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Results for Charles Vermot

329 articles · 18 videos found · page 8 of 12

Introducing: Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Rose Gold - Welcome To The Golden Age Fratello
Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Rose Aug 18, 2025

Introducing: Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Rose Gold - Welcome To The Golden Age

There’s a new Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance in town, clad in rose gold and black. The 43mm 18k rose gold case features alternating brushed and polished finishes, and the large black off-center dial provides a strong visual contrast. The handcrafted sunray guilloché pattern of the dial, framed by a chapter ring with circular finishing, […] Visit Introducing: Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Rose Gold - Welcome To The Golden Age to read the full article.

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Hands On: Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase SJX Watches
Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase Aug 13, 2025

Hands On: Piaget Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase

Now into the second half of its second century, Piaget unveiled the Polo Flying Tourbillon Moonphase, an eccentric entrant in the crowded field of luxury sport watches. The charm of the watch lies in its unusual feature set: an extravagant dial and easy wearing format, which includes interchangeable rubber and leather straps. Housed in a sleek, 44 mm titanium case, the Polo Flying Tourbillon is the most complicated watch in the Polo collection since the underrated Polo Tourbillon Relatif introduced two decades ago. Initial thoughts I have a soft spot for watches like the Polo Flying Tourbillon that don’t fit neatly into any pre-conceived category. It’s risky to make watches like this; watches that look a bit odd on the spec sheet but feel good on the wrist. On one hand, it’s overtly sporty with a titanium case, a rubber strap, and a robust 100 m water resistance rating thanks to dual gaskets in the crown. Looked at from another perspective, it’s a piece of true industrial-haute horlogerie with a flying tourbillon and a thoughtfully executed pointer-style moonphase indicator, sans date. This last detail stands out to me, because the date and moonphase complications usually go hand-in-hand. To be clear, I don’t miss the date; its absence contributes to the care-free nature of the watch. The 44 mm titanium case looks large on paper, and indeed, the diameter is accentuated by its 9.8 mm case height, which is on the thinner side as such things go. But the Polo wears w...

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Hands On: Piaget Andy Warhol SJX Watches
Piaget Andy Warhol Having first Jul 14, 2025

Hands On: Piaget Andy Warhol

Having first introduced its Beta 21-inspired wristwatch over a decade ago, Piaget rebooted the concept this year by renaming it the Piaget Andy Warhol thanks to a freshly inked agreement with the American artist’s foundation. The watch retains the same oversized style format defined by a many stepped bezel and clean dial, but now adds the option of customisation in both dial and case materials. Though pricey for a time only watch, the Andy Warhol is arguably Piaget’s best formal dress watch for men. It’s just as elegant as the brand’s round watches, but substantially more distinctive. And the Andy Warhol nickname makes it more memorable than it was before. Initial thoughts Piaget’s most significant recent watch in technical terms is unquestionable the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, but ironically it is somewhat too thin to be elegant. The wafer-slim case feels a little strange on the wrist. The Andy Warhol, on the other hand, is large, but elegant and especially glamorous in certain variations like the malachite dial. In fact, the case is oversized – the case is 45 mm wide – but very thin around 8 mm, giving it a sleek profile but large presence on the wrist. And up close the multiple steps on the bezel give the design surprising flair given its overall simplicity. The large cushion form easily passes for a 1970s watch, but this is not an exact remake. Instead it is loosely based on the Piaget Beta 21, a pioneering quartz wristwatch, a specimen of which was owne...

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First Look – The New Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Blue Monochrome
Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Jun 25, 2025

First Look – The New Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Blue

When Serge Michel and Claude Greisler acquired Armin Strom, they took the bull by the horns. Without abandoning Mr Strom’s famous hand-skeletonised movements, the pair developed a full-scale vertical manufacture and successfully addressed the phenomenon of Mirrored Force Resonance in a wristwatch format. Another horological success story was the brand’s Gravity Equal Force watch of […]

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Louis Erard & Konstantin Chaykin Return with “Time Eater” III SJX Watches
Louis Erard & Konstantin Chaykin Return Jun 16, 2025

Louis Erard & Konstantin Chaykin Return with “Time Eater” III

Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin are closing their “Time Eater” collaboration with the final pair in the series, the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin III Blue and Red. Retaining the familiar “cyclops” regulator dial inspired by the Russian watchmaker’s Wristmons, the new pair will be the last collaboration between the two in this format. Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin are working on future collaborations, but those will be in a different style. The blue version is 42 mm and available only from Louis Erard, while the red model is 39 mm and will be sold only by Konstantin Chaykin. The 42 mm model in blue Initial thoughts Louis Erard has done a great number of collaborations with independent watchmakers, but the Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater ranks amongst the best of them. Like the second Vianney Halter collab, the Time Eater captures the spirit of the watchmaker’s original creation while being affordable. I look forward to the next collaboration with Mr Chaykin, because I am sure it will be interesting. Admittedly the latest pair are only a cosmetic tweak on the earlier editions, but the Time Eater is still an appealing concept that’s priced right. Both versions adopts the standard Louis Erard regulator case, which makes it a little too thick, but that’s an acceptable compromise for affordability. The two are the third Time Eater project, and Louis Erard chief Manuel Emch has confirmed they will close the Time Eater regulator series. The ...

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Italian Indie Gagà Laboratorio Introduces Two New References Worn & Wound
Jun 9, 2025

Italian Indie Gagà Laboratorio Introduces Two New References

We covered the introduction of Gagà Laboratorio back in August of last year, and have remained curious about how this new independent brand with Italian roots would evolve. Their first models, the Labormatic Bauhaus and Labormatic Cinquanta, paired a highly considered case design defined by dramatically flared lugs with a creative timetelling format that riffs heavily on the classic jump hour. Each watch represented the flipside of the same coin: the Bauhaus subtle and minimal, the Cinquanta more light and colorful. The brand’s latest releases are a new pair of Labormatics that follow a similar theme.  First up, the Labormatic Champagne. This watch was conceived as something of a counterpoint to the minimalist design ethos of the Bauhaus model. The Champagne, as the name of the watch implies, is celebratory where the Bauhaus is subdued, trading clean and cold grays for vibrant gold tones, including deeply textured dial base. On this reference, as with the Bauhaus, time is told via a digital hours window at the 12:00 position and an analog minute display.  Gagà Laboratorio has also introduced the Labormatic Azzuro, which can be understood as a complement to last year’s Cinquanta. Both watches are inspired by Italian design from the 1950s, which was a notably colorful period following the tumult of World War II. The pastel blue tones seen here look great with the rich, wine red chosen for the stylized Arabic numerals in the hour and minute tracks. Once again, the hou...

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Watch Propaganda I’m Not Falling For Worn & Wound
Jun 2, 2025

Watch Propaganda I’m Not Falling For

If you’ve opened Instagram or TikTok in the last few weeks, there’s a very good chance you’ve seen the “Propaganda I’m Not Falling For” trend served up to you in one way or another. The format is relatively straightforward, and involves a creator listing the sacred cows in his or her particular area of expertise that they refuse to buy into.  The watch community, of course, is filled with conventional wisdom, ideas passed from collector to collector, rarely if ever questioned. As I encountered these social media clips over the last week, I couldn’t help but think of the watch world propaganda, as it were, that we all just seem to take at face value.  Here, then, are four principles I think are ripe for questioning. There are a lot more – credit here to Ben’s Watches and Pulse on the Wrist for being first out of the gate among watch industry personalities to participate. Be sure to let us know in the comments what watch related propaganda you refuse to accept.  A Vintage Watch Must Be Unpolished and All Original  Let’s get the most controversial one out of the way first. When I started collecting watches, it was an era when it was still relatively easy and straightforward to buy a nice, honest vintage watch on eBay for not a lot of money. Times have changed. The best examples, watches that are truly unpolished and all original, are harder and harder to find, and eBay is filled with watches that have been passed around and sold by pro dealers and amat...

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Citizen s Unite May 28, 2025

California Coast Through Film & Time: A Road Trip with Kat Shoulders, Fujifilm, and Citizen’s Unite with Blue Collection

A few weeks ago, I set out on a road trip along one of my favorite stretches of the world: the California coast. It was more than just a drive down Highway 1 - it was a journey to see the coastline in a new way, through the lenses of two amazing Fujifilm medium format cameras and a special Citizen Promaster that quietly echoed the whole vibe. Right after the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, I (and my BFF) hit the road and headed south down Highway 1, taking in some of the dreamiest towns California has to offer. Monterey, Piedras Blancas, Big Sur, Morro Strand, SLO, Pismo Beach, Solvang, Santa Barbara… It’s wild how the vibe shifts even though you’re basically hugging the same coast the whole time. Like, how is this all the same state? This feels like sorcery somehow. But before we go full travel diary, let me talk about the gear. Because yes, this trip had a theme: film & time. The post California Coast Through Film & Time: A Road Trip with Kat Shoulders, Fujifilm, and Citizen’s Unite with Blue Collection appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Seiko Baby Alpinist Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko May 2, 2025

Seiko Baby Alpinist Review

Before I get into my owner's review of the Seiko Baby Alpinist, I want to talk about field watches as a category. What makes a field watch? Is an explorers' watch the same as a field watch? Is a mountaineering watch? I wouldn’t necessarily call this, or rather these, age-old questions. Instead they illustrate an intellectual conundrum I’ve personally faced, being a fan of a certain format of watches. Many who know me will also be sure to know I have a certain proclivity toward Rolex watches. I once wrote some of a definite treatise on the Rolex Explorer Ref. 14270 - the now neo-vintage version of the watch that was born right at the start of the 1990s and which has since served as the template for all Explorers to come. Its 36mm size, legible dial, and overall no-nonsense field-watch format have made it one of the best watch designs of all time. But it’s also not really a field watch, is it? It was born as a marketing exercise in the wake of Sir Edmund Hilary’s summiting of Everest alongside Tenzig Norgay. It’s an explorers watch, one with alpine roots. The Seiko Baby Alpinist SPB155 Speaking of alpine, we cannot mention the word without invoking one of the most well-known attainable icons of the 1990s and 2000s: The Seiko Alpinist. But let’s go back even further, to the late 1950s and early ‘60s, when Seiko launched the small, 35mm Laurel Alpinist – a design that was revived by the brand in 2021. Fast-forward to 1995, when Seiko released a familiar forma...

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Our Favorite Watches from British Watchmakers’ Day Worn & Wound
Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Mar 13, 2025

Our Favorite Watches from British Watchmakers’ Day

Over the weekend, Worn & Wound’s Zach Kazan and Devin Pennypacker attended the second annual British Watchmakers’ Day event at Lindley Hall in London, England. British Watchmakers’ Day is the main public facing event for the British Watch and Clock Makers Alliance, formed in 2020 to encourage and guide a new generation of British watchmakers. Over 40 brands exhibited at the single day event, which was packed with watch lovers from all over the world. One of the unique things about British Watchmakers’ Day is that brands are truly incentivized to launch limited editions available on the day of the show. It generates interest in the ticketed event, giving watch lovers a specific reason to show up early to Lindley Hall, and proceeds from both watch sales and tickets benefit the Alliance. To that end, one of the most fun aspects of the show is going from brand to brand to see what kind of limited edition release they came up with for the big day (we’ve already told you about a few).  Here, as a recap to the show, Zach and Devin pick three of their favorite British Watchmakers’ Day limited editions that they saw at the show. It was tough to limit these choices to just three. If you attended the show, be sure to drop your favorites in the comments below.  Zach Kazan  Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Visiting with José Miranda at the Isotope display was a highlight of the show for me. Not only did he have an excellent BWD limited edition on display (and another...

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Frederique Constant Refines the Worldtimer Manufacture SJX Watches
Frederique Constant Refines Feb 13, 2025

Frederique Constant Refines the Worldtimer Manufacture

Known for its value-oriented timepieces, Frederique Constant partnered Swiss crowdfunding specialist Watch Angels to reimagine the Worldtimer Manufacture. Now in a 40 mm format with a cleaner aesthetic, the limited-edition of 718 pieces will only be available for purchase through Watch Angels’ online shop via a pre-order. Initial thoughts Frederique Constant has some interesting and accessible models, ranging from perpetual calendars to tourbillons and even a flexural pivot monolithic oscillator. The Geneva-based brand is mostly a player in the under-CHF5,000 segment, with a focus on in-house engineering. This latest iteration of the Worldtimer Manufacture is a good example of Frederique Constant’s approach to blending appealing designs with in-house mechanics, while keeping the price accessible. This new release builds on the successful Classic Worldtimer Manufacture collection, but with a streamlined design and reduced case size. It looks like Watch Angels took the lead with the design, opting for a clean layout, strong blue hues and sharp case lines. In contrast to the original that has a fussy design with a world map dial, the new version is functional but still elegantly detailed. The reduced case size, cleaner dial, and sharp finishing make this a compelling worldtime complication timepiece. Furthermore, the limited edition costs virtually the same as the regular production model, making this collaboration very appealing. More broadly, the partnership between Fr...

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The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Elodie Townsend Worn & Wound
Dec 27, 2024

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Elodie Townsend

In this edition of our ongoing Three Watch Collection for $5,000 series, reader Elodie Townsend offers up a trio of watches that hit a variety of enthusiast touchstones. Elodie, a watch and automotive enthusiast based in California, has some fun with the format here, dividing up her choices into three distinct categories. Together, they form a cohesive, hypothetical collection with genuine variety and a ton of value.  The idea of a three-watch collection totaling $5,000 is both enticing and daunting. As an automotive enthusiast, I’d wager that it mirrors the classic “three car garage” problem, but with even more potential for argument; the vastness of the used watch market and ever-changing design and style trends make any trio of timepieces ripe for debate.  To either combat controversy or further court it, I’ve chosen three categories for my list: Busy, Affordable, and Conversation Starter. Basically, the “Busy” watch will embody the spirit of tool watches-many complications, most of which you will never use, but guaranteed to delight the gearhead in all of us. The “Affordable” option represents an entry-level watch for the new (or penny-pinching) enthusiast. Lastly, the “Conversation Starter” represents a piece that will draw eyes to your wrist, whether you like it or not.  The Busy Watch: Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer ($1,310.00) It doesn’t get much more complicated than the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer; even the name i...

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Worn & Wound
Dec 27, 2024

[VIDEO] Our Most Worn Watches of 2024

It’s become a bit of a tradition across the watch media landscape to produce a “Most Worn Watch” feature that offers a look back at the watches that we found on our wrists most often over the course of the last year. This year, we’re once again bringing you this feature in video format. We went around the office and asked members of the team what watch spent the most time on the wrist this year, and the answers, as you’d expect, offer quite a bit of variety and a few genuine surprises.  This year, we’re happy to have been able to get many of our editorial contributors in on the fun as well. But we also want to hear from you, so be sure to leave us a note in the comments either here or on YouTube to let us know what watch you wore most in 2024. The post [VIDEO] Our Most Worn Watches of 2024 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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21 Of The Best Field Watches For Under $1,000 Worn & Wound
Citizen Dec 11, 2024

21 Of The Best Field Watches For Under $1,000

In this video, we take a look at some of the best field watches on the market priced under $1,000. We look at 21 different watches in both a modern and traditional format from brands like Timex, Seiko, Citizen, and Formex, just to name a few. While the definition of field watch can be a little bit murky, we tried to pick a bit of a variety of watches to fit any personal preference while staying true to the core values of legibility, durability, and a sense of simplicity. Deep rooted in military tradition, the field watch tends to fit a certain bill though I am sure a few on this list will surprise you. We will be creating more content like this in the future, so be sure to follow along on our Windup Watch Shop YouTube channel for more! The post 21 Of The Best Field Watches For Under $1,000 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Hands-On: Seiko's Best GMT Just Got More Colorful Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Nov 29, 2024

Hands-On: Seiko's Best GMT Just Got More Colorful

The Seiko SSK GMT line has slowly taken the watch world by storm, and Seiko took the SKX-style format this year and updated it with a trio of new dial formats. Earlier this year, I wrote a story on what – at the time – was every single existing SKX-style Seiko SSK GMT on the market, but that story is officially out of date. Before I get any further into this, it makes sense to establish a few things about these watches. First, they were released in 2022, creating a new wave of GMT affordability in the watch world. Why do I keep calling them SKX-style watches? Well, because the case profile is nearly identical to that of the now-discontinued icon, the Seiko SKX. The Seiko SSK001 and 003 models (the blue- and black-dial versions) are watches that I often suggest to anyone looking for a true "everyday" attainable watch. I even chose it in a video I did with Teddy where we both were tasked with building a collection under $7,000 ( let me know if you think I won). But enough lede-burying. Let’s get to the newness. In total there were three new variations released: The SSK033 with a blue and black bezel, the SSK035 with a green dial and bezel format, and the SSK036, which brings a black/brown aesthetic to the mix with a leather strap (the other two come on Jubilee-style bracelets). So let’s start with the SSK033. As an owner of the Rolex GMT-Master II with the blue-and-black bezel, I immediately zeroed in on this one. But where this clearly differs from the Rolex in term...

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Louis Erard Introduces Le Régulateur Inspired by Vianney Halter’s Antiqua SJX Watches
Louis Erard Introduces Le Régulateur Inspired Nov 28, 2024

Louis Erard Introduces Le Régulateur Inspired by Vianney Halter’s Antiqua

Having unveiled its first Vianney Halter collaboration in 2020, Louis Erard now follows up with the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter II that’s notably superior in style and details. Modelled on the Antiqua perpetual calendar, the Le Régulateur Vianney Halter II retains the usual Louis Erard regulator format, but smartly tweaked to replicate key elements of the Antiqua, including the rivets on the bezel, case profile, and multi-part dial. The new regulator is offered in two limited editions of 178 pieces each: the one with a silvered dial and gilt chapter rings is available only on Louis Erard’s online store, while the second edition with an inverted dial finish will only be sold at the brand’s retailers around the world. The Louis Erard e-commerce exclusive (left), and the retailer edition Initial thoughts Louis Erard has rolled out numerous collaborations with independent watchmakers. Most of them are convincing tributes to the original, but of varying levels of customisation. A good number of them employ the stock regulator case but with an edition-specific dial, which was the case for the first Vianney Halter collab. The new Vianney Halter regulator, on the other hand, features components unique to this model, giving it a distinctive look. The dial, case, bezel, and case back are all made for this edition, with only the movement being stock. As result, this captures the look and feel of the original watch that inspired it much better than past collabo...

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A Modern Take on Paillonné Enamel by Hermès SJX Watches
Hermes house style which Nov 21, 2024

A Modern Take on Paillonné Enamel by Hermès

Bearing an equestrian motif in typical Hermès style, the Arceau Robe Légère has a dial in paillonné enamel. Inspired by the silk scarf of the same name, the dial depicts horse composed of thin layers of delicately formed silver leaf on a dark blue enamel base. Initial thoughts Paillonné is a relatively uncommon technique in watchmaking, and even when employed in watches it’s usually traditional in style. The Arceau Robe Légère, in contrast, has a modern, slightly whimsical feel, as is typical of Hermes’ house style, which sets it apart from most executions of paillonné enamel. Granted, the equestrian motif is familiar and employed again and again, but it is very much Hermes. You wouldn’t expect anything else from a brand that began as a maker of leather saddles for horse riding. Silver horse Featuring a 38 mm white gold Arceau case with its asymmetrical stirrup-shaped lugs, the Arceau Robe Légère sports 71 brilliant-cut diamonds on its bezel. The dial is in a dark blue fired enamel with the paillonné technique applied on top, with its intricate detailed revealed only up close. The horse is actually composed of flowers, which are in turn made up of tiny pieces of silver foil (known as paillons) carefully assembled by hand on the dark blue enamel base. The motif is then painted over with clear enamel to set it on the base. The watch is powered by the self-winding H1912 made by Vaucher. It offers 50 hours of power reserve, and beats at 28,800 beats per hour...

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Fratello’s Top 5 Classic El Primero-Powered Watches - Featuring Zenith, Ebel, Rolex, And More Fratello
Zenith Ebel Rolex Sep 13, 2024

Fratello’s Top 5 Classic El Primero-Powered Watches - Featuring Zenith, Ebel, Rolex, And More

Another Friday, another list! This week, we enter the wonderful world of the El Primero movement. As most of you know, Zenith introduced its famous El Primero trio of watches in 1969. The brand was part of the illustrious race to release the first automatic chronograph, competing with Seiko and the consortium of brands formed […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Classic El Primero-Powered Watches - Featuring Zenith, Ebel, Rolex, And More to read the full article.

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Introducing Gagà Laboratorio, a New Independent Watch Brand with Italian Flare Worn & Wound
Bvlgari Aug 28, 2024

Introducing Gagà Laboratorio, a New Independent Watch Brand with Italian Flare

Two prominent industry insiders have recently collaborated to establish a new watch company, Gagà Laboratorio, based in Switzerland. Mo Coppoletta will serve as the Art Director, and Ruben Tomella as the owner of the Italy based Gagà Milano brand and the newly formed company, Gagà Laboratorio. Mr. Tomella has had a successful tenure with Gagà Milano for two decades. He founded brand offshoot Manufacture Gagà in Switzerland, which has focused on creating high-end products for Gagà Milano in collaboration with leading industry partners, including the development of tourbillon movements in partnership with Hysek, a Swiss independent brand. In 2020, Mr. Tomella decided to redirect the activities of the Swiss company and embarked on establishing a new brand, Gagà Laboratorio. The mission of Gagà Laboratorio is to create entry-level luxury timepieces that emphasize design while maintaining high-quality movement standards. To achieve this vision, he partnered with artist Mo Coppoletta, a long-time friend. Together, they have initiated this new chapter for Gagà. Mo Coppoletta is a world-renowned artist, designer, and tattoo artist, known for his collaborations with Bvlgari on two Octo Finissimo limited editions featuring his tattoo artwork. In my interview with Mr. Tomella, he discusses the vision of Gagà Laboratorio. “After 16 years in the watchmaking industry at the helm of Gagà Milano, in 2020, I felt a strong pull towards the world of independent watchmaking and d...

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Geneva Watch Days 2024 - Get All The Latest Watch News On Fratello Fratello
Aug 26, 2024

Geneva Watch Days 2024 - Get All The Latest Watch News On Fratello

The world of Haute Horlogerie is gearing up for yet another highly anticipated event as Geneva Watch Days 2024 draws near. Since its inception in 2020, this decentralized and innovative watch fair has rapidly become a cornerstone in the annual horological calendar. Designed with a flexible, open format, Geneva Watch Days allows independent and established […] Visit Geneva Watch Days 2024 - Get All The Latest Watch News On Fratello to read the full article.

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Industry News: Chanel Invests in MB&F; Worn & Wound
Chanel Invests Aug 22, 2024

Industry News: Chanel Invests in MB&F;

News broke this morning that Chanel has invested a 25% stake in MB&F;, one of our favorite independent brands. The investment comes on the eve of MB&F;’s 20th anniversary year, and is being framed by the brand as future-proofing the company. “It was our responsibility,” according to a statement from founder Max Büsser, “in today’s very favourable context and with our management team in its prime, to take this major step to ensure our long-term future.” MB&F; founder Max Büsser Büsser retains a majority stake in the company (60%) while his partner and Head of R&D; & Production Serge Kriknoff owns 15%. According to the statement released by MB&F;, the brand will continue to be run independently by the current leadership team, which also includes Charris Yadigaroglou (Head of Marketing Communications) and Thibault Verdonckt (Head of Sales). Brands taking on investment is of course nothing new, and the decision of a niche independent that has displayed over multiple decades that it’s capable of not only sustaining itself but growing feels like a smart business decision. It plays directly into a topic that comes up a lot in the world of independent watchmaking: What happens when a founder moves on? While there is no indication that Büsser is stepping aside anytime soon, longevity is something always on the mind of watch collectors. This is an industry, after all, where some brands can trace their roots to the 18th century. We covered this very topic in a Q&A; podcas...

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Two U.S. Exclusives from Grand Seiko Bring Back the Popular “Kirazuri” Dial Texture Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Bring Back Aug 1, 2024

Two U.S. Exclusives from Grand Seiko Bring Back the Popular “Kirazuri” Dial Texture

While Grand Seiko’s history stretches back to the 1960s, the brand’s story in America is quite a bit more contemporary. Grand Seiko, for years, was a true hidden gem in the watch world, an insider’s secret that you had to be fairly deep into the hobby to stumble across in the days before the watch collecting “boom” that we’re still living through. It wasn’t until the Grand Seiko Corporation of America was formed in 2018 that the brand really put down roots in the United States. Obviously, from that point forward, Grand Seiko’s footprint has grown considerably, and we’re way, way past the point where anyone could credibly claim they’re an under the radar enthusiast’s secret. But for those of us who can remember a time well before their flagship NYC boutique, and before these watches were easily accessible anywhere in the states, their periodic US exclusive releases carry special significance.  The latest US exclusive limited editions, references SBGA507 and SBGA509, come at a time when Grand Seiko is experiencing enormous growth and success in the United States. These watches have been designed as a tribute to the very first US exclusive Grand Seiko releases, a trio of limited editions inspired by kirazuri, a traditional method used in Japanese woodblock printing that incorporates mica powder for a sparkling effect. Those limited editions have proven to be quite popular and collectible, so the release of the pair seen here should please collectors who...

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It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 Fratello
Montblanc Iced Sea Jul 25, 2024

It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810

The new Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 might be the perfect watch for spec-loving divers. Let’s look at the data, the numbers, and the cold, hard facts. Montblanc’s latest dive watch, the flagship of the newly formed Iced Sea collection, has a 43 × 19.4mm case containing no oxygen and is water resistant […] Visit It Can Dive As Deep As The Mountain Is High: A Hands-On With The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 to read the full article.

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