31,348 articles · 134 videos found · page 608 of 1050
Monochrome
In 2021, Bianchet debuted in the watch industry with the Tourbillon B1.618 Openwork, establishing the brand’s design language and paving the way for future releases – like the 2023 Flying Tourbillon Grande Date. In 2023, Maserati returned to the world of open-wheel single-seater motorsport after a hiatus of 65 years. However, instead of the roar […]
Monochrome
We’ve said this on so many occasions already… In the world of mechanical wonders, nothing is as closely related as cars and watches. Both are fueled by passion, both are mechanical (or we want them to be mechanical), both are objects to be collected and enjoyed as the perfect toys for boys (or girls). There’s something […]
Fratello
Rising watch prices, particularly for some brands’ classic models, are creating opportunities to look further afield. Today, we look at five vintage, neo-vintage, and more recent secondhand options that are worth exploring. Last month, an article I wrote garnered quite a lot of attention. In it, I mentioned French philosopher Denis Diderot and the message […] Visit Pre-Owned Watches - The Answer To Rising Watch Prices to read the full article.
SJX Watches
You can never be too rich or too thin – a quote attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, but it might as well have come from Piaget, which just debuted the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch in history, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversary. Covered in-depth at launch, the AUC Tourbillon is just 2 mm thick, including the case and crystal; that makes the watch thinner than a Swiss five-franc coin. While its record-breaking dimensions are headline-grabbing, it’s the watch’s overall design and ergonomics that make it look and feel almost miraculous on the wrist. The AUC Tourbillon next to the five-franc coin; it’s also slimmer than the two-franc coin, and equivalent to about 20 sheets of A4 printer paper Initial thoughts Record-chasing, whether in terms of thickness, weight, water resistance, or complications, is a common theme in the watch industry, but the results are often gimmicky and impractical. When I heard that Piaget would be introducing the thinnest tourbillon in history, I rolled my eyes. But my perspective changed as soon as I picked up the AUC Tourbillon, a moment that stands out in my memory as a highlight of Watches & Wonders 2024. The watch is thin, of course, but the immediate impression is one of substance; it feels far more substantial than it looks. This is in part due to the M64BC cobalt alloy case, the extreme rigidity of which makes the watch’s 2 mm thinness possible. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the case, which is...
Fratello
The months leading up to Watches and Wonders are exciting ones in the Fratello office. Every week, we receive new teasers and press releases. This year, there were also a lot of brand-organized previews. That’s great because the more we know upfront, the better we can inform you, our readers, about these new watches. However, […] Visit Hands-On: The Cartier Tank Américaine In Platinum With A Salmon Art Deco Dial to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
This is the story of a daily-wear watch, the Tsunami by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. It’s not a “beater” as it’s too beautifully made for that description, and some folks justifiably take offense at characterizing a five-figure expenditure in those terms. But it is a watch that GaryG suspects that he will be wearing a lot and in a variety of settings.
Fratello
Hello, and welcome to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we wrap up our Watches and Wonders 2024 coverage with a debrief episode featuring Nacho, Thomas, and Lex. The guys take some time to go over some brands (and their corresponding releases) that we missed in episode one. They also discuss the general mood […] Visit Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2024 Debrief to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The surprising, and to some shocking, Louis Vuitton Tambour Einstein Automata created for Only Watch 2024 is over the top in both aesthetics and complexity. Based on the brand’s automata wristwatch that’s available either as a Chinese mask or vanitas skull, the Einstein Automata has the air of a mad scientist’s creation. Depressing the pusher at two o’clock starts the automata, which also serve to tell the time with a jumping hours display in Einstein’s forehead and the minutes indicated by the atom symbol pointer at eight o’clock. Made in-house at its Geneva manufacture of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watch illustrates Louis Vuitton’s impressive matchmaking capabilities, while also bringing to mind the extravagant, casual style of its streetwear. Initial thoughts When I first saw images of the Einstein Automata, I knew I had to see it in person. And in the metal the watch certainly lives up to expectations, it is bizarre, impressive, and wearable, all at the same time. It is bizarre because Einstein is accurately portrayed – the likeness is done well – yet rendered in alien colours of pale blue and silver. It’s impressive because the dial is enamelled and engraved in-house while the movement is exceptionally complex. And it’s wearable despite being a very large watch because the case is in stainless steel, unlike its regular production counterparts that are in gold. Do I like it? I do. But I can imagine a lot of people won’t and I can understand...
SJX Watches
A tribute to the German city of Dresden, the PanoMaticInverse Limited Edition depicts the city where the predecessor of Glashütte Original was founded in 1845. It retains the inverted movement construction that characterises the model, displaying the escapement on the dial, but here the three-quarter plate on the front sports a hand-engraved rendering of Dresden landmarks, the Frauenkirche and Academy of Fine Arts, while the bridges on the reverse are engraved with the Elbe promenade. Initial thoughts Although the brand itself was founded after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Glashütte Original (GO) has its roots in the very beginning of watchmaking in the Glashütte area. Because the brand was formed from the East German state-owned watchmaking enterprise, it was vertically integrated from the beginning, making it a true manufacture. It is somewhat under-appreciated compared to its neighbour, A. Lange & Söhne, although the two brands focus on different segments of the market, with Glashütte Original offering more affordable timepieces. The brand’s steel watches, for example, usually retail for under US$15,000. However, GO is capable of German haute horologerie, as demonstrated by its top-of-the-line timepieces like the Senator Chronometer Tourbillon. The PanoMaticInverse “Dresden Tribute” is one of the brand’s high-end offerings, with a retail price of US$47,400. Even though that’s a big number, the watch delivers substantial tangible quality. In addition to th...
Worn & Wound
If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’ve been to one of our Windup Watch Fairs in San Francisco, Chicago, or New York City. In the nine years we’ve brought together enthusiasts and brands across the country, it’s been incredible to hear the different stories of how people have come to Worn & Wound and all the reasons they’ve stayed. If you’re a long-time-reader-none-time-attendee lamenting, “I’ve never been to a fair like this before…” – trust us, neither have we. 2024 is going to be a brand new year for the Windup Watch Fair. With over 30 first-time watch and EDC brands as well as many familiar favorites, everyone is in for a treat as we descend on the Fort Mason Gateway Pavilion later this week for the Windup Watch Fair. Maybe it’s our refreshed mission for the year, to include even more enthusiasts under the Worn & Wound umbrella, catalyzing the new EDC Expo with Carryology. Maybe it’s the new venue, the historic (literally) building in the arts and cultural hub along the San Francisco Bay. Maybe it’s the over 90 watches and gear brands coming this year. Ok, a big part of it is the brands. All of these different pieces make this year an all-together new Windup for everyone. If you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, we have two words for you: get here! Fort Mason – Gateway Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123 Friday, May 3: 12PM – 6PM Saturday, May 4: 12PM – 6PM Sunday, May 5: 12PM – 5PM Free and open ...
Worn & Wound
U.K. based Farer is a brand that marches to the beat of their own drum, or perhaps in horological terms, the beat of their own movements. From their case shapes, use of color, bronze crowns, and their wonderful lume applications, being different is at the heart of their charm. So why would their take on an aventurine dial be like all the others? This new special edition of their Moonphase collection is called the Baily and it is made from natural aventurine. While most aventurine dials are simply glass flecked with copper filings, these are natural semi-precious gemstones that have been painstakingly cut and polished into a dial that is just 1mm thick. The finished product has a distinctive speckle-patterned look and a smooth glossy surface unique to each watch. Further enhancing the Baily line, the moonphase discs are carefully hand painted in Switzerland and finished with yellow moons made from hand applied, textured Super-LumiNova, which mimics the lunar surface. No Farer would be complete without their signature touch of lume. Each Baily features applied Lumicast markers made from a blend of ceramic and Grade OL X1 Super-LumiNova. These are paired with polished lance style hands and a second hand with a white Farer “A” at its tip. Powering this piece is the hand-wound Sellita SW288-1 in Elaboré grade, which can be seen through the display caseback. It even has a date wheel that is color matched to the larger moonphase wheel, which is a slightly darker shade of gre...
Monochrome
Let’s not go into too many details… This watch, the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, was one of the most anticipated, most discussed and most appealing watches of the fair. Somehow, in its category of watches made for “normal people” (I’m here excluding highly complex or ultra-luxurious watches that only a few can afford), it […]
Hodinkee
Covering the wild, the weird, and the scholarship-changing in our preview of the upcoming Geneva auctions.
Fratello
For many of us, today’s announcement of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith represents a return to where everything began. The original Formula 1 watch from 1986 was groundbreaking, and for many collectors, it was their first luxury Swiss watch. This may sound like “PR speak,” but it rings true for me as it […] Visit Welcome Back: The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Originally introduced in 1986, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 was an affordable and cheerful sports watch recognisable to anyone who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. Now TAG Heuer has just unveiled the Formula 1 Kith Limited Edition, a faithful remake of the original Series 1 model, created in tandem with streetwear label Kith. Offered in ten colourful variants, the new Formula 1 is branded “Kith Heuer” in a nod to the collaboration, with the fashion label’s emblem replacing the customary “TAG” in the watchmaker’s shield logo. Initial thoughts Historically a brand that was an entry point into luxury sports watches, TAG Heuer has now gone a bit more upmarket. Its re-issues of vintage Heuer chronographs, for instance, are located in a pricier segment. Buyers looking for something more affordable have the Aquaracer or modern-day Formula 1. Now they have another option: the original Formula 1 built to current levels of quality. Kith’s motto, “Just Us,” sits just above six The modern-day Formula 1 has evolved enough it no longer resembles the original, so the Formula 1 Kith will be appealing to someone who wants to indulge in some nostalgia. The remake is virtually identical to the 1980s Series 1 model – even the plastic for the case and bezel are made by the same supplier – but with updated specs for additional robustness. At CHF1,500, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith is a good value proposition and in keeping with the accessible spirit of the original. The first TAG...
Time+Tide
The maker of the legendary Navitimer celebrates its 140th, and CEO Georges Kern takes us through the years.The post Breitling CEO Georges Kern talks us through the brand’s 140th anniversary celebrations appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Hublot is easily one of the most controversial watch brands among enthusiasts. The brand seems to thrive but not necessarily in connoisseur’s circles. It catches a ton of flack, in some cases deservedly. I have to admit I hardly paid the brand any attention for the longest time. But I find myself coming around. There […] Visit Opinion Revision: I Really Like Hublot Watches - There, I Said It to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The Cartier Tank is one of the most influential and recognizable luxury watches in the world, as well as being one of the few truly iconic timepieces whose appeal is truly unisex: Cartier Tank watches are beloved by both men and women and worn in a diverse array of sizes, colorways, and variations on the original watch’s classical shape and dimensions. Throughout its prestigious history, the Cartier Tank has evolved in ways that are both subtle and revolutionary and has appeared in forms of which many of us might not even be aware. Here is a guide to the modern Cartier Tank collection and a bit of background on each model. While it is today better known as one of the world’s leading jewelers, Cartier’s roots are in the art of horology. Its eponymous founder, Louis-Francois Cartier (above, 1819-1904), was an apprentice to master watchmaker Adolphe Piccard before founding his own company, at the age of 28, in Piccard’s Parisian workshop in 1847. Several generations of family ownership would follow, and Cartier’s watches, and eventually its jewelry, cultivated a worldwide audience and an esteemed client list that included aristocrats and crowned heads; Britain’s King Edward VII famously dubbed Cartier “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers.” In the early 20th century, during the third generation of family ownership, Cartier produced some of its most epochal timepieces under the creative direction of Louis Cartier, grandson of Louis-Francois, who...
Worn & Wound
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Credor, the Japanese brand that is the highest end arm of the Seiko family. In recent years, Credor has taken something of a backseat to Grand Seiko, as the latter brand has grown in stature, with rising price points as well as the introduction of an honest to goodness Super Watch in the form of the Kodo. But a new release from Credor to celebrate their big anniversary serves as a reminder of why the brand is unique and important within the larger world of Seiko, and Japanese watchmaking in general. The Eichi II is Credor’s signature watch, highlighting everything the brand is most adept at. It features a porcelain dial made by a single artisan, and the complexity of its manufacture and strict tolerances for quality accepted by Credor apparently result in an exceptionally high failure rate. The result, however, is an uncommonly beautiful canvas for the hand painted markers that are this watch’s calling card. For this anniversary edition of the Eichi II, Credor has crafted a dial in dark blue, and the markers have been hand painted in gold. Upping the ante somewhat for this release, the Credor logo at 12:00 has also been hand painted, a first for an Eichi II. This is also the first time a yellow gold case has been made for an Eichi II. Of course, another major draw of the highest end Credors is the immaculately finished movements made in the famed Micro Artist Studio. The Eichi II runs on the 7R14, a Spring Drive movement with a...
Monochrome
There was a time when watch companies looked to the future, trying to capture the mood, technology, and materials of what might be happening in the coming decades. Then there was the trend for vintage or retro-styled watches, and brands with aeons of heritage dug up classics from the past and revisited them with contemporary […]
Worn & Wound
Editor’s Note: Time Through the Ages is a four part series written by Andrew Canter, member of the British Horological Institute, Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers, and the British Watch & Clock Makers Guild. In this first installment, Andrew provides an overview of the major players and accomplishments from the early days of British watch and clock making. For more from Andrew, check out his work at Mr. WatchMaster. Many people believe that the origin of modern-day watchmaking came from the Swiss, but it all started in England back in the early 17th century. The 1620s saw a desire by clock and watch makers to establish a dedicated company as a representative body, but this was met with opposition from the other livery companies – guilds or associations in the City of London to regulate and protect the interest of their members – in particular the Blacksmiths. The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers eventually received its Royal Charter on 22nd August 1631. The Charter created a corporate body for all the Clock and Watch makers in the City of London and within a radius of ten miles around, with regulatory powers covering England and Wales. It specified that the new Fellowship should be governed by a Master, three Wardens and ten or more Assistants who would form a Court. The first Master was David Ramsay, former Chief Clockmaker to King James I. Left to right: engraved dial plate with indications for time of day, annual calendar, sign of the zodiac, day of the...
Hodinkee
The watch is a striking skeletonized celebration of 20 years of brand history and 10 years of the Caliber SH21 in-house movement.
Fratello
It has been a busy few months for Omega, introducing the Apollo 8, Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with a white dial, and the new Speedmaster 38 models. I expect to see some more Speedmaster releases in 2024, not least of all because it is a significant Apollo 11 anniversary. But we should also not forget about […] Visit The April 2024 Fratello × REM Strap - Apollo XIII to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
After over a year of ownership, the Tissot PRX has given me a new outlook on what makes a great, affordable luxury timepiece! What We Love: The finer design details comparable to more expensive watchesVariety of dial colours to choose from.Affordable/entry-level luxury at its best. What We Don’t: The date window could have been placed better for a more balanced dial view. Lack of colour choices to match the dials from the brand for additional straps. Lack of finer adjustment on the integrated bracelet. Overall Rating: 9.25/10 Value for Money: 9.5/10Wearability: 8.5/10Design: 9/10Build Quality: 9/10 When the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 was first introduced in 2021, it created quite a buzz! The timepiece came with an integrated bracelet design that had an AP-like shine, a waffle dial and a tonneau-shaped case with a circular dial. Those not versed in Tissot’s history didn’t know that this was a retake on one of the brand’s iconic 1970s designs (which I’ll touch on later) and saw this as a new kid on the block, one whose about to really shake things up in the affordable timepieces category. One of the main selling points of this timepiece was its price. For what you get in return, this timepiece offers a lot—quite a lot, actually. The PRX was first released with a quartz movement, staying true to its original, and priced around $500. Then came what we watch aficionados were waiting for: a mechanical version with a pretty hefty power reserve. 1970s Vintage Tissot ...
SJX Watches
One of the highlights this coming spring auction season in Geneva is prime example of a rare watch at Antiquorum. Consigned by the family of the original owner, the Patek Philippe World Time Cloisonné “World” ref. 605 HU DE in pink gold is both in fine condition and boasting a possibly unique combination of features, namely a pink gold case, a “world” motif cloisonné dial in unusual colours, and early “observatory” style hands. Produced for some three decades from about 1937 to the 1950s, the ref. 605 HU (short for heure universelles, or “universal time”) is a quintessential Louis Cottier-type world time; its wristwatch counterpart was the ref. 2523 HU. Just over 80 were made over the production run, with about two-thirds in yellow gold and the rest in pink gold. They were made by Louis Cottier in his Geneva workshop in an artisanal manner, explaining the variances across examples. Most were equipped with conventional metal dials, including rare examples in pink or black, but from the 1940s onwards, Patek Philippe began selling the ref. 605 HU with cloisonné enamel dials. Less than 20 were made with cloisonné dials, most depicting map motifs of some sort. A handful, maybe just two, featured figurative dials, including the ref. 605 HU in the Patek Philippe Museum with the Greek sea god Neptune on the dial (that Antiquorum sold in 1989). This example is rare for having a map of the entire world – only two others are known – as well as being in pink go...
Time+Tide
Buffy finds out why the stealth-wealth silver glow of platinum adds so much to the price tag of a watch.The post Why are platinum watches more expensive than gold? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
The Watch Collectors’ Club allows connoisseurs and enthusiasts to gather for watch-related events. You may have heard of similar watch groups, such as the long-running RedBar chapters or Time4APint in London. Where The Watch Collectors’ Club differs is going that extra mile for bespoke events and tailored experiences. Unlike RedBar, The Watch Collectors’ Club uses […] Visit Getting To Know The Watch Collectors’ Club to read the full article.
Monochrome
The epicentre of Germany’s watchmaking industry since the mid-1800s, the small village of Glashütte recovered its former prestige after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 with the return of some of the original brands. Proudly upholding the tenets established by the German School of Watchmaking, Glashütte Original’s latest watch pays tribute to the […]
Fratello
This week, Fratello On Air returns to its normally scheduled slot with a look at some Haute Horlogerie that can be bought at a fair price. To be clear, we’re focusing more on high-end complications that usually cost an arm and a leg. This is the second half of an episode we recorded a week […] Visit Fratello On Air: Haute Horlogerie On A Budget - Relatively Speaking to read the full article.
Fratello
Doxa recently announced a new line of divers in a smaller form factor - the 39mm Sub 200T. I got a chance to try the entire lineup. I also had a full-sized Sub 300T for comparison at hand. In short, I got to form a pretty comprehensive image of what this new Doxa diver is […] Visit Hands-On With The New Downsized Doxa Sub 200T to read the full article.
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