch of the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon, the brand’s first complicated mechanical wristwatch. For 2023, the brand is back with another first-time complication that will likely be one of the most talked-about watches of the show, the Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001. The first purely mechanical Grand Seiko chronograph ever, the Tentagraph is a high-spec sports chronograph that fills a hole in the Grand Seiko portfolio. “Tentagraph” is a portmanteau of the four key features of the watch: TEN beats per second, Three-day power reserve, Automatic winding, and of course, the chronoGRAPH. Initial thoughts The Tentagraph is an important watch for Grand Seiko that enables the brand to stand toe to toe with Rolex, Omega, Zenith, Breitling, and other stalwarts in the popular category of mechanical sports chronograph. Not only is the category a hitherto untapped commercial opportunity for Grand Seiko, it is an opportunity for the brand to demonstrate its technical know-how and ambition. In this context, I would have expected the brand to release an integrated chronograph movement, perhaps based on the 6S movement family. But Grand Seiko has chosen to build a modular chronograph calibre based on the 9SA5, the flagship Grand Seiko automatic movement introduced in 2020, signalling the brand’s commitment to the calibre and its proprietary Dual Impulse Escapement. My colleague Richard Lee notes that the 9S...

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IWC Introduces the Ingenieur Automatic 40 SJX Watches
IWC Introduces Mar 27, 2023

IWC Introduces the Ingenieur Automatic 40

After years in the doldrums – and several unsuccessful reboots – the Ingenieur has been given a much-needed refresh inside and out. The IWC Ingenieur 40 emulates many of the best characteristics of the original Ingenieur SL from 1976 that was famously designed by Gérald Genta, but adds a proprietary automatic movement into the mix. Initial Thoughts While there was nothing wrong with the outgoing Ingenieur ref. IW3570, it was uninspired and lacked the charisma found in the original 1976 designs. Unsurprisingly, it failed to resonate with buyers who increasingly favoured sports watches with integrated bracelets. The ref. IW328903 features an aqua dial and a bracelet with polished center links The resulting surge in demand for integrated-bracelet sports watches was a trend that IWC missed out on since the last Ingenieur with an integrated bracelet was the ref. IW3239 discontinued in 2017. With everyone else launching an integrated-bracelet sports watch, it seemed inevitable that IWC would eventually refresh the Ingenieur and bring back the original design. In this context, the launch of the Ingenieur 40 is welcome, even if it does feel slightly anti-climactic.  The Ingenieur ref. IW328902 in steel with a silver-plated dial The new Ingenieur is essentially a blend of the 1976 original and the more recent integrated-bracelet models. The design appears thoughtful. For example, the bezel with five notches from the original returns, but with a twist (no pun intended). Whi...

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A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Odysseus Chronograph SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Mar 27, 2023

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Odysseus Chronograph

Unveiled in 2019, the Odysseus was A. Lange & Söhne’s first foray into sports watches. A commercial success since launch, the Odysseus has since become one of the brand’s most desirable watches. Though it has been iterated in different metals (including titanium), it has remained the same model, until now. Long anticipated and alluded to by chief executive Wilhelm Schmid, the Odysseus Chronograph has finally arrived. While powered by a brand-new automatic movement that incorporates a novel and fanciful reset feature, the watch retains the same Odysseus styling. Initial thoughts The Odysseus Chronograph is not unexpected. From the start the Odysseus case was designed to feature integrated pushers resembling crown guards, making it ideal for a chronograph. And the Odysseus Chronograph looks exactly as expected. Though the design is not surprising, the Odysseus Chronograph is cleverly designed. It manages to retain the aesthetics of its predecessor despite being substantially more complicated. The key visual difference is the addition of just two central chronograph hands. The consistent design was accomplished by smartly endowing the large integrated pushers with dual functionality of activating the chronograph or calendar adjustment. Predictably, the new movement inside is automatic – atypical for Lange but sticking to industry convention for a sports watch. However, being automatic means that most of the chronograph mechanism is hidden under the bridges and rotor...

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Girard-Perregaux Takes The Laureato Full Throttle With Aston Martin In Two Ceramic Green Editions With 42 mm And 38 mm Cases Quill & Pad
Girard-Perregaux Takes Mar 26, 2023

Girard-Perregaux Takes The Laureato Full Throttle With Aston Martin In Two Ceramic Green Editions With 42 mm And 38 mm Cases

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato has evolved over the decades but never too far from its original shape and purpose. The design has a timeless touch to it, which makes it look contemporary. These two Aston Martin versions (42 mm and 38 mm) green are an ode to British Racing Green, a color favored by Aston Martin

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Louis Erard Introduces the Excellence Marqueterie SJX Watches
Louis Erard Introduces Mar 25, 2023

Louis Erard Introduces the Excellence Marqueterie

After several consecutive hit collaborations, Louis Erard debuts its first with a wood marquetry dial. Arguably its most ambitious release yet in terms of craftsmanship, the Excellence Marqueterie features a dial inlaid with tiny pieces of wood to form an M.C. Escher-like motif. For the dial, the brand tapped Bastien Chevalier, a Swiss artisan who specialises the art of creating designs and patterns out of intricately cut pieces of wood, although other materials like stone, silicon, straw, and even leather can be used for the technique. Initial thoughts In my view, most watchmakers tend to collaborate only as a last resort, when they’ve run out of ideas. What sets Louis Erard apart is its coherent strategy for collaborations. Whether created by industrial designer atelier oï, or a watchmaker like Vianney Halter, its collaboration editions are still recognisable as Louis Erard thanks to the use of the same steel case. And they are uniformly produced in small runs and priced below CHF4,000. The new Excellence Marqueterie continues this successful formula, bringing wood marquetry to the sub-US$10,000 category for the first time. While brands like anOrdain are doing something similar with affordably priced enamel dials that are designed for modern tastes, there’s never been a marquetry dial at this price point. Not only does the dial look good, it is impressively constructed from dozens of hand-made elements that require careful finishing. Despite the more complex dial...

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Taking Inspiration from Nature With The New Boldr Safari Vogelkop Superb Worn & Wound
Boldr Safari Vogelkop Superb Complex Mar 25, 2023

Taking Inspiration from Nature With The New Boldr Safari Vogelkop Superb

Complex DNA. Constantly evolving species. A couple billion year head start. These things ensure that Mother Nature continues to be the dominant designer on this planet, and has been for quite a long time. So when a watch brand decides it’s time to create something new, what better place to draw inspiration from? Complex DNA. Constantly evolving species. A couple billion year head start. These things ensure that Mother Nature continues to be the dominant designer on this planet, and has been for quite a long time. So when a watch brand decides it’s time to create something new, what better place to draw inspiration from? The post Taking Inspiration from Nature With The New Boldr Safari Vogelkop Superb appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Send Us Your Recommendations And Suggestions Of Watches To Nominate For The 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Quill & Pad
Mar 25, 2023

Send Us Your Recommendations And Suggestions Of Watches To Nominate For The 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)

As GPHG Academy members, GaryG, Joshua Munchow, and Ian Skellern have been asked to nominate watches for consideration in the 2023 GPHG. And while they spend much of our lives immersed in the world of watches, they don’t know of everything out there and there may well be, and are likely to be, gems that they are not aware of. So please send us your suggestions and recommendations for watches in the 15 categories listed.

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The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Eric L. Worn & Wound
Omega Speedmaster MKII Racing – Mar 24, 2023

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Eric L.

Editor’s Note: In this edition of the 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, long time reader Eric L. shares their trio of watches, which include a brand I had to Google to discover. This is a collection motivated not by hype, but by enthusiasm alone so hat’s off to Eric for this selection. Bonos points for one of the coolest G-Shocks in existence.  If you’d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here. Header image credit: Analog:Shift Long time listener, first time caller. NATO’s are great…always. Full Stop…no question.  Keep up the good work folks. Omega Speedmaster MKII Racing – $4,000 It’s a Speedmaster, but you didn’t type in “best watch algorithm” in the Google Machine to find out which Speedy you should buy (It’s the Professional Moonwatch…it went to the moon, but Omega rarely talks about it). Plus, everyone knows that the 70’s racing scene was so funky and lit that it deserves more credit that it receives. Funky case, orange highlights, tach ring under the glass…it’s just better than the Moonwatch in all respects, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Scared of vintage watches? Get the reissue with a co-axial movement that’s COSC certified. Elliott Brown Houlton Professional – $550 Analog watches are a thing of the past you say?  All soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines need are G-Shocks and Timex Ironman watches, you say?  Well my brothers and sisters in the UK’s Special Boat ...

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Worn & Wound
Mar 24, 2023

Enthusiast Spotlight: On the Job, Street, and Trail with the G-SHOCK GM2100C Utility Metal and Outerwear Expert Wallie Luu

When we first laid eyes on G-SHOCK’s new additions to the GM-2100 line called the Utility Metal collection, we knew we’d need to call in an expert in utilitarian style. In order to help us tell the story of these three rugged watches-each with a touch of casual sophistication-we reached out to our pal Wallie Luu. Not only is Wallie a G-SHOCK aficionado, he’s a gear enthusiast with one of the most expansive collections of rugged outerwear designed for the toughest of conditions. We caught up with him at work, on the street, and on the trail where he demonstrated for us the versatility of this new collection. He also told us some great stories and imparted his words of wisdom, all while sporting the now iconic octagonal form and metal-clad design of these GM2100 standouts. We’re featuring the new G-SHOCK Utility Metal collection in the story, can you give us your first impressions? Did you find it easy to pair them with your style? All of the G-SHOCKs I’ve owned have always been pretty big, burly watches that can take the abuse I put them through, whether I’m at the shop, exploring the city, or on a trip. I really like how sleek and low profile these G-SHOCK Utilities wear, without sacrificing how robust they are. I feel like these work great as a solid, everyday watch thanks to their metal cases. I’m also really impressed with the quality of the strap. I wasn’t sure what to expect with a fabric strap on a G-SHOCK, but for me it’s an intriguing combo. I...

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Vulcain Knows How to Play The Hits and the Chrongraphe 1970’s is their Latest Vintage Tune Worn & Wound
Vulcain Knows How Mar 24, 2023

Vulcain Knows How to Play The Hits and the Chrongraphe 1970’s is their Latest Vintage Tune

Since Vulcain received a new lease on life with entrepreneur and brand enthusiast Guillaume Laidet at the helm, the storied brand has not missed. By tapping into Vulcain’s deep archives and playing the hits, so to speak, many of us have thoroughly enjoyed getting reacquainted with the brand. Debuting with their most iconic watch, the Cricket, was the logical first step in relaunching Vulcain. It’s a watch that has all the name-cache with it being the first mechanical alarm watch and its historical ties to several United States presidents. Following the Cricket, Laidet and company hit us with an unexpected dive watch with the Skindiver Nautique. Once again, by essentially producing a recreation of a past reference, Vulcain released a diver with all the vintage charm you could ask for (a type of watch that every brand needs in their arsenal), packed into a tidy 38mm case. So how does Vulcain move forward from the aforementioned models? Well, with a presidential watch and a diver already in the quiver, naturally a chronograph is the next move. Continuing with what has been clearly working for the brand thus far, Vulcain recently announced the Chronographe 1970’s, a handsome chronograph and another spot-on revival from their back catalog. There is a certain magnetism and allure to the Chronographe 1970’s which I’ll try to identify as we go on. First, the dial. I applauded the typeface choice on the Skindiver Nautique during a recent On-Wrist Reaction, and I’ll do t...

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Hands-On with the Circula ProTrail “Old Radium” Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe but I have Mar 24, 2023

Hands-On with the Circula ProTrail “Old Radium” Limited Edition

Field watches work particularly well as a blank slate. They are rigorously simple by design, a watch made for pure function and to simply get out of the way of your day to day life. An easily legible dial and a compact case are the only true prerequisites. From there, watch brands have a ton of latitude in how they create a field watch that feels unique to them and will please their customers. There are literally hundreds of traditional field watches to choose from, made by just about every brand you can think of, from Hamilton to Patek Philippe, but I have a soft spot for the oddball interpretations that provide a twist on the norm. The Circula ProTrail isn’t exactly avant-garde or anything, but it’s just a few degrees away from “the standard,” giving it a unique contemporary sensibility among a sea (or a field?) of similar watches that tend to cling to the past.  Circula is a German brand with roots dating back to the 1950s, but was effectively relaunched in 2018 by the founder’s grandson, Cornelius Huber. What started with a series of simple German made quartz watches has become a varied collection of precision machined sports watches (for the most part), often in vibrant colors. They put a focus on manufacturing, which is evident in the ProTrail I sampled, and can be easily seen in other watches in their catalog. They’re one of the few brands, for instance, to offer a dive watch in a true super-compressor case.  I had the opportunity to sample the ProTrai...

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How The World's Most Accurate Watches Are Made Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 24, 2023

How The World's Most Accurate Watches Are Made

Nearly every advance in watchmaking technology has been in the service of increased utility and functionality - even inventions that we now consider entirely luxurious affectations. The minute repeater, for example, was invented so a watch wearer could audibly check the time in the dark in the days before luminous treatment on dials. Even the tourbillon began its existence as a device for enhancing timekeeping accuracy, countering the effects of gravity on a pocketwatch’s movement. Thus it should come as no surprise that as the world entered the electronic era in the mid-20th century, watchmakers would attempt to harness the new technologies to improve the precision - and hence the desirability - of their products. Read on as we trace the evolution of timekeeping technology all the way up through today’s most accurate watches.  Birth of the Chronometer Not long after the tracking of time migrated from giant clocks in the town square to portable devices carried in waistcoat pockets, and eventually worn on wrists (click here for a brief history of watches), the need for a standard of dependable accuracy in these mechanical timekeepers became evident. Hence the establishment of standards for which a timepiece could be deemed a "chronometer." The classical definition of a chronometer goes all the way back to the golden age of seafaring exploration in the 18th Century, when ships required the use of a highly accurate onboard clock that enabled their navigators to det...

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Depancel Sticks to a Tried-and-True Formula with the Legend 60s Chronograph Worn & Wound
Mar 23, 2023

Depancel Sticks to a Tried-and-True Formula with the Legend 60s Chronograph

It has been awhile since we’ve checked in on Depancel, an up and coming watch brand based out of the sleepy alpine town, Annecy, France. It was their Serie-A Allure that last caught our attention last year – a dual-register automatic chronograph heavy on the automotive design cues, which for the spry brand, was their first-ever production chronograph. Since then, it seems they’ve come a long way in a relatively short time. Depancel has expanded their collection, defined their design language (primarily auto-inspired), and now they even have a showroom (in Annecy) for those keen on seeing their collection in the metal. Despite the evolution, that doesn’t mean the brand has lost touch with the watch enthusiast community or their passion for all things automotive. Their new Legend 60s chronograph encompasses everything that has made the brand successful thus far.   The brand has heard a growing number of requests from Depancel collectors and enthusiasts alike to return to their racing chronograph roots. Even though they’ve done away with their online questionnaire that allows for the community to directly make suggestions as to what they’d love to see from the brand, the Legend 60s chronograph proves that they firmly still have their ear to the ground. And what better way to return to their “racing chronograph roots” than to develop a watch inspired by the Formula One racing scene in the 1960s. The Legend 60s marks another first for the Depancel, and that com...

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Petermann Bédat Introduces the Reference 2941 Split-Seconds Chronograph SJX Watches
Rado xical Part Mar 23, 2023

Petermann Bédat Introduces the Reference 2941 Split-Seconds Chronograph

Founded by watchmakers Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat, Petermann Bédat made its debut with the 1967 powered by an elaborately finished movement featuring a deadbeat seconds. Now, the duo has just unveiled their next creation which is a step-up in complexity – the Reference 2941, a mono-pusher split-seconds chronograph. Presented in a 38 mm platinum case and limited to ten pieces, the 2941 follows the design language of the 1967 with a transparent dial and an emphasis on movement finishing. Initial thoughts The 2941 at a glance is a conceptually impressive release that meets the high expectations resulting from its previous release. But perhaps one may ponder over the under-dial execution of the split-seconds mechanism (as opposed to a traditional approach that puts it on the back). Undoubtedly, the finishing remains top notch. The movement sports numerous gracefully formed bridges and a notable emphasis on black-polished components. More broadly, it is uncommon to see a new chronograph movement designed from the ground up, even more so a rattrapante with an instantaneously jumping minute counter. That said, the movement architecture seems paradoxical. Part of the appeal of a finely-finished split-seconds chronograph is the intricate and layered view of the rattrapante mechanism on top of the chronograph seen through a display case back. Thus, Petermann Bedat’s approach of installing the split-seconds under the dial is questionable, particularly considering the n...

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Urwerk Introduces the UR-102 “Reloaded” SJX Watches
Urwerk Introduces Mar 23, 2023

Urwerk Introduces the UR-102 “Reloaded”

The long anticipated revival of Urwerk’s first model has finally arrived: the UR-102 “Reloaded” is modelled on the watch Urwerk presented at its debut Basel fair in 1997. The new UR-102 preserves the pebble-like form of the original but with enough tweaks to make it different, most notably with a larger case and revamped time display. The model makes it debut as a box set containing two UR-102s, one in titanium and the other all black. Initial thoughts I was looking forward to Urwerk’s revival of the UR-102. And I’m not disappointed with the result – except for the fact that it’s sold only as a pair. The “Reloaded” version is obviously modelled on the 1997 original, but it’s also clearly a different creation. For one, it’s larger and the time display has been redesigned. Add to that the restyled lugs and repositioned crown and you have a watch that’s very much distinct. In short, the new UR-102 is not a remake but a successful and appealing reinterpretation of the original. Leaving aside its origins, the UR-102 also has intrinsic appeal. It’s a clean, attractive design with sci-fi vibes. But the UR-102 is being sold as a pair – both identical save for the case finish – but subsequent versions will be sold individually, making them more accessible. Coming full circle At 41 mm the UR-102 “Reloaded” is noticeably larger than the 1997 original that was just 38 mm wide. The enlarged case retains the same streamlined outline that was inspired b...

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Phillips to Auction a Patek Philippe Owned by Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the Last Emperor of China Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe Owned Mar 21, 2023

Phillips to Auction a Patek Philippe Owned by Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the Last Emperor of China

Last week, news of the latest marquee lot to go under the hammer via Phillips broke across watch media. The phrase “historically significant” is often used to describe high profile vintage watches that go up for auction, but very few actually feel truly historic. I would argue that this particular Patek Philippe, a watch that once belonged to Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the Last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, meets just about any definition for historically significant that you can come up with. Not only did it belong to a figure from our relatively recent history that marked a profound change in a nation’s history, but in terms of vintage Patek, this complicated Calatrava is worth studying even outside the scope of its significant owner.  If you’re not familiar with Puyi’s story, a brief introduction or refresher is certainly in order to properly contextualize the watch. Aisin-Gioro Puyi became the Emperor of China at the age of 2, abdicated his throne at 7, and was held as a political prisoner by the Soviets following World War II. Puyi led an uncommon and complex life through a period of great political upheaval, but it’s notable that despite the title of Emperor that was thrust upon him as a boy, he never held significant power as a world leader. In his brief stint as the final Emperor of the Qing Dynasty he was essentially a figurehead, and later served as the puppet leader of Manchukuo for the Japanese following their invasion of Manchuria in 1932. Puyi is seen by s...

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The new MB&F; LM Perpetual has a salmon dial in a steel case – super rare for the brand yet not a limited edition! Time+Tide
Patek Philippe typically … ContinuedThe post Mar 21, 2023

The new MB&F; LM Perpetual has a salmon dial in a steel case – super rare for the brand yet not a limited edition!

The MB&F; LM Perpetual Steel is their second ever creation to have a salmon dial Stainless steel is very rarely used by MB&F; for cases, upping the rarity factor even more Not a limited edition, but it will be limited in production each year When you look at higher end brands like Patek Philippe, typically … ContinuedThe post The new MB&F; LM Perpetual has a salmon dial in a steel case – super rare for the brand yet not a limited edition! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Daniel Roth Returns with the Tourbillon Souscription SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton LFT Initial thoughts I Mar 21, 2023

Daniel Roth Returns with the Tourbillon Souscription

After more than a year of rumours, LVMH finally confirmed the long expected with its February announcement of the relaunch of Daniel Roth. And now the brand officially debuts its inaugural watch, the Tourbillon Souscription. Modelled on the Daniel Roth tourbillon of 1988, the Tourbillon Souscription is almost a remake of the original from thirty-five years ago. It retains the same styling characterised by a double-ellipse case and one-minute tourbillon at six, but is entirely new in terms of mechanics: inside is a brand-new mechanical movement developed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFT). Initial thoughts I got in touch with Daniel Roth and his wife Nicolas after learning of the brand’s revival. They indicated their approval of the project. Their approval will probably have little impact on the new watches since they aren’t involved in the brand’s comeback, but it is certainly good to know. Being a homage to the brand’s origins, the Tourbillon Souscription is a good opening act in its revival. But for the resurrected brand to have longevity and relevance, it would have to do more than remakes; it will have to create new and original products that channel the spirit of the originals, a point I made in my earlier editorial. A Daniel Roth tourbillon from the 1990s The Tourbillon Souscription is clearly inspired by the original watches of the 1990s. It retains the same dimensions and almost all the details, right down to the hobnail guilloche dial. In fact, i...

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[Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden Worn & Wound
Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden We’re Mar 20, 2023

[Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden

We’re not yet at the stage that the BR05 is seen as THE Bell & Ross-there’s still a long way to go before it could dethrone the classic square silhouette of the BR01 and BR03 models-but it feels like it has grown up enough to be seen as not just another brand jumping on the integrated bracelet sport watch bandwagon. It’s not even four years since the first of the BR05 variants were unveiled, and during that time we have seen three-handers, chronographs and GMTs. Stainless steel watches have seen bead-blasting and ‘Artline’ finishing. There have been rose gold and two-tone cases. Dials have come in black, white, copper, green, and blue. And lets not forget the Kenissi powered BR-X5 which has also evolved from the same case. As I browse the BR05 catalogue, both past and present, I’m struck by two thoughts. Firstly, there have been a LOT of different watches in this line. It’s not surprising that a brand should choose to repeat and rework a flagship model, but even allowing for quite a number of limited editions, that’s still a lot of releases since the original 2019 debut. This leads to my second thought. Despite always being impressed with the overall aesthetic, case design and finishing, why haven’t I found one that I really like? Finding my own answer to that has required me to attempt to classify what type of watch the BR05 actually is. $6600 [Hands-On] The Bell & Ross BR05 Skeleton Golden Case Stainless Stee Movement BR-CAL.322 (Base SW300-1) Dia...

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