Two Broke Watch Snobs
Christopher Ward vs Mido: Modern Ambition or Legacy Swiss Watch Value?
We compare Christopher Ward and Mido hands-on, weighing finishing, movements, wearability, design, and value to see which approach wins us over.
3,974 articles · 45 videos found · page 7 of 134
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We compare Christopher Ward and Mido hands-on, weighing finishing, movements, wearability, design, and value to see which approach wins us over.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Mido refreshed the Mido Ocean Star 200 with the 80-hour Caliber 80 and a Nivachron hairspring, priced from $950 to $980 across four dial options.
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Time+Tide
There is no shortage of vintage-inspired chronographs on the market. Especially coming from established Swiss brands that have dug through their vast catalogues to recreate iconic models. There has also been a re-emergence of fine German watchmaking in the past few years. Hanhart is one of the best representatives of this movement. The brand made … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Hanhart 417 ES Panda Flyback Chronographs offer even better value. appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
When Earthen Co. debuted with the Summit, I was immediately intrigued. The combination of ceramic cases with the famous IWC Mark-series design silhouette made the watches instantly recognizable and stylish. But the Hong Kong-based brand did not compromise on specs and made them proper tool watches. Considering the friendly price of well under €1,000, it […] Visit Earthen Co. Breaks New Ground With More Colors For Its Summit MK II Collection to read the full article.
Video
You’re Not Just Selling a Watch, You’re Selling the Life Around It.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Baltic just made its cult-favorite Aquascaphe GMT a more capable travel watch with a flyer GMT, tougher case, and one unexpected change.
SJX Watches
German independent watchmaker Marco Lang launched the Seven Spheres, the first multi-axis tourbillon wristwatch from Germany, and one of the few made with traditional materials and techniques. While the rotational speed is necessarily gradual, the central position of the massive seven-axis regulator affords a good view of the fine Saxon finishing from all sides. Initial thoughts Multi-axis tourbillons tend to be the domain of industrial brands, or independents that rely on industrial suppliers. It’s also a genre that’s overwhelmingly Swiss — Thomas Prescher is German, but produced his pioneering multi-axis tourbillons in Switzerland. In this context, the Seven Spheres is a departure from the norm in several respects. It’s Marco Lang’s first tourbillon since branching out on his own in 2019, and it’s the first multi-axis tourbillon made in Saxony. Without historical precedent to contend with, Mr Lang has produced something quite unlike any other German watch — a central, multi-axis tourbillon suspended within a donut-shaped movement. Despite its artisanal quality and low-volume production, the Seven Spheres costs no more than an equivalent from a big brand. It’s counterintuitive to suggest that a wristwatch that costs a quarter-million Euros is a good value, but on a comparative basis the pricing makes sense. Seven spheres, front and back Marco Lang cites the work of both Ptolemy and Carl Sagan as inspiration for the Seven Spheres’ architecture. The seven ...
Worn & Wound
Travel watches have been on the absolute rise in recent years. Where dive watches were once the default option for a first sports watch, GMTs, dual times, and world timers have been making a credible play for wrist time with enthusiasts of all strata. There are practical reasons for this - movements like the Miyota 9075 and Seiko NH34 have made including a GMT complication in a watch more affordable than ever - but I think practical reasons only scratch the surface of this precipitous rise. To tell the whole story, you have to look for the romantic. There’s an inherent appeal in travel watches. They’re optimistic and remind us to stay interested in the world even when we’re stuck at home, or work, or in the myopia of day-to-day life, when the little things around us stop us from looking further. I think this appeal was only reinforced by a mandatory two-year stay inside, at home, and I don’t think it’s by chance that our collective release back into the world post-COVID coincided with the rise of the travel watch. I mean, sure, in a world where our phones automatically adjust to new time zones, and most people’s preferred travel watch is an Apple Watch, mechanical travel watches (or, really, analog - there are some pretty stellar quartz offerings to be had, you don’t need to look further than the Timex Q Continental GMT for evidence of that) may be more talismanic than necessary, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. So, with all that ...
Hodinkee
Once a global watchmaking giant, owner of Zodiac, Swiss STP movements, and a slew of fashion watch brands, Fossil files a court application to restructure after mounting financial losses.
Hodinkee
Made with the brand's longtime retail partner, Art of Time, the watch leans into sandy Caribbean vibes in more ways than one.
Video
Lighting sells luxury. Done right, even an affordable watch looks premium. Done wrong, a €20k watch looks fake.
Worn & Wound
The post A Swiss-Made Titanium Field Watch for Under $1,000 – Formex Field Automatic Hands-On appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
Swiss luxury powerhouse Richemont has just announced yet another round of shifts in top management positions, with new direction for two of its most prestigious watchmaking brands, Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-Lecoultre. Effective January 1st, 2025, the nominations of Jerôme Lambert and Laurent Perves follow the appointments announced earlier this year. Nicolas Bos was promoted from […]
Monochrome
About a year ago, Georges Kern, also known as the CEO of Breitling, made a resounding announcement for the watch community; the acquisition of historic brand Universal Genève and its planned return as a watchmaker in 2026. A brand known for its innovative designs and movements, benefitting from a certain aura in the collecting community, […]
Worn & Wound
A thing you discover about watch collecting after being involved in the hobby for a little while is that it’s a truly international endeavor. This manifests itself in a number of ways. The geography of the watchmaking industry is obviously something that’s discussed frequently, with Swiss, German, Japanese, and American styles of the craft all taking slightly different shapes. But even more than that, practical matters like the availability of watches to actually purchase has a lot to do with where you are in the world. Just last week, we told you about a pair of new limited edition Grand Seikos made just for the US market, and today we have a similar story about a Seiko diver for sale exclusively in Europe. Regional releases strike again. The Seiko Prospex SPB473 would have caught our eye regardless, but something about it being vaguely forbidden if you happen to live in America makes it all the more appealing. Now, realistically, this watch won’t be that hard to track down if you really put some effort into it. There are all kinds of ways an American customer can obtain a watch made for a foreign market. Proxy buyers, the pre-owned market, and simply calling up a dealer and asking if they’d consider an international sale are all viable options. But if it really is the thrill of the hunt that makes watch collecting exciting and rewarding, have those few extra hoops to jump through could actually be welcome for some. The SPB473’s key feature is a beautiful grad...
Time+Tide
LVMH Watches has made some major moves, with Julien Tornare appointed as Hublot CEO, and Antoine Pin taking over TAG Heuer.The post Julien Tornare appointed CEO of Hublot, Antoine Pin new CEO of TAG Heuer appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Here’s the mistake:
Fratello
Geneva-based Pragma is the brainchild of Christopher Wegener and Kai-Hsuan Liu. Wegener has 21 years of experience in watchmaking; he worked for Rolex and F.P.Journe, for instance. Liu is the brand’s Creative Design Director. He has a background at Hermès and a studio of his own, and his forté is fusing natural and technological elements. […] Visit Introducing The Pragma P1 – Perseverance: A 100% Swiss Chronometer Made With 82.7% Recycled Materials to read the full article.
Monochrome
Independent, Malaysian-Swiss brand MING is not necessarily associated with dive watches… At least, it might not be the first style of watch that you would imagine the brand creating. Thin, elegant watches with a twist, or maybe an ultra-light watch… Sure. When it comes to dive watches by MING, we have to go back to 2019 […]
Worn & Wound
Bremont made their debut at Watches & Wonders last week, and they unexpectedly became the talk of the show. The new watches represent a dramatic departure from the design language Bremont has cultivated over the past 20 years, and serve as the introduction of Davide Cerrato at the helm of the company (he’s been CEO since spring of last year, but these new novelties are the first from the brand without the design input of founders Nick and Giles English). Relaunches are complicated, and we can’t recall a similar attempt at a rebrand that was so ambitious. To unveil a completely new strategy at a brand’s first Watches & Wonders under a CEO who has been in place for less than a year is a massive undertaking, and regardless of how you feel about Bremont’s new direction, there’s no denying that this was a big swing. Below you’ll find reactions to Bremont’s Watches & Wonders presence from Zach Weiss and Zach Kazan, both of whom had a chance to (briefly) go hands-on with the new novelties. We hope to have an opportunity to spend more time with these watches in the near future to bring you a more complete evaluation outside the fanfare and noise of the industry’s major trade show. Zach Kazan A somewhat slower year for big, flashy new releases at Watches & Wonders means that smaller stories about watches and brands that don’t normally generate a ton of heat will be talked about and picked apart in a way you wouldn’t necessarily see. Last year, when Rolex dropped...
Monochrome
Watches made by Moritz Grossmann, one of the top manufacturers in the small town of Glashütte, Germany, are known for their outstanding attention to detail and refined in-house movements. Yet, some stand out even more from the rest of the collection, either because of their complexity or due to the expressive power of traditional craftsmanship […]
Time+Tide
French, Swiss and Japanese - Jamie's 2023 high rotation contains multitudes.The post The three watches Jamie wore most in 2023 – Citizen, Tudor, Lip appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Most campaigns flop because brands think 3 photos and 1 short video is enough. It’s not.
Time+Tide
Like many new microbrands, Bōken was created from a desire to do good in an industry that has only recently become interested in conservation efforts, alongside making great watches, of course. Built with a brushed titanium case and housed in a contemporary cushion shape, the Bōken Nomad takes a premium position within the microbrand realm by … ContinuedThe post The Bōken Nomad combines grade 2 titanium and a Swiss-made movement appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
IWC’s latest is an inspired by the legendary off-roader made by its longtime partner Mercedes-Benz, the G-Wagen. More specifically, the Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 is named after the luxury, high-performance G 63 made by the carmaker’s performance tuning subsidiary AMG. Available in two variants, the G 63 edition retains the traditional outline of the model, but brings along novel new materials, namely a hardened gold alloy known as Armor Gold and ceramic matrix composite (CMC), a carbon fibre composite containing silicon carbide ceramic for added hardness. The Big Pilot’s Watch AMG G 63 in 18k Armor Gold Initial thoughts IWC rolls out a lot of Big Pilot limited editions, probably too many, but this is one of the more appealing recent editions. The basic features of the Big Pilot G 63 are appealing – novel materials, a functional design, and IWC’s seven-day movement. The textured dials and sub-seconds are both novel features for a Big Pilot. They set the new pair part from other models in the line, but don’t stray too far from the traditional Big Pilot look. More interesting are the case materials – hardened gold or silicon-infused carbon composite – which are both a first for IWC. Though brands like Hublot and Richard Mille have long made such materials a specialty, they are unusual for IWC. Notably, both versions have Super-Luminova matched with the case material, beige for the gold model and grey for CMC, which feels a bit forced. I would have preferred...
Time+Tide
Horage's 'all-terrain' luxury sports watch receives an ocean-inspired second instalment, ditching its GMT complication while retaining some GMT DNA.The post The Horage Supersede Date shows off the true meaning of Swiss-made appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Vulcain made a triumphant return in 2022 with the launch of a new series of iconic Cricket alarm watches in varying sizes and colors. By using the seemingly foolproof recipe of recreating a vintage timepiece with little to no reinterpretation, and relying on the historical value of the name itself, the brand was able to shake off several years of being dormant. The result was a quick sell-through and a return to relevance. The question, of course, was how they would follow up and take advantage of their newfound spotlight. The answer is the Vulcain Skindiver Nautique, which might initially seem like a surprising follow-up. Why? Well, rather than sticking with their in-house calibers or most recognizable models, they went for a somewhat generic mid-century diver. Whether or not this was a good idea will be left to consumers, but it was smart of them to demonstrate that they are going to delve deep and wide into their archives for inspiration, as well as create products at different price points. Available in black or blue with a few strap options, the Vulcain Skindiver Nautique is priced at around $1,600 (to be clear, it’s 1490 CHF, the USD is based on the exchange rate). $1600 Hands-On with the Very Reasonable Vulcain Skindiver Nautique Case Stainless Steel Movement ETA 2824-2 Dial Gloss Black Lume Yes Lens Domed Sapphire Strap Carbon Pattern Leather Water Resistance 20 ATM Dimensions 38 x 44.2mm Thickness 12.3mm Lug Width 20mm Crown screw down Warranty yes Price $1600 N...
Teddy Baldassarre
Swiss watch manufacture Zenith traces its roots to 1865, when it was founded in the village of Le Locle by precocious 22-year-old watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot. As one of the first watchmaking maisons to integrate all aspects of the watchmaking process under one roof, from case manufacturing to movement production to final casing and assembly, Zenith has long prided itself on its quest for timekeeping precision. The company has earned a record number of chronometry prizes over the years, and its most influential contribution to watchmaking history is its El Primero chronograph caliber, released in 1969. (Learn more about El Primero here.) In that same pivotal year, Zenith also released an avant-garde wristwatch series called Defy, whose bold, edgy design proved to be ahead of its time, and found its expression in the now-legendary Ref. A3642. The Original Defy (1969) That watch was nicknamed the “coffre-fort,” a French term translating to “bank vault” or “safe,” a reference to its robustly angular, octagonal case, 14-sided bezel, and high-for-the-time water resistance of 300 meters, secured by its crown, caseback, and mineral crystal, all of which screwed securely into the case. Its “ladder-style” bracelet from legendary chainmaker Gay Frères also made the original reference notable. The Defy was positioned as Zenith’s toughest watch, featured in an advertisement in which six of the watches were strapped to the spokes of a motorcycle in a speed test a...
Video
Macro shots can elevate your watch or destroy its appeal.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.