Hodinkee
Hands-On: Southpaw Rolex: The Left-Handed GMT Gets It Right
While the new Air-King might be more radical than it first appears, the strange new destro GMT-Master II actually makes perfect sense.
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Hodinkee
While the new Air-King might be more radical than it first appears, the strange new destro GMT-Master II actually makes perfect sense.
Revolution
Jaeger-LeCoultre brings a broad range of novelties to Watches & Wonders 2022, including the Polaris Perpetual Calendar and Master Grande Tradition Caliber 948.
SJX Watches
Last summer Tudor introduced several Black Bay variants such as the Fifty-Eight 925 and METAS-certified Ceramic. Though one of the most affordable amongst the year’s new launches, the most unique was arguably the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze. While bronze is not a new material for Tudor – the brand has unveiled several bronze dive watches in the past – it’s a first for the compact Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) and also the first instance of a bronze bracelet. Given the popularity of the standard Fifty-Eight in steel, it leads to the obvious question: is the Fifty-Eight in bronze interesting enough to differentiate itself from its predecessors? Initial thoughts With the original BB58 has proven itself a winner, it is logical that Tudor builds on its success with a new palette, case material, and even minor improvements to the case construction. Though it is a Fifty-Eight in name, the Bronze is a very different watch. For starters, it is the first Tudor dive watch with a bracelet that isn’t steel. More usefully, the bronze bracelet incorporates a newly-developed, micro-adjustment clasp for easy sizing on the fly. While bronze isn’t rare amongst dive watches in general, it is unusual for Tudor, so credit should be given to the brand for its choice of case material. Tudor doubles down on the material by taking the bold step of using bronze not just for the case but also the bracelet, making this one of the few watches with a bracelet in the metal. Bronze is popular ...
SJX Watches
A modern take on Omega’s first-ever Speedmaster from 1957, the aptly named Speedmaster ’57 has just been facelifted and upgraded. What was originally a two-counter, automatic chronograph is now a two-counter, manual-wind chronograph. Its aesthetics have been refined, including with a smaller case, coloured dials, and a better bracelet, while the insides have been upgrade with a METAS-certified movement. Initial thoughts While the new Speedmaster ’57 might seem identical to its predecessor that was introduced almost a decade ago, it is entirely different. The latest release retains the same retro style with its “Broad Arrow” hands, straight lugs, and flat-link bracelet, but everything else has been redesigned. Continuing Omega’s stylistic direction for 2022, the new Speedmaster ’57 is offered in bright, metallic-finish dials, including a fashionable olive green. It also encapsulates consumers’ preference for a smaller and thinner case, as well as a quick-adjustment clasp, which will certainly improve wearability. But the biggest surprise comes courtesy of the movement. While the cal. 9300 in the earlier model was automatic, the cal. 9906 in the new model is hand-wind, which results in a slightly thinner case that’s 12.99 mm. With its evocation of vintage chronographs, the hand-wind movement leaves the date feeling somewhat out of place, since it’s a complication traditionally associated with practicality instead of good, old-fashioned aesthetics. At U...
SJX Watches
A limited edition launched at the end of 2021, the Zenith Chronometer Revival “Poker Chip” was the result of a collaboration between our founder and the watchmakers in Le Locle. One of them just popped up for sale at online auctioneer Loupe This – the first example to go under the hammer. The 200 pieces sold out at launch, making this a perfect opportunity for anyone who missed out last year. If the funky dial appears familiar, that’s because the Poker Chip reimagines the G383, one of the standout designs from the first references of the El Primero. While the G383 had a lavish, gold-on-black palette, the Poker Chip is entirely contemporary. Its dial is generously “lumed” – even the strap glows in the dark – bringing it to life at night, with the aesthetic alluding to the disco era of 1960s and 1970s when the G383 was born. [Update March 17, 2022: The Poker Chip sold for US$16,500 including fees on Loupe This.] The case is a micro-blasted titanium coated in DLC, which complements the military-esque dial. Notably the Poker Chip was the first – and remains the only – classic, 38 mm El Primero with a titanium case. Continuing the blend of new and old, the movement is the original El Primero 400 that’s almost identical to the 1969 original. As it is being phased out, this movement was chosen instead of the latest-generation El Primero 3600 (which has a lightning seconds), making the Poker Chip one of the last watches with the landmark calibre. Accompani...
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SJX Watches
In 2021, Omega revamped its ubiquitous Moonwatch, giving it a thorough makeover that included an upgraded movement in the form of the Master Co-Axial cal. 3861. This year, Omega follows up with the Speedmaster Moonwatch 42 mm Moonshine Gold. Omega’s proprietary pale-yellow gold alloy, Moonshine Gold was developed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Moon landing, so it comes as no surprise that the alloy has made its way into the latest-generation Speedmaster with the cal. 3861. The “panda” dial in solid Moonshine Gold with black registers Initial thoughts The Speedmaster Moonshine Gold Speedmasters are possibly the most striking version of the latest Moonwatch (though the Canopus Gold is a close second). Both iterations of the Speedmaster Moonshine Gold are in popular colours; green is currently hot and while Omega may not score points in originality, the brand is delivering what the market wants at the moment. That said, the execution of the new Speedmasters is done well. The restrained use of modern material such as ceramic for the bezel insert gives the watch a polished yet traditional look, allowing it to retain the essence of its bestselling model. Put simply, it still looks like a Speedmaster Moonwatch, which is what matters. And the unique, pale yellow tone of Moonshine Gold gives the new Speedmaster a slightly vintage look, albeit one with elements that are clearly modern. At the same time, the colour of the metal allows for a subtlety in appearance in spi...
SJX Watches
German independent watchmaker Rolf Lang produces both wristwatches and clocks – including a lavish gold egg containing a marine chronometer – and he now turns to French glassmaker Lalique for his latest sculptural clock. Their collaboration resulted in the Phoenix Clock that is entirely hand engraved and equipped with a gigantic tourbillon – held aloft by a glass-crystal sculpture of a soaring eagle with wings spread. Rolf Lang Initial thoughts Like the ultra-luxe egg clock of 2018, the Phoenix is appealing for its strong design and craftsmanship. The father of independent watchmaker Marco Lang, Rolf Lang’s house style is highly decorative and rooted in 19th century watchmaking so the aesthetic means the clock is not for everyone, but it is certainly impressive for those who appreciate what it is. With its ornate decoration, the Phoenix evokes the elaborate clocks and watches made for the Chinese market in the 19th century. It has an old-fashioned style and quality that stands in contrast with most contemporary watchmaking. And the clock excels at what it does, which is to impress while sitting on a desk. Still, it manages to be different and slightly modern as a result of the to the clever use of high-contrast materials. The crystal sculpture is splendid, and the clock itself is even more attractive with the ultra-large tourbillon sitting in full view under a glass sphere. While it has a big price tag, the Phoenix is special; there are nothing quite like it ...
Hodinkee
Prop master Eckart Friz takes us behind the scenes.
SJX Watches
Founded by a Slovakian duo who are both trained jewellers, Molnar Fabry specialises in elaborately decorated watches built on existing movements. Last year the pair reworked a Vaucher automatic calibre, but the brand’s latest project started life over a century ago. Echoing one of Molnar Fabry’s creations from 2018, the Grand Master Minute Repeater is essentially a pocket watch converted into a wristwatch. Starting out as a C.H. Meylan minute repeating pocket watch from 1901, the Grand Master features a hand-made case containing the pocket watch movement, which has been entirely refinished and extensively engraved. A close-up of the heavily decorated movement Initial thoughts Molnar Fabry does high quality work especially in terms of decoration, both for movement components and engraving. Their style is usual ornate, which might not be to everyone’s taste, but the brand has shown versatility in its past work, which has included more streamlined designs. The Grand Master is definitely ornate with its fully engraved case and movement. The quality and thoroughness of the work is impressive. And relatively to its ballpark price, the Grand Master is priced reasonably compared to what better-known makers in Switzerland would charge. But as with many pocket watch conversions, the Grand Master is a huge watch. The case is 47 mm by 14 mm. For anyone who likes their watches on this scale – and appreciates the skill that went into the decoration – the Grand Master is off t...
Time+Tide
The everyday watch is an enigma of design. It’s the guiding principal of most designers to create a purpose-built watch. So when you tell them to create something that suits multiple situations, the resulting watch can sometimes become a jack of all trades and a master of none. It’s this outcome that Raymond Pee, founder … ContinuedThe post Gane takes on minimalist design with the Type C appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Quill & Pad
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures collection consists of three Reverso watches featuring dials with exquisite miniature reproductions of lost paintings by three master painters: Gustave Courbet (1876), Vincent Van Gogh (1888), and Gustav Klimt (1917). Each piece's painting has its own interesting story highlighting why it was considered a “hidden treasure." Joshua Munchow shares those stories with us here.
Quill & Pad
The Fibonacci number sequence is a discovery of mathematics and nature that has both amazed and confounded the scientific community for centuries. And it is the inspiration for the stunning engravings on the unique La Rose Carrée, a masterfully restored grande sonnerie minute repeater pocket watch made to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Parmigiani and launched to mark the seventieth birthday of the brand’s founder and master restorer, Michel Parmigiani.
Hodinkee
How prop master Jonathan R. Hodges sourced one of Hollywood's most iconic timepieces.
Hodinkee
I bought my GMT-Master II to wear it. Then it skyrocketed in value, and set off an existential debate.
Revolution
The Alpine Eagle is inspired by the majesty of the eagle and the soaring wonder of the Alps evoked in a sporty chronometer and a stunning diamond version
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Time+Tide
This video was never scheduled to happen. However, waking up on a crisp Saturday morning in Neuchatel with Marcus our Creative Director and video master on hand, I could not resist dragging him out of his room and into the fresh Swiss weekend atmosphere. The mission was really just to recap what we had done … ContinuedThe post Andrew’s escape to Switzerland to visit Longines appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Built tough with a chronometer-grade movement from Kenissi, NORQAIN’s Adventure Neverest Night Sight has the looks and grit for life outdoors.
Revolution
An instinctive rulebreaker, tattoo master Dr. Woo takes an iconic haute horology timepiece and guides it to the stars
Hodinkee
The duo from Ulysse Nardin will discuss the history of the marine chronometer, and the brand's specialization in manufacturing them.
Quill & Pad
For the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire, Armin Strom teamed up with Kari Voutilainen to give the backplate a refined guilloche motif. We clearly see the hand of the master in this: while the design of the guilloche is not particularly outgoing, it shows its refinement in the way that it is draped around the other parts of the watch. It gently directs the eye to all the right places, allowing admiration for this technical-looking piece to grow.
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Revolution
Revolution speaks with Mr Shingo Ishizaka from Casio R&D;, the key engineer behind the G-SHOCK MRG-B2000BS-3A Hana-Basara and Mr Kazuhito Komatsu, a master precious stone and pearl cutter and polishing expert, and also the man who lent his art to the extraordinary finishing applied to the Hana-Basara’s COBARION bezel. The word “Basara”, which is derived from the Sanskrit word for diamond, is a term of respect used for only the most bold and honorable of samurai, and it is this word that has inspired G-SHOCK’s new limited-edition MR-G, the MRG-B2000BS-3A “Hana-Basara”, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of G-SHOCK’s flagship collection. In feudal Japan, the Basara Busho were the boldest of the samurai, renowned in battle for their expressive, and indeed, artistic armor, and it is from them that the MRG-B2000BS-3A takes its design cues. Crafted with an ultra-hard COBARION bezel and case made from DAT55G titanium, (COBARION is about 4 times harder than titanium, while DAT55G is 3 times harder than titanium), the Hana-Basara is ideally suited to embody the fighting spirit of its namesakes. In fact, the direct inspiration for this singular G-SHOCK was a one-off suit of armor commissioned by Casio from famed armorer atelier, Suzukine Yuzan. The bezel and bracelet are rendered in a deep green DLC finish called “kurogane-iro”, while the case is treated with a brown AIP (arc ion plating) finish, which echo traditional samurai colors. But the real star of the sho...
Quill & Pad
Martin Green is no Gérald Genta groupie charmed by everything the designer created, but he appreciates greatness. While some may favor the Genta Gefica or Grande Sonnerie as the master's definitive design, Martin makes a case for the Retro. Find out why here.
SJX Watches
Historically a major producer of marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin has repurposed the concept in the modern day for its bestselling line of wristwatches that retain the face of a marine chronometer while having in-house movements and eminently reasonable prices. For its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years collection, a suite of limited-edition watches starting with an affordable base model and ending with a range-topping tourbillon featuring a fired-enamel dial. Initial thoughts Originally introduced as an entry-level Marine model – it was named after a torpedo boat – the Marine Torpilleur has been successful enough that it’s now an entire anniversary line up. The expansion of the line is a good thing, because the Torpilleur is classically handsome and generally good value. All the Torpilleur models are largish at 42 mm in diameter, but most are slim, with heights of about 11 mm, though the chronograph is understandably wider and thicker. As a result, they appear relatively thin on the wrist, especially for a sporty watch. The tourbillon with a black enamel dial, and next to it a vintage Ulysse Nardin chronometer pocket watch with tourbillon regulator And the watches are all equipped with high-spec in-house movements, which is a big factor in their value propositions. Even the base model, which costs US$8,200 in its simplest version, is equipped with the UN-118, a movement that has a silicon hairspring and escapement, along...
Hodinkee
A master watchmaker’s signed oeuvre represented in one Geneva sale.
Hodinkee
A 1973 Rolex GMT-Master 'Mark 2,' A 1960s Enicar Sherpa Super-Dive, And A 1970 Bulova Deep Sea 'B' Chronograph
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