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Fratello
I first saw the new Nivada F77 Black Ceramic during this year’s Geneva Watch Days. It must have been one of the earliest prototypes, if not the first, and it took me a while to understand. Let me explain. A ceramic watch looks like a PVD/DLC-coated piece to the naked eye. That is until you […] Visit Hands-On With The New Nivada F77 Black Ceramic to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Japan is heralded as a place for amazing vintage watches and red-hot independent brands. But where does Japan's love of watches come from? The post What influence do Japanese collectors still have on the industry? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Topper Fine Jewelers in Burlingame, California has created some truly memorable collaborative limited-edition watches. Brands like Zodiac, Seiko, and Fears have been featured on one or more of the 14 pieces thus far. The latest release is the Doxa Sub 300 “Great White” Topper Edition. It’s a cool piece with enough differences from the serial-production […] Visit The Doxa Sub 300 “Great White” Topper Edition - An LE Done Right to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Hanhart explores some lesser-known history, and brings back a taste of the 1960s.The post Hanhart tugs at its fans’ vintage heartstrings with the 415 ES, bringing back the winged logo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
When it was first presented in 2017, the Black Bay Chrono generated mixed emotions. The good ones came from the overall performance and fairly reasonable price (considering the whole package), as well as the unexpected industrial alliance with Breitling. Others pointed out the rather uninspired design of the inaugural edition as well as the strange mix […]
SJX Watches
The second watch launched by Biver, the Automatique is a three-hand time-only, functionally simple but elaborately executed. Even the base model has a surprisingly complex dial, but the Automatique is really all about the JCB-003 movement, which is a micro-rotor calibre that ranks up there as one of most impressive recent self-winding movements. Established by Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre, Biver got its start with a far more complicated watch, but the Automatique is arguably more impressive because it’s a simple watch executed in a complicated yet cohesive manner. The JCB-003 Initial thoughts Yet another time-only watch with a dressed up movement and hefty price tag – the formula feels a little worn out now. So the Biver Automatique surprises on the upside. I like it. The design is appealing and cohesive, while the movement is impressive. In contrast, when Biver debuted with the Carillon Tourbillon minute repeater, I thought “the quality is unmistakeable, the aesthetics are lacking”. The Automatique lives up to the same levels of quality – and maybe even more – but it is instinctively appealing, even considering the price. The solid gold dial of the entry-level version in rose gold Even though Biver is not an artisanal independent brand in the conventional sense of the word since neither of its founders are watchmakers, the JCB-003 movement is executed to a standard that equals many artisanal independents. The construction is thoughtful and sophisticate...
Fratello
Last week, we organized an evening with Breitling at the brand’s impressive boutique in our hometown of The Hague, Netherlands. We invited a fairly large group of Fratelli to look at the current Breitling collection. But Fred Mandelbaum, our special guest, was also there, and he brought part of his extensive vintage Breitling collection. So […] Visit Event Report: Celebrating Breitling’s 140th Anniversary At The Brand’s Boutique In The Hague to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One aspect of a watch that is often overlooked - but ironically the one that is front and centre - is the dial. While often conservative in terms of design, Rolex is perhaps at its most expressive in the details of its dials, which blend classic elements with modern touches, all accomplished by modern manufacturing techniques and finishes. Even though a dial may seem simple on its face compared to the moving parts of the movement, dials are complex. Much goes into making a high quality dial, the dial blank, applied ornaments, surface finishing, gold indices, and more recently even grand feu enamel. A diamond-set dial for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Unsurprisingly Rolex takes dial making very seriously. Reflecting its long-term vision, Rolex has invested tremendously in every aspect of manufacturing wristwatches, including producing its own dials. Dial manufacturing of the highest quality, and at scale, is a challenge few have truly mastered. Rolex accomplished that with a dedicated dial-making facility in the Chêne-Bourg district of Geneva, located about 15 minutes from Rolex headquarters, where some 500 people work exclusively on dial conception, prototyping, and production. Notably, the Chêne-Bourg facility also does gem setting as well as the production of Cerachrom components like the GMT-Master II bezel insert. In-house dial making has given Rolex control of the entire process, allowing the brand to innovate, even in rethinking the very foundation of a dial, n...
Fratello
Mühle Glashütte is known for its sporty and reliable timepieces. For 2024, the brand has big news with a brand-new line of watches. The Sportivo collection consists of three models made for sports, the office, and everywhere else. We’ll provide a brief overview of each release. The Mühle Glashütte Sportivo line includes a chronograph, GMT, […] Visit Mühle Glashütte Introduces The New Sportivo Line to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
As I write this piece, I find it fitting that Worn & Wound was co-founded by Zach Weiss, who, as many of you may know, happens to be an Industrial Designer too. There are dozens of us! DOZENS! When it comes to Industrial Design and the watches we love, it’s hard to separate the two, especially in the modern day. For this argument, let’s assume “modern day” refers to everything after 1972, when Gerald Genta changed the watch landscape forever with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Not only did this release change the landscape for folks within the watch industry, but it caught the eye of Industrial Designers who were green in their careers at the time, which later created a snowball effect of designing outside the box when it comes to watches. No longer were we restricted to the round case and the simple forms of previous years. Yes, there were unique watches before this period, but with the progression of design aesthetics and newer advanced manufacturing methods, this was the jumping-off point for wild designs and new methods of manufacture. Marc Newson, the world-renowned industrial designer, is one of those who likely caught the curiosity bug of watches at the right time (pun fully intended). This is purely speculation on my part, but there is some evidence for my madness here, so bear with me. He would have been 9 years old when the Royal Oak was introduced, and years later, when adolescent youth and creativity were at a high for him during his university years, I...
Monochrome
David Candaux, an independent watchmaker and member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) since 2019, is regarded as one of the most talented creators in contemporary horology. To understand and appreciate his work, it is important to remember his professional journey and the philosophy that infuses his timepieces with unique character, and the […]
Sternglas was born from a deep passion for watches and Bauhaus design. After working in the world of watches for years, Dustin Fontaine wanted to turn his love into his very own brand. The result is Sternglas, a brand focused on minimalist design and quality construction at a fair price. This focus on Bauhaus principles, plus an affordable price tag, makes a Sternglas watch ideal for giving as a gift, especially for that minimalist, Bauhaus design lover in your life with premium features like sapphire glass, reliable automatic movements, and that crucial element of German design language. For this guide, we’ve selected six different models-each with their own distinct, yet modern vibe-to give you a wide range of choice to find that perfect gift for that design-minded friend or family member! The post The Holiday Gift Guide for the Bauhaus Design-Minded: Think Sternglas Watches appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Fratello
Have we left the Bronze Age behind us and entered the Stone Age? It seems 2024 has been the year of stone dials. That doesn’t mean bronze watches have disappeared, but what once seemed like a rushing stream of new bronze timepieces has died down quite a bit. Still, we have seen some great additions […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish New Baltic Hermétique Tourer Bronze to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Glashütte Original’s Seventies collection is one of the two pillars that make up the German maker’s Vintage series, which pays tribute to the distinctive designs of two seminal decades in watchmaking, the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas the Sixties branch of the family is notable for more traditional, rounded cases, the Seventies watches stand apart, not just from the rest of the Vintage models but from the entirety of the Glashütte Original portfolio, with their softly squared “TV”-style cases, a hallmark of timepieces from that eponymous decade. The Seventies — like the Sixties, initially positioned as part of Glashütte Original’s Senator collection before becoming a Vintage model — debuted in its simpler, three-handed iteration in 2011, with the Chronograph following in 2014. In recent years, the original appears to have been gradually phased out (it’s no longer featured on G.O. 's website) to make way for more colorful and creative versions of the Chronograph, like the version with a sunray-finished, “Radiant Blue” dial featured here. This may have been a wise decision, as it is the more complicated model that brings more of the Saxon brand’s familiar formula to the table — namely, retro charm mixed with avant-garde modernity. Despite its era-evocative name, and many of its aesthetic hallmarks, the Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is a watch that is decidedly at home in the 21st Century. As Exhibit A, take the large, rectangular “Panorama...
Monochrome
Young collaborative project/brand SpaceOne continues its exploration of watchmaking through a parallel galaxy… Last year, the bold and modern SpaceOne Jumping Hour emerged from the visionary mind of Théo Auffret, a Parisian independent watchmaker crafting intricate timepieces like the Tourbillon Grand Sport and Guillaume Laidet, the man spearheading the revival of Nivada, Excelsior Park and Vulcain. […]
Monochrome
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) embraced all facets of horology, from his gravity-defying tourbillon regulator to his neoclassical design language and legible displays. While the Reine de Naples is the go-to collection for women, last year, Breguet dipped into its Classique collection and confected two dazzling jewellery models: the Classique Tourbillon 3358. The latest interpretation in white […]
Fratello
Our Fratelli Stories series shares some of the wonderful and interesting backstories of our readers around the world. Today, we speak with Robert Eames, who is an enthusiast for all sorts of watches and has a fascinating backstory. One vintage Seiko has particular resonance with him. Fratello reader Robert Eames wrote in after a story […] Visit Fratelli Stories: Retrieving NASA Rocket Boosters While Wearing A Seiko to read the full article.
Time+Tide
The newly minted CEO of Hublot looks to enact change at the brand by being hands-on and getting stuck in as much as possible. The post Julien Tornare is getting hands on at Hublot appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Twenty-twenty four marks the 20th anniversary of Grand Seiko’s 9R Spring Drive movement platform, an occasion the brand has chosen to mark with a range of anniversary editions including the Grand Seiko Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary SBGC275. A large, richly detailed watch with a captivating dial, the SBGC275 is robust, interesting, and capable of nearly anything, short of fitting under a short cuff. Initial thoughts At first glance, the SBGC275 looks like just a Spring Drive chronograph with a red dial. But a closer look reveals a highly nuanced colour that changes from red to orange depending on the angle – the result of a proprietary dial coating technique. At 44.5 mm in diameter and nearly 17 mm thick, the SBGC275 is unapologetically big and bold. That said, the watch feels smaller than it is thanks to the use of titanium for the case and bracelet, and the unusually wide 23 mm lug width helps reduce the visual size. This latter dimension may limit the options for aftermarket straps, but since most owners will likely stick with the bracelet, this concern is largely academic. The watch is powered by an upgraded version of the familiar cal. 9R86 Spring Drive chronograph GMT movement, which made its debut in 2007. But eagle-eyed movement geeks will notice the SBGC275 is equipped with the fine-tuned cal. 9R96 first seen in 2017, which was also used in the Nissan GT-R 50th Anniversary edition. In many ways, the SBGC275 captures Grand Seiko’s strengths and weaknesses. The b...
Worn & Wound
One of my favorite pastimes within the world of watch enthusiasm is to tell anyone who will listen that the “Leopard” Rolex Daytona is my favorite version of the storied chronograph. When the Daytona comes up in conversation (and it does, a lot) I’m always ready to share that the intricate gem and diamond set version inspired by leopard prints and favored by Nicolas Cage is my favorite example. This assertion is only half a joke – I really do admire craftsmanship inherent in these watches (which is somewhat uncommon for Rolex) but mostly I like that the watch exists as a transgressive alternative to the norm. And what better way to do that than with a watch inspired by big cats and the jungle? The new Zenith Defy Extreme Jungle, a watch which immediately made me think of my favorite Daytona, knows that there is, in fact, no better way to gently push on the expectations of the typical watch enthusiast. There’s an important distinction to be made between this new watch from Zenith and the Daytona, and that’s that the Leopard Daytona is, in every way, an outlier in the Daytona collection and for Rolex as a whole. The Zenith Defy Extreme, and the Defy line more generally, are made up almost entirely of outliers. In other words, it’s not actually that strange to see a jungle inspired Defy Extreme when we’ve already seen high concept Defys taking on various themes over the course of many years. This isn’t even the first time Zenith has played with the “jung...
Time+Tide
One of Germany's most underrated watchmakers has gone for a particularly sporty take on a GADA watch.The post Mühle-Glashütte’s new Sportivo collection aims for sophisticated sporty versatility appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
Casio's G-Shock brand is celebrating a big birthday this year. And much like many industries, it is taking its 40th anniversary as a chance to look to the past, to get nostalgic, to wax digital. The thing is, while a brand like TAG Heuer can make a statement with the launch of the KITH F1 watches in near ‘80-faithful form, or even one like Timex can reissue the IronMan in a 1:1 configuration (JDM only; sorry, USA), Casio is in a bit of tough spot…for a good reason. I think of the G-Shock like the affordable, digital version of the Omega Speedmaster "Moonwatch," a watch whose design has been altered but, in many ways, has effectively been in uninterrupted production since the 1960s – and we love it for that reason. Similarly, through models like the modern DW-5600, Casio has been producing some manner of the original G-Shock since, um, the birth of G-Shock four decades ago. And again, we love that. I mean, people really love that. I even own a DW-5600 and I’m not what you might call a G-Shock guy, or a G-shocker, or whatever it is you call it (to be honest, people probably don’t call it anything). This has been a deeply circuitous route to saying that the brand has released a throwback G-Shock to celebrate its own birthday which is essentially a reissue of the very first G-Shock. And all of my preamble is to illustrate that, at first blush, you probably don’t notice anything massive here. But like any release worthy of watch nerdery, the devil is in the resin...
Worn & Wound
When IWC launched an updated version of their Ingenieur at Watches & Wonders 2023, it was a moment that many observers of the brand had been anticipating for years. After years spent building up their Pilot collection, there was a sense in the community that some of their sportier offerings were being ignored. It was only a matter of time, we all assumed, before the Ingenieur or perhaps the Aquatimer received an overhaul and the same type of years-long collection rehab as the beloved Pilot. It’s a little curious, then, that things in the Ingenieur collection have been somewhat quiet for so long. No additional complications, case materials, or even dial variants have been launched outside of the core lineup until the announcement of the new blue Ingenieur this week. The new dial in blue paired with a stainless steel case and bracelet joins the black, silver, and “Aqua” dials as well as the still rarely seen gray titanium version. It fills out the collection nicely and you would be forgiven for thinking it already existed. It’s not a revolutionary update or anything as these things go, but merely provides collectors with another option – a fundamentally good thing in our view. It’s interesting to consider the place of the Ingenieur in today’s watch world over a year removed from its reintroduction. This watch is a fascinating case study in the “it’s too expensive” climate of hot takes about literally any new watch that’s introduced. It’s become so...
Fratello
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the first watch officially issued to NASA. This watch, a LeCoultre, was based on an existing model (Quartermaster) but customized at NASA’s request. In this article submitted by space-watch buff (and author) Philip Corneille, you can read about this specially commissioned LeCoultre 24 Hours wristwatch. In the header […] Visit The Very First Watch For Astronauts - LeCoultre 24 Hours to read the full article.
Between the office holiday party, family get-togethers, and galavanting around town-’tis the season for leveling up your go-to timepiece for special occasions and cold weather layering. There are only so many options out there when it comes to a COSC-certified chronograph with a sweet selection of both case materials and colors. The Longines Spirit Flyback collection, with its wildly useful quick reset chrono functionality, is the perfect companion to ensure you won’t be late to any of those special events or last minute holiday sales. We managed to get our hands on three different variants and styled them for the season. The post Lookbook: Get into the Holiday Spirit with the Longines Spirit Flyback appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Deployant
Once upon a time, the name Patek Philippe was synonymous with the Calatrava, complications, old money, class, and elegance, among other things. These are aspects that still form the core of what Patek Philippe is today, but we do also live in a rapidly changing world. The brand has been immensely keen to appeal itselfRead More
Fratello
Seiko is a brand that many consider the gateway drug to entry-level mechanical watches. It is also a rare example of a watchmaker that produces anything from affordable timepieces to expensive and high-end watches. The Seiko “Turtle” exemplifies the brand’s ability to punch hard in the affordable segment. The Seiko SRPE93 (formerly known as the […] Visit Does The Seiko Turtle Still Punch Above Its Weight? to read the full article.
Monochrome
Since its debut in 2021, the Tribute 1 collection – a contemporary take on the classic dress watch by Armin Strom – has expanded with a series of remarkable additions, like the Fumé and California dial series that captivated enthusiasts by blending traditional finishing techniques with Armin Strom’s modern design sensibilities. The series is taking […]
Worn & Wound
My favorite thing about the watch world is the people. Far and away, my experience of watch enthusiasm has been - if you avoid anonymous comments sections - one of kindness, warmth, and, above all, generosity. This is a world in which people routinely hand you the watches off their wrists, and are always willing to offer up information, experience, and advice. So in that context, it was shocking, but not surprising, when our illustrious CEO, Blake Malin, offered me his own Lorier Hydra Zulu for an extended trial period. The Lorier Hydra Zulu, which was introduced around Windup NYC last year, has been on my radar since its release. To be frank, the only reason I don’t own this watch yet is that it’s been pretty hard to find one. With the infrequent drops selling out quickly and a real dearth of availability on the second-hand market, my only choice has been to wait for Lauren and Lorenzo Ortega to restock. Thankfully, Blake’s intervention means I’ve had an excellent chance to experience the watch and to see if the Hydra Zulu has what it takes to fill in as my new ‘fallback watch.’ I’ve always resisted the term ‘beater watch.’ While I understand the sentiment behind the phrase, I’ve never liked the connotation. After all, one person’s beater can easily be another’s grail (again, a phrase I’m not a fan of), and, while most use the term entirely innocuously, ‘beater watch’ has always struck me as somewhat… dismissive, if not downright condes...
Fratello
During Watches and Wonders this year, the world learned about Angelus’s marvelous monopusher chronograph, the Instrument de Vitesse. Now, I must admit, I got a sneak peek of the watch last year. That was the first time I could handle it, and it exceeded my expectations. At the time, one could choose between ebony- and […] Visit Hands-On With The Angelus Instrument De Vitesse Indianapolis Blue to read the full article.
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